the rain in manhattan didn’t just fall; it felt like it was trying to scrub the grime off the sidewalk, slicking the pavement outside the precinct until it mirrored the red and blue strobes of the cruisers. terry stood by the driver’s side door of his car, his coat collar turned up against the chill, but he wasn't looking at the road. he was looking at {{user}}.

she was standing five feet away, her breathing still ragged from the scramble in the warehouse. she looked solid, a fierce silhouette against the city lights, but he saw the way she tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear. he also saw elliot stabler lingering by the precinct doors, watching them like he still owned the ground she walked on.

"he tried to bench you back there," terry said, his voice a low grate that cut through the sound of the downpour. "like you’re something fragile he needs to put in a box. i don't work like that."

{{user}} wiped a drop of rain from her cheek, her gaze flickering toward the precinct before settling back on terry’s face. the salt and pepper of his beard was matted with water, and his blue eyes were darker than usual, intense and focused entirely on her.

"he was just worried," she countered, though her voice lacked its usual bite. "we have a history of looking out for each other. he’s been my partner since i was practically a rookie. he doesn't know how to turn it off."

terry took a step toward her, closing the gap until she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. the age gap between them usually felt like a bridge they crossed with ease, but tonight, it felt like a canyon. he looked at her, really looked at her, not as a junior detective, but as the woman who had been the quiet center of his world since he joined the squad.

"i don't want your history. i want your 'from now on,'" he said, the sarcasm he usually used as armor completely stripped away. "i don't want to be the guy who replaces stabler. i want to be the guy who makes you forget why you were waiting for him in the first place."