From Mountains to Lone Stars

Maverick walked into my office, tears streaming down her face. She closed the door and sat down in my chair. Her normally blue eyes were an unnatural, stormy gray. They were bloodshot too, like she had been crying for a long time. I watched as she reached for some Kleenex and blew her nose. Maverick never cried; she saw it as a weakness. Something was seriously wrong.

"Mav... what's up?" I gently pulled her in for a hug. Hall directors could still give resident assistants hugs. That didn't violate the mack and pack rule. Although, I definitely wanted to violate it. I wanted to kiss her, to hold her against me.

"Physical therapy hurts, Matt. I never cry from pain, never. And now, it's like everything inside me hurts. My period normally would have been this week, and it's weird because I am never going to have that again. But my body is still reacting as if I did have it... I think it's phantom pain. And I just..." She trailed off and met my eyes. "I wanted to feel okay, Matt."

I smiled softly. "I will do my very best, Maverick."

She shook her head. Those blue, blue eyes searched mine. I sensed there was more meaning behind her statement. What did she mean by 'feel okay'? I was curious as to what she really meant.

"You mean something else, don't you?"

She nodded, not saying anything else. I watched her closely, waiting to see what she had to say. I knew Maverick well enough to know she really did have something to say to me.

"I'm planning on transferring to a new hall, if I can." Maverick met my eyes, the tears finally stopping.

My eyebrow quirked up and my mouth dropped a little slightly. "Why? I thought Bruce was your home?"

"Bruce is my home. I love everything about Bruce. It has been a good place for me, but so much has happened here. Walking these halls now, reminds me of the cancer. And... I really like you, Matt. I don't want to ruin either of our jobs." She smiled gently at me.

My heart did that thing it always did around her. She liked me? Did that mean she wanted to try something with me? Was she leaving so that we could try dating? Bruce was her home long before it was mine. I should have been the one to leave.

"Are you sure, Alexis?"

"Yes, Matt. I already put it in my notice. Is that okay?"

I sighed and leaned back in my chair. "Is there any particular reason you want to transfer?"

Maverick stood up and looked outside the window to my door. She pressed a very light kiss to my mouth. "You know why, Sanders. Don't you dare make me say it."

I smiled, flashing my dimples at her. "I'll see what I can do. Johnny is my good friend. He's the hall director for Legends."

"Sounds good. Thanks, Matt."

Notes

So it's a filler because we are about to dive into the RELATIONSHIP