Roswell (S. Rogers & B. Barnes)

6.

By the time August rolls around Roswell is a fully fledge member of the family. When she's not working she and the twins are pretty much inseparable and when she's not with them she's with Bucky and Steve. And even then she'd get them visiting her at work, Bucky would bring her new crates from the hanger when they arrived, Steve would bring her coffee, the twins would sit with her and they'd have lunch whilst she worked. And Bucky, everyone's seen a difference in him, he's more involved, he doesn't linger at the edge of a room any more, he ventures in, he starts conversations with people other then Steve. He's started brushing his hair and wearing it up, he even shaved....once, he didn't do it again. He's started wanting to participate in things. He's almost a different man. He's still grumpy and broody and snappy some days and at night he still stalks the halls 'patrolling' but he's trying to seem better. They all pretend they don't know why he does it, but they know it's Roswell. She makes them all want to be better, to do better, to be better people. She has that effect, she's so light and bright and happy all the time that it just rubs off on them all. The twins have been happier too, finally having someone their own age around, despite Roswell actually being a year older then them, it's close enough. But the last few days Roswell's been withdrawing from everyone, opting to stay in her room, locking her office as she works. And Bucky wants to know why. So he waits till she is in her office before 'letting himself' into her apartment. He bypasses the first floor and heads straight for her bedroom. She still hasn't decorated. Other then the clothes on the floor and the unmade bed. He pauses in the centre and takes a breath. The whole room smells like Roswell. Her shampoo. Her perfume. She always seems to choose something sweet but not overly. Even her shampoo is sweet. It's something so her. He turns and look around trying to figure out where she'd hide personal things, documents, passport, birth certificate, and journal or diary. He moves to the desk and opens the top draw. He finds a Scottish passport and an American one, tucked against the side of it, he pulls them out and opens the Scottish one first. He smiles a little at the photo and then looks over the information. He then frowns. Her name reads as Faye Mya Constantine-O'Connor. He passes that over for now and scans the rest of it. And he then sees the possible reason for her drop in mood. Her birthday is tomorrow. There must be a reason she's not told them. He sets both the passports back and closes the draw before leaving, his brain already running with ideas. Normal people give gifts for birthdays. He can do that.

.......................

Roswell avoids everyone again as she finishes work, she just retreats to her room again, locking the door behind her, she closes her eyes and sighs. She's done this every year since John Winchester died. It's a stupid thing, petty thing really. Everyone forgets her birthday. Everyone but John Winchester. That was the last birthday she celebrated. When she turned 16, John has woken her up and taken her for pancakes, and given her a new journal as a gift. That was her last birthday. 17th. 18th. 19th and 20th all went forgotten by everyone but her. So her tradition is sitting alone, watching the terminator eating a big bag of cotton candy and getting herself drunk. It's how she deals. And it's pathetic really. Roswell sinks down leaning back against the door to cry on the floor. It just makes her miss John.

.............

The next morning Roswell doesn't even bother getting out of bed, she just curls up and turns on the tv across from the bed. Jeopardy is on. She likes Jeopardy. She's good at Jeopardy.

.............

Bucky had got an express delivery put on the gift he found for Roswell. And it had arrived first thing that morning. He takes a breath and sets the gift down outside of Roswell's door before pressing the doorbell and then running away.

..............

Roswell lifts her head from the bed as the doorbell dings. She sniffles a little and then climbs out of bed wiping the tears from her face to hide all trace of her mood.