Turn Around (Profiler Fiction) John/Rachel
None of the characters I use in my story belong to me (Oh how I wish they
did), but to those clever people who created them. I am just borrowing them
for the purpose of my story. With Thanks to Barb, who once again ploughed
through the whole thing, and corrected my mistakes.
(A John/Rachel story set about 6 months after the final Profiler episode.)
CHAPTER 1
Bailey Malone, the head of the VCTF department of the FBI, frowned at the document on his desk, rubbing his hand through his hair. "This is all we need," he muttered to himself, as he gazed down, thinking of all the upheavals that had happened over the last 12 months. At least the team was back together now, after those awful weeks when Rachel had been imprisoned and the VCTF disbanded. He and John Grant had worked tirelessly to prove her innocence, and George had used his amazing computer talent to chase up leads over the closure of the department, culminating in proof of paybacks to politicians, resulting in a back flip by those in charge, and now they were back in business, more secure than before - but this.! He looked up as his door opened, and his head pathologist, Grace Alverez entered, her wildly curly hair caught back in a band. "What's wrong Bails?" she asked irreverently "You look sicker than Mr Wendell, currently residing on my autopsy table". Bailey laughed, then handed Grace the memo he was reading. She read it, and then laughed. "Bailey, Aren't you happy with the thought of a woman in charge?" She laughed again at his expression and then said "It will be worse for John, he barely copes with Rachel." Reluctantly Bailey laughed, everyone in the control center had experienced the fallout from a Rachel/John disagreement. "I look forward to being there when you break the news," she continued, and handed him the autopsy report she had come to deliver.
Rachel Burke gazed at the man sitting opposite her, as the plane began its descent onto the airport runway. "There's no need to sulk," she said, glaring into his angry blue eyes, "I know you wanted to beat a confession out of that creep, but I can't allow anything to screw up our case, certainly not police brutality!"
"I had no intention of beating up anyone," came the angry reply, "I just wanted to see if I could get any more out of him, like where he buried that girl's body - just for the family's sake. I don't know why you seem to think I need to beat people up all the time!"
"Oh come on John - that's all you're on this team for - muscle for Bailey!" she sniped back at him. Confused at her bitchy tone, John turned away and looked out of the window, wondering what had happened to his relationship with Rachel. Just before her arrest earlier in the year, they had become good friends, after a very rocky start, but since her release, (in which he had played a significant part!) he thought bitterly, they couldn't seem to be in the same room with each other without annoying one another, certainly anything he said was greeted with scorn and derision.
Rachel stared at the back of his dark head, wishing she could take back some of the things she had said - but her pride wouldn't allow it - there was something about John that just rubbed her up the wrong way - maybe it was his arrogant way of folding his arms, and looking down on her when they talked, or maybe it was the way he narrowed his expressive eyes, maybe it was his expensive way of dressing, whatever, he just annoyed her, and she loved picking and pecking away at him till he lost his temper, and then chiding him for losing it.
They walked through the airport terminal, towards the car awaiting them, and she noticed how women turned to look at him, some covertly, others quite openly, and it made her angrier than ever. She supposed he was quite attractive to look at, (but not her taste at all, she told herself) besides he was irritating, no matter how blue his eyes were, or how broad his shoulders! And suddenly, when he had found a way to free her from jail, and had wanted to be friends, she couldn't stand him any more! Besides, it was much more fun baiting him, watching him try to hold onto his temper, and being ever so superior when he lost it.
Rachel shook her head to clear her thoughts. This was the trouble with tying up loose ends, she thought to herself - all the hard work was done, and she had way too much time to think of other things. She worked best under pressure, as did all the team really, and the humdrum of finishing up things left her a little flat.
Poor John, she thought, I can be such a bitch. Mike, her older brother, was always telling her she would never hold onto a man, because of her acerbic nature. "You'll always want to be on top!" he would say. She mentally agreed with him, even though it wasn't what she wanted - she hated going home each night to her empty apartment! But to soften at all, to let any cracks appear in her tightly woven image, was to show weakness, and Rachel Burke could never be weak!
John opened the car door for her, with exaggerated politeness and she sat down, smiling sweetly and insincerely at him; then wincing as he slammed the door shut.
"Still sulking John?" she asked, and watched his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel, "Perhaps I should drive - you know what they say don't drive ang.." "Why don't you shut up," John said, cutting her off. "Oh please," she snapped, "What a comeback!" The rest of the drive to HQ was done in total silence.
Grace was sitting in the canteen when Rachel walked in, and called her over. "Grab a coffee, I've got some gossip." "Good" said Rachel, "I could use something to take my mind off that man." "John?" asked Grace sympathetically and Rachel nodded. "He is driving me insane" she said. Grace smiled to herself, wondering why everyone could see the attraction that sparked between the two of them, but John and Rachel themselves!! "Bailey will be telling us officially, but they are sending out another CO from head office someone to quote 'share the load' with Bailey. He's not happy about it."
Rachel sipped her coffee "Gosh - another member of the team - hope it won't upset the balance, we all work so well together!" she said, blithely ignoring the upheavals that went on when she and John clashed. Grace giggled "What's more" she added, "It's a woman!" Rachel laughed, and she and Grace wandered into the control room, where George was inputting data into his computer.
"Hi guys," he said, without looking up - "Finished in Austin, Rach.?" "Yes, all done, and now awaiting trial" she answered. "The only thing is, we couldn't get any more information about the last murder - he flatly refuses to tell us where the body is." And then as John and Bailey came down the steps, she added provocatively "John wanted to beat it out of him, but I wouldn't let him."
"I did not!" said John loudly, and then slammed his notebook on the table when Rachel just smiled. Bailey sat at the end of the table and pulled out the memo.
"As from tomorrow," he said, "we will be joined by a Carolyn Ross. She will be second in charge." A stunned silence greeted his pronouncement.
"2IC!" said John - "Do we need a 2IC?" "Apparently HQ thinks we do" replied Bailey. "Ms Ross has never been 'in the field' but is very highly qualified - a lawyer I believe - and the powers that be believe she will be a valuable part of our team."
"2IC" said John again; then slanting a sideways look across the table "I always thought that Rachel thought she was 2IC."
"Ha ha." replied Rachel "I don't mind another woman coming on the team, we need to get our brain power from somewhere. - No offense George -" she smiled at him, "But you are the computer genius - Bailey you are the boss - and of course John, you are the door-kicker!" Grace started to laugh, and turned it into a cough when she encountered a furious glare from John's eyes. "Well" Rachel went on dismissively "whenever you need a door kicked in Bailey, - its always John that does it!"
Bailey also laughed, and leaned across the table. "Don't let her get to you John," he said, "it's what she's trying to do." John folded his arms defensively across his chest, and glared at Rachel.
CHAPTER 1
Bailey Malone, the head of the VCTF department of the FBI, frowned at the document on his desk, rubbing his hand through his hair. "This is all we need," he muttered to himself, as he gazed down, thinking of all the upheavals that had happened over the last 12 months. At least the team was back together now, after those awful weeks when Rachel had been imprisoned and the VCTF disbanded. He and John Grant had worked tirelessly to prove her innocence, and George had used his amazing computer talent to chase up leads over the closure of the department, culminating in proof of paybacks to politicians, resulting in a back flip by those in charge, and now they were back in business, more secure than before - but this.! He looked up as his door opened, and his head pathologist, Grace Alverez entered, her wildly curly hair caught back in a band. "What's wrong Bails?" she asked irreverently "You look sicker than Mr Wendell, currently residing on my autopsy table". Bailey laughed, then handed Grace the memo he was reading. She read it, and then laughed. "Bailey, Aren't you happy with the thought of a woman in charge?" She laughed again at his expression and then said "It will be worse for John, he barely copes with Rachel." Reluctantly Bailey laughed, everyone in the control center had experienced the fallout from a Rachel/John disagreement. "I look forward to being there when you break the news," she continued, and handed him the autopsy report she had come to deliver.
Rachel Burke gazed at the man sitting opposite her, as the plane began its descent onto the airport runway. "There's no need to sulk," she said, glaring into his angry blue eyes, "I know you wanted to beat a confession out of that creep, but I can't allow anything to screw up our case, certainly not police brutality!"
"I had no intention of beating up anyone," came the angry reply, "I just wanted to see if I could get any more out of him, like where he buried that girl's body - just for the family's sake. I don't know why you seem to think I need to beat people up all the time!"
"Oh come on John - that's all you're on this team for - muscle for Bailey!" she sniped back at him. Confused at her bitchy tone, John turned away and looked out of the window, wondering what had happened to his relationship with Rachel. Just before her arrest earlier in the year, they had become good friends, after a very rocky start, but since her release, (in which he had played a significant part!) he thought bitterly, they couldn't seem to be in the same room with each other without annoying one another, certainly anything he said was greeted with scorn and derision.
Rachel stared at the back of his dark head, wishing she could take back some of the things she had said - but her pride wouldn't allow it - there was something about John that just rubbed her up the wrong way - maybe it was his arrogant way of folding his arms, and looking down on her when they talked, or maybe it was the way he narrowed his expressive eyes, maybe it was his expensive way of dressing, whatever, he just annoyed her, and she loved picking and pecking away at him till he lost his temper, and then chiding him for losing it.
They walked through the airport terminal, towards the car awaiting them, and she noticed how women turned to look at him, some covertly, others quite openly, and it made her angrier than ever. She supposed he was quite attractive to look at, (but not her taste at all, she told herself) besides he was irritating, no matter how blue his eyes were, or how broad his shoulders! And suddenly, when he had found a way to free her from jail, and had wanted to be friends, she couldn't stand him any more! Besides, it was much more fun baiting him, watching him try to hold onto his temper, and being ever so superior when he lost it.
Rachel shook her head to clear her thoughts. This was the trouble with tying up loose ends, she thought to herself - all the hard work was done, and she had way too much time to think of other things. She worked best under pressure, as did all the team really, and the humdrum of finishing up things left her a little flat.
Poor John, she thought, I can be such a bitch. Mike, her older brother, was always telling her she would never hold onto a man, because of her acerbic nature. "You'll always want to be on top!" he would say. She mentally agreed with him, even though it wasn't what she wanted - she hated going home each night to her empty apartment! But to soften at all, to let any cracks appear in her tightly woven image, was to show weakness, and Rachel Burke could never be weak!
John opened the car door for her, with exaggerated politeness and she sat down, smiling sweetly and insincerely at him; then wincing as he slammed the door shut.
"Still sulking John?" she asked, and watched his knuckles turn white as he gripped the steering wheel, "Perhaps I should drive - you know what they say don't drive ang.." "Why don't you shut up," John said, cutting her off. "Oh please," she snapped, "What a comeback!" The rest of the drive to HQ was done in total silence.
Grace was sitting in the canteen when Rachel walked in, and called her over. "Grab a coffee, I've got some gossip." "Good" said Rachel, "I could use something to take my mind off that man." "John?" asked Grace sympathetically and Rachel nodded. "He is driving me insane" she said. Grace smiled to herself, wondering why everyone could see the attraction that sparked between the two of them, but John and Rachel themselves!! "Bailey will be telling us officially, but they are sending out another CO from head office someone to quote 'share the load' with Bailey. He's not happy about it."
Rachel sipped her coffee "Gosh - another member of the team - hope it won't upset the balance, we all work so well together!" she said, blithely ignoring the upheavals that went on when she and John clashed. Grace giggled "What's more" she added, "It's a woman!" Rachel laughed, and she and Grace wandered into the control room, where George was inputting data into his computer.
"Hi guys," he said, without looking up - "Finished in Austin, Rach.?" "Yes, all done, and now awaiting trial" she answered. "The only thing is, we couldn't get any more information about the last murder - he flatly refuses to tell us where the body is." And then as John and Bailey came down the steps, she added provocatively "John wanted to beat it out of him, but I wouldn't let him."
"I did not!" said John loudly, and then slammed his notebook on the table when Rachel just smiled. Bailey sat at the end of the table and pulled out the memo.
"As from tomorrow," he said, "we will be joined by a Carolyn Ross. She will be second in charge." A stunned silence greeted his pronouncement.
"2IC!" said John - "Do we need a 2IC?" "Apparently HQ thinks we do" replied Bailey. "Ms Ross has never been 'in the field' but is very highly qualified - a lawyer I believe - and the powers that be believe she will be a valuable part of our team."
"2IC" said John again; then slanting a sideways look across the table "I always thought that Rachel thought she was 2IC."
"Ha ha." replied Rachel "I don't mind another woman coming on the team, we need to get our brain power from somewhere. - No offense George -" she smiled at him, "But you are the computer genius - Bailey you are the boss - and of course John, you are the door-kicker!" Grace started to laugh, and turned it into a cough when she encountered a furious glare from John's eyes. "Well" Rachel went on dismissively "whenever you need a door kicked in Bailey, - its always John that does it!"
Bailey also laughed, and leaned across the table. "Don't let her get to you John," he said, "it's what she's trying to do." John folded his arms defensively across his chest, and glared at Rachel.