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It started with a small creak. She was walking up to her room when she heard it. Nothing big, but still enough to put her on edge.
The next time she thought she saw someone walking around her brownstone. She double, triple checked her place before settling on her couch again, still uneasy. She chalked it up to her being tired from doing reports all night and soon went to bed afterwards.
But tonight is different. The air seems charged, like something’s coming, but nothing ever does. She falls asleep wondering if she’s going crazy, wondering if it’s all coming back to haunt her. She doesn’t entertain the thought for long, but when she’s finally able to close her eyes and fall into the throes of sleep, she sees him. Duke Ducoyle.
Her heart hammers as snakes start to swarm her body, each one wrapping around her limbs and pulling tight, keeping her in place. She tries to scream, but she can’t. His face contorts into the mask she tore that night she was attacked. The snakes now gone, replaced by David Owen’s hands around her throat as he chokes her. But even he’s soon replaced by a visage of a familiar sight. Maggie lying in a hospital bed, unconscious and unable to move. She tries to call out to the younger agent, but alas, she is unsuccessful. Her heart hurts as she gazes on as the line goes flat on the younger’s heart rate monitor.
“Maggie!” She screams, sitting up in bed, the dark of night still surrounding her. “Shit,” She curses, rubbing the sweat from off of her face. “It was only a dream. I’m ok.” She sighs before looking at the time.
4:34am
She breathes out another sigh as she gets up to go get a drink of water, checking her house one last time before going back to her bedroom. “Maybe this job’s finally getting to me.” She groans, drinking the water she got.
But if it is, she doesn’t do anything about it. She goes in the next day like nothing happened the night before, bags under her eyes like she hasn’t slept in days.
No one seems to notice, or rather, if they do, they don’t seem to care, or so it seems.
Her eyes go wide as she sees Maggie sitting in her office, unsure as to why she’s there before her. “Maggie?” Isobel asks walking into her office and setting her bag down. “What’re you doing here so early?”
“I came to check in on you. I’ve noticed that you’ve seemed off lately, so I wanted to see how you were doing.” Maggie’s answer makes Isobel’s heart race for reasons she’s not ready to define yet as she sets her coat on the back of her office door.
“I’m fine, Maggie. Just a little tired, that’s all,” she lies, hoping the younger will believe her. If Maggie doesn’t believe her, she doesn’t say anything.
“Alright. You know you can talk to me about anything, right?” The agent says kindly as she stands and walks over to Isobel.
“Maggie, I’m your SAC.”
“And I’m your friend, Isobel.” Her heart thumps at Maggie’s caring words, but she continues to keep mum about what’s going on.
“I’ll let you know if I ever need to talk, ok?” The younger nods, hoping that Isobel would reach out if she needed anything.
“You have my phone number, don’t ever hesitate to reach out if you need anything,” Maggie says as she walks to the SAC’s door.
“I will, Maggie. Thanks.” Isobel nods politely before turning and walking to her desk. Maggie takes a moment to watch the older woman before she too turns and walks back to her desk.
——— ——— ———
Later that night, Isobel contemplates calling her. Her thumb hovers over the call button after she awoke from a nightmare at 2:20am, but she never hits call. So instead, she gets up and makes herself some tea. Unfortunately as she’s walking back to her room, she thinks she sees someone outside her window. Without thinking, she sets down her tea, quickly shuts the blinds, and goes to call the first person she thinks of.
“Isobel?” She answers with a groggy tone.
“Sorry to wake you, it might be nothing, but I think someone was watching me.” This woke the other agent right up.
“Where are you?” She asks worried as Isobel hears shuffling on the other end.
“Home. I thought I saw someone outside my window. It could be nothing but it made me uneasy, that’s why I called,” she says before checking the locks on her door before going to the window once again to see if the person left.
“Are they still there?” Maggie asks a hint of fear in her tone.
“No, there’s no one.” Isobel breathes a sigh of relief, unsure if she should tell Maggie about her nightmares and hallucinations.
“Does this have anything to do with why you’ve been so off lately?” The question Isobel dreads comes out of the younger agent’s mouth making Isobel hesitant to answer.
“Sort of.” She sighs, thinking if anyone should know, it should be Maggie.
“What do you mean ‘sort of’?” The younger asks as Isobel sits down on her couch.
“Come over and I’ll explain everything.” Her heart hammers in her chest as she gives the younger agent her address.
“I’ll be right over, please be careful,” Maggie says with a worried tone before she hangs up.
By the time Maggie comes over Isobel’s tea has gone cold. “Thanks for coming, I’m sorry to call you over so early in the morning.” Isobel welcomes the younger woman inside her brownstone before locking her door behind her.
“It’s alright, Isobel, I told you that I’m here if you ever need it, and it seems like you need me right now.” Maggie moves to take off her jacket and boots before following Isobel into her living room.
“Would you like anything to drink? Water? Coffee? Tea?” She asks the younger agent, hoping to prolong the inevitable.
“Tea sounds nice,” Maggie says as she sits on Isobel’s couch. The older of the two moves to make the two of them tea before going back to her living room once they’re finished. “So what’s going on, Isobel?” Maggie asks as the older woman sets down their teas.
The older looks around nervously before speaking, “I’ve been having nightmares since everything went down with Duke Ducoyle.” Maggie nods, listening intently to her SAC. “But it’s not just that, I keep thinking I see people outside of my home or hear strange noises while I’m here.” She sighs before continuing, “the nightmares leave me broken when I wake up. They’re all the same, Duke, David Owen, then you.”
“Me?”
“I see you lying there in the hospital bed, unable to wake up from the sarin incident.” Maggie finds this odd, but she keeps listening. “I know you weren’t here for David Owen, but I guess it didn’t shake me as much as I thought until now.” Isobel looks around again before looking down into her hands.
“Yeah, I had heard about him. I’m glad you survived that,” Maggie says with a warm smile, placing her hand on Isobel’s knee.
“I’m glad too, but I never thought it’d come back to haunt me like this.” Isobel shakes her head before running a hand through her hair. “I’m sorry, Maggie, I shouldn’t be dumping this on you.”
“Isobel you’re fine, I’m glad you trust me enough to tell me all this,” Maggie says with a warm smile on her lips. “Would you want me to stay the night? See if that helps you?”
Isobel doesn’t respond at first, but when she does, it’s a small, “I would never ask you to.” Maggie shakes her head, squeezing Isobel’s knee.
“I want to. If it’ll help you sleep better being with someone, I’d gladly help you any day.” Her honesty and kindness makes Isobel’s heart race faster, a feeling she’d rather not define just yet.
“Thank you, Maggie,” Isobel says with a weak smile.
“It’s no problem, I know you’d do the same for me.” She smiles before taking another sip of her tea.
Isobel nods before saying, “let me grab you some blankets, I’ll be right back.” Maggie nods before Isobel stands to go do just that. When she comes back, Maggie has already shut her blinds again and finished half of her tea. “Thanks again, Maggie. I appreciate you being here more than you know.”
Maggie chuckles lightly before speaking, “it’s no problem Isobel. I’m happy to help.” Her smile warms the older’s heart as she sets the blankets down next to her before taking a sip of her own cooled down tea.
The two sit there talking about nothing and everything for a while before Maggie eventually starts to get tired. “I think I’m going to go back to sleep, you should try to as well.” Maggie yawns, stretching her arms above her head.
Isobel nods before taking their teacups to the sink. “I’ll see you in the morning then,” Isobel says before walking back up to her room, checking her security cameras once again before she does.
The night passes by slowly and eventually Isobel falls back asleep, but it’s not without its fair share of terror.
She wakes up to his face again. Duke and dozens upon dozens of snake masks staring back at her with malicious intent. Snakes coil around her once again, constricting her movements as one of the followers presses a knife to her throat. “Your day will come, Agent Castille. One day you’ll get what’s coming to you!” He cackles before they all disappear and Owen appears, his mask torn and a wicked grin on his lips.
“You failed. You told them a false description and now I’m here to finish the job.” Owen smirks before he stabs her in the gut multiple times. As she falls to the ground, another nightmare takes his place. The same three horrific dreams that she’s been having, but this last one is different.
“You let me die! If you would’ve made a better call I wouldn’t have come close to dying in that lab!” Maggie’s voice fills her head as the younger agent sits up in the hospital bed. “And what makes things worse is that you’re lying to yourself too! You keep ignoring the truth! Stop lying!”
“Maggie!” She screams waking up in a cold sweat.
Within seconds of her scream, Maggie is upstairs with a panicked look on her face. “What’s going on? Are you alright?”
Isobel shakes her head in her hands, tears streaking her cheeks as she says, “I-I had another one.” Her words were hesitant, fearful as her heart races in her chest.
“Oh, Isobel,” Maggie says going to give the older woman a warm hug. Isobel’s heart hammers in her chest at the gesture as she hesitates before hugging the younger back.
“I’m sorry I woke you up.” Isobel sighs, trying not to cry into the younger’s shoulder.
“You’re fine, Isobel. Don’t ever be sorry for needing help,” Maggie rubs her back her calmly. “You never have to apologize to me for anything.”
Isobel shakes her head. “But you shouldn’t have to be dealing with this.” Isobel sniffles, hugging the younger agent tighter.
“It doesn’t matter to me, Isobel. I’m here for you because I care about you. Understood?” Isobel nods in response before Maggie holds her at arms length. “Would you like me to stay in here with you?”
Isobel takes a second to respond, but once she does, it, once again, comes out soft and hesitant, “yes, please.”
Maggie hugs her again before saying, “of course. You never have to be alone, Isobel.” After Isobel calms down, the two of them lie down on opposite sides of the older woman’s bed and fall asleep peacefully.
The next morning Isobel wakes up to a warm embrace and not to cold sweats. A smile worms its way to her face as she holds the younger agent closer to her. The nightmares were gone, but her feelings weren’t. The older woman’s heart races as soon as she realizes their position. A blush rises to her face as she starts to finally put a name to the racing of her heart. Love. Now she has a whole new problem to face.
“Mmm morning, Isobel.” The older is broke from her love filled stupor as the younger stretches her arms.
“Morning, Maggie.” Isobel smiles before getting up along with the younger brunette.
“How’d you sleep?” The question warms the older woman’s heart as she grabs some clothes for herself.
“Better, thanks. I didn’t have another nightmare, which is good.” Maggie smiles widely at this.
“Great! I’m glad I could help!” The older’s heart flutters at Maggie’s smile.
“Thanks again, Maggie. I truly appreciate everything you’ve done,” Isobel says appreciatively.
“It’s no problem, really. As I said, I’m glad I could help.” Her smile warms as she walks up to Isobel and places a hand on her shoulder. “I meant it when I said you could come to me for anything, and I’m glad you did.” Isobel smiles warmly as she puts her hand on Maggie’s.
“You’re too kind to me.” Maggie chuckles at this.
“You deserve it, Isobel. I know people see you as cold and unforgiving, but I know you. You deserve the world, Isobel, and you deserve someone who can give you the world.” Isobel’s heart practically melts at her words. As their eyes connect, Isobel has to hold herself back from kissing the younger agent. She can’t, not yet, not ever.
“I don’t think I’ll ever find that someone, but thank you for the kind words, Maggie.” Isobel smiles, leaving Maggie dumbfounded before going to get changed.
“I bet you’ll find someone someday, Isobel.” Maggie calls through the wooden barrier.
“The problem is that I already have,” Isobel whispers to herself as she splashes her face with water.
——— ——— ———
A few days go by and Isobel is able to sleep better at night. Ever since the night Maggie slept over, she’s been sleeping better and having less nightmares. Sure, she still wakes up in the middle of the night from her bad dreams, but after talking to Maggie, she’s able to fall asleep and dream normally again. As the days go by her feelings only grow for the younger agent as she prays that no one notices.
“Good morning, Isobel.” Maggie smiles as she greets the older woman. “How’d you sleep last night?”
“I slept better, thanks for asking.” She smiles back as she walks with Maggie from the elevators to her office.
“It’s no problem, Isobel. I’m just glad you’re sleeping better.” She didn’t tell the younger woman how her nightmares have changed, while they’re less than they were before, they were different.
Every night Isobel awoke from a dream of Maggie making fun of her, berating her, and even telling others that she likes her. The voices in her head and heart keep her awake at night, but somehow Maggie always finds a way to calm them down and coax her back to sleep. While Isobel missed having Maggie beside her, she was still comfortable with her calling each night making sure that she’s ok.
——— ——— ———
Unfortunately not all good things last forever. As Isobel goes to sleep, her thoughts get the better of her again.
“Maggie I really like you,” she says in her dream, which leads the younger into a laughing fit.
“You… you like me?” Maggie laughs, pointing at her. “How could someone as weak and pathetic as you like someone like me!” Maggie’s voice pierces Isobel’s soul like a spear before the younger speaks again, “you’re too cold and ruthless to have anyone love you! When I said you deserved the world I never thought you’d take my words literally.” Maggie dies of laughter before she turns to OA and tells him, “did you hear her? She likes me!” The two of them laugh before Jubal, Elise, Kelly, and Ian all join in. “No one will ever love you Isobel! Face it! You’re nothing!”
And that’s when she wakes up. A cold sweat lining her skin and tears pricking at her eyes. She looks at her phone once, twice, then picks it up and calls Maggie.
“Isobel? Are you alright?” Maggie asks groggily as she answers.
“I had another nightmare.”
Maggie hums into the receiver before replying with, “you want me to come over?”
“Please,” Isobel says, hopefully before she hears shuffling on the other again.
“I’ll be over in ten.” Maggie says before hanging up. Her tone wasn’t sharp, it was calm and warm, but Isobel still overthinks every single word.
‘Is she ok with staying over again?’
‘Does she hate me for constantly calling her?’
‘What if she’s mad at me?’
Isobel doesn’t realize she’s been crying until she hears a knock at her door. She tries to wipe her eyes the best she can before going to open the door for the younger agent. “Hey, Isobel… have you been crying?” She asks the older woman.
“Maybe…” she trails off before letting the younger woman inside.
“What’s wrong, Isobel?” Maggie asks worried as the two sit down on the older woman’s couch.
“It’s nothing, I just had a dream that hit me worse than before.” She lies as more tears threaten to spill from her eyes.
“Isobel, it’s not nothing if it’s hurting you this badly,” Maggie says with concern as she places her hand on Isobel’s knee.
“I can’t tell you.“ The older woman sniffles as her tears start streaming down her cheeks.
“Why not, Isobel? Why can’t you tell me?” Maggie moves her hands to hold Isobel’s as she looks into the older’s eyes with concern.
“Because I don’t want you to leave me.” Isobel sniffles once again.
Maggie looks at the older with confusion before she responds with, “I would never leave you, Isobel. What makes you think that?”
“Because I love you, Maggie. I don’t know for how long or when I even started realizing it, but I do, I love you more than anything and it scares me half to death that I can never have you,” Isobel blurts out without looking Maggie in her eyes.
The confession takes Maggie aback. Unsure of how to answer, she pulls Isobel into a tight hug. “Who said you could never have me?” She finally asks.
“Wait, what?” Isobel’s reaction makes Maggie chuckle a bit.
“Who said you could never have me?” Maggie repeats before releasing Isobel from the hug.
“N-No one, but, Maggie…”
“No buts, understood? I’m not some unobtainable object, Isobel. I love you too, and if we’re being honest, I think I’ve been in love with you since you first became our SAC.”
Isobel’s face turns to shock before she wraps Maggie in another big hug. “You don’t know how much it means to me to hear you say that, Maggie!” Isobel smiles brightly as the younger agent hugs her back just as tight.
“And you don’t know how much it means for me to hear you say that you like me.” Maggie smiles as well before they break their hug. Red tints each of their cheeks as they stare away from each other bashfully.
“Can I kiss you?” Isobel asks.
“Of course,” Maggie replies enthusiastically before holding the older woman’s face in her hands. The kiss is slow and loving as their lips press together. It feels like warmth, kindness, and most importantly, home. The two stay that way for a moment before they break.
“God that was…”
“Amazing?” Maggie finishes with a chuckle.
“Definitely.” Isobel chuckles as well before she continues with, “how did we not do this sooner?”
The two laugh at the comment before Maggie says, “I’m not sure, but I’m glad we did now. Better late than never.” Maggie chuckles before pecking Isobel’s lips again.
“Let’s go to bed Maggie,” Isobel says with a smile before the two get up and walk to the older’s bedroom.
That night Isobel only had dreams of her and Maggie and their future together and from that night on, her nightmares started to disappear thanks to one specific brunette.