AN: An extra scene between Audrey and Duke at the end of 2x01 (ao3)
Audrey liked staying late at The Gull when Duke was closing. Usually she helped out, she enjoyed staying busy and talking to just him, when they were both too tired for games. Lazy flirting and bad jokes and Duke convincing her that she had to listen to just one more song. The ritual of it helped her relax, even after a particularly grueling today.
She also hoped it served as payment for all the times she and Nathan asked for his help. She should probably work on her thank yous.
Today, she didn’t even sweep.
“Are you going to tell me who she is?” Duke came over to where she stood, leaning on the wall and gazing down at her.
Audrey had spent the entire day figuring out who this woman was and now she had to figure her own self. Her head was spinning in circles. “She’s Audrey Parker.”
He shifted towards her, and his voice was sure and steady. “You’re Audrey Parker.”
Despite knowing he was wrong, hearing the words from Duke helped ground her. This was another part of the Troubles. And she understood Troubles. Because surely nowhere else would have problems like these.
She tried to hold herself still, not wanting Duke to see how shaken up she really was. “That’s what I thought.” The words stuck in her throat. She could barely say them but she needed to hear what Duke would say. ”We talked. She is Audrey Parker.” She turned away from him and walked to the bar where she could sit. She didn’t want him to see her cry.
Duke followed behind her, standing so close.“And that makes you…” She wanted to pull him into a hug and never let go because maybe she didn’t know who she was but she liked who she was with him, with Nathan, here in Haven.
She tilted her head away from him, staring blankly at the bottles across from her. “The thing I had to tell you. The other day?”
Duke placed his hand lightly on the space between her shoulders. “Yeah?”
Audrey took a deep breath and sighed. “I’m Lucy Ripley.”
“Ah.” She looked up and saw he had ducked his head down, and he was smiling.
“You knew.” Anger spiked in her until Duke started rubbing her back gently.
“No, but it makes sense.” His voice was so steady, so calm and reassuring.
They say in silence, and Audrey leaned into Duke, his arms sliding around her, holding her loosely.
“Nathan thinks she’s a fake. That she’s Troubled. But it’s me. I’m -” She didn’t really know how to finish. It was a Trouble, right? She was Troubled because in Haven it always came back to the Troubles.
But it didn’t feel like a Trouble.
“Nathan is a good friend.” She pressed into him and felt the rumble of his voice now that her head rested on his chest.
“And you?” Duke had always been there for her, never left her alone when she asked. Wasn’t that what made a good friend.
“I’m a bad friend. Always have been.”
“Oh, that’s not true.” She looked up to meet his eyes. He smiled.
“But if you were Lucy Ripley and Audrey Parker is someone else, maybe you are someone else entirely.”
“But who is that, Duke? Who am I?”
“I think you get to decide.”
Duke kissed the top of her head and she sat there, contemplating who she would be tomorrow.
