Something Stronger
A/N: This story was inspired by a discussion I had with CrazyMaryT and the episode The Mind Has Mountains. I've tried to fill in some missing pieces at the end of the episode. This may contain spoilers so beware.
Hathaway stared down at the mobile phone in his hands and contemplated his next move very carefully. He'd hardly spoken a word to Laura Hobson during the entire investigation and his last words to her were rather short and to the point. She'd been blaming him for something he'd had no part in and all because of incorrect assumptions. Still, when he thought of what had happened to Lewis and how it might have ended differently, he couldn't shake the feeling that she had a right to know … if only as a concerned friend. With that thought at the forefront of his mind, he rang her mobile and waited for her voice on the line.
Laura was just finishing with some paperwork in her home office when her mobile phone rang. There were only a handful of people who had her number and even fewer who phoned her during the work day. She leaned over and saw the name Robbie Lewis on the screen and decided to let it go to her voicemail. She wasn't quite ready to talk to him despite being in the middle of an investigation. If it was urgent, he would leave her a message, and she could decide when to phone him back depending on the nature of the message.
The phone rang and rang, eventually going to her voicemail and James looked down at the phone in his hand. It wasn't like Dr. Hobson to refuse a call from his boss, though times were anything but normal lately, especially between those two. He sighed and decided to phone again. Again, he reached her voicemail and left no reply. Assuming she might be in the middle of something important, he waited a few moments before trying one last time. If he didn't reach her this time, he wouldn't phone again.
Laura shook her head as her phone rang once more, identifying Robbie as the person on the other end of the line. Something must be very important for him to be so persistent in reaching her. Perhaps there'd been another murder or he needed some technical information from her regarding one of her tests. Instead of procrastinating further, she decided to return his calls, if for no other reason than to appease her own curiosity. As soon as she heard someone had answered the mobile phone, she spoke.
"Hello, Robbie," she said softly, though there was a clipped tone to her voice, one which nearly made Hathaway end the call before saying a word. "I see where you've phoned three times. Something must be urgent."
Hathaway pulled the phone from his ear and looked down at it and considered hanging up. Instead, he forged on. "No, Dr. Hobson. It's James Hathaway. I apologize for bothering you. I was the one trying to reach you. I could have left a message but I thought you'd like to know … you'd like to hear it from me instead of in a message on your mobile."
"James? But I thought this was Robbie's phone. Why are you calling me from … Oh God! Has something happened to him?" The softness in her tone was now gone and her voice was a bit higher, more anxious, more animated than when she'd first answered. She felt a cold wave of panic sweep through her body, thinking of all the things which might have happened to cause Hathaway to phone her. None of the thoughts were pleasant ones, for certain.
"Yes, I'm afraid something has happened. I'm at the hospital with him now, you see. Inspector Lewis has been stabbed and I'm waiting to hear from the doctors now. They think he's going to be fine, a few stitches and a day or two of rest, but, well, it was certainly a near miss." He paused, letting his words sink in before he continued. "He was attacked and he had to fight his assailant then wait for us to arrive. He lost quite a bit of blood from the stab wound," he said, realizing he was rambling just a bit. "Listen, I know you two have been at odds recently, but regardless of that, I thought you'd like to know. I'm sure he'd like for you to know, but he won't admit that nor will he phone you himself to tell you." James shrugged his shoulder, thinking that he wasn't far off the mark in his assumptions. "I apologize if I have, in some way, overstepped my bounds. Regardless of the last few days, I know you two are close … friends. Hence the reason I phoned you."
Laura took a steadying breath and tried to calm her racing heart. Stabbed! Robbie had been stabbed and needed stitches at the very least, lost a lot of blood, too. "I'll be right there. It will take me at least ten minutes but I'll meet you inside. Just tell me where." She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "And James … thank you for phoning me. I'm glad you did. Robbie most likely will brush it off as nothing, but it could have been something."
When she hung up the phone, Laura sank onto the sofa and rested her face in her hands. Since this whole investigation had started, she and Robbie had been off. Granted it had been her fault for not being open and honest with him from the beginning about her dinner date with Franco. And then there'd been James, spotting them having a nice catch up over dinner. She's incorrectly assumed he'd rush back to Robbie, telling him everything. But she'd been wrong. Her secret, though she wasn't exactly trying to hide anything, had been safe with James. The poor man had tried to stay out of their personal affairs, only to be dragged into the middle of them by her own doing.
She thought back over the last few days, how she'd been rather curt whenever Robbie tried to engage her in conversation, how she'd refused to take his hand, barely looked him in the eyes, even. Still, he had been nothing but nice and cordial, as friendly as ever, trying to talk to her about a variety of things, some work and some personal, but she'd thrown up a wall at every turn. She'd seen the hurt look on his face, had heard the worry in his voice when he asked if everything was all right. Now, here she sat on her sofa, shaking from the news that Hathaway had just given her over the phone.
Stabbed. Inspector Lewis has been stabbed. The words kept echoing in her mind, forcing her to conjure up all sorts of images, things she'd seen in her line of work. She couldn't imagine what that must have been like, fighting someone, being stabbed, then waiting for medics and police to arrive. She gave an involuntary shudder as she pictured Robbie on the floor, bleeding and in pain, no one there to comfort him, most importantly, not knowing if his best friend would even give him the time of day or care that he'd been injured. She gave a small smile when she imagined the scolding Robbie would give James for phoning her over something he would most likely consider trivial, nothing more than a nuisance.
Shaking her mind clear of all those images and dark thoughts, she dashed around her home, gathering everything she'd need for a stay at the hospital. She had no idea if Robbie would be forced to stay overnight or would be released. Either way, she would stay with him. It was time to put the past behind her, make amends, and see where the future led them. If it led only to friendship, she would deal with that when the time arose. But now, this moment, she needed to mend that friendship and to be there for the man who had already staked a claim on her heart. He just hadn't realized that yet.
As soon as Laura entered the hospital emergency ward, her eyes landed on the impressive figure of James Hathaway. He was slumped in a chair, Robbie's jacket neatly folded in the chair beside him and the mobile phone, which had delivered the frightening news, resting on top of the suit coat.
"Any news on how he's doing?" she asked, reaching out to place a hand on Hathaway's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
"Not since I phoned you. I believe they're stitching him up now. No word on whether they'll want him to stay for observation." He gave her a small smile. "I'm glad you came. I'm sure he'll appreciate it, too, even if he doesn't appreciate my telling you about it," he joked.
"You let me deal with that," she said with a smile. "I still cannot believe it, though. Can you tell me how it all happened?"
Hathaway took a few moments to fill her in on the details, the ones he knew. He finished up with the bit about finding Robbie on the kitchen floor, and still keeping the woman from doing any more harm. Once we got there, she was taken into custody, and we rushed him here."
"Sounds like you have a long night ahead of you with paperwork. I'm sure Innocent will want it all buttoned up as quickly as possible." Laura sat down next to him and made herself comfortable. "Why don't you go ahead and go to the station, get a start on that paperwork. I'm sure Robbie would want it that way. I'll stay here with him and make sure he makes it home safely or at the very least, doesn't put up a fuss if they make him stay." They both shared a laugh, the first in a very long week for certain.
"Are you sure you wouldn't mind? I could get one of the officers to take me back to her house to get his car, drop it off at his home, then go back to the station. Might save him a bit of trouble later."
"I think that's a brilliant plan, James. You go and I'll stay. If I hear anything more, I'll phone you, and I'll let Robbie know about his car and the paperwork at the station." She gave him a friendly pat on the arm, then a shove. "Go on. Get going or he'll be out of here before you've had a chance to even start on the stuff at the station." She watched him smile, promised once more to phone if there were any chances, then watched him leave. Once she was certain he'd gone, she gathered Robbie's suit coat to her and held it to her chest, taking a deep breath to inhale his cologne. She closed her eyes to memorize every single detail before opening them again, this time to inspect the slash across the arm of the coat. No doubt about it, the suit was now ruined.
Within the hour, the doctor came out to speak to her, telling her he would be fine. "Only a few stitches, nothing too major. He'll need to keep his arm in a sling for a week or so, until we remove the stitches. It will help it all heal nicely. No muscle damage. Fortunately, the woman slashed across the arm and didn't aim the knife in a downward motion. He was very lucky, I'd say." He handed her a prescription for some pain pills, just in case they were needed.
Laura smiled and thanked him, then waited rather impatiently for Robbie. One look at him as he emerged from the emergency wing gave her such a huge wave of relief, she broke into a smile. Instinctively, she clutched his suit coat a little tighter and cradled his mobile phone, the same phone that had brought her the frightening news, in her hands. "I sent Hathaway to get your car then back to the station. I told him I could wait for you," she said, her double meaning not lost on her, though she couldn't tell by his facial expression if he realized the depth of her words.
"I appreciate that, Laura. You needn't have waited, though. I could have walked back to the station and got one of the boys to drive me home." He reached out and took his coat and phone from her, his fingertips brushing with hers and giving him a little jolt.
"Nonsense, Robbie! We weren't sure if they were going to keep you. I thought I'd wait and help you get settled if they did, you know, in case you needed anything from home … or someone to make sure you stayed and did as you were told," she teased.
He smiled. "No, they're not keeping me, fortunately, and it's not really as bad as all that. The shirt and coat took the brunt of the knife, and she wasn't really that strong. I was lucky, so the doctor says. I'll be fine in a few days. Got to wear this blasted thing," he said, offering up his sling, "but that's only for a week, maybe two."
"Yes, I know. He told me. I think he thought I was your … yes, well, um, he did give me your prescription for pain medicine. I can get you comfortable back at your flat and then have it filled at the chemist, bring you a take away for your dinner."
"Thanks, Laura, but that's not necessary. I should head over to the station and help Hathaway tidy up all the loose ends with this case. I'm sure Innocent is eager to get this behind us, and I'll need to fill out my report on what happened. Good thing she only nicked my left arm," he joked, but laughed only mildly, the gravity of the situation beginning to settle in. "But thank you for waiting. I hope I didn't disrupt any plans you might have had for this evening." He inwardly cringed with the implications he was offering.
"No, no plans, Robbie. I was home when James called. I came right over." She looked up at him with bright blue eyes and long lashes. "Are you sure I can't help you, do something for you?"
"You can take me to the station, if you'd like." He did not miss the disappointed look in her face. "Maybe meet me tomorrow, in the afternoon perhaps, for a bit of a catch up? That is … if you're not busy."
"I'll look forward to it," she said sweetly. "And since you're so determined to get back to work, I will drive you to the station, but only if you promise to have James drive you home this evening at a reasonable hour. No sense in wasting your energy on the walk when my car is parked just outside. And don't overdo it. Any of this paperwork can wait until tomorrow, at the least. I'm sure Jean wouldn't mind waiting a few hours for some of it."
"You have a deal, Dr. Hobson." For the first time since it all happened, he looked down at the slashed sleeve of his coat. "Guess I'll need to see about replacing this suit, too," he sighed. "You know, we could make a drive to London in the next week or so. I could get a new suit, have a nice lunch or dinner, take in a show before coming home?" His face warmed considerably as he realized that it was sounding more and more like a date. And given the recent state of their relationship, he knew he had no right to ask her these things, especially since he had no idea how things stood between Laura and Franco. "You don't have to answer me now. Just … well, it was just an idea," he said, trying to shrug it off.
She could see his discomfort and tried to soothe his frayed nerves. "Let's worry about getting you to the station then home tonight. The suit discussion can wait for a few days, hmm?" She took his free arm and guided him out of the hospital and to her car. "If it's all the same to you, I'll drive," she teased.
Later that evening, as he readied himself for bed, Robbie couldn't get the image of Laura out of his mind. She'd dropped everything and rushed to the hospital when she knew he'd been hurt. The look of relief on her face was evident as soon as he stepped through the door, no doubt matching his happiness at finding her there waiting for him. He hadn't even scolded Hathaway, for which the Sergeant was most grateful. In fact, in his own way, he had thanked James for contacting her, letting her hear it from a friendly source instead of one of the gossips at the police station. Without overthinking it, he reached for his phone after he slipped into bed and phoned the woman in question.
"Hi, Laura. I know it's late, but I thought I'd let you know that I'm home and getting ready for bed. I didn't want you worrying about me."
"I was just about to phone you to make sure you weren't still at work. You need your rest, Robbie. I took the liberty of taking your prescription to the chemist. They'll have it ready for you in the morning so be sure to pick it up first thing."
"I'll stop by on me way into the office. Thank you, for everything." He paused, thinking of how to phrase his next question and wondering why things still seemed so awkward between them. They needed to clear the air, put things right once and for all. "Fancy meeting me tomorrow, around noon? I'm going to stop by the hospital and see the Gansas, give them an update on the case. If you're free, we could meet outside the hospital," he suggested with more than a little hope in his voice.
"Sounds lovely. I need to get outside more, take in the fresh air and the sights," she said, unable to keep the smile on her face from invading her voice. "I'll meet you at noon, and Robbie, sleep well. I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt."
"Thanks, Laura. I hope you sleep well, too, and I'll see you tomorrow." He closed his mobile phone and placed it on the nightstand. His last thoughts before drifting off to sleep were of Laura Hobson.
Precisely at noon the following day, Robbie Lewis walked out the front doors of the Oxford hospital and was greeted by Laura, looking chipper and well rested.
They walked for a bit, making idle conversation before they both stopped and turned to face each other. "I'm sorry," she said softly, giving him a very apologetic look to match the sincerity of her words.
"You don't have to be sorry. It's not as if we …," he paused, not knowing exactly where he wanted to go with that thought. It wasn't as if he hadn't entertained the idea of becoming more than friends with Laura Hobson. In fact, he had battled with that line of thinking for quite some time, but he'd never taken the opportunity to act upon it. He looked down at Laura, only to find that incredibly attractive smile, those lips curled into that girlish grin, and he started to fall for her all over again. "Gansa really proves it," he said randomly.
"Proves what?" She hadn't missed that familiar look in his eyes, the one that always seemed to follow a particularly sweet moment between them.
"You don't get many chances. Don't want to waste them." He paused and took a breath before asking, "Can I buy you a coffee, Laura?"
She smirked but was touched by his sweet gesture. It was just one more reason why she found this man so attractive, so unlike all the other men she'd dated. "Coffee?"
"Maybe something stronger," he countered, his lips curling into a grin.
She couldn't contain her happiness any longer. "Sounds a bit more like it."
He gave her his best and broadest smile. "Right, I know just the place," he answered. He had the feeling that they'd just come to some sort of unspoken understanding. While he wasn't quite there yet, wasn't quite ready to commit to a romantic relationship with her, he hoped she knew that when the time came, he hoped she would still be there, that she would still want something stronger with him.
The End.
A/N2: For the most part, the last few bits of this chapter were taken from the same episode that inspired this fanfic story. I only added the last quote to the mix because it sounded like a very Robbie-like thing to say. Hope you've enjoyed the story.