Chapter Text
CHAPTER 1: SUBCONSCIOUS
Karadec leaned back against his desk as he looked up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and sighed. The day had been just like any other - a dead body, a list of suspects and a whole host of evidence. And yet, their case only occupied a tiny corner of his mind. The rest of his thoughts were consumed by one thing. Morgan Gillory.
He wasn't sure when, but at some point, he began to notice things. Like the way her blue eyes sparkled when she made a connection, the drum of her fingernails against her desk when she was deep in thought, the way her hips swayed as she strutted through the bullpen. Images that had etched themselves into his mind, whether he wanted them to or not.
So he found himself sticking around the precinct, long after everyone had gone home. It seemed like he was the only one left in the building. The chaotic hum and drum of the bullpen had morphed into a peaceful stillness. A stillness that he hoped would help him clear his head. Wishful thinking.
He heard her before he saw her. The clicking of her cow print boots cut through the silence like a knife. When he opened his eyes, she was standing in front of him, wearing an outfit that left little to the imagination. Adam's eyes traveled across her body, taking in her short leather skirt and her skin-tight lace blouse, before finally settling on her face.
"Hey big guy," Morgan smiled as she smoothed out the collar of his dress shirt. "Why are you here so late?"
"Just got a lot on my mind, I guess."
She flashed him a flirty grin as she stepped closer. So close that their bodies were nearly touching. The space held an unfamiliar charge, like lightning jumping between two storm clouds.
"Oh? Like what?"
Adam couldn't help himself from reaching out and placing his hands on her waist.
"You."
"Me?" She raised an eyebrow, though she didn't seem all that surprised.
"Yes."
He pulled her closer so their hips were pressed together, their lips just inches apart. He whispered in a low, sultry voice.
"I want you, Morgan."
Adam brought his hand to the side of her face as he leaned in and kissed her. Much to his delight, she didn't shy away. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening their kiss. Her touch seemed to draw the air right out of him, leaving him breathless. Their lips moved in sync, like a choreographed dance that they'd been rehearsing for ages. Then, she pulled back slightly, gazing into his warm, brown eyes.
"You know what's crazy?" She breathed. "I think I want you too."
"Oh yeah? How bad do you want me?"
His words seemed to light a fire in her eyes, and her lips spread into a smile.
"Why tell you when I could just show you?"
Adam's mouth fell open as she sank to her knees, running her hands down his chest. Her blue, floral nails didn't seem to hinder her from quickly undoing his belt buckle. He fought to control his erratic breathing as she unbuttoned his pants. Then, she plunged her hand beneath his waistband, freeing his throbbing erection.
His breath hitched in his throat as she leaned forward, taking him into her mouth. The sensation was unlike anything he'd experienced. As her pace quickened, he squeezed his eyes shut and tipped his head back, letting out a deep growl.
"Oh God, Morgan," he groaned. "I love-"
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Adam's eyes snapped open, and he drew in a sharp breath. He grabbed his phone off the nightstand and turned off his alarm, revealing a message from Lieutenant Soto.
Crime scene at 94th and Manhattan. We're meeting there at 9:00.
He didn't retain any of the information. His mind was still reeling from his dream. He tossed the phone to the side and stared up at the ceiling, his mouth gaping open as he blinked his eyes in shock. What the fuck was that?
What troubled him even more than the dream itself was the fact that, when it ended, he almost felt... disappointed? Why? She was his partner. Any rational person who had an erotic dream about their coworker would consider it a nightmare. So why did he find himself replaying it in his head, over and over again?
Deep down, he knew the answer. He'd spent months trying to fend off the feeling - his heart seizing in his chest at the thought of her smile, or the sound of her laughter. Before, he couldn't make sense of the sensation. Now, the epiphany hit him like a pile of bricks.
Oh my God, he thought. Am I catching feelings?
As if to confirm his suspicions, he lifted up his comforter and observed his raging erection, straining against the seam of his boxer briefs. His eyes widened with the realization, and he threw his head back against the pillow.
"Oh, shit."
Karadec sat in his car outside the crime scene, gripping the steering wheel as he tried to reason with his own thoughts. His mind was still spinning from his earth shattering revelation this morning. He'd always prided himself on his professionalism. Then, Morgan waltzed into his life, and the lines began to blur.
Even if she felt the same way, Adam knew that a relationship was out of the question. He couldn't put their partnership in jeopardy that way. And besides, she had enough on her plate right now. Between her search for Roman, Arthur's mysterious disappearance, and her resurfacing feelings about her father, she probably didn't have much space left for a relationship.
He hoped that, with some time, he'd be able to set aside his feelings. Unfortunately, time wasn't on his side. He glanced over at the clock on his dashboard. 9:15. He was already running late. He couldn't avoid Morgan forever. Just act natural, he thought. Be cool.
Adam took a deep breath, then exited the cruiser and made his way across the street. He ducked under the yellow crime scene tape and entered the victim's home - an unassuming, beige ranch house. When he stepped into the living room, he found the team huddled around the body. Without a word, he smoothed out his suit jacket and took his place by Morgan's side. She turned to look at him and smiled brightly.
"Mornin' partner," she sang.
"Gillory." He gave her a quick sideways glance and a curt nod, earning him a look of confusion. So much for being cool. Morgan leaned in closer, lowering her voice.
"You alright? You're not one to show up late to a crime scene..."
It's not like he could tell her the truth - that he'd circled the block a handful of times, avoiding this exact conversation. That he had laid in bed for a half hour, trying to rationalize his dream. That he'd needed a few extra minutes in the shower to take care of his... problem.
"Traffic." He mumbled.
Morgan pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"Traffic, huh? I must have gotten lucky. The 405 was wide open when I left."
He ignored her comment. Instead, he turned toward Oz.
"Morning Oz," he said evenly. "What do we got?"
Oz gestured toward the body, lying face up on the floor in a pool of blood.
"Jeremy Lawson," he explained. "42 years old. Killed by a single gunshot to the back of the head. Forensic techs say the blood splatter indicates that he was kneeling at the time of his death. Seems like a cold blooded execution."
"What do we know about him?"
"Not much," Daphne shrugged. "He was mostly unemployed, working odd jobs to get by. No next of kin that we know of, but we were able to get into his phone. Looks like he's been taking frequent calls from an inmate at the Victorville Correctional Complex."
"Any idea who it is?" Morgan chimed in.
The sound of her voice made Karadec feel like he was suddenly standing too close. He took a step to the side, putting some distance between the two of them. His adjustment didn't go unnoticed. Morgan glanced over at him, furrowing her brow.
"Unfortunately, all outgoing calls from the prison are dialed from the same number," Selena said. "But it shouldn't take long for us to get our hands on the call log."
"Alright, well, I'm gonna go snoop around a little bit."
Morgan turned and made her way down the hall to the victim's bedroom. Once she was out of sight, Adam let out a deep exhale. He was relieved to be able to let his guard down, no longer afraid of slipping up. The relief was short lived.
"Karadec!" Morgan called. "Come look at this!"
Adam sighed, then made his way down the hallway. He stepped into the bedroom and found Morgan standing beside their victim's bed, holding an empty brown duffel bag. She had dumped the contents out onto the quilted comforter - a few sets of clothes, a couple bundles of cash, and various documents. Morgan rifled through the pile, setting aside a stack of envelopes.
"This guy's got a fake ID, a fake passport, and six brand new credit cards, still in their envelopes. Looks like he was about to go on the run. And then there's this..."
She held out a piece of paper, which he grabbed while avoiding eye contact. He skimmed it quickly.
"A notice of intent to foreclose? You think he was running from the bank?" Karadec shot her a puzzled look, then returned his eyes to the letter.
"I mean, banks don't usually shoot you in the head when you fall behind on your mortgage payments..."
"Then maybe he was running from something else," he mused.
"Or someone... I'm gonna keep digging through his stuff. See what I can find," Morgan smiled playfully. "I feel like I'm on Room Raiders. You ever seen it?"
"Can't say that I have."
"It was an old MTV show where women would go through guys' rooms and decide whether or not they wanted to date them. Turns out, people keep some weird stuff in their underwear drawers... I bet yours is just a bunch of boxer briefs, perfectly folded and organized by color," she joked.
Karadec pressed his lips together as he shifted uncomfortably. Just the mere thought of Morgan in his bedroom was enough to make his chest tighten.
"Right. Well, I'm gonna head back to the station. I'll see you there."
Karadec turned and walked briskly out of the room. As she watched him go, Morgan cocked her head to the side, perplexed.
She could tell that something was eating at him. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that he was acting differently. He could barely even look at her, and he'd fled faster than a bat out of hell. Had she done something wrong? What could she have possibly said to make him react like that?
Morgan considered sending him a text to make sure everything was okay, but she thought better of it. Clearly, he wasn't in the mood to talk. Maybe he just needed some time to work through whatever was troubling him. She turned her attention to the victim's dresser as she opened the top drawer.
"Alright, Jeremy," she hummed. "Let's see what secrets you're hiding."
Back at the precinct, Adam sat hunched over his desk. He stared down at his hands as he twirled a pencil between his fingers. He didn't have the mental capacity to do any work, or even to put up appearances.
Out of the corner if his eye, he caught a glimpse of a manicured hand placing a paper coffee cup next to his computer. It was Morgan. He couldn't bring himself to look up.
"I grabbed you some coffee on my way back." She sounded cheerful, but Adam could detect an underlying hesitancy to her voice. "Just the way you like it. One sugar packet and a splash of half-and-half."
Adam felt his heart swell. Of course, she knew his coffee order. It was one of those simple acts you do for the people you care about. He tried his best to hide his enthusiasm.
"Thank you," he muttered.
There was a moment of awkward silence. Adam made no move to pick up the coffee cup. He continued to stare down at the pencil in his hands. Then, Morgan spoke. This time, she was unable to hide the hurt from her voice.
"Look, I know social cues aren't exactly my forte, but I can tell something's going on. I don't understand why you won't even look at me. Did I do something wrong?"
Adam felt a wave of guilt wash over him. She thought this was her fault. He forced himself to look her in the eye. For a moment, her cool blue irises had him lost in space. He quickly pulled himself together.
"No, you didn't do anything wrong. I promise," his expression softened. "I just didn't sleep well last night. I'm pretty tired."
"Okay..." Morgan lilted. She was still unconvinced. "You're sure?"
He offered her a tight-lipped smile.
"I'm positive."
Morgan nodded. Then, she turned and crossed the bullpen, making her way over to the evidence board. Adam watched as her short black skirt ruffled with each step. It was a stark contrast to her orange mesh top, which hugged her curves in all the right places. He was relieved that she wasn't planning on hovering around his desk. Otherwise, he may not have been able to keep his eyes off her.
Adam turned his attention back to the pencil in his hands. He tried to redirect his thoughts to something other than Morgan, but then he heard it. Her laughter. It seemed to grip him by the chest, and he couldn't help himself from looking up. When he did, he saw an image that made his blood boil.
Wagner stood beside Morgan at the evidence board, hovering a little too close for Adam's liking. They were deep in conversation. Clearly, he said something that she'd found amusing. He lifted his hand and rested it on her shoulder.
Adam sprang to his feet instinctively, then slowly lowered himself back into his chair. Even if he went over there, what would he say? "Hey, there's something sketchy about him that I can't put my finger on? Oh, and by the way, I think I'm falling in love with you?"
He narrowed his eyes as he watched their interaction. His grip tightened around the pencil in his hands, until...
Snap!
Adam glanced down and saw that he'd broken it in half. He looked around the room to make sure no one had seen his outburst. Thankfully, it didn't seem like anyone had noticed. He stashed the splintered pencil in his desk drawer and took a deep breath.
Before his jealousy had a chance to escalate, Selena emerged from her office.
"VCC sent over their call logs," she announced. "It looks like Jeremy's been in frequent contact with a man named Oliver Hannaway. Currently serving an eight year sentence for wire fraud. I want Daphne and Oz to head down to the bank and talk to Jeremy's lender. Morgan and Karadec will go question Oliver."
"Victorville is an hour and a half away..." Adam noted.
"Well, then you'd better get going."
Morgan's heels clicked against the linoleum floor as she crossed the room, retrieving her purse from her desk.
"We can take my car," she said as she slung it over her shoulder. Karadec shot her a puzzled look.
"Why?"
"Because you said you were tired," she shrugged. "So it's probably best if I drive."
"Oh. Right." He shifted uncomfortably. "Thanks."
As he followed her toward the elevators, Adam felt his anxiety swell in his gut. He swallowed nervously, steeling himself for their long trip. An hour and a half, stuck in a car with a woman he'd been desperately trying to avoid.
This is gonna be a long day, he thought.
Morgan drove her blue Volkswagen down the I-15, through the Mojave Desert. There was nothing to distract her out here. Just a sea of sand and boxthorn bushes against a backdrop of beige hills. That, compounded with Karadec's uncharacteristic silence, left her mind to entertain itself. And that was never a good thing.
Back at the bullpen, when he'd looked up at her, she could've sworn she caught a glimpse of something in his eye. Yearning? Desire? No... It couldn't be. There was no way someone as put-together as Karadec would ever be into a woman like her.
But it's not like she hadn't thought about it - the possibility of being with him. His presence seemed to calm her racing thoughts. When he was around, it felt like she could finally breathe. But for the first time, she had a job that she truly loved, and she wasn't sure if she'd be willing to risk it. Her track record when it came to relationships was less than stellar.
She glanced over at Karadec, only to find him staring out the window, lost in his own thoughts. The tension was heavy, like a cinder block resting on his chest, suffocating him. To make matters worse, Morgan's car was the only one on the road. No one would be around to notice if he just reached over and-
"You know you can tell me anything, right?"
Morgan's voice ripped him away from his fantasy. He blinked his eyes as he came to his senses, then he turned to face her.
"I know."
He was lying, of course. An erotic dream of her on her knees was definitely not something he could tell her about.
"Great. Then, spill." She gestured toward him and raised her eyebrows, as if it were obvious. "I can see that something's bothering you."
Adam sighed. Morgan's observational skills were unmatched. He knew she was never going to let this go. Maybe he could leave out the details... give her just enough information to get her off his back.
"I just had a weird dream last night, that's all."
Morgan was immediately intrigued. She lit up with excitement.
"Ooh! Do tell!" She laughed.
"Morgan..." Adam groaned, shaking his head.
"You know, they say your dreams are a manifestation of your subconsciousness," she smirked. "Like an outlet for all those thoughts that you're unwilling to accept."
"Morgan." He shot her a stern look. "I'm not really in the mood to be psychoanalyzed today."
"Suit yourself," she shrugged.
Morgan turned her attention back to the road, and the two of them slipped back into awkward silence. The tension seemed to permeate every inch of the space. Then, suddenly, they heard a high pitched whine beneath the hood of her car, followed by a loud hiss. The car began to slow, even as she pressed down on the accelerator.
"Oh, crap..." Morgan groaned.
"What?" Karadec turned to look at her nervously.
"Engine problems, I think," Morgan sighed. "She's probably just overheated. It's like, a million degrees out here."
As Morgan rolled to a stop along the side of the road, Karadec closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Great, he thought. Just great. The last thing he needed right now was to be stranded in the middle of the desert with a woman who seemed to be able to read his mind.
"I'll call a tow truck." Adam pulled his phone from his pocket, only to find that he had no bars. "And there's no signal. Lovely."
"I'll take look. Maybe I can fix it."
Morgan pulled the lever beneath the steering wheel and popped the hood. Then, they stepped out of the car and made their way around to the front. Adam watched from a few feet away as she bent over, fiddling with the belts and hoses while she examined the radiator.
His eyes traveled up the length of her legs, which seemed to go on for days. Then, his gaze settled on the hem of her skirt, resting at the top of her thighs. Adam swallowed back the lump in his throat and dragged his wrist across his forehead, wiping away a thin sheen of sweat. Control yourself, he thought.
"Aha!" Morgan exclaimed. "Found the problem!"
Adam cleared his throat as she turned around.
"What is it?" He fought to keep his voice steady.
"Alternator's busted. It fried the battery."
"Can you fix it?"
"Oh sure," she said sarcastically, holding out her grease-stained hands. "Let me just grab the spare alternator from my trunk."
Karadec shot her an exasperated look.
"So what now?" He asked helplessly.
"Well, I guess we wait for someone to find us."
"That could take hours."
"Yep..." Morgan sighed.
She turned around and pushed the prop rod to the side, closing the hood of the car. Then, without hesitation, she pulled off her orange mesh top and used it to wipe the motor oil from her hands. Karadec's mouth fell open, and he felt the air escape from his lungs.
He stood frozen in place, hypnotized by the way her black camisole clung to her waist, accentuating her curves. What he wouldn't give to run his hands over her bare shoulders. To feel her skin against his.
Adam's legs seemed to take on a mind of their own. He found himself stepping forward, until he was right behind her, less than a foot away. He was close enough to pick up on the faint scent of her perfume - jasmine and blackberry. It was intoxicating.
Morgan tossed her shirt onto the hood of the car before spinning around to face him. When she did, she jumped in surprise.
"Jesus Christ!" She gasped. "You scared the shit outta me!"
"Sorry..." He mumbled.
She looked up at him, taking in his expression. It was the same expression she'd seen back at the precinct. This time, the glimmer in his eye was unmistakeable. It was desire, plain and simple.
Without thinking, Karadec stepped even closer, so their bodies were just inches apart. Morgan drew in a shaky breath and bit down on her lower lip. They gazed into each other's eyes for what felt like an eternity. With each passing second, the atmosphere grew more electric. The sun was beating down on them, but the warmth they felt was not a result of the dry desert air.
"It's hot..." Morgan murmured.
"It is."
Karadec reached up and brushed a lock of blonde hair to the side, tucking it behind her ear. Then, he rested his hand gently on her shoulder, tracing his thumb back and forth across her collarbone. His touch sent a shockwave straight to her core, like a swarm of butterflies fluttering beneath her ribcage.
Adam knew that this was wrong. That this was a bad idea. Every rational part of his mind was screaming at him to stop. But he couldn't. His heart pounded in his throat as he slid his hands down to her hips. He leaned forward, resting his forehead gently against hers. Morgan reciprocated, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck and gazing longingly into his warm, brown eyes.
"Karadec..." She breathed. "We shouldn't..."
"I know," he whispered.
Yet, they found themselves leaning in, their lips parting as their eyelids drifted shut. Adam could taste the bubblegum on her breath. It nearly sent him over the edge. Just as their lips brushed together, Morgan's eyes flew open, and she drew back abruptly. Karadec felt a pang of disappointment.
"Morgan? Are you-"
"Wait, shhh!" She pressed her hand against his chest as she listened intently. "Do you hear that?"
She glanced over her shoulder and spotted a semi truck approaching over the horizon.
"Yes! Look!" She cheered. "Someone's coming!"
Morgan broke free from his grasp, then snatched her shirt off the hood of the car. She ran into the middle of the empty highway and waved it around wildly, hoping to get the attention of the driver.
"Morgan! What the hell are you doing?!" Karadec shouted. "Get out of the road!"
Adam sprang into action. He ran after her, grabbing her by the elbow and dragging her back over to the shoulder. As the truck approached, the driver honked his horn twice, signaling his cooperation. He slowed to a stop beside them and rolled down his window.
"Oh, thank God," Morgan smiled.
He wouldn't admit it openly, but Adam was less than enthusiastic. He'd come within millimeters of kissing the woman of his dreams, only to be interrupted by a grisly looking truck driver, sporting a Mets baseball cap and a 5 o'clock shadow. The man leaned toward the passenger side of his cab.
"You folks alright?" He called.
"Our car broke down, and we have no cell service out here," Morgan explained.
"Where ya comin' from?"
"Los Angeles."
The driver smiled as he looked Morgan over. Something about his expression made Adam uneasy.
"Well, lucky for you, I'm heading down to San Diego," he winked. "If you want a ride, I can take you as far as San Bernadino. But I only got one seat in the cab, so you'll have to share."
"Works for us!" Morgan clapped her hands together. "Just give me one second!"
She returned to her car and tied her shirt to the antenna, signaling to law enforcement that she intended to have it towed. Karadec appeared beside her as she grabbed her purse from the passenger seat and locked the doors.
"Morgan," he lowered his voice. "I don't think this is a good idea."
"Well, we don't really have any other option." She grabbed him by the hand and began leading him over to the truck. "Come on."
The driver pushed open the passenger side door, and Morgan stepped to the side, gesturing for Karadec to get in first. He let out a deep sigh, then climbed into the cab before helping her up. She flashed him a crooked smile as she took a seat on his lap.
As he pulled away, the driver began to engage Morgan in small talk. He asked her about the weather, what they did for a living, and why they'd found themselves stranded in the middle of the desert. Karadec paid them no attention. He was focused on keeping his composure as Morgan bounced on his lap with every bump in the road.
At some point, she picked up on his agitated energy. She shifted her weight and heard him draw in a sharp breath through his gritted teeth. Adam's hands flew to her hips in an effort to keep her still. Morgan shot him a sideways glance, pursing her lips as she fought back a smile. He flared his nostrils and shook his head.
"How long until we reach San Bernadino?" Karadec asked, trying his best to hide the desperation from his voice.
"About a half hour."
Adam closed his eyes and breathed deeply through his nose. God help me, he thought.
Morgan sat in the passenger seat of Karadec's cruiser, fiddling with the strap of her teal leather purse. They'd spent nearly an hour in San Bernadino, waiting for Soto to send a patrol car to pick them up. By the time they'd returned to the precinct, the day was just about over.
Karadec had offered to give her a ride home, which she'd happily accepted. At the time, it seemed like a better option than taking the bus. But the awkward tension had returned, descending on them like a dark cloud. Morgan tried to break the ice.
"So I guess we're gonna have to drive back out there tomorrow, huh?"
"I don't think so," Karadec shook his head. "Soto said she's gonna try to arrange for Oliver to be transported to the precinct for questioning.
"Wait," Morgan huffed in frustration. "That was an option the whole time?"
"Yeah, but it's pretty costly, and it involves a lot of paperwork. It's usually easier if we just go there ourselves."
"Well, obviously that wasn't the case today..."
"Guess not." Karadec scoffed.
They pulled up to a stoplight, and Adam's eyes softened as he turned to face her.
"Look..." He sighed. "About what happened earlier, I-"
"No, it's okay," Morgan assured him. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."
Adam furrowed his brow, conflicted. Was this her way of avoiding the conversation? Or did she really think that he didn't want to talk about it? He wasn't sure; he couldn't get a read on her expression. Then, the light turned green, and Adam turned his attention back to the road, feeling dejected.
A few minutes later, they were pulling into Morgan's driveway. Without a word, she gathered her things and exited the car. She paused, glancing up at him for a fraction of a second.
"Thanks for the lift."
"No problem," Karadec smiled softly. "Want me to pick you up tomorrow?"
"Oh, you don't have to do that. I can just take the bus."
"Oh." His smile faded. "Okay..."
Morgan flashed him a tense grin, then shut the door and began making her way toward her house. For some reason, Adam felt like she was slipping through his fingers. On an impulse, he rolled down the window and leaned toward the passenger side of his cruiser.
"Morgan, wait!" He called.
She turned around to look at him, her eyebrows raised in anticipation. Adam hesitated. For a moment, he thought about telling her to forget it. But he knew he couldn't forgive himself if he didn't shoot his shot.
"Are you... Are you doing anything later?"
"Oh yeah, I've got big plans," Morgan joked. "I'm gonna reheat some dino nuggets, watch Bluey with Chloe, then go to sleep."
Adam chuckled softly.
"Well, dino nuggets sound great and all, but... do you maybe wanna go out to dinner?"
Morgan pursed her lips to the side. She felt a warm blush spread across her cheeks.
"That depends. Is this a personal dinner, or a professional dinner?"
"Personal." Karadec smiled.
"Then, yes," she grinned sheepishly. "I think I'd like that."
Adam felt his heart flutter. He lit up with excitement, though he tried to play it cool.
"Perfect. I'll pick you up at 7?"
"Works for me."
"Great... Then, it's a date."