Chapter Nine

The team worked straight through until mid afternoon, when Hailey finally pointed out that they'd never gotten lunch. Imogen had been camped out in the basement by herself, alternating between going through boxes and distracting herself from the hurricane of emotions these memories were dragging up. Good and bad, it all rushed back.

She had managed to condense the six boxes down to five. The stuff from college didn't need to be saved. Not all of it, at least. She did set aside her shoebox of letters she'd exchanged with Jay and his friend Mouse while deployed. She also kept some of the photos. Her friend Deanna's wedding, for example, from just after graduation.

But five years ago, so much more had seemed important. She'd even kept her notebooks. The only one of those that didn't end up in Intelligence's trash bin was Criminal Psychology. She had too many fond memories of Dr. Reddik's class to dump it. That class alone had made pursuing her Psychology degree worth it.

When Hailey came down to grab her for lunch, Imogen had insisted she'd be up in a bit. She hoped it would give her more space. Hailey had lingered for a moment. She'd stood in the doorway, arms across her chest, but had finally flashed a tight smile and gone back up.

Imogen yawned. Reaching down into the second to last box at her feet, she fished inside and pulled out the next item. She looked down at the flexible red photo package. This one was labeled Prom '02. Junior year of high school.

Her hand began to shake as she ran her thumb over the round sticker seal. Smooth, unwrinkled, never removed. She didn't need to see the photos to remember that night. She could still picture her dress. The color of red wine, the smooth satin dress had matched her boyfriend's vest. He'd loved it. Said he'd never seen anyone more beautiful in his life.

Imogen held it over the trash can. But she couldn't let go. She knew there were pictures inside other than just between her and Daniel. She had taken some photos with Jay and Allie Corson, Will and his date- what was her name?- before the dance. Those were good memories. She owed her mom and Mrs. Halstead for insisting on the photo op.

A solid, double knock from the stairwell made her look up. Her neck hurt from leaning over the table. Her back hurt from the uncomfortable chair. But Jay just stood at the threshold between the stairs and the main room, lips shut tight in a thin line.

"Hey," Imogen said.

Jay nodded. "Hey." He pushed off from where he'd been leaning against the doorframe. Slipping his hands into his pockets, he meandered towards the table. "Pizza's getting cold, but Hailey said you were busy."

Imogen sat up straighter. Her brow furrowed as she grabbed her cellphone. "How long has it been?"

"An hour."

"I guess I lost track of time," she said, averting eye contact. Imogen hoped he couldn't read through the lie.

Jay didn't respond at first. He just stood there, watching her with all the intensity that she knew he was capable of. He glanced between her, the packs of photos, and the open boxes. Before he could say anything, she started tossing stuff into the box and packing up.

"Is there anything left? I'm starving," she said.

He nodded. Breaking into a small smile, he gestured back upstairs. "Me and Hailey fought off Adam and Kev, saved you a couple of slices."

"Guess I owe her twice," Imogen said. At Jay's questioning look, she patted him on the arm as she moved past and just nodded. "Once for pizza, once for covering my ass while I hid out down here."

Jay let out a breathy laugh. When they got back upstairs, everyone had returned to work at their desks or, in the case of Atwater, disappeared entirely. Ruzek and Burgess slaved over a file cabinet, arguing with each other. They acted like a married couple. But Hailey, sitting in her desk, glanced up as Imogen walked in and offered her the slightest nod and smile. Imogen returned the gesture.

Cold pizza and slightly warm salad didn't taste like the greatest feast she'd ever had, but no one had asked her to chip in, so free food was good food. She plopped herself down onto the couch. Also not the best couch she'd ever sat on. Then again, Jay's back home was hardly an improvement.

Finishing her second piece, Imogen couldn't stop from smiling to herself. She glanced into the office. Ruzek and Burgess were still arguing. She could see Hailey, and by the way the woman would glance across at Jay and make small faces, Imogen guessed they were both amused and unsurprised by the other two.

She really did owe Hailey twice over now. And Imogen didn't like owing favors. Wandering back into the office, she tossed her napkin into the trash and joined Jay and Hailey. "Wanna see something else I found downstairs?"

"Absolutely," Hailey said.

Reaching into her back pocket, Imogen pulled out a photo packet labeled Prom '03. Senior Year. A much better year.

"Prom pictures," Imogen said.

Ruzek, who apparently had cat like reflexes when it came to hearing things that could potentially provide a laugh, stopped arguing over the files with Burgess. "Please tell me you mean what I think you mean."

"Did you two go to prom together?" Burgess asked.

Both of them, grinning, swarmed Hailey and Jay's desks. But Imogen kept a firm hold on the packet. She looked at Jay. He had stopped typing immediately. There was no smile, just a hesitance that she had expected. So she nodded to him.

"2003," she said.

He still didn't say anything, but gave her the tiniest nod and smile. Imogen accepted that as permission to share the photos. The seal on this pack had been broken many years ago. Frayed, the edges white instead of red from overuse, opened easily. She pulled out the first one.

"Can I have one second to defend myself," Jay said. He tried to sound exasperated, but Imogen could hear the smile in his voice even without looking at him. "I just know how rumors start in this office--"

Imogen laughed. "We didn't date. We went as friends," she said.

"Sure, sure," Burgess said. She nodded, her brown hair bouncing about her shoulders at the movement, but sounded hardly convinced. "Lets see it."

"As Jay's partner, Hailey gets it first," said Imogen.

She passed the first one despite Ruzek's protests. Again, she said a prayer of thanks to Mrs. Halstead and her Mom for these photos. The first one had her in her long, blue dress beside a spiffy looking teenage Jay Halstead in front of her house. His smile looked so forced, she almost laughed. Jay hadn't wanted to go to Prom. But he hadn't wanted to let her go alone after the disaster of Prom '02.

"Wow," Hailey said, holding the photo so Burgess and Ruzek couldn't see. "First of all, Imogen, beautiful dress. Blue looks great on you. But Jay." She handed the photo to Ruzek. "Rocking the tux!"

"Look at you two!" Ruzek let out a tiny cackle. He glanced up and raised his voice, "Hey Kev. You gotta see this."

Imogen mouthed an apology to Jay as the photo and their mysterious just-as-friends Prom date became topic of conversation among the confused but very much on board with this Kevin Atwater, amused Kim Burgess, and overjoyed at digging up dirt on his new partner Adam Ruzek. Hailey just laughed to herself and shook her head. The others wandered away, but both she and Jay still sat at their desks.

"It's a good photo, Jay," Imogen said. "Even if you do look like I threatened your life to get you in it." Before he could respond, she turned to Hailey. "Thanks for covering for me."

"Of course. Figured you'd come up when you were ready," Hailey said. But she did glance between them again, her smile growing. "So, Prom as friends?"

Imogen sighed. She knew Jay wouldn't say anything, so she picked her words carefully. "It's a long story. There were... extenuating circumstances."

A quiet but still audible snort from Jay drew Hailey's attention immediately. Imogen could practically feel the anger radiating off of him. His muscles had tensed and his jaw tightened as he tried to focus entirely on his computer screen.

Neither Imogen nor Jay elaborated, and Hailey didn't ask.

The other photos in the pack stayed in the pack. Imogen had brought the disposable camera everywhere that day. They'd done pictures at home just after noon. The rest of the day, she'd run the show. Pictures on the Lake with Jay as cameraman, a few shots over dinner at Uno's where she'd almost destroyed her dress with a glass of pop, dessert just before the dance. No one else needed to see those.

Intelligence finished their inventory around seven. By the time she and Jay loaded the boxes of memories into his truck, there were still five of six. She couldn't bring herself to get rid of more. Not yet. Not now. Someday, maybe.

They grabbed take-out for dinner. Nothing fancy. Exhaustion had hit Imogen hours ago. She didn't have any more adrenaline or coffee to counteract her severe lack of sleep. By the way Jay didn't press her, she guessed he wanted to rest too. A pair of beers and a hockey game later, Jay clambered into bed.

Imogen said she'd be there soon.

But with the lights out and the silence pressing in on her, she felt too awake. Fight or flight, perhaps? She was sure that Dr. Charles would have a litany of explanations to feed her when she went to see him in the morning. He'd probably say she'd spent too much time as someone else. She needed a break. She needed to take it easy.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Imogen tried to slow her breathing as she once more settled down next to Jay's floor to ceiling window. She needed the gun in her hands, blood on her lip, sweat in her eyes. Adrenaline, not sedation.

Imogen pulled over the box from high school. The cardboard dragged across the dark hardwood floor, sounding almost like muffled sandpaper rubbed together. She took out the unopened Prom '02 pack and set it on the ground side by side with Prom '03. A labored breath escaped her lips as she looked at them.

Nearly identical except for the wear and tear and the label. On the outside, harmless. But inside, so vastly different. Imogen opened the one from senior year again.

Amazing how photos developed from a throw away camera could mean more to her than anything she snapped on a cellphone now. She smiled down at herself in the pictures. Her hair had been longer but still just as straight, blowing past the halter neckline to fly in the wind off the lake. Hands in the air, Imogen could almost remember how free she'd felt that day. She owed Jay for that.

Imogen had known that swearing off dating could've meant missing out on the final dance of her high school career. She'd accepted that, but it hadn't made her any less sad. But Jay had stepped up. He always stepped up.

She glanced at the pack from Junior year, then back. She didn't need to be coddled or placed on leave. She didn't need to be put on bedrest until she went even crazier. She needed the thrill, just like taking pictures by the lake, solo, before Senior prom. She needed to be the first one in the door again.

Taking a deep breath, Imogen stood off the ground. Her legs ached. She really needed to stop spending hours on the floor. No matter how quiet she tried to be, climbing into bed woke Jay. He groaned as she stayed sitting up, knees pulled up so her arms could rest there.

"You good?" he said, voice thick with exhaustion.

She didn't respond at first. In the dark, she couldn't really see the photo in her hands. But she knew what it was. The one photo by the lake with both of them in it. A selfie before selfies were a thing.

"Midge?"

"Hm?" She looked over at him as he pushed himself up as well. "Yeah, yeah. I'm good."

"Yeah? Do me a favor and don't fall asleep on the floor of the living room again. Will'll kill me."

Imogen's eyes widened. He'd known? Of course he'd known. She kicked herself for thinking she could get that by him. But instead she just nodded with a smile and a small roll of her eyes. "Here." Imogen passed the photo.

Jay flipped on his lamp as he grabbed it. They both blinked against the sudden brightness. But it only took a moment for him to give a slight chuckle and run a hand across his face. Neither spoke. They didn't have to.

A full minute passed. Imogen remembered the sound of the waves that day. She remembered thinking, if she was going to break her no boys allowed policy Senior Year, it would've been for Jay. But timing's a bitch.

"You're gonna pass that psych eval," Jay said.

Imogen nodded. She breathed in deeply through her nose and took back the photo. Setting it with the others on her side table near her phone, she paused. "Yeah."

"Now, go to bed." Jay flipped off the light. "In a bed."

Imogen laughed into the dark. But she didn't argue.