Short on time, so just review, okay? And 52 STORIES!! Milestone!!
Ha. Love you all.
Anna
"Jess." The nurse smiled at the Detective as she sat up in her hospital bed. "Good news. You're being discharged."
Sherry beamed at her daughter. "That's great news, isn't it, Jess?!"
She nodded. "Uh-huh. How long 'till I can go back to work?"
The nurse raised an eyebrow. "The doctor's will talk to you about that, but I'm sure it'll be a while. You can only just walk, so I think running around stopping crime might be a bit of a stretch."
Jess rolled her eyes. "Great. Well, thanks for letting me know. Has Detective Flack called?"
"Every hour." She smiled. "We've told him; he's on his way. He really cares about you, you know."
"I do." Jess blushed.
Her mother shot a glance at her. "Jessica... is there something you'd like to tell me?"
Is there something you'd like to tell me... It was the phrase Jess hadn't heard since she was a teenager. It meant she was busted, and her mom was giving her the chance to own up. "Uh... he's my partner?" She said, sounding guilty to her own ears.
"Uh-huh. Try again."
"My friend?"
"Warmer."
"I like him?"
"Keep going..."
Jess folded her arms in a sulk. "We've been dating for a couple of months. Don't tell dad. You know what he's like about rules, and I'm not allowed to date him."
"Why not?" Sherry frowned.
"Uh... unproffessional, clouds our judgement, doesn't allow us to be objective... there's a whole bunch of other reasons. The thing is, if anyone at the precinct finds out, I'm a dead duck. One of us gets transferred, and since I'm third grade and he's first grade... Besides, it doesn't look good, sleeping with someone that outranks you." Jess muttered, a drak expression gracing her usually placid features.
Her mom nodded. "Uh-huh, sure. I get it. But remember, the rules are there for a reason, sweetheart. Don't get hurt."
Jess was about to respond when there was a knock at the door. Don stuck his head into the room. "Hey, heard you were being discharged."
She grinned. "I got probation."
"With physiotherapy." Sherry added.
Don nodded. "Yeah, I figured. My dad was in it for months after he got shot on the job. I remember my mom had to do the chool run for my sister when she was she was still in junior high. And me and my brother had to help out with the redecorating. It was a nightmare - the blue paint took forever to come out of my clothes."
Jess chuckled. "Wow. Your mom must have been desperate to let you help out with the decorating..."
He smirked at her. "Don't get cute, Angell. Just cos you're laid up doesn't mean I won't smack ya."
Sherry looked amused by their little conversation. It was rare she got to see her daughter in social situations that didn't involve members of the family - Jess didn't usually bring her boyfriends to meet them (understandable with Cliff and the boys' over-protective natures) and her friends were generally other cops from her precinct, or old squads. It was refreshing to see her... flirt. "So... you're gonna need supervision when you get home, help getting around and stuff..."
Flack darted a quick glance at Jess.
"She knows," his girlfriend scowled.
"In that case, I've got her covered." Don shrugged. "Either at her place or mine, either way."
"Ah... mine, so I can have visitors." She informed him. "I want to see Stell. No offence, but you get a little boring after a while..."
"I'm wounded," he deadpanned.
Sherry rolled her eyes. "You two are so... childish."
Jess shrugged. "Ah. We've survived eight months together. That's not bad going."
Don raised an eyebrow. "Jessica... are you saying I'm difficult to work with?"
"You won't be working at all if you call me Jessica..."
"Ni-ice..."
The nurse stuck her head back round the door. "Jess? You can get ready now, if you'd like."
The grin spread across her face quicker than Martinez to the doughnut shop. "Thanks. Uh, mom, could you give me a hand?"
Don nodded, and headed for the door. Though Jess' mom probably knew that they were sleeping together there was no need to broadcast that by staying in the room while she changed.
The car ride back to Jess' apartment was relatively quick. Jess rode in the front with Flack, Sherry in the back. He was careful and stuck to the speed limit, deliberately not driving as he usually would with Jess in the passenger seat. He glanced periodically at her, checking she was still okay.
"Don, eyes on the road. I'll say if I don't feel so hot, okay?" she told him gently, squeezing his thigh.
He nodded, chewing the inside of his mouth as he usually did when he was nervous. "Uh-huh."
Sherry leaned forwards, resting a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I hope you two aren't like this at work, otherwise your secret won't stay secret for very long."
"What, like Matt and that chick he was dating?" Jess scoffed. "Please, mom. We're slightly more proffessional than you give us credit for."
"Except on stakeouts." Flack added with a slight smile.
"Except stakeouts," she agreed.
Jess' mother nodded. "Alright, I'm not gonna nag either of you. Just for god'ssake don't ruin your areers over this, okay? Believe me when I say you'll regret it."
Jess shot a glance at Flack as if to say 'I wish she'd go away'. He chuckled, but said nothing. Secretly, her was glad Sherry was there. He wasn't sure he would be able to take care of Jess on his own, and she'd notice that and tell him to go to work. "I'll drop you at your place then go pick up your things from mine when you're settled. I think I have your toothbrush."
"You do. And don't forget my sweater."
He raised an eyebrow. "You mean my sweater? My very favourite NYPD sweater that you stole - a crime, by the way."
"Yeah, that one." She grinned smugly, knowing he didn't mind really. If he did... well, it didn't matter because there was nothing that would make her give up the oversized sweater she loved so much.
Flack's cellphone chimed loudly. He jammed it against his ear. "Flack."
"Hey, it's Martinez."
"What's up?"
"You on call today?"
"Ah, no. Angell just got released from the hospital so I'm on taxi duty." He explained.
"Nevermind, but put me on speaker so I can talk to her."
Flack hit the button and tossed the phone into Jess' lap. "Martinez, you're on speaker."
"Detective Angell, what the hell were you thinking?! Getting in a fight with some scumbag without backup or a vest! Did you forget every piece of training we had?! You're damn lucky you're with Donnie right now, or else I'd swing by your apartment and smack you!" Martinez's angry tone blared out of the speaker phone.
Jess sighed. "Martinez... what would you have done? I didn't know he had a knife, and he'd killed someone!"
"I guess. You just scared the hell out of us all. Thank God you called Donnie and got to the hospital."
Flack and Jess grinned guiltily at each other. "Uh-huh. So, did we find any evidence, or did he ditch the knife?"
"Desk Sergant at booking found a metal skewer on him, covered in blood. Idiot sent it to the Crime Lab, and forgot to notify the arresting officers... or check that they were still breathing. He's on modified assignment pending an investigation into his conduct... basically, we're getting his ass nailed to the wall. And that scumbag... he won't be getting luxury treatment, that's for sure. We're adding attempted murder of a Police Officer to the list of charges."
Flack nodded. "Good job, else I'd-"
"Donnie, don't say anythingyou wouldn't want the Cap to har."
"Wouldn't care if he heard..." he muttered, pulling onto Jess' block. "Alright, we gotta go, but I'll be in tomorrow."
"And I might be allowed visitation rights!" Jess chipped in.
"Will not else you'll end up in the field!" Flack retorted. "Bye."
She hung up reluctantly, glowering at her boyfriend. "You can't stop me."
"Detective third grade Angell, a Detective first grade can give you an order, which you must follow." He shot back, switxhing off the energy.
"That's low." She grumbled. "Pulling the rankings card."
Flack stepped out and opened the door for her. Sherry smirked. "You two are like children."
Jess winced as Flack gripped her waist, helping her towards the door as Sherry grabbed her bag. "Ow!"
"Sorry." He whispered, kissing her cheek. "You okay?"
"Been better. Damn surgeons did more damage than that jackass McKinney did, with their scalpels and needles. I already ripped my stitches once." She leaned into him for support as they ascended the stairs, cursing the Brass for her salary not covering an apartment with an elevator.
He helped her over to the couch and waited until Sherry was in and sat with her daughter, before kissing her cheek lightly. Jess, however, was having none of it. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him towards him, kissing him firmly on the lips, a hand looping round the back of his neck. He responded for a moment before pulling away, concious of Sherry sat watching them. "Fighting me will just make me rip my stitches." She pointed out, giving him a small shove. "Go on, get going."
He got to the door before she called out "And don't forget the sweater!"
That evening, Sherry kissed her daughter's cheek, before heading for the door, pulling Don with her. "Don... I can see you care about Jess from the way you are with her. And I'm pleased about that. So I ask you to take care of her, and protect her. Please... don't let anything happen to my little girl. She's the only one I've got."
He nodded seriously. "I will, Mrs Angell. I always have, even before we were dating. She's too important to me."
She nodded, satisfied by his answer. "Merci, Don."
Angell patted the couch next to her, and rested her head on his shoulder as he sat down. "Thanks, Don. For everything."
He tilted her face to meet his, kissing her softly. "You have nothing to thank me for. I realised while you were under, that... I can't live without you, Jess. I... You mean everything to me."
She knelt up, stradling his waist, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders. "Don... I think I might love you."
"I might just love you too." He replied, gripping her hip as she kissed him, thanking his prayers she was okay. As he carried her through to the bedroom, he realised nothing was more important than her. Nothing was as precious to him than Jessica.
BOOYAH, as Sarah says. New chapter, and I have to go, NOW.
Review?