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fandomweekly2022-12-29 09:08 am
iluvroadrunner6) wrote in fandomweekly2022-12-29 09:08 am
Entry tags:
[#161] If You Still Have a Place for Me (Haven)
Theme Prompt: #161—Homecoming
Title: If You Still Have a Place for Me
Fandom: Haven
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 | AU from Season 3
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 968
Summary: Twenty-seven years after Audrey went into the Barn, Duke gets a surprise visitor.
Christmas at the Gull is not usually a splashy affair. A few Christmas lights, a few Christmas themed drinks, and he let the bartenders have most of the fun. Hats and costumes are the foray of a much younger man than Duke is now, though he still has that Santa suit hanging in his closet, just in case.
Or in case another snow globe Trouble rears its ugly head.
They’ve started again, like he and Nathan always knew they would. Duke knows that Nathan’s been counting down the years by the day until she returns, and the first signs of Marion whipping wind around the bay after Conrad’s death. Nathan had helped her, but he and Duke both knew things were just getting started.
Duke doesn’t know if Nathan still feels. He’s been moving through the world like a man, numb since Audrey left. Duke’s not really sure he could tell the difference if he was.
But Duke hasn’t had to activate his yet, thankfully. He’s not sure he could. Ending Troubles is a young man’s game, and he’s sure it would do him in sooner rather than later. But he also can’t put this on his niece either. Wade’s daughter is a journalist, come to town to dig into more of her family legacy. He hasn’t teased her into the big stuff yet, but Vince is keeping her plenty busy at the Herald. She doesn’t need to learn the worst yet.
But he also won’t make his father’s mistakes either. She’ll be prepared for what’s coming. And maybe she and Audrey, whoever she is this time around, will find an actual solution before it’s too late.
He’s closing up for the night, counting up the till after having sent the last of the staff home for the evening. The bells jingle at the door and he doesn’t look up at first, keeping his eyes on the books. “We’re closed. You’ll have to come back and get your drinks tomorrow.”
“Actually, I was more looking for a job.”
The voice stops him dead in his tracks, and he looks up to see a face he hasn’t seen in twenty-seven years. Her hair is different, long and streaked, and the grungy makeup is very much not Audrey. But it’s her all the same, and he has to stop himself from saying the obvious: You’re here. She’s going to get enough of that in the coming weeks. She doesn’t need it from him.
“Really?” He glances down at his watch. “At two in the morning?”
“Yeah, you say that like you haven’t had weirder propositions.” She smirks as she goes to slide up onto a bar stool. “I meant to get into town earlier, but things got a little…crazy.”
“You’ll find that happens in Haven.”
“That’s what they tell me.”
“They?”
“Nice old guy who runs the paper. Vince, I think?”
“Yeah, that sounds like Vince.” He finishes counting the money, making a note in his book, before stepping back from behind the bar. “Well, if you want to work here, I’m going to need you to audition.”
“Really?” She seems skeptical.
“Really. My clientele expects a specific level of quality.” He moves to sit next to her on the opposite stool, before gesturing to the space behind them. “Make me the fanciest drink, you know.”
Not-Audrey shrugs, before doing as she’s told. “I’ve mostly worked in backwater bars, so not sure how fancy we want to get here.” She goes through the various bottles on instinct, fixing the drink with a bit of a flare as though she has the muscle memory from years of just this. It’s incredible how thoroughly the barn will rewrite the person she was before. Maybe that’s why it takes twenty-seven years to do it.
When the drink is finally placed down in front of him, he takes a tentative sip before making a pleased noise in response. It’s just the right balance. Not too strong.
“Wow. That’s not bad.”
“Not bad meaning…”
“You’re hired.” He extends a hand out to her with a warm smile. “I’m Duke. Crocker.”
“Oh, I met another Crocker, down at the paper.”
“My niece.”
She nods and shakes his hand. “Lexie. Rhymes with sexy.”
He laughs before releasing her hand. “Well, welcome to the Grey Gull, Lexie. Come in tomorrow and we’ll put together the paperwork.”
“Great. Thanks so much.” She then jerks her thumbs over her shoulder. “Anyway, I should—”
“You need somewhere to stay?” She turns on him, eyes narrowing, and he holds up his hands. “You said you just got into town and it’s two in the morning. I’m pretty sure most of the reputable hotels are booked up, leaving you with some not great choices.”
She relents a little. “What are you offering?”
“There’s an apartment upstairs. A little dusty, but at least you’ll have a short commute to work. I’ll rent it to you.”
“Right.” She considers before nodding. “You’re lucky I have a good sense of people. Someone less discerning might accuse you of being a dirty old man.”
“Oh, I’m sure someone out there probably has,” he laughs. “But it’s all on the up and up, I swear. Just trying to make a little extra money.”
“Okay. I’ll take it. But if you do actually wind up being a dirty old man, you may find yourself missing parts you wish you weren’t.”
“Duly noted.” He shows her up to the apartment and leaves her to settle in, before returning to his office and settling behind the desk. Pulling out his phone, he scrolls through his contacts. He hesitates, just briefly, before tapping Nathan’s name and dialing.
No matter what, he needs to know.
“Wuornos.”
“It’s me.” He sets his jaw before continuing. “She’s back.”
And so the cycle begins again.
Title: If You Still Have a Place for Me
Fandom: Haven
Rating/Warnings: PG-13 | AU from Season 3
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 968
Summary: Twenty-seven years after Audrey went into the Barn, Duke gets a surprise visitor.
Christmas at the Gull is not usually a splashy affair. A few Christmas lights, a few Christmas themed drinks, and he let the bartenders have most of the fun. Hats and costumes are the foray of a much younger man than Duke is now, though he still has that Santa suit hanging in his closet, just in case.
Or in case another snow globe Trouble rears its ugly head.
They’ve started again, like he and Nathan always knew they would. Duke knows that Nathan’s been counting down the years by the day until she returns, and the first signs of Marion whipping wind around the bay after Conrad’s death. Nathan had helped her, but he and Duke both knew things were just getting started.
Duke doesn’t know if Nathan still feels. He’s been moving through the world like a man, numb since Audrey left. Duke’s not really sure he could tell the difference if he was.
But Duke hasn’t had to activate his yet, thankfully. He’s not sure he could. Ending Troubles is a young man’s game, and he’s sure it would do him in sooner rather than later. But he also can’t put this on his niece either. Wade’s daughter is a journalist, come to town to dig into more of her family legacy. He hasn’t teased her into the big stuff yet, but Vince is keeping her plenty busy at the Herald. She doesn’t need to learn the worst yet.
But he also won’t make his father’s mistakes either. She’ll be prepared for what’s coming. And maybe she and Audrey, whoever she is this time around, will find an actual solution before it’s too late.
He’s closing up for the night, counting up the till after having sent the last of the staff home for the evening. The bells jingle at the door and he doesn’t look up at first, keeping his eyes on the books. “We’re closed. You’ll have to come back and get your drinks tomorrow.”
“Actually, I was more looking for a job.”
The voice stops him dead in his tracks, and he looks up to see a face he hasn’t seen in twenty-seven years. Her hair is different, long and streaked, and the grungy makeup is very much not Audrey. But it’s her all the same, and he has to stop himself from saying the obvious: You’re here. She’s going to get enough of that in the coming weeks. She doesn’t need it from him.
“Really?” He glances down at his watch. “At two in the morning?”
“Yeah, you say that like you haven’t had weirder propositions.” She smirks as she goes to slide up onto a bar stool. “I meant to get into town earlier, but things got a little…crazy.”
“You’ll find that happens in Haven.”
“That’s what they tell me.”
“They?”
“Nice old guy who runs the paper. Vince, I think?”
“Yeah, that sounds like Vince.” He finishes counting the money, making a note in his book, before stepping back from behind the bar. “Well, if you want to work here, I’m going to need you to audition.”
“Really?” She seems skeptical.
“Really. My clientele expects a specific level of quality.” He moves to sit next to her on the opposite stool, before gesturing to the space behind them. “Make me the fanciest drink, you know.”
Not-Audrey shrugs, before doing as she’s told. “I’ve mostly worked in backwater bars, so not sure how fancy we want to get here.” She goes through the various bottles on instinct, fixing the drink with a bit of a flare as though she has the muscle memory from years of just this. It’s incredible how thoroughly the barn will rewrite the person she was before. Maybe that’s why it takes twenty-seven years to do it.
When the drink is finally placed down in front of him, he takes a tentative sip before making a pleased noise in response. It’s just the right balance. Not too strong.
“Wow. That’s not bad.”
“Not bad meaning…”
“You’re hired.” He extends a hand out to her with a warm smile. “I’m Duke. Crocker.”
“Oh, I met another Crocker, down at the paper.”
“My niece.”
She nods and shakes his hand. “Lexie. Rhymes with sexy.”
He laughs before releasing her hand. “Well, welcome to the Grey Gull, Lexie. Come in tomorrow and we’ll put together the paperwork.”
“Great. Thanks so much.” She then jerks her thumbs over her shoulder. “Anyway, I should—”
“You need somewhere to stay?” She turns on him, eyes narrowing, and he holds up his hands. “You said you just got into town and it’s two in the morning. I’m pretty sure most of the reputable hotels are booked up, leaving you with some not great choices.”
She relents a little. “What are you offering?”
“There’s an apartment upstairs. A little dusty, but at least you’ll have a short commute to work. I’ll rent it to you.”
“Right.” She considers before nodding. “You’re lucky I have a good sense of people. Someone less discerning might accuse you of being a dirty old man.”
“Oh, I’m sure someone out there probably has,” he laughs. “But it’s all on the up and up, I swear. Just trying to make a little extra money.”
“Okay. I’ll take it. But if you do actually wind up being a dirty old man, you may find yourself missing parts you wish you weren’t.”
“Duly noted.” He shows her up to the apartment and leaves her to settle in, before returning to his office and settling behind the desk. Pulling out his phone, he scrolls through his contacts. He hesitates, just briefly, before tapping Nathan’s name and dialing.
No matter what, he needs to know.
“Wuornos.”
“It’s me.” He sets his jaw before continuing. “She’s back.”
And so the cycle begins again.
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