Disclaimer: This is a fanfiction, not for profit, story. I do not own these characters, just borrowing them from Lewis.
A/N: This chapter is for those of us who thought Laura was much too patient with Robbie's frustrating lack of action over the years.
Robbie and Laura stood on the bridge together only a couple hours after he had brought her coffee at the lab early in the morning. He needed to see her again and couldn't wait until lunch even though he was wrapping up a murder investigation. Talk about work quickly changed to more personal matters. Robbie had a question for her.
"And when I do nail Faulkner and his mates…do you fancy a ride one night after work?"
That got her attention. Laura shifted gears. "A ride?"
Robbie looked confused.
"What? I mean a bike ride. There's a bike hire shop…"
Laura couldn't hide her amusement. Just for a moment she thought he might have meant something else. Then she realized this was Robbie after all.
"Oh, Robbie. You? On a bike?"
They dissolved into laughter over his choice of words. Robbie put his arms lightly around her waist. He was finally ready. After all the years of friendship and hints that they could be something more to each other, now was the time to begin his new chapter. And he wanted Laura to be on every page. He tightened his arms around her and pulled her closer, allowing himself to really feel her for the first time. She looked up at him and he bent down to…
Laura's phone rang. She hesitated for a second thinking maybe Robbie was actually going to take a risk.
The pair of them were dedicated to their jobs, too dedicated at times.
Laura pulled out her phone and looked at the display. She and Robbie could both see who was calling.
Robbie smiled when he saw the name. Peterson. He loosened his arms for a moment to allow her to take the call, intending to shortly pick up where they left off. He looked forward to how she would quickly get rid of Action Man. His anticipation was tempered when he heard Laura say,
"Of course Alan, it's no problem."
Alan?
"Yes, 9 o'clock is good for me too."
"What, does she mean 9 o'clock tonight?"
"Let's try and meet halfway."
Is she going out with Peterson after what just almost happened here? Robbie took his left arm back.
"Yes Alan, it should be very interesting."
Interesting? Robbie took his right arm back.
"You should be very pleased with the results."
Pleased? Robbie took a step back.
"Just what you have been waiting for."
I told her I was ready for a new chapter. I always thought she'd be waiting for me. Robbie took another step back.
Laura laughed at something Peterson said to her.
"Not at all, I'll be happy to Alan."
Happy? Robbie clenched his fists.
"Bye for now."
Laura disconnected her phone and hoped that Robbie could finally get around to what she had supposed he was going to do before Peterson called. Instead she realized he had taken his hands back and stepped away from her. Worse than that, she saw his sullen expression and agitated body language.
"Robbie, calm down, what's the matter?"
"I'm upset is all."
"About what?"
"Isn't it obvious? You're going on a date with Peterson!"
"A what?"
"A date, now when I'm finally…"
"You're finally what Robbie?"
Robbie put his hands gently back on Laura's shoulders.
"I was going to…and now you are making plans with Action Man?"
"You shouldn't call him that right now." Does he think I'm going out with Peterson?
"He's not the right man for you."
"Robbie, I'm-"
"Don't you know he's all flash, no substance?"
Laura couldn't believe what she was hearing. She backed up and away from Robbie's hands on her shoulders.
"Robbie, It's not-"
"You said he wasn't your type." He clenched his jaw.
Laura tried again.
"Robbie, you must listen-"
"Laura, you need to see sense about Peterson." Under his breath he added, "I'm not arguing".
Laura heard that. Now she was really starting to get annoyed with him.
"I don't have to see sense about him."
Robbie decided to take a stand. He needed to make his intentions known.
"I'm not going to allow you to go out with Peterson."
"Did you just say you weren't going to allow me to go out with Peterson?"
"Yes."
"That's the most ridiculous thing you have ever said to me. You can't tell me who I can see or what to do. It's not as if we ever…"
Even though Robbie knew she was right, he couldn't stop acting like a jealous schoolboy. He didn't want someone else to have her, especially now when he was no longer stuck in the past.
"I'm going to stop you." There, now she would know how he felt about her.
Laura was more than frustrated now.
"How are you going to do that Robbie?"
"What?"
"How will you stop me? Are you going to physically restrain me, handcuff me, put me under arrest, hold me and never let me go?" She glared at him.
Robbie was at a loss for words. How did things change so quickly? Just a few minutes ago he was planning to kiss her and well, go on from there.
"I…No, of course not; I would never…" hurt you, he meant to say.
Laura put her hands on her hips.
"That's just the problem, Robbie; you would never DO anything!"
Laura turned and started to storm off, then did an about-face to do something she should have done a long time ago, tell him off.
"Are you going to let me speak now?" That was said with such authority that no one would dare say no. All Robbie could do was nod and brace himself for the news that he had waited too long and lost her to Action Man.
"Even though it's none of your business I'm going to tell you why I was so nice to Peterson just now on the phone." She paused to make sure she had his full attention. "His mother died yesterday and I was trying to schedule a discussion of some vital forensic results around his funeral and travel arrangements."
Left unspoken was that she didn't tell Robbie about the death of Peterson's mother in order to spare him more talk of funerals. "Your theory about me going out with him is rubbish. Your version of that phone call is just a fantasy."
That was not my fantasy. Robbie realized that he had made a colossal mistake. He hoped to apologize as quickly and as profusely as possible.
"Laura, I'm-"
"I had no intention of going out with Alan again after attending Professor Yelland's lecture." Calling him Alan instead of Peterson was intentional.
"Laura please let me-"
"Now I've changed my mind."
"What?"
"Not only am I going to have dinner with Action Man, I am going to have sex with him."
"No, don't-"
She gave Robbie an excited look. "I hope he lives up to your name for him."
"Laura, you must listen-"
"In case you were wondering, there's more."
Robbie didn't want to wonder about more. "No, I -"
"Not only am I going to sleep with him, I'm going to have his baby."
"You can't mean-"
No, correct that, I'm going to have twins with him."
"Laura-"
She saved her best scathing look and voice for last.
"And then I'm going to get his name tattooed someplace you obviously never want to see!"
Laura spun back around and stormed off for good this time.
Sorry Robbie if that was a bit harsh. In my fantasy version of the series she did that a long time ago.