a glimmer of hope

7.

Season 4 x o2
Trylon and and Perisphere

six months had passed since quinn and i had been so steady. steadiness was never normal between us.
in the more recent months, quinn was off doing CIA, spy, work in islamabad. i moved up to maryland. there was a bigger hospital to work at here, it felt less stuffy. although, things didn't feel like they should yet.  shots of tequila and drunken kisses weren't as fun as they were with a particular person. i never thought i'd miss that summer in DC so much.
"cassandra?" my colleague smiled, waving her hand in front of my face.
i shook my head "sorry"
"dr. robinson wants those labs back on your dizzy guy"
"right on it" i said, walking down the long hallway.
i turned the corner, sitting at a desk.
i typed in my ID, sure enough the labs had come back.
i added them into the chart, entering the hospital room.
"hey, how're you feeling, mr. gunderson?"
"a little better" he shrugged
"i'll have the doctor come in shortly" i added, adjusting the drip on his IV.
he smiled as i shut the door to his room, peering outside the hallway again.
"labs are back on him, looking like iron deficiency" i told the doctor.
"thanks, i'll have a look cassandra" she smiled
—————
i had just finished my shift. 5 patients discharged. let's just say, i was tired.
i swung my bag over my shoulder, walking out from the doors of the hospital.
i walked a few blocks to my car, dropping my bag in the passengers seat.
i started the vehicle, driving homewards.

soon, i arrived home. i drove into my driveway, getting my bag and myself out of the car.
i threw my keys on my kitchen table and sat down, listening to the messages on the phone.
"your credit card ending in number 996 has leaked"
delete
there was another one in some foreign language..
"you have one new message"
"fuck cass, i just got out of jail and thank fuck they let me have an extra phone for help because you didn't answer the goddamn phone.. i'm out now"
what the fuck. it was quinn.
i reached for my bag, pulling my phone out. there was two messages on there along with three texts messages asking where i was. all from peter.
i ran my hand through my hair, picking myself up from the chair i sat on.
————
i parked my car at some sketchy looking hotel room. a couple voicemails earlier, a drunk quinn gave me his location.
i closed my car door and walked around the motel, eventually finding room 44.
i knocked on the door. twice.
"jesus, hold on" i heard him sigh from the inside.
he opened it up.
quinn looked different from the last i saw him. slightly depressed looking, tired. his hair was buzzed now, too.
"cass" he smiled
i smiled too.
it was good seeing him again.
it always felt good seeing him.
"would've been better if i saw you earlier"
he leaned his body against the door.
"i'm sorry quinn, i was working"
"you're okay?"
he nodded his head
"you're in maryland now?"
"yeah" he nodded
"how long have you been back from islamabad?"
"almost a week"
i raised my eyebrows.
"you work here now?"
"no, im just a crazy stalker trying to get closer and closer to you" he smirked
"for the time being, work is here"
"this isn't far from DC" i shrugged
"right"
i looked down, then back up.
"so, what got you in jail?"
"i don't know"
"fucking beat the shit out of these two guys"
i nodded my head "well, was it deserved?"
"something like that" he smirked
i nodded again.
"i wanna quit the CIA"
"for sure this time?"
i heard this story over and over.
"i'm done with it"
"i can tell"
"you can, huh?"
"this room reeks of tequila"
"normal people don't beat random people off the street either" i smiled
he looked down at his feet
"i was so drunk last night"
"you called me" i nodded
"i woke up with this woman"
"she told me i was moaning your name in my sleep"
i smiled at him
"really?"
he nodded his head
"are you okay, quinn?"
"not really"
"i'm sorry"
"you work tomorrow?"
"i work everyday"
he took a deep breath, looking at my scrub pants.
i stood up on my tip toes and pressed my lips into his.
"goodnight, quinn"
"cass?"
i looked up at him as he kissed my lips again.