A Few Little Surprises
By Kate
Caution (PG)
Published: 19th March 2005
Description: The Trouble With Beech Saga Part 5 - With life for the officers now back to normal, they think everything will be fine. How will they cope when more problems come there way?
DISCLAIMER: Torchwood and its characters don't belong to me. They never have and never will. I'm just playing with them for a bit. I promise to return them when I'm done.
AUTHORS NOTES: This story is the 4th in the Trouble With Beech Saga, and the sequel to Beech is Back. You might need to read the others first to understand this story. It is set about 2 months after the end of Beech is Back. Please read and reveiw.
CHAPTER 1: SECRETS REVEALED
In the streets surrounding Sun Hill police station, John, Claire and some of the other staff are just arriving at work. John and Claire are the first of CID to arrive at Sun Hill, giving them the advantage of surprising the others with their presence. The two had been given six weeks leave to recover from being nearly killed several times in the past few months by Don Beech, who'd been found to be corrupt and who was desperate to avoid prison.
The two are sitting quietly in the office, talking to each other when Kerry Holmes and Duncan Lennox enter the room laughing about some rumour they'd just heard from uniform.
"Morning Serge and Serge," they greet when they notice them across the room, "Glad to see you back. Did you have a good break?" Kerry adds.
"Yeah, great thanks Kerry," says John in an unusually good mood, before whispering something to Claire and heading towards the door.
"Why's he in such a good mood?" Kerry asks Claire.
"Don't know," answers Claire, before quickly walking over to the filing cabinet to cover her grin, "is Meadows' in yet?" she asks before Kerry can say anything.
"Don't think so serge. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you what Kerry?" asks Claire close to laughter.
"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm on about serge," says Kerry guessing what she's doing, "how long?"
"Oh this," answers Claire, placing her hand over her stomach and pretending she's only just figured out what Kerry's on about. "18 weeks, I'll fill you in on the details later but I need to speak to Meadows first."
Claire leaves the room and heads to the DCI's office, leaving Kerry to gossip about what she's just learned.
She knocks on the door and opens it when Meadow's calls for her to enter. She walks inside to find Meadows talking to John.
"Claire," starts Meadows, "did you have a good break?"
"Yes Gov," she answers.
"Glad to hear it," Meadows replies not noticing the reason she's come to talk to him.
"I wanted to talk to you about something Gov," says Claire sitting down on one of the spare seats in the room.
"Should I go?" asks John, sticking to their plan and getting up.
"No, it's ok; it's nothing the whole station won't know before knocking off time anyway."
"I'm not sure I understand," interrupts Meadows.
Claire grasps John's hand under the desk, out of the DCI's view before continuing; "I'm pregnant."
"Congratulations, how far gone are you may I ask?"
"18 weeks Gov,"
"Well this is a pleasant surprise. Have you told the others yet?"
"Not yet sir, I've only told you two and Kerry so far," Claire answers.
"Well don't let me stop you from spreading the word," the DCI says dismissing them from his office.
Claire and John exit the office and head back to the main CID office to tell Deakin and the others. "How do we do it this time?" asks John.
"Act normal and see who notices," Claire answers, "that's if Kerry hasn't said anything yet."
They walk into the office and sit down at their desks, pretending they haven't heard any of the excited chatter around them.
"CLAIRE MY OFFICE NOW!" calls Deakin from the doorway of his office.
Claire gets up out of her seat and walks into the DI's office where she settles down in the chair in front of his desk. Deakin slams the door closed behind him and then sits opposite her before speaking.
"Claire can you tell me why when I walked into my office this morning Kerry asked me if I'd heard the latest gossip and then proceeded to tell me that you're pregnant?"
"I don't know why she said that Sir, but before you ask, yes, it's true, I'm 18 weeks pregnant. I told her this morning and I didn't tell you before I went on leave because I didn't know then."
"Is there anything else I should be aware of?"
"I don't think so Sir," says Claire before leaving the office.
Meanwhile in the main CID office, John is being bombarded with questions from the other officers. "Have you heard the latest gossip? Did you hear ...?" were some of them
"Yes I've heard," he eventually says, "and yes it is true, now can I get on with some work?"
Spotting Claire coming out of the DI's office, they decide to question her instead, giving John a chance to escape to the stairwell. "Don't even bother," says Claire walking straight past them and out to the car park where John is waiting for her.
"Let's go see how Marion's coping," says Claire getting in the car and driving towards CIB headquarters.
Inside the CIB building, Stephen and Marion are hiding in Stephen's office.
"They're like vultures out there," comments Marion.
"I know; it's not often they get gossip this big so they're gonna stretch this out for as long as they possibly can," replies Stephen, "I wonder how John and Claire are coping?
"The same by the looks of it," says Claire entering the room with John right behind her.
"Do you always sneak up on people?" asks Stephen.
"Sometimes."
"Well don't."
The four sit chatting in the office for the rest of the shift, not realising how much time has passed. They eventually notice the time when one of the other staff members wishes them a good night.
Upon noticing the time they all plan to meet up the following day, before heading home for the night.
To be continued...