#The Hard Kick of Old Kentucky Bourbon | Raylan Givens

[morgansmornings]

Also starring: @brooklynislandgirl @therealgamble @tarnishedhalo @goodlawman @tabbyrp

[morgansmornings]

Do you ever regret having to take me on as a patient?

This Meme: Accepting @goodlawman

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Regret. 

A small word that carried so much power over people. One that could break even the strongest. One that toppled emotional barriers. 

A feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment. By definition it was a common topic that she would bring up with various patients when she felt that it was time to address those hooks that would bind them to their past. 

She knew just by spending the amount of time she had with him that Raylan had a few. But it wasn’t regret holding him back as it was his constant simmering in-born rage that for all accounts he keeps on a moderate leash. 

Did she regret taking his case? Not that required some thought. Sure this was the most danger she had ever been in. The car crash. the countless men and women on the other side that kept trying to bring him down to join the rest of his family in the ground. Not to mention that no matter how hard she wanted to take a sledgehammer to the barriers he built over the span of his life, she found that she rather enjoyed his company. Both in sessions and out side of them as they were in the moment. 

The bar patrons around them paid no mind to the conversation. And she felt that she could be honest with him. It was the least she could do after all he’d done for her. 

“No Raylan. I don’t. You intrigue me, give me something to work towards together.” She turned her attention from his face to the drink she had barely touched in the hour they had been there. Long fingers dancing along the side of the glass in idle undefined patterns. 

“The real question is,” She looked back to him. “do you regret that you needed outside intervention and thus got saddled with me as your psychologist?”

[morgansmornings]

Accidentally falling asleep together

This Meme: Accepting @goodlawman                                                       ~~~**~~~

When they asked her to lend a helping hand, she wasn’t able to think of a reason for saying no. None of the Marshals could put together a comprehensive psychological profile. Not that it was her specialty either. Jayden had very little reason to give an unidentified suspect a dossier when the various crimes that had recently come up had next to nothing in common. But there was a thread there hidden under all of the evidence. 

Ever since the accident, Raylan had been more forthcoming to his meetings. Possibly guilty for having not been there to prevent it. Or perhaps trying to make amends for being used to cause it in the first place. Whatever the actual reason it never failed that he would be at her rented house. Take out in one hand and three thermoses full of coffee. The comfort of having him there always eased her mind. Her subconscious cooing at her that if something did happen then he’d be there to save the day in his ruthless shoot first figure it out later tactic. 

She wasn’t aware when it came up on three in the morning. Between the files all scattered about, photos all lined up to try and fit the puzzle pieces together. She swore it had only been a minute since she slunk back into the over plush couch next to Raylan. He, himself, was dozing in and out of consciousness. She thought it was only a moment to rest her eyes and let her mind do the heavy lifting. 

When she next came from the comforting darkness she was confused at first. She could hear the gentle rasp of breathing. Felt her head rise and fall in time. She felt the weight of an arm over one shoulder and resting diagonally on her back. The hand there could barely be called grasping, but the whisper of a caressing thumb was probably an unconscious reaction. Opening her eyes she realized that her head was tucked under Raylan’s chin, while he was angled in just a way that had his head propped up on the arm of the couch, legs out and spread slightly to anchor his body in place. In line with the corner between the back, seat and arm of the couch which meant that she had a majority of the space to lay out on her side.

There was a warmth that filled her cheeks when she realized that she was all but nestled into his side. Seeking him out in her sleep for the feeling of safety he brought. She felt a bit bad the more she came to. It could not have been comfortable for him. Now came the careful process of extricating herself from his embrace without rousing him. Something that would not be easy. 

“So, you figure out anythin’ that might help?” Jayden would have been struck by lighting at that moment if she lied and said that the huskiness of his voice first thing in the morning didn’t stir certain unwanted thoughts. Okay, they were not unwanted, just very carefully handled to avoid compromising the reason she was in Lexington in the first place. 

“If I say yes, will you let me get up and make us breakfast?” That was the appropriate way to deal with the current circumstance. In her unintentional haste to pry herself away she missed that smug little smirk that crossed his face. Not that Raylan was going to tell her he’d been awake for the last hour just relishing in the peace that had overcome them. 

“Sure, but I think it's safe to call it brunch instead.” He called after her retreating form.

“What?!”

[morgansmornings]

Who says You can’t Go Home?

Continued from this x. Closed with @goodlawman                                           ~~~**~~~**~~~**~~~

He talked about distraction, Yet there he was, long hands wrapping her up in safety. Keeping her balanced when all she wanted was to sink into his form and sponge away all the worry and tension from him. She wasn’t prepared to be kissed, yet she welcomed it without question. Then it was over too soon. 

When he spoke it took a moment too long before she processed what he was saying. Her immediate thoughts were to council him. To offer wisdom for him to use or not. It was interesting to go from seeking affection to working things through to find an answer to a question that was wearing on him. 

She braced her hands on his shoulders. Head tilting into his fingers as she started picking apart the various theories as to why he was torn. 

“Could it be that part of you wants to remain here. This is where you were born right? The obligation to make this place yours is already there. Then there is the need to establish your own freedom. Which is why you ran. To break from tradition.” 

“The important thing is figuring out what you want. Do you want to be free?” She cupped his jaw, trying to guide his face so she could look him in the eyes. To make sure that she had his full attention. “Or do you want to make life better for those that were left behind when you left the first time?”

[morgansmornings]

"Only his resemblance?" She tilted her head to the same side. Mirroring him just to taunt him, before raising her own bottle to her lips and taking a sip. "It had very little to the way that you both acted like shooting me was the best way to put an end to all of this. "

She couldn't fault him on that though. She had been more tenacious the moment it was decided by Art to put them both on her case. She getting the rightful collar and he, well call it turnabout fair play for getting on the elder marshall's last nerve on more than one occasion.

"As much as I enjoy riling you up, I am willing to let it go if you get the next round?" And while she meant it, she was pulling her wallet back out from her coat. Tossing it at him while taking his bottle and finishing for him.

"Until tomorrow afternoon, you're still my partner." She pointed at him with a challenging smirk. "And partners don't let the other drink alone after a job well done."

Continued from [x] @morgansmornings

"Y'know, that is my line," Raylan replied dryly, pointing at her with the hand that held the moisture-damp beer bottle. "I threaten to put people in the trunk, they don't threaten to put me back there." And yet between a Kentucky state officer and a bounty hunter, he'd nearly ended up there twice. "All joking aside, I think you knew it would be in vain because I ain't gonna fit with these legs."

To punctuate, he lifted his right leg just off the ground for the toe of his boot to be visible over the top of the table they sat at before dropping back to the ground. He set his bottle back down and crossed his arms on the table, leaning in a little closer to be heard over the newest selection on the jukebox.

"We got the job done though and that is what matters. I am going to say something that is very hard for me," he added, placing his hand over his heart. "You were right. His resemblance to myself was just a tad too close for comfort. I can see why you tried to arrest me."

[morgansmornings]

One Step Forward.

Closed with @goodlawman​. Continued from this.

~~~~~~~

The dark discoloured skin made her nose wrinkle just a hair before it smoothed back out. It looked painful and she was sure that it wasn’t that old. Still she gave the him a once over out of habit. Taking in his posture, he was closed off. Proud but not without his flaws. Casual to a point but ready for just about anything. 

He was taller than she thought he’d be. And older too. When she was told that this man had a habit of being quick on the draw and shooting most criminals, she guessed that he would be a young blooded man. But now that she was looking at him, she got the feeling that this was less about temper and more about a mindset out of time. She could work with that, so long as he let her, that was.

“A.D.A. Vasquez has had a lot more work lately that is true. But he’s fine.” She took a few steps further into the space. turning her head to look around and take in the offices and decor. You could tell a lot about a person from how they decorated the places they spent the most time in. 

“I never trust rumors. They are often full of conflicting facts. And reputation can be good or bad.” She stopped close to what she assumed was his desk. Not near enough to be invading, but more letting him test the waters so to speak. She was going to be here for a while. Might as well start this off on the right foot. “But I prefer to get to know a person before making any formal judgements.”

“And speaking of getting to know you, I want to ask what I should call you. I’m under the impression Mr. Givens isn’t to your taste.” True he hand not corrected her, but she wanted them to be on the same page. Make things a little easier on her part. She’d been warned by both Vasquez and Art about how he could be.

[morgansmornings]

imprisoned

This Meme: Accepting @goodlawman

                                                             ~~~**~~~

She had been there for the last two days. The men who grabbed her from the grocery parking lot were some of those in the file about the Dixie Mafia she had seen open on Gutterson’s computer. At least the brutes had been civil during her imprisonment. Apparently under orders to not harm her. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t scared out of her mind. 

Her captors kept asking her the same four questions in various ways. “What were the Marshals planning?” “Where was Raylan Givens?” “What does he have to do without operations?” “What is Boyd’s part in all of this?”

Whatever this was, Jayden didn’t know. But going on 32 hours of little to no sleep had made her irritable and easy to make flinch. As it was, she was pacing the makeshift cell she was trapped in. Hands digging into the pockets of her jacket just to keep warm. It was well into winter now, and while it was nothing compared to New York winters, the cold still bit at any exposed extremities it could find. 

“For the last time, I don’t know. I’m his therapist. Not his chronicler.” She just wanted to go home. To get on a plane and return to the city. At least there, things made sense. She understood the flow of chaos since she grew up there. Now he almost regretted agreeing to come to Kentucky in the first place. 

“Ya think we’re stupid?” One of the men went to reach in through the bars to grab her. The sudden lunge made her jump. The scream on the other hand was from the rapid chain of events that followed. 

The door was torn open with what looked like a very small battering ram. Shouting of various voices all demanding the two men to drop their weapons. Time slowed before her very eyes as the Dixie Mafia goons turned and raised their weapons. In horror she watched their bodies jerk in alternating directions as Tim and Raylan unloaded their clips into the men. The piercing echoes had her dropping to her knees and covering her head. Tried to make herself as small as possible to avoid being shot in the exchange.

She didn’t know when it all stopped. Couldn’t tell the exact moment that Raylan opened the cell door and crouched in front of her. She only came when she felt his hands on her shoulders. Lifting tear filled eyes she lurched forward. Nails biting into the back of his vest, unconcerned about the possible harm it could cause in return. She could only bury her face into the side of his neck, breathing in the smell of his cologne and gunpowder. 

“Hey, hey, hey come on now. You’re okay. It’s over.” The smooth richness became a slave as he whispered into her hair. Long arms pulling her further into his chest to give the sanctuary that she was in desperate need of at that moment.

[morgansmornings]

imprisoned reverse

This Meme: Accepting @goodlawman​

                                                            ~~~**~~~

“Raylan?!” Jayden’s voice was a perfect mix between a shout and a whisper. Her arm was both burning and numb at the same time. Why had she come at all? She was not a police officer let alone a U.S. Marshal. Yet the second she got the very strange phone call from Eva she left her home with an inkling of an idea. 

Now she was running around a warehouse in the dark with the occasional light on. She had already hit two different armed men with the nearest loose shelf. That bravery earned her a single suppressed gunshot to graze her arm. She was going to shoot him herself when she found him. Ducking around another corner after using her compact to check and see if the coast was clear. What was it with Southern folk and their love of guns?

And the creepy super blonde man. That was something that she had heard both Tim and Rachel muttering about. But when she had seen him leave, she now understood why the man unsettled them. He looked so out of place here in Kentucky. Not that she was any better if she was going to rationalize the situation. 

“Raylan. I swear that if I die trying to save you...” She chided more to herself than him. When she got her hands on his she was sure to slap him. Preferably after they were no longer in danger. The sound of shuffling boots made her flinch and she ducked into the nearest room to wait out her trackers. 

“Mmafen?” The sound made her spin on her heel. Lo and behold there was Raylan, looking worse for wear and stuck in what could only be called a very large dog cage. 

“Raylan?” She cocked her head to the side, nose scrunching in disbelief. The gunslinger looked about as confused as she was. But there was also a look of hope in his eyes. One of which was bruised. “What is going on?”

Behind the gag she could see the twitch in his jaw. Okay maybe that was a stupid thing to ask. He glared at her and turned to show that his hands were bound with zip ties. She huffed and slid over to the cage, dropping to one knee and fiddling with the latch. 

“On second thought, I don’t want to know. Let’s just get you out of this so you can save me from the lunatics here.” Jayden was thankful that Raylan seemed to be of the same mind as he shuffled over on his knees to the door. By the end of things she might have been the one in the need of therapy.

[morgansmornings]

@goodlawman​