For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

(warnings: sexytimes. also, panic attacks, brutal violence, attempted murder, discussion of suicide and actual murder... )

Comments

[formersurgeon]

She knows that Ted sometimes gets abuse hurled at him from the stands. She's always wondered how players and coaches (and referees...and umpires...) deal with that. She supposes they get used to it. Although in Ted's case his kindness and generosity of spirit must help a lot. Instead of focusing on the insult he focuses on the human being behind the words, a person with passions and wants and needs, someone to be respected and cared for. His reaction to Turner was merely that writ large.

When the game starts Joan leans forward as well to watch. She's done some research into football so that she knows what's happening on the field. It will let her get into the game and cheer for Richmond, which will make sharing this game with Ted (and with Keeley, and Rebecca) all the more fun.

[theodorelasso]

It also helps to know, just as a fan of sports himself, that emotions run high and that can lead to all sorts of reactions, and the vast majority of the time it has absolutely nothing to do with the people involved. It's not anything he ever takes personally. It's the pressure to perform, to live up to everyone's hopes and expectations, that's what's really the challenge to deal with. The crowd's reactions are just an amplified immediate response to that.

Ted also ends up doing a running commentary to Joan, though his eyes remain on the field. He knows everyone's numbers and positions, so he can name them, as well as point out when they're doing a particular strategy. Though sometimes the commentary definitely becomes just encouraging shouting. He knows they can't hear him from up here, but he doesn't care.

[formersurgeon]

Joan is entirely engaged, listening to Ted's commentary, asking questions and making comments, picking up remarkably quickly on the names, numbers and positions. She's not shouting out encouragement but she's definitely cheering with Ted when they play well, wincing with Ted when they screw up, and even yelling some outrage toward the ref when the other team is misbehaving or the ref makes a bad call. She's enjoying herself immensely.

[theodorelasso]

As much as Ted misses coaching right now, he also finds he's missed just cheering the team on, and doing so with Joan is even better. A feeling of belonging and having a shared experience, except he's not the one sitting with the responsibility. Or at least, only a little bit.

He doesn't even really mind when it ends up as a tie again. Well, he minds a little bit, definitely. But he won't let it sour his mood.

Once the game is over, he puts his arm around Joan's shoulder and leans over to press a kiss into her hair. "How'd you enjoy your first football match?" he asks. He'd normally call it soccer to her, but he feels like it's disrespectful to do so in the stadium.

[formersurgeon]

Joan can see how Ted is just beaming as he cheers the team on. He's so happy, and it's wonderful to see him like this. It's also amazing to be sharing this experience with him, as well as with Keeley and Rebecca. She had been cagey about declaring herself one of the Richmond faithful when they were talking to Trent, but if he were to ask her now, her answer would probably be different. She feels it, this sense of belonging, this sense of passion. She's a fan, even if a new one.

Joan smiles and leans into Ted's embrace. "I loved it," she says. "I look forward to being here a lot."

She fully intends to attend games whenever her work isn't keeping her too busy.

[theodorelasso]

"I look forward to knowing you're up here to support us," he answers happily. It's wonderful that she not only supports him doing the thing he loves, but that she also enjoys it and wants to be there for it.

There's a pat on his shoulder, and Ted turns around to see Rebecca looking down at them. "We were going to have a drink in my office, if you'd like to come along."

Ted smiles - he often pops in to do so even without being specifically invited. Perhaps she wants to give them an opportunity to avoid the reporters. It's not a bad idea, to at least wait a few of them out. It's not like Ted has to go to the press room now he's technically on sick leave anyway.

He looks over at Joan. "I wanted to pop down by the locker room and say hi to the fellas," he says. "What about you, how are you feeling?"

She could always sit and wait in Rebecca's office so she doesn't have to walk as much, unless she too wants to say hi to the team, but he figures it's best to leave it up to her.

[formersurgeon]

Joan smiles at Ted's happiness. She loves being with him, supporting him, sharing things with him. She knows how important it can be to have your partner in your corner. His support for her looks a bit different, of course, but it's there, particularly in his support of (and delight in, really) her partnership with Sherlock.

She turns that smile to Rebecca as she invites them to the office. It's very nice of her, and makes Joan feel even more accepted into the inner circle. She turns back to Ted at his question.

"I think I'll go with Rebecca," she answers. It's not so much that she wouldn't like to say hello to the team, but rather that this outing has been wonderful but also pretty draining. Sitting and talking sounds just about right. Not to mention the potential awkwardness of walking into a men's locker room after a game.

[theodorelasso]

"Sounds good," Ted agrees, getting to his feet and grabbing his crutches. He offers a hand to Joan to help her up, even if she doesn't need it. It's sort of gotten habit at this point, just a sweet gesture.

They head to the elevator, and Ted gives Joan a quick kiss before they split up, Rebecca leading Joan towards her office. Higgins and Keeley have already headed for the press conference room.

Ted enters the locker room just as Beard is giving the post-game wrap up - one major difference between Ted and Beard in that aspect is there's a lot less motivational speeches and folksy references, and more practical feedback on things done well and things that could improve.

The mood's pretty downcast after yet another tie, but it improves once he tells them he intends to come back to work on Monday. He only stays for a little bit, till Beard has to go off and do the press conference - Ted decides not to sit in on that, since the questions will probably be turned towards him no matter how sneaky he tries to be. Instead he heads up to Rebecca's office.

[formersurgeon]

Joan accepts the hand in the spirit it's given, not as an implication that she's weak but rather a gesture of caring and protection. The time may come when Joan will wish to abandon things like that, but that time is not now.

She kisses Ted and asks him to give her best to the team, then follows Rebecca into her office. Rebecca offers her a cocktail, which Joan declines, considering her medication. She takes a glass of water, though. Sparkling, as she doesn't have Ted's aversion and reflex against bubbles in his water.

Rebecca prepares a gin and tonic for herself, then sits with Joan on the couch and strikes up a conversation. It starts mild, with inquiries about how Joan and Ted are getting on. However, by the time Ted joins them, Joan is deep into explaining the circumstances surrounding the plane crash, and why they're certain Rupert orchestrated it.

[theodorelasso]

Ted picks up on what they're talking about almost immediately as he walks in, before he has a chance to interrupt him. Usually he knocks even when the door's open, but on double crutches that's more hassle than it's worth.

"Oh boy," he comments as he heads over to the couch to sit down next to Joan. "Nothing like a little light post-game gossip," he says, obviously being ironic.

"How are you holding up, boss?" he asks Rebecca.

He can't imagine it's a lot of fun hearing these things about her ex-husband, but at least it's not the first she's hearing of it, and, well, at least it didn't happen while they were married. Another awful hidden thing happening under her nose would probably be a lot. Then again, it means he was already a killer, indirectly, when they got married. His heart really goes out for her.

[formersurgeon]

Joan looks up as Ted enters, giving him a gentle smile, glad to see him. When he sits beside her she lets him settle his crutches, then reaches over to take his hand, giving it a squeeze.

Rebecca exhales, looking a little shell-shocked. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that there was even more that Rupert was hiding," she says. "Nor that he is an even worse person than I already knew him to be. Still." She glances at her drink, downs the rest of it, then sets the glass aside. "I chose him," she says, looking down at her hands for a moment before looking back up at Joan and Ted. "He was a murderer, and I chose him. I chose to marry him."

"You couldn't have known," Joan says softly. "It's pretty clear Rupert is a psychopath. They can be extremely charming."

Rebecca gives a dry laugh. "Yes, he was that," she says wryly.