#Colter Shaw fanfic

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Strings

Summary: The reader's been assigned to watch over Dory Shaw when she runs into trouble. But when her big brother, Colter, shows up in town, things in the case are about to take a dramatic turn...

Pairing: Colter Shaw x reader

Word Count: 5,100ish

Warnings: language, serial killers, drugging, smidge of violence, innuendoes galore, not so implied smutty times

A/N: Welcome to my first ever Colter one shot! Please enjoy and let me know what you think and if you want more Colter! 😊

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“So that’s the brother that does the reward thing you told me about?” Dory hummed beside you at your hightop, smirking at you. “What?”

“Nothing. You’ve only been drooling over him the past hour.” She gave her brother a wave from where he was getting the three of you refills at the bar. You scoffed, crossing your arms. “Defensive pose. I must be totally wrong, hm?”

“So what if he’s hot? I wasn’t drooling.” She shuddered. “You have hot brothers, Dory. Live with it. It’s a shame how you turned out. Your poor parents.”

“Screw you,” she said, flipping you off with a smile. You only grinned, stealing one of the cold fries from the basket before you. “I thought you swore off men anyways.”

“I swore off boys. Douchebags that don’t want commitment. Men? Men, I’m okay with.”

“Ain’t that the fucking truth,” she said, Colter wearing a pleasant smile as he returned with three bottles. 

“Ladies,” he said, setting one down in front of each of you before taking a seat. 

“So how long are you-” Dory groaned when he phone started to buzz. “Oh, come on. It’s fucking Hendricks.”

“Yikes,” you said, taking a sip as Colter frowned.

“Who’s Hendricks?” he asked, Dory answering and walking away to a quiet corner of the bar.

“The department chair. They’ve been having a problem with one of the professors and keep asking Dory to cover his night classes last minute,” you said. Colter frowned, keeping his thoughts to himself. Slowly you brought the lips of your ice cold bottle to your lips, taking a baby sip, Colter’s gaze on Dory’s agitated form. “What did you study in college?”

“I never went,” he said, Dory approaching again with her phone by her side. She gave you a look. She had to go. Colter picked up on it as she faced him, an apology in her eyes. He only softly returned a smile, hiding his disappointment well. “Go to work. I can stick around town a few days.”

“Really?” she asked, her voice so young sounding, a little girl’s spark in her eyes. 

“Of course, kiddo,” he said, handing her the black bag on the table belonging to her. “We’ll get dinner at your place tomorrow.”

“You’re serious? You’re not going to run off in the night?” He shook his head, hiding the flash of pain on his face. Dory only smiled, pecking a kiss on his temple. “Alright, I’ll text you later. Oh, and Y/N totally thinks you’re hot. Have fun!”

“Dorian!” you screeched at her as she happily scurried away, heading out the bar entrance. Your face felt hot as you turned back to Colter, he eyes suddenly narrowed. “Uh, she was just joking-”

“You have five seconds to explain who you are and why that man by the door followed her out. Five. Four,” he said, already getting to his feet. “Three-”

“Protective custody,” you grit out. Colter took two steps to be by your side, leaning down to your ear.

“How many are covering her?”

“Three at all times. One of us is always by her side. That call was a cover. She has to go into the agency for a debrief,” you said quietly. You felt his hot breath over the back of your neck, your skin prickling. “Back off, Shaw.”

“You’re going to tell me what’s going on, right now.” You growled, pushing out your seat and standing, forcing him to take a step back, if only so. 

“Not here.” You left without waiting for him, Colter right on your heels though. You stopped by your SUV in the parking lot, Colter crossing his arms. With a sigh, you put your hands on your hips. “You’re not going to let this go, are you.”

“The only reason I didn’t storm out after Dory is because I believe you. Now what is my kid sister involved in?” You shook your head, Colter tilting his own back. “I will not interfere but you need to tell me. Or else, I’ll go poking on my own and then I very well might end up interfering which you don’t want. Talk.”

“You would never risk putting her in danger so no, you won’t do anything. You are going to get in your truck, go sleep in your camper and tomorrow, hang out with your sister and me, her old friend from college that’s visiting until further notice. Got it?” you snapped. He looked you up and down, searching for a weapon maybe? He’d never find the small pistol in the back of your waistband though. “Shaw, I told you to go.”

“You need to be better at your job,” he said, reaching around his back and pulling our a small pistol. Your small pistol. Your hand shot to your back, now feeling very flat. 

“How-”

“I distracted you in the bar.” He flipped the gun around, holding the grip out to you. “I’m sure you know all about our family. If someone is after her, I can find them. You know I can.”

“You think you can do a better job than the FBI?” you scoffed, taking your weapon back. He shrugged. It was maybe a sliver of cocky but you knew he had the record to back it up. 

“I think if you don’t find this guy soon, the case will go cold and the FBI will not waste so many agents time. You’ve probably got what, a team of seven people covering her?”

“Four now,” you mumbled, his eyes flashing wide for a brief moment. “Maybe a few agents have been pulled the past few days but we wouldn’t leave her to fend for herself.”

“How long before that team drops to two? To one? Before they force her into witness protection or this bastard finds her first?” You tucked your gun away, Colter tilting his head to the side. “You know what’s going to happen? You’re going to be the last agent left and either you both get killed, you do and she goes into witness protection or she does and you have to live with the fact you failed her. You seem capable of defending her but if this person is as dangerous as you make it seem, you are going to need all the help you can get.”

“Go to your camper,” you said, opening the drivers door, Colter making a face. “I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”

“Cozy,” you said, stepping into the airstream forty minutes later. You’d changed into a pair of jeans and an oversized hoodie from college. Colter pouted from the kitchenette area, nodding to the table. You tucked yourself in along with your backpack, tugging out your laptop and files before he set a beer down in front of you. “I ordered us a pizza. Should be here soon. You’re paying.”

“Of course I am,” he said, taking the seat across, spinning your folders around and opening one as you got your computer booted up. He barely glanced at the thing before you felt his heated stare. You met it quickly, Colter pointing a finger to a picture on the page. “A suspected serial killer? Seriously?”

“She saw him drug a woman at a bar. Gave a good description to locals, it flagged in our system. Two days later, someone broke into her house. Luckily for your sister, she was covering a lecture that night and wasn’t home.” He ran a hand over his face, closing his eyes. “I know. She’s his next target. Good news is we know what he looks like and have a name. Bad news-”

“Twelve years and he hasn’t been caught?” said Colter. He grabbed his beer, tightening his grip around it but not drinking. Yet. He steadied himself, breathing deeply. “When do you lose sight of him normally?”

“He’s not shy. After a kill, he sticks around the area for a day or so. We get footage of him at coffee shops, stores. We’ll track him to bus stations and then we lose him.”

“He doesn’t take the bus?” You shook your head. Colter pursed his lips, flipping through the pages of your files. “You think he changes appearance in station bathrooms and sneaks out with the crowd?”

“That is the agency’s working theory,” you said, Colter giving you his attention. You were no stranger to working under scrutiny but his intense stare made you feel like you were back in the academy on your first day.

“You disagree with that.” You nodded, turning your computer around, his eyes darting around the screen, pondering the data. “Huh. You think he uses the station as a cover and heads into the sewer system through maintenance.”

“I have…been told this is impossible and there’s no way he has done this in eleven separate cities and no one has been the wiser.” You took the computer back, Colter flipping up a page. “It doesn’t matter. We need-”

“It does and I agree with you. He always goes into the station wearing gray trousers, black boots and a black hoodie. That could easily be covering a maintenance jumpsuit that he uses to gain access and then escape without watchful eyes.”

“But it tells us nothing about where he might be now,” you said. Colter smirked, finally taking a sip of his beer. “I know what you’re thinking but countless stores sell basic jumpsuits.”

“You’re right. But if I were him, I wouldn’t want to get behind the wheel of a car smelling like crap while I get out of town. Now this guy is tall, right? He’s not going to want to walk more than a few miles at most hunched over in a sewer. Let me see your computer.” 

You slid it over, Colter pulling up a map of the city, dropping a pin on the bus station. He typed something and then his phone was ringing, Colter muttering something to someone named Bobby before he hung up. A few seconds passed before he smiled, turning it back to you, a giant red circle on the screen.

“People would notice if a guy came in stinking to a hotel or motel. My best bet, he has a hideaway somewhere in that perimeter. My guy is looking into foreclosures, rentals, abandoned properties. We’ll hear back soon.”

“You could be wrong. You’re making a pretty big assumption based on the fact the guy wouldn’t want to sit in his own stench.” Colter shrugged, holding up his hands.

“I might be. Or I might be right. What’s the harm in looking?” You sat back, crossing your arms, glancing out his wide back window to the darkness beyond.

“I’m meant to be Dory’s handler. I sleep in her house, I am by her side almost twenty four seven. I cannot spend time kicking down doors and I won’t be able to get my boss to approve more field agents to go off on a wild goose chase.” Colter cocked his head, licking his lips. “What?”

“You already figured all this shit out about the perimeter on your own,” he said, leaning forward. You sighed, Colter shaking his head. “They turned you down when you brought it up.”

“Like I said, I’ve been told it’s impossible.” You grabbed your beer, picking at the paper label. “I was the junior lead on the case. I was demoted to protective services when I presented my idea. I was told it was childish and clearly I was not ready for difficult case work. If I go off on my own and they find out, I’m fired.”

“Then we won’t let them find out,” he said. “I have an idea.”

“Well that was mortifying,” you said twenty minutes later after hanging up the phone, Colter smirking from the drivers seat. “Oh, shut up. It was your shitty idea.”

“They seem to have bought it,” he said, still smiling as you glared. “You do this thing with your nose when you get embarrassed.”

You flipped him off, Colter chuckling before heading down the road out of the parking lot and towards the perimeter circle form the bus station. 

“I can’t believe I asked for a night off for a fake date with you,” you mumbled, pressing your fingers to your temple and rubbing.

“Well you were drooling over me at the bar and your little agent friend and Dory seeing it certainly helped.” You smacked his arm, Colter feigning pain. 

“First off, I did not drool. Second, you are objectively attractive and I allowed to appreciate good looking men. Third, you are lucky I’m overworked and my boss was happy I’m taking some time off to recharge.”

“I’m pretty sure I heard your partner say they wished you a happy trip to pound town tonight.” You growled audibly, Colter laughing to himself. 

“One more word and I will arrest you, Shaw,” you said. He held up his hands, that stupid smile still on his face. “Don’t be cocky.”

“Interesting choice of words.” 

“Someone kill me now,” you muttered, crossing your arms over your chest, your vest heavy underneath your hoodie.

“Seriously though, thank you for doing this with me. It’s a lot safer having backup,” he said. You nodded, knowing fully well that if you did find your killer, tonight was most likely your last night as an agent.

“Yeah well…I’m only letting you do this because Dory told us all about how you were raised. You can handle yourself if it comes down to it.” The air was quiet, the jovialness slipping away with a single breath.

“I’m sorry you were laughed out of the room,” he said, turning down a quiet street. “We might not be right but it’s worth investigating.”

“They were looking for any excuse to move me down the ladder after my boss’ son started in the office. He took my old job the little shit,” you said. “Straight out of the academy, never even seen a dead body and he’s working a damn serial killer case.”

“I see you hold no resentment,” he said. You rolled your eyes, Colter clearing his throat. “For what it’s worth, I’d rather have the woman that gives more of a shit about my sister than her job than have the nepo baby ridin’ shotgun.”

“So you know I’ll probably lose my job tonight,” you said, Colter humming. “I won’t if we don’t find the guy.”

“We both know odds are good we’ll find him,” he said, sparing you a look when you stopped a red. He had a look of…softness, a sad smile there. “Thank you for protecting her.”

“Well, at least I won’t have to look at nepo baby’s stupid face anymore. He looks like a smug little prick,” you said. 

“Is he good looking?”

“God no. Ugly as sin like his dad.” Colter chuckled, a quiet one leaving your lips.

“Looks like you got an upgrade then,” he said. “Even if you do drool.”

“Just shut up and drive, Shaw.”

Three hours and twenty eight minutes later, you were staring at the ceiling of a rental house, blood dripping down from your temple from where you’d been pistol whipped in the face. Your body told you to make sound, move, call out for Colter who was at the front of the house. But your lungs weren’t working, the breath knocked out of you.

A dark shadow leered down at you, his eyes narrowed.

“Little miss roommate,” he said, squatting down, pushing the gun that’d fallen from your hands away. He cocked his head, resting a hand over your throat, stopping you from getting the air you desperately needed. He squeezed harder, pushing up your hoodie with the other one, tsking when he saw your vest. “Come on, sweetie. Look at me. Get a real good look at me, Y/N.”

He let you get a rush of air in your lungs as your eyes drifted over. The man looked slightly off somehow as he reached behind his neck. There was a sound of rubber as a synthetic mask was ripped off, a sweaty face appearing underneath that made your eyes go wide. He spun the mask around before setting it down beside him, fixing his hair as he applied more pressure again.

“I know you have questions,” he tutted, patting your face as you squeezed his wrist. “Come on, really?”

 Something sharp pricked your shoulder, a syringe pulled back as you felt your limbs get heavy. He backed off with choking you at least when all you could do was manage a limp grasp of him. 

“That’s better,” he said. “So I-”

He went down the ground hard, Colter standing over his prone form, eyes shooting to you. “He stabbed you with a sedative because this sick fuck likes his victims to be awake. You should be okay.”

“Nepo baby,” you mumbled, Colter tilting his head like he heard you wrong. “Him. Nepo baby.”

Colter got him restrained and tied to a nearby radiator before helping you sit up against the wall. He was shoving a cup of coffee in your hand by the time your attacker was waking up, your body heavy but a few sips of the scalding hot liquid had you feeling a tiny bit better.

“Good morning,” said Colter, his voice way, way darker than you thought it could go. Franklin was fully awake now and staring at you. “I interrupted your monologue before. How rude of me. Continue.”

“I ain’t saying shit-” he said, cutting himself off when Colter pressed the cold barrel of his gun right in Franklin’s crotch. 

“It probably won’t kill you but you’re going to think of me every time you take a piss the rest of your life. So, I’d take a second and really think about the next words out of your mouth because you’ve tried to kill my sister and you’ve tried to kill my friend over there and I am more than happy to pull this trigger if you don’t tell us everything. Now.”

Franklin slammed his head back against the wall, muttering curses to himself.

“His name is Franklin,” you said, forcing yourself to chug back the coffee.

“Franklin,” sang song Colter, his hand grasping Franklin’s chin. “You have three seconds before I start shooting off body parts. Three. Two-”

“I did it! All of it. My dad found out and…”

“Fuck. He protected you,” you spit out. 

“You figured out where I hid so he made you a laughing stock, got you demoted for being crazy. We knew we had to get rid of you so we…set up a failed job. I picked the blonde girl cause I thought she was pretty-”

Colter pressed his gun down hard, Franklin making a guttural sound in response.

“Keep talking,” Colter snarled. Franklin caught his breath, closing his eyes.

“He put you on protective detail and I was going to lay low until he pulled the whole detail except for you and the blonde girl. I was going to make it look like I got the jump on you before I played with the blonde…and you…before I…” he trailed off.

“Play with the blonde? With Y/N?” growled Colter. “That’s my baby sister. That’s my friend.”

“Walk away, Colter,” you said, forcing yourself to your feet. You swiped the gun from his hand and sat down in a nearby chair, aimed at Franklin. Colter didn’t move though, his body like solid steel. “Colter.”

He forced himself away, breathing hard and putting his back to Franklin. You imagined you looked like shit. Your head was pounding and you felt like going to sleep and running a marathon at the same time.

“I want you to call my old partner, Denny Piplin. Tell him everything. He has friends in high places and will make sure a trusted agent is watching Dory when shit goes down in that office.” You handed him your phone, Colter’s eyes darting around your face. “I’m fine.”

“You’re bleeding,” he said, taking the phone. After a moment, his jacket was pressed against your head, his strong hand holding it there as he flipped through your phone contacts. “You need a hospital.”

“I’ll go when this bastard is behind bars,” you said, lifting your chin at Franklin. “And you over there? You don’t make a sound, move a muscle, or else I give him back the gun and let him do whatever the hell he wants with it.”

You swore Franklin didn’t move a millimeter for the next hour while you waited for agents to arrive. An ambulance showed up as they escorted him out to the back of a car, driven away to the field office most likely. You got lucky and your cut looked worse than it was thankfully.

“Hey,” said Colter, taking a seat next to you on the front steps of the house. 

“Hey,” you said, holding an icepack to your head. He shifted and you felt his fingers brush yours, holding the pack in place for you so you could lower you arm. You sleepily smiled at him, Colter returning it. “Were you really going to shoot his balls and dick off?”

“Would you think less of me if the answer was yes?” You shook your head, resting it against his shoulder. “How long until the sedative wears off?”

“A few hours they think. How’s Dory?”

“Fine. She’s back home. Some agents are going to spend the night with her. You old partner picked them himself.”

“Good. Denny’s a good guy,” you said, shivering when a gust of wind caught you. Colter shrugged out of his only slightly bloody jacket, wrapping it around your shoulders. “You were laying it on kind of thick in there with the ‘you hurt my friend’ schtick, you know.”

“It wasn’t a schtick. He was going to do vile things to you too. That pissed me off.” 

“Still, you didn’t have to…” you stopped talking when he sat you upright, his eyes darting to your lips.

“There you go, doing that thing with your nose again,” he said, cupping your cheek. “You deserve to protected too, even if you are a badass, got it?”

You nodded, Colter smiling. “Good girl.”

“You think just because you saved me, you get to kiss me?”

“No, I think I get to kiss you because you think I’m objectively attractive.” 

“Shut up, Shaw,” you said, brushing your lips against his as you heard a squeal nearby that made you both flinch.

“Aha! I so knew you two were into each other!” said Dory, suddenly standing there with Denny trailing behind. “You guys were so eye fucking each other at the bar.”

“Dorian,” groaned Colter as Denny shook his head and came over, giving you a big hug.

“She’s right, he is cute,” he chuckled, earning a slap on the back from you. “What’d I tell you when I retired? Stay out of trouble. What’d you go and do?”

“It wasn’t my fault I’m smart,” you said, a wave of fatigue rolling over you. Colter placed a hand on your back when you wobbled. 

“We need to get her somewhere she can sleep this off,” he said.

“Come on kid, the guest room is all made up.” You were about to protest that he should stay with Dory when Denny cut you off. “I’m sure Colter can handle it. You can see them in the morning.”

“Fine,” you grumbled, both men helping you stand and over to Denny’s truck. They shared a word in private after getting you inside, your eyes drifting shut now that you were in the nice warm cabin.

“Y/N,” said Denny with the thud of a car door. You hummed, not bothering to even look at him. “You need anything?”

“I wouldn’t say no to food truck tacos before I pass out,” you said. 

“That’s my old partner,” he chuckled. “Let’s get you some dinner.”

Two Days Later

“Hey,” you said when Colter pulled up outside Denny’s place in his truck. Between countless meetings at the office, you hadn’t been able to catch up with him and Dory yet. You didn’t miss the way your stomach did a small flutter at seeing him again.

“Y/N,” he said with a subtle smile, walking around the truck, stopping where you were washing your dirt bike at the end of the driveway. “You trail ride?”

“Denny got me into it when I first got paired up with him years ago. He let’s me keep my gear in his garage. I think I might take a trip, hit some trails I always wanted to.” Colter nodded, biting his bottom lip. “Dory told you I quit?”

“Yeah. Not that I blame you,” he said. You wiped off the frame with a towel, Colter picking up the spare nearby and getting the wheel spokes for you. “I was thinking of heading over towards Park City.”

“For a job?” you asked. 

“Play,” he said, standing and handing you the towel. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets, cocking his head and doing that little shrug again. “I’m pretty decent at mountain biking myself you know.”

“Oh, are you?” you said, crossing your arms.

“He’s flirting, moron,” said Denny as he passed you on the way to the mailbox. You shot him your best bitch face, Colter stifling a laugh as Denny returned with a package and some mail in hand. “She’d love to go.”

“Denny! He could be a serial killer!” Denny ignored you, looking over Colter. 

“She’s never been good with boys you have to understand. Always ends up with duds,” he said, Colter nodding with a smirk. “Little bit of a workaholic this one. Probably a good fit for you though. Take her on one of those reward jobs when you two are done with the mountains.”

“Angela!” you shouted, Denny’s wife popping her head up where she worked in the flowerbed by the front of your house.

“Oh he has a point, honey. You are awful with men.” 

“I should have let Franklin kill me,” you muttered, rubbing your temples. Denny dodged your attempt at smacking his arm, laughing as he ran back towards the house. Your face was hot when you found Colter’s cheeky smile. “Let me guess. I’m doing the thing with my nose again.”

“So what if you are?” he teased, looking down at your bike, nodding his head. “If it makes you feel better, I’m pretty awful with women too.”

“I imagine it’s hard to do the relationship thing with a job like yours.” 

“Yeah,” he said quietly, pursing his lips. “We could just…go have some fun for a week. No strings.”

“Is that what you want? No strings?” you asked. For the first time, you noticed a small flush to his cheekbones, his eyes intense as they met yours. “So you can get flustered. Good to know.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, hiding his shyness behind a cocky smile. 

“Answer the question, Shaw.” He looked up and then over your head.

“I wouldn’t…mind strings…with the right person if that makes sense.” 

“You two can take down a serial killer but you can’t ask each other out? No wonder your generation is screwed,” said Denny, going past again with a dirty car mat in hand. 

“You, quiet,” you said, pointing at him when he flipped you off. “You, Shaw. Park City. Whoever gets down the mountain fastest pays for dinner. Then you take me a reward job and by the end of all that, I think we’ll know how we want things to proceed, got it?”

“Yes ma'am.”

Two Weeks Later

“What are you giggling at?” you asked Colter. He chuckled underneath you in the airstream bed, his arm tightening over your waist. “Are you a giggly cuddler? Is this what I’m discovering?”

“I’m just thinking Dory’s never going to let us live this down when we tell her,” he said, pushing down the sheet on your back to trace up and down your exposed spine.

“I know,” you sighed. “How will she ever live with the fact you’re slow as fuck down a mountain?”

He gently smacked your ass, pointing a finger when you grinned. “You cheated.”

“You’re a sore loser,” you said, his hand brushing the hair out of your face, thumbing over your mostly healed mark on your temple. Your chin rested on his chest, Colter continuing to stroke over the faded scar. “If you’re thinking of telling Dory about us, does that mean you want me to stay?”

“I like the strings,” he said quietly, his warm hands traveling up and down the sides of your body. “This is what it’s like. A job, downtime, a job, downtime. S’all I know.”

“I get that,” you said, lowering your eyes to his chest. “It’s easy to get wrapped up in the job and forget to have a life.”

“Why’d you really quit? They would have promoted you back up I’m sure,” he said.

“They broke my trust. The only person that had my back was you.” He tipped his head forward, kissing your forehead. “I want to stay.”

“Well that’s good considering I wasn’t letting you go.” You smiled when he tucked your hair behind your ear. “So. Ladies choice. We take another job we don’t yet have or we head over to Washington, hit some trails, maybe I show you some rock climbing basics. Or we stay here in bed until further notice.”

“Such hard choices,” you said, Colter grinning and shifting his leg so you felt him poking you in the thigh. You sat upright, narrowing your eyes. “If you make a hard joke, I swear-”

“You’ll what?” he teased, flipping you around, body hovering over yours. You frowned up at him, Colter kissing the tip of your nose. “So you don’t want the bed option?”

“Don’t put words in my mouth, Shaw.” He raised his eyebrows, a dark smirk on his lips that had your hand flying to his mouth. “Do not say it you filthy gutter mind. Nothing in my mouth. Got it?”

“You make it so easy though,” he chuckled, burrowing his face in your neck, kissing under your jaw. You purred, Colter humming. “That’s my girl.”

“Bed. Washington. Job. How’s that sound?”

“Sounds like you like the strings too,” he mumbled trailing his hand down between your bodies. “I can’t blame you. You do drool over me.”

“Why don’t you shut that mouth of yours, Shaw and put it to better use?” you said, slipping your hands to his hips. 

“Whatever you say, beautiful.”

____________

A/N: Let me know what you thought and if you'd like to see more Colter x reader stuff in the future!

[marvelwitchergilmore]

One Number Away

Summary: Colter Shaw x Fe!Reader -> Yourself and Colter have known each other for a long time, however when Colter says something he can't regret, you're both forced to live with the consequences.

Disclaimer: 18+ MDNI. This post contains Smut. Light swearing. Fluff. Angst. (I have not finished Tracker yet, but I wish to write a story for him) Not Proof Read.

God, he was so stupid. 

“I could have told you that.” 

Colter turned his head and found;

“Reenie.”

She smiled at him, taking a seat beside him before ordering a cup of coffee, decaf. 

“How did you know where to find me?”

“Well, considering she’s probably at the only nice bar in town, you’d be in the place furthest from her because, like you said, you’re an idiot.”

“I said I was stupid.”

Reenie just gave him a look. 

“Okay, fair enough.”

“So, what did you do?”

“How do you know I did something?”

Reenie thanked the waitress before adding in her cream and sugar. “Because she called me and told me what happened.”

“So then why are you asking me?”

“Because I want to see if you know why you’re an idiot.”

Colter sighed. He should have known. 

It was a few hours ago, but it somehow felt like it was getting fresher and fresher inside of him. 

Colter had been working his case in town when he ran into you and asked for your help. Not that he needed much of it, but he enjoyed your company and two sets of eyes were better than one. 

It was at this time he came to find out what you had been doing since he last saw you. It wasn’t often you both got to meet up, but when you did it was like no time had passed. And yet, a lot of time had passed. 

You had been given a promotion at work, you had bought a home with a covered porch like you had always wanted, and you…were seeing someone. 

Over the course of the next few days, Colter had a few run ins with this certain someone and he couldn’t shake the odd feelings in his stomach. They were like a mixture of protection, jealousy, confusion, and a couple of others he couldn’t put a name to. 

If their first meeting had been icy, their second had been practically frozen in the Ice Age. Colter thought for a moment, stupidly, that you hadn’t noticed. However, the minute your…boyfriend? stood and kissed you goodbye, Colter felt his hand twitch and his back straighten, and walked out of the door, you turned towards him. 

“You can’t even pretend to like him?”

“I do like him!” Colter was lying through his teeth. 

Rick, your…boyfriend’s name, was a decent enough guy, but Colter couldn’t shake his feelings. The confusing pang of growing jealousy in his gut, and the knowledge that, from his point of view, you were way out of Rick’s league. 

And this all came to a head just a few hours earlier. 

“What?”

“What?” Colter replied. 

“I can hear your judgement in the silence. What is it? Colter, if you have something you want to say, just come out and say it.”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Colter.”

“Did anyone ever tell you you’d be a scary teacher?”

“Yeah, you. All the damn time.” You laughed a little. “Colter, please. Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

He knew that much was true. Ever since you first met he’d felt like he could tell you anything. Of course, he still kept some things secret, but if he was ever going to spill them to someone, it would be to you. Colter liked you, but above all, he trusted you. 

And that wasn’t something he admitted lightly. 

Which was why, considering you were one of the few people in this world who he could call his friend, he told you the truth. 

It just didn’t happen to come out the way he wanted it to. 

“He’s not good enough for you.”

Or maybe it did. He just didn’t want it to come out…all the way he wanted. 

“Excuse me?”

“I didn’t mean that.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I just meant…” Colter sighed. “He’s good. He’s a decent guy, but he’s not…”

“Not…what?” You searched his face. “Not macho enough? Not smart enough? Not kind enough? Not able to quote some shitty movie off by heart? What? What is he not?”

“Forget I said anything.”

You hurried after him. “No, no. Go on, go ahead. What is it? Because I like him, shouldn’t that be enough.”

“You’re right. It is enough.”

“Not according to you.”

Colter said your name, but you wanted an answer. 

“No, come on. Tell me. What could possibly be wrong with him?”

Turning around quickly, Colter faced you. “You’re too good for him. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but he’s not good enough for you. All your life, you said you wanted to laugh. You wanted someone who you could laugh with and be-be-be yourself with.” Colter said your name once more. “In the last few days, when you’re with him, you barely laugh. Sure you smile and you chuckle once in a while, but you don’t laugh. Does he even know you? Like actually know you?”

“What? Like you do?”

Colter couldn’t help it but he nodded. 

You laughed. But it wasn’t a happy one. 

“Colter. You can’t be serious.”

“What if I am?”

That was when you straightened and your gaze hardened as you looked at Colter. “There is more to life than just laughing. Rick, he makes me happy. You know nothing of my life, Colter. We see each other less than six times a year and you can’t just waltz in here-”

“Didn’t think I could waltz.”

“And act as if you know everything about me, because you don’t. Or you would see that Rick is more than just “a nice guy” or whatever you called him. So maybe we don’t laugh, but he does make me smile, and at least he’s here.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You know what it means, Colter.”

“Do I?”

Somehow, your gaze hardened a little more and Colter took a small step back. He knew exactly what you meant. 

Nothing had ever actually happened between either of you, but you made a clear point to him. It was at the end of these meetings that he left. For the next state, the next job, the next adventure, the next trail. 

“You deserve better,” Colter told you. “Someone more than Rick.”

“Who? Like you?”

That struck Colter because…

Because…

He wanted to say…

Yes. 

You scoffed a little, crossing your arms and taking your gaze from his for a moment to look at your feet. “You are…unbelievable. You’re not my boyfriend, or partner, Colter. You don’t get a say in who I deserve.”

Colter was fixed on the spot. 

“Come and find me when you want to apologise.”

Walking past him, you unlocked your car and soon drove away, leaving him standing beside his truck in the car park. 

“Yep.” Reenie said, turning to bring her legs under the counter. “I’m on her side.”

“I’m on her side, too.”

“And you’re an idiot.”

“And I’m an idiot.”

Reenie took a sip of her coffee then placed the cup down. “So, what are you going to do?”

“She doesn’t want to see me.”

“Colter, you two have been friends for years. And knowing her, she won’t throw that friendship away over one stupid fight.”

“I don’t know, Reenie. Maybe there isn’t a way of coming back from this.”

“Of course there is. You apologise.” Reenie told him. “It’s that simple. Hell, she even told you so.”

“But what if I’m not sorry?” Colter asked. “I’m sorry that we had the fight, but I’m not sorry for what I said. She does deserve better.”

Then Reenie said something that shocked Colter. 

She agreed with him. 

“You do?”

“Of course I do. I like Rick, he’s a good guy. But she doesn’t…light up, the same way. She’s happy, but she’s not…her fully.”

“See, if we can see it, why can’t she?”

“Then show her.”

“I did.”

“No,” Reenie shook her head. “You told her. You told her that she’s not happy with him.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Maybe, but that isn’t what she heard. You told her she’s not laughing and that she’s not herself. Show her that she deserves butterflies and tell her the truth.”

“Butterflies?”

Reenie nodded. “Butterflies.”

“But-”

“No. No buts. I’ve had to watch this long enough. Colter, tell her how you feel. Before it’s too late. Don’t be an idiot.”

Colter didn’t have to be told twice. 

By the time he pulled up outside of your house, Colter was shocked. 

You were home. 

You were meant to be on a date.

But Rick’s car wasn’t parked outside. 

And from what he could see, you were home alone. 

So, before he began to border on ‘stalker’, Colter got out of his car and knocked on the door. 

When you heard the knock, you checked your doorbell camera. 

Colter called out your name. “I know you’re home! I-I just want to talk, please.”

Walking from your kitchen and through your living room, you looked at Colter through the small window pane of glass before unlocking the door. 

“What?”

“Can we talk?”

You took a moment before opening up the door and letting him inside. He might have pissed you off, but there was no point in making him freeze himself outside whilst letting the heat out of your house to talk. 

“Thank you.”

“Okay. What?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m glad you’re apologising.”

“But I’m not sorry for what I said.”

You scoffed. “Of course.”

Turning around, you walked back into your kitchen with Colter quickly following you. 

“I know you’re mad at me and maybe I shouldn’t have said what I did, but I am sorry that we had a fight over it. And I’m sorry that you’re mad at me and that I upset you. Believe me, I didn’t intend for it to come out like that but-”

“But you’re not sorry for what you said.”

“You deserve so much more.”

“Well, you’ll be pleased to know that he ended things with me, so it looks like I don’t even have that now.”

“What?”

“Rick.” You told him. “He saw us, today, in the parking lot. And in some way or another, he took our fight as proof that you had feelings for me and that I reciprocated them. I did try to tell him the truth but it seemed that his mind was made up.”

“I’m…sorry.”

“Oh, now he’s sorry.”

“I am. I might not have liked him but he’s an idiot for letting you go.”

“So are you,” you said. “An idiot, I mean.”

“No, you’re right.”

“What?”

“You’re right. I am an idiot. I’m an idiot for letting you go.”

You couldn’t help but laugh. “Colter, whatever you’re getting at…don’t bother. Just…go home and get some sleep.”

“No, I need to tell you. I should have told you. Years ago, in fact.”

“Colter.”

“I like you, y/n. Better yet, I trust you. Which is why I’m telling you the truth and if you want to never see me again after I tell you, then I will respect your decision. Hell, you can tell Reenie everything and give her permission to taunt me about it for the rest of my life.”

“Colter, go home.”

“I was an ass today.”

“Bit of an understatement.”

Colter chuckled. “I was a real ass today.”

“Better.”

“And I should have told you sooner. Rick is a good guy but the fact that he let you go without even so much as a fight makes him, possibly, a much bigger idiot than I am. But I don’t want to be like him. I don’t want to let you go. And if he knew what was good for him, he would be here saying the same thing.”

“But he’s not.”

“But he’s not.” Colter repeated. “One of the first things I noticed about you was your laugh. How, even at the smallest things, you could laugh and light up a whole room. All you had to do was smile at someone and anyone in a ten mile radius could see you had helped brighten their day. You are kind, and genuine and deserve so much more than just “a nice guy”. You deserve the world and you deserve someone who wants to see you and hear you laugh. You deserve someone who’s willing to fight for you and know that they’d be an idiot if they let you just walk away.”

“What are you saying, Colter?”

“I’m saying…I know I might not be everything. But I’m asking you to give me a chance. Let me fight for you. I’m willing to try and be everything that you want, as well as what you need.”

“Colter…”

“All I’m asking for is a chance, because it has been killing me all week, watching you sit and smile and be happy when I have seen you light up at just seeing someone smile at someone else. It’s been killing me watching you hold his hand and let him kiss you and-”

Colter felt the air being kicked out of his lungs by his heart as your lips made contact with his. 

Pulling at his jacket, you wretched him in closer to you, feeling his body heat warm yours despite how warm your house already was. 

Colter whispered your name, your kiss like a drug pulling him back for more. 

“Wait, I-I need to know something first.”

“What-”

“Would you have broken it off? Maybe not tonight, but would you have done?”

“Yes.” 

You answered truthfully. Despite how much Colter had pissed you off when he said what he did, it made you think. Which only annoyed you more considering the fact that he was right. With Rick…you didn’t laugh. Well, you did. But not like you did with your friends, or your family or even Colter. Your smile wasn’t as bright as it usually was, and in complete honesty, when you were with Rick, it felt like you had to remain on your best behaviour. But there was one difference. Rick was here. You had seen him more in the space of four months than you had done with Colter in almost six years. And despite that…he didn’t know you. You thought back to all the times when Rick had ordered you coffee, instead of tea. And when he bought Sour Cream and Onion chips when they were your least favourite and how, in spite of how wonderful he could be, he never thought to ask you where your favourite place was to eat.  

Maybe it was from his training, but half of these facts, you didn’t even have to tell Colter. He just seemed to know. He noticed you, in a way unlike anyone else ever had. And that’s what you liked about him. He was thoughtful and respectful and took time to notice what was around him, whether it was out of habit or not. Either way, he noticed. He saw what was right in front of him. 

And he saw you. 

And he saw his mistake. 

Hence why

He was right in front of you. 

“Maybe not tonight, but…yes. You made me think and you were right. We didn’t laugh. I didn’t laugh. What? What is it?”

“Am I dead or did you just say that I’m right?”

You rolled your eyes. “Shut up.”

“No, no. I, please, repeat it.”

With a small groan, you did. “You were right.”

“Oh, I wished I had a camera.”

“Just shut up and kiss me.”

“I’d be an idiot not to.”

“Yes, you would.”

“And she agrees with me?” Colter fayned shock. 

You laughed. 

“Like music to my ears.”

Smiling, Colter brought his lips to yours in, what started out soft and sweet, turned hot and heavy. 

Your hands stripped of his jacket, he walked you backwards into the kitchen counter. Once you hit something solid, Colter finally leaned into you more, bringing one hand from your hip to jaw whilst he parted your legs easily with his knee. 

One of his hands pulled you flush against him and a small moan developed at the back of your throat which caused more than one thing to happen to Colter. 

“Which way is the-”

“That way.”

With one smooth move, you were in the air, shortly wrapping your legs around Colter, your hands by his neck. 

Though neither of you made it to the stairs before Colter had you pinned against a wall, his hands trailing down your body before bringing your wrists above your head. From there, with a wicked smile, his lips, teeth and tongue traced down your jaw and the column of your throat. 

“C-Colter.”

With one hand locking your wrist above your head, his other hand came under your ass, kneading and grabbing just enough to border on desperate.

He whispered your name as his mouth left his marks across your collarbone. Some would be left deep enough that even in a week's time, you could still see the memory. 

“Colter?” You tried to get his attention, but even your whispered voice couldn’t break out of the dizziness that came with his kiss. 

“Colter?”

“Mmh?”

“Bedroom. Now.”

Within what felt like an instant and a lifetime, Colter’s foot swung behind him, closing your bedroom door firmly with a small click before he lowered you onto the bed. 

Leaning over you, he made slow yet light work or trailing his mouth after his fingers as they worked down from your lips, to your jaw, neck and collar bone. 

Cupping around you, Colter’s hands met the zip of your top and began to pull it down and, as it came loose, so was he. 

Pulling your top from you, you did the same for him. Feeling his skin, warm and smooth, if a little grained by the multiple scars covered his back and part of his mid-drift. 

All the while, his hands slowly slid up your calf and down your thigh, hooking your skirt and dragging it down your body all the whilst his lips were getting closer and closer to your navel, giving your lungs a little breather for a short lived moment. 

His mouth was soon back on yours as his hands skimmed around your boob, cupping and swiping as you arched into him. 

Before long, his hand slowly trailed down your body leaving gooseflesh in its wake as hooked a single finger around the waistband of your underwear and began to trail his mouth back down your body, licking and teasing you all the way down. 

His mouth remained around one of your boobs, sucking and licking whilst his hand came back up a little to pull you against him at the waist. 

You moaned his name time and time again, as he did with you. 

Leaving his mark once again, just under your breast, his hand snaked down your back and over the curve of your ass, squeezing just as he pressed a kiss to your navel. 

He could feel the heat of you in his palm as he graced over you. Your back, with minimal contact, arched towards him. His mouth getting closer, made sure to leave a mark on either side of your hip bones, trailing to where your body was calling out for him the most. 

You swallowed thickly before Colter’s hand moved towards your core. He was yet to remove your underwear, using the friction of the fabric to be even more wicked. 

Three intricate swirls, a buck of your hips and one breathy laugh from Colter was almost enough to send you over the edge. 

“You’re dripping.”

With small kisses, Colter slowly made his way down, over the outside of your underwear before pushing them aside and taking you in. 

His tongue rough, he licked from your core with a groan before swirling around your clit, keeping his pace slow enough to both satisfy you and torture you. 

You moaned, and moaned again. His name comes from your lips time and time again. 

“Aahh,” 

His tongue got deeper within your core whilst his hands trailed up your body and rolled and flicked at your nipple. 

With his other hand, and his mouth sucking on your clit, he eased one finger inside of you. Your walls pulsated around him enough to make his dick harder than it already was. 

Coaxing you, he soon curled and entered a second finger, however, in a moment they disappeared, as did his mouth. 

A slightly disappointed and confused noise made its way out of your throat but was quickly replaced with a moan of pleasure when Colter finally removed your soaked underwear and tossed it aside, allowing himself greater access to you. 

Two fingers entered inside of you at once, curling up. His thumb circled your clit for a short moment before it was replaced with his mouth, sucking and rolling and licking and swirling at you to your core. 

“Aahh, ahh, ahhh, C-colt-Colter. I think I’m gonna- Ohh, ohhhh, ohhh.”

Your hand shot from the gripped sheets beneath you to his hair, pulling him in slightly closer. He could feel your walls tightening against his fingers as your orgasm overtook you.

As you came down from your climax, Colter sat back for a moment, seemingly out of breath, before lazily kissing back up your body before he reached your mouth, allowing you to taste yourself for a short moment. 

It wasn’t long however before you were ready for more. 

Feeling him kiss back down your jaw, nipping behind your ear and allowing his hand to trail back down your body all the while your tired hands reached out to unbuckle his pants and strip him down to be as naked as you. 

His thumb began to rub slowly against your sensitive clit whilst your own hand ran up and down the length of him. 

His hand remained between you both, rubbing at your clit as slowly he entered you feeling you stretch around him, gloriously clenching at him. 

Your hands travelled up his back, pulling him closer to you and he hit your peak and allowed you a moment to get used to him before telling him to move. 

At first, he was slow, tantalising, before his pace sped up and he began to repetitively hit the one spot you were certain was lost on all men before Colter. 

He had you coming undone for the second time that night, and did the same for you the next morning, but not without you doing the same for him despite his small protest out of respect.

[thebiggerbear]

Colter Shaw Fic Recs List

Off Limits by @marvelwitchergilmore - Four times Colter told people (mainly his brother) you were off limits, and the one time he proved why.

Stay by @bullet-prooflove - Colter can never ask for you to stay.

The Maybe Girl by @bullet-prooflove - Colter makes a mistake by revealing his feelings for you.

*I will add more as I go

dividers by @firefly-graphics

[zepskies]

A Line and a Half

Pairing: Russell Shaw x F. Reader

Summary: When Dory’s eldest brother comes to visit her at Wyoming University, you don’t know quite what to make of Russell Shaw. But he knows exactly what he wants to make of you.

AN: Okay, here’s my first toe-dip into the world of Tracker with Russell Shaw! 1x12 gave me too many ideas not to explore this intriguing character. This is set before episode 12, but I have a little series I want to sketch out that will continue after this one-shot, so think of this as a “Part 1,” if you will. 😉

Word Count: 3.2K

Tags/Warnings: A kind of “meet cute,” attempts at flirting, and hints of setup for more to come…

You watched, silently simmering, as Dr. Goldstein added yet another packet of internship applications from his graduate students onto your desk.

Applicants that he, as the History Department Chairman, was supposed to review himself. Instead, he’d been adding these hours quite literally onto your desk. 

“If you could review these for me as well, sweetheart. Thank you,” he said. “Get ‘em back to me by Thursday, okay?”

As a Professor of History with two doctorates in your name, you once again grated internally at sweetheart, but you tried to keep that cringe off your face as well.

Goldstein barely even met your eyes when he dropped off his burden, and then aimed to leave your office.

“Uh, Paul,” you called out, raising a finger. You stood from your desk as quickly as you could in your pencil skirt, but the man was already out the door. You followed him out, your heels clacking on the tile floor. 

Damn it. Knew I should’ve gone with pants, you said, continuing to hasten after your boss.

“Paul! Just a second,” you said. That finally managed to turn the man’s head off of his phone. He glanced at you while checking his watch.

“About the internship applications…and your midterm exam essays for that matter. Don’t you think—” you started to say, but the man spoke over you.

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to run. Meeting my massage therapist at noon,” he said, and rolled a seemingly stiff shoulder under his tailored blazer. “Something’s just not right here after my trip to Cali last weekend. I don’t know what I did, pulled muscle or something. But hey, they do say parasailing is a sport.”

You quirked a brow. “Do they?”

You weren’t sure that being strapped into a parachute for a nice air glide over the Pacific counted as a sport.

Goldstein shrugged at your question and he kept walking down the hall. Though he turned back to toss you a pointed finger.

“Need those by Thursday. Thanks, you’re the best,” he said.

You watched him go, as proverbial steam began to escape through your ears. Slowly you pivoted on your heels, and you went back to your office. You grimaced at the large stack of applications. You were pretty sure he padded them with an extra section of midterm exams.

Tapping your nails on your desk, you grabbed your phone next to your desktop and checked the time. 11:30 a.m.

Screw it. I’m going to lunch, you thought.

Dory had to be out of her Intro Physics class by now, which meant she’d be in her office, ready for you to drop in on her a little early. You took up your purse and almost made it out the door…but at the last moment, your anal brain made you turn back to grab a shoulder bag and the pile of applications. Maybe you could knock out a few during lunch.

Friggin’ doormat, as your brother would say. Laughing at you, probably.

You rolled your eyes and headed back out the door with your haul of papers, purse, work bag, and keys, locking your office behind you.

Why, oh why did the Sciences building have to be on the other side of campus?

It was damn near a mile walk from your Humanities building over to Dory’s office on the second floor. Your hands were laden with packets that couldn’t be contained by your heavy work bag, your purse was slipping off your shoulder, and these heels were killing your feet.

It was a miracle you and Dory had ever met on this campus. On your first day of teaching, you’d of course been hopelessly lost. Somehow you ended up at the tail-end of one of her classes in one of the science auditoriums.

She’d been gracious enough to help you, and even walked you all the way to the Humanities building so you could find your World History class before the students decided to just get up and leave. (And after fifteen minutes, they very well would.)

That day, she became your first real friend at Wyoming University. In the three years since, she’d become your best friend.

And now, her door was mercifully open halfway. You pushed it open and stumbled just a little from the transition of tile to carpet inside her office. Your papers nearly flew from your hands, so you struggled to right yourself and contain them all back into the semblance of neatness.

“Hey, girl. You better be ready for lunch because Jesus fucking Christ. Goldstein’s up my ass again and all I’ve had today is a crusty donut from the teacher’s lounge, which I’m pretty sure was stale,” you said, with your brows furrowed in frustration.

When you finally looked up from your struggles, you realized that Dory wasn’t alone. She smiled at you in amusement, sitting at her desk beside a man who made you pause. Your eyes widened.

He was leaning casually with an elbow propped up on her desk, dressed in jeans and a worn, pale green jacket—a good match for his eyes. He looked a little rugged for Dory’s tastes, but you couldn’t fault her, with the cut of that bearded jaw, and the smile raising the corners of his lips.

“Hey,” Dory laughed. “I see you’re having a good day.”

You bit your lip in embarrassment, probably smudging your lipstick.

“I’m so sorry. I should’ve knocked first,” you said, though you could see she seemed to be having an actual good day. Office picnic? Or maybe the handsome stranger was getting ready to take her out.

Dory just waved you in. She stood and set a hand on her companion’s shoulder, and he got up along with her.

“It’s okay. This is my brother, Russell,” she said, and she introduced you in kind.

“Well, hi there,” he said. He subtly took you in with his eyes as he held out his hand. Already you felt your face heating up with more than just embarrassment.

You were a bit shocked as well, to say the least. Dory had told you some…interesting things about her family, including the fact that she had two older brothers. You wondered which one this was, the middle child, or the eldest.

“Hi! Sorry. Again. Nice to meet you,” you said. You tried to hold your hand out to reach his, but a few papers began to spill out. You clutched at them on reflex, but Russell drew in quickly to help you.

“Got yourself a load there,” he said. You agreed with an awkward laugh and a shrug of your shoulders.

“My boss’s idea of extra credit,” you said wryly.

“You can set it down on that chair over there,” Dory said, pointing to one against the back wall, next to a tall filing cabinet.

You and Russell meandered over and managed to set down the stack without casualty. You were able to pull up the straps of your bag and your purse from falling off your shoulder and give him a grateful look.

“Thanks,” you said.

“No problem,” he said, giving you an easy smile back. “I actually crashed in unannounced, so if you two wanna to head to lunch, you go right ahead.”

“Uh, no. I haven’t seen you in months! You should come with us,” Dory said. She grabbed her purse to join you and Russell by the door.

You raised your hands in placation. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to intrude, especially if it’s been a while since you’ve seen each other. You guys should catch up.”

Dory shook her head and grabbed your hand.

“Uh, uh. I want to hear the latest on Paul’s bullshit, and why you’re carrying half your office across campus. Let’s go,” she said, and gestured at your work bag. “Leave that here. You’re gonna eat and talk to me. No working involved.”

You laughed, but you agreed to her cajoling. With another glance at her brother, and those green eyes that seemed to be dancing, you joined them for lunch.

The three of you ended up at a diner that you and Dory frequented at least once a week. The food was good, the service was quick, and it was close to campus. Wins all around. Russell seemed to be enjoying himself, as he hummed in delight after the very first bite of his Philly cheesesteak.

“Sriracha on fries, huh?” you remarked, gesturing at the man’s plate. Your brow was quirked, but he shot you a smile.

“I said avert your eyes,” he teased. “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, sweetheart.”

Ugh. Another sweethearting man. You narrowed your own eyes at him a bit. He caught the look and raised a hand in defense (the one that wasn’t holding his cheesesteak).

“Uh oh. What’d I do?” he asked.

“You gave her some PTSD,” Dory said with a laugh. “Dr. Goldstein likes to sugar coat his demands with sexism.”

Russell noted your souring look with apology. You’d just finished recounting your morning for your friend, and recapping years of “sugar-coated demands” for Russell.

“Why don’t you just tell him to cram it up his…uh…” he paused. Seeing his little sister’s look of amusement, he amended. “Or you know, stuff it.”

A smile twitched at your lips. “Oh, believe me, I’d love to tell him to stuff it. But he’s technically my boss, and the department chair. Even though I’ve basically been doing his job for two years now.”

“Well, that sucks,” Russell said. “And I feel for ya. I’ve had my share of shitty bosses in my time.”

You sighed and accepted his commiseration with a nod.

It wasn’t fair, but Goldstein planned to retire early in a few years. Must be nice.

When he did, it would make you the most likely candidate to replace him as department chair. The way you saw it, this was giving you plenty of practice before you (hopefully) inherited the position.

Anyway, you shook your head. You didn’t want to talk about it anymore. You were more curious about one Russell Shaw. You now knew he was an army vet, and he carried himself like one. Calm, controlled, even though his smiles came easy. His tousled hair and beard, while well-trimmed and neat, still gave him a roguish quality.

“So let me guess. You’re…the eldest?” you asked. You blotted at your mouth with a napkin, having finished your chicken panini.

Russell treated you to another one of those smiles, though this one held a hint of more.

“Guilty. Though I’m the handsome one,” he said with a wink.

You found yourself smiling behind your napkin.

“I’m sure,” you replied.

Dory rolled her eyes. “Don’t mind him. Apparently my brother’s an incorrigible flirt.”

He chuckled and sipped at his beer, but then he grimaced.

“Ech. Friggin’ weak,” he said. “I brew better than this outta the trunk of my car.”

 You raised a brow at that. “You make your own beer?”

“Damn straight,” he said. His gaze turned a hint more playful. “Next time I’ll bring you some. You can tell me what you think.”

You shared a telling look with Dory.

“Next time, huh?” you asked.

“Sure,” he inclined his head. “I pop into town from time to time. Gotta check in and pester my little sister, the physics professor.” 

He laid a hand on Dory’s shoulder, squeezing warmly. You could see the pride in his eyes, and it warmed you as well.

She turned to him with a smile, reaching up to cover his hand with hers.

“You don’t pester me. I’d love it if I got to see you more often,” she said.

“Ah, I know, I’m sorry,” he said, releasing her. “My job’s got me all over the place. But I’ll be here for a week or so on this gig.”

That intrigued you. “What do you do for work?”

“Ah, well, you could say I'm a contractor. Private security mainly,” said Russell. His shoulders shifted as he became a little more guarded, you noticed. “My company connects me with the client for as long as the job lasts. Could be a few months, sometimes a few days, depending.”

“Oh, wow. Do you live here in Wyoming?” you asked. He paused, but tilted his head a little, back and forth as he considered your question.

“I kinda bounce around,” he said. “Just go from one job to the next. Sounds a bit unorthodox, I know, but it’s a living.”

“Interesting,” you nodded, but inside, you thought that sounded like a hard way to live.

Unstable…and lonely. 

“You know, it’s amazing how much you and Colter have in common,” Dory said. She folded her hands on the table and met her brother with a pointed look.

He huffed in response, though he glanced at you, then back at his sister. As if he was saying, You really want to do this now?

Dory had told you before that Colter was a “rewardist,” or some kind of bounty hunter. The nature of his work kept him busy, and seemingly too busy for his sister. But you also sensed there was an edgier history here.

For the first time, you felt like you were intruding in a moment between brother and sister that went beyond words.

After a moment, Russell shook his head.

“Look, I tried with him, all right? He won’t talk to me,” he said. He went back to eating, polishing off his fries. He offered you one that was half-smothered in sriracha.

“Come on. Live on the edge with me,” he teased.

You eyed the sauce-covered fry in distaste, but after glancing up at his more playful smile, you accepted his offer. You chewed in contemplation, and found that the tangy hint of kick wasn’t so bad. 

“Eh? Eeeh? Delicious, am I right?” he said, his hands going wide.

You rolled your eyes, but you nodded in agreement.

“It’s all right,” you replied.

“Yes!” Russell’s hands swept up higher, like he was celebrating a touchdown. "See, I told ya."

You couldn’t help but laugh. Dory shook her head fondly and gave him a clean napkin for the bit of schmutz she spotted at the corner of his mouth.

“Here, wipe your sriracha face.”

“You really don’t have to,” you said, as Russell helped you gather your stack of papers and slung your work bag over his shoulder.

“No, no. I’m a bonafide gentleman. Ain’t that right, D?” he asked his sister. She barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, but she did give you a knowing smile.

“Oh, his intentions are pure,” she said.

 And by that, you both understood her meaning. His intentions couldn’t be any clearer than a mallet over the head, but you kind of found it endearing.

This man really carried your stuff from the Sciences building across the entire campus to your office. All the while, he asked you about how you and Dory met, the kinds of things you two did together, and if you thought she was happy working here.

You had a feeling he was trying to learn more about his sister’s life. On one hand, it was rather sweet. On the other, it made you realize that there was distance in this family, both literal and figurative. You were glad to hear that Russell, at least, was trying to bridge that gap with his sister. Dory deserved to have more of that in her life.

As you explained to Russell while you led him down the hall to your office, your friendship with her had just…clicked. From the very beginning.

“Dory, you know. She’s more than kind,” you said. “She’s a real one. I can rely on her, even when I can’t rely on my own family.”

Russell hummed at that. “That sounds like a story.”

“Yeah,” you said, glancing away for a moment. You smiled and met his gaze once more. “Maybe one for another time.”

“So you’re on board with a ‘next time.’ Good to know,” Russell remarked. Your smile deepened.

It was good timing when you two finally reached your office. You unlocked it and let him inside, so he could set down your bag, and the god-forsaken stack of internship applications back onto your desk. You’d probably be stuck here working late on those.

“Well, thank you so much. You really didn’t have to schlep for me,” you said.

When you turned, Russell was a bit close. Not uncomfortably so, but enough to make a trill of something zip up your spine. You smelled more intensely his cologne, woodsy and warm. Looking up at him, you once again found his smile.

“It’s no problem,” he said, but his eyes met yours for a moment, as if he lost his train of thought.

“What?” you asked, a bit nervous.

“Anybody ever tell you, you got soulful eyes?” he asked.

It took your brain a second or two to compute, but when his words registered, you had to laugh. You held it behind your hand, while the other went to steady yourself on your desk.

 “Well, that’s a line if I’ve ever heard one,” you said, shading your “soulful” eyes with a hand.

You didn’t know it, but Russell’s face warmed in slight embarrassment. He recovered though, taking in your pretty laugh, and the shade of your hair, let loose around your shoulders, and yes, your eyes, when you let him see them again.

If he hadn’t known before, now he was convinced.

He wanted to see more of you before he left town.

“Hey, now that was 100% genuine,” Russell said, but his grin spoke volumes. When your mirth died down, he scratched the back of his head.

“Okay, cards on the table. Would you be interested in grabbing a drink with me sometime?” he asked.

You took in a breath at that. You actually did consider his offer, because homebrew and sriracha fries be damned, there was something more to him. It was lying in wait, behind those eyes that were drawing you in.

However, this was also a man whose job basically made him a nomad. It didn’t exactly scream relationship material.

Which only left the alternative: something…casual.

You just didn’t know if that alternative was such a good idea. Not with your best friend’s brother.

“Just a drink. No frills, no more grilling you about my sister,” Russell said, breaking you from your deliberation. He gestured a hand between the two of you. “Just this. You and me.”

Eventually, you sighed. Your lips raised into a more genuine smile.

“Sometime, huh?” you asked.

He smiled back. “Tonight?”

You hesitated, but despite your better judgment, you nodded before you could change your mind. You still weren’t sure what to make of this guy, but you were willing to find out.

“Sure,” you said. “Howley’s at eight?”

“Well, all right,” Russell said.

He surprised you by sweeping up your hand into his. You looked up at him, curious, but not wary. Anticipation tingled down your spine.

He pressed his lips to the back of your hand. Soft shock made your eyes widen as you blushed, feeling the subtle graze of his beard against your skin.

Who is this guy, Cary Grant? you thought.

But when he pulled away, you had to remind yourself to breathe. Again, you caught sight of his cheeky grin.   

“See you tonight,” he said.

AN: He is beauty he is grace, he is Mr. Sriracha Face. 😆

Let me know if you guys liked this! 💜 It's my first time writing a character based solely on one episode, but next up is a series that will continue this one-shot. It's called Every Second Counts.

Next Time in Part 1:

“Are you absolutely sure?” you asked, with your hands on your hips. 

You wanted no miscommunication here, no read-between-the-lines mishaps, no subtext or nuance to bite you in the ass later. So here you stood in the middle of your best friend’s office, still on the Wyoming University campus after your last class.

Dory had to laugh at you. She pushed away from her desk and threw her hands up.

“Yes, for the love of God, you can grab a drink with my brother,” she said.

▶️ Keep Reading: Part 1

Ko-Fi Me ☕

Russell Shaw Masterlist

Main Masterlist

Russell S. Tag List:

@kazsrm67 @letheatheodore @agothwithheavysetmakeup @jacklesbrainworms @foxyjwls007

@wincastifer @ades106 @iamsapphine @simpforbuckyb @roseblue373

@brianochka @branj19 @hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog @globetrotter28 @charmed-asylum

@waywardxwords @deanwinchestersgirl87 @this-is-me19 @rachiem4-blog @sweettimelady

@leigh70 @clinicallydepresso @xiphoidbones @skoveu @nyotamalfoy

@kmc1989 @jackles010378 @emily-winchester @waynes-multiverse @jessjad

@my-stories-vault @deans-spinster-witch @syrma-sensei @stellasfictionalworld @ultimatecin73

@jesllianaquilesrolonsworld @pieandmonsters @lhymer1995 @taehyungxjungkookistaekook @lovelystoriesaj

@nicksalchemy1 @spnwoman @onlyangel-444 @sexyvixen7 @illicithallways

@wolkenprinzessin007 @alwaystiredandconfused @carpenterswife @cheynovak @grilledcheeseandtomato

[cheynovak]

The plan   

Russell Shaw x F/Reader Y/N            

Warnings: Age difference not too explicit.

Words:  1650 

*Does not follow Tracker’s storyline * 

I finally started writing about Russell, it took me a while, but I hope you like it! Let me know what you think!

-- --      

Russell is ready to start his ‘retirement plan’ like he used to call it. He saw an old brewery on one of his jobs and went back to speak to the owner, an old man named Frank.  

Frank also owns a bar close to the brewery, his granddaughter Y/N works there as a bartender. Russell liked her immediately, realising he had to overcome two impossible tasks. One, to try and win Frank over to buy the brewery, two win Y/N over to go on a date with him.  

-- 

Russell had seen it all. His years working as a mercenary for the Horizon Group had taken him to every corner of the globe, exposing him to the darkest sides of humanity. Now he was ready to leave that life behind and find some semblance of peace.  

His plan was simple: buy an old brewery on the outskirts of town and live out his days crafting beer, a craft he had fallen in love with during his travels in Belgium. The brewery he had his mind set on, an aged brick building with ivy creeping up its walls, had been owned and operated by Frank Miller for the past forty years.  

Frank was well-known in the community for his craftsmanship and the warmth of his pub, which had become a beloved local spot for ex marines. However, convincing Frank to sell was proving to be more challenging than Russell had anticipated. 

It was late afternoon when Russell stepped into the pub, the scent of malt and hops mingling with the aged wood of the bar. The place was cozy, filled with the hum of low conversations and the clinking of glasses.  

As he approached the bar, he caught sight of a younger woman, her eyes sparkling with life, her movements graceful and assured as she served a group of regulars. She could easily be 10 to 15 years younger than him, a striking contrast to the pub's worn-in charm. 

"Can I get you something?" she asked, her voice cutting through his thoughts. Her nametag read Y/N. "Uh, yeah, just a pint of whatever's on tap," Russell replied, trying not to stare. She had a disarming smile, one that made the lines of his past seem a little less heavy. 

As she poured his drink, he couldn't help but notice the ease with which she moved, the way she seemed to know exactly how to engage each customer. When she handed him the pint, their fingers brushed slightly, sending a surprising jolt through him. "First time here?" she asked, raising an eyebrow as she wiped the bar down.  

"Yeah," he admitted. "I'm actually looking to buy the place." She laughed, a light sound that made him smile. "Good luck with that. My grandfather's pretty attached to this old place." "Your grandfather?" Russell echoed, a sinking feeling in his chest. "Yep. Frank Miller," she confirmed. "I'm Y/N." Russell took a long sip of his beer, trying to gather his thoughts. "So, you work here often?"  

"Pretty much every day. I've been helping out since I was a kid," she said, leaning on the bar. "So, why does a guy like you want to buy an old brewery?" He glanced around the pub, then back at her. "I've spent my life in a pretty rough business. This place... it feels like the kind of peace I've been searching for."  

Y/N studied him for a moment, her gaze thoughtful. "Well, you're going to have a hard time convincing my grandpa. He loves this place more than anything." Russell nodded, appreciating her honesty. "I'll keep that in mind." 

Days turned into weeks, and Russell found himself visiting the pub more frequently, ostensibly to discuss the sale with Frank, but in truth, he was drawn to Y/N. They began to talk more, sharing stories over the bar, finding common ground in unexpected places. 

Despite their age difference, there was an undeniable connection between them. One evening, after closing time, Y/N found Russell sitting at the bar, nursing his usual pint. "You really don't give up, do you?" she teased, sliding into the stool next to him. He chuckled. "It's not just about the brewery anymore."  

She tilted her head, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Really?"  

"Yeah," he said quietly, meeting her gaze with a flirty look. Her smile faltered for a moment, replaced by a look of surprise and then something else, something deeper. "Russell, I..."  

Before she could finish, the door creaked open, and Frank walked through, his presence instantly commanding the room. His eyes, sharp despite his age, zeroed in on Russell. "Look, buddy, I don't know how many times I need to let you down, but I'm not selling." Russell raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I'm just here for a beer, Frank." 

Frank's gaze softened slightly but didn't lose its edge. "Y/N, you need to look out for this man. He's ex-army. You never know what kind of trouble that can bring." Y/N laughed, a sound that lightened the tension. "So are you, Grandpa."  

He grumbled something under his breath, but a hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He turned back to Russell, his eyes assessing. "So, you're here for the beer, huh?" Russell nodded. "And the company."  

Frank looked between Russell and Y/N, and Russell could see the wheels turning in the old man's head. Finally, Frank sighed. "Alright, just keep away from my granddaughter." Y/N grinned, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she refilled Russell's pint. "You heard the man." She winked at Russell. 

As the evening wore on, the pub emptied until it was just the three of them. Russell found himself opening up in a way he hadn't expected, sharing stories Frank, in turn, told tales of his own army days, and Y/N listened with rapt attention, occasionally interjecting with her own memories of growing up around the brewery.  

It was late when Frank finally stood up, stretching his back. "Alright, time for this old man to hit the sack. Y/N, lock up when you're done." Y/N nodded, watching her grandfather leave before turning back to Russell. "He's a tough nut to crack, but he likes you."  

Russell raised an eyebrow. "Could've fooled me." She laughed softly. "He sees a bit of himself in you, I think." Russell looked down at his drink, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Y/N, about what I said earlier..."  

Y/N interrupted, her tone gentle but firm. "Listen, Russell, you're a nice guy, and I get it. I'm a younger woman who's been friendly and serving you with a smile, but that doesn't mean there's anything going on here, okay?"  

Russell laughed, the sound echoing softly in the nearly empty pub. "That's one way to break a man's heart." Y/N knew he was joking, but she couldn't help but smile. "I know a lot of men, and one thing I can tell you, you don't strike me as the kind of guy who gets his heart broken by a woman." 

He chuckled, appreciating her candour. "You might be right about that, or maybe I haven’t found the right one yet." He leaned in closer.

She tapped his hand on the bar, signalling the end of their conversation. "Now, pay up so I can close up." Russell reached into his pocket and pulled out some cash, placing it on the bar. "Keep the change." Y/N raised an eyebrow. "Big spender tonight."  

"Just trying to stay in your good graces, might need it to win Frank over." he said with a grin. She shook her head, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "Good night, Russell."  

"Good night, Y/N," he replied, standing up and giving her one last look before heading for the door. 

-- 

The next day, he found himself back at the brewery, ready to face whatever came next with a renewed determination. Whether it was winning over Frank or getting to know Y/N better, he felt ready. But when he arrived, something was off. The brewery was closed, and a couple of police cars were parked out front.  

Russell’s heart sank as he spotted Frank talking to the police. He quickened his pace and approached the small group. “Frank, what’s going on?” he asked, trying to keep the anxiety out of his voice. Frank turned to him, his face lined with worry and suspicion. 

“There was a robbery last night,” he said, his voice gruff. “And Y/N’s been missing ever since.” Russell felt a cold wave of fear wash over him. “Missing? What do you mean, missing?” Frank’s eyes narrowed, and he took a step closer to Russell.  

“She closed up last night, didn’t she? You were the last one here. Now she’s gone, and you show up again this morning?” Russell raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Frank, I swear, I left shortly after you. I haven’t seen her. You have to believe me.”  

One of the officers stepped forward. “Mr. Shaw, is it? We’ll need to ask you a few questions. “When was the last time you saw Ms. Y/L/N?” Russell recounted the previous evening, explaining how he’d paid his tab and left shortly after Frank had gone to bed. “I went straight back to the motel and didn’t see or hear anything after that.”  

The officer nodded, taking notes. “We’ll need to verify your alibi. In the meantime, if you think of anything, please let us know.” Russell nodded, feeling a mix of helplessness and frustration.  

As the police continued their investigation, he turned back to Frank. “I want to help find her.” Frank’s gaze softened slightly, but the suspicion lingered. Russell pulled out his phone. "I might know a guy who can help us." He said with his phone to his ear. He turned away from Frank.  

"Colter?... I need your help." 

--

Please like, share or comment when you liked the story. If you liked this, please check out my masterlist for other stories.

Tag list:-> If you want to be added let me know what you like to read! If anyone feels like you're tagged too much, also let me know please. :)

@suckitands33

@mostlymarvelgirl

@globetrotter28

@jackles010378

@hobby27

@call-me-mrs-winchester

@cevansbaby-dove

[l3v1s-g4m3r]

guys I searched up "colter shaw x reader" and nothing popped up. you guys are slacking. :((

anyways colter shaw dating headcannons because I said so ‼️ (he might be ooc guys sorry I just love him)

-------------------------------------------------------

~Colter Shaw dating hcs~

pretty protective of you because yknow- he lost/doesn't contact a lot of his family (I mean his dads dead so)

lots of hugs and kisses before he goes out to track a person (if you aren't a tracker yourself) because the job is dangerous

is out for days on end a lot so be prepared to get showered in love when he (hopefully) comes back alive

honestly, he's got some money from his tracker jobs, so anything you ask for he would buy for you in a heartbeat (unless it's bit suspicious, like a gun)

no matter how many jobs on end he has, he always makes time off for you 💕

always subtly asks for consent before touching you, ex: looking you in the eyes for reassurance before kissing you

worries you A LOT when he comes home with a wound or bruises, but he always tells you he's fine and gives you a kiss

on the other hand if you come home with a tiny scratch he will be ALL over you, asking you if you're ok

even the most tiny and subtle things mean a lot to him, like making sure he's okay

treasures you more than anything in the world, loves you so much

will rarely take you on jobs, but he will do it, making sure to keep an eye on you

keeps an arm around your waist when you guys are in public

knows you're a capable adult but always goes with you/makes sure someone is with you when you go out for safety reasons

if he catches you even slightly glancing at something he will buy it for you, no arguing

always a shoulder for you to cry on, this isn't really even a dating hc this is an everyone hc, just it'd be a bit more intimate if you guys are dating

might seem a little overprotective at times, but really he just worries for you safety because he cares about you 💕

[disappearinginq]

🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

I debated giving you more Slow Horses, but thought I should at least find a fandom you're vaguely familiar with - though there's a solid chance that I already shared this with you and my memory is a sieve as of late....but excerpt from Tracker fic where Russell has to rescue Colter (written before season 2)

Colter pressed his forehead against the wall, sighing at the coolness against his heated skin. He could fall asleep right here and now, he was so tired. He let his eyes close, and tried to ignore the rolling nausea that never seemed to leave.

“Colter, talk to me,” Russell barked in his ear.

“Mmm?”

“No, Colt - words. Gimme actually words.”

He wasn’t very good with words. He preferred not to say anything at all. And he didn’t have anything to say right now. He didn’t even want to open his mouth, not with the way his stomach was feeling.

“Colter.”

Hmm. Russell sounded mad.

“’M sorry,” he whispered. It felt important that he should apologize. Like maybe if he didn’t say it now, he never would. He leaned against the wall, swallowing convulsively against the rise of bile in the back of his throat.

“For what?”

“Everything.” Sorry for not answering the dozens of phone calls when Russell first tried reaching out. For blowing him off when they’d finally made plans to meet face to face after twenty years. Sorry for thinking he would murder their father in cold blood. Sorry sorry sorrysorrysorry…

“Hey, don’t worry about it - it’s fine.”

No it wasn’t. Colter could hear the strain in Russell’s voice. He was still upset, and Colter was making it worse.

“I…” he floundered for the right words. But his head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, the effort of just holding himself upright and trying to hold onto the phone in his hand pushing his already over taxed limits. “I don’t…” he swallowed again, pushing his head back so he wasn’t leaning on the wall where it’d already warmed from contact with his skin. The nausea rose, but there was nothing left to throw up - the acid burned the back of his already abused throat, and he tried to think of a time he felt even a fraction as miserable as he did now. He squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the wetness as he pressed the heel of his free hand against his eye. “I don’t feel so good…” The confession was barely more than a whisper, but he knew his brother heard him because Russell sighed, and the tone in his voice shifted.

[trackeroutpost]

would anyone read if i dropped a 15-20k word choking kink colter x russell fic. because im doing it anyway

[pamwritessometimes]

Tuesday’s Gone — Chapter 1

Russell Shaw x reader

Summary: When the police does little to no help to find your missing daughter, you are forced to contact Colter Shaw. What you don’t expect is how his investigation will reveal secrets about both your past and your daughter’s, in ways you never imagined.

Warnings: missing child trope

A/N: Hello, beautiful people! I know most of you are waiting for another part of my Soldier Boy SMAU, but truth to be told, I have NO idea how to continue that story yet. I’m still waiting for the fanfic muse to kiss my face and tell me what to do. In the meantime, please, enjoy this little something that will end up being a mini series.

Title’s based on Tuesday’s Gone by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Tuesday’s Gone masterlist

━━━━━━━━━━✦✧✦━━━━━━━━━━━

You didn't know how to breathe. It felt just like if your lungs were under a press, making it more and more impossible to get oxygen minute by minute. Never in your thirtysomething of years ever thought you’d have to experience one of the greatest tragedies of life; your daughter, your whole world, just disappeared.

The detective in front of you was muttering some words your brain couldn't really register until now.

“Miss Y/L/N, you hear me?” he asked with a hint of concern. “I need you to tell me how you found out your daughter’s missing. Any detail could be crucial.”

━━━━━━━━━━✦✧✦━━━━━━━━━━━

You stood outside the police station, staring blankly at the pale glow of the streetlights. Inside, the officers had told you  to "stay patient", to wait for updates. They’re doing everything they can, they said.

But it wasn’t enough.

Emma was only four, too young to be out of sight for this long.

She had disappeared right from your front yard, where you had only left her alone for a few moments to grab your phone. It had been late afternoon, and the neighborhood was quiet. No strange cars. No unusual noises. 

When you came back outside (just mere seconds later) Emma was gone. 

The police had checked the neighbors’ cameras, combed through the nearby area, and interviewed everyone around. But there were no leads. No ransom demands. No nothing. They were starting to treat it like a case that could stretch on for weeks or months.

But you couldn’t wait that long.

It was already taking too much time, and your mind went to places it never ever should have. Is she still okay? Is she scared— What a stupid question, of course, she’s scared. Up until now, her world was simple; just her mother and her. 

“Miss Y/L/N” a quiet voice came from behind your shoulder. You turned and see a policeman–Lt. Candero, according to his nametag. “I know I’m speaking against ourselves, but you have to understand. We have regulations to follow. Our hands are tied. But–” he started reaching for his back pocket “I might have someone to help you” he said and handed you a card. A name and a phone number.

Colter Shaw.

“He isn’t tied down like us. His methods may be a bit… unorthodox, but he helped to find my wife’s brother a few years back when our station couldn’t. He might be able to help you.” he said quietly, then looked around to see if nobody saw this exchange. 

You understood. Recommending a–what was this man again? A tracker? Recommending a tracker, it was probably against everything his profession stood for. You quickly looked down at the card and then back up to say your thank you, but he was already gone.

Colter Shaw. At first, the name didn’t strike you as unusual. Colter Shaw. Shaw. You hadn’t thought about this name for a while. Could this be a coincidence?  

Anyway, it wasn't the time to contemplate. You needed to find Emma.

And right now, this Colter Shaw was your best chance.

━━━━━━━━━━✦✧✦━━━━━━━━━━━

The night had settled in by the time he arrived. You watched from the window as he pulled up quietly in front of your house. You opened the door before he could even knock. 

"Miss Y/L/N?”

"Y/N” you corrected. “Thank you for coming" you said, stepping aside to let him in.

Colter gave a small nod as he entered, his eyes quickly glancing through the living room, taking in the space as though every detail might offer a clue. 

"Tell me again" he said as he sat down on the couch. It was clear he was drawing out details the police may have missed. "Everything you remember from the moment she disappeared."

You sat down on the couch next to him, clasping your hands together in an attempt to keep them from shaking. "It was late afternoon. Emma was playing with her dolls on the porch while I ran inside for just a minute to grab my phone. When I came back out, she was gone. I called for her, searched the yard, but she wasn’t there. The gate was closed. She couldn’t have left on her own." Your voice cracked as you remembered back at the ominous moment. "I searched the whole neighborhood. Cried and screamed even. No one saw her."

Colter listened intently, not interrupting you. There was something in his eyes that made you feel as if he wasn’t just absorbing the details, but he was already a few steps ahead. He was thinking of possibilities you or the police couldn’t see yet.

"There was no one around?" he asked.

You shook your head. "No strangers, no cars I didn’t recognize."

Colter nodded, as though that detail confirmed something in his mind. "This wasn’t random" he finally said. "Whoever took her had been watching. They knew your routine, her routine."

Your heart skipped a beat. Why would anyone stalk you? Or worse, why would anyone stalk Emma?  "But why? Why would anyone—"

"People take children for a lot of reasons" Colter interrupted with a careful tone. "But this feels targeted. Whoever did this knew what they were doing. And that means they’ll make mistakes. I’ll find them."

You nodded feeling a flicker of hope at his confident words. "What— what do we do now?"

"We start with the yard" Colter said, standing up. "I need to retrace what happened. Look for signs the police might’ve missed. After that, I’ll want to speak to the neighbors, anyone in the area who might’ve seen something they didn’t realize was important."

You stood, watching as he moved toward the front door. Your mind was racing. How could this be targeted? Who would target you? And why? You were no one special — a single mother living with her four-year-old in the suburbs of Idaho Falls. Had no enemies — except for the occasional work rivalries between you and some of your colleagues, but other than that, your life was plain and simple.

"You really think this wasn’t random?" you asked Colter, following him outside.

He paused by the door, glancing back at you. "I’ve seen this before. This kind of precision. Someone planned this, and that means there’s a reason. We just have to find out what it is."

As you stepped outside, you couldn’t shake the creeping fear that this was bigger than you had imagined. It felt deliberate, like someone had been watching, waiting for the right moment. But why Emma? What did they want?

Colter crouched near the edge of the yard, running his fingers along the ground. You stood nearby, watching as he scanned the area. The yard looked so ordinary, so unchanged. But to Colter, it seemed to hold details you hadn’t noticed, things the police had overlooked.

"So she played here, right?” he asked and then you nodded. “Footprints here" he muttered, pointing to a small section of dirt near the gate. "Different size from the ones around it. Someone stood here recently."

"The police didn’t mention any footprints."

"They wouldn’t" Colter said, standing up. "They’re looking for obvious signs, not subtle ones."

As he moved toward the gate, you felt a heavy weight pressing down on your shoulders. You couldn’t breathe, again. Whoever had taken Emma had planned this. They had been watching her, your daughter, knowing exactly when to strike. But who? And why? 

You kept repeating these two questions.

As if reading your thoughts, Colter turned to you. "This isn’t over, Y/N. Whoever did this left a trail. I just have to find them."

You nodded, but deep down, something still gnawed at you. Your guts were telling you that there was more to this.

And for the first time, you wondered if your daughter had been taken not because of who she was, but because of something — or someone — she didn’t know.

“Tell me about her father” Colter said, still scanning the area.

You froze for a moment. You had expected him to ask about Emma’s father. But not yet, at least. You stared at him, trying to figure out how much to say. How much did he know? Or was he just following a hunch?

"Sometimes, the past has a way of catching up to people, even when they’ve left it behind" he added.

"He left" you said. "Before I even knew I was pregnant. I haven’t heard from him since."

It wasn’t a complete lie. Russell had been gone for years, disappearing from your life before you even knew you were pregnant.

Well, maybe he didn’t disappear, maybe you pushed him away. But you had your reasons… reasons you weren’t ready to share with Colter.

He was never part of Emma’s life, never even knew she existed. But you couldn’t shake the feeling that Colter might be right. Maybe this was connected to Russell.

Colter’s expression didn’t change at your revelations, but you could sense his mind was working, putting pieces together. He wasn’t asking for the emotional history; he was looking for facts, details that might explain why someone would take Emma.

"What was he like?" Colter asked, leaning forward slightly. "Did he have enemies? Anything that stands out in your memory?"

“He...” you started. “He never talked about his past. He was… secretive. Once I–” you took a deep breath, contemplating how much to share. “I realized he lied to me. About his job. And… and I told him to get out of my house, my life” you said. It was an insanely outlined version of your story, but you hoped it was enough.

"And…no contact since then?" Colter asked.

You shook your head. "Nothing. Not a single word.”

For a moment, you both fell silent. You could see Colter’s mind turning, sifting through the information, trying to make sense of it. Then, his voice broke the screaming silence.

"Y/N, I need you to think carefully. Is there any chance —any at all — that this could be connected to him?"

You felt a cold shiver run down your spine at the question. You had tried so hard to convince yourself that Russell was just a chapter in your past, that he had nothing to do with the life you had built with Emma. But now, with your daughter missing, the nagging doubt inside you was just impossible to ignore.

"I don’t know" you admitted finally.

Once again, you couldn’t help but think of the name that had been haunting you since this shitstorm began. Shaw. Colter’s last name was the same as Russell’s, and though you hadn’t asked, the possibility plagued your mind. Could Colter be connected to Russell? Could he know more about your past than he was letting on?

You didn’t dare ask. Not yet. Not until you had more answers. But the question stayed in the back of your mind.

And now, the only person who could help you find Emma might be the one with answers you were afraid to uncover.

After taking a deep breath, you said. “He was dealing with… some dangerous people.”

"Who?" Colter asked, his voice low but firm, pushing gently. "What kind of people?"

“It’s– uh, it was some organization, I think. I don't know what they do specifically…” you stammered. “Russell said it was Horizon or something.”

Colter's face tightened. Horizon? The Horizon Group? And Russell?

Something flashed in his eyes. Recognition, most likely. For a brief moment, his usually composed expression fell, and he looked away, as if piecing together a connection.

"Russell..." Colter said, his voice quieter now, almost as if testing the name. He took a step back, his mind clearly working through the sudden flood of new information. "What did you say his last name was?"

This was it. The moment you had been dreading, the one you had skirted around ever since you first heard his name. "Shaw" you said, barely above a whisper. "His last name was Shaw."

━━━━━━━━━━✦✧✦━━━━━━━━━━━

Phew. We’re in for a ride.

As always, I appreciate any kind of feedback.🤍

xx Pam

Read Chapter 2 here

[shitty-writers-blog]

THE ONE WHERE YOU ASK FOR HELP [EP.1]

I also am still getting to know Colter Shaw. He is being written as I depict him so far, and hopefully, later on, I will be able to know how to write about him perfectly.

Hey guys, this is my first ever fanfic. I know it's not gonna be the best, so please be nice to me.

Please feel free to tell me how I can write better and maybe send it request? I hope you guys enjoy/like this first part.

Colter x F! Reader

You had been pacing back and forth unable to decide whether to worry about your brother who you haven’t heard from in a week, usually he would call after he arriving to his destination, your brother had caught the traveling bug at a young age like you mother. Unlike you who hated the thought of traveling due to all the responsibilities you had to take in as a young teenager, your mom was always traveling to New places whether it was in the country or international, your father had decided to spilt from you and the rest of the family because he’d grown tired of your mother’s antiques. If you weren’t so protective of your brother you would have left with your dad as well, but because your brother didn’t want to leave mom you ended up sacrificing your childhood, your father still provided financially, but emotionally or physically he wasn’t present.

During all this you had your best friend Colter Shaw to keep you afloat, soon y'all started dating junior year and continued all through your college journey it wasn’t, until Colter decided he wanted to be a rewardist and travel to find missing people for money, you tried making it work, but you were exhausted at the idea of him traveling and doing the long distance thing so you did something that you never wanted to do. You ended things with him, as he was in the middle of proposing, he tried to convince you to work with him, but you explained your issues with traveling and then that was it you never saw or spoke to Colter again.

That is until your brother potentially went missing, you still had Colter's number at least you hoped you thought to yourself, you kept messing with you lips, with furrowed eyebrows, thinking deeply about wondering if you were being to overprotective, that maybe he was alright and you’re just worked up over nothing because let’s be honest your brother wasn’t the best at calling you to assure you he’s fine.

“Fuck it.” You said as you picked up your phone from your bed and scrolled at your contact list until you found his name Shaw you pressed call and as it started to ring your heart started to beat fast and loud, you inhaled and exhaled as you continued to pace in your room, as you were about to hang up, you heard his voice.

“Y/n? Are you alright?” you heard his voice with a lace of worry and confusion, you face palmed yourself wincing at how stupid you probably were- “uh, hello? Y/n are you there?” he interrupted your train of thought “Oh um, yeah hey Colter!” You said a bit more enthusiastically than you intended you cringed at yourself as you shook your head in annoyance why can’t you act cool for once you thought to yourself. “um, sorry to bother you Colter and I wish we would talk under different circumstances, but um- are you still doing that rewards job by any chance?” you asked hoping he would be able to help you with your situation, you heard a chuckle as he answered back a simple yes and asked what was going on with you. You explained to him the situation and he told you how lucky you were because he had just finished a job, he told you how he’d drive up to your place since he was 2 hours away, you thanked him and then hung up the phone.

I decided it would be better if I got dressed, so I took a quick shower even used my favorite scented exfoliator because why not. And did my normal shower routine, then I decided to do my routine that I always do after a shower. I decided to clean up a bit even though it was already pretty clean, once I turned my wax melt on I heard the door bell ring. I straightened myself and checked myself in the mirror to make sure I looked okay, I took a deep breath in and I exhaled it as I opened the door. “Wow! Um, hey, I uh got lost- how is it that all these apartments look very identical?” I laughed Stepping to the side as a sign for him to enter, he smiled as he entered my house noticing I had a shoe rack by the door and he started to take his shoes off. “Thanks for taking your shoes off, most people who visit never do and I’m always to shy to say something.” I explain while shutting the door behind me, he nodded and gave a small smirk, “well I’m very observant and I’ve known you since we were young, every time I entered your room I always had to take my shoes off. Only difference now is I don’t have my own inside pair of slippers to put on.” I frowned a bit at the memory, but let out a breathy chuckle, “I bought a new pair for my brother Chance, for when he crashed at my place. You two have the same shoe size so you can have those,” Colter smiled nodding as a way to silently thank me, I walked up to my little storage closet and got the pair out and handed it to him, he went and sat on my couch and I sat distantly close to him.

I looked at the floor nervously because this was the first time in years we’ve seen each other and first time seeing him, I realized those feelings were still there towards him, and the fact that he had a major glow up. I bit my lip trying to come up with a topic to converse, but my mind wouldn’t stop going down memory lane about how we used to be inseparable and the last thing I said to him was no to becoming his wife. There has always been a part of me that regretted saying no, to breaking up with him just because he chose to do this for a living and the fact that it involved so much traveling, I just couldn’t go through what my mother put me through with Colter. “Y/n?” I looked up confused at him, “I asked you to voice your thoughts.” I looked away a bit flushed at how well he could read me, I even thought for a second he was able to read my mind. “oh well, it's nothing, really.” I tell him making eye contact with him for the first time in 10 minutes, he raised his eyebrow as a way to tell me he didn’t believe me and gave me that look he would always give me that said to spill it or he’d get it out of me. I rolled my eyes and told him how annoying he still was, and that made him laugh, “yeah okay, I hate to mention this, but your brother, why do you think he’s missing?” I sighed, putting my legs up to my chest, looking at my coffee table, taking a deep breath and bolting myself up, starting to pace back and forth, telling him everything I knew and didn’t know.

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Imagine...Running Into Colter On A Job

Pairing: Colter Shaw x reader

A/N: I've been re-watching Tracker before Season 2 starts and I'm dipping my toe in the Colter fanfic world finally! Just a little something short, sweet and sassy to start with!

________

Your heart skipped a beat as you rounded the corner and spotted a man, his expression turning confused. “Colter Shaw?”

“Y/N?” You cleared the room before going to where he was handcuffed to a pipe. “What are you doing here?”

“Rescuing you apparently.” You pulled your lock pick from the back of your jeans, jamming it in the key hole. “How’d this happen?”

“What are you doing here?” He repeated, an edge of agitation in his voice this time. You snapped the cuff open, frowning at him as he popped to his feet.

“Working the same job as you.” You got up, his hand on your arm pulling you up but you quickly shrugged him off. 

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, grabbing your bicep again, keeping you behind him. You punched him in the arm, Colter dropping you, rubbing his shoulder. “What the hell-”

“Do not treat me like a damsel, Shaw. I saved your ass, remember?” You brushed on ahead of him, taking your small handgun from the waistband of your jeans. He wanted to retort but you shushed him, Colter scowling but staying behind you.

You cleared the building quickly, only slightly surprised when you found the teenager you were looking for sat uncomfortably on a chair while an older man watched TV in the corner. Colter tapped your shoulder, pointing at the kid. You rolled your eyes but went along with it. If he wanted to get in a wrestling match with the big guy, he could go for it.

Two minutes later Colter was sat on the man’s back, securing him with the zip tie you tossed over from your jacket pocket.

“Hey, Henry,” you said, the kid looking relieved. “Your step dad do anything to you?”

“No. I just want to go home.” You helped him to his feet, giving Colter a nod. 

“Then let’s get you home, buddy.”

“Shaw,” you grit out in the parking lot of the police station a few hours later. Colter glanced up from his phone before shoving it in his pocket. “What the hell was that back there?”

“Nice to see you too,” he chuckled. “What are you doing-”

“Are you allergic to answering a question?” you prodded, crossing his arms. His eyebrows shot up, a stupid smile on his face. “I asked you first.”

“Wow. You are not the timid accountant you once were.” You scoffed.

“First off, you met me when I’d been kidnapped. I was having a rough day. Is that why you were so pushy back at the farm?”

He sighed, looking over your head. “Listen, I don’t know what you were capable of. I didn’t need another kidnapping victim on my hands.”

You smiled, stepping in closer, his adam’s apple bobbing. “The balls on you to say that to the person that, oh, literally helped you escape? Hm?” 

He frowned, rolling his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Sure you are,” you said, walking past him for your truck. 

“Wait!” he said, jogging to your side. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Does this answer it?” you said, pulling out an envelope full of reward money. Colter looked dumbfounded and you found the expression sort of adorable on his handsome face. “Sorry, seeing as how I found their son, the parents felt I deserved the reward.”

“You track rewards? You?” You patted his cheek, shaking your head.

“It’s a good thing you’re so handsome,” you teased, turning your back to him with a whistle. “Better luck next time, Shaw!”

“But…you’re an accountant!” he called after you.

“Former accountant,” you said, spinning around, walking backwards with a grin. “Turns out I make way more money doing this. A little weapons training here, a little martial arts there and a pushup bra go a long fucking way, Colter.”

“The fuck…” he trailed off as you winked at him. “Y/N!”

“Catch you on the next one, Colter!”

___________

[clearwingedmaven]

Aight. Let's do this.

1) I don't recall! At least 7?

2) Writing Epistolary(it's a lot of fun!)

3) 9-1-1(And Lonestar), Tracker, Overwatch, Moon Knight and Sherlock Holmes

4) 7!

5) None really, I tend to write more platonic stuff, but absolutely, 100% Bobby Nash x Athena Grant from 9-1-1.

6) Colter Shaw(Tracker), Evan "Buck" Buckley(9-1-1), Bobby Nash(9-1-1), Owen Strand(9-1-1 Lonestar) Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Jake Lockley(Moon Knight), the Supports of Overwatch, Sherlock Holmes, and Doctor John Watson

7) 9-1-1, 9-1-1 Lonestar, Overwatch, and Tracker.

8) Tbh all? It's been fun writing them!

9) Either You Used to Call Me Pops, But Now I Call You Son, Maybe I Want My Brothers Back, or The Stars Are Brightly Shining.

10) *Laughs nervously* Finish...?

11) Tbh, Maybe I Want My Brothers Back and my 9-1-1 fic. So much pausing at little moments...

12) Supports Need Support, Too. Cracky fic inspired by my Overwatch shenanigans.

13) I'll get back to you on that one!

14) It varies! Right now it's either Christmas Truce or Angels Calling by Sabaton.

15) Maybe I Want My Brothers Back. I had NO idea what I wanted to call it...

16) Supports Need Support Too

17) Evan Buckley could count the number of times on one hand that he was ever acknowledged growing up. That'd he'd see something in his parents' eyes other than a quiet vacancy and anger whenever he managed to enter the picture. (You Used to Call Me Pops, but Now I Call You Son)

18) This must be what coming back feels like. Coming home to family. The one that loved him through thick and thin, and saw Buck for Buck, not an empty shell of what Daniel could have been.

And it felt so good. “Thanks, Pops.” Buck got out, muffled by Bobby’s shirt, as he heard a soft laugh from Bobby. (Same fic as prior, from Chapter 6)

“Of course, son.” Bobby said. Scratch that. It feels amazing.

19) "You did what?" A Spiritualist shrieked as their crowd clamored into a frenzy as well. "Mabel, what did you do?"

"I can tell you that. I, one of the Spirits of Whitechapel, witnessed what took place. Your leader, Reginald Hatt, worked with Mabel Bennett to get rid of Louis Abbott, and now his spirit is stuck here on Earth for what you did!" Cried the spirit, pointing a damning finger at Reginald and Mabel.

"It is because of their evil that the Spirits can not rest!"

"You killed Louis? I told you to get rid of him, not kill him!" Mabel shrieked at Reginald as both crowds turned as one, staring at the two "leaders." (The Stars Are Brightly Shining, Sherlock Holmes Fanfic)

20) “They know him by name?” Mateo half-crowed, as Marjan nudged his shoulder. “Really?” She half chided.

“What? I think it's kinda cute! He gets excited about skincare, so it's nice to see he has places to go to, y'know?” Mateo said, his cheeks flushing a little in embarrassment. “Back me up, TK, did Cap have this kind of thing in New York?”

TK chuckled. “He did. He took me with him at least twice for moisturizer. Got to the point where they figured out when my birthday was and sent cards.” (The One With Sephora, 9-1-1 Lonestar fic)

21) How much research was needed for some of these... definitely added more detail!

22) Google Docs.

23) Coming back to some of my fics after so long... and making people cry over the angst and hurt/comfort.

24) Again, finish?

25) See above

26) Nope!

27) Currently involved in the December Calendar Challenge over in the SH fandom...?

28) Literally everyone who's supported me this far.

29) Finish at least ONE fic.

30) More finished fics!

A slightly revised version of last year's questions! Two ways to play: Reblog and have your followers send you numbers, or answer the whole list!

How many fics have you worked on since January?

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year?

What piece of media inspired you the most? (This can be the fandom you wrote the most for, the one that spawned the most ideas, the one you thought about the most, etc.)

How many fandoms did you write for this year?

What ships captured your heart?

What characters captured your heart?

Did you write for any new fandoms or ships this year?

What fic meant the most to you to write?

What fic made you feel the happiest to work on?

What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

What fic was the most difficult to write?

What fic was the easiest to write?

What were your shortest and longest fics posted this year?

What were your go-to writing songs?

What was the hardest fic to title?

What's your favorite title of the year?

Share your favorite opening line

Share your favorite ending line

Share your favorite piece of dialogue

Share your funniest line

What's something that surprised you while you were working on a fic? Did it change the story?

What writing programs did you use? Did you write by hand?

If you had to choose one, what was THE most satisfying writing moment of your year?

Did you do anything special to celebrate finishing a fic?

How did you recharge between fics?

Did you create fanworks other than fic?

How many events did you take part in? (bangs, exchanges, ship weeks, zines, prompt memes, they all count!)

If this were an awards show, who would you thank?

What's left on your to-do list for 2024?

What would you like to write next year?

[zepskies]

Series Masterlist - Every Second Counts

Pairing: Russell Shaw x F. Reader

Summary: One date with your best friend’s brother leaves you wanting more, even though his questionable job and vagabond lifestyle make you want to guard your heart. When your brother falls into trouble, however, Russell is the first one you trust to help you find him. 

Song Inspo: "Machine" by Amber Run

AN: Here we are! The continuation series of A Line and a Half. Think of that story as a prologue, if you will. Because this road's about to get bumpy...

Series Tags/Warnings: (**18+ only!) Eventual smut, mentions of drug addiction, PSTD, blood and violence, hurt/comfort, and plenty of feels.

Chapters:

Prologue: A Line and a Half

Part 1: Permission Granted

Part 2: Family Reunion

Part 3: Timer Starts Now

Part 4: Mountain Man

Part 5: Damn Worth It

Series Complete

Sequel Stories:

Lost Time** When Russell takes longer than usual on a job out of town, you realize how hard it is to live half a life with him.

More of This** Welcoming Russell home, where he belongs.

Ko-Fi Me ☕

Join My Patreon 🌟

Russell Shaw Masterlist

Main Masterlist

RS Tag List:

Comment below if you'd also like to be tagged in this series!

@kazsrm67 @letheatheodore @agothwithheavysetmakeup @jacklesbrainworms @foxyjwls007

@wincastifer @ades106 @iamsapphine @simpforbuckyb @roseblue373

@brianochka @branj19 @hazel-eye-coffee-shop-girl-blog @globetrotter28 @charmed-asylum

@waywardxwords @deanwinchestersgirl87 @this-is-me19 @rachiem4-blog @sweettimelady

@leigh70 @clinicallydepresso @xiphoidbones @skoveu @nyotamalfoy

@kmc1989 @jackles010378 @emily-winchester @waynes-multiverse @jessjad

@my-stories-vault @deans-spinster-witch @syrma-sensei @stellasfictionalworld @ultimatecin73

@jesllianaquilesrolonsworld @pieandmonsters @lhymer1995 @taehyungxjungkookistaekook @lovelystoriesaj

@nicksalchemy1 @spnwoman @onlyangel-444 @sexyvixen7 @illicithallways

@wolkenprinzessin007 @alwaystiredandconfused @carpenterswife @cheynovak @grilledcheeseandtomato

[cheynovak]

The plan - part 2

Russell Shaw x F/Reader Y/N            

Warnings: Age difference not too explicit, angst, fights, gunshots, hurt, slight romantic/sexual tension.

 

*Does not follow Tracker’s storyline * 

-- --      

Russell is ready to start his ‘retirement plan’ like he used to call it. He saw an old brewery on one of his jobs and went back to speak to the owner, an old man named Frank.  

Frank also owns a bar close to the brewery, his granddaughter Y/N works there as a bartender. Russell liked her immediately, realising he had to overcome two impossible tasks. One, to try and win Frank over to buy the brewery, two win Y/N over to go on a date with him.  

-- 

Russell pulled out his phone. "I might know a guy who can help us." He said with his phone to his ear. He turned away from Frank.

"Colter?... I need your help." 

I’m on my way,” Colter replied without hesitation.

True to his word, Colter arrived quickly, his presence easing some of that stress Russell felt. He approached Frank and Russell, his eyes sharp and focused. “Tell me everything,” he said, wasting no time.

Russell and Frank recounted the events, and Colter listened intently, his mind working through the details. “Could she have gone to her parents' house, or a boyfriend?” Colter asked.

Russell looked back and forward between Colter and Frank. Boyfriend, maybe she does have a boyfriend? He thought. Frank shook his head, a sorrowful look in his eyes. “Her parents died in a carcrash when she was little. I’ve taken care of her ever since. No boy in her life, as far as I know.”

Colter nodded, his expression thoughtful. “Did she have any enemies, anyone who might want to hurt her?” Frank hesitated, then sighed deeply. “No, but I had debts. I borrowed money to keep the brewery running. Some of those people... they aren’t the type you want to cross.”

Colter’s eyes narrowed. “Who did you borrow from?”Frank swallowed hard. “A man named Vincent Carter. He’s known for getting what he’s owed, no matter the cost.”

Russell felt a surge of anger and fear. “Do you think he took her?” He asked his brother.

“It’s possible,” Colter said. “We need to find out more about this Vincent Carter.” Russell nodded, determination hardening his features. “Let’s go.”

They drove through the town, following the leads Frank had given them until they found themselves at a seedy-looking bar on the outskirts. Inside, the atmosphere was tense, filled with rough-looking men who eyed the brothers suspiciously.

Russell approached the bar, addressing the bartender. “We’re looking for Vincent Carter.”

The bartender’s eyes flickered with recognition, but he said nothing. Colter leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous tone.

“We’re not here to cause trouble. We just want to talk.” The bartender's silence was infuriating, and as Colter and Russell left the bar, they were no closer to finding Y/N.

Frustration gnawed at Russell, but just as they stepped into the dim light outside, a man emerged from the shadows.

“Wait,” the man called out, glancing nervously around. “I heard you asking about Vincent Carter. I might know where he is.” Russell’s eyes narrowed. “Why are you helping us?”

The man shifted uncomfortably. “Let’s just say I’m not a fan of Carter, he took my niece a few weeks ago, rumours have it he takes young women and sells them, to pay of your debt... I'm working here for my debt hoping he let's her go. He’s got a warehouse on the edge of town. He might be there.”

Colter stepped forward, his voice low and commanding. “What’s the address?” The man quickly scribbled it down and handed it over. “Be careful. He’s dangerous.”

Russell and Colter wasted no time. They geared up, donning their tactical vests and holstering their weapons, ready for whatever awaited them.

The drive to the warehouse was tense, both men silently focused. "So, what's the deal with this Y/N?" Colter asked his older brother. "What do you mean?" He answered looking out the window.

"I mean... You really seemed shocked when I asked about a boyfriend." Russell didn't answer immediatly. "I met her a few weeks back, she is nice."

"And her grandfather owns a brewery." Colter added. "That too." He said. Colter's face changed with a knowing smile. But didn't push any further.

As they approached the location, they parked a distance away and made their way on foot, moving with practiced stealth. The warehouse loomed before them, its darkened windows giving nothing away.

They carefully made their way inside, scanning the large, dimly lit space. Russell’s heart leaped into his throat, but as they drew closer, he realized neither of them was Y/N.

Colter signaled for him to cover, and together they approached the women. Russell knelt down, gently untying their restraints. “Are you okay? Where’s Y/N?” he asked urgently.

One of the women, her eyes wide with fear, shook her head. “We don’t know. They took her somewhere else. We heard them say something about moving her to another location.”

Russell’s frustration grew, but he kept his voice calm. “Do you know where?” The second woman, her voice trembling, said, “We heard them mention an old factory. It’s not far from here.”

Colter and Russell exchanged a look. It was another lead, and it was better than nothing. They escorted the women outside, ensuring they were safe before heading back to their car.

Colter already called for the cops, leading the two women out of the building towards the main road before continuing their search.

As they drove to the factory, Russell’s thoughts raced. Y/N was still out there, and they were running out of time. The factory came into view, an imposing structure that had long since fallen into disuse.

They approached cautiously, their movements silent and deliberate. The factory was eerily quiet, but they pressed on, sweeping each room methodically.

It wasn’t long before they found another room with Y/N in it, tied to a chair and looking bruised but defiant. Relief washed over Russell, but there was no time to waste. Her eyes filled with joy.

As Russell rushed to untie Y/N, the door behind them burst open. Vincent Carter strode in, flanked by armed men, guns blazing. Bullets ricocheted off the walls as Colter and Russell took cover, returning fire with precision.

“Russell!” Y/N called out over the din. He glanced back at her, his eyes fierce with determination. He reached into his vest and pulled out a spare gun, handing it to her.

“Do you know how to handle one of these?” he asked urgently. Y/N’s faint smile was almost nostalgic. “You think my granddad didn’t teach me how to use one?” She said while turning the safety off.

She took the gun confidently, her eyes flashing with a resolve that mirrored Russell’s. As she found cover, she quickly assessed the situation, her grip steady.

Russell and Colter continued their tactical advance, methodically taking down Vincent’s men. Y/N fired with precision, her training evident in each controlled shot, hitting the one guy who stood behind Colter.

"Despite her injuries, she moved with determination, not shooting a lot but those bullets she fired where bullseye.

Vincent, realizing he was losing, grew desperate. He fired wildly, his rage and frustration evident in his erratic movements. Colter seized the opportunity, moving in close and disarming Vincent with a swift, calculated move.

Vincent hit the ground hard, and Colter secured him, ensuring he was no longer a threat. As the dust settled, Russell rushed back to Y/N, his eyes scanning her for any new injuries.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

She nodded, wincing slightly but smiling. “I’m okay, thanks to you.” Russell pulled her into a tight embrace, relief flooding through him. Colter approached, his expression a mix of satisfaction and respect. “You did good, Y/N. Let’s get out of here.”

As they escorted Vincent out, the police arrived, taking him and the remaining men into custody. Y/N, Russell, and Colter emerged from the factory into the first light of dawn, the ordeal finally over.

Back at the brewery, Frank was waiting, his worry evident in the lines of his face. When he saw Y/N, his eyes welled with tears of relief. “Y/N,” he yelled, pulling her into a gentle embrace. “Thank God you’re safe.”

She hugged him tightly, her voice filled with gratitude. "Thanks to Russell and Colter.”

Frank turned to Russell, his expression earnest. “Thank you, son. I don’t know how we can ever repay you.”

Russell shook his head. “You don’t have to. But if you insist..." Frank interfered, "The brewery is not for sale." - "a beer is always welcome." They said at the same time.

Y/N leaned into Russell, her hand intertwined with his holding him back while Colter and Frank walked in the pub. “Thank you for everything,” she said softly. “How can I repay you?”

Russell smiled, the corner of his mouth quirking up in that way she had come to love. “Well, I already have a beer, I'm pretty sure tonight will be on the house.” he said playfully.

Y/N laughed, the sound like music to his ears. “That’s my grandfather’s payment,” she teased.

Russell’s smile turned mischievous. “Well, then…” he began, but before he could finish, Y/N leaned in, her eyes sparkling with affection and gratitude. She pressed her lips to his in a tender, heartfelt kiss.

For a moment, Russell was too surprised to react, his breath catching in his throat. When they parted, he was speechless, his heart pounding in his chest.

Y/N’s eyes met his, her cheeks flushed and her smile radiant. “Does that cover it?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Russell found his voice, a slow grin spreading across his face. “I don't know, maybe one more? ” he said, leaning in to kiss her again. But Y/N placed her fingers gently over his mouth, stopping him.

“Don’t let it get to your head,” she flirted, her eyes twinkling mischievously when she kissed her finger that where still on his lips. With a playful smirk she walked back inside, leaving Russell standing there, his heart pounding.

He watched her go, feeling a warmth spread through him that had nothing to do with the cool evening air. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. Y/N was something else, a blend of strength, kindness, and a teasing spirit that kept him on his toes.

As he stood there, staring after her, he realized that the brewery, the town, and this unexpected connection with Y/N had given him something he hadn’t realized he needed: a sense of belonging, and maybe even a chance at real happiness.

He knew she wouldn't be an easy catch, but hell she might be the first one worthy to fight for.

--

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@suckitands33

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[disappearinginq]

🌹🌹🌹

From Tracker “A malpractice suit?” Colter suggested, refusing to stand. The straight jacket made it difficult to maneuver, but even if he was standing in a padded room, he had no interest in falling flat on his face in front of the man, or his orderlies.

[luci-in-trenchcoats]

Y’all should really watch Tracker…you know for the view… 😉

I may or may not get into some Colter Shaw fanfic too… 👀

Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw Tracker 1.01 "Klamath Falls"