Jealous Games
written by Sammy
You ain't the most important in the world, but most people believe this. They are selfish, vain and greedy. Most of these people are living their life not thinking about tomorrow. I also used to live my life not thinking about tomorrow when I was younger. Now I am a mother. I have to think about the future. And I realize life is easier when you think about what might happen tomorrow...
Chris and Rita had just solved a case. Cap. Lipshitz gave them some days off for themselves. So they decided to celebrate Christopher's 1st birthday somewhere down the Florida Keys. Chris remembered a place in Key West he'd like to show Rita, a tranquil and remote hotel at the beach.
In 2 days my son will celebrate his 1st birthday. I really can't believe he is growing up so fast. I can clearly remember a time I was sure I wouldn't live long enough to have children, but I also remember a time I was longing for a child. Now I am married and I have my beautiful baby son. And soon I will be a mother of two...
Chris was driving the car down the Highway. Christopher was sitting in the back in his carseat babbling. Rita was looking outside the car. She was a little tired.
"Sam, when will we be there?" she asked.
"In about an hour, Sam. You're not feeling good, hmm?" Chris replied.
"I am just a little tired. The last couple of weeks were quiet hectic, but I am glad we have some day off now. Just the three of us."
"I know you'll like the place in Key West."
"Mama!" Someone suddenly yelled from behind. Rita turned over to look at Christopher. The little one was trying to take off his socks.
"Hey Christopher, don't." Rita said and tried to put on the baby's socks again, but Christopher wagged his tiny feet up and down. Meanwhile Chris looked into the rearview mirror to see what was going on in the back.
"Okay, we'll let them off, but as soon as we'll get out off the car you have to wear them again." Rita brushed the baby's hair, turned around and looked at Chris. "He's as stubborn as you are, Chris, you know that?"
"Hey, he's my son."
About an hour later they arrived at the Sunset Beach Hotel in Key West. Though Key West normally was crowded with people this place was really tranquil. Chris parked the car. Then they went into the lobby of the hotel. Christopher was sleeping on Rita's arm, his head laid on her shoulder while they were walking towards the reception desk.
"Yes, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked.
"We are looking for a room for the three of us." Chris replied.
"One bed or two beds?"
"One bed." Chris said while the receptionist scribbled something down on a small piece of paper.
"You need a crib?" the receptionist asked and looked up from the counter for a moment.
"If it's available."
"How long would you like to stay?"
"5 days."
"That's no problem. Please fill in this."
The receptionist handed a piece of paper to Chris. Chris then leaned over to Rita.
"What do you think? We should use our real names?" he whispered.
"Hmm... why not?" Rita answered and leaned against the counter. She smiled while she stroked sleeping Christopher's hair.
"Okay."
Chris filled in the form and gave it back to the receptionist. The receptionist then gave him a key.
"Your room is 209. It's on the 2nd floor, right wing."
"Does it have an ocean view?" Rita asked curious. She then shifted Christopher on the other side. He stired for a moment, but didn't wake up.
"Yes, it has. And you have a balcony." the receptionist replied and smiled at both Chris and Rita. "I hope you will enjoy your stay."
"Thanks. We sure will."
Chris and Rita moved towards the stairway. Rita looked around in the lobby and outside one of the huge windows towards the beach. The sun was about setting at the horizon.
"Sam, this really is a great place." Rita said joyous and kissed Chris on his cheek.
"I knew you'd like it, and it's the best place to celebrate Chris' first birthday." Chris replied and looked at his son. He stroked the baby's and kissed him on his head.
Rita smiled at him as they walked up the stairs. Their room was the last one on the corridor. Chris unlocked the door and lead Rita into the room. The room really was very huge. The bed was standing in the middle of the room. Next to that was a crib. Behind the bed there was a glassy sliding door that lead to a verandah.
"Sam, this is fabulous!" Rita exclaimed and laid the baby down in the crib.
"Just wait until you'll see the view from the verandah."
Chris pulled her outside on the verandah. The sun was setting, reflecting yellow, orange and red ornaments on the water.
"You ever saw something beautiful like this, Sammy?" Chris asked while he put his arms around Rita's hips from behind.
"No." Rita replied and laid her head on his shoulder. "I really can't believe we're here. Some days off just for us."
"I can't believe it, either."
When you love somebody everything should be perfect. Or parfait as Chris uses to say. It's not only a matter of perfect understanding, it's also a matter of perfect timing. The last time I told Chris I was pregnant was not perfect timing. We just were courting for just a few months. My pregnancy kinda took us by surprise. This time I want everything to be perfect when I tell him he will be a daddy again.
Chris and Rita were still standing on the verandah watching the ocean. It was as time was standing still for them at the moment. Suddenly Rita turned and looked into his deep blue eyes. She smiled at him and took his hand into hers. Then she twisted his wedding band.
"Chris, can I talk to you about something?" she asked and looked up at him.
"Sure. Anything wrong?"
Chris saw there was something in her eyes, but he couldn't tell what. These beautiful green eyes wanted to tell him something. For a moment Rita turned her head down, but then she turned back and glanced into his eyes.
"Uhm, I wanted to wait a little to tell you, but I think this is the best time."
"What do you wanna tell me? You know, I can tell you something as well. How about a fairy tale? Okay. Once upon a time..." Chris began and moved closer to her.
Rita began to smile at him, but then she had this 'this is very important' look on her face. Chris knew this look. He was surprised to see it because normally she only used it at work. There really had to be something very important Rita had to tell him.
"Chris, please be serious. I want everything to be perfect when I tell you this. The last time was a little... out of place."
Rita brushed a strand of windblown hair out of her face and tried to smile at Chris. She saw he looked a bit confused. He actually didn't seem to know what was going on there.
"What is this all about? I don't understand."
"You remember we both agreed that Chris shouldn't be an only child? Well... as a matter of fact..."
Chris' face suddenly began to brighten. Did he hear it right? Did she want to tell him she was pregnant? No, she hadn't said that so far, but it only could be that she was pregnant. Chris ran his fingers through his hair.
"Sammy, you trying to say you're pregnant?" he exclaimed.
"One point for you, partner." Rita said and smiled at him. She had only seen Chris like that one time before - the time she told him she was pregnant with Christopher.
"You're really pregnant?" he yelled and Rita nodded.
"Wow!" he mouthed and kissed her tenderly on the lips.
Rita let the kiss linger for awhile before she broke the embrace. She saw the excitement in Chris eyes. He smiled all over his face. This caused her to smile even more.
"I wanted to tell you a little differently than last time. It wasn't the best timing. It wasn't even the best time to get pregnant, but this time..."
Rita suddenly felt Chris on her belly. He softly carressed it and wrapped his other arm around Rita. He pulled her close.
"Sam, how far are you?" he asked.
"7 weeks."
"7 weeks... oh, Rita!"
Chris kissed Rita. Then he lifted her and twisted her around. Rita began to giggle.
"Chris, please let me down. I will be sick in a few seconds." she laughed.
Chris let her down and looked at her, smiling. He shook his head and gazed into her eyes.
"What can I say, Sam? I can't say you made me the luckiest man on earth 'cause I already AM the luckiest man. How the hell do I deserve all this?"
"You don't deserve it, Sam. Maybe a little." Rita teased and smiled at him.
"What do you wanna have? A boy or a girl?"
"I think a girl would be great as we already have a boy, but a boy also would be great. As long as he is as charming as you and Chris."
Today was Christopher's 1st birthday. As the weather was really warm, Chris and Rita decided to go to the beach with the baby. Christopher had a great pleasure waddling through the sand towards the water. Chris and Rita were sitting in the sand, watching their junior getting wet.
"Sam, I can't tell you how lucky I am. I have you, Chris and a second baby on its way. Life is parfait." Chris said and put his arms around Rita's shoulders.
"So? Parfait?" Rita replied and looked up at him .
"Just look at our son. He's a huge bundle of joy."
Chris looked down the beach to where Christopher was. He was standing near the shore and the waves came up to his feet nearly every 10 seconds. Everytime his feet got wet he bent down and tried to catch the water.
"Yeah, he is. Look, Chris, I feel a little uncomfortable with all this."
"With what?" Chris asked surprised. Uncomfortable? They had some days off just for them. She had told him she was expecting. So why was she feeling uncomfortable?
"I mean we decided to have second baby when Christopher is a little older, 2 or 3 years old. Christopher was a mistake and so is this baby. We were incautious and it happened."
Did her hear right? Was she talking about mistakes? He couldn't remember he ever said Christopher was a mistake. Did she really think that? Truth was they had been a little incautious the first night they had slept together and Christopher somehow had been the production of that night, but a mistake? No, never was this huge bundle of joy a mistake.
"Listen to me, Rita. Neither Chris nor this baby were a mistake. I know we said we wanted to wait a little with having a second baby, but it happened. And I am glad it happened. You know I love you and Chris. And I love this baby in there." Chris appeased and smiled at his wife.
"I love you, too." Rita replied and kissed Chris tenderly on the lips.
"I can't remember I've ever been so lucky in my whole live. You know, it's astonishing we knew each other such a long time until we could admit we love each other."
"But it was love at first sight." Rita added.
"Sure it was, but those damn rules..." Chris stopped and looked at Rita. She was smiling. Then she put her sunspecs down.
"Sam, do you think we would also have this beautiful baby son if we told each other at first sight we were in love?"
"Well, we wouldn't have been allowed to spend 6 years as partners." Chris kissed his wife. "No, I don't think so. We both weren't ready for a long-term relationship."
"I have to take exception for that. I certainly was ready for a long-term relationship." Rita stated.
"You were? So then please tell me why your relationships didn't take longer than a few months, hmmm?" Chris asked and looked down the beach towards Christopher. The little one was still standing in the water.
"Because I never looked into the right one's eyes until the night after the explosion."
Rita smiled and her husband and put his sunspecs down that she was able to see his deep blue eyes. Suddenly they saw a young man running down the beach towards them. Another man, a Latino, obviously was following him.
"They seem quite in a hurry." Chris said and pointed at them. Then he realized something glittering in the hand of the Latino. It was a gun.
"Oh, Jesus, he has a gun!" he screamed.
Chris got up and rushed over to his son who hadn't noticed anything. Half on his way he saw the Latino aiming his gun at the young man he was following. He fired - and missed the young man. Instead of hitting the young man, the bullet had hit Christopher. Chris reached him just in time before he could fell into the water.
"CHRIS! C-H-R-I-S-T-O-P-H-E-R!" Rita yelled as she saw her baby son getting hit by the bullet.
Christopher was hit in his chest. Chris ripped his son's t-shirt open and looked at the wound. He was hit in the chest and he was bleeding badly. Rita now approached as well.
"Oh my god! OH MY GOD!" she yelled as she saw all the blood on the chest of her unconscious son.
"Rita, stay calm! Call 911. We need an ambulance!" Chris replied as he checked Christopher's pulse.
"Oh my god!" Rita screamed again.
"RITA!" Chris yelled.
"Okay, okay, I'll get an ambulance."
As Rita rushed back to the hotel, Chris looked around. The two young men had disappeared, there was no sign of them. Suddenly Christopher began convulsing.
"Chris, don't, please! Everything will be all right. Come on, Christopher, stay with me. You can if you want. You are daddy's son, I know you can if you want." Chris pleaded as a a single tear ran down his cheek.
Chris hold the baby close to him so that the little one could hurt himself more than he already was. He pressed his hand on the wound to stop the bleeding, but he wasn't very successfull. His hands were full of blood, his son's blood.
"Mommy's here in a minute, Chris. Please hold out! Don't do this to us. You're all we have, Chris. You're our life!"
Rita was back a minute later. She kneeled down next to Chris who was still holding the baby in his lap. She looked down at her son. Chris could see her eyes were filled with fear, huge fear.
"An ambulance will be here any minute." she sobbed and wiped some tears from her cheeks.
"Sam, put your hand here to stop the bleeding." Chris said and looked up at Rita for a moment.
He nodded to tell her it would be okay. Rita hesitated a moment but then she put her hand on the wound. Her hand immediatly was covered with blood as well, but the bleeding already had decreased.
"Rita, look at me!"
Rita looked at Chris. Tears were still running down her cheeks and she saw tears in Chris' eyes as well. The fear had come back to Rita. This kind of fear she had felt when Chris was shot. What would she do if she'd lose the baby? No, she wouldn't think about that. Chris had bounced back more than once after he was shot, so had she and so would their son.
"He will be okay, you know that, he will be okay. Just believe it. He's strong, he'll survive."
Chris tried to calm himself as well as Rita with these words. Rita began to stroke her son's hair with her free hand. She kissed him on his forehead in hope he would then open up his eyes again. But Christopher didn't. He was fighting for his life, they both knew it.
"Christopher, you will survive if you want, you can do everything you want. You are a fighter, my son, you are a fighter..." Rita sobbed and looked at Chris again. "Sam, why? Why Christopher? He's still a baby."
"I don't know, Sam. But I promise, they'll get what they deserve!"
For a moment he smiled at her and touched her cheek with his hand. He then looked back at Christopher.
Some time later Christopher was in hospital. He had to be operated on to remove the bullett and see what internal injuries it had caused. His condition was still critical. Chris was sitting in a chair in the waiting room, his head in his hands. Rita walked back and forth in the waiting room. She just couldn't sit there doing nothing.
"Sam, come and sit down." Chris said and looked up at her. "You need a rest."
Rita turned to face him. Her eyes were still filled with tears. Chris' eyes as well. She never had seen him like this before. He was the strongest man she knew. Now seeing him so vulnerable made her even more vulnerable.
"I can't. We have to do something. Chris, he's our son." she sobbed.
Chris got up and walked over to her. He wiped a tear from her face and hugged her. Having her in his arms made him feel as if there wasn't anything bad in the whole world. For a moment he really had forgotten they were in hospital.
"We can't do anything right now, Sam, you know that."
"First you, then him. Why does this always happen to us? Why us?" Rita asked more herself than him.
"There's no answer to this question. There's really no answer." Chris answered and looked up at the ceiling. He was feeling so helpless right now. He was someone who tended to have everything under control, but this time he couldn't even do one damn thing about what had happened.
"I don't know what I'm going to do if he dies."
"He won't die, Rita. You have to believe, he won't die!" Chris said and pulled her close to him. He held her close as she began to cry like a baby. She sobbed in his chest.
"It's okay, Sam. Crying is the best. Don't hide your feelings."
"Christopher was the first positive thing that we created together, Sam. I am not ready to give him away. I won't give him away..." Rita punched her fist against his chest. "... I won't give him away."
Suddenly the door to the waiting room was opened. Two policemen entered the room. They looked like a funny couple as one of them looked like he had just graduated from the Police Academy whereas the other seemed to be nearly 60. Rita turned around and looked at them. She wiped the tears out of her face.
"Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo?" the elder man asked as they approached.
"Yes." Chris answered confused.
"I am Sgt. Smitters. " Sgt. Smitters showed his badge and then pointed at his partner. "This is my partner, Dt. Miller. We are with the Key West PD. We got a call from the hospital that told us your son was shot at the beach."
"That's right." Chris replied.
He looked at Rita. Then they all sat down in the chairs. Chris was holding Rita's hand all the time.
"Please tell us what happened." Sgt. Smitter asked and drew a small notebook and a pencil out of his pocket
Chris started telling them what had happened at the beach earlier that day. Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller wrote down a lot of things while Chris was speaking. For them this seemed to be very strange. Chris and Rita could see it in their faces.
"So your son was shot by a Latino you never saw before? This sounds a little strange to me." Sgt. Smitters repeated and put his notebook and the pencil back in his pocket.
"I told you my wife and I were sitting in the sand while Christopher was playing in the sand. Suddenly those two strangers were running down the beach. The Latino aimed, missed his target and the bullet our baby." Chris replied and squeezed Rita's hand.
"Can you tell us what they looked like?"
"I don't remember clearly. Everything went so fast. One was about 6"2, maybe 25 or a little older, blond hair, he was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. The other was a Latino, about 6"2 as well, black, short hair, he was wearing military looking trousers and a black t-shirt as well. I already told you that." Chris stated and shook his head.
"Mrs. Lorenzo, something to add?" Dt. Miller asked.
"No, nothing."
"So we have those strangers..." Sgt. Smitters began.
"Wait, wait a second." Chris interrupted Sgt. Smitters. "You don't think we shot Christopher, do you?"
"At the moment we have to check out everything, Mr. Lorenzo."
"WHAT? I never would harm my baby in my whole life." Rita yelled and jumped up.
She ran and her finger through her hair and looked around a little confused. She shook her head and had this 'I don't believe it' look on her face.
"Sam, calm down."
Chris got up and hugged her. Then he turned to face Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller, one arm still wrapped around Rita's shoulders. He moved his hand inside his back pocket and drew his badge out. He then showed it to Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller.
"Lt. Chris Lorenzo, Chief of Detectives, Palm Beach PD. My wife is Lt. Rita Lee Lorenzo PBPD, Homicide Division. So what do you say now?"
"Oh, we're sorry, we didn't know..." Dt. Miller stammered.
Sgt. Smitter however wanted to finish this immediately. Two cops, Lieutenants in addition! And they had suspected them to have shot their baby son. This was more than awkward for both Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller.
"I think we're finished here for today." Sgt. Smitters said and cleared his throat kind of embarrased. "Please stay in town as we may have some more questions."
"We certainly will." Chris replied sarcastically.
Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller nodded and left the room. Rita turned to face Chris. This time he didn't see fear in her eyes, but anger, HUGE anger.
"How the hell could they think we shot Christopher?" she yelled so loud that it also could be heard on the corridor outside.
"Rita, we would have asked the same questions. Everything sounds a little strange. It's their job." Chris tried to calm her.
"I know, Sam."
A doctor entered the room - a doctor Chris and Rita knew well. It was Chris' old girlfriend Jillian. She looked a little bit confused when she saw Chris and Rita standing in the middle of the waiting room, holding on to each other very close.
"Chris, what are you doing here?" she asked surprised and smiled at them.
Chris turned to look at her. He was more than surprised to see her here. He never expected to see her again in his whole life after all that happened. He squeezed Rita's hand for a moment.
"Uh, hi Jillian. I am waiting for some news about my..." Chris paused and looked at Rita, "... our son. He was shot."
Jillian looked puzzled for a moment. She looked at Chris with a look of 'what?' on her face. Rita realized it and looked at Chris. He had realized it as well.
"Uhm, yeah... the baby. I did the surgery."
"How's he doing?" Rita asked right away.
She squeezed her husband's hand while he moved closer to her and put his free arm around her loins from behind.
"We removed the bullett. It caused some serious injuries, but he will survive." Jillian replied.
"Thanks god!" Rita sighed. She turned and kissed Chris. It was like a big, heavy stone had dropped from her heart.
"Hey, I told you he'd survive, Rita. He'll be okay." Chris appeased and smiled at her a little bit.
Rita turned around to face Jillian again. She still had that puzzled look on her face. It was more than obvious that this was a little more than she could handle. Seeing Rita in Chris' arms.
"Can we see him?" Rita asked.
"Yes, you can, but he's still unconscious and his wound looks more serious than it is." Jillian replied and looked at Chris. He had a look on his face that told her he was very relieved about those news. Knowing that his son would bounce back. The son he had with Rita.
Jillian showed them the way to Christopher's room. The little one was lying in a hospital crib. A lot of monitors were standing around him, making some noise. He was hooked up to two different IVs and his mouth was covered with an oxygen mask, but he was breathing all by himself.
"He needs some rest now, so I have to say you won't be able to stay with him for more than 15 minutes. I know you wanna be with him right now, but it's the best for him to have some rest now and be alone. " Jillian explained while she saw Chris and Rita approaching the crib.
"That's okay. Thanks, Jillian." Chris said and tried to smile at her though there really was nothing at the moment that caused him to smile.
Jillian left the room and let them alone with their baby son. Rita was standing next to the bed brushing the baby's hair. She smiled at the baby as some tears were running down her cheeks.
"Christopher, Mommy's here with you. Everything will be all right, sweety." She bent down to Christopher and kissed her baby on the head. "I am here with you. And daddy's here as well. We never gonna let you go, my son."
Chris put his hand on Rita's shoulder and looked at his son as well. Christopher looked so vulnerable. All those machines, the IVs and the oxygen mask... Chris took a deep breath and turned to Rita.
"Rita, I have to go to ask Jillian some questions. Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah." Rita answered while she wiped the tears away. "Go and talk with her if you want to."
Chris smiled at Rita and touched her cheek with his hand. He mouthed the words 'I love you' and she smiled for a second. Then he left the room. He saw Jillian standing at the counter down the corridor. So he walked over to her. She immediately turned around to face him.
"Jillian, you have a minute for me?" he asked her.
"I also have more than a minute, if you want, Chris." she smiled. "Let's go over there."
They walked over to the vending-machine. Jillian put two quarters in the slot and pressed the button for the chocolate bars. The machine rattled for a moment and then a chocolate bar appeared down in the slot. Jillian grabbed it. Then she faced Chris.
"May I ask you a question, Chris?" she asked while she opened the chocolate bar.
"Sure." Chris answered and nodded.
"What are you doing in Key West?"
Jillian took a bite of her chocolate bar and smiled at Chris. Chris somehow knew there was something wrong. She never reacted that way when she saw him together with Rita. And now she knew they were having a baby.
"Rita and I wanted to celebrate Christopher's birthday. Today he's one year old." he simply answered.
"So you two are living together, aren't you?"
"Yes, we are. We got married some months after I visited you in Boston." he replied and ran his fingers through his hair. How could she be that calm about that? He had expected she would began to scream and yell after all what happened between her and Rita before she left Palm Beach.
"And you, what are you doing here?"
"It was just too cold in Boston. I got offered this job here some months ago and moved here."
"Why didn't you call me?"
Oh, what was he saying there? Had he really asked her why she didn't call him after she came back? He was sure he would never see her again in his whole life. He had his new life with Rita and the baby so why the hell did he say this?
"I somehow knew there was something going on between you and Rita. I didn't want to... disturb you. But I never thought you could be married or have a baby."
Jillian had that puzzled look on her face again.
"You knew better than I what was going on between Rita and me." Chris said. He was getting a little uncomfortable with this converstaion now. Why did he have to justify himself? It was his life, not hers. He wanted to finish the conversation as soon as he could.
"It was more than obvious. And, still at the force?" Jillian asked and ate the rest of her chocolate bar. Then she threw the paper in the dust bin standing next to the vending-machine.
"Still at the force. We were both promoted Lt."
"Congratulations!"
"Thank you."
Jillian suddenly realized Chris wanted to finish this conversation as fast as he could. His mind was easy to read. So she tried to talk about something he would be more interested in: his son.
"You know, your son will fully recover."
"Yeah." Chris smiled at her for a moment. "I have to thank you for what you did."
"No, you don't. It's my job. And you know that." Jillian smiled back.
"Nevertheless I am more than thankful. And so is Rita. Chris means a lot to us."
"Yeah, I saw how she looked at the baby. The same way she looks at you."
"Maybe you can visit us in Palm Beach some day. Only to see how Chris is doing, I mean, you saved his life. Or only to see some old friends."
Again Chris didn't know what he was saying there. Maybe he was more confused than he thought at the beginning. All that happened to Christopher and then seeing Jillian again...
"Thanks, Chris, but I think Rita won't be very happy about that."
"Nonsens. You'll come and visit us in Palm Beach, you're invited to the baby's christening."
This was too much. She had bewitched him, that was it. Jillian had bewitched him. Why on earth would he say such things?
"Christopher's christening?" Jillian asked curious.
"No, he's already christened. I meant the baby Rita's expecting."
This was it. She had bewitched him! Chris shook his head for a moment realizing he told her something very private. If only Rita wouldn't learn what he actually did there.
"She's expecting?"
"Uhm... yeah, she is. First trimester." Chris replied confused.
"I am a little surprised, Chris. Every time we talked about children you changed the subject."
Chris began to smile. Yeah, that was it what she wanted. Talking about their realitionship.
"Look, I have to go back to Rita and Chris. She certainly will think I somehow got lost around here."
"Yes, go back to your family."
Chris smiled at her one last time and then went back to Christopher's room. Rita was still standing next to the crib. She was holding Christopher's tiny hand and stroking his arm while she was still talking to him.
"... it's an honor to be a big brother, and a huge duty. You have to take care of your little brother or sister, but I know that won't be a problem for you, Chris."
Rita stopped as she felt Chris' hand on her shoulder. She didn't look at him, but took his hand into hers. This was all she needed right now. Feeling Chris' being there for her. Chris' bent down to Christopher.
"It's really a big duty to be a big brother, my son." Chris said and brushed Christopher's cheek. "See, Chris, mommy and daddy have to go now. But we will be back as soon as we're allowed to visit you, sweetheart. Never forget we love you more than anything else in the world."
Later that day Chris and Rita were back at the hotel. Rita wasn't feeling good at all. She thought it wasn't right to leave their baby son. He needed them right now and the weren't there. Chris could see in her eyes what she was thinking. Rita hadn't said a word since they left Christopher. While Rita was sitting outside on the verandah, Chris was sitting on the bed and phoned back to Cap. He was more than surprised to be disturbed by Chris on his godson's birthday.
"Lorenzo, why are you calling me? Why aren't you having fun with your baby right now? It's his birthday, do I have to remind you?" he said.
"Cap, I don't know where to start..." Chris suddenly had to stop talking. Again tears were coming up in his eyes. How should he tell Cap. what happened to Christopher?
"Everything okay down there?" Cap asked concerned.
"No... actually not."
"Oh, oh, I have that bad feeling in my stomach. You had a fight with Rita."
"If it would be that... Cap, Chris is in hospital." Chris replied and wiped some tears away.
"He's where? What did happen to him?" Cap. Lipshitz almost yelled.
"He was shot."
"WHAT? Lorenzo, if this is a bad joke..." Cap began to speak, but somehow knew Chris wouldn't be joking about that. The sound of his voice was very strange. He never had heard him talking like this before.
"No, Cap, it isn't. Christopher was shot this morning."
"Oh my god! How's he doing?"
"He survived surgery. At the moment he's still unconscious, but they told us he'll be okay. Cap, I don't know what to do now. My son is lying in hospital having being shot. How can you deal with something like that? He's only a year old, he's all we have." Chris said.
"Chris, I think Rita and you need to think positive right now. Chris is a fighter like you. He will bounce back, you'll see."
"This is easy to say, Cap. I've telling myself the same thing, but then I feel so helpless."
"How's Rita doing about all this?" Cap asked already knowing that she wouldn't do very good. He knew she loved her baby more than anything else in the whole world. And so did Chris.
"It's hard for her, even harder than it is for me. Chris is very special for her." Chris answered and sniffed.
"Chris, Frannie and I will come down to Key West as soon as possible to be there for you."
"Cap, you don't have to."
"Nonsens. Christopher is our godson. We promised to be there for him everytime he needs us."
Chris smiled for a moment remembering Christopher's christening. It was something very special for Harry and Frannie Lipshitz since they were Jewish and didn't know what to do. Harry had bought himself a book to read everything about what it meant to be a godparent. It was more than an honor to both him and his wife.
"Thank you, Cap. C ya."
Chris hang up. He leaned back in the pillows as he suddenly felt something hard behind him. It was Christopher's teddy. Chris looked at the teddy as a tear dropped on it. He remembered clearly the time he gave that teddy to his son. Christopher had been 2 weeks old when Chris and Rita had moved in their new condo. While Rita had been setting up everything in the nursery, Chris had been out for a walk with his son. He had seen this teddy in a shop and his first though had been to buy that teddy for his newborn son. Christopher needed this teddy to get asleep every night. It was like he knew it was given to him by his daddy. For awhile Chris was just sitting on the bed staring at the teddy. He didn't recognize Rita was standing in the doorway since he finished his call with Cap.
"Christopher's teddy... you gave it to him." she said and sat down on the bed next to Chris.
Chris wiped his tears away and turned around to face Rita. She looked at him with a little concern on her face. Never, really never in her whole life she had seen Chris this helpless. He always was the one she could go to when she had a problem, he always was there for her. But seeing him like this made her even more helpless than she already was.
"Sam, you shouldn't see me crying."
Chris turned his face away. Rita said nothing, but brushed a last tear from Chris' cheek. Then she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close to her.
"I know how you feel, Chris. I feel the same." she said.
Chris moved up the bed to make it a little more comfortable for them. Rita laid her head down on his shoulder and began to run down his arm with her hand.
"While I was sitting on the verandah and saw the sun setting, I realized something. We both know that Christopher will fully recover, but we only asked ourself what will happen if he dies. Matter of fact, he won't. We should think positive. I mean we are going to have a second child that needs us as much as Christopher needs us. We are strong enough to go through this if we want. We survived a lot of more dangerous situations - and you came back to us."
She looked up at Chris and gazed into his eyes. They needed hope right now. Chris somehow seemed to have lost this hope. She tried to give it back to him.
"Amen." he whispered and kissed her.
You shouldn't take anything for granted. If you do, you soon will discover that this is a bad, bad mistake. What happens in life depends on you. I've learned that out of terrible things come extraordinary ones - like Christopher. Ride the bumps - that's exactly what I do. I figured that life is full of bumps, bumps that can be taken - like this one.
Some time later Rita had fallen asleep in Chris' arm. She slept peacefully until she was woken up by the telephone. Chris moved his free arm and grabbed his cellular phone from the nightstand. He answered it immediately.
"Yeah, Lorenzo... What?... Now?... Okay, okay, we will be there."
Chris hung up the phone and looked at his wife. She raised her eyebrows and looked at him as well. Chris knew the look she had on her face. She wanted to know what was going on there.
"Sgt. Smitters. He wants to see us. They caught a young a man with a gun. They think it might be the guy who shot Christopher." he said.
"They got them? What are we waiting for?" Rita exclaimed and sat up in bed.
"What are we waiting for? I don't know. Let's go."
It didn't take them long to arrive at the Police Headquarters in Key West. Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller were already waiting for them in one of the offices. Another man was waiting with them. He was in the late 40s and his hair already began to turn gey. Sgt. Smitters introduced him as Cap. William Harding.
"Captain Harding, these are Lt. Chris Lorenzo and his wife."
Sgt. Smitters nodded at Cap. Harding and waved his hand towards Chris and Rita.
"Nice to meet you, Captain Harding." Chris said and extended his hand.
Cap. Harding just nodded, so Chris drew his hand back.
"There's nothing nice here. Your visit means work - a lot of work." Cap. Harding explained and turned to his desk.
Chris and Rita looked at each other. They meant to heard something wrong. Nothing nice? THEY were the one who really knew what this meant. Their son was lying in the intensive care unit and Captain Harding only thought about his work. Sgt. Smitters made some steps towards Chris and Rita and offered them a seat in the office.
"I called you because Vice caught a Latino about an hour ago. We think it could be the guy who shot your son. We are not sure. You have to identify him." he stated while he walked back to where he was standing before.
"No problem." Chris replied and looked at Rita for a moment.
Dt. Miller rose from where he was sitting and walked towards the foor. He opened it and already was half way outside before he asked a question.
"Captain Harding, should we take them to..."
Cap. Harding got up as well. He studied Chris and Rita very intensive, everybody in the room could see that very well. He walked towards Dt. Miller.
"No, no, no, I will do that. Mr. Lorenzo, Mrs. Lorenzo, will you please follow me?"
Chris and Rita both nodded. They got up and left the office, following Cap. Harding. Captain Harding lead Chris and Rita into a dark room down the corridor. There was only one window in the room. It was covered by a shade. Cap. Harding offered Chris and Rita a seat in front of the window.
"I think I don't have to explain you what will happen next." he said while he sat down on a small table next to the window. He grabbed a file and opened it.
"We know what will happen next." Chris replied and looked around. This room was so much different from what they were used to back in Palm Beach. The room was dark, really dark. Only a small light at the ceiling brightened the room. The walls were painted black, dark black. Nowhere bright colors, not even a spot of something blue, red or yellow.
"Yeah, I thought so."
Chris and Rita didn't know what they should think about Captain Harding. He didn't seem to be very friendly at all. Even his work seemed to be annoying to him. Chris and Rita also weren't sure why he was with them and not Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller. Chris watched Captain Harding very attentively. He tried to read what was written in the file Captain Harding was reading. Captain Harding realized it and placed the file back on the desk.
"I ordered this..." Cap. Harding indicated at the file, "...from Palm Beach after Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller told me about this case. Two hotshot cops from Palm Beach. Just what we need here."
"You ordered our files from Palm Beach? May I ask why?" Chris asked surprised. Why did he order their files from Palm Beach? He was on something and he certainly was going to tell them in a second.
"Donnie Dogs DiBarto." Cap. Harding answered without showing any reaction.
"Oh no, not again!" Rita whispered and squeezed Chris' hand. Their friendship with Donnie Dogs often had gotten them into problems, either with the Feds or other Police Departments.
"What does Donnie Dogs DiBarto has to do with this?" Chris exclaimed and shook his head.
"So you know Mr. DiBarto?" Cap. Harding inquired.
"Yeah, we know him. He's a good friend. That's it." Chris replied and crossed his arms.
"We think, the guy who we think of shot your son is working for DiBarto."
"Wh.... what?" Rita exclaimed. She knew DiBarto. Never, really never would he do something that cruel. Definitely not.
"DiBarto oppened a so called business here some months ago. Maybe you came to meet Mr. DiBarto and to discuss what do I know. Something went wrong, DiBarto became angry and - poof - your son got shot as kind of a warning." Cap. Harding told them his theory. Chris just shook his head.
"Uh uh, I won't listen to that any longer. We only wanted to spent some days off work here. We didn't even know Donnie Dogs DiBarto is here. Damn, our son was shot! Do you know what this means? He's one year old. One year!" he yelled.
"I think I know what you're feeling." Cap. Harding said.
"You think? You THINK? You know nothing about me and my wife. Not one thing that's important is written in that damn file!"
Rita put her hand on Chris' knee. She looked at him and give him her 'please stop that' look. She knew how he was feeling, but she also knew things only would become worse if he wouldn't stop that.
"Can we please go on indentifying this guy? I think we're wasting time with irrelevant things." Rita asked and rolled her eyes.
"Sgt. Lorenzo..." Cap. Harding began.
"Lt. Lorenzo." Rita replied.
"Lt. Lorenzo, I also know of some better things to do right now. If you don't wanna waste more time, tell me what you are doing here."
"I told you we are on vacation." Chris repeated. "Hell!" he whispered silently. Rita heard it and gave him a look again.
"And Donnie Dogs DiBarto?" Cap. Lipshitz asked once more. He was tied to this subject.
"Nothing! We haven't seen him for at least 2 years." Chris tried to stay calm this time and tried not to yell.
"I called him a year ago, but that's all." Rita added.
"What was this call about?" Cap. Harding inquired.
"A case we were investigating. You can call our Captain and ask about that. He will back this up." Rita replied. They never had so much problems caused by their friendship to Donnie Dogs DiBarto.
"Cap. Harding, what do you think about letting us call Donnie Dogs and he will tell you that we have nothing to do with this?" Rita suggested though she knew this Captain wouldn't agree.
"I don't trust a mafioso. And I think a good cop shouldn't do that as well."
"Time, time, time, this is all about time, time we don't have, time our son maybe don't have!" Chris exclaimed and jumped up. Rita grabbed his arm and tried to hold him back from running out of the room. She shook her head no. Chris nodded and sat back down on the chair.
"Okay, we go on, but as soon as you identify this guy there will be a lot more questions about your relationship to Donnie Dogs DiBarto." Cap. Harding agreed.
Chris and Rita identified the guy Vice had caught an hour earlier. He was the one who shot Christopher - and he pretended to work for Donnie Dogs DiBarto. Chris and Rita didn't trust him. He wasn't the kind of guy Donnie Dogs allowed to work for him. It was nearly 9 PM, but Cap. Harding didn't want Chris and Rita to go. A lot of questions were still not answered and Cap. Harding wanted the answers - immediately.
"We are saying nothing. We already told you all we know." Chris stated.
"You refuse to talk to me?" Cap. Harding asked.
"No, we are not refusing to talk to you. There's nothing more we can tell you. That's a difference." Chris yelled and hit the table with his hand. They all were getting impatient. Chris and Rita wanted to leave but Cap. Harding wanted the answers to his questions.
"Then we start at the beginning - again. Donnie Dogs DiBarto." Cap. Harding inquired.
"How often do you want to hear it? He gave us some information for some cases we were investigating. That's all." Chris repeated.
"And what about that photo?"
Cap. Harding showed Chris and Rita a photo of one of Rita's meetings with Donnie Dogs. It was the time he'd asked her to pretend to be his financee while his dad had been visiting town. Rita knew this photo had been taken at that time and indeed it was already used against her, but she never thought of seeing that photo again.
"Where did you get that from?" she exclaimed and took the photo out of Cap. Hardings hand. She looked at it for a moment and handed it to Chris.
"It was in the file." Cap. Harding responded. "So? Is there something you wanna talk to me about?"
"This photo was taken almost 3 years ago. He asked me for a favor." Rita explained while Chris placed the photo on the the table
"Trading fun for profit."
"No! It was a favor for a friend. There's nothing to this at all!" Rita yelled.
"You relationship to DiBarto! I want names, dates, numbers, everything."
"We are cops, hell! You have nothing against us. We don't have to answer more questions. We know our rights. You have to let us go. If you want DiBarto, go and get him, but we can't help you there." Chris replied. He looked at Rita and shook his head. Neither of them could believe what was going on there. Their baby was lying in hospital after being shot and they were suspected to have to do something with that. The door was opened and Dt. Miller entered the room. He whispered something into Cap. Hardings ear. Cap. Harding just nodded and Dt. Miller left the room.
"Well, there's a Cap. Harry Lipshitz out there. He says he's your Captain." Cap. Harding said.
"Thanks god!" Chris exclaimed relieved.
"He can prove everything we told you." Rita added.
Some minutes later Cap. Lipshitz entered the office. He was followed by Dt. Miller and Sgt. Smitters. He looked really puzzled as he didn't know what was going on there. While on his way to Key West he got a call that someone had ordered Chris' and Rita's files. He had called the Police Headquaters from his car and had gotten the answer that his two detectives were under arrest.
"Chris, Rita, what is this all about? They told me you are in trouble." he asked and hugged Rita.
"We aren't in trouble. At least we don't know why we should be. The one who's in trouble is Christopher." Rita replied and hugged him back. "I am glad you're here, Cap."
"How is he?"
"Not very good at all, but they told us he will survive." Chris answered Cap's question and hugged him as well.
"I am so sorry." Cap. Lipshitz said and patted Chris' back.
"We know, Cap."
Cap. Harding watched them. He never saw some cops being that close like those three were. He cleared his throat and looked at Cap. Lipshitz.
"You are working with these two?" he asked.
"Yes, I am their superior." Cap Lipshitz nodded.
"Then maybe you can tell me what these two have to do with Donnie Dogs DiBarto?"
"Donnie Dogs DiBarto?" Cap. frowned. "Nothing. He's a friend who helps us in certain cases. What is this all about?" He looked at Chris and Rita to get an explanation for that.
"The guy who shot little Chris says he is one of Donnie's men." Chris responded.
"You think Donnie has to do something with Christopher being shot?" Cap. Lipshitz asked in disbelief. He already knew Donnie Dogs way back when he was still a cop in New York. He new he was involved with the mafia and other illegal stuff, but he was more than sure he wouldn't harm an innocent baby. That wasn't just his style. He was still a gentleman and he had his pride.
"No, no, I don't think so. Donnie never would do that." Rita assured him.
Cap. Lipshitz looked over to Cap. Harding and took him by his side.
"Cap. Harding, let us talk Captain to Captain. I know my two detectives. They once were the best homicide team ever - until they got married. They wouldn't do anything illegal. Chris and Rita are good cops, and they love their child more than anything else in the world. So if you think they have to do anything with the fact that the baby was shot, then you're totally wrong. You have the guy who shot him. Ask him why he did it. Maybe he's working for DiBarto, maybe DiBarto is involved in this, but Chris and Rita... not in a million years. If they had known anything about this, they would have told you." he explained and waited for Cap. Harding's reaction.
"Cap. Lipshitz, I am the lead officer here, not you. We're in Key West, not in Palm Beach. I want DiBarto and I know those two can help me catch him. They know something that they aren't willing to tell. But I'll tell you now, I will get them to tell me everything about DiBarto. Everything!" Cap. Harding spat.
"You're right, you're in charge, but I am also a cop. Chris and Rita are cops. We all know you aren't allowed to keep them here. You have to let them go. Immediately or..."
"Or what? You're not in the position to threaten me."
Cap. Harding knew Cap. Lipshitz was right. He had no right to keep them under arrest any longer. He had to let them go. He looked at Chris and Rita and nodded.
"Okay, I'll let you go - for now. You're not allowed to leave town until we've solved this. Even if it takes us three years to get DiBarto, you will stay here in Key West."
"Great!" Chris said sarcastically.
Chris and Rita left the headquarters arm in arm followed by Cap. Lipshitz. His wife was waiting outside next to the car. She looked really worried.
"Chris, Rita, how is the baby? Is he doing well? Why was he shot? Is he in good care?" Frannie asked holding her breath and approached.
"Hon, take a deep breath." Cap. Lipshitz replied and took a deep breath as well.
"He's not doing very well, but he will survive. Hello Frannie." Rita hugged Frannie.
"I am so sorry, Rita." Frannie hugged her back.
"I know."
Chris came over to them as well. He put his arm around Rita's shoulder. She immediately took his hand into hers and squeezed it a little. She was glad he was there for her at the moment.
"I think we should go and look whether Christopher really is in good care." Frannie suggested. "I don't trust those hospitals down here."
"It's already late. I don't think they'll let us visiting him." Chris replied and shook his head. There wasn't anything else in the whole world he wanted more than being there for Christopher at the moment, but he also thought about Rita and the baby she was expecting. Jillian had told them they wouldn't be allowed to see him though he just didn't know why.
"Nonsens. You are the parents, Hesch and I are the godparents. They have to let us see him."
Rita looked at Chris and nodded. She wanted to go back to hospital to see Christopher. Even if she wasn't allowed to be with him, she needed to be there.
"Sam, you need a rest. You know, Christopher's doing fine. You have to think about... you know." Chris whispered and stroked her cheek. He knew what Christopher meant to her. Rita shook her head no.
"Chris, I can't. Christopher's still my little baby. He needs me, and he needs you. Let us go to the hospital. I have to see him now. Please." she pleaded.
"Okay, but you will rest. Promise?"
"Promise."
Harry and Frannie looked at the both of them. They seemed to know something very strange was going on here. Chris wasn't only concerned about his son's condition, he was also concerned about Rita's condition. This only could mean one thing to them: Rita was expecting their second child.
It was already dark when they arrived at the hospital. The four of them were surprised to find a young police officer sitting in front of Christopher's room reading a newspaper. He got up as they approached the door.
"I am sorry, you aren't allowed to go in there." he said and held them back when they wanted to enter the room.
"May we ask why?" Chris asked.
"I have my orders." the young officer simply answered and blocked the door to Christopher's room.
"You have your orders? I have my orders as well. I want to see my son!" Chris yelled. He tried to get past the officer, but he couldn't.
"Cap. Harding advised me not to let anyone in except the hospital staff." the officer objected.
"He did what? Tell him he can kiss my ass!" Chris shouted and pushed the police officer away. He opened the door and entered the room. Rita, Harry and Frannie Lipshitz followed him watched by the officer.
"What the hell does this Captain think he's doing?" Chris walked over to the baby bed. "Hey sweetheart. Mommy and daddy are back."
He saw Christopher was still unconscious. The oxygen mask had been removed some time earlier. Chris bent down and stroked the baby's cheek. Rita approached as well. She put her arm around Chris' shoulders and studied her son. His face was pale and his breathing was irregular. Cap. Lipshitz and his wife stopped on the other side of the crib. Having to see his godson this way made Cap. Lipshitz angry, almost furious. What a person could shot a baby?
"Please, leave the room or you will be in great trouble." a voice suddenly said behind them. The young officer was standing in the doorway. They all turned to face the officer.
"Nope, we definitely won't leave. Okay, then we'll get into trouble, but my son is more important. Right, Chris?" Rita looked at Chris. She knew he was thinking the same.
"Right. I already told you what you can tell your Captain." Chris agreed and nodded.
"I will call him. He certainly will tell me to arrest you."
"Fine. That's what he already wanted to do some hours ago. Go on, call him if you want." Chris waved his hand in the air and then turned back to Christopher. The police officer left the room while a man in a white dress entered the room. He obviously was a doctor - Christopher's doctor.
"Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo?" he asked and approached the crib.
"Yes." Chris asked puzzled as he didn't know what this man was up to. He couldn't be Christopher's doctor as Jillian was his doctor, but who was he then?
"I am Dr. Hunter." he introduced himself and shook hands with Chris and Rita. "I operated your son. I already was waiting to speak with you."
"Ww... Wait a second, you operated Christopher?" Chris exclaimed. If he had operated Christopher and not Jillian.... what was going on there?
"Yes, I did." Dr. Hunter confirmed. "Why are you surprised?"
"Dr. Hunter, can we talk outside?"
Chris didn't want to discuss this with Rita by his side. He thought about her and the baby and came to the conclusion too much excitement wouldn't be good for the both of them.
"No, Chris, I want to hear this as well." Rita objected and shook her head. "He's my son, too. I wanna hear this."
"Mr. Lorenzo, I don't know what you want." Dr. Hunter said. He didn't know what this was all about. So Chris tried to explain as best as he could.
"Look, Dr. Hunter, there was this woman, Dr. Dupree, who told us she operated Christopher. She's an old friend of ours."
Ours? Rita raised her eyebrows. She never got along very good with Jillian. Frannie raised her eyebrows as well. She only met Jillian one time in hospital a short time after Chris was shot, but she already knew then that Chris' future wasn't Jillian but Rita. The time she sat at his bed - night and day - until he finally woke up. She just couldn't tell herself why those waited so long to admit their love for each other. She shook her head and then listened to what Dr. Hunter had to say.
"Dr. Dupree? We don't have a female doctor called Dupree working here. The only female doctor who's working in this section is Dr. Chiao Wang."
"Dr. Chiao Wang?" Chris frowned. A Chinese doctor?
"Chris..." Rita began, but Chris held her back.
"You say Jillian Dupree isn't working here?" he asked Dr. Hunter again.
"This is the first time I ever hear that name." Dr. Hunter confirmed.
"What the hell..." Chris ran his fingers through his hair. He saw Cap. Lipshitz was as stunned as he was. Frannie just raised her nose as if she wouldn't care about all those things. Indeed she was so confused about what was going on that for a moment she doubted this all was real. Rita was still shaking her head in disbelief when Chris turned back to her.
"Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo, I came to speak with you about your son." Dr. Hunter said matter-of-factly.
"Will he... die?" Rita asked frightened. Jillian had told them he wouldn't, but as she wasn't working there...
"No, certainly not." Dr. Hunter assured. "But the bullet caused some serious injuries. It hit Christopher's spinal column."
"His spinal column? What does this mean?" Chris asked frightened. He knew injuries at the spinal column could be very dangerous. They could paralyze you. He only hoped Christopher wouldn't be paralyzed.
"Maybe he won't be able to move his legs." Dr. Hunter replied.
"Oh my god!" Rita exclaimed and covered her mouth with her hands as Chris put his arm around her. She had tears in her eyes. Christopher had only learned to walk some months ago and now he would never be able to move his legs again?
"As soon as he's awake we will know more. Babies are sturdy. Maybe he will run through the house again in a few weeks. I had to tell you that there's this slight possibilty." Dr. Hunter explained in order to calm Chris and Rita a bit.
"I don't believe this! Christopher's my little baby, he's my life..." Rita mumbled. She finally began to cry. Chris held her close to her and brushed her hair while she sobbed into his chest. How could one deal with something like that? Having to fear that you would never see your child running through the house or anything else.
"If you have some questions or want to know anything else, I will be there." Dr. Hunter assured. He nodded and left the room. Cap. Lipshitz and his wife were standing next to the door looking a little helpless. They didn't know what to do.
"Why Christopher? Why my little baby? Why he?" Rita sobbed though she knew Chris couldn't gave her an answer. No one could.
"Rita, don't ask yourself some questions you know have no answers right now. Hey, Christopher will survive. He's still our little baby, hmm?"
Chris touched her chin and pulled her face up to face him. He wiped the tears away and tried to be strong for her though he was also more than shocked.
"Chris, do you think maybe Jillian..." Rita began but stopped immediately. Chris just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. Everything was so weird.
"But that's a possibility." Rita added and sniffed. She wiped the last tears from her cheeks.
"Sam, you know her. I think she never would do such a thing."
"You left her because of me."
"Shh, Sam, don't think about that right now, okay? We have to think about little Chris. And about our second baby." Chris said and gazed in Rita's eyes. For a moment he had forgotten that they weren't alone in the room. Frannie jumped.
"Heschy, did you hear that? A second baby! I told you the two of them had a little secret." Frannie exclaimed and gave her husband a bump with her ellbow in his side.
"Cap, Fran, we are sorry we couldn't tell you in... for a moment I forgot... damnit!"
Chris bashed his fist against the wall. Rita looked up at him, her eyes still red from her crying. She stroked his cheek. Cap. Lipshitz approached and put his hand on Chris' shoulder.
"It's okay, Chris, it's totally okay. We say good-bye to Christopher now and leave you alone with him."
Chris nodded silently while Rita walked over to the crib where Frannie already was saying good-bye to her godson. While the two woman were standing by Christopher's side, Chris talked to Cap.
"Cap, can you call Donnie Dogs for me and ask him about that guy, please?" Chris asked.
"Sure, you didn't have to ask. As soon as we arrive at the motel I will call him." Cap. Lipshitz replied.
"Can you also get some information for me from Boston? I mean about Jillian."
"Do you think she's involved in this?"
"I don't know, but Rita has a point. I didn't want to go to Boston with her because I didn't want to leave Rita. I never told this anybody else, but when I visited her in Boston she told me she felt like I cheated on her." Chris sighed. "I've always been in love with Rita, from the very first time we saw each other. It was love at first sight, but you know the rules - nothing physical between partners. So we tried to ignore the fact we had fallen in love with each other. I never cheated on Jillian, I cheated on Rita! All my life!"
Chris began to ask himself why he did this. Why hadn't he told her right away he was in love with her? Or at least why had he dated other girls? Not one person knew him as well as Rita did, not even his grandmother Rose.
"It can take some time until I'll get the information you want, Chris, but I think then we will know who's involved in this: Donnie Dogs or Jillian."
The next morning all the information they wanted was faxed to the motel. Chris and Cap were down in the lobby of the motel while Rita was still upstairs sleeping and Frannie was out shopping. It had been late last night when Chris and Rita came back from hospital. Nothing had changed there. Christopher was still unconscious and nobody could tell them if he ever would be able to move his legs again. Chris and Cap were sitting at a table in the lobby assorting the different papers that they got from Boston and from Donnie Dogs about the Latinos working for him.
"I think we should start with Donnie's men. Only 3 pages, can't be that much, Cap." Chris suggested and handed the papers to Cap. Lipshitz.
"What's the name of the guy?" Cap. Lipshitz asked and placed the 3 pages on the table next to each other.
"Uhm..." Chris looked for the little note he had made the night before. He found it under the huge pile of papers. "Lopez."
"Lopez... Lopez..." Cap ran down the papers with his finger. "Huh? Nobody called Lopez here."
"Let me see this."
Chris looked through the pages as well. Cap was right. No one was called Lopez, and no men was about the same age than him. They obviously were all at least 10 years older than this kid.
"If he isn't working for Donnie Dogs, why would he say he is?" Chris asked more himself than his Cap and rubbed the back of his head.
"Maybe we get the answer in here."
Cap. Lipshitz began to read the first page of a 10 page folder about Jillian he got from Boston.
"10 pages! How the hell can someone have such a big personal folder? Not even yours has 10 pages, Lorenzo."
"Mine doesn't have 10 pages?! What a surprise!" Chris teased and smiled a bit.
"Hey, that's interesting. Jillian left Boston a week after you and Rita got married. She asked for her dismissal a short time after you visited her in Boston, but she wasn't allowed to quit working immediately."
Cap. Lipshitz handed the page to Chris and let him read this as well. Chris frowned.
"She left Boston? Where did she go? Something in there?" he asked and handed the page back. Cap. Lipshitz shook his head no.
"Nothing written about that here."
"Cap, I have this bad feeling she came back to Palm Beach. You think someone can check that out?"
"Let me call the office and we'll have the answer in 5 minutes."
Cap. Lipshitz headed for the reception to make a call back to Palm Beach. He was back about 5 minutes later having a puzzled look on his face. He sat down in the chair and told Chris what he was told at the phone.
"Jillian's mother is still living in Palm Beach. Nothing about Jillian. She didn't work in any of the hospitals in the Palm Beach region. Dale is calling her mother. As soon as he knows something particular about where Jillian might be he'll call us here."
"Good."
Chris rubbed his eyes and moaned. He stretched and leaned back in the chair.
"Chris, you look tired." Cap. Lipshitz said.
"Yeah, I am." Chris nodded. "It was late when we got back from hospital. I couldn't sleep well. I had to think about Chris."
"It's going to be a hard time."
"Cap, I don't know if I can do this. I really don't know."
"You can! For Christopher's sake you can!"
"What if he is never able to walk? If he needs a wheelchair for the rest of his life? I can't, Cap, I just can't. This is too much for me. I love my son way too much to see him suffering like this. It hurts me. It rips my heart out!" Chris said and crossed his arms.
"You have to think positive. It's only a slight possibility that he will be handicapped. There's also a good chance that he will run through the house again, like Dr. Hunter said. And if you ask me, I think he will. Hey, he will be a big brother."
Chris nodded in agreement. He needed to be strong for Rita and their son. Like Rita said, they should think about the positive things and not ask themselves what may happen if. He suddenly saw her walking down the stairs to the lobby. She spotted Chris and Cap. Lipshitz and approached.
"Hi." she said groggily and sat down on Chris' lap.
"Hey sunshine. Why aren't you still sleeping? You look tired."
Chris stroked her cheek and put his arm around her shoulders.
"The bed was so empty without you and... Christopher." Rita replied. Then she looked at the papers lying on the table.
"You know, Cap and I were just going through these papers." Chris said.
"Anything interesting?"
Rita grabbed a sheet of paper from the top. It was part of Jillian's folder. She frowned as she read what was written on the paper.
"No, nothing that will help us here. We already knew this Latino isn't working for Donnie Dogs. And Jillian left Boston soon after we got married." Chris told her as she placed the sheet of paper back on the table.
"Where did she go?"
Chris shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.
"We don't know, but I have this bad feeling she came back to Palm Beach."
"If you ask me, your bad feeling is right. We had lots of such cases before. It's all about jealousy and murder." Rita said and sat down in the empty chair between Cap. Lipshitz and Chris. She leaned back and crossed her arms.
"What are you trying to say?" Chris asked not knowing what she meant by this.
"Look, Sam, we knew each other a long time before you met Jillian. Then you left her because of me. Maybe she can't deal with it, maybe she thought you cheated on her..."
"How do you know?" he interruptetd her.
"Do I know what?" she asked.
"That she said she felt like I cheated on her."
"I didn't know, Chris, I was just assuming that... did she really say that?" Rita frowned.
"Yeah, she said that."
"That's the point! How often did this happen? A murder because of jealousy. It's not the person one loves one murders, it's the people they love. You want this person back." she stated and waited for Chris' reaction.
"You think Jillian shot Christopher because she wants Chris back?" Cap. Lipshitz asked.
"Yeah, I think so."
Cap. Lipshitz had listened attentively. Every single word Rita had said made sense. He always had thought that Jillian wasn't the right woman for Chris. They came from two completely different worlds.
"If she did and you're right, Rita, there's still one person left ..." he began.
"You, Sam!"
While Rita and Frannie were in hospital to be with little Christopher, Chris and Cap were at the police headquarters to talk with Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller about Jillian. They didn't want to talk with Cap. Harding as they knew he wouldn't believe what they'd say.
"So, you think one of your former girlfriends hired this guy to shoot your son?" Sgt. Smitters asked and leaned back in his chair.
"We were at the hospital yesterday. Some minutes after you left Jillian came in and told us she operated Christopher. Then, last night, Dr.... Hunter, yes, Hunter, told us he never heard that name before and Jillian isn't working there." Chris explained.
"Maybe you had some cases before in Palm Beach but we never had such a case here in Key West. I just can't picture that." Sgt. Smitters stated.
"Jillian is from Palm Beach. She lives the Palm Beach way of life. She's rich, she's good looking and she's a lot of connections all over the world."
"People from Palm Beach are different - most of all rich people. They try to have everything under control. If they don't, they become furious." Cap. Lipshitz added.
"You have to know our background. I've known my wife for a long time now. We were partners. Jillian knew Rita pretty well. I left her because of Rita. She was the one who asked me to choose between Rita and her and I chose Rita. She couldn't stand it. She wanted me. Now she's trying to get me back by trying to kill the persons I care about most: my family." Chris tried to explain his theory. He knew Rita was in danger if only half of what he had said was true.
"Sound logical to me." Dt. Miller said and nodded.
"My Captain won't like this idea. He is trying to get Donnie Dogs DiBarto."
"We really can't help him there. All I want is the person who shot my son. I want Christopher to be safe, and my wife to be safe."
"Okay, we'll see what this computer knows about Jillian Dupree."
Sgt. Smitters typed Jillian's name in. Some seconds later the computer made a beep and a file was uploaded on the screen. It was classified 'confidential'.
"This file is confidential." Sgt. Smitters said surprised.
"Huh?" Chris looked at the screen. The word 'confidential' was blinking in red color. "Why's that?"
"It was classified by the CIA some months ago."
"Cap, how did Dale then get the information if this is classified 'confidential'?" Chris frowned and faced his Cap.
"Don't know." Cap. Lipshitz shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. "Sgt. Smitters, is it possible to get access to this file without the CIA knowing it? Do you know a hacker or someone else who can access this page?"
For a second Dt. Miller looked at Sgt. Smitters who then stood up from the chair without saying anything. Dt. Miller sat down and typed some numbers in. The computer made a beep and the file was accessed.
"Wow, didn't expect this to go so fast." Chris smiled at Dt. Miller. It always took Rita and him almost a day to get access to such a file if it was pssoble at all. If he only knew what Dt. Miller did to access the page.
"Please don't tell anyone. You never saw the content of that file, okay?" Sgt. Smitters said and offered Chris a seat in his chair.
"Sure."
Chris sat down in the chair and began to scrool down the file. Cap. Lipshitz, Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller where standing behind him and read the file was well. At first they didn't get a hint why it was classified by the CIA - until Chris came across something very strange.
"Cap, read this. We read in the fax we got from Boston that she asked for her dismissal, but here it is written she was kind of fired because a CIA agent died after she did surgery on him. He was shot, like me. Man, what does this want to say us? I don't get it!"
Chris rubbed the back of his head and stared at the screen. He was sure the file was classified because the guy who died was a CIA agent. Maybe he was doing undercover work, who cared? This was a minor problem now.
"He was shot like you and he died. Maybe it reminds her of you being still alive." Dt. Miller concluded.
"And?" Chris asked.
"And what?" Dt. Miller asked back.
"Is that all? Just that this guy reminded her of me? Nah, can't be the reason."
"Maybe she got obsessed, maybe she realized she once saved your life and you belong to her, maybe she got crazy about you." Dt. Miller added to his theory. He obviously was very proud of himself as he began to smile.
"That's better, but I know Jillian has her feet on the ground, she wouldn't become obsessed or crazy about someone."
"But nevertheless you think she shot your son." Sgt Smitters objected.
"Hmmm... this gets more complicated the more information we get." Cap. Lipshitz said.
"I think we should ask her to get the answer." Dt. Miller suggested.
"Hey, good thinking, Miller. Why do you think we asked you about information about Jillian Dupree? Because we want to invite her for dinner? Man, that's what we try to do! We want to find her!"
"We already know she isn't in Boston and she isn't in Palm Beach. We assume she's here but we don't know where." Cap. Lipshitz added.
"We have a lot of contacts on the streets we can ask. If she's here, we will find her." Sgt. Smitters assured.
"You can reach us in hospital if there are any news."
"We will call you."
"Thanks for your help. We appreciate it."
Awhile later Chris and Cap were in hospital. There still weren't any changes and Rita was about to go crazy. She paced the floor in Christopher's room.
"I can't... I just can't go on like this. It drives me crazy, Fran!" she exclamied and stopped next to the window. She looked outside seeing some kids playing outside on the lawn.
"Rita, you have to be strong for Christopher. It's just a matter of time until he'll wake up."
"Time... It's too much time already. The last time I was in hospital sitting next to a bed was when Chris was shot. It was horrible. And this is even more horrible. I know if he dies he won't come back. My baby won't come back!"
Rita leaned against the wall and crossed her arms in front of her. She looked at Christopher, her little angel. He looked so peaceful, but Rita knew he was fighting for his life. Meanwhile Chris and Cap were walking down the corridor towards Christopher's room as Chris saw the counter again - the counter where he'd talked to Jillian before.
"Cap, when Jillian was here, she had to know everything about Chris, that he was operated, she even lead us to his room. How could she know this? She knows someone in here. And someone knows her!" Chris concluded and stopped.
"I kept asking myself this question before. You think I should ask around?"
"Yeah, please, Cap. I would do that by myself, but I want to go and check on Rita and Christopher."
"I know." Cap. Lipshitz patted Chris' shoulder. "Tell Fran I'll be back soon."
"Thanks, Cap."
Chris entered his son's room and saw Rita leaning against the wall. In her eyes he saw a lot of fear, the kind of fear he only saw once before - when he was lying on the ground being shot by two cop killers. He approached and kissed her. Then he glanced at his son.
"How's he doing?" he asked. Rita just shook her head.
"Still no changes."
Tears were welling up inside her eyes. She tried to hide them.
"And you, hmmmm?" Chris asked and gave her a look telling her that everything would be all right. It was just a matter of time.
"I'm fine."
Chris could see she wasn't. He saw the tears in her eyes. He asked himself where those beautiful green eyes were gone he loved about her. He knew it was hard, but they had to be strong for Christopher.
"Really?" he asked with concern.
"Yeah... no. I feel so helpless and lost."
"We have to wait. They told us Chris will be all right and I believe it."
"I believe it, too, but he's still unconcious." The tears now began to flow down her cheeks. "I just can't go on like this. It's too hard. Excuse me."
Rita ran out of the room. Chris looked at Frannie who nodded. Then he rushed out of the room as well. Down the corridor he saw Rita leaning against the wall. She had her back to him, but he knew she was crying.
"Rita..." he said and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Chris, don't say anything. Just hold me. Please!"
Rita sobbed into his chest while Chris held her close. He tried to comfort her as much as he could. Why did these things always happen to them, why? Everything seemed to be fine after what happened to Rita some months before. Not knowing that she'd ever fallen in love with Chris after the aneurysm in her head burst made her love for Chris and Christopher even stronger. Suddenly Frannie rushed out of Christopher's room. She waved her hands as if she was crazy. Chris didn't know what she wanted. He shrugged his shoulders.
"Christopher! Come on! He's awake!" she yelled through the whole corridor.
For a moment Rita stared into Chris' eyes. She couldn't believe what she'd heard. But then she turned around and rushed back into Christopher's room. Chris followed her. They both saw that Christopher had opened his eyes. He was looking around but he didn't move his arms nor his legs.
"Christopher, mommy and daddy are here."
Rita bent down and stroked the baby's hair as some tears ran down her cheeks. Then she kissed the baby on his forehead.
"Don't do this to us again, do you hear? Don't do this again."
Christopher knew his parents were concerned about him though he only was a year old. He first looked at his mommy, then at his daddy, trying to say with his eyes: "I am sorry, mommy and daddy. Don't worry, I will be all right." Chris and Rita both realized it. Chris smiled at the baby and stroked the baby's hair as well.
"Hmm, my son, I knew you were a fighter. Like your daddy."
Christopher smiled a bit when Harry and Dr. Hunter entered the room.
"I see my little patient is awake." Dr. Hunter said and approached the bed. "And he's already smiling. Well, that's a good sign. Okay, little man, let's check your reflexes."
Dr. Hunter drew one of his pens out of his pocket and touched Christopher's sole of the foot. Nothing happened. He touched it again - and again nothing happened. He touched the other sole. Nothing.
"Hmmm..." he frowned.
"What is it?" Chris asked though he had seen Christopher hadn't shown any reactions.
"There aren't any reflexes."
"Does this mean he's paralized?" Rita asked frightened while she still stroked Christopher's cheek.
"No, not really. There's still a swelling at his spinal collum where it was hit. We have to wait just a little longer. But it's a good sign he's already awake and smiling. Don't worry. I will check on him later."
Dr. Hunter nodded and left the room. Harry approached the crib and brushed Christopher's hair. The baby turned his head and looked at Harry.
"Hey big boy." Harry smiled at him. Christopher tried to smile at him as well. "Take it easy, little Chris."
Rita's face slowly began to brighten. Seeing her son smile made her believe that everything would be all right.
"I would like to take him into my arms right now just to be sure I am not dreaming." she said and wiped the last tears from her cheeks. Chris placed his arms around her shoulders and pulled her close.
"You aren't, Sam, believe me, you aren't." he appeased her. Then he bent down to Christopher and whispered: "No one's ever gonna do that to you again, Christopher, I promise. No one's ever gonna do that again." Then he turned away to talk to Cap. Lipshitz.
"And? What did you get?" he asked knowing he had some information.
"I talked to one of the nurses. She told me a woman asked for Christopher's file a short time after he was shot. She said she was with the Key West Police Department. I asked her to describe the woman. I am 100% sure it was Jillian." Harry explained.
"She said she was with the Key West PD? Huh? Good way to get access to a file, but it never worked for me without my badge." Chris replied and frowned.
"She gave the nurse some numbers and told her she could check them out. So she thought Jillian really was a cop. Well, she never checked that out, but anyways..."
"Okay, now we know how she got to know everything about Chris, but we still don't know where she is."
Chris rubbed the back of his head. Where could Jillian be? He knew she wasn't stupid. If she'd rented a room in a hotel she certainly wouldn't have used her real name which made this even more complicated.
"We have a car." Harry said and smiled.
"A car? How?" Chris asked surprised.
"The nurse's shift ended a short time after she talked to Jillian. She saw her driving away in a red Ferrari cabriolet." Harry explained.
"Thanks god! One of those cars you won't miss!" Chris exclaimed.
"I already called Sgt. Smitters and told him about the car."
"Good. I hope we will get her then."
About 2 hours later the red Ferrari cabriolet was found. It was parked in front of a hotel at the beach of Key West. A check at the hotel was positive: Jillian was there, but she was not registered as Jillian Dupree but as Denise Turner. Sgt. Smitters called the hospital to ask Chris and Harry whether they would like to assist when they arrest her in suspicion of attempted murder.
"Sam, I would like to go. Just to be sure she's really arrested." Chris said to Rita. He knew she wouldn't say anything against it as she wanted to see Jillian behind bars as well.
"Yeah, Chris, you should go. I will stay here with the baby." she responded and nodded.
"I love you." Chris whispered and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Then he looked at his son.
"And I love you." He bent down and kissed the baby on his forehead. Keep an eye on your mommy until I am back, okay?"
Cap and Chris left the hospital and drove to the hotel. The red Ferrari was still parked in front of the hotel. Chris and Cap. Lipshitz met Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller in the parking lot. Together they entered the hotel. They used the elevator to get up to floor 5 where Jillian's room was. They left the elevator - and saw Jillian standing on the corridor. She was about to leave the hotel.
"Shit!" she yelled as she saw them. She looked around and then ran down the corridor to the stairway.
"You get the elevator, we'll take the stairway!" Chris yelled and ran down the corridor to the stairway as well. Cap. Lipshitz followed him while Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller used the elevator to get down. When Chris and Cap arrived in the lobby, there was no sign of Jillian. She seemed to have been disappeared. The Ferrari was still there in the parking lot when they arrived there, but Jillian wasn't.
"Shit! She's gone. She knows we're after her. Shit again!" Chris shouted and bashed his fist against the hood of the Ferrari.
"We'll get her." Sgt. Smitters assured and put his gun away in his holster.
Chris suddenly turned away and walked down the parking lot. His car was parked on the other side. Cap. Lipshitz, Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller just watched him. He turned back and passed them as fast as he could to get to his car.
"Oh, damnit, she's after Rita right now!" he shouted. "Cap, we have to get back to the hospital!"
"How do you know?" Harry asked and rushed to Chris' car.
"I just know!" he replied and got in the car.
When they arrived at the hospital they rushed to Christopher's room. Only Frannie was in there. Christopher had fallen asleep so Rita had left the room some time ago because she was starving.
"Where's Rita?" Chris asked impatiently.
"She said she was hungry and wanted to get something to eat from the cafeteria." Frannie replied. She looked a little confused as she didn't know what was going on there. She glanced at her husband who shrugged his shoulders.
"When did she leave?" Chris asked again.
"Uh, I think about 15 minutes ago." Frannie replied. "Will someone please tell me what is going on here?"
"Cafeteria, cafeteria... " Chris mumbled. "...where's this cafeteria?"
"1st floor." Frannie responded as she had heard what he had said.
Chris already had reached the door and opened it.
"Honey, please stay with Christopher." Harry said to his wife before he left the room as well and followed Chris. Frannie still didn't know what was going on.
"Heshy? Hesh!" she yelled down the corridor but didn't get a respons. So she decided she better should do what her husband had told her and went back to Christopher's room.
A minute later Cap and Chris had reached the cafeteria. There was no sign from Rita. She bought herself something to eat about 10 minutes ago and left. Nobody knew where she'd gone.
"Shit!" Chris bashed his ellbow against the wall. "We're too late!"
Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller arrived at the cafeteria as well. Chris saw them and approached.
"She has my wife!" he yelled at them.
"We thought so. No one can leave this hospital without being checked. Not even a dead body. They are still here and we will get them." Sgt. Smitters said in order to calm Chris.
"This all wouldn't have happened if you had done something earlier!"
"Chris!" Cap. Lipshitz put his hand on Chris' shoulder. "They did everything they could. You know that. Rita is strong. She can handle this until we'll find her. Believe me."
An hour had passed and there still was no sign of Jillian and Rita. They still had to be somewhere in the hospital. Sgt. Smitters and his men did everything they could to find them as fast as possible, but the hospital was too huge. Chris was sitting next to Christopher's bed all the time and stroking the baby's cheek. Harry and Frannie were standing next to the door.
"Uh, I 'll go crazy if I have to wait another minute not knowing where Rita is." Chris said and shook his head.
"If there are any news, they will tell us." Harry objected. "You know that."
"I'll go and do something by myself." Chris exclaimed. He got up and moved towards the door.
"Chris, you can't do anything." Harry said and tried to hold him back.
"Yes, I can! Please, keep an eye on the baby."
Chris ruhed out of the room. He walked down the corridor towards the elevator.
"I somehow knew there was something going on between you and Rita. I didn't want to... disturb you. But I never thought you could be married or have a baby." Jillian's voice yelled through Chris' head. "I am a little surprised, Chris. Every time we talked about children you changed the subject."
Was this really about his relationship to Rita? No, it was because of the kids! The kids! She shot Christopher and not Rita. It was not Rita Jillian was after, it was the baby she was expecting!
"Lorenzo, keep thinking," he talked to himself. "Where did they go? Where would I go when I would try to hide in a hospital? Basement. Where in the basement? Sam, I need your help here! Where in the basement? Where would I go? No, not near the heating system. That's too obvious. Where would no one look for you? The morgue!"
Chris used the elevator to get down to the basement. The corridor was dark. The door to the morgue was closed. Chris drew his gun and slowly proceeded to open the door. There was no light at all, but he could hear someone mumbling.
"Rita?" he asked.
"Chris, stay where you are or I will kill her!" he heard a voice yelling form the other side of the huge room. It was Jillian.
"Jillian, don't do anything stupid." he said and made some steps forward. He couldn't see what was in front of him so he brushed against a table. Something shattered on the floor.
"I know you have a gun! Put it down! It's the last time I say it or I will kill her!" Jillian yelled again.
Chris knew Jillian and Rita had to be somewhere in front of him but he didn't know where they where. So he put the gun down. Jillian obviously could see him very well.
"Lay it on the ground and kick it to me." she shouted.
"I don't know where you are." Chris responded.
Suddenly the lights were switched on. Chris saw Jillian standing down the long hall. She aimed a gun at Rita who was sitting on the floor. Rita's hands were cuffed behind her back and her mouth was covered with a bandana.
"The gun! Get it to me!" Jillian shouted. Chris put the gun on the floor and kicked it to Jillian. She kicked it a little aside still aiming the gun at Rita.
"Jillian, why are you doing this? It's me you want, not her. Take me and let Rita go. Let her go!" Chris shouted and made a step towards Jillian and Rita.
"You know nothing! You don't know what's this about!"
"Then tell me."
Chris slowly walked towards Jillian. Only 15 yards were between him and the women. He could make it there before she could pull the trigger, but he didn't want to risk anything.
"Stay where you are or I will hurt her! I mean what I say!"
"Okay."
Chris stopped and put his hands up. Then he looked at Rita. She signaled him with her eyes that she was all right. Just a bit shaken, but she was all right.
"Jillian, why are you doing this? Why are you trying to hurt me and the people I love?" Chris asked and shook his head. He never thought Jillian could do something like that. He couldn't believe he was such mistaken in her.
"You know, Chris!" Jillian responded and waved the gun.
"No, I don't know. Tell me!"
Chris slowly made some steps to Jillian again. Only 7 yards and he would reach her.
"I said stay where you are!" Jillian screamed.
"Tell me, Jillian. Tell me what this is about. It's not about Rita, right? It's not about her. It's about the kids. It's about Christopher and the baby Rita's expecting!"
"Yeah, it's about the kids! I always wanted to have kids with you but YOU never wanted to have kids. These kids should be our kids, not yours and Rita's!"
5 yards. A jump and Chris would reach the gun Jillian was holding in her hand.
"Jillian, you still can have kids. There's no need to kill mine." he tried to calm her.
"You don't understand, Chris, I have to kill them. I HAVE TO KILL THEM!" she screamed and aimed her gun at Rita again. "I am sorry!" She closed her eyes and slowly pulled the trigger.
"NO!" Chris screamed. He made a jump and reached Jillian the moment a 'bang' could be heard. They both went down. Chris turned around and saw that the shot had failed Rita. The same time Jillian got aware of Chris' carelessness. She picked up the gun from the ground and aimed at Chris.
"Why did you do this? Why did you STOP ME?" she screamed, furious.
"Jillian, I had to." he replied and slowly tried to get hold of the his gun who was lying some inches behind him on the ground. He immediately had it in his hand. Rita saw it.
"You know I have to kill the both of you now. You deserve to die for everything you did to me! You cheated on me!"
Chris saw Jillian slowly pulled the trigger again.
"Jillian, please, don't do it. DON'T DO IT!"
"I can't stop!"
Just in time Chris drew his gun and fired. Before she could pull the trigger completely, Jillian was hit and fell down on the ground. Chris crawled over to Rita and put the bandana down.
"Are you okay?" he asked, concerned.
"Yes, I am." Rita replied. Chris uncuffed her hands and hugged her close. Rita hugged him back.
"Oh god, I am sooooo glad you're all right, Sam. It was this close." Chris said and held his thumb and his index finger some inched apart. Suddenly the door was pushed opened and three men entered the room: Cap. Lipshitz, Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller. They saw Chris and Rita sitting on the ground next to the place where Jillian's motionless body was lying. Sgt. Smitters and Dt. Miller immediately looked after Jillian, Cap. Lipshitz went over to Chris and Rita.
"Everything okay with you two?" he asked and kneeled down on the ground.
"Yeah, we're both fine, Cap. The three of us are fine, Cap." Chris smiled at Rita and stroked her cheek. She placed her hand over his and kissed it. Dt. Miller came over to them to tell them how Jillian was.
"She's dead." he simply said and shook his head. Chris first looked at Cap, then at Rita again. Rita knew this wasn't easy for Chris. He had to shot the woman he once loved to protect his wife and their unborn baby. He saved them once again.
"It's okay, Chris." Rita said and stroked his cheek. "Let's go back to Christopher."
Chris just nodded and helped his wife getting up.
"But at first I'll get a doctor to look after you. Just to be sure everything is all right with the baby." he said.
Rita knew Chris wouldn't give in. So she agreed without complaining.
Awhile later Rita was lying on a stretcher in the gynecological ward. Chris was standing next to her holding her hand. Rita was having an ultrasound done. For the first time they would see their baby.
"Chris, are you nervous?" Rita asked already knowing that he would deny it but he certainly was.
"Nah! Why nervous?" Chris replied and shook his head. "Nah.. nah... not a bit."
"Don't know, you just look like you're a little nervous, my friend. Not to say VERY nervous."
"Well, when you were pregnant with Christopher I never went to the doctor's office with you when you had an ultrasound. I don't know what I am going to feel when I see the baby. Yes, I am nervous!"
Rita smiled at him. She somehow couldn't believe it. This man standing next to her had delivered a baby - their baby - a year and a day ago. And now he somehow had to have frost bitten feet.
"You don't have to. Everything's all right." she assured him.
"I just ask myself how a little baby like ours can be such strong."
"Think about Christopher and what I had to go through when I was pregnant with him. He's a happy baby now, he's healthy... well, sort of."
Chris tried to smile at Rita and brushed her hair. Yeah, she was right. After all everything would turn out all right, he just had to believe in it. Finally the doctor came in. He walked over to them and looked at Rita.
"Dr. Hunter told me I should check on you. My name is Dr. Kellogg." he introduced himself and shook hands frst with Rita then with Chris.
"I really don't think this is necessary, doctor, but my husband here insisted on it." Rita said and indicated at Chris.
"Well, I think it's better to be a little more cautious than to be a little lazy." Dr. Kellogg smiled.
"There you hear it. That's what I've always been telling you, Sam!"
Chris grinned while he saw Dr. Kellogg adjusting the machine for the ultrasound.
"Let's start with the ultrasound. You know what's it like, Mrs. Lorenzo?" Dr. Kellogg asked and glanced at Rita.
"Yeah, I know it." Rita replied and nodded.
"Good, then I can skip all the explaning. Let's have a look at your baby."
The doctor put some of the cold, slimy gel on Rita's stomach. Then he put the gadget on her stomach and a picture appeared on the monitor. A fast heartbeat was heard.
"There we go, your baby."
"It's unbelievable, Rita." Chris said as he heard the sound and saw the picture on the monitor. "Is that junior's heartbeat?"
"It's sounds like a very healthy baby. How far are you, Mrs. Lorenzo?"
"Almost 8 weeks." Rita responded and smiled all over her face. She squeezed Chris' hand and looked up at him.
"Well, I assumed so. Everything seems to be all right with the baby. The heartbeat already is very strong."
"That's our baby, Rita!" Chris exclaimed.
"I know, Chris." Rita smiled.
"Wow! I didn't expect this to be so great. I mean... boy, this makes me speechless."
Rita just shook her head. She'd never seen Chris that way before. He seemed to be so overwhelmed. Even Dr. Kellogg realized it.
"You want a first photo of your baby?" he asked and smiled at Chris.
"Uh... yes... how?" Chris stammered not knowing if he was being teased or not.
"I can print the screen if you want." Dr. Kellogg answered and already pushed a button. The printer began to print a small black and white picture. Dr. Kellogg handed the photo Chris. Chris first looked at the picture rubbing the back of his head. All he could see was a small dark spot on that picture. It didn't look like a baby. But he knew it had to be.
"The first photo of our baby! Sam, that's incredible! Unbelievable!" he said breathlessly as Rita sat up on the stretcher and got dressed.
"Come on, Chris, let's get back to Christopher. I wanna see how he's doing." Rita replied and looked at Chris with a look on her face Chris couldn't say no to.
"Doctor?"
"Nothing to say against. Your wife and the baby are in good health." Dr. Kellogg confirmed.
"Okay, then let's go back to Christopher."
About 10 minutes later they entered Christopher's room. Harry and Frannie were still there. They were standing next to the crib talking to Christopher. The little boy was awake. He turned his head when he heard someone entering the room. His eyes opened wide as he saw his mommy and daddy approaching the crib.
"Hey, how's my little man doing?" Rita asked and kissed her son on the forehead.
"He tried to pull out the IV. He's getting back his strength every minute." Harry remarked and smiled.
"Huh, back to normal speed then, my son?" Chris said and stroked the baby's cheek.
"Rita, how are you and the baby doing?" Frannie asked with a little concern on her face.
"Everything's fine, Frannie. The baby's heartbeat is strong. Thanks to Christopher here who saved our lives."
Rita moved her head and kissed her husband. Chris' face brightened. Suddenly the door was opened and Dr. Hunter shuffled into the room. They all assumed he wanted to check Christopher's reflexes again.
"I am glad to see you're all right, Mrs. Lorenzo." he said and nodded at Rita.
"Thank you." Rita replied.
"Let's see how Christopher is doing."
Dr. Hunter approached the crib and smiled at Christopher. The little boy answered his smile.
"Someone told me you tried to pull your IV out of your arm, hmmmmmm?" he said and tickled the baby a bit. Then he drew the pen out of his pocket and touched Christopher's left sole of the foot. Nothing happened. He touched the sole again. Suddenly one of Christopher's toes moved. To be sure the toe really moved, Dr. Hunter touched Christopher's sole again. Now all of his toes began to move. Chris and Rita saw it.
"He moved his toes! Did you see that, Chris, he moved his toes!" Rita exclaimed. She had tears in her eyes as she saw her baby son lying in the bed moving his toes.
"I told you everthing will be all right." Chris kissed Rita.
"Well, if you ask me you will have to have an eye on this little man as soon as he can leave hospital." Dr. Hunter said and turned to Chris and Rita.
"Thank you, Dr. Hunter." Chris replied and shook Dr. Hunter's hand. Everyone could see how relieved Chris and Rita were that Christopher would be all right.
"You don't have to thank me. Your son has a strong will."
Obsession - what's the definition of this word? If you look it up in a dictionary, it says: a fixed and often unreasonable idea with which the mind is continually concerned. Fixed yes, but unreasonable? Jilllian was obsessed and she had her reasons why she was obsessed. Look up the word jealousy in the dictionary. You would have to find a picture of Jillian there, but all you get is the following explanation: unhappy and angry because you think that someone who should like you likes someone else better; jealous is often used about someone who is afraid of letting a person be liked or admired by others. Angry - this isn't exactely the right word to describe what Jillian felt. She was furious. We found out that she followed us to Key West. She hired the Latino to shoot Christopher. She told him to pretend he's working for Donnie Dogs DiBarto as Chris told her a lot about this mob. We assume she must have seen either me or Chris with the baby when she was back in Palm Beach. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but there's nobody to answer them. This story has a permanent ending for Jillian, but a happy one for us. 3 weeks have passed since Chris had to shoot her to protect me and our unborn baby once more. Our son is gaining strength every day. I was so overwhelmed when I entered his room in hospital one day and saw Christopher standing in the crib. Chris and I are glad he'll have no reminders of this terrible time except for a scar on his chest. There are only three words Christopher can say so far. One of them is happa. My little son is the only one who really knows what this word means, but I think he wants to say us he's happy. Happy to be together with his parents and happy to be a big brother soon.
The end
Disclaimer: The characters of Chris Lorenzo, Rita Lee Lance, Harry and Frannie Lipshitz, Donnie Dogs DiBarto and Jillian Dupree are the property of Stephen J. Cannell and USA Network. No infringement intended.
Thanks go out to Karen who fixed the typoes and all the mistakes I made (thanks a bunch!), to Andrea and Kristiina who suggested the title and to everyone who encouraged me to continue writing. Oh, and not to forget the wise man up there who gave me this ability to write ;)