Redemption (boyxboy) (18+)

Chapter Eighteen

The court reporter practically sprints from the room when the deposition is finally finished, going out of her way to avoid walking anywhere near Nathaniel.

Karl packs up his notes and pens more slowly, deliberately. Once he has everything squared away, he leans across the table to speak to Nate one last time. His fat face is so close that Nate can see his dark pores, those sharp eyes cutting into him as a sadistic smile teases at the corner of Karl's mouth.

"Your family sends their regards. I think the exact phrase was, 'May you be as healthy and successful as your dear brother, Devon.'"

And then he stands and walks out, tossing one last greasy smile over his shoulder.

Nate takes a deep breath and forces himself to his feet, swaying a bit as he begins to lose the steely resolve that carried him to this point.

Christine stands with him, giving Nate a smile that's supposed to be encouraging. She's telling him reassuring stuff that sounds rehearsed, like how he did a great job and that the case is going to be a slam dunk, but Nate is too emotionally exhausted to really hear any of it.

"Just keep your head above water for a few more months, Nathaniel. Once we get you before a jury, they won't be able to touch you."

Nate manages to nod, but stays silent. He's grateful that they're off the record and he doesn't have to answer aloud anymore. He's not sure his hands are steady enough to type another word.

Finally, Christine leaves with one last reassuring squeeze of his shoulder, and Nate is alone in the cool, quiet room with Reid. It should be comfortable; this has been their lives for over a month now.

He's never been more nervous.

He just spent hours telling his dirtiest secrets in gory detail, and Reid heard every word. Reid should be repulsed, disgusted; he should refuse to spend one more minute risking his life for a killer like Nate. The best thing he can imagine happening is for Reid to avoid his gaze and retreat into the rigors of the job, to protecting Nate's body but ignoring his heart.

So when Nate finally finds the courage to look at Reid and finds those hazel eyes locked on his, watery but unwavering as Reid stands and strides across the room, Nate can barely breathe. And then Reid wraps his arms around him, pulling him in against his chest so hard that his face is pressed into Reid's warm shoulder. He smells like Old Spice and leather, all hard muscle and strong hands and Nathaniel is so relieved he nearly sags in his arms. Reid's grip is fierce and tight, like he's trying to take on Nathaniel's burdens himself, to help him carry the weight. His mouth moves to Nate's ear, his voice rough even in a whisper.

"You did good, Nate. You did real good."

*******

Reid had already known about Nate's past, of course - he'd read the written confession the night Nathaniel turned himself in, he'd seen the indications of mental and physical abuse in Nate's behavior ever since - but he'd never been able to truly understand the toll it had taken on Nate. The guilt, the self-loathing, the desperate need to make amends. Reid's heart had broken with every new confession, every story of how his family had manipulated him, driven him to desperate and cruel means just to survive.

And then the brave, crazy fool had the courage to stand up against it all, to face his demons and drag them all back to hell even if it meant he had to go with them. Reid had never been more proud, more sure of what he'd chosen to do with his life until that moment.

If Nathaniel Angelev was the only witness he'd ever protected, Reid would still have felt that it was worth it.

*******

Ben and Andy are waiting for them in the lobby, their faces questioning and wary. Reid just nods, and that's enough to make the tension shift in them both. They can read it in Reid's face that they don't need to be worried that Nathaniel is going to balk and leave them without a case, or that his testimony won't be enough to take the Angelevs down.

Now they've just got to get him to the trial.

They all stand in the lobby for a moment, waiting for Karl to leave the building and for the rest of their team to get into place. Ben and Andy have a whole route mapped out in order to escape, one that's completely different than the one Ben uploaded to the agency's server a week ago. They're hoping it's enough to keep the mole off their tail.

"I have an idea about our leak, Reid. I think it's Jared. He's doing a good job of hiding it, but he suddenly seems more flush than you can get on a government salary. New Rolex, tailored suits, drinking some kind of whiskey that costs like $300 a bottle."

Reid thinks this over, decides he likes it. "I never trusted that slimy bastard."

"Problem is," Andy says with a sigh, "We've got no proof. So I can't actually do squat about it."

"So get proof. And nail that son of a bitch."

It's a gruff answer; in fact, everything about Reid seems rougher than the last time Ben and Andy saw him. He's more raw, more determined. And they get it, they do - his whole life is wrapped up in this one case, this one witness.  He's out there on his own, spending every moment paranoid that he'll miss something, that he'll fail and wind up with so much blood on his hands.

But Ben looks a bit closer, and he sees something more there. A tenderness in the way Reid reaches out to keep Nathaniel close to him, something soft but strong in the way they look at each other.

So he pulls Reid aside, Andy keeping Nate busy talking over the details of the deposition on the far side of the lobby.

"Okay, man. What's going on with you two?"

Reid rubs his at his forehead, the short hairs of his right eyebrow going haywire under his thumb. He doesn't bother asking what Ben means. He doesn't need to.

That doesn't mean he's ready to admit it.

"Nothing, Benny. Nothing."

"Bullshit." Ben looks at the flush crawling up Reid's neck and feels his stomach drop into his shoes. "Jesus, Reid, he's an Angelev. He's a killer and a time bomb just waiting to go off. Not to mention, he's your job. So please - please - tell me you aren't falling for him."

The blush makes it to Reid's face, turning his cheeks a flaming red. And he hates himself for what he's about to say, but he doesn't have time to get into it with Ben right now.

It's not any of Ben's goddamned business anyway, he thinks.

"No, of course not. He's just a job, Ben. He's a witness who needs protecting, and I've been assigned to him." Reid looks up at Ben, locking eyes and daring him to question him further. "That's. All."

Ben shakes his head and laughs, once, before pressing his lips together to keep from saying anything else. It doesn't matter what Reid says; Ben can read the truth. And he's got yet another reason to add to his list of why he wants to catch the motherfucker that's out for Nathaniel's head.

Because if they lose Nate, it will break his partner's heart.

*******

On the far side of the lobby, Nate is tuning out Andy's supposedly-inspiring speech. He's too busy eavesdropping on the hissed conversation between Reid and Ben.

He doesn't hear it all, but he hears enough.

He's just a job, Ben.

That's all.

Nate chews the inside of his cheek choking on the silent scream tearing inside his throat, and nods along absently with whatever Andy is saying.