Chapter Text
"I need you to sit still, Trish."
Jessica clumsily tries to stitch the wound on Trish's abdomen but her focus is quickly fading. Trish takes in a shuddering breath but winces when Jessica pierces the needle back into her skin.
"That's what you get when you don't let go of your damn purse," Jessica snaps at Trish. If only she would just stop putting herself in compromising situations... But thoughts like that are in vain because who was she to judge Trish?
"What was so damn important that you just couldn't give it up?" Jessica wonders out loud.
Trish keeps silent as Jessica remembers to clean the wound with alcohol midway into her stitching process. She raises her eyebrows in surprise and mild concern as Trish didn't mention it either. Was she really still that out of it?
Jessica has one hand on Trish's abdomen while she works. She has to consciously remind herself to stay focused on the task at hand rather than Trish's silky smooth skin that seems to get hotter by the second. Is Trish having a fever or is Jessica? At this point, she has no clue.
Trish has trouble breathing herself but Jessica chalks it up to the stabbing pain she must be feeling. Of course, it has nothing to do with her...
"Isn't it funny how the roles are reversed this time?" Trish speaks and effectively draws Jessica back from her thoughts.
"You're a fucking idiot," Jessica mutters under her breath. Of course, only Trish would see the stupid humor in this.
She doesn't miss the way Trish smiles softly at her and Jessica's heart melts at the sight.
"Damn it."
After spending a good five minutes fiddling with the gauze, Jessica looks up at Trish feeling slightly proud that she could do this. OK, she was more than just a little proud. "All done."
Trish looks down at her torso and immediately stifles a laugh. Jessica did a terrible job. The gauze is wrapped way past the stab wound and the wrapping itself is too tight to comfortably breathe and move - but, because it was Jessica who did it, Trish can't help but not only feel grateful but also loved. The stitches, however, will hurt like hell to take out.
"Next time, I'll take my chances at the ER after all," Trish says signaling her abdomen.
Jessica furrows her eyebrows in confusion and speaks in a demanding tone like that's going to keep the universe from letting Trish get hurt.
"There won't be a next time, Trish."
Unable to keep her eyes open from the dizziness, Trish leans into Jessica and tries her hardest not to faint again.
**
Jessica wasn't home, so Trish was on her way back home when it happened. Her Krav Maga skills didn't do her any good this time as her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Jessica. Trish was disappointed that she didn't get to see her. She had actually waited quite a while inside Jessica's apartment before she headed out. The only reason she could wait inside was because her window was currently decorating her floor yet again. The blonde made a mental note to order Jessica another glass window with 'Alias Investigations' embedded into it. She was thinking that maybe 'Please, don't break this window,' would be a better idea when it all went wrong.
He crept up from behind her with a knife - what Trish was somewhat prepared for. What she didn't expect was him having a second knife which he only revealed while it was already sticking out of her abdomen. All he wanted was her $700 bag, which she refused to give up. It wasn't like she could care less about it, no, the only thing on Trish's mind was her phone.
The sting from the knife wound made Trish lose consciousness before she could attempt to grab her bag back. The guy casually walked away. Trish eventually managed to get up and walk out of the alleyway the perp cleverly led her into.
Cursing herself for being tricked this easily, she knew that bleeding all over a cab rushing to the ER wasn't a particularly good idea. If the press got a hold of a photo, rumors would be widespread about what supposedly happened. So, she opted to walk home as she was only a few blocks away, figuring she could probably patch herself up. It wasn't like she didn't have plenty of practice.
Meanwhile, Jessica was just about to jump off of Trish's balcony when she heard the distinct slamming of a door. What she saw next made her blood crawl.
Trish dragged herself over the floor. Though Jessica couldn't hear it, she saw the look of despair on Trish's face as she imagined the whimpers and gasps coming out of Trish's mouth.
Jessica knocked hard on the balcony window and inadvertently added a little more force with each knock. She tried her hardest not to go as far and actually break the glass but it wasn't her top priority either. "Trish!" she cried out helplessly. It sounded like her heart spilled out with it.
She finally got Trish's attention and a sign of relief and slight panic combined washed over her face.
Trish wasn't sure how she unlocked the door. The only thing she could remember was how Jessica caught her before she fell to the floor. When she came to, she was too embarrassed and couldn't look Jessica in the eyes. She felt really silly as the cut wasn't even that deep. It was probably all the blood.
**
Jessica ventures into the kitchen and pulls open the cabinet in which Trish keeps in that fancy whiskey for her. She decides to be civil and searches for a glass. She finds a long glass; it's not the right kind of glass but it would have to do.
As Jessica approaches Trish again with the filled glass, Trish raises her eyebrows.
"A glass? Did I die, or am I dreaming?"
Jessica just scoffs at her as she tugs on Trish's feet until she moves them. Once Jessica settles in, she moves them back causing a shy smile to creep onto Jessica's face. She downs her glass at once and wishes she would've taken the whole carafe with her instead.
An easy quiet settles around them. The TV isn't on and none of them are speaking. They are both content just being in each other's presence. The fact that their legs are touching causes both of them to breathe a tad bit faster but deeper than normally would be the case. Neither of them moves until Trish tries to prop herself up and winces at her own movement. Jessica immediately gets up and kneels at her side.
"Are you okay?" she asks with genuine concern.
"Yes." Is what Trish thinks she said. She can't think straight with Jessica's face so close to her own. She wants to kiss her but knows it's a sure way to make Jessica run for the hills without looking back. Shaking her head, as to rid herself of thoughts, she tells Jessica it was the phone that she didn't want to lose.
"Your phone?" Jessica questions, "You can buy a hundred of those and it would still feel like pocket change to you." She's thoroughly confused while all Trish can think about is the message Jessica sent to her:
|| 'Penthouse. I love you.'
Trish made a habit of reading it everything she felt the world shift slightly underneath her feet, or when she couldn't sleep at night. It reminded her of that look on Jessica's face on the docks, right when she told her that she loved her.
At first, Trish wasn't sure whether Jessica meant it or not. But as she saw the flickering in Jessica's eyes, she knew. She knew that Jessica meant the words she was saying. That there was truth to it. All felt right in that moment and Trish wanted it to last forever. To be suspended in time.
That text message was, in a way, a reminder that it was real. That it happened. That Jessica finally said those words after all those years. That she didn't imagine it like she did numerous of times before.
Trish looks up at Jessica without saying a word. Jessica wants to look away, feeling all kinds of jittery inside but is somehow compelled to keep looking back into the world in Trish's eyes. It's when she realizes yet again how beautiful those eyes are. How lost she would get in them and how much she wants to wake up to the sight of it and of her, every single day. How she wants it to be the last thing she sees at night and the first thing when she wakes up.
Neither of them knows how much time passed when Trish whispers again.
"Your text message."
They still haven't broken eye contact and Jessica's mind is completely blank. She's unable to form any sort of thought, let alone think about what the fuck she could've sent that was so important to Trish. But then it hits her. All at once and out of nowhere.
Trish sees the exact moment that it dawns on Jessica. She sees the same flickering in Jessica's eyes and she can't help but smile at the sight. It isn't long before a Jessica breaks the spell by looking away.
Jessica promptly gets up and clears her throat. She walks off into the kitchen without a word about what just conspired.
"D-do you want some water or anything?" Jessica tries to sound as normal as possible.
Tears well up in Trish's eyes for she had hoped more than anything to hear those three little, big words again. She swallowed hard knowing it would’ve been a very long shot. "I'm OK, thanks."
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Jessica rummages the cabinets looking for something. She mumbles obscenities to herself as neither of the places she looks in has the things she needs. Still out of Trish's vision, she opens a cupboard and finds a pen and a piece of paper.
It takes a while for Jessica to come back, but when she does, Trish notices the way Jessica behaves. She's fumbling with a loose thread on one of her gloves. It almost seems like she's nervous and Trish can't help but smile at that image.
Jessica rolls her eyes and stands still before the couch Trish lies on.
As Trish tries to read Jessica's facial expression, a million things go through her mind. She has no idea what Jessica is up to and that realization is both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Trish sits up completely while Jessica seems frozen on the spot.
Before Trish can ask Jessica what's going on, Jessica regains her composure and sits down next to Trish.
"Here." Jessica hands her a piece of paper she had folded into two.
Unsure of what to say, Trish opens it up.
Jessica watches as Trish's face lights up like the sky, her smile as bright as the sun. She's eager to take in all of that happiness that Trish seems to radiate and unbeknownst to herself, scoots closer. A sudden tear rolls down Trish's face and concern washes over Jessica. She curses herself, thinking she had done the wrong thing but before she can get up and run off, Trish places a hand on her knee.
"Jess…" Trish' eyes are filled with unshed tears and Jessica is clueless as to why that is. They lock eyes and this time, it's Jessica that sees something in Trish's eyes.
As if Jessica expects Trish to say something, she instinctively leans in; barely visible. Trish smiles softly at the action and Jessica is starting to lose it. The quiet and turmoil on Trish's face is driving Jessica insane.
Trish sees the confusion in Jessica's eyes and leans in closer toward Jessica. It's like she's going to say something.
Only she doesn't. She never intended to.
Not breaking eye contact, mischief still in her eyes, she leans into Jessica's space. She lifts her hand from Jessica's knee, causing Jessica to involuntarily grunt. It's barely audible, though Trish heard it loud and clear. She slowly lifts her hands up to Jessica's face, leans all the way in and kisses Jessica with a kiss that's barely there.
Jessica is dumbstruck at the action. This was the last thing Jessica ever expected. No, scratch that. This wasn't something she indulged herself in, knowing it was never going to happen. Only, clearly, it did.
The realization that Trish is kissing her, hits her.
Trish doesn't know where her bravery comes from but when she feels that Jessica isn't kissing her back, she pulls away. It takes a few beats for her to open her eyes. Did she read Jessica wrong?
Trish opens her mouth, hellbent on saying something to make things right again, only nothing comes out.
Jessica, although still confused at the turn of events, doesn't waste another second and kisses Trish back with a little more hunger than she intended. Trish sighs into the kiss; relieved she didn't misread things. Their kiss is soft, it's tentative yet reassuring. It's a promise, it's hope for the future. And it gives Jessica the feeling like she can lift the moon.
They don't pull away after the kiss, their foreheads touching as Trish speaks in a whisper.
"If I'm still knocked out and bleeding out on the curb, I would die a happy woman right now."