The Only Logic I Follow

The Aftermath

The intense debriefing was finally over, and the high-profile case was officially closed. Gemini and Fourth left the Bureau together, not in separate cars, but in Gemini’s sedan, the unspoken declaration of their relationship now eclipsing any need for secrecy. The exhaustion clinging to them was profound, but beneath the weariness was a deep, raw connection forged in shared crisis.

​Gemini drove to his own apartment—a place Fourth had never seen—a sterile, silent space that reflected the dark and broody isolation of its owner.

​The Tenderness

​Inside, the contrast between the environment and the inhabitants was jarring. Fourth, normally so sassy and quick-witted, moved slowly, his energy depleted. Gemini immediately stripped off his field gear, tossing the heavy suit jacket onto a chair. He was no longer the lead agent; he was simply a partner focused on recovery.

​"The Bureau granted me a mandatory 72-hour leave," Gemini stated, his voice low, his strong hands moving to Fourth’s face, gently pushing the hair back from his forehead. "I contacted the Chief. I told him I needed time to process the trauma and that you were the reason I was leaving."

​Fourth leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. "You risked your agent image for me," he whispered, the truth of Gemini's sacrifice hitting him hard.

​"My image is secondary to your peace," Gemini countered. "You are running on fumes, Fot. Your mind saved the country, but it needs silence now. We are going to focus on stabilization."

​Gemini guided Fourth to the bathroom. He didn't speak of the mission or the near-fatal risks. He simply ran the hottest water the shower could handle, found the softest towels, and left Fourth with instructions to stay under the spray until the last trace of the bunker's stale air was gone.

​While Fourth showered, Gemini called Perth and Phuwin, not for a debrief, but to delegate all ongoing data management. He made a clear, non-negotiable statement: "Fourth and I are offline for three days. No comms unless the building is on fire." He was building a wall of domestic stability around them.

​The Agent’s Aftermath

​When Fourth emerged, wrapped in a plush robe, his presence was softer, calmer, stripped of the mission's edge. He found Gemini in the kitchen, not drinking coffee, but preparing a light meal.

​They sat at the small kitchen island, eating in silence. The silence was not awkward; it was a shared, profound decompression.

​"Why didn't you panic, Gem?" Fourth finally asked, looking at the bandage on Gemini's forearm—a small cut from the takedown. "In the supply closet, when Vane triggered the EMP? You were calm. You were certain."

​Gemini put down his fork, his dark eyes vulnerable. "I wasn't calm. I was terrified. But the moment Vane tried to erase the data, I heard your voice in my ear—clear, decisive, and entirely in command. You were chaos, but you were my certainty."

​He reached across the table, taking Fourth's hand and turning it over, tracing the faint lines of concentration Fourth used to hold his specialized tablet. "I love your methodology, Fourth. I love your smart mouth. And I love your relentless ability to push me past my limits. I need you to understand that the dark and broody agent I used to be is irrelevant now. I am simply the man who executes your genius."

​Fourth felt the residual tension leave his body. Gemini wasn't apologizing; he was validating. He was acknowledging the truth of their power exchange.

​"I won't let you run again, Gem," Fourth confessed, his voice heavy with the depth of his feelings. "I won't let you hide behind the badge. You're stuck with me."

​"Good," Gemini replied, his lips curving into a rare, sincere smile that chased the shadow from his eyes. "Because I'm not going anywhere. We are going to recover. We are going to heal. And then we are going to start a life where 'forced proximity' is a conscious, chosen act."

​The next three days were spent entirely in that apartment—sleeping deeply, eating simply, and allowing the intense physical and emotional bond to heal the trauma. They spoke very little of the FBI, focusing instead on the quiet joy of their shared, stable space. The foundation for their life together was solidified in silence and commitment, far away from the dangerous glamour of the field.