Pedro Pascal Character Imagines

Scarlet Fever (Marcus Pike)

Summary: Marcus walks into a diner and meets someone.

Marcus entered the diner and sat down in one of the stools by the counter, instead of grabbing a table or a booth.

"Can I get you anything?" an older waitress asked him.

"Uh, yeah. Coffee, black," he said.

She nodded and grabbed a coffee cup, filling it and setting it in front of him.

Marcus opened the file he brought in with him as he drank his coffee.

"Oh, honey. You're gonna need a lot more than coffee if you're gonna study that."

Marcus looked up and saw a small brunette. Her name was embroidered on her 50's style dress.

Scarlet.

"Excuse me?" Marcus asked her.

"You're FBI, right? Probably on some high-profile case. You're gonna need some food to keep you awake, not just coffee."

Scarlet disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Marcus sitting there with a confused look on his face. About 10 minutes later, she came out with pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon, a glass of orange juice, and some toast. "There you go, sweetie."

"How did you know I was FBI?" Marcus asked.

"Your whole aura screams FBI. Plus, most of the people we get in here are FBI. Earl routinely has to tell them to put away their pictures, but that's most Homicide or the Vice Unit. He probably won't mind your pretty pictures. So what do you do? Art theft?"

Marcus looked at her. "How do you know so much about the FBI?"

"Well, some of your brethren like to talk. Probably about things they shouldn't. I've always thought that waitresses and cashiers are better therapists than bartenders."

Marcus laughed. "How long have you been a waitress?"

"Here? Oh, a couple years. I was going for a criminal justice degree at Georgetown, but then I found that I really liked customer service, so I've been here ever since."

Oh, so she was at least 15-20 years his junior. Shame; she was really cute.

"Well, enjoy your breakfast, gorgeous."

She snatched a piece of bacon off his plate before disappearing into the kitchen again.

Wait. Did she just call him gorgeous? Usually women called him 'cute' or 'adorable', but never gorgeous.

It was a few weeks later when Marcus found himself walking through the doors of the diner again. Scarlet had been on his mind lately and he needed to see her again. He tried to stay away. She was too young for him, but he wanted to know more about her.

It must have been his lucky day, because Scarlet was working the counter again.

"Hey, you."

Marcus smiled at her and she felt her heart flutter. "Hey."

"What can I get you this morning, gorgeous?"

"A date with you." Marcus' eyes went wide when he realized he said that out loud.

Lucky for him, Scarlet giggled. "Well, you're certainly more forward than most of my customers." Scarlet looked at the clock. "You're in luck today, because I only work a half-shift today. I'll be off around noon." She took her pen and wrote her number on his arm. "Can I get you something to eat?"

Marcus shook his head. "I'll just take some coffee."

Scarlet nodded and poured him a cup of coffee.

He spent the next hour watching her flit in and out of the kitchen and tend to customers. He could see why she loved her job so much. She had relationships with each of her customers and it was clear some people came here specifically because she worked here.

Marcus threw a couple of bills on the counter and said, "Keep the change."

She pushed the money back. "On the house."

"Really?"

"Yeah, otherwise I kinda feel like a hooker."

Marcus laughed. This girl just kept surprising him.

"Seriously, gorgeous. Keep your money. You can spend it on me later."

"Marcus. My name. It's Marcus."

Scarlet smiled. "I think I prefer gorgeous."

Marcus blushed. "I guess I'll see you later then."

Scarlet leaned over the counter and kissed his cheek. "See you later, gorgeous."

Marcus walked out with a smile on his face. He couldn't wait to see her later and get to know her better.