2022-01-05 - Zero to Ninety

Leaving the pizza place had been easy enough. Erin hadn't even looked back. What she had suggested though, the fast food drive-thru was still an option though. For the moment, she's just climbing into the passenger side, a smile given to the Chief and would-be driver. "Let's blow this popsicle stand." Laughter in her voice, she doesn't play the bad guy so well, but she's trying! "Go wherever it is you want, I've got no where to be for a few days. I assume you do, but don't limit yourself for my sake."

Javier's not in any great hurry to get the hell out of here, though he's certainly aware of the lack of so much as a backward glance from Erin. Door popped, he slides into the driver's seat, and watches her a moment before hauling it shut.

"Days, huh?" The key's slid into the ignition, and he fires it up. The sound it makes causes him to smile slightly. "You want to tell me what happened in there?"

Quiet for a moment, enjoying being in her car and the sound of it, much like he is, but without being behind the wheel, Erin just sits there, listening. Finally, she reaches for her seatbelt and fastens it. "Don't forget to buckle up," she encourages with no small amount of amusement. "I've seen the state of people coming in the ER." It's not meant as a mood killer in the slightest, but once she's all safely installed, she turns slightly so she can face him. "Days. Vacation time. Had to take it or lose it."

Only when he mentions the pizza place does she spare a glance towards it. "Nothing really. Just the usual. Benjamin helped me go get a Christmas tree in his truck and then helped me set it up the next morning." Ahem. "Guess he's dating Gabriella now. It's good though, I've not seen him since then anyway." With a grin she leans in slightly, "Let's get this show on the road. Only rule is to drive fast."

He looks amused when the seat belt's pointed out, but doesn't haggle it. There's a click when he slots the thing in place, leather crunching as he settles in more comfortably and puts the car into gear. "I see. Let's start with dinner, yeah? Much as I'd love to fuck off for a few days."

A quick check of the rearview mirror, and then he backs them out, and peels off for the street. "I don't know, picking up a Christmas tree together sounds kind of like a date to me. Sounds like you're into him." No comment on Gabriella. Yet.

The grin goes lopsided when he humors her by fastening the seatbelt. "Thank you," Erin offers with a tongue-in-cheek manner. "I'll start with dinner. I really did want that pizza but now Mexican sounds so much better than Italian." Cutting a look to him there's amusement in her eyes but she doesn't take it back or explain it away this time.

Settled into the car when he peels off, she wears a self-satisfied look though. "So glad you took me up on my offer." At least she looks as if she's contemplating his mention of Benjamin but eventually she shakes her head. "I think I am too old and set in my ways now. She's more his speed I imagine. Younger and pretty and oh I don't know. I hope he's happy. I hope she's happy. Not so much into him, I don't know him well enough. Figured we were on track for that sort of thing, the getting to know you phase, but I can walk away. I've gotten pretty good at it." Another smile, this one more whimsical to lighten the moment.

"So have you seen my cousin around? Benedict, I mean. He's the one that got me into fast cars."

God, this car likes to move. It's clear he's a little more accustomed to his heftier Charger with its bigger engine and greater curbside weight. "Sure you're talking about food?" he retorts with a chuckle, not taking his eyes off the road as they merge with traffic headed for the highway. His left hand remains on the steering wheel, while his right sits loosely over the stick.

"And you're selling yourself short. You shouldn't do that." He tucks his tonguetip against his cheek as he navigates a lane change; the engine responds with a throaty purr. "Gabriella can be.. focused." That seems to be the word he's settling on. And, "I've met him briefly. He's an investigator with the DA's office, right?"

"Oh sure, food." But her smile totally belies that. "To start, anyway." Laughter follows. "God, I'm terrible. I don't know why I flirt with you so much. It comes naturally, I guess. Probably because you let me." Dark eyes settle on him, amusement still prominent in their depths. "We've both seen a lot of bad things. You were there for me when I was at my worst. Not just everyone I can say that about. You and Sutton, you let me in and I don't know if I ever thanked you for it, but I'm not going to do that tonight. I'll save it for another time. It gives me an excuse to ask you over sometime."

There's an ever so slight head tilt when he offers the synopsis of Gabriella and eventually she gives a brief nod of acknowledgement. "I take it she always gets her man." Again with the amusement. "The first time I met her, you were reading her mind in the Pour House." The implications there were unmistakable. "I'm probably too focused also. I focus on one with blinders and remain that way until there's reason not to anymore. Sort of a one-man-woman, I guess. Sucks to be me." She crinkles her nose as she smiles, but it's more in self-deprecating amusement.

"Yeah, Benedict is with the DA's office. He can fly and everything. He's said he'll teach me. A different kind of speed all together. Not sure I have the time for it since I'm finishing school while doing my clinicals at the hospital. While I like working the floors, I enjoy the adrenaline of the emergency room more."

His eyes find Erin's for just a moment when she mentions bad things, then slide away again to focus on the road. She's left with his brutish profile, and the beard that's maybe showing a touch more silver than last they spent time together. He'll not argue that; they've certainly been through a lot together. That whole mess with Gohl seems like a lifetime ago now.

"Hmm? Gabriella?" He grunts softly, and shifts again as they hit the highway, picking up some speed. "No. I wouldn't say she always gets her man." No explanation's given there. Though perhaps Erin can guess at what he means.

As to Benedict, "Seems like a nice enough guy. Ex-air force, I think. Don't worry, I haven't given him a hard time about it." Only because he hasn't been drunk in the man's presence yet. Like he'd pass up the chance to hassle someone from a different branch of the military.

Erin didn't seem to mind being left with his profile, even with the silver in his beard. There's nothing in her eyes that would deny there being an attraction there still. She's just not acting on it at this moment! "Things seem to have settled in town. At least for me. I'm in some strange sense of a fugue state since the weird lapse of memory. No bad dreams at all."

Lips twist in a wry sort of look and she leans into the seat enjoying the speed as he accelerates. "You've got a weakness for people, I think. It's kind of sexy." It's all she says in response to his mention of Gabriella and getting her way.

Benedict though, the Air Force thing, she can't help but to grin. "Not everyone can be a Marine." Eyes drop to his chest before lifting again, perhaps remembering the tattoo there if the way her eyes linger is any indication. "I think whatever branch you choose in the armed forces, you are choosing not a branch really, but a way of life. Air Force is chosen so one can stay in hotels while soldiers are beating feet maybe? To each his own anyway."

He furrows his brows at that, but doesn't look over this time. "Weakness? For people? The hell does that mean." The scenery washes by in a blur of rain-soaked canopy interspersed with glimpses of coastline. And the further away from town they get, it seems the more tension slides out of those big shoulders. The glance she sends him is intercepted, and returned with a quirk at one corner of his mouth that might be a smile. It doesn't linger. "It's not all it's cracked up to be, anyway," he murmurs, presumably of being a Marine.

"You, uh. You look good, though." There's an awkward pause, and he definitely does not take his eyes off the road. "Seems like the career change is agreeing with you."

"Sex, Javier. You enjoy sex. I was just trying to be a little more classy about it." Erin grins at getting the rise from him, even if it's brief, catching that little quirk of his lips and she finds her gaze drawn there. "It's something to be proud of though. Something you've done that no one can discount or take away from you."

Turning a little she looks out the window, appreciating the coastline and beyond. "Breathtaking, isn't it?" With a grin, she glances down at herself then lifts dark eyes to his profile. "Thank you. I found a purpose and I really like using my uh.. talents to help people." That glimmery stuff!

The cop makes a little face at that, nose scrunching up as he mock-grimaces. "Who doesn't?" he fires back. Enjoy sex, he means. He's also trying very hard not to smile. "I'm not sure what that's got to do with Gabriella. I'm not seeing her." His hand on the steering wheel remains relaxed, and there's a touch of crow's feet at the corners of his eyes when Erin meets his gaze briefly.

"Well." He switches onto the next offramp, and the little hole-in-the-wall diner he knows is usually open at this time. "Glad you've found something you enjoy. Te ves radiante."

"Oh I wasn't judging. I like it too." Erin laughs outright, just enjoying the moment with him. "It had little to do with Gabriella, I assure you." Impulsively, she reaches out to place her hand over his on the shifter, thumb gently caressing his skin. "You've got great hands," she muses in a soft spoken tone, as if she hadn't intended on speaking them aloud.

As she feels the shift in the car, she looks out the window to see where their destination was. "Do I?" Tilting her head slightly, she regards him with a crooked smile. "Y te ves tan sexy como siempre." Then as an after thought, "But I suspect you already know that."

His hand tenses, ever so slightly, when she touches him. As if he hadn't expected it, perhaps. Those hands have not had an easy life; they're callused and worn, and the one she's touching is scrawled with far too much ink for a supposedly law-abiding man. Most of it looks gang-related, as she may well remember. No more comments on sex, though, or their enjoyment of it therein. It's probably safer not to touch that one any further, so he doesn't.

Instead, "I'm still seeing Rosencrantz. And, uh, another guy I don't.. I don't think you've met." He swallows. "I mean, I think I am. Fuck if I know. We're having some trouble right now." The diner's up ahead, and the lights are still on, so he gears down and pulls them into the parking lot.

"No, I understand, I just like to flirt with you. I have zero expectations. Itzhak is a good guy and I have seen Joe around. Just," Erin shrugs lightly, not removing her hand immediately. "Basic human contact, you know? That's all." As far as reassurances go, it's not exactly stellar, but she does get her point across, hopefully.

"Trouble? Would you like to talk about it? That's what friends are for, yeah?" Her smile is guileless and her eyes hold an empathy and understanding probably far beyond her years. As they do pull in, she releases his hand and reaches for her seatbelt if they are going in. "I'm a pretty good listener and I can keep secrets, if you need me to."

Javier blows a breath out his nose at that, but seems to relax slightly. There's even a slight turn of his wrist to graze his thumb along hers, ever so briefly, before she removes her hand. Then he switches off the ignition and unbuckles his own belt. "Si. Entiendo." The words are quietly offered as he contemplates the steering wheel for a few moments, then Erin beside him.

"Let's grab something to eat, first." Her profile's watched in turn, dark eyes lingering on her mouth before trailing away. "I'm not sure they serve Mexican food here, so I hope you don't mind settling for something else."

Erin would have to be blind not to notice his relief, she smiles in response, eyes lit up with mischief. "However, no one can blame me for looking." Eyes drop to his fingers before she lifts them again, watching him look at the steering wheel. "You know, it would be a sacrifice, but if you ever want to take Itzhak or Joe out, you're welcome to borrow the car. Take them for a spin. I can't think of a better driver than you."

After another look to him, catching that drop of his eyes, that mouth smiles a little before she reaches for the door handle. and pushes it open. "I'll find something I like. It'll be nice to have the company. Yours in particular."

The keys are slid out of the ignition, spilled into his palm, and held out to Erin. "I was trying to behave myself," he murmurs. Probably he's talking about his driving. One assumes. He'll wait for her to take the keys, then pop his door and climb out, with a crunch as his boots hit gravel. "You know, I'm shocked you haven't gotten hitched by now," he adds, patting down his pockets for the pack of cloves he carries on him. "You mind if I..?"

"You've always managed that around me whether you realize it or not." Erin takes the offered keys and climbs out too, walking around to his side of the car to offer her hand out to him, an innocent enough gesture. "Are you? I'm not good at relationships. I'd eventually like to do the whole marriage and kid thing, but right now I'd like to wait to finish school so I have the time to give a baby. So, a few more months?" Another smile, this one a touch wistful.

With a quick shake of her head, she waves him on, "You don't have to ask, I never mind. Just do you, Javi. That's what I like about you, you're unapologetically yourself."

The driver's side door is shut, and he spends a minute or two simply marveling at her car, tonguetip touched to his lower lip thoughtfully. Then his dark eyes find hers as she steps around to join him, and there's a moment's confusion at the offered hand. Rather than touch her, though, he takes a lean against the side of the car and lights up. "You'd make a good mother," he confides quietly, scratching at the bridge of his nose with an inked thumb. "And I asked in case you're in a rush to eat." Another sidelong glance to the younger woman, then away again.

So the hand is ignored, Erin doesn't mind, just quietly allows it to fall back to her side. She'll move to lean against the car beside him, curious. "I'm not in a rush to do anything. I mean when I said I have a few days to just blow off. No one is expecting me back home. Or at work."

She falls silent a moment, her profile offered to him this time when he studies her. "I like to think I would. At least I know how not to be a parent. I've had a lot of experience in that department. One day maybe. What's it like for you? Being a father I mean?"

The dropped hand is watched curiously for a beat. And then he follows Erin's gaze, squinting slightly like he's trying to pick something out of the burgeoning dark. "Family like yours?" he murmurs, "I don't fucking doubt it."

Javier drags off the clove while he thinks about her question, then exhales smoke politely away from her before answering, "My boy.. has been dead for eleven years, now. I.. sometimes don't remember what he looks like. You know?" Some ash is flicked off the cigarette. He glances back at Erin. "My girl, I only found two years ago. It's different. Parenting someone who hasn't needed you, most of their life."

"Yeah.." Erin's voice drops a few octaves, there's a tentativeness to it. "I remember. I.. I'm sorry." She studies him, the light from the diner reflecting in her dark eyes. "You mentioned the two. Your son and your daughter." She, of course, knows of the third. "Just remember something you loved about his features. Maybe soft hair, as dark as yours, a little dimple in his cheek when he would smile? Maybe just the sound of his voice when he called you dad. Just cling to one thing and the rest will hold on with it." It was probably too deep a subject for standing outside a random diner. "I think just because your daughter only came into your life recently, doesn't mean she needs you any less."

Lifting a hand she runs her fingers through her dark hair, mostly to push it away from her face and back over her shoulder. "I'll have a kid someday. I'm pretty sure of it. When I do, I'll be a good mother." The rest spoken in that matter of fact tone.

There's a twinge at the corners of his mouth when Erin brings his son to mind. He drags again off the cigarette, and replies in a low murmur, "He had his mother's eyes. Other than that, people used to say he was a dead ringer for me." Chuckling, he watches her tuck the hair out of her eyes. Then after a moment, lifts the hand holding the cigarette to catch a few strands she's missed, and slip them behind her ear.

Then a breath's blown out his nose as he returns to contemplating the dark sky. "My advice? When you do, get the fuck out of here. And don't look back."

"He sounds like a little charmer." Erin muses over the thought of his son, the imagery in his mind. Falling silent when he brushes her hair back from her face, she gives him a lopsided smile before adding, "Just like his father."

Following his gaze to the dark sky, she contemplates his advice and gives something of a solemn nod. "Since that whole memory lapse thing, nothing bad has happened here that I know of. Maybe it's gone. Maybe some of the bad things are gone." Not that she really believes it. "I don't think there's a threat of it any time soon. There's really not a guy in my life in that capacity. "

"You don't actually believe that, do you?" Erin's shot another glance, his brows furrowed and his expression dubious when she mentions the bad things being gone. One more drag before he flicks what's left of his cigarette into the gravel, and grinds it out with the toe of his boot.

Pushing off her car, he shoves his hands into his jacket's pockets, and takes a step backward, waiting for her to accompany him. "Come on. It's fucking freezing out here." At one point, they'd talked about getting her pregnant. That too seems like another life.

"One can hope, but no. I'm not a fool. I see the people that come into the emergency room." It's the only concession Erin allows on it and while he's grinding his cigarette out she's allowed her gaze to drift to his mouth, remembering the clove and tequila she'd tasted there before. His reminder of the cold startles her enough to get her moving and when he steps back, she falls into step with him. That very topic, the one about the baby, had been on her mind as well. That talk they'd had.

"It is cold," she grasps onto the much safer subject of the weather, and while his hands are shoved into his jacket pocket, she still slips an arm between his arm and his body, taking that elbow, if he allows, as if he were escorting the Addington into some fancy place instead of the little hole in the wall diner. "And I'm starving."

The contact's permitted, and Javier's mouth twitches slightly like he might smile. Then he starts off at a slow amble, boots crunching the gravel. His bigger frame is like a furnace, as ever it has been, and he smells of clove smoke and leather and cordite. She could probably find someone better than a gruff old Police Chief to escort her, but this appears to be what she's wound up with tonight.