The Following, Mike/Debra, #120 Green, helsinkibaby

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Title: somewhere that's green
Author: helsinkibaby
Fandom: The Following
Pairing: Mike Weston/Debra Parker
Rating : G
Spoilers: AU for the season finale.
Disclaimer: The Following and it's characters are the property of Fox and no copyright infringement is intended.
Word Count: tbc
Summary: Debra has a nightly ritual.
Notes: for the smallfandomflsh prompt "green". Inspired by the song "Somewhere That's Green" from the musical "Little Shop of Horrors". Loose interpetation a speciality!

Tonight, just like every night, before she goes to bed each night, Debra has a ritual that she goes through.

Walking around the house, she checks the kitchen, makes sure all the switches are turned to the off position, checks that the dishes from that day's dinner are properly put away, wipes down the countertop one more time. Heading into the living room, she checks another set of switches, puts any lingering stray toys back into their place before heading towards the front door, checking that all the locks and deadbolts are securely fastened.

After all, Mike has already checked for monsters under the beds and in the wardrobe; there's no need for the girls to know that there are monsters outside too.

Heading upstairs, she goes into two pink bedrooms, carefully straightening covers, resisting the urge to lean down and kiss them just one more time. She's always half afraid she'll wake them up but luck - or maybe just the fact that they're good sleepers, just like their father - has always been on her side so far. Their dark curls don't move from their pillows and she smiles to herself and heads into her own bedroom.

When she walks in, Mike is sitting in bed, reading a book as he waits for her. He puts down the book with a smile, keeps his voice low as he asks, "All done?" He's not making fun of her, is being genuine, knows that this is just something she has to do before she can turn in for the night.

"Yep," she says, slipping under the covers beside him, pressing herself against his warm body. "They're sound asleep."

A grin appears on Mike's face, one that she's all too familiar with. "That a fact?"

It's a leading statement if ever there was one, and they've been together for long enough that they both know hers was too. Debra smiles as her arms go around his neck and she presses her lips to his.

This, they both know, is her favourite part of her ritual, yet it's the one that she sometimes has to miss due to necessity - Mike, after all, is still an agent with the BAU and that doesn't come with regular hours. Debra, on the other hand, hasn't worked with the FBI since the Carroll case. She'd still been on medical leave when she'd found out she was pregnant and, to both their surprise, had still been on her first maternity leave when they'd found out she was pregnant again. It had made more sense to leave the FBI than it had to stay, and while she'd been nervous about it, she can safely say she's never been happier.

Which is why she has her ritual, and why Mike doesn't make fun of it. Because every night when she walks through their home, she's walking through a life she never thought she'd have and she's reminding herself of how lucky she is.

How happy she is.

And when Mike rolls them both over so he's lying on top of her, when he looks at her with eyes filled with love - the same eyes that she sees every time she looks at her two girls - that's the best part of her day.