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They leave the Samaritan facility without getting caught, Root trying not to wonder how the Machine is gonna pull this shit off with Samaritan breathing down it’s neck. Shaw’s car, or rather, the car Shaw stole, is still stashed where she left it and they leave the facility in their dust before their luck avoiding Decima agents runs short.
Root looks at the car dash; still a little while till midnight. The Machine is quiet for a time and she wonders if Harold is ok. Root can only hope that John finds him before Samaritan goes live. They need time to get away still, time to get their new identities up and running.
She glances at Shaw driving, can see on her face that she’s trying to focus on the getaway mission and not the shit storm they’re walking into. She smiles and sees her ghostly reflection in the car window looking back. Root laughs. Even she can see how haunted her smile is.
Shaw casts an eye her way.
“What’s so funny?”
Root tones down the smile and leans back, watching the buildings go by.
“Nothing. I guess it just occurred to me that this could be our last night alive.”
She can see Shaw giving her a sideways look.
“It only just occurred to you that we might die?”
Root smiles again, but her voice is strained and low. “No Sameen. It just occurred to me that I get to to spend the time up until that point with you. At least, if the plan doesn’t work.”
Shaw doesn’t say anything to that, but Root never expected her to. The Machine suddenly bursts to life in her ear to say that Harold and John are still alive, and that there’s been a terrorist attack in New York.
It all suddenly clicks into place in Root’s brain. Of course that’s how it starts.
“Harold and Finch are alive. And take the next left.”
“What else the Machine tell you? Are they ok? What happened with Vigilance?”
“Sad you missed the party?” Root can only put so much effort into teasing at this point. She feels bad for a second for trying to get Shaw to admit that she cares about her at a time like this. Then realises there might be no time left.
“You needed back-up,” Shaw says simply. “Now you gonna tell me what’s happening?”
Root sighs. “There’s been a bombing in New York.”
“What?!” Shaw turns her head to stare at Root’s calm demeanor.
“Left here Sameen.”
Shaw makes the turning with slightly more aggression than necessary.
“Root,” she says firmly, “tell me what happened.”
Root shrugs to herself.
“She isn’t telling me the big picture. I can guess though. How else to convince a jumpy senate to approve a new age of machine control than by detonating a building in downtown New York?”
“Decima did the bombing? What about Vigilance?”
Root would have thought Shaw could figure this out. “Vigilance are gone.”
“Gone?”
Root rolls her eyes, puts on a ‘patiently explaining things to an idiot’ voice she knows Shaw will hate.
“Yes Shaw. Decima were either behind Vigilance from the beginning or have since manipulated them into being the scapegoats for the bombing. I imagine that any surviving Vigilance operatives will be dead by the end of tomorrow. Samaritan can’t let them live.”
Shaw doesn’t say anything in response and Root wonders, not for the first time, what’s going on behind those hard-to-read eyes. She settles back and dictates directions to Shaw, her mind buzzing.
They stop near a liquor store and Root buys alcohol as instructed, and chips because she’s hungry. Shaw’s eyes light up when she sees the chips and starts devouring them as she drives.
They stop in an anonymous suburb twenty minutes later.
“Why are we stopping here?” Shaw asks, suspicion lacing her voice. She doesn’t get out the car.
Root looks over at her bemused. “Well sweetie, I guess we’re supposed to stay the night.”
“Why can’t we go back to New York?” Shaw is, unsurprisingly, not impressed at the idea of spending a night hiding out in the sticks.
Root doesn’t have an answer, at least not one that the Machine has given her. She opens the door and gets out anyway, at least 30% sure that Shaw will follow. She surveys the building from the sidewalk and her chest lightens to hear the slam of a car door behind her. Shaw joins her on the sidewalk and Root can feel the weight of her presence, her warmth.
“Bring your lockpick Sameen?”
Shaw sighs, resigning herself. “Which number?”
Root smiles. “19b. Sounds fancy.”
Shaw shakes her head and leads the way inside.
The apartment is small and sparsely furnished, but the lights work at least, and when Root sticks her head in the bedroom she sees clean sheets on the bed. The Machine informs her that the resident is on vacation but Root really couldn’t care less right now.
Aside from the bedroom there’s a tiny bathroom and another room that isn’t kitchen or den, but kind of half and half. Shaw’s head is in the fridge already, but from her disgruntled expression there’s nothing good inside. Root takes the alcohol over to an armchair and shrugs out of her coat. The hole in her arm is barely closed but she wants the RFID chip out now. The Machine has told her Decima can’t track them, but still...enemy technology. Plus she kind of wants to see Shaw’s face when she gets the knife out again.
Shaw comes to join her, sitting on the only other chair in the place right across from Root. A small table separates them.
“You wanna do me first?” Root asks as she withdraws the knife from her pocket and offers it to Shaw, smiling seductively.
Shaw gives her a dour look but Root can see the eagerness in her eyes anyway. Shaw takes the knife and cracks the whisky open. She takes a swig for good measure before passing it to Root.
Shaw runs her thumb along Root’s inner wrist, and Root has to bite her lips to suppress a shudder. She can’t stop the warm rush that traverses her body from her arm to her abdomen. Shaw leans in close, wielding the knife, and looks up at Root through half-lidded eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. Root takes another slug of whisky and hopes Shaw isn’t being particularly perceptive right now.
With Shaw’s talented hands, Root’s chip is out and sitting on the table before the pain from the knife really sets in. Root sips at the whisky, trying to chase away the arousal that’s sitting, hot and fierce, low in her belly. She pours the liquor into the cut and winces, but the pain is nowhere near sharp enough to pull her out of it.
Shaw’s already taken off her coat and rolled her sleeve up in preparation. Root knows that Shaw could easily do this to herself and feels absurdly pleased that Shaw’s handing her the knife instead. She disinfects the knife and feels for the chip under Shaw’s forearm, enjoying the sensation of smooth skin under her fingers. Shaw picks up the bottle and drinks, but Root refuses to let herself look, worried that she’ll get too distracted if Shaw’s eyes reflect even half of what Root’s feeling right now back at her.
Instead she takes the knife and runs the blade carefully along Shaw’s inner wrist, all the way from palm to elbow and back again. She smirks to herself and presses a thumb to the pulse point in Shaw’s wrist, please to find the beat faster than usual. She can feel Shaw’s eye boring into her.
“Root…” Shaw’s voice is low, a warning. It sends heat through Root’s chest and down her body. She bites her lip and makes a quick incision, wanting it over suddenly. Wanting whatever’s going to happen next.
The RFID chip slips out easily and Root finally lets her gaze rise, watching Shaw’s expression closely as she pours alcohol into the wound. Shaw doesn’t even blink, but Root can feel the air thickening between them nonetheless, pain a constant note to their sexual tension. She keeps her hand on Shaw’s wrist, unable to break contact entirely.
All of a sudden Shaw’s lips are crushing hers, strong hands gripping her hair to pull them as close as possible. Root closes her eyes and lets her mouth be taken, realising that she’s been wanting this ever since Shaw showed up earlier. She lets Shaw pull her up, grasping the front of Shaw’s shirt with one hand. Her lip blooms in pain as Shaw bites her, blood metallic and hot in her mouth. She can feel it pounding in her body.
They struggle for dominance for a few moments, before Root shoves Shaw back against the wall. The knife is still in Root’s hand and she brings it up to Shaw’s delicate throat in one swift move. Shaw tilts her head back to avoid the bite of the blade and stares into Root’s eyes, breathing hard.
Root smirks back, trailing the sharp edge of the knife slowly along Shaw’s pulse point. She knows Shaw could disarm her and turn the tables in a matter of seconds, but she doesn’t, and that makes Root positively glow. Her body is pushed right up against the smaller woman’s and she can feel Shaw’s chest rising and falling as she breathes. Root’s eyes flick down to study Shaw’s lips as they part seductively, then gets lost in her eyes for a few long moments, the feelings coursing through her body driving out every thought except Sameen Shaw.
The knife drags along Shaw’s collarbone, leaving a thin trail of red, and Shaw’s hands dig into Root’s hips like iron, pulling their bodies closer still. Root slips her thigh between Shaw’s and enjoys the way her eyes flutter closed and her hips thrust, seeking firmer pressure. Root can’t handle the tension any more and drops the knife. She claims Shaw’s lips in a searing kiss before the blade even clatters to the floor.
They stumble into the bedroom, somehow staying upright on unsteady feet as hands come into contact with heated flesh. Clothing is a barrier that gets pulled away roughly, and Root gasps as her top and bra are discarded in one movement and Shaw’s teeth sink into her breast. Shaw sucks hard on her nipple, and Root feels helpless as nimble fingers unzip her fly and force their way in to stroke her clit through her panties.
A moan escapes her lips before she can hold it in and Shaw responds with teeth and nails, marking Root’s body. Root digs her fingers into Shaw’s hair, pulling out the tie that holds it back and then forcing Shaw’s face up to hers. She ravages Shaw’s mouth with her tongue for a few delicious moments and then shoves her down onto the bed.
Root divests herself of pants and boots as Shaw watches from the bed, her eyes trailing up Root’s body in the dim light falling in from the hall. Root smiles down at her prey and wastes no time in pulling off Shaw’s boots, pants and top, leaving her breathing hard in just her underwear. Root takes a second to admire the view before climbing on top, Shaw’s devil grin encouraging her to take what she wants.
Root straddles Shaw’s prone body, the fingers of one hand running up Shaw’s smooth stomach and cupping her bra-clad breast. The other is behind her, tickling the sensitive flesh of Shaw’s thigh, and then running over the crotch of Shaw’s panties, feeling the warmth and dampness; making Shaw arch her back. Root loves playing Shaw’s body like this, drawing her out with the lightest of touches.
She can’t make it last too long tonight though. Shaw is writhing under her and Root needs to taste her skin, hear her cry out. She pulls Shaw up and snaps the bra off her, taking Shaw’s breast into her mouth, biting and sucking as Shaw yanks her hair painfully. Roots heart is pounding in her chest, pumping liquid fire round her veins, pooling between her legs.
Shaw gasps above her, and Root trails kisses up her heated skin till her face is buried in Shaw’s hair, her mouth breathing hot air into Shaw’s ear.
“Are you wet Sameen?” she whispers, taking the soft cartilage of Shaw’s ear between her teeth and clamping down.
She’s rewarded by a low growl from Shaw. Root’s grins to herself and pushes Shaw’s shoulders roughly, eager to feel for herself. Shaw lets herself fall back onto the bed and Root can see her smirking as she pushes herself up onto her elbows to watch. Root smiles back and moves down the bed, hooking her fingers under Shaw’s panties and slowly sliding them down smooth thighs.
The smell of Shaw’s arousal hits her nose almost immediately, and Root bites her lip in anticipation. She throws the underwear behind her and kneels between Shaw’s thighs, pushing them apart and leaning forward to inhale more deeply. Her eyes flicker up to make eye contact with Shaw briefly, and Root is entranced by the unguarded look of desire on Shaw’s face.
Root blinks and closes the distance to Shaw’s cunt, running her tongue through the warm moisture there. She moans at the same time as Shaw, revelling in the taste. Her tongue explores deftly, Shaw’s hands burying in Root’s hair to encourage her on, groaning at the contact and pushing herself up and forwards.
Root toys with the idea of prolonging this, knowing she could drag Shaw’s orgasm from her kicking and screaming, knowing she could go get the knife and play, knowing she could tie Shaw to the bed and hurt her even as she begged for more. Instead she places two fingers at Shaw’s entrance and thrusts forward. Tonight, Root doesn’t want to wait for this, and judging by the noises Shaw is making, neither does she.
Root gives up licking Shaw out, wanting to watch as she fucks her. Her fingers move easily in and out of Shaw’s slick folds, and the smaller woman writhes beneath her, hips jumping as she tries to set the rhythm. Root ignores her movements, going slow, for a few moments enjoying how Shaw feels and chasing away the ghosts of her worries.
“Jesus Root…” Shaw whispers fiercely, breathing hard.
“Yes Sameen?” Root can’t help the faux innocent tone in her voice, it comes so naturally.
Shaw manages to scowl at her even in the midst of being fucked, until Root curls her fingers inside Shaw and her head drops back on to the bed with a moan. Root gives in then, and starts moving her fingers faster, thrusting as deep as she can and adding another finger for good measure. Shaw starts making the sounds that Root loves best, the ones that sound somewhere between a cry and a moan and send sparks of arousal dancing through her. Root feels hers panties get soaked and gives herself over to the movement of her fingers and arm, pounding into Shaw as fast as she can.
It doesn’t take long for Shaw to come, and Root can feel the tremors that take her from the inside. She pulls out slowly, and climbs along Shaw’s body, feeling the heat coming off her. Root presses her lips to Shaw’s shoulder, placing little kisses along the skin while Shaw recovers beneath her. It doesn’t take long though, before strong hands are running along her ass and back, sending shivers down her spine.
Root suddenly finds herself rolled onto her back, Shaw’s face a hair’s breath from her own. Her legs fall open of their own accord and Shaw’s body slots neatly between them. Shaw starts a rhythm with her hips, holding Root’s gaze all the while, until Root can’t stand the distance and pulls Shaw’s head down to meet her lips. Shaw allows it for a few moments, before pulling back with a grin that make Root’s heart trip. She finds her hands pinned to the bed either side of her head but doesn’t struggle. She wants Shaw to take her.
The feel of Shaw slowly moving between her legs is driving Root to distraction, her underwear an unwelcome barrier. She lets her hips match Shaw’s rhythm and is rewarded when Shaw starts thrusting harder, claiming Root’s lips again. Root moans into the kiss, her hands clenching into fists as the desire to grab onto Shaw takes hold.
It’s almost like Shaw can read her mind. Root’s hands are released a moment later, and Shaw leaves her lips swollen and sore, moving quickly down her body. Root lies back, eyes closed and gripping the sheets as her panties disappear and Shaw’s fingers tease her for a second, before thrusting into her hard.
Root cries out in pleasure and loses herself in the sensation of Shaw fucking her. She can feel an orgasm building almost immediately, she was already so close. She feels Shaw moving over her body, kissing, licking and biting, her fingers insistent and tireless.
“Open your eyes.” Shaw’s voice is closer than she would have thought, it catches her, snags her as she floats.
She opens her eyes and sees Sameen’s eyes staring down at her with such calmness, even as her fingers maintain a relentless pace. Root feels her eyes fill with salt water as she comes.
Shaw is lying next to her when she comes down, an arm casually slung over her stomach, Shaw’s head nestled by her shoulder. She can feel the wet streaks her tears have left, and swallows dryly. She doesn’t move for a while, letting her breathing return to normal. Shaw makes her come with such intensity, but Root feels more vulnerable right now than she can ever remember being. She pushes up from the bed without looking at Shaw, and makes her way to the shower naked. Shaw’s eyes never leave her back, she knows.
*******************
Shaw hears the water go on, and stretches. She was disappointed Root had walked off so fast, knowing her body could stand to go a round two. Maybe even three or four depending on how long they have to stay. It’s a way to forget anyway. Maybe solace too. Maybe the only way they can figure out to say to each other that they care and they don’t want things to change.
Shaw sighs and sits up. Root cried. She has no idea why. Crying has never happened to Shaw in a sexual situation before and she can’t figure out why Root would do it. Shaw gets up to find the whisky bottle they discarded earlier, pulling on the panties she finds on the floor of the room along the way. She settles into one of the armchairs and drinks, and thinks.
People cry when they’re sad, or hurt, or scared sometimes. And sometimes when they’re happy too, which doesn’t make sense but whatever. She figures Root wasn’t scared and she doesn’t know what could have hurt Root, certainly not Shaw, not then. Sad or happy then. That narrows it down helpfully. She leans back and puts her feet up on the table.
Root was either crying because she was happy and then got too embarrassed about it and walked off, or she was sad and walked off so she didn’t have to talk about it?
Shaw groans in frustration and takes another drink. The shower shuts off and she watches the bathroom door expectantly. Nothing happens for a little while and Shaw wonders if she should check or if Root’s just having some private time. Another couple of whiskies help her decide to go check.
She knocks on the door but it pushes open under her knuckles. The steam has mostly faded, but Root is standing in front of the sink with her hands on her basin. Shaw can see in the reflection of the cabinet mirror that Root’s eyes are closed.
“Root? You ok?” Shaw feels out of her depth for the first time in a long time.
She stands in the doorway, waiting, watching as Root’s eyes open and make contact with her own in the mirror. Shaw can’t read the expression, but it worries her. Root looks so tired. Shaw wonders if the Machine has been speaking to her, wonders what it’s been doing.
“Hey, Sameen.”
Even Root’s voice is subdued in an unsettling way.
Shaw looks down uncomfortably, finding it harder than it should be to hold Root’s gaze.
She looks up as Root moves, turning on the spot to face her. Shaw feels bad that her eyes can’t stop themselves giving naked Root a quick once over. She really is hot.
Root steps closer, and when Shaw looks, a small smile is gracing her features. It’s not big, but it reaches her eyes, and Shaw is grateful. Root comes close and bends down to kiss her, firmly but without the passion of their earlier kisses. Shaw likes it a lot and feels tension she didn’t even know was there dissipating. She feels Root take the whisky bottle from her hand and smiles into the kiss.
They break apart. Shaw doesn’t know what to do next.
“I’m gonna hop in the shower.”
Root nods and smiles, squeezing by to leave Shaw alone in the bathroom. Shaw rolls her eyes, whether at herself or Root she isn’t sure, and step into the shower.
The water feels good on her skin, though the shower products leave a little to be desired. She supposes you can’t complain about someone’s choice in toiletries when you’ve broken in though. Shaw feels restless still. A different restless than earlier, but more unsettled. Maybe the whole Samaritan thing is actually sinking in. She doesn’t know what Root’s got planned for them, but she trusts Root, and the Machine, to keep them all safe. Mostly.
She wonders what Finch and Reese are up to. Holed up somewhere in the city safely out of the cameras she guesses. Maybe tomorrow they’ll have to do some kind of rescue mission, break them out of a tight spot. Maybe shoot some Decima agents.
Shaw grins. She can get behind that scenario.
She turns the shower off and grabs the damp towel Root left hanging up, it being the only one in the room. Once dry-ish, Shaw slips back into her panties and wanders out into the main room. The lights are off and it takes a second for Shaw to adjust after the glare of the bathroom, but she makes out Root standing in front of the window, looking out. Shaw smiles at the fact that she’s still butt naked, hoping that means more...fun.
She walks over, making herself heard so as not to surprise Root. It’s only a few paces, small as this apartment is. Shaw puts one hand on Root’s hip, taking the near empty whisky bottle from her grasp to take a sip. Neither of them say anything for a while.
Shaw looks past Root and out the window, but can’t see anything except dark buildings and quiet roads.
“Is someone out there?” she asks, worried suddenly that Decima have tracked them down.
She feels, more than sees, Root shake her head. “No.”
“So what are you looking at?”
There’s no answer for a little bit, so Shaw amuses herself by running her free hand over Root’s body, trying to get a reaction. It’s actually kind of a surprise when Root talks.
“Not really looking, just thinking.”
Shaw thinks that’s all and is about to speak, when Root cuts in.
“Greer tried to recruit me you know. Thought I’d appreciate an ASI like Samaritan.”
Shaw didn’t know, but isn’t surprised.
“Well, if you’re a double agent, can I request that you fuck me one more time before you kill me?”
Root turns around this time, smirking. Shaw was actually serious, but it’s a relief to see Root smile.
“Don’t worry Sam, I’m still Team Machine.”
She reaches up to cup Shaw’s face, and pulls her in for a slow kiss. Shaw wraps her arm around Root’s waist, enjoying the feel of their skin pressing together. A familiar pulse starts between her legs as Root’s tongue finds hers, and long fingers bury themselves in her hair.
It feels like they kiss for a long time, and Shaw is weak at the knees when they part.
“I’ll definitely fuck you one more time before we leave though,” Root whispers.
Shaw smiles, breath coming a little faster than before. She kind of loves Root talking dirty. She wants to know first though, so she take a step back, bringing the whisky bottle up between them like a barrier.
“Before you do,” Shaw tries to keep from smiling too much at the way Root is looking at her right now, “I want you to tell me what’s going on.”
Root tilts her head, brow crinkling. “What’s going on?”
“Yeah, with you. You seem...I dunno, sad?” Shaw grimaces at the inadequacy, regretting starting the conversation already.
Root smiles a little smile. “I’m ok Sameen.”
She looks back up, looks right into Shaw’s eyes as though daring Shaw to say she’s lying.
“It’s just a little….bittersweet, I suppose. Samaritan is live, we’re in hiding, I’m not sure we can win and neither is She.” Root looks down at the floor, her voice getting quieter. “Miles to go before we sleep. And yet…”
“You don’t mean literal miles right? Cus I’m kinda beat…”
Root rolls her eyes and grabs the bottle from Shaw’s hand.
“It’s a…”
“Poem. Yeah I know. So shoot me for trying to lighten the mood. Jeez.”
Root takes a drink and throws Shaw a sardonic look, but Shaw thinks the mood is easier between them anyway. She refuses to hear the voice in her head that tells her she was afraid of what Root might say. Afraid that Root might say it was ok to die tomorrow if she got to spend tonight with Shaw. Afraid that she would think the same.
Root empties the bottle and drops it on the floor. They stand for a moment, on the brink of something, and then they come together once more, like falling is the easiest thing in the world.