Wandering Aimlessly

Your hand grips the banister outside the askew door. Music plays softly as your thoughts race. Despite your attempts to calm down your heart is still beating fast from the thought of him. You’re here to give him cookies yes, but fuck, do you want more. Digging your fingernails into the banister you shake your head.

It’s too risky. A failed affair could ruin my entire summer. If Chris knew I could lose my job! What would the campers think! 

You press your lips together, taking a deep breathe in through your nose and then out through your mouth.

Hide your feelings and don’t make a move. It’s for the best in the end. 

With one last meditative breathe you waltz into the room, knocking on the door as you enter. Travis sits on a bench. His sleeves are rolled up, showing off his forearms. He’s holding a wad of paper in his hand, his fingers slinking through the separate pages with ease. Hearing the knock he looks up, making eye contact with you. 

“(Y/N),” he places the papers beside him, “why are you here?”

Putting one hand on the bench he slides the other up to his collar, loosening the tie around his neck.

“Well,” you step out of the doorframe, “I actually came to give you these.” You bring the cookies into frame.

He eyes the plate in front of you as he undoes the top three buttons of his shirt with one hand. His expression remaining unchanged.

“Mhmm.” He turns his head, pulling his tie from his neck in a single motion.

At that same moment the sun lowers in the sky, leaving the room illuminated only with the faint glow of sunset. Travis begins to stand up, fabric swaying in his grip.

“Let me ask you again.” He says with a stoic voice, speaking in time with his step. “Why. Are. You.” His feet plant themselves in front of you, backing you against the door. “Here?”

You stand still for a moment, not sure how to answer his question. Keeping your composure you put the cookies down on the table beside you. 

“I’m just here to thank you Sheriff.” You say with a small laugh, trying to shake off his confrontation. 

You break the eye contact, eyes wandering around the room before leading back to Travis. You see he’s pressed his tongue against his cheek, his eyes scanning your hand next to the cookies. Shifting his weight he raises his hand above yours, lightly tracing over your hand with his fingertips. 

“Are you?”

He floats just above your wrist and all you feel is a slight prickle upon your skin. His soft touch causes an electric current to run down your arm and through your body, but you don’t move your hand. Rather, you relish in the feeling. You almost forget to breathe before he speaks up again.

“Did you really come back. Just for that?” He nods his head in the direction of the cookies and you stare at them together.

No. No I didn’t. 

You look him in the eyes before averting your gaze, biting down on your lip as you face the floor. 

Fuck. Stop it (Y/N). Don’t say it. Don’t ruin this. 

With a gulp you turn your head upwards, hesitating before you respond. 

“Yes.” 

His fingers stop above your hand. His motions freezing for a second before stepping closer to you. You can feel his hands continue to move along your wrist. His thumb and index finger wrap around you ever so gently, bringing your hand near your legs. He’s standing so close that you can hear him breathing, his head angling downwards. You blush, looking over his shoulder as he stands inches from you. His breathe on your skin sends your mind spiralling, throwing you back down to earth once you feel the softness of a fabric around your hands. Tilting your head back down you see that Travis has made two loops that he’s fitted your wrists in. The blackness of his tie rests upon your skin, his hands holding the loose ends. 

“(Y/N),” the unexpectedness of his voice sends a chill down your spine. “You should know, not to lie to me.”

In a moment he pulls on the two ends, binding your hands together. You gasp as brings them over your head, pinning you to the wall.

“Travis!” 

You close your eyes as you’re pressed against the wall, looking up to find him leaning over you. Holding you down with just one hand he positions the other against the wall, next to your waist. His face peers down at you, just out of reach. His gaze wanders over your body as he places you on display, taking in your figure before meeting your eyes again. Stepping forward he angles his foot in-between your legs. Your breathe hitches when he moves, expecting to feel the pressure of him in-between you, but he stops just short. Glancing upwards you see a smirk fall across his face. 

“Mhmm…that’s it…” he tilts his head slightly, bringing it just within your reach. “Be honest with me.”

It feels as if a current is coursing through your body. He stands there patiently, seeing you fluster under his grasp. With just one movement he would be against you. You stare at his open collar, unable to meet his eye. The tension rises in the gap separating you two, causing you to lose sight of your inhibitions. Your previous rationale disappears as your mind becomes overwhelmed with the anticipation growing inside you. Slowly raising your head you gaze up at him. He stares back at you, conveying the same level of wanting. You swoon, relaxing your body against the wall as you embrace the concept. Locking eyes you drag your foot along his ankle, beckoning him closer. You tilt your head, your face inching up to meet his.

“This.” You whisper, your lips moving against his. “This is what I came here for.”

Resting your lips against his you can feel the corners of his mouth turn upwards. He lowers his head, kissing you back as his free hand grabs your waist. Bringing one knee in between your legs you can feel him press against you. A moan escapes your lips but is lulled by his mouth against yours. He continues to rub against you, making you even more sensitive to his touch. Wandering over your body his hand stops above the waist of your jeans. The electricity of his movements cause you to feel weak in the knees, but he keeps you standing by angling himself against you. You take your mouth away, breathing hard. His equally heavy breathes retreat as he switches his hands above you, letting his right hand fall free to his side. He cups his hand between your legs, resting his palm along the zipper to your jeans. You inhale as you feel his middle finger trace itself up and down, pressing against your pussy. Your immediate reaction is to close your legs but his knee prevents that, keeping you exactly where he wants you.

He drags his hand upwards, stopping once he reaches the waist of your pants. You can’t look at him, your focus lies solely on his fingers undoing the button and zipper. The waistband on your underwear appears and he slips the tips of his fingers under. He rests his hand there, his palm pressing hard against your body. Turning your face upward he kisses you again, increasing with intensity as he slides his hand in your underwear. You gasp from the fast motion and he kisses you harder, muting your moans as his tongue slides into your mouth. His palm rests just above your clit as his fingers slide through your labia, easily welcomed from your slick arousal. His fingers play with you, exploring all your layers. You find yourself whimpering and his hands grip harder on your bounded wrists. He brings his fingers up to your clit, your body squirming in response to his touch. Kissing you harder he uses his middle finger to circle your clit. Sensitivity washes over you. You bring your hips towards the wall, attempting to shield yourself from such a raw reaction under his hand. He releases his grip from your bounded arms and brings his free hand behind your back. Your hands fall from the wall, finding rest over his shoulders.

He takes your hips out from the wall, forcing you closer. Angling your body towards him his hand continues to stimulate your clit. You ball your hands into fists as the heat runs through you. It feels so good you want to scream. You attempt to move your hips but he holds on tightly, not letting you slip away again. Knowing you can’t help yourself you bring your face into his neck. His collar is open enough that you press your face against his skin. As he quickens his motions you can’t help but moan against him, your teeth grazing over his skin. He lets out a low moan that echoes in your ear, making your face run hot. You lean into him, completely submitting yourself as your orgasm rises. The looseness of your arms hang over his shoulders, your moans becoming higher in pitch as your expectations grow. You lose yourself in the moment, calling out Travis’s name and telling him not to stop. His hand on your back presses into you, bringing you closer to him as you climax. You whip your head up from his neck as ecstasy runs throughout your body, letting out a sensual moan of pure pleasure. Your bottom lip quivers as your legs lose their balance. His knee keeps you steady as you ride out the high. He flicks your clit a few more times as he kisses your neck, causing you to flinch under every touch. Relishing in your body’s high you close your eyes. Travis’s fingers slowly release themselves from the band of your underwear as his mouth removes itself from your neck. Grabbing your chin he kisses you again, softly this time. Your lips separate and he presses his forehead against yours, allowing you to steady your breathing. 

“There we go.”

You run your fingertips along his spine, arms still trapped around him. You reach up to kiss him once more, but when you open your eyes you don’t see him, but a blinding white light.

*

You blink a few times, registering the sunlight beaming down on your face. A collective groan emanates from the other campers, also awoken from the curtains that were pulled open. The sun beams into the cabin as you lay there in bed, arms sprawled above your head while your legs wrestle with the blanket between you. You can feel your arousal dissipating as reality sets in. You pull the blanket over your head, covering your face. By muting the blinding light you begin to wake up, recollecting the dream you just had. Sighing deeply you close your eyes again, kicking the blanket out from your legs.

You Horndog.

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In case you need a reminder as to what Ted Raimi's hands look like 😉 (TW: RAW MEAT)

Grabbing the water bottle you open the car door. A mixture of chatter from the campsite and the rustling of the forest refocuses your mind, even if just for a second. Locking the door you trudge slowly down the path, running your fingers up and down the side of the water bottle. Okay. You want to see him again. That much you can admit to. Looking at the ground you begin to kick a rock down the path. It bounces along the dirt just in front of you.

But, how?

It’s not like he has a reason to come by the camp often, or that you have a reason to go see him outside of camp. You imagine yourself walking up to his office and leaning in the door frame, him sitting in the chair opposite the desk. ‘Hi…Sheriff. No I don’t have a reason to be here,” leaning on his desk seductively, your fingertip tracing circles on the wood, “I just wanted to see you.’ 

Nope, nu-uh. Fuck that.

There’s no way you could be so bold, so brass. You don’t wanna be known as the camp counsellor who tried to get it on with the local Sheriff. The one who failed miserably. He probably wouldn’t know what to do with you. Oh my God. What if he told Chris? Would you keep your job? The pebble springs off to the side, disappearing in the grass.

This whole thing is so risky.

Standing on the dirt path you can see the lodge in sight now. A few kids walk by and give you a little wave. You smile and wave them back. You check your counsellor mandated watch. It’s 5:56pm. 

I guess dinner is being served. 

Taking a deep breathe in you decide to put your thoughts aside for now and focus on the job. You have time to think about Travis later. Right now you have kids to look after. Walking to the lodge you join the other counsellors at their table. You tell them all about getting your car back and thanking Caleb. You decide not to tell them about Travis. Rumours spread fast around camp. Hell, there’s already one about Emma and Jacob floating around and it’s only been a week. Keeping your dirty little secret to yourself is probably best. Scarfing down the meal you and the rest of the gang head down to the water for the campfire. You hang out with a few kids as they walk, asking them about their day. You stroll along as they tell you about the ‘hammock incident’, pushing each other playfully as they interrupt one another with new information. You all laugh until you get to the campfire where Mr. H has set up a nice outside seating arrangement for all the campers. When everyone’s arrived he stands before the lake, clapping his hands.

“Alright Hackettiers!” The crowd of voices settle down. “This is our agenda for this week!” He brings out his clipboard from underneath his arm. “Monday: We’re bringing out the rowboats!” 

In the back you hear Nick shout ‘yeah’ with a clap of his hands, quieting down when he realizes no one else is clapping.

“Tuesday is…” Mr. H squints at the lettering. “Cooking with Chris! Tomorrow’s specialty: Cookies!”

You hear noises of excitement over the crowd. Kids begin talking amongst each other. It’s nice to hear the enthusiasm coming from the campers. That doesn’t happen often. It’s a good choice for the start of the second week. 

I mean, who doesn’t like cookies?

“Alright glad to see you guys excited!” Mr. H has a grin on his face. “But hold up! What’s happening Wednesday?” 

Mr. H pauses and Jacob starts making a drumroll sound. He steps forward and brings out the jazz hands.

“Reading day!” 

A hush falls over the group. Even Jacob boos him.

“Ah, come on guys-“

You can hear Mr. H trying to convince the kids (and Jacob) that reading is cool but you’ve almost drowned him out. You’re off elsewhere. 

Maybe. Yeah. It could work…

You contemplate it.

Me. Cookies. Travis. A showcase of appreciation, nothing more.

It’s simple and so cliché, but it could work. Mr. H continues with the rest of the weeks schedule but you barely pay any attention. Your eyes are blank, staring off to the side as you concentrate on curating your excuse to see Travis one more time. You bring a hand to your mouth, concealing the smirk growing on your face.

I mean…I have to repay him somehow.

*

You tie the apron behind your back, the strings tighten around your waist into a simple bow. Your hair is tucked back with a clip, out of your face and hopefully, out of the baking process. On Monday you asked Chris about using any ingredients left over in your own batch. Also tacking on the question of having a few hours off sometime in the week outside of camp. You weren’t sure how he’d process it. Only Abigail had asked for time off but that was to get more art supplies. Plus, Kaitlyn went with her. You, on the other hand, were asking for time alone. He raised his eyebrow at you, making a facial expression similar to Travis in some respect. He began asking questions and you couldn’t keep up the vague answers, so you told him the basics of your plan. He scoffed, saying his brother didn’t need any thanks. After some back and forth, mostly you insisting, the two of you came to a compromise. Some free time in exchange for cleaning up the big baking mess on Tuesday. Mr. H scratched his head as he looked at the monthly schedule in his office. He placed his finger on Wednesday, which he explained would be the best day, preferably after dinner. He took that same finger and pointed it back at you.

“And back by 11:00pm curfew.”

And so here you are. Ingredients out, hair back, apron on. You’ve made a little nook for yourself in the kitchen as a few kids start cleaning up after dinner. There was a recipe lying around for oatmeal raisin cookies so you decided to go off that, but replacing the raisins with chocolate chips. You peek at the analog clock on the wall.

6:45pm. 

Better get to work.

The time flew by as your hands idled away. Your mind rampant with made-up scenarios that could (but probably wouldn’t) happen when you drop off the cookies for Travis. Ranging from him slamming the door in your face to pushing you against a wall in pure passion. By the time the oven was heated you managed to make a very tempting mass of cookie dough despite your wandering thoughts. You washed the dishes as the cookies baked, making sure to lick off a little cookie dough from the spatula before dunking it in the water. By the time the cookies are out of the oven they are coloured a perfect golden brown.

7:56pm 

The cookies have finally cooled down and your baking space is clean. Grabbing the strings you undo the apron, thankful that you do not have that level of flour on your clothes. Taking a clean plate you begin to spread out the cookies, sneaking one for yourself as you arrange them.

Just a taste test.

They’re good, thank God. You probably wouldn’t go if they weren’t. You can feel yourself inching for another so you quickly wrap them up, saving them from your temptation. Under the plastic wrap they hold their arrangement nicely. You sigh, taking one last glance at your masterpiece before looking at the clock. 

8:02pm.

Time to go.

You hurry out of the lodge. The sunlight trickles in through gaps in the trees, speckling the ground as you walk to your car. Unlocking the door you place your beautiful batch of cookies on the passenger seat and climb in after. From your backpack you take out your North Kill map. The police station is neatly marked so you aim for that. From what you remember it’s about a 25 minute drive or so, and like a minute walk to his house from the station. Your stomach fills with butterflies… or anxiety, you can’t exactly tell. In an attempt to calm your nerves you turn on the car and blast music through the sound system. Your car rolls out of the carpark, straightening out on the dirt road. Once you’ve passed the Hackett’s Quarry summer camp sign you can’t help but notice your jittery-ness is not subsiding. Rather, it seems to increase as you head closer and closer to the police station. Taking that last right turn you find yourself in front of the large building, a light glittering from his office window and the second floor. 

He’s got to be inside.

As the car engine lulls it’s like you can hear your heart going a million miles per minute. The anticipation is always the worst. I mean, what do you say? The process of giving him cookies is so…short! What can you even expect from such a short interaction? You sigh, your voice wavering a bit. Reaching for your backpack you take out the water bottle and take a sip. 

It’s just cookies. Nothing else. This is a completely innocent gesture. Stop thinking it’ll be more.

You feel more relaxed, mostly because you’ve begun to lower your expectations. Taking the handle you swing open the car door and plant your feet firmly on the ground. Grabbing the plate of cookies from the passenger side you slide your backpack onto your shoulder. On the door you press the lock button and close it, causing the car lights to blink before going dark once more. With a deep breathe you make your way up to the entrance doors. 

Okay, now or never.

Exhaling you push the doors open, leading with an apprehensive footstep.

“Hello?” Your other foot follows. “Sheriff Hackett?”

The doors close behind you. The precinct is empty as always, but a dim light shines through the askew office door. Before you take another step you hear faint music travelling through the air. You angle your head upwards to the second floor. While standing utterly still you can almost discern the song, but not quite. You tread lightly through the main area, taking a peak inside his office as you pass. No one is in, but seeing his desk makes you remember your dream. Blushing, you avert your gaze and carry forward. The low-tone of a bass begins playing along with other melodic instruments, creating a sensual, smooth sound that echoes within the building. Your walk has turned into a tip-toe as you try and make the music as uninterrupted as possible. Standing at the bottom of the stairs you can finally recognize the song. “Ain’t no sunshine” by Bill Withers. His singing increases in volume as you make your way up the stairs, the bridge of the song repeating “I know” over and over until you reach the top. With how close you are you can hear the lyrics with perfect clarity.

“Hey, I ‘oughta leave the young thing alone, but ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.”

Your hand slides along the banister as you slowly make your way down the hallway.

“Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone. Only darkness everyday.”

You take a few steps forward to the semi-open door. 

“Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone, and this house just ain’t no home, anytime she goes away.”

You peek inside, seeing Travis sitting on a low lying bench riffling through a cardboard box. A small stereo sits on the ground by his feet.

“Anytime she goes away.”

As the music fades you knock on the open door, causing it to move with a creak. Travis’s eyes dart up towards you in a startled motion. You reply with an awkward wave as he reaches down to turn off the music, cutting off Bill Wither’s voice. You stand in the doorway for a second as his gaze settles on you. Gently, you point your hand towards the stereo at his feet.

“Great song.” 

A beer bottle rests on the bench with him. He’s wearing his uniform but the neck tie is loose as his collar lies open. Not a hair is out of place on his head but you can tell he wasn’t expecting any visitors. He looks so confused. His facial expression actually make him look younger this way. I guess the Sheriff doesn’t get too many visitors in a small town like this. He blinks a few times, almost acting as if you’d disappear if he closed his eyes enough.

“(Y/N)? What are you doing here?” He places a hand on his knee and begins to stand up.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude,” you quickly glance at the front, “I just thought it be okay to come in since it was unlocked.”

He puts his hands on his hips. “Are you alright?” He says, his bluntness catching you off-guard.

“Oh, y-yeah, I’m not in any trouble or anything.” 

A sigh of relief escapes his lips. Looking down at his feet he steps pass the large box and makes his way over, walking slowly but smoothly. You glance behind him at the mess by the bench.

“What were you doing?” You ask inquisitively.

He looks over his shoulder. “Oh, that? I was going through some old stuff. Was hoping to get this room cleaned up. Though,” He puts his hand to the back of his head while he surveys the room, “that’s gonna take some time.”

You inspect the room with him. The entire left side looks like a maze to you. Lockers are compiled into a corner sporadically, as if they’ve been wrenched from the wall, and boxes and benches are laid out equally as randomly. The four walls are bare except for a few windows filtering in the sunlight. The entire space gives off a neglected vibe, except for the side closest to Travis. There, at least, the lockers are standing against the wall. The cardboard box Travis was looking through seems to be filled with paper or other work related documents, for that’s what’s scattered around it. Behind the Bench you notice a feather duster that was obscured when Travis sat there. It seems this might have been a locker room at some point. Perhaps in the past there were enough officers on duty to occupy the space. Now it’s just the Sheriff.

“Why are you here (Y/N)?” 

Turning your head back you see his eyes fixed on you, head slightly tilt. 

“Oh, Right!” You step out from the doorframe, bringing the cookies into view. “I wanted to give you these.”

You hand the plate off. He raises his eyebrows, in what you hope is, pleasant surprise.

“As a thanks. For all your help.” You smile as he looks back up at you. “I made them myself just before I came here.”

He looks back down at the cookies without responding. You awkwardly clasp your hands together, pursing your lips as you wait for a reaction. 

“I didn’t ask Chris what type you liked.” You point at the plate in-between you two. “I hope oatmeal chocolate chip is alright.” 

You hold your arm anxiously, your smile becoming more tentative. On his face you can see he’s pressed his tongue against his cheek, a smile slowly forming as his tongue trails along just under his bottom lip. He presses his lips together and angles his head back at you. 

“Well,” his hands shift on the plate, “how kind of you.” 

His dark-coloured eyes meet yours and your uneasiness disappears. Your smile growing.

“Only for the best.” You say with a shrug, pretending like you were always confident.

He smirks and shakes his head towards the ground before walking to the bench. His minimal, but genuine reaction makes your heart flutter, making you happy you made the trip out here.

“Are you heading back to camp?” Travis says with his back turned to you. 

Checking your watch you see that it’s only 8:45pm.

“Hmmm…” You hum as you scan the dusty old room in front of you. “I don’t have to go. Not yet anyways.”

The Sheriff turns his body so he’s facing the cardboard box but his head is turned to you. 

“I got another hour and a half before I have to be back.” You look back to him, gesturing towards the room with your hand. “Why don’t I help you out here?” 

“You want to help clean?” He asks, his face conveying many levels of skepticism. “Don’t ‘ya already have a job?” 

Your backpack swings off your arm and you rest it against the wall. “Trust me, this is nothing compared to dealing with summer camp kids. Plus, cleaning up other people’s spaces is much easier than cleaning your own.” You run your finger along a desk by the door, picking up dust with the trail. “Let me help out. I won’t touch any important documents, I swear.” You put your hands up playfully after rubbing the dust off your fingertip.

Sitting back down on the bench he picks up a stack of papers, flipping through the pages. “And you don’t have anything better to do than to clean an old police station?”

You let out an airy laugh. “What would I even do that would be fun in North Kill at quarter to 9pm?” 

He puts down one pile, looking at the next. “Lots.”

“Oh yeah?” You saunter up to the bench. “You’ll have to show me sometime.”

He glances up at you. You place your hands on your hips as you give him a smile. 

“Feather duster please.” You extend your arm out in front of him.

Placing the papers to the side he hides a smirk as he turns, reaching behind for the feather duster. 

“Thank you.” You say as you reach to grab it.

You take a step towards him and catch your foot on the stereo. Stumbling forward Travis presses a hand against your shoulder to hold you still, his other hand still on the duster. While his palm is pressed against the cloth of your shirt his pinky finger slips under your sleeve, touching your skin. 

“Are you sure you want to help?”

Although you feel frozen in place you easily nod your head. His hand retracts from your shoulder as you stand up, the warmth disappearing with it. He hands off the feather duster as you find your balance.

“Suit yourself.” He says with a shrug as he bends down to turn on the stereo.

The music starts to pick up again, continuing with the next album hit. You pivot your feet, facing away from the Sheriff. Blush starts to surface on your face as you twist the feather duster rod to its highest extension. It clicks into place and you glance over your shoulder at Travis. He’s already begun searching through the contents of the box, apparently undisturbed by your little kerfuffle. He looks up for a second and you whip your head back around. The fluff of the feather duster shakes from your movement, cutting through the dust floating in the air. Taking a deep breathe in you get to work. 

The ceilings are tall and hard to reach unless you’re on your tippy-toes, and you can only do that for so long. A bench lies next to the wall and you bring one foot onto it. Moving your leg back and forth it passes the sturdiness test and you hop up, holding onto a locker for balance. Eyeing the corner cobwebs you twist the rod, creating a cotton candy like swirl of dust. You fall into a rhythm with the music as it switches from one song to the next. You swipe along the tops and sides of the lockers, making an effort to get through all the nooks and crannies of the benches and tables as well. The evening sun diminishes as the time passes by, the precinct making up for it with a luminescent glow. You hit one of the dangling lights with your duster and it sways, causing the shadows to move and dance on the floor. Travis looks up at you and you just mouth the word ‘sorry’ to him with a scrunch of your nose. Reaching for the last nook you hear footsteps approaching behind you. With the rotation of your body you face Sheriff Hackett below you.

“See anything I’ve missed?” 

“hmmm…” he studies the area before pointing at a spot directly above his head. “Just one there.”

Glancing upwards you see what he was pointing at. Holding onto the top of a locker you reach as far as you can. It’s a bit further than the others but you feel secure enough to inch yourself towards it. you lean to get a better angle, looming over the man below you. As your toes teeter close to the edge of the bench you can feel Travis’s hands grab you quickly, wrapping around the sides of your waist.

“Careful!” 

He’s using enough force to keep you steady, but his touch is making you anything but. Your clothing wrinkles under his grasp, his fingers pressing hard against your body. It’s not like he’s holding you up but with the amount of force he’s applying it might as well seem that way. Grabbing the last cobweb you slink back down. Your mind spinning as your cheeks flush red. Even when your feet are firmly pressed against the bench he only lets go with one hand. Extending the second one out in front of you.

“There we go. Come on down.” 

You let go of the top of the locker and take his hand. Both of your fingers wrap around each other as you press some weight into his palm. Planting yourself back on the ground his grip lessons, dropping both hands by his sides. You both let out a sigh. In the silence you point toward your mass of cobwebs.

“At least I got it.” 

He looks at you, and the corners of his mouth almost turn upwards to a smile.

“You sure did.” He glances at your waist, trailing up to your face before drifting back over to the other side of the room.

Damn.

You can feel your body heating up. Okay, you’re definitely blushing. Your hands clench the feather duster rod and shorten its reach. 

“Hey, um, is there a garbage around here?” You motion towards your collected cobwebs.

His tongue rests against his cheek as he thinks, retracting when he speaks up. “My office, next to my desk.”

You nod and make your way down with your sceptre of dust. The back of your hand presses against your mouth, concealing the glee on your face. When you’re in his office you lay the head of the duster against the bin. You stand back up and roll your shirt up slightly. It’s not substantial but there’s a few marks where Travis pressed his fingers to your sides. 

DAMN.

Bringing your shirt back down you bite your lip, walking until you reach his desk. You can feel your expectations rising again, hoping you’d be given the chance to have his arms around you once more. Leaning against the table you imagine him walking in, just like in your dream, but the only thing you’re met with is the silence of the precinct. A big sigh escapes your lips, diminishing all your lewd thoughts. Your fingers trace the edge of the wood as you calm yourself down, leading you back to the waste basket. You bend down and begin picking at the cobwebs, cleaning off the gross outer layer until it looks almost pristine. Standing up you clap your hands above the garbage, letting particles of dust float down from your fingers. The palms of your hands are grey in colour, dirty from all the dust and grime. Stepping out of the office you see Travis descending the staircase, stacks of paper in hands.

“Is there a sink I can use to wash my hands?” You say while stepping aside, letting him pass.

“To the right of you. By the holding cells.”

“Thanks.”

You lay the feather duster on staircase banister. Travis disappears in his office as you turn the corner towards the gated cells. Walking into the washroom you are met with 3 sinks. Choosing the middle one you take the bar of soap and begin scrubbing the dirt from your hands. The water drains a dark grey colour until it runs clear. Turning off the taps you shake your hands to dry them off. Your hair is a bit jumbled from all the cleaning and your clothes are covered with specs of dust. You hold the bottom of your shirt out to remove some of the dust.

Well. I’m probably not impressing him with this look.

You run your hands through your hair to smooth it down before waltzing out of the room. Grabbing the feather duster you climb back up the stairs. It’s been eerily quiet ever since Travis turned off the stereo. All you hear is the low level humming from the precincts luminescent lightbulbs. Well, that and the sound of ruffling coming from the office where Travis is. You return the feather duster to its original spot behind the bench. Slowly pacing the room your eyes wander across the ceiling. You’ve definitely have made a dent in this dust hotspot. The edges on Travis’s side are covered with cobwebs while your side is mostly spotless. In admiring your work Travis enters the room.

“Not bad (Y/N).” You look over your shoulder at him. “Not too bad at all.”

You can’t help but grin like an idiot. Your arms are tired and even your legs are sick of standing up for so long, but being around him was totally worth it.

“Glad to help. Though I’m gonna have to come back for the other side.” You gesture to the other half of the room.

“You’re coming back?” He says, sounding genuinely surprised.

You raise an eyebrow at him. “Of course. Can’t just leave the job half done." Your eyes scan around the room before resting back upon his face. "Besides it’s not like I’m working 24 hours, I do get time off. I just have to okay it with Chris if I leave the campsite. For safety reasons.” You keep eye contact with Travis. “And what’s safer than being around the town Sheriff hmm?”

Working up the courage you nudge the officer with your shoulder. He stares down at where you touched him, smirking before looking back out the window with you. 

“I don’t mind some free labour.” He says, trying to sound apathetic, but instead sounding quite lighthearted. 

“And good music.” You add.

“And, good music.” 

In the silence you settle for a moment before glancing at the time. 

“Wow, it’s already 10:10pm. I should go.” You turn to face the door. “Don’t want to miss curfew.” You say with a roll of your eyes. 

Sauntering over to your bag you grab the strap and lift it over your shoulder. You look back, expecting Travis to still be standing in the same spot. He’s made his way over to the bench and is picking up the plate of cookies.

“I’ll walk you out.” Travis says, hand over the light switch.

You exit the room first, him following as the room goes dark. He continues to trail behind you down the steps, almost as if he was walking a prisoner out of their cell. Before leaving through the main entrance he stops by his office, turning off the light and locking the door behind him. Exiting the building a cool breeze blows by the door. The darkness of the street is apparent when there are no city-mandated lamp posts. You both stop walking once you’ve reached your car. 

“I don’t know exactly when I’ll be back.” You say as you throw your backpack onto the passenger side. “Is there a better time for me to come by?” 

He looks back at the precinct and rubs the nape of his neck. “Later in the evening works during the week.” 

“Alright. Good to know. I’ll pop by sometime…next week?” 

“I’ll be around.” 

You smile back at him, tiredness apparent in both of your eyes. Saddling into the car you roll down your window, staring at each other for just a moment as the car engine putters away.

“And Sheriff?” You say, clicking the seatbelt into place.

He places a hand on the side of your car, leaning in to hear what you have to say. You lean your elbow on the door, inching yourself closer to him as if you were whispering a secret.

“Enjoy the cookies.”

A smirk falls across his face as he looks down.

"Will do."

He removes his arm and backs away from your car. Reversing the vehicle you wave at him before driving down the street. He raises his hand in response and you head off. The building slinks off into the darkness as your turn the corner for the main road. The cool night air cuts through the open slant of your window and you drive back to camp, a smile plastered on your face.

______________________________________________________________

I would also like to ask a dumb question: I've never made a tag list... like ever. I decided to tag people in the post but is this how it's done usually? Like should I tag people in the comments or on the post? Any advice from others would be greatly appreciated!

Drawing nearer you can see his gaze wander. He’s making his way up your legs, then your hips and waist, until his eyes meet your chest. Taking that last step you find his body inches from yours. A short strand of black hair falls over his forehead as he looks you in the eyes. Your breathe hitches. Those hooded, dark coloured eyes are staring down at you, telling you that he knows exactly what you want. Feeling the desk behind your legs you hop onto it, your breasts jumping with you. His hands touch your thighs lightly, spreading his fingers over the surface. He settles himself in-between your legs. The pressure of his hips makes you let out a slight moan. His hands grip harder on your body. You can feel his breathe on your collar bone, his body wanting so much more of you. Sliding up your leg his hands grab at your hips, forcing you closer. You’re thoroughly pressed against him. His hands slide up and down you sensually in anticipation.

Fuck it.

You throw your arms around him, bringing your lips to his. All the tension built up exploding in one motion. Your hands reach for the back of his head, combing through the blackness of his hair. You want him as close as possible. His hands filter underneath your t-shirt, exploring your bare back as he kisses you intensely. You both let out low moans, echoing in each other’s mouths. He grabs your waist with both hands and presses into you. You pull your lips away, tilting your head upwards.

“Oh, fuck~” 

Bringing his mouth to your neck he continues his light thrusts. His lips trail downwards, starting just below your chin until he reaches the fabric of your top. He marks you with long drawn out kisses and small bites as you rub together. You grab at his back, fingers trailing along his spine to the nape of his neck. 

“Travis~”

You feel his erection against your clit. The cloth of your pants inhibiting you both. He lifts his face up from your neck, grabbing your t-shirt and pulling it over your head fast. The light swings, highlighting the smirk he has on his face. You feel yourself blushing as he lays you down on the desk. Grabbing your thighs once again as he brings your hips closer. Blocking the light his body has become shrouded in darkness. His hands swarm your body, massaging your breasts and kissing in-between them. Gazing upwards at you he brings his mouth over one of your boobs. His tongue swirls around the nipple. Kissing and nibbling until it becomes sore from the attention. Your hands are back in his hair as you wrap your legs around him. He reaches for your other breast and you moan quietly to yourself, bringing one hand up to your mouth to stifle the noise. His mouth releases from your body, grabbing your wrist with his hand. Raising himself to your ear he stops. His breathe hot on your skin.

“Do you want me (Y/N)?”

You nod your head under the pressure of his body. A hand makes its way up to your neck, cradling around you ever so softly. 

“I want you to say it.” He says, pressing his hips harder onto you.

You let out a tiny whine from the overwhelming feeling. At this moment you’ve never wanted anything more.

“I want you Travis~. So badly”

His fingers begin to wander down your body. He lets out a sensual laugh before taking in a deep breathe.

“Good girl.”

*

BAM. The cabin door bounces against a side table, jolting you awake.

“Whoops…Sorry…” you hear someone say in a semi valley-girl type accent.

You pry your eyes open to see a blonde pony tail down below you. A bag hits the floor with a thump.

“Oh my God. Did I wake you up? My bad.”

You’re still a bit disoriented but muster up a response anyhow.

“It’s alright,” you roll over to your phone: 11:46am. “It’s about time I get up anyways.” You muster up a smile to the person below, waving your hand over the bunk. “I’m (Y/N), I use she/her pronouns.” You yawn. “You?”

“Oh! Emma. Me too…she/her.” You can hear her feet rocking back and forth on the wooden floor. “So…we can choose any bunk?”

“Mhmm.” You say, semi-processing her question.

“Cool. I’ll put my stuff…Here!” Her bag hits the mattress diagonal of yours. “I’m gonna go check out the camp ground. Wanna come?”

“I’m gonna take some time to wake up. Find you later?”

“‘Kay. See ya!” She slams the door almost as hard as she opened it.

You’re left again in silence. The bumpy mattress presses into your back. Sunlight filters in through the window, making you put your arm over your eyes. It’s so tempting to fall back asleep. Get back to dreaming about…

Oh fuck.

You were dreaming about Sheriff Hackett. Oh my God. You had a fucking sex dream about Travis. After being so rudely awakened you haven’t had time to process it. Pressing the palms of your hands to your eyelids you start to remember. Fuck. The thought of it felt so good. His weight pressed against you. The sensation of his hands exploring you. His lips on your body.

Ah…shit.

You can feel yourself getting aroused again. You take a deep breathe in, arching your back slightly. The cabin is eerily quiet. Even though you’re alone you don’t feel like risking it. Not when anyone can burst through that door at any moment. A sigh escapes your lips. That comfortable feeling you get around him suddenly makes a lot of sense. You’re left with a warm sensation, but it’s taken on a whole other meaning now. You can almost hear his voice, whispering that low “mhmm” he always does. Blushing, you swing your legs over the bunk ladder. You don’t regret the dream. It was…nice. It was really nice. And, I mean, it’s not like it’s actually going to happen anyways. A bit of fantasy never hurt anybody. You glance towards the large tree in the middle of the courtyard. Despite the rude awakening you feel semi-alive. Plus, your horny brain needs to touch some grass. Maybe the outside air will cool you off.

Making your way out of the cabin you spot the blonde pony tail bouncing near the pool house. Emma gives you a wave and you reciprocate. The rest of the day is spent exploring the campsite with her and a few other counsellors. You get special permission from Mr. H to take out the golf cart since Ryan knows how to drive it. Laughter fills the air as you get to know your coworkers for the afternoon. At about 6pm everyone had arrived. Everyone was issued to the lodge as Mr. H started orientation. Standing there in front of you all in his boy-scout leader outfit you couldn’t help but think:

Well…I’m not attracted to his brother…That’s for sure.

He introduces everyone and immediately shares the bad news. The camp mascot, Ian: the sheep, sadly passed away the night before. Nick and Abigail both awe’d in response. You look around the room for a second and then down at the ground in realization.

Oh my God. What if I hit Ian?

You pick at your nails, hoping you didn’t cause the death of the beloved mascot with your car. You ask Chris about it afterwards and he reassures you it was a… natural death. The rest of the lecture was about the kids coming tomorrow and who will be in charge of what. Just after he dismissed us he piped up again.

“Oh right. I confiscate the phones at the beginning of the camp. First thing tomorrow you’ll be handing them in.”

A wave of groans come from the counsellors.

“No ifs, ands, or buts guys.” He says, pointing his finger at the group. “Now, let’s get going Hackettiers!” He claps his hands. “There’s work to be done!”

*

Days go by as normal summer camp days do. A few scrapes on the knee here, a bit of homesickness there. Overall you haven’t had much to complain about job wise. You did lose your water bottle somewhere along the line, that generally sucked. But more importantly, you haven’t dreamt about Sheriff Hackett since that first day. But you never forgot about it. On the third day of camp you and Kaitlyn hung out with some of the young campers before bed. They were ranking the attractiveness of the people at Hackett’s Quarry. As they argued over the list you found yourself thinking of that dream. Started thinking about Travis. You stared off into space, snapping back when the kids began teasing you, Kaitlyn egging them on. I think they truly believed you were thinking about another counsellor. The blush on your face didn’t deter them either.

At the end of the week, on the first ‘funday Sunday’, Chris called you to his office. Said that his son had taken a look at your car and was able to find a spare part for your broken headlight. 

“That’s fantastic!”

“And,” he says while walking toward his desk, “you had a tripped switch that cut off the fuel line. That’s what made your car not start up.” He plops down in his chair. “Easy fix, just flipped it.” Hand motions float in the air around him, attempting to persuade you that it was no big deal.

“That was so kind of your family to help me. I could have found a mechanic-“

“No, no, no. Not necessary. We love to help out.” He places his hands down on his armrests. “It’s an easy day today, not too much planned. You can have some time off to grab your car from the scrapyard. Caleb should be down there now.”

“That would be great! Thanks Mr. H.” 

His eyes close slightly as his face smiles. “You’re welcome (Y/N). You know the way?”

You think back to the map at the front of the lodge. “Yeah…I think so.”

“It’s just past the carpark and off to the left.” He spins around on his chair, gesturing out the window. “It’s a clear path.”

You shift your weight to see where he’s pointing. “Great. I’ll join up with the kids by the fireplace when I get back.”

“Excellent. Be safe!” He says as he waves you out the door.

“I will!” You close it shut. 

As you stand outside his office a few faces look up at you. Some kids are sprawled around the lodge in various places. Some reading, some drawing, some chatting. Sunday is practically a free day. There are activities available, such as the pool (Emma and Jacob’s duty as lifeguards), but they also have autonomy if they don’t want to do much either. You waltz down to the main door, set on your new mission to retrieve your car. As you climb down the main stairs you hear distant laughter and yelling from the camp kids. 

It’ll be nice to take a walk. 

Taking a few extra steps you find yourself by the large map by the lodge, double-checking where you’re going. It’s pretty far down, almost down to the main road.

I’ll definitely have lots of time to myself.

You start down the path. With each step the noise of the camp becomes quieter, swallowed by the vastness of the forest. Sounds emanate from all layers. The skittering of squirrels running along the branches. The distant bird calls over the trees. The ruffling of the leaves from the wind. All of it comes together, creating a harmony only the wild could produce. Much of the walk is you just following the path and getting out of your head for a second. At around the same time your legs begin feeling tired, the steely gates of the scrapyard come into view. The gates are large, highlighting how massive this area must be. There are two cars parked outside. The back of one looks familiar but it’s overshadowed by the greasy pick-up truck beside it. Neither one is your car so you turn your head to the entranceway.

Must be further inside.

You press onwards. Walking in you realize the place is built like a maze, and you have no fucking clue where to go. Pathways have been shaped by junk and old cars stacked on one another. Looking up you have to squint to see the highest car.

What if they all just came crashing down…

You shake your head and walk quickly. You know it probably won’t but you’d rather be out from under the heap’s shadow. After wandering aimlessly for a bit you hear voices coming from a garage-type building. It seems like someone is having a conversation up on the higher level. It has to be Caleb, he’s known for hanging out here. Chris even described it as his hunting ground. You peer in, poking your head ever so slightly and following with your body.

“Hello?” 

The voices stop for a second. Your gaze wanders. And there it is to your left. Your beautiful car.

“Oh! My car!” 

You’re so excited that you walk straight to it, ignoring how the conversation stopped up above you. You’re smiling from ear to ear. You pat your car, running your hands along its side up until the front. It looks way better than from how you left it in the woods. You wouldn’t have even noticed the fixed headlight unless you were told. The only thing that indicates your accident is the dent in the fender, but even that is minimal. Footsteps clang down the metal stairs. Caleb pokes his head out, you can see some dark smudge on his face, socket wrench in hand. His short, dirty blond hair and thin face makes him look young but he gives off the vibe of a true car mechanic.

“Hi?”

“Hi!” raising your finger you tentatively point toward him “Caleb?”

“Yes…you’re here for your car?” 

“Yeah.” You nod. “Chris sent me.”

He smiles by pressing his lips together, avoiding your gaze. At that moment you hear a second pair of footsteps on the layer above you. Taking a few steps back you peer upwards. His short black hair moving slightly as he looks down at you. 

“Sheriff Hackett!” 

Both his arms are leaning against the railing, semi-crossed on his chest. He lifts his fingers on one hand and gives a small wave. It feels like forever since you’ve seen him and you can’t help but smile. Your heart picks up speed.

“How’s the whiplash?” He says while placing one hand on the back of his neck. 

You reach for yours. You hadn’t even noticed that it’s gotten better.

“Practically gone!” You speak up at him. 

He nods his head and you hold eye contact for a moment. The way he’s looking down at you is nothing compared to your dream, but damn, you missed that face.

“Uh, come on up?” Caleb pipes up, calling you back to Earth.

“Sure,” You grab the cold handrail with your hand, “thanks.”

Your eagerness is probably evident by the way you clammer up the metal steps. As you reach the top you immediately look for Travis again. He’s on the other side of a large metal table. Caleb is positioned opposite of him. The table is connected to the wall at one end so you squeeze yourself into the only edge available in-between the two. There’s not much room between the table and the railing. You hold onto the sides of the table, as if you’d fall off the banister if you didn’t. You break the silence.

“What are you doing here Sheriff?” 

It’s so enticing to call him Travis, but, I mean, you barely know the guy. Despite how much you’ve thought about him.

“Well,” he leans with one hand on the table as he reaches down with the other, “I found this.” 

He grabs something off a chair and places it down on the table with a thud. It’s your water bottle.

“I was hoping Caleb would give it to ‘ya when he handed you the keys.”

He slides it across the table at you. You catch it with your hands.

“Oh!” Your face lights up at the realization. “I must have left this at your house!” You recall hearing a thud before you left his place.

Caleb raises an eyebrow at his uncle. Travis clears his throat, avoiding the kids gaze.

“Yes. By the coat rack.”

You let out a small ‘ahh’ in understanding, cradling the water bottle in your hands.

“Well thank you Sheriff.” You purse your lips slightly to avoid smiling outright. “That was awfully kind of you.” You can’t help but smirk in his direction.

“You’re welcome.” He looks you in the eye before turning to Caleb. “Can you get her the keys Cal?”

“Yup.” His nephew turns to the side and starts digging through a drawer.

As you watch Caleb’s hands rummage through the crowded mess you feel the air move around Travis. Turning your head to his direction you find him inches from you.

“Pardon me.” He says in a whisper.

He places one hand on the right side of your waist ever so lightly. There’s not much room between you and the banister so his body presses against you as he scoots by. For a split second you could feel both his hands on you, keeping you still as he snuck behind you. An electric feeling travelled through your body. As you reach your hand to your waist he’s already let go and on the same side as Caleb.

“I’ll be going Cal.” He pats the boy on the shoulder as the keychain is taken out from the drawer.

Travis’s hand hovers over the railing as he looks back at you. You haven’t been able to keep your eyes off of him.

“And (Y/N), drive safe.”

You nod your head. Your mind racing with other thoughts. By the time you think to say goodbye he’s already gone. 

“Um,” Caleb mutters.

You snap your attention back to him, realizing you’ve been staring off in the direction in which Travis left.

“Here are your keys.” Caleb places them down silently on the table. “The car is safe to drive. I couldn’t fix the dent in the fender but the majority of the damage is cleaned up.”

You blink down at your keys as you grab them.

“Thanks Caleb, for all your help.”

“No problem.” He says, stepping aside to let you pass.

On the steps you glance back at him. You give him a tiny smile and descend down the stairs. You bite your lips as you press your water bottle to your body. The memories of your sex dream come flooding back to you. Your face is flushed with the idea of Travis behind you. The touch of his hands on your hips. The feeling of him against your back. It’s embarrassing but as soon as you reach the bottom step it crosses your mind:

Sorry Caleb, but I really want to fuck your uncle. 

______________________________________________________________

The sound of the engine lulls to a stop and you unbuckle yourself. Opening the door you’re met with the cool forest breeze. Your backpack slips over one of your shoulders while the strap to your larger bag rests in your palm. Looking to your right you find that Officer Hackett has made his way to the steps.

“You’re coming in with me?” He stops in his tracks and looks over at you.

“I need to talk with my brother.” 

“Oh-” Before you finish your reply he’s already continued walking up the steps. “Okay…”

So, they ARE brothers.

You hurry up the steps, focusing your gaze on the stairs in front of you. Reaching the top you find Officer Hackett waiting for you. While panting slightly you make out a quick smile. He turns towards the door and opens it. The big wooden doors creak as they’re opened, echoing inside the empty building. Officer Hackett walks in first but keeps his hand on the door for you. Once you’re through he takes his hand off, letting it close shut. Your eyes take time to adjust to the dark interior. The inside is massive. Lots of wooden tables and benches line the main area. There are at least two main staircases leading up to another level. You can’t help but crane your neck upwards to look at it all. A bit of pain shoots through your neck causing you to wince.

Oh, right. Whiplash. 

The sound of footsteps descend from the nearest staircase. You’re met with boots and khaki shorts, slowly leading up to a man in a collared shirt the same colour as the rest of his beige outfit. He looks exactly how you’d expect a camp counsellor to look like. 

“Travis,” He says with surprise. “What are you doing here?” 

His eyes pan back-and-forth in-between the two of you. You look at Officer Hackett.

So that’s his name. Travis.

“I picked up one of your counsellors last night,” he looks straight at Chris, “after she got into a car wreck”.

Chris looks back at you in alarm. His expression shows concern. Something about the way he surveys you gives the implication he wasn’t just nervous about the wreck. 

“Are you okay?” He turns back to Travis. “Where did she crash? Was she… hurt?” 

It’s funny how he’s asking him but not you. You keep out of their conversation nonetheless. 

“Nah. Just a bit of whiplash. Right?” Travis nods towards you.

“R-Right! I’m all good after a night of rest” you say under the scrutiny of their gazes.

“She was ran off by something. Around the fenced off area.”

“That far out huh…” Chris scratches his head and the lodge falls into silence.

There’s a tension in the air so thick that you feel as if you could cut it with a knife. The two men just stare at each other. Despite their seemingly normal conversation, it almost feels as if they’re discussing something other entirely. Maybe it’s a Hackett sibling thing.

“Well… I’m glad things are okay.” Chris sighs. “Remind me, you are…” he says, wagging a finger in your direction.

“(Y/N).” 

He snaps his fingers. “Right right right. It’s gonna take me a while to remember everyone’s names.” He says in a light, jokey tone. 

He’s definitely more bright and bubbly than his brother, that’s for sure. You smile back, looking over at Travis. He’s fixated on you, head slightly tilt. He looks away when you make eye contact. 

I guess I never told him my name either…

“I don’t blame you Mr. H,” you turn back to Chris, “We’ve only talked over phone interviews anyhow.” You try and match his bubbly personality.

“Ah, well that’s good.” He lets out an exasperated laugh and looks again at his brother. “Why don’t we talk in my office T?”

“Sure.” Travis replies.

“(Y/N) you can, uh, take a seat on one of the benches until I get back.” He motions towards the many seating arrangements.

“Sounds good.” The two siblings start walking across the room. “Oh- and,” you switch the pressure from one foot to the next, tilting in their direction. “Thank you again for all your help…Travis.” You say while smiling coyly at him.

“You, (Y/N),” he says pointing his finger, “can call me Sheriff Hackett.” 

“Yes sir.” You give a nonchalant army wave.

You both give each other knowing smiles and the two head off. he two of them soon disappear from your sight. Their conversation silent behind the closed door.

You trudge over to a table by the large fireplace. You reach into your backpack and take out your phone. To think, all the stuff you’ve been through and it’s only 7:50am. In the top left corner of your phone where the cell service bars are usually located is “no service” in small text. 

Of course there’s no service. I’m in the middle of nowhere. 

You rub your eyes and place your arms and head on the table, your phone resting to the side. Not long passes before you hear the main door open. Someone has just walked in. The light from the outside highlights the outline of the person. They’re tall in stature and have… short hair? They stretch their arms, revealing their long limbs. Just then the door closes and you can see them a bit better. As they begin to walk into the lodge you turn your head, trying to act like you haven’t been watching them. 

“Oh….uh…. Hi.” 

Their voice is deep and monotone, but you can hear a hint of surprise. You look up, trying to act surprised too.

“Oh, hi.” Standing up you reach out your hand. “I’m (Y/N), I use she/her pronouns”.

“Ryan. He/him.” He lazily shakes your hand. “Is… Chris, I mean, Mr. H around?”

“Yeah he is.” You motion towards the office door. “He’s just talking to his brother right now.”

“Ah.” He says, setting down his bag. “Are you a counsellor too...?”

“Yeah, I am.”

“Cool…” his voice trails off, leaving you both in silence.

You motion to the bench across from you. “You can take a seat if you’d like.” 

He tentatively smiles and sits. Despite being so tall he’s got a quiet demeanour about him. His headphones lay across his chest over his shirt. The logo on his shirt is hard to make out in the dark but you can tell it looks badass. Despite the summer weather he’s dressed in all black. I mean, you aren’t gonna judge, most of your stuff isn’t the most colourful either. Right after Ryan sat down the door to the office opens and the two men walk out. You can hear slight bickering coming from both of them.

Yup, definitely siblings.

“Ryan!” Chris says with his arm stretched out, cutting off his brother mid-sentence.

“Yo, Mr. H!” 

Ryan takes Chris’s hand and leans in for a side hug. Pulling apart from each other Chris pats him on the shoulder.

“How have you been!” 

They immediately delve into conversation. 

I guess they must know each other well.

Chris waves off his brother and Travis waves back. Making eye-contact with you Travis motions towards the door. Standing up you scoot your legs from under the bench and make your way over. 

“I’ve told Chris about your car. He said he’ll have his son take a look at it for you.”

“Great, yeah, that sounds good.”

You stand next to each other for a second. The background noise of Chris and Ryan chattering on behind you. Travis presses his lips together slightly, looking at the door and then back at you.

“Good. Well. Goodbye.”

He used that formal police man tone. You have a sense he's gonna bolt out the door.

“Sheriff,” you tilt your head slightly, “Thanks for dropping me off.”

His hand is already on the door handle.

“You’re welcome. Enjoy your summer.”

Opening the door you take it from him and hold it, like he has done so much for you these past few hours. The sounds of the forest filter in through the door. The Sheriff walks down the stairs, getting further and further away. A burst of courage runs through your body. You angle yourself slightly in the door frame.

“I’ll repay you one day!” You yell, loud enough probably for the whole damn forest to hear. 

Without looking back he holds one arm in the air, semi-waving.

“Looking forward to it!”

The edges of your mouth turn upward into a smile. Closing the door you cut off the outside noise, leaving only the sound coming from Ryan and Mr. H’s conversation.

You take a few steps to your side, peering out the window. Travis gets into his vehicle and drives down the road. The taillights wash away in the distance. Honestly, you kind of miss him already. You had gotten so used to his company that it’s weird to be without it. You stand for a second before sauntering back to your bags.

“(Y/N),” You prick your head up towards Mr. H, “why don’t I show you the cabins. Both you and Ryan could use the rest.”

“Sounds great.”

Rustling your phone back in your bag you carry your things to the door. Descending the stairs Mr. H jangles some keys in his hand. To the side of the cabin he takes off a plastic tarp, unveiling a golf cart. Ryan puts his stuff in the back and you follow suit. 

“Ryan, you sit in the back.”

“Aight.” Ryan says without hesitation.

You walk around the cart and sit beside Mr. H. Ryan plops down on the semi-seat, facing the rear of the vehicle. The back of his head facing you and Mr. H. The little vehicle starts up quickly and starts moving just as fast. You balance yourself by holding onto the seat. Both Mr. H and Ryan seem relaxed despite the bumpy trip. The land is absolutely gorgeous. From the lodge down to the trail you can see where the water glistens in the distance. You’ve seen Hackett’s quarry summer camp in pictures but it’s even more magical in person. Mr. H swerves to avoid hitting a root and you sway from side to side. Little log cabins start to come into view. 

“And here we are, The Cabins.” Mr. H says in a tour-guide voice. 

“Woo” Ryan says teasingly.

Chris reaches behind him and flicks Ryan’s head playfully.

“Hey!” He says in that monotone voice of his.

They’re both smiling and you can’t help but giggle. The golf cart slows to a stop by a large building with a pool next to it.

“Alright, let’s walk from here.” Mr. H says as he swings his feet to the side. 

Saddling on your backpack Ryan hands you your other bag.

“Thanks.” You grab it from him.

“Don’t mention it.” 

The three of you walk towards the cabins. 

“So.” Mr. H points. “Here are the boy cabins and those are the girl cabins. (Y/N),” He redirects his hand, “you’re in that one.” 

“Great.” 

You can already feel the day weighing on you. Matching Mr. H’s bubbly tone is getting a little more draining with each reply. The steps creak as you and Mr. H make your way up. The door opens, revealing a few small bunks laid out in a well-cleaned cabin. 

“First come first serve. Pick whichever bunk ya want.” 

“Top left is always best”

You turn around, “Thanks Ryan”. He gives you a thumbs up.

“Well, I’ll let you get some sleep. It’ll probably be awhile before the other counsellors arrive so you make yourself comfortable.”

“Thanks Mr. H.” He nods back at you and closes the door.

You hear their footsteps retreating, crunching on the outside grass. Alone in the cabin you let out a much needed sigh. 

Top Left….

Making your way over you plop down your bags and saddle up into the bunk. As soon as your head hits the pillow you feel your body relax. The mattress is bumpy but it’s also just what you need. Dust particles in the air float around you, reminding you of the precinct. Your eyelids droop. The day flashes back at you, all the things that have happened, everything you’ve done with him. You think of all the moments your hands have grazed or he’s moved a hair from your face. Remembering makes your body run warm. That same comfortable feeling when you’re with him. Before dozing off all you can think of his face. Sheriff Hackett.

No.

Travis.

______________________________________________________________

His fingers fiddle with the keys just as he reaches the handle to the office. Once unlocked he takes a step in and sighs. He stares at his empty desk and his eyes droop. Perhaps he thought tonight would be different. That maybe that girl had hit that damned wolf boy and he could have finished it off. He shuts the door by leaning his back against it and closes his eyes. He’s hungry, exhausted and on top of all that he reeks of pungent werewolf blood… Just like every full moon. He opens his eyes and wanders to his desk, plopping himself down in the chair with a huff. The chair spins slightly and he repositions himself in front of the computer. He powers up the machine and puts in his password. Opening up the surveillance footage he sees you lying down peacefully in cell 1. You have one leg over his blanket and both arms sprawled over your head.

Guess she slept well.

He winds back the video to when he left you. He sees himself closing the gate and locking you in. The interaction is short and he’s soon left the field of view. Leaning back in his chair he lets the video play out. His eyelids closing slightly from the fatigue. You stand there in contemplation for a few moments. Out of the corner of his eye he sees you reach down into your bag and take some clothes out. His eyes focus on the screen and his fingers tap lightly on his armrest. You’ve taken the bottom of your shirt and lifted it over your head, showing off your chest in the moonlight of the tiny window. He straightens himself up in his chair.

She didn’t realize there was a security camera…

You’re now shimmying down your pants. By the time they’ve reached your ankles you’ve bent down to remove them fully. Your frame is poised so that the light highlights your figure. It comes through quite clearly on the black and white tape. He feels himself waking up, thoughts racing over the fact that he shouldn’t be watching this. But he doesn’t look away. He feels his body getting excited and stands up from the chair. Your comfy shirt is now on and your sweats pull up effortlessly. Travis sighs with a sense of relief that it didn’t go any farther. He looks back at the screen and sees you reach to the back of your shirt. He squints at the screen, trying to see what you’re doing more clearly. You pull something through each of your arms and Travis looks closer. In a moments notice you whip out your hand from under your shirt, pulling out your bra. It hangs by your side until you put it back in your bag. He exhales and pauses the video. He walks slowly backwards, placing his forearm flat on the wall. He didn’t know his body could get aroused like that. Especially after the night he’s just had. He presses his fingers to his temple, scrunching up his eyes.

“I…shouldn’t have seen that” he sighs. 

*

A clanging sound echos in the cell. Half asleep you turn to your side, snuggling the blanket under you. You bring it close to your face and let it drape over one of your legs, the other holding it steady on top. You feel a slight touch across the side of head down to your chin. You bury your face lightly into the pillow, still wanting to sleep longer. You hear something but it’s muffled. After a few seconds of silence you almost fall back asleep. You feel the light touch again, this time on your shoulder. Your eyes blink open and you see a looming figure above you. The hand retracts as he sees you start to wake up. As you blink the sleep from your eyes you start to the see the image of the officer. You slowly bring one hand up to your ear, taking out the earbud you put in the night before.

“Mornin’” you hear him say as he stands over you.

You muster up a ‘mmmm’ as a reply. You sit up straighter and rub your eyes.

“Good morning” 

You cover up your mouth as you yawn and look up, the officer not moving from his position. A visible strand of your hair falls across your face and he moves it out of the way. You tilt your head in the same direction his hand just was. At that moment if he had placed his hand on your cheek you would have nestled right into his palm. As your sleepy thoughts began to wander you hear him speak up again, interrupting your made-up scenario.

“How’s your neck?” 

“Oh, umm.” You move your head around, tilting it from side to side. “Better” you say with a tired smile.

“Good.” He pauses for a moment. “Hungry?” He says in a louder tone than expected.

“Yeah…uh…yes, yes I am” you’re slowly becoming more and more awake.

“Alright. Grab your backpack and come with me” He says as he picks up your larger bag.

You blink for a second.

Wait like now? Shit, okay.

He wasn’t letting you wake up gradually that’s for sure. You place your feet on the cold floor of the cell. Grabbing your backpack you pack away your headphones. You turn on your phone and check the time. 6:03am.

Damn. That’s early.

With great haste you stomp on your shoes and stand up. Turning around you fold the blanket quickly. You hear Officer Hackett’s footsteps recede as you grab everything. By the time you’re ready he’s already outside the holding area. You loosely hang your backpack over one shoulder while holding the blanket in both hands. You walk out of the cell and see Officer Hackett standing by the main doors. As you walk up to him you extend your arms.

“Thank you for the blanket.” You say with it outstretched in front of you.

“Yeah. No worries.” 

He grabs it from you and places your luggage on the ground. When he goes into his office you take a peak in after. All you see are two chairs facing opposite of each other with a desk in-between. A thick, older computer placed at the corner of the desk sits next to a black telephone and a few used tissues. He throws the blanket on the table and turns around. You avert your gaze so he doesn’t catch you staring. Once the office is closed and locked he picks up your bag and pushes the front door open. You’re both hit with blinding sunlight. You put your hand in front of your face to block the light and adjust your eyes. He keeps the door open for you as you walk by. 

Wow, North Kill looks way less threatening in the day than at dead of night.

He shuts the door and strides by you, walking towards the street. You follow suit.

“Are we taking the car?” You say as you catch up to him.

“Nope.” He presses his lips togther and shakes his head slightly. “It’s not far.” He says semi-mysteriously.

Reaching the road he turns right and you drag along. There’s no designated sidewalk so you’re walking on the street. It’s practically deserted this early in the morning but he’s made an effort to be the one on the outside. Just to keep you extra safe.

“Where are we going?” You say as you look down the street.

“My place. It ain’t far from here and I have actual food.” He looks at you. “Unless you’d prefer coffee and instant oatmeal at the precinct”.

“Real food sounds great.” You say as you shift your backpack more on your shoulder. “But I’m a college student so I’m used to living off instant stuff too.”

The officer chuckles faintly. You see his face and smile to yourself.

Who is this man? What did he do with he officer the night before? I mean I like the change but damn, what a flip. Perhaps it’s the sleep deprivation. I don’t think he’s slept at all in the past few hours.

You continue to walk side by side down the road for a few minutes before coming to a house. It’s a single-story place with a slight driveway. The bushes out front mark where the porch begins and ends.

“Over here” he points as he starts turning. 

You slow down, taking in the view. It’s a genuinely nice place, at least that’s how it looks on the outside. His lawn Is mowed but there’s a section for wildflowers that takes up a nice part of the yard. Trees hang over the property providing a nice cast of shade. You realize you’re lagging behind and run to catch up. Taking the first few jumpy steps you are immediately met with the forgotten memory that you do not have a bra on. You stand, your face flushes slightly. You string your other backpack strap to your front, gripping them both with your hands, attempting to obscure your chest the best you can. You wonder if Officer Hackett has noticed yet and just hasn’t said anything out of politeness. You walk steadily, trying not to draw attention to yourself as you walk up the porch steps. The officer opens the screen door.

“Here, hold this.” He says to you as he motions his head toward the door in his hands.

He leans away and you catch it with your hand before it hits his back. He brings out his normal pair of keys and unlocks the front door with a click. Stepping in he places your bag down near a coat rack. He takes off his tactical belt and hangs it off a hook on the wall. Slipping off his shoes he places one hand on the wall for stability and then kicks them to the side. You take a step in, closing the screen door behind you. You’re met with that same familiar scent of the blanket. A slight musk wafts through the air as you survey the front entrance. To the right there’s a living room equipped with the basic couch and TV, there’s also an acoustic guitar laying on a stand. In front of you there’s a hallway with three doors, one on each side and one at the very end. You kick off your shoes similarly to him and place them to the side. He looks in your direction as you’re bent down.

“I’ll brew some coffee.” He says as he steps off to the left.

You bring your arms out from the backpack straps and lay it down. You walk to the left where the officer went. Stepping into the open kitchen you’re met with a beautiful glow of sunlight. The windowpane above the sink filters in the natural lighting, highlighting the key features of the kitchen. There’s a light backsplash but the cabinets have darker wood tones to them. He motions to a round table for you to sit at. As you sit onto the chair you have a good view of Officer Hackett at the counter. He’s gotten out a carton of eggs and a loaf of bread.

“Um, can I help at all?” You say with your hand on the table, leaning towards his direction ready to stand up again.

“No, no it’s alright. Eggs and toast good enough for ya’?” He says, nodding his head slightly in your direction but keeping an eye on the stove. The sunlight hits him perfectly, letting you see his profile again. Same strong but lean look you encountered in the woods.

“More than enough, thank you.” You lower yourself back down on the chair. 

You hear the sizzle of the frying pan as he cracks the eggs into it. You don’t know what to do with yourself. You fiddle with your fingers and lean back in the chair. Bringing your hands to your head you let out a quiet sigh. You close your eyes and lift your chin, combing through your hair with your fingertips. Officer Hackett looks over his shoulder at you, looking you up and down for just a second before turning away. Opening your eyes you rest your elbows on the table and place your head in your hands. You start blinking slowly, hoping you don’t end up falling asleep at the breakfast table.

The toast pops out of the toaster and the officer grabs two plates from the cupboard. After placing some butter on the table he picks up the frying pan and slides out the eggs onto each plate. He tops off them off with one piece of toast each and carries the food over. You bring your elbows in so he can place it right in front of you, which he does. He gets two clean mugs from the drying rack, holding them both in one hand and the coffee pot in the other. Once placed on the table he starts to pour the freshly brewed coffee. You inhale through your nose and the smell immediately wakes you up, a peaceful sigh escaping your lips. The officer places the pot back on the machine and takes a chair out to sit across from you. He’s taken his cup of coffee from the table and brings it up to his lips. You scoot your chair in a bit more and your chest bounces slightly. You hope to God he didn’t notice. He did.

“Thank you sir. This looks amazing.”

He presses his lips together in an almost smile as he holds the mug in front of his mouth. 

“You’re welcome” He says before taking another sip.

Both of you reach for the cutlery and dig in. You season your eggs with the salt and pepper on the table and start eating. This meal is a God send after the shit night both you had just experienced. You eat in silence with low muffled ‘mmm’s’ coupled into the meal. You hold your coffee mug in both your hands and lay back in the chair. Warm from the breakfast you almost feel at ease with him. You squint out the window where the leaves of the trees glisten under the sun. The officer looks at you over his coffee mug, content that you enjoyed the meal. You turn your head slowly back to him at the table.

“God, I know I’ve said it so much since we’ve met but really, thank you so much. I don’t know how I would have been okay without you. And the meal? You really are a good man Officer Hackett.” You genuinely smile. Your cheeks raised high enough to semi-close your eyes, showing your tired but appreciated feelings. 

He chokes on his coffee and brings a napkin to his mouth. He definitely didn’t expect you to say that. He puts the napkin and mug down on the table, avoiding your gaze. He clears his throat before speaking. 

“Well,” His mouth moves into a timid smile, “I try.”

He puts down both his hands down and stands up, reaching over for your plate. You stand up too, holding your plate in front of you. 

“Why don’t I do the dishes?”

His hand is holding lightly onto the opposite side of your plate. You’re both facing each other head on. You keep eye contact, trying to convey your resolve in helping out. He sighs and looks down at the table, fully smiling this time.

“You know what? I am too tired to argue.” He says as he removes his hovering hand.

You smile in return, reaching across for his plate. He steps out from the table.

“I’m going to change from my uniform and then I’ll drop you off at the summer camp. Sounds good?” He asks.

You’re piling on the mugs and cutlery when you take a look back. 

“Oh yeah” you say, trying to conceal the fact that you practically forgot about your job. “Sure!”

He sees your hesitation and laughs a bit.

“Y’know, ‘get in early and scope it out’ and all that.” He narrows his eyes, turning his expression into a smirk.

You blush as he turns down the hallway. You stand there with plates stacked in your hands, smiling and shaking your head.

Oh my God. Was that…friendly banter? Ha. Why did he have to bring that up now?

You grab the dishes and pile them in the sink. The Officer’s smirk flashes in your mind again and you can’t help but smile. You turn on the tap, rinsing and scrubbing the dishes. Once you've played them all out on the drying rack you grab a hand towel. While you wipe your hands, Officer Hackett comes out. He’s dressed in an orange button down shirt tucked into a pair of jeans. Where his shirt is unbuttoned you can see a white undershirt. He slips by you and takes a cup out of the cupboard. He fills it with water and takes a swig by the sink. His Adam’s apple bobs up and down with each swallow. He’s standing so close that you can tell he’s put on some kind of fragrant cologne or deodorant.

He smells...fresh.

As he puts his cup down you stop your gawking and safely look towards the floor. He leans against the countertop. 

“Would you like to change before we get going?” He looks down and then at you.

You start to feel a little more self-conscious about what you’re wearing. You bring the hand cloth in front of your chest. 

“Yes” you say while straightening your posture. “If I could.”

“Bathroom’s first door on the right” he gestures down the hallway.

He reaches out his hand to you, palm side up. He’s gesturing for the towel so you hand it to him, brushing your fingers against each other in the process. You pivot and start walking to your bag. You can tell he’s still looking at you as you reach down for you pac and head down the hallway. You get in the bathroom and close the door, pressing the little lock function down too. You put your bag down and fish out some clean clothes. You look at yourself in the mirror as you stand back up. I mean, you’ve looked worse, but you’re definitely not at your best right now. You sigh and reach down for your hairbrush too. After a quick comb you tie your hair back momentarily and take off your sweats and shirt. You turn on the tap and wash your face. Finding the closest towel to dry yourself with you start to feel human again. You do your regular routine and slather on lots of sunscreen to face the blazing sun. When you’re all dressed up you open up the door. The sound of a newscaster’s voice echoes through the hallway, getting louder as you reach the front room. You peak your head into the living room and see Officer Hackett standing there with a remote.

“Anything good on?” You say walking up to him.

He looks over to you and then back at the TV.

“Nah, nothing important.” 

Despite there being so-called ‘nothing’ on, he keeps the TV going. You stand next to him and you both take a moment to remember the outside world. It’s crazy. After the night you two have had it almost feels like the both of you are the last people on Earth. You speak up after a moment.

“Oh, by they way, I didn’t ask how your patrol went?” You say without taking your eyes off the television.

Then the screen goes black. The sound of the box powering down catches you off guard and you look at Officer Hackett. His finger located on top of the off button.

“Alright, let’s go.” He says abruptly.

He puts the remote down slowly and starts walking towards the door. You turn around. He’s got his hand on the wall and is putting his shoes on, bending down slightly to adjust the heel. 

“Oh, okay.” You walk over and put your shoes on in the same semi-rushed manner. You grab your backpack and rush it onto your shoulder, you hear a slight thunk but you don't see anything when you look back down. You shrug and skip over the door frame as the officer holds open the door. He closes it behind you and locks it. Back in the bright-ass sun both of you squint. He jangles the keys he has in his hands and heads over to the car-port. He saunters over to the driver seat and opens his door. Once he’s in you see him lean over to manually unlock your side. You saddle in and close the door. You place your big bag by your feet and lay your backpack on top. He reaches for his seatbelt and you reach for yours. Zipping it across your body you turn to buckle yourself in but it doesn’t click properly. You change the angle and try again and again. After struggling with it for a few seconds he grabs it from you and jams it in, his hand laying on top of yours.

“You just gotta be a little rough with it.” He says leaning back in his seat. 

You bring your hand out from the buckle. His hand is already back on the stick shift but you can still feel where he gripped your hand and pushed down. You bite your bottom lip to hide the smile forming on your face. He starts up the car and puts it into first gear, rolling it to the road. The sound of a CD winding up plays through the car, presumably set to where he last left it. A sudden silence fills the car as the player stops at a song. Before you know it, the intro to “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra blasts through the speaker system. 

“Shit.” The officer says as he reaches the volume dial. “Sorry about that.”

“It’s alright!” You say extending your arm to stop him. “I love this song!”

He looks back at you, somewhat perplexed. You smile back at him. Repositioning yourself in the seat you clear your throat and take an exaggerated breathe, ready to lip-sync.

“That’s life! (That’s life). That’s what all the people say.” You tilt your head to the officer.

“You’re riding high in April, shot down in May.” You mimic a shotgun in your hands towards him.

“But I know I’m gonna change that tune. When I’m back on top, back on top in June.” You sway both your pointer fingers high in the air making him smile. 

You continue lip-syncing, the officer smiling as he turns down the road. He puts the windows down, making your hair blow around your face. You look at him and then out at the road.

“But I don’t let it, let it get me down. ‘Cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin' around.” 

Sinatra continues to play throughout the car, finishing one song and continuing to the next. The breeze of the late June air breathes life into both of your tired bodies. While enjoying the company of each other you figure that the night didn't turn out so bad after all.

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Thank you to everyone who's expressed interest in this series!

Chapter 4 here!

BTW: That gif IS Ted Raimi. From his role in "Skinner" (1993). I just cropped it so his glasses wouldn't show.

He carries it for you and strides to the station, you follow behind. Looking uo you take in the dark, looming building. The only light you see is on the main level and it’s not bright. He takes out his cliché police officer key chain, you know, the big circular clangy one, and unlocks the front door.

Huh… he must be the only one using it if he locks the main door like that

He opens the door and steps to the side letting you walk ahead. You nod in appreciation as you step past him. He slinks up behind you letting the door close with a slam.

“Stay here for a second.” He says with a slight pat on your right shoulder as he moves past you. The touch wasn’t friendly but more… reassuring.

He walks to the room that has the desk light on, unlocking it and closing the door behind him. You survey the building in the meantime.

That must be his office. I guess that makes sense why the light was left on. But is that the only room that’s being used? 

You look across the building. Dust shines in the air as the moonlight filters in through the windows. There’s a staleness to the air, it suits the desolate nature of the place, what with all the extra chairs being stacked up on desks.

I guess there aren’t many officers around in a town like this.

The officer comes back, carrying a blue blanket. He locks the door behind him.

“This way.” He beckons. You trudge along.

“Where are you going to put me?” You say as you follow in his step. 

“In a cell. There’s a bed and a mattress already there.”

He opens the door to the holding cells and you pause for a second, making him look back at you. He leans against the gate, tilting his head slightly to the side and looks down slightly to meet your gaze.

“Is that good enough?” He says in response to your apprehension. Although he’s asking a question it sounds more like an order than anything else.

“Yes…” you mutter. “sounds perfect” you say as you march ahead of him to the holding cells.

As you stride ahead he begins to follow. The sound of his footsteps echoing behind you. You reach a hallway that has 3 cells on the left. Dark and eery, but spacious. You’re caught off guard by the officer as he brushes past you with his keys out.

“You can stay in the first one. I’ll be back at dawn.” He opens the cell and walks in, dropping your luggage down and placing the blanket on the mattress. 

“Any questions?” He seems antsy, probably itching to get this over with and get back to patrol.

“Are you going to lock me in?”

He seems surprised by the question, lifting and then furrowing his eyebrows while his head tilts slightly.

“Do you… want me to?” He looks at you then looks at the lock.

It’s the first time you’ve seen him off guard. You kind of enjoyed seeing him react this way.

“I think so….” He raises his eyebrows at you again. “I mean… I think I would feel safer? What if someone breaks into the building? I don’t want them to be able to get to me easily.“ 

You scramble for words. In all honesty you know it doesn’t make total sense. Who’s going to break into a law enforcement agency in the middle of nowhere? You can see a look of disbelief on the cops face. He looks down and sighs. 

“Fine. I don’t have time for this anyway.” He puts his hands playfully in the air and then marches out, closing the jail door and getting out his keys.

The clinking of the keys locking you in echo in the holding cell. You walk up close to him as the bars separate you. 

“I’ll be back at dawn and unlock you in the morning.” He says sternly. “Have a nice night.”

“Thank you officer…..” You draw out the pause, realizing you don’t have his name.

He looks at you and starts walking.

“Hackett.” He says in a low tone, almost muffled by the sound of his footsteps.

“Officer Hackett…” you say back. You speak up as he leaves.

“Wait like in Hackett’s Quarry?” And bam, the sound of the main holding cell gate closes with no response.

You’re left in silence.

Well I guess it’s not that strange for the main Hacketts to still be around. Would he be Chris Hackett’s brother maybe? You don’t necessarily see the resemblance but it’s not impossible. As your thoughts begin to slow you realize you’ve gotten a bit of a headache. With finally getting some time to yourself you realize how tired you actually are. You look around, listening only to the sounds of your breathe for a few moments. Processing all that’s happened. You look towards the bed and the moonlight shining onto the floor out of the tiny window. Rest sounds pretty good about now. You take a moment to look down at your clothes, and of course, they’re covered with dried mud. 

Fuck, well okay. At least I have clean clothes in my bag.

You search around in your bag for some comfy clothes (because honestly, after the night you’ve had you need some comfort). You take out a t-shirt and sweatpants. You lay the clothes on the mattress and begin to take off your shirt. Grabbing at the bottom and lifting over your head you flip the shirt inside out exposing your bra. You bunch the shirt up, keeping the dirt on the inside to avoid getting the rest of your stuff dirty. You then peel off your jeans and fold them up similar to your shirt, trying to avoid getting dirt everywhere else in your bag. You put the comfy clothes over your bra and underwear and you start to feel much better. You notice that the underwire of your bra is digging into your skin. You reach your hands back to unclip it. Slipping it through each of your arms and then grabbing it from under your shirt to pull it out. You fold up your bra and stuff it into your backpack. Freedom at last.

The water bottle glistens in the light as you zip up your bag. You grab it and take a sip. You spill some into your hands to wash your face slightly, taking off any more mud that might have been still left on. You sit on the mattress and sigh loudly. A sense of unease hits you.

What the fuck happened today? How did I even get here? I’m locked in a cell! Though, it was of my own volition.

You can feel yourself getting overwhelmed. A lump forms in your throat and you can tell your emotions might be getting the best of you. You take another swig of water and reach for your phone. It’s just after 12am. You decide to reach for the music app in your phone and plug in your headphones. It’s not like there are people around you anyways. Maybe this’ll make you relax. 

You lie down, playing low music into your headphones. You’re right, it does help you relax. You pull the blanket over you, bringing it close to your face. The feeling reminds you of the handkerchief the officer placed on your face. You lay your finger gently underneath the fabric, bringing it up to your cheek. You slowly start stroking the same side of your face that he did earlier. You close your eyes and think about that moment.

Mhmm...there~ His words dance around in your head.

Replaying the soothing sound of his voice and the lightness of his touch makes you melt into the bed. You bring the blanket up to your nose. It even smells like the car you drove here in. Maybe it's not the car, but the smell of him. You bring it closer to your body, hugging it for comfort. Soon enough you've fallen asleep to the sensation of officer Hackett.

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Hope you enjoyed the initial 2 chapters!

“Oh my God… Oh my fucking God.” You say in disbelief.

Slowly regaining your composure you unbuckle your seatbelt. It hits your arm slightly as it zips up back into its regular place. You’re amazed that your airbag didn’t deploy after all that. You reach for the car door and open it with a shaky hand. As you take a step outside the vehicle you realize you’re a bit dizzy. Holding onto the car you steady yourself while taking in your surroundings. Yup. You are in the woods. Fuck. You take out your phone from the car and put on the flashlight, walking to the front to check out the damage. Shining the light you see where your front bumper is bent and that the right headlight is out, glass broken around it. 

“Shit…okay…okay. Not bad.” You move your flashlight a bit more, now seeing a bit of blood on the car. “But not great”. You say exasperated.

What the fuck was that? It was low to the ground but it looked… hunched? Fuck, how badly could it be hurt? I didn’t hit it straight on…

The wind blowed, rustling the leaves of the forest. For a moment you almost forgot how far you are from the road. Staring into the darkness you feel a sense of unease, as if there was something more than you in this neck of the woods.

Yeah. I gotta get the hell out of here

You open up the hood, hoping that you don’t see any damage you can’t fix easy. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary… or so you hoped. It was kind of hard to even examine the car in your shaken state. As you close the hood you take a step to your side and catch yourself on a tree root, falling flat on your face.

“Oh God damn it.” You say, struggling to get up.

You wipe the mud off your phone first and then attempt to wipe down part of your shirt, making the stain worse in the process. You sigh out loud and make your way to the driver’s seat. As you open the door you hear a noise. Looking back slightly you hurry into the car and immediately lock it. You relish in the safety of your car, slowly realizing the soreness in your neck. Bringing your hand up to the nape of you twinge. Seems like your little adventure caused some slight whiplash. Although you don’t feel great it’s not as bad as it could be. You sigh once more as you get the keys to start the car up. As you turn the keys the car spits out rapid clicking noises but doesn’t catch.

“No, no, no! Come on!”

A sense of dread fills your stomach. You try again but it’s just the same sound over an over. You put your head down on the steering wheel. Closing your eyes you lift your head up.

“FUCK!” You scream as you hit both hands on the steering wheel. 

You grip the steering wheel for a few seconds before opening up your eyes and tilting your head back. Out of the corner of your eye you see a man in the window.

“FUCK!”  

The man stands there calmly. You notice the police uniform and you place your hand on your chest, centring yourself.

“Jesus fucking Christ…. Oh my God you scared me”

After you finish swearing and your heart beat isn’t going a million of miles per second the officer speaks.

“Roll it down.”

“Of course officer”

Rolling down the window you can see him more clearly. He’s got short dark hair, a slender face, and piercing eyes that look black in the darkness of the forest.

“Are you injured”, he says in a serious tone.

“No”, you say immediately. “Well, my neck hurts a bit but I’m okay. Just a little shaken up.”

“Mmhmm” he says, looking at you before drifting his attention to the front of the car. 

He walks up to where the damage is and you watch him. He slowly approaches where you’ve damaged the car and bends down. After a second of scanning the front he stands back up.

“You wanna tell me what’s happened here?” He says in a very straight to the point tone. 

You gulp as he makes his way back to your window. You can’t look him straight in the eyes so you look literally anywhere else as you muster up your answer.

“Yeah, uh, I-I was driving along the road and took my eyes off for just a second a-and when I looked back there was an animal or something right in front of me so I swerved to avoid it but ended up losing control and…” you pause to compose yourself. “And now I’m here.”

You finish your rambling, shaky response by looking at the officer. His facial expression hasn’t changed at all, fully focused on only what you are saying.

“What did this animal look like?” He’s dead serious, it causes you to shiver a bit.

“I couldn’t really tell, it was so dark and it happened so fast that I don’t know what I hit.”

The cop pauses, closing his eyes for a second before speaking. He looks back at you.

“Can you get your car running?”

“No officer. I don’t know why but it won’t start up… Here I’ll try again.”

You reach for the keys, give them a turn and the same clicking sound starts up again with no sign of stopping. He visibly sighs.

“Alright ma’am please exit the car. Let’s get to the road.”

“Oh okay” you say as he takes a step back from the vehicle.

Fuck. Honestly I’m just glad there was someone out here. I did not like the idea of being here all alone.

You open the car door, placing your feet on the ground. Standing next to him felt more intimidating than when you were in the car. Maybe it’s because he’s a few inches taller than you and so the height difference is more apparent. The fact that he looks extremely serious probably doesn’t help though. Before closing your door you speak up, catching his attention.

“Um, would it be possible to grab my bag from the back? If I’m leaving my car I’d like to take my belongings with me….”

He pauses for a second before replying. “Yeah. We can do that.” He waves his hand nonchalantly towards your car then to the police vehicle. “You can put in the trunk. Let’s get a move on. ” He starts walking.

“Thank you.” You say as you turn to your seat.

You take your backpack from the passenger seat with your water bottle and sunglasses. Pressing a button you pop the trunk and close the driver’s side door. Grabbing your bigger bag from the back you shut the trunk. You pat the vehicle, hoping you’ll see your car sooner than later. You fast walk to the cop car and lug your bigger bag into the back, choosing to keep your backpack by your side. You look to the cop. He’s shuffling some things from the front to the back seat area so you can sit. He bends back up, his hand on the passenger side door waiting for you. Closing the cop car's trunk you make your way over. You can feel him staring at you so you mostly stare at the ground while you walk. Near the door you decide to look up at him.

“Thank you again for all your help”, you say giving a slight smile.

You see his facial expression change, he’s not making eye contact but focusing on the side of your face. You’re a bit perplexed but you keep the smile. He reaches to his side.

“Hold still please.”

Now you’re even more confused. Your smile starts to drop and your eyes dart to his hand. He’s taking something out of his pocket. 

“What are you doing…?” You say with apprehension.

He brings out a handkerchief, shakes it once to unfold it and brings himself closer to you, arm outstretched. You step back.

“I said, stay, still.” He says assertively.

You freeze. Closing your eyes not knowing what to expect until you feel the cloth at the side of your face. 

“Just….yeah…” he says in almost a whisper. 

He’s wiping your face. You totally forgot about the fall you had earlier. You must have had some dirt on your face.

“Mhmm…there.” He mutters as he steps back, taking away the handkerchief from your face leaving you with only the tingly sensation of the cloth.

You open your eyes again, meeting his.

“Fresh as a daisy.” He says to you in an almost friendly tone. “Now, let’s get going.”

“Oh yeah, um, okay…” You say as you sit down, still wondering why he did that for you. 

He shuts your passenger door. You put your backpack down between your legs and reach for the seatbelt. He walks to the drivers seat and closes the door once he’s in. Without even looking at you he starts up the car and puts it into reverse. He turns his body towards you, reaching his hand toward your headrest and begins to back up. You til your head slightly so you’re not right next to his arm. You try not to look at him directly but as he shuffles in his seat you can’t help but notice the profile of his face. He’s actually quite attractive. He’s got a strong yet lean face, making his other facial features quite distinct. His hooded eyes are what initially caught your attention. Every time he looks at you it’s like he can see right through you, which is a bit unnerving on your side. The police uniform collar fits his neck perfectly, making his Adam’s apple quite pronounced. You realize you’ve probably been staring for a while so your eyes wander away from his frame. He definitely fits the role of tough rural police officer with a face like that. As he reaches the road the car ride starts to smooth out. Rolling to a stop he bring his hand back and puts the car in park. With one hand on the wheel and the other on his thigh he exhaled, looking right at you.

“Now, you wanna tell me, just what in the HELL you are doing, all the way out here, this late at night?”

The tone change made you jump a bit. Now we’re back to serious cop.

“Oh, yeah, I-I was headed up to Hackett’s Quarry summer camp, I’m a new counsellor.” You say with minimal stuttering. 

Visibly raising his eyebrow he takes a second to pause, zero-ing in on your face.

“You’re one night early.”

“Yes, yes I am. I called ahead so they knew I was coming. Thought I’d get in early and scope it out”. You turn your head back to where your car ran off the road. “Of course that hasn’t worked out great.” You say with a bit of an exasperated laugh at the end.

The officer doesn’t laugh back. You stop smiling and clear your throat slightly. He looks down and presses his lips together as if he was contemplating something. He looks up at you for a second, focusing of your face and your expression before looking back down.

“You’re not going to make it to Hackett’s Quarry.” Looking up he shakes his head. “Not Tonight.” He turns, focusing on the road ahead.

He taps his fingers on the steering wheel, probably thinking about what to do with you. As he’s taking a moment to pause you look down the road too. You turn your head a bit too fast making you wince from some slight pain. The cop notices this too, looking you up and down as you put your hand to the back of your neck.

“I’ll take you to the station tonight. It’s closest and I need to be out tonight.” He’s taken his hand off his thigh and placed the car in drive before you could respond.

“Oh…okay… that should be fine…” you say hesitantly. He starts a u-turn and begins to drive down the road.

“If you’re worried about what’ll happen to your car I’ll make sure to get it out first thing tomorrow. I’ll bring it to the scrapyard to get looked at.” 

“Oh, that’s fine. Thank you.” You say a bit off-put. “I was just wondering… you said you’d be out? Will you leave me alone at the station?” 

“Yup. I have things to take care of but I’ll give you a a bed ‘till morning. I’ll take you to the camp tomorrow. Do you understand.” The way he said it was more of an order than a question.

“Yes. Absolutely. Thank you Officer.” 

“Mhmm” he replies. 

For the rest of the drive you both sat in silence, filling the car with steady breathes and racing thoughts.

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Chapter 2