Blindspot: The Jane Doe Files

Reade and Zapata

Following the events of Season 2 Episode 15 - Draw O Caesar, Erase a Coward

The team had just got back to the FBI building and the infirmary was tending to Zapata's wound. The now deceased Marjorie Ellis had shot her in the back, but Reade shot her in her back before she could have done any more harm to his best friend. Zapata seemed fine but they could never really know how serious it was.

Reade decided he couldn't wait any longer and decided to go to the infirmary to check on Zapata. On his way, Kurt passed by him in the hallway with a six-pack of his favourite Pennsylvanian beer and he looked at his leader weirdly.

"Where are you going with that beer?" he asked curiously. Kurt didn't just casually walk around the building with alcohol.

"Roman," he replied. "He did well today. Sure it might have been risky of him to come at that doctor but he got results. And I'd say that deserves some reward."

He narrowed his eyes sceptically. "You sure it's a good idea to get the amnesiac sociopath with extreme antisocial personality disorder in custody drunk?"

Kurt shrugged. "Since when did one beer make a man drunk? It's fine Reade."

"If it's one beer why take the whole pack?"

"Well I mean, three beers each never makes a man drunk," he reasoned. "I don't know Roman's alcohol tolerance levels but with what he's been doing all his life, I'd say he can handle it. And it's only three beers. The worst that could happen is becoming a little tipsy. We won't lose our minds."

Reade shrugged. He was still doubtful of this drinking idea but Kurt was the boss. He knew what he was doing. "If you say so. I'm just going to check up on Zapata."

They parted and headed to their destinations. When Reade entered the infirmary, he found Zapata getting some gauze wrapped around her lower back. His mind went into overdrive. She seemed fine but what if the shot damaged her spine?

He could shoot that Marjorie bitch ten times over if it came down to it...

Zapata looked up and saw Reade, and an automatic smile grew on her face. She had a feeling he'd show up soon. The awkwardness from their kiss had dissipated, and now they were all good. Just because it seemed to have been swept under the rug didn't erase the fact that it happened, and they wouldn't forget it.

"You look like someone died," she teased, referring to his panic-stricken face.

He rolled his eyes. Only she would be so sardonic in such a circumstance. "Well I just had to make sure no one did," he said flatly. "How bad is it?"

"Nothing I can't handle," she smirked. "It was just a little graze. Though if you hadn't showed up, someone would have died."

"Please don't make me think about that." He'd die before he let his best friend die.

"What's the matter Reade? Can't bear to imagine a life without me?" She was only teasing, but a part of her wished it was true; wished that she meant that much to him.

"I'm not going to inflate your ego by admitting to what you already know," he huffed.

Zapata's smile stretched from one ear to the other - in her mind of course. She couldn't show that Reade's confession had such an effect on her. No matter how many girlfriends that came and went, she'd still be the constant in his life; the one he well and truly could not bear to live without.

Speaking of girlfriends... "You still haven't told me who the lucky girl is?" She grinned.

Reade didn't want to tell her about Niki. Niki was Freddy's ex girlfriend, and in his subconscious he knew it was just... wrong to be involved romantically with her. Not to mention she was the one who got him into doing drugs. If he told her one thing would lead to the other and she'd end up snubbing him or freaking out about the coke.

"Must you know every little detail about my life?" He shook his head disapprovingly.

"A girlfriend is not a 'little detail'," she persisted. "And I just want to make sure you're getting involved with the right kind of people. That's my job as a best friend."

"I think I can have a little fun without you doing a background check on them," he protested. "And you're one to talk about getting involved with the right people."

"Excuse me?" she scoffed in mock offence. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your guys are always a hybrid between John Cena and The Rock. I told you before. I work for the FBI and they scare me."

"Then you scare easily scaredy-cat. Now just tell me." She moved a little and her back hurt, and a flash of pain crossed her face.

"You okay?" Reade asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Shit. I can handle it but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt like a blonde bitch." She was referring to Marjorie. "But anyway don't try to sidetrack me. We were talking about you and your mystery love interest."

"There's nothing to talk about Tasha." He rolled his eyes, trying to avoid her persistence. "I just came in here to check on you. How we got to my romantic relationships, I don't even know. Bye."

Zapata laughed at Reade's discomfort. "Is it that girl you met at the bar that night?"

"See you tomorrow Tash."

He walked out of the infirmary, his best friend's laughs fading behind him, and when he was well out of sight, he leaned against the wall and sighed heavily.

How long could he go on before Zapata found out, one way or another? And what would she think when she did? Would she stick by him? This was way too much stress for him. He needed something to relieve it.

Without a second thought he headed back home to inhale the white magic powder.

Meanwhile, Zapata was now out of the infirmary and was just finishing up some work on Mark Elman, but she couldn't help but be distracted by Reade's evasion.

What was he hiding about his girlfriend - or temporary fling? He was never this secretive about his relationships, and especially not to her. What didn't he want her to know? What was so bad he wouldn't want her to find out about it?

She was just about to look into it but she refrained from it. She had to respect his privacy. And besides, if Reade was keeping something from her, he wouldn't be stupid enough to leave any activity on it so that it worked its way into the system. She closed the tab she had just opened and went back to Mark Elman. Jane approached her then.

She asked her to look into Oliver Kind, and they found out that he had changed his name. Jane was suspicious as to why he changed his name but she told her that most people changed their names and it wasn't something worth looking into.

Just like most people didn't want to talk about their relationships, and Reade was no different. It wasn't worth looking into.

So she decided to lay off.

For now at least.

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Personally I don't think Reade and Zapata should date. I mean they'd be a nice couple but it's refreshing for a guy and a girl to just be best friends without ending up in a romantic relationship.

It would be a nice change from the never-ending cliché of 'best friends turn boyfriend and girlfriend'. How many times have we seen THAT before? Too many to count.

Not that cliché is bad. I love me some good old cliché. But for this circumstance, I just want them to remain friends =)

Drop a comment and leave a vote please.

Ayt bai.