This story is dedicated to:
Rachael W. for being a wonderful writer and for introducing me to ratfic.
Esme for her stories, her feedback and her websites.
Amanda for being a sweetheart when we met in Sydney two years ago. Hope to
see you again soon.
Nikki for just being funny and always giving feedback - and by the way, you
still owe me that shopping spree we never got to do in Sydney.
Camilla for copying and taping episodes whenever I needed her to - du skal
få boka di tilbake en dag.
To all the other ratfans out there for. well, for being a fan.
And finally to Colin and Catherine, for being who they are.
Enjoy.
~~~
It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein
by Hilde
~~~
It was Tuesday morning in Sydney, Australia. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was in the middle of the spring. It was a perfect day. Or at least it should have been. But Detective Senior Constable Rachel Goldstein had a feeling something was about to happen. Something she didn't approve of. As she entered the Sydney Water Police station, she was greeted by everyone of the other officers she met. Rachel 'Goldie' Goldstein was well known within the Water Police for her excellent work and her extraordinary ability of finding the answers no one else had. She had been a cop since she was 19, and she was damned good at it, too. Cold and calculating, always in control. She loved her job, and it loved her back. Her personal life was a mess, though. Divorced from a big-time lawyer, Jonathon Goldstein, with whom she had a beautiful son, David. 'The only good thing that came out of our relationship,' Rachel used to think. She was very bitter at Jonathon, had been ever since he got custody of David due to Rachel's total lack of knowledge in court. The court decided David would be better off with his wealthy father than with his mother, who lived on a slim cop's wages in the suburb of King's Cross. Rachel would never forgive that court, or that bastard Jonathon. But she had gotten over it now, as much as she could get over it. Although she got to see way too little of her son, she had her job and was quite happy with her life. But there was something strange about this Tuesday. A weird light was laying over the city, but Rachel couldn't figure out what was wrong. She just knew something was.
~~~
"G'day, Rachel!" her partner, Senior Detective Frank Holloway grinned when she entered their office. Frank in a good mood at this time of day. Something was definitely wrong.
Rachel sighed and sat down behind her desk. She tried to shake off the odd feeling, but it didn't work. Funny. She never used to have premonitions. So why now?
"Hello, Earth to Rachel, can you hear me?"
"Huh?" Rachel turned to Frank with a confused look. "Did you say something?"
"Aren't you entirely waken yet?" Frank asked teasingly. "Ah, I see. Late night last night, hey?"
"Frank, I." Rachel didn't get to say any more before she was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in!" she said loudly, annoyed by the interruption.
Tayler stuck her head in. "Excuse me. Eh, Rachel, Hawker wants to see you in his office immediately."
Rachel sighed heavily and got up from her chair. "Right. Thanks, Tayler."
Tayler nodded and left the office.
When Rachel reached the Chief Inspector's office, she discovered that Sergeant Helen Blakemore was there too. "Hi, Helen," she said, then turned to Jeff. "So, what's up?"
Jeff and Helen looked at each other, then Jeff motioned for Rachel to sit down. "There is something you need to know," he said with a serious face.
Rachel sent both him and Helen a puzzled look, before she sat down in the chair in front of Jeff's desk. "What's going on?" she asked curiously.
Jeff once again glanced over at Helen before taking a deep breath. "Rachel, we just heard..." he started.
"Heard what?" Rachel asked impatiently.
"It's about your ex-husband." Jeff paused again.
So that was what was wrong with this day. The mentioning of Jonathon's name. "Ah, yeah? What's he done this time?"
Jeff decided to just go ahead with it, and looked Rachel straight in the eyes as he said: "Jonathon Goldstein was found in his bathroom last night - dead."
~~~
It took a few seconds before Rachel was able to speak. That was the last thing she had ever expected from Jonathon. Not sure if Jeff had actually said what she thought he had, she cleared her voice slightly. "What?"
Helen gently put her hand on Rachel's arm, offering support if she needed it. "The housekeeper found him yesterday evening," she informed a still stunned Rachel.
Rachel nodded, trying to let the information sink in. She turned to Jeff again. "So he's dead, huh?" She couldn't quite believe it. Her ex-husband was never a saint, and although she had wished him to a much warmer place several times, she had never wanted him dead.
"Yes," Jeff nodded. "He's dead."
"But how?" Rachel asked. "It wasn't murder, was it?" She wouldn't be surprised if anyone had killed him. Jonathon had a certain way of getting on the wrong foot with people.
"The investigating officers have ruled that out," Jeff replied. "By the looks of it, he slipped on a piece of soap, fell and hit his head on the corner of the sink. He died momentarily."
Rachel couldn't help but laugh. Of all the stupid things that bastard had done, this had to be the worst.
"Rachel." she heard Helen's voice behind her.
"Yeah, sorry," she sighed. "I just. Don't feel anything." Then a thought suddenly hit her. "David!" she exclaimed. "Does he know? Where is he?" Rachel was angry with herself for not thinking of her son at once. He lived with his father because of her stupidity in court, and most of the time she didn't know where he was or what he was doing. What would happen to him, now that his father was dead?
"David was staying with a friend overnight. Jonathon was supposed to pick him up this afternoon," Helen replied.
"Does he know about his father?" Rachel asked anxiously. She didn't want a stranger to tell her son that his father was dead.
"No." Helen paused for a second. "Jonathon's wife is taking this pretty badly. She told the police she wouldn't be able to face David just yet."
Rachel grunted. "That'd be right. She never could stand him."
"Yes, well. Since Jonathon had no living will, the authorities have agreed to leave David in your custody for the time being, until Jonathon's parents can be contacted. They're currently in Europe on holiday, and the police have been unable to reach them."
"His parents?" Rachel questioned. "What have they got to do with my son?"
"Since they are Jonathon's closest family after his wife, they might be applying for custody, assuming that the wife won't," Helen explained.
"No way," Rachel said firmly. "I'm not letting them take my son away, not this time."
"You'll have to be prepared for another day in court, Rachel." Helen watched her friend, whose anger seemed to rise to a dangerously high level.
Jeff interrupted before the breakout came. "I'm sure you'll be contacted by the Goldsteins' attorney when they hear the news. But right now David can stay with you."
Rachel sank back in her chair. Too many thought were swirling inside her head, and she felt emotionally exhausted. Just the thought of having to go through another battle for her son, made her feel weak. But this was one battle she had to win.
"Go to your son, Rachel." Helen ordered her affectionately. "He needs you now."
Rachel nodded and got up, ready to leave. Helen did the same.
"Listen, you take the rest of the day off," Jeff suggested. "Take tomorrow too, take as long as you want," he added after a few seconds. "I think we can manage without you for the time being."
"Thanks," Rachel said gratefully. "I think I'll take you up on that." She turned to Helen again. "Do you know the name of David's friend?"
Helen handed her a piece of paper. "Here's the address," she said warmly, squeezing Rachel's hand softly. "Look, I know this won't sound appropriate, but... Good luck."
Rachel managed to give her a little smile. "Thanks, Helen. I'll probably need it."
~~~
When Rachel entered the Taylor family's house, she was met by David and his friend Billy.
"Mum!" David exclaimed and gave her a big hug.
"Hi, sweetheart," Rachel said warmly and returned the hug. "How are you?"
"Fine," David replied, and continued with a curios look: "Why didn't Dad come and get me?"
"Daddy couldn't pick you up today, so you and I are going home to my place, and you can spend the night with me. Would you like that?" Rachel asked and looked down on her son.
"Yeah!" he grinned widely.
"Okay. Now go get your things and say goodbye to Billy," Rachel demanded. as Jane Taylor appeared in the doorway. "G'day, Jane."
"Hello, Rachel," Jane said, extending her hand. "I heard about Jonathon." She hesitated. "I haven't said anything to David. I figured it should come from someone close to him."
Rachel nodded. "Thanks," she said plainly, not bothering to explain what might happen the coming weeks. Jonathon was dead, that was all anyone needed to know.
"Anyway," Jane went on as they heard David and Billy coming down the hallway. "Good luck."
Rachel studied her for a moment. That was the second time someone had wished her luck that day. Somehow she figured luck wasn't what she needed right now.
"Bye Billy! See ya tomorrow!" David waved at his friend, before he grabbed Rachel's hand and started dragging her down the front steps. "Let's go!" he stated firmly.
Rachel had to smile. She would never forgive herself for letting Jonathon get custody of David, and with that nearly shutting him out of her life. She didn't get to see him much, and when she did, the job often got in the way. Maybe all that could change now, she thought as she and David got in the car.
~~~
Rachel stood in the doorway to her living room and silently watched David, who was sitting in front of the TV. She would have to tell him soon. The sooner, the better. She couldn't lie to him anymore, even if it was for only a few hours. She knew it would get more difficult by the minute. If she didn't tell him now, she would have to answer his question as to why she didn't say it at once. Oh God, this would be the hardest thing she had ever had to do in her life. She closed her eyes for a second, then decided now or never. She went over to the couch where David was sitting, and sat down beside him. "Hey," she said with a smile.
"Hi," David replied without taking his eyes off the screen.
"Listen, David..." she started, but trailed off. How do you tell a ten-year- old that his father is dead? David looked up at her with his big, brown eyes, and she saw herself in them. She couldn't turn back now. "Davey, there's something I have to tell you... Can we turn off the telly?" she asked, noticing that the sound distracted her.
"But I'm watching." David objected, but went to turn it off anyway.
"Thanks," Rachel said distantly. She waited until David had sat down beside her again, then she put her arm around his shoulders. "David." she started again. "Your father... Dad... He's not coming to get you tomorrow like I said."
"Why not?" David asked, glancing puzzled at her.
Oh, those eyes! Her heart reached out to him. She took a deep breath, and continued quietly. "He won't come and get you at all anymore. Your father's dead, David." She let her breath out.
David just looked at her with eyes that didn't understand.
Rachel felt the tears burning in her eyes. "Sweetheart, do you understand what I'm saying? He won't come back." Was she getting through to him? She watched his eyes fill with tears, and she knew he understood. She felt a sudden pain in her chest as the tears streamed down David's cheeks.
"Never?" David asked with a whisper Rachel could barely hear.
"Never," she had to tell him, although she knew he knew the answer. Her eyes floated over, and she grabbed David and pressed him into her chest as hard as she dared. She felt they sat like that for ever, crying silently in each others arms, mother and son.
~~~
Two and a half hour later Rachel quietly closed the door to David's bedroom. He was fast asleep, completely exhausted. Rachel was pretty far down herself. They had been crying for about an hour, without a word. They just sat there, holding round each other, while letting their hearts cry out. David's because he would never see his father again, and Rachel's because she couldn't bare to see her son hurt like that. Eventually the crying seized, and they had started talking. Rachel tried to comfort David and answer his questions as best she could. At last David was totally worn out, and he had fallen asleep in Rachel's lap. She put him to bed, and when she tucked him in, she realised how much he meant to her. She didn't understand how she could have let Jonathon just take him like that. But she was busy with her job, and she knew her anger towards Jonathon shadowed her love for David. Oh, how she regretted everything! She wondered what would happen to David now. The Child Welfare was bound to be involved, they had probably been contacted by the local police. Would they let her have him this time? They had to. She was his mother, damn it! He couldn't be taken away from her again. He just couldn't. Rachel felt her head spinning, and she decided to go to bed too. She was getting a headache, and felt exhausted. She barely made it to her bedroom, before she was overwhelmed by a dark, dreamless sleep.
~~~
It's a Beautiful Life, Rachel Goldstein
by Hilde
~~~
It was Tuesday morning in Sydney, Australia. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it was in the middle of the spring. It was a perfect day. Or at least it should have been. But Detective Senior Constable Rachel Goldstein had a feeling something was about to happen. Something she didn't approve of. As she entered the Sydney Water Police station, she was greeted by everyone of the other officers she met. Rachel 'Goldie' Goldstein was well known within the Water Police for her excellent work and her extraordinary ability of finding the answers no one else had. She had been a cop since she was 19, and she was damned good at it, too. Cold and calculating, always in control. She loved her job, and it loved her back. Her personal life was a mess, though. Divorced from a big-time lawyer, Jonathon Goldstein, with whom she had a beautiful son, David. 'The only good thing that came out of our relationship,' Rachel used to think. She was very bitter at Jonathon, had been ever since he got custody of David due to Rachel's total lack of knowledge in court. The court decided David would be better off with his wealthy father than with his mother, who lived on a slim cop's wages in the suburb of King's Cross. Rachel would never forgive that court, or that bastard Jonathon. But she had gotten over it now, as much as she could get over it. Although she got to see way too little of her son, she had her job and was quite happy with her life. But there was something strange about this Tuesday. A weird light was laying over the city, but Rachel couldn't figure out what was wrong. She just knew something was.
~~~
"G'day, Rachel!" her partner, Senior Detective Frank Holloway grinned when she entered their office. Frank in a good mood at this time of day. Something was definitely wrong.
Rachel sighed and sat down behind her desk. She tried to shake off the odd feeling, but it didn't work. Funny. She never used to have premonitions. So why now?
"Hello, Earth to Rachel, can you hear me?"
"Huh?" Rachel turned to Frank with a confused look. "Did you say something?"
"Aren't you entirely waken yet?" Frank asked teasingly. "Ah, I see. Late night last night, hey?"
"Frank, I." Rachel didn't get to say any more before she was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in!" she said loudly, annoyed by the interruption.
Tayler stuck her head in. "Excuse me. Eh, Rachel, Hawker wants to see you in his office immediately."
Rachel sighed heavily and got up from her chair. "Right. Thanks, Tayler."
Tayler nodded and left the office.
When Rachel reached the Chief Inspector's office, she discovered that Sergeant Helen Blakemore was there too. "Hi, Helen," she said, then turned to Jeff. "So, what's up?"
Jeff and Helen looked at each other, then Jeff motioned for Rachel to sit down. "There is something you need to know," he said with a serious face.
Rachel sent both him and Helen a puzzled look, before she sat down in the chair in front of Jeff's desk. "What's going on?" she asked curiously.
Jeff once again glanced over at Helen before taking a deep breath. "Rachel, we just heard..." he started.
"Heard what?" Rachel asked impatiently.
"It's about your ex-husband." Jeff paused again.
So that was what was wrong with this day. The mentioning of Jonathon's name. "Ah, yeah? What's he done this time?"
Jeff decided to just go ahead with it, and looked Rachel straight in the eyes as he said: "Jonathon Goldstein was found in his bathroom last night - dead."
~~~
It took a few seconds before Rachel was able to speak. That was the last thing she had ever expected from Jonathon. Not sure if Jeff had actually said what she thought he had, she cleared her voice slightly. "What?"
Helen gently put her hand on Rachel's arm, offering support if she needed it. "The housekeeper found him yesterday evening," she informed a still stunned Rachel.
Rachel nodded, trying to let the information sink in. She turned to Jeff again. "So he's dead, huh?" She couldn't quite believe it. Her ex-husband was never a saint, and although she had wished him to a much warmer place several times, she had never wanted him dead.
"Yes," Jeff nodded. "He's dead."
"But how?" Rachel asked. "It wasn't murder, was it?" She wouldn't be surprised if anyone had killed him. Jonathon had a certain way of getting on the wrong foot with people.
"The investigating officers have ruled that out," Jeff replied. "By the looks of it, he slipped on a piece of soap, fell and hit his head on the corner of the sink. He died momentarily."
Rachel couldn't help but laugh. Of all the stupid things that bastard had done, this had to be the worst.
"Rachel." she heard Helen's voice behind her.
"Yeah, sorry," she sighed. "I just. Don't feel anything." Then a thought suddenly hit her. "David!" she exclaimed. "Does he know? Where is he?" Rachel was angry with herself for not thinking of her son at once. He lived with his father because of her stupidity in court, and most of the time she didn't know where he was or what he was doing. What would happen to him, now that his father was dead?
"David was staying with a friend overnight. Jonathon was supposed to pick him up this afternoon," Helen replied.
"Does he know about his father?" Rachel asked anxiously. She didn't want a stranger to tell her son that his father was dead.
"No." Helen paused for a second. "Jonathon's wife is taking this pretty badly. She told the police she wouldn't be able to face David just yet."
Rachel grunted. "That'd be right. She never could stand him."
"Yes, well. Since Jonathon had no living will, the authorities have agreed to leave David in your custody for the time being, until Jonathon's parents can be contacted. They're currently in Europe on holiday, and the police have been unable to reach them."
"His parents?" Rachel questioned. "What have they got to do with my son?"
"Since they are Jonathon's closest family after his wife, they might be applying for custody, assuming that the wife won't," Helen explained.
"No way," Rachel said firmly. "I'm not letting them take my son away, not this time."
"You'll have to be prepared for another day in court, Rachel." Helen watched her friend, whose anger seemed to rise to a dangerously high level.
Jeff interrupted before the breakout came. "I'm sure you'll be contacted by the Goldsteins' attorney when they hear the news. But right now David can stay with you."
Rachel sank back in her chair. Too many thought were swirling inside her head, and she felt emotionally exhausted. Just the thought of having to go through another battle for her son, made her feel weak. But this was one battle she had to win.
"Go to your son, Rachel." Helen ordered her affectionately. "He needs you now."
Rachel nodded and got up, ready to leave. Helen did the same.
"Listen, you take the rest of the day off," Jeff suggested. "Take tomorrow too, take as long as you want," he added after a few seconds. "I think we can manage without you for the time being."
"Thanks," Rachel said gratefully. "I think I'll take you up on that." She turned to Helen again. "Do you know the name of David's friend?"
Helen handed her a piece of paper. "Here's the address," she said warmly, squeezing Rachel's hand softly. "Look, I know this won't sound appropriate, but... Good luck."
Rachel managed to give her a little smile. "Thanks, Helen. I'll probably need it."
~~~
When Rachel entered the Taylor family's house, she was met by David and his friend Billy.
"Mum!" David exclaimed and gave her a big hug.
"Hi, sweetheart," Rachel said warmly and returned the hug. "How are you?"
"Fine," David replied, and continued with a curios look: "Why didn't Dad come and get me?"
"Daddy couldn't pick you up today, so you and I are going home to my place, and you can spend the night with me. Would you like that?" Rachel asked and looked down on her son.
"Yeah!" he grinned widely.
"Okay. Now go get your things and say goodbye to Billy," Rachel demanded. as Jane Taylor appeared in the doorway. "G'day, Jane."
"Hello, Rachel," Jane said, extending her hand. "I heard about Jonathon." She hesitated. "I haven't said anything to David. I figured it should come from someone close to him."
Rachel nodded. "Thanks," she said plainly, not bothering to explain what might happen the coming weeks. Jonathon was dead, that was all anyone needed to know.
"Anyway," Jane went on as they heard David and Billy coming down the hallway. "Good luck."
Rachel studied her for a moment. That was the second time someone had wished her luck that day. Somehow she figured luck wasn't what she needed right now.
"Bye Billy! See ya tomorrow!" David waved at his friend, before he grabbed Rachel's hand and started dragging her down the front steps. "Let's go!" he stated firmly.
Rachel had to smile. She would never forgive herself for letting Jonathon get custody of David, and with that nearly shutting him out of her life. She didn't get to see him much, and when she did, the job often got in the way. Maybe all that could change now, she thought as she and David got in the car.
~~~
Rachel stood in the doorway to her living room and silently watched David, who was sitting in front of the TV. She would have to tell him soon. The sooner, the better. She couldn't lie to him anymore, even if it was for only a few hours. She knew it would get more difficult by the minute. If she didn't tell him now, she would have to answer his question as to why she didn't say it at once. Oh God, this would be the hardest thing she had ever had to do in her life. She closed her eyes for a second, then decided now or never. She went over to the couch where David was sitting, and sat down beside him. "Hey," she said with a smile.
"Hi," David replied without taking his eyes off the screen.
"Listen, David..." she started, but trailed off. How do you tell a ten-year- old that his father is dead? David looked up at her with his big, brown eyes, and she saw herself in them. She couldn't turn back now. "Davey, there's something I have to tell you... Can we turn off the telly?" she asked, noticing that the sound distracted her.
"But I'm watching." David objected, but went to turn it off anyway.
"Thanks," Rachel said distantly. She waited until David had sat down beside her again, then she put her arm around his shoulders. "David." she started again. "Your father... Dad... He's not coming to get you tomorrow like I said."
"Why not?" David asked, glancing puzzled at her.
Oh, those eyes! Her heart reached out to him. She took a deep breath, and continued quietly. "He won't come and get you at all anymore. Your father's dead, David." She let her breath out.
David just looked at her with eyes that didn't understand.
Rachel felt the tears burning in her eyes. "Sweetheart, do you understand what I'm saying? He won't come back." Was she getting through to him? She watched his eyes fill with tears, and she knew he understood. She felt a sudden pain in her chest as the tears streamed down David's cheeks.
"Never?" David asked with a whisper Rachel could barely hear.
"Never," she had to tell him, although she knew he knew the answer. Her eyes floated over, and she grabbed David and pressed him into her chest as hard as she dared. She felt they sat like that for ever, crying silently in each others arms, mother and son.
~~~
Two and a half hour later Rachel quietly closed the door to David's bedroom. He was fast asleep, completely exhausted. Rachel was pretty far down herself. They had been crying for about an hour, without a word. They just sat there, holding round each other, while letting their hearts cry out. David's because he would never see his father again, and Rachel's because she couldn't bare to see her son hurt like that. Eventually the crying seized, and they had started talking. Rachel tried to comfort David and answer his questions as best she could. At last David was totally worn out, and he had fallen asleep in Rachel's lap. She put him to bed, and when she tucked him in, she realised how much he meant to her. She didn't understand how she could have let Jonathon just take him like that. But she was busy with her job, and she knew her anger towards Jonathon shadowed her love for David. Oh, how she regretted everything! She wondered what would happen to David now. The Child Welfare was bound to be involved, they had probably been contacted by the local police. Would they let her have him this time? They had to. She was his mother, damn it! He couldn't be taken away from her again. He just couldn't. Rachel felt her head spinning, and she decided to go to bed too. She was getting a headache, and felt exhausted. She barely made it to her bedroom, before she was overwhelmed by a dark, dreamless sleep.