Every Breath You Take - (Jason)

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The next day, Jason called Gabby to check in on her. He was one of those cops who made an effort to check in those he had helped out in some way to see how they were doing. It wasn't lost on Jason that many didn't do that and that, in some way, lead to many going down the wrong path because no one was holding them accountable for their actions. After dialing the number he had, he sat back on the couch in his place and waited.

As he did, Ice walked over and sat with him. Jason smiled a bit, then reached over and pet him behind the ears, causing Ice to wag his tail. Jason smiled again as he watched the big dog wag his tail. He knew that while Ice was a fearless dog and hard worker when on the job, he was also a big softy at heart.

[Gabriela Dawson]

Gabby hadn’t slept much the previous night and after turning her apartment upside down she had finally stopped to at least see what was on the tv. She knew that sleep was too far away for her to even think about as she heard the phone ring. She considered leaving it before she dragged herself from the sofa and went to answer it. Gabby hoped it wasn’t work calling her in because she had already asked for a couple of days though she was still deciding if it was a good idea or not.

“Hello it’s Gabby.” She said into the phone as she waited to see who it was. She hardly recognised the number that came up but then with the amount of numbers she had to keep track of it would hardly surprise her that she might have let one slip her mind. The fire house was hardly the most phone proof place, if they were not stood on or dropped or simply lost then the new numbers started flying around.

[Deleted]

"Hello Ms. Dawson, its Officer McGuire, how are you?" Jason asked in reply as he sat in the loft he and his wife owned. "How are you doing?" he added while standing by the kitchen window of the loft. Jason hated asking that question to someone who had been through a traumatic episode, but he knew that it was better then saying nothing at all and not having the person speak to him.

While standing there, Jason looked out to the area that he and Shani lived in. It was one of the nicer areas in the city, though every now and then there was someone who caused trouble, but it was never anything that serious.

[Gabriela Dawson]

Gabby felt relieved as she heard Jason’s voice over the phone. Maybe she was being dramatic but she had a lot to thank him for as she tried her best to make out that she was fine. “I’m okay thank you, fine now anyway.” She said not sure if that was the right thing to say or not. “I mean yeah it’s a little spooky outside still but I guess that will go eventually.” She blurted hoping the feeling of being watched would as she had practically raced to the precinct the previous night which she still felt stupid for.

“How are you doing? You know with what happened and are you alright, did you get checked over at the hospital too?” She asked going into protective Gabby mode. He had made sure she was alright and it was only fair to return the favour.

[Deleted]

I’m okay thank you, fine now anyway....I mean yeah it’s a little spooky outside still but I guess that will go eventually.....How are you doing? You know with what happened and are you alright, did you get checked over at the hospital too? Jason listened to her tell him that as he stood there. "I did, but I'm alright" he said to her in reply. "It might, but to be honest, it might not....but you have to keep on moving, don't let what happened keep you from living life." he added.

Jason had been told that from his dad after a rather painful moment in his life when he was younger. It was something he never would forget and would always share with others when the moment came up.

[Gabriela Dawson]

Gabby nodded glad to hear he was alright; she would never forgive herself if he had been hurt because of some guy and a vengeance against her brother. She owed Jason her life for what the man had done for her and even now, his call was above and beyond what she was used to when it came to cops. “Keep moving, easier said than done.” She said trying to work out if she would ever stop looking over her shoulder the minute she left the house.

That same feeling in her house that had her triple checking the locks on the windows and doors. “Sounds like you talk from experience.” She said as she took a breath, “Does it ever get better? I never thought that this would happen to me, I just, how can I see outside when I can’t bring myself to not look over my shoulder.” She admitted though perhaps things would change with time or some serious therapy.

[Deleted]

Jason listened to her, then nodded a bit. "I am...and it will, honestly. The worst thing you can do is keep it to yourself when things get rough." he said to her in an honest tone, remembering the time after a rather tough mission he was on. "If you want we can meet on a regular basis." he said off the cuff while looking out the window of the apartment he and his family lived in.

As he did that, Ice walked back over and sat with him, sensing that something was up. Jason looked over and pet him, causing the big dog to wag his tail in reply. Jason watched him do that as he stood there.

[Gabriela Dawson]

Gabby had never been good with talking to people about much. She was usually the one who was last to talk or simply just sat on things until the slightest thing would set her off. It could be days or weeks down the line and it could be something simply like running out of coffee. Gabby stayed silent for a moment as she thought about Jason’s offer. “You... you would do that?” She asked just to make sure she had heard him right the first time.

“I mean I’d like that but I don’t want to bother you because I know you’re busy.” She said guessing he had a family and well who wanted to hang around with a slightly broken fire-fighter she thought as she looked out of the window to her apartment. From inside the outside hardly looked too bad but it was more the once she got outside, that was the part that frightened her.

[Deleted]

“You... you would do that?.....I mean I’d like that but I don’t want to bother you because I know you’re busy.”

Jason listened to Gabby as she said that to him, then nodded a bit. "I would" he replied honestly, thinking back to the last person he did this with. While he didn't do this with everyone, Jason made it a point to meet with those who really needed help. It was something that came from his Catholic upbringing and willingness to show others that police officers weren't heartless.

He also knew that reaching out like that was one way to improve relations between the police and the public, but it wasn't lost on him that there would still be tension and hostility from many in the public.

[Gabriela Dawson]

Gabby smiled as she could hardly believe her ears. He was agreeing to, she could hardly believe it as she nodded though she knew no one could see her. “As long as you’re sure, I wouldn’t want to be a pest.” She said knowing that as a fire-fighter she did go above and beyond at times but she never expected someone to do that for her. Gabby tried to make everything right for everyone else and when it came to herself, well that was just another thing to take care of.

“So do you do this a lot?” Gabby asked not sure what to ask or what to do. She had never met Jason until the time she went to the precinct. Within a day the man have rescued her twice and put an end to her stalking situation. Something that she would try to repay him for every day but it was the knowing how that was the difficult part of that. Knowing what to do or where to start but she figured that would come with time.

[Deleted]

“As long as you’re sure, I wouldn’t want to be a pest.....So do you do this a lot?”

Jason listened to Gabby as she asked him that. "You wouldn't be a pest" he said to her honestly in reply to her comment. "And I don't do this a lot: if I did I would burn myself out." he added in the same honest tone. "There is a diner near the station I work out of, meet me there next Wednesday." Jason said to her after a few moments. He wanted to introduce her to Gabriella, the young woman he had helped out a while back.

At the same time, Jason wondered how that meeting would go...though he pushed it out of his mind just as quickly as he thought that, staying focused on the current conversation he was having.

[Gabriela Dawson]

Gabby smiled, not being a pest well that had to be a first in her life. She was a pest to most people but then Jason was different to most other cops she had met. “Thanks for making the exception for me.” She said knowing it was tough to help people and she appreciated his time. “Sure diner near the station next Wednesday. I’ll buy though and no argument.” She stated figuring that buying a coffee or dinner was the very least she could do for him.

He had saved her life twice and taken on a crazy person and killed them. A dinner or coffee was the very least she could do she decided. Gabby was lost on what to feel, was it safe outside or was everyone a potential victim now. Were people safe or was that just another issue she wondered.

[Deleted]

Jason nodded, "Fair enough, I'll see you there...stay safe, talk to you later." he replied gently before hanging up. After doing so, he went back to be with his family. Ice walked over and joined him. Jason smiled a bit, then pet Ice behind his ears, which Ice liked. Connor watched as the big dog wagged his tail while Jason pet him, as did Phoebe.

When the day came, Jason was waiting in the diner that he had told Gabby about, sitting near the back and facing the door. One of the waitresses, a young Romanian woman, saw Jason as she worked and smiled a little. Jason looked over and saw her, then nodded as he sat there.

[Gabriela Dawson]

“Bye” Gabby said as she hung up the phone, her head was still buzzing as she tried to figure out if she herself was crazy or it had just been the longest week of her life. Gabby placed the phone onto the coffee table as she kept it within arm’s reach, she it was a little crazy but then the last time she had come home someone had been watching her. That she knew and if keeping a phone near her gave her a little peace of mind then she was going to do.

The day came and Gabby had found that life outside was hardly as scary as it had been. She had talked herself in and out of meeting Jason, within the last hour she had done it every ten minutes or so. She was fine then not then completely fine then a wreck. Gabby still strode through the diner doors as she saw Jason sitting near the back. She was glad for that as she made her way over with a smile. “Thanks for coming.” She said, “How are you?” She asked twisting her jacket in her hands a little awkwardly.

[Deleted]

"You're welcome and I'm doing well" Jason said to her in reply after standing up, looking Gabby in the eye at the same time. He then pulled a chair out for her as he stood there while the waitress walked over to them. "Anything I can get you?" the young woman asked, her Romanian accent noticeable in her voice as she spoke. Jason looked over to her, then back to Gabby. The waitress was another woman that Jason had helped a while back.

The young woman looked at Jason, then back to Gabby as she stood there, waiting for a reply as she held a small pad in one hand and a pen in the other. Jason couldn't help buy notice how she looked like a 1950s waitress.