Here's something else new. This is rather AU, though still reasonably similar timeline-wise. The only major differences are that Natara and Mal have known each other for longer (and they've been dating by the time our story picks up), Mal and Sandra have been divorced for a couple of years (and basically all Mal's friends know about it but they don't necessarily know why), and Natara was never romantically involved with Shawn, though she did still shoot him. Anything else, you'll just have to wait and see. Also, most of the dialogue in this chapter comes from the Charles and Claudette Waldencrest scene in Volume 1, Chapter 4.
For Tori. Sorry it took so long.
Disclaimer - If I owned Cause of Death, it would still be going today.
"You know, I've been in some real seedy dives in my day. I mean crap-on-the-walls seedy… And yet somehow I feel most ill at ease here. Now why do you think that is?" Detective Mal Fallon asked his partner as they exited the car.
"A class bias born of blue-collar frustration?" came the response, the younger woman's eyes twinkling impishly.
Mal nodded. "Right. Anyway. So we figure our killer has to live in one of the houses along the East Beach. That narrows it down to, what, those fifteen houses over there?"
"Unfortunately, we don't have a warrant, and we're not even supposed to be investigating this. So where do we begin?" Natara queried, a look of frustration on her face.
Looking around in desperation, Mal spotted a realtor a block away, adjusting a 'For Sale' sign. "Follow my lead!"
Grabbing the auburn-haired woman by the hand, Mal pulled her over to the realtor. "Excuse me? Miss? Might I have a moment of your time?" I'm Charles Waldencrest, and this is my wife, Claudette. We're looking to buy a house in the neighbourhood!"
The realtor gave them a warm smile. "How wonderful! Are you two new to the area?"
Knowing that Mal's plan of pretending to be married was their best chance of getting the information they needed, Natara squeezed Mal's hand tightly. Mal nodded, returning the realtor's smile. "Yes, we are! The energy conglomerate I work for has just opened a new plant here. Claudette and I… We're looking for a nice, safe neighbourhood to start a family".
"Oh, that's just delightful! I love seeing happy new couples! How did you two meet?"
Natara smiled, getting into character herself. "It was at a cocktail fundraiser for one of the nonprofits I support. Charles was just so charming…"
Mal wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned slightly into his embrace. "Oh, you flatter me, sweetie. I just look sharp in a tux!" he laughed.
"Tee hee! Aren't you two a delight! Would you like me to give you a tour of any houses?"
The realtor hadn't stopped smiling since they had first approached her , something that both would have found rather creepy if it wasn't for the fact they could both tell the woman was genuinely happy about helping them. "Actually, we were hoping you could help us answer some questions we have about the neighbourhood. Particularly with regards to safety…" Mal said simply.
"Oh, I can assure you, Pacific Heights has one of the lowest crime rates in San Francisco…"
"I'm not worried about muggers or car jackers. Believe me, I'm ensured. I'm more interested in the residents, particularly on that bluff over there. Is there anyone unusual we should be worried about?"
The realtor's smile vanished, an expression of confusion replacing it. "Um… That's… May I ask why you're so concerned about this?"
Natara nodded. "We're concerned for… our baby".
Almost instantly, the realtor's previous smile reappeared. "Oh! How delightful! When are you expecting?"
Mal leaned over, lovingly placing his hand on Natara's stomach. "Seven months until we have our very own bundle of joy!"
Natara nodded, ignoring the tingling feeling she got as the detective's hand rested eerily close to the surprise she'd kept from him for a little over a week. "As you can imagine, we're very concerned about living in a safe neighbourhood. If there's anyone here we should keep an eye on, we'd love to know".
"You know what w're asking about, Miss. Sex offenders. Deviants".
"What? I… No! The worst we have is that eccentric doctor in 240…"
"Eccentric doctor?"
"Well, sur, but all he does is keep odd hours, always coming and going in that funny lab coat of his… Listen, I'm not comfortable discussing our residents like this. Maybe we could continue this conversation in my office?"
Mal and Natara glanced at each other, silently agreeing that they already had all the information they needed. "Some other time, ma'am. Come on, honey" Mal said quickly, before wrapping his arm around Natara's waist and walking with her away from the realtor.
Once they were a safe distance away again, he turned to her, his blue eyes sparkling in the way that she loved. "That was amazing! That touch about the baby? Brilliant!"
Natara smiled softly. "I had exactly the right kind of inspiration, I suppose. Besides, it wasn't a complete fabrication, actually"
Mal just blinked at her for a minute, caught off-guard by the FBI agent's comment. "Wait. It wasn't?"
Natara grinned. She was probably enjoying her boyfriend's surprise more than she should have been, but it wasn't every day that she had life-changing news to share with him (and besides, she'd been planning to tell him at the apartment that night, so what did it matter if she told him a few hours earlier?). "That's right. Not all of it was made up. In fact, aside from the basic details like the fact that we were married, our names, and how we met, the only thing that was actually made up was the amount of time we would have to wait… Although to be fair that was still fairly close".
"Nat. Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
She could see the realization dawning in her boyfriend's eyes, and she knew right away that he'd almost figured out exactly what she had meant. "Seven and a half months" the FBI agents replied softly.
The brown-haired detective looked down at his girlfriend in wonder. "You're pregnant?"
Natara's answering smile was contagious, the detective quickly finding himself with a matching expression. "Yeah, Mal, I'm pregnant. I found out just last week and I was planning to surprise you with the news at home tonight, but I guess a better opportunity presented itself after all".
"I'm definitely surprised. But in the best way. Oh, very much in the best way. You're pregnant, Nat. We're going to be parents. This is amazing news!"
The woman laughed softly, raising herself slightly and pressing her lips to his in a soft kiss. "It is indeed, Mal. It most definitely is amazing news".
He kissed her back just as softly, his arms immediately wrapping around her waist, and the two of them stayed like that for at least five minutes until air became a necessity and they finally broke apart, resting their foreheads together and grinning like idiots. "This is really happening".
Natara grinned back at her boyfriend. "It is".
She leaned in again, placing another soft kiss to his lips and making sure to linger for an extra couple of seconds, before pulling away slightly and grabbing his hand. "C'mon, we can't stand here all day. We do have a case to solve, after all. And after we solve it, we can go back home, celebrate this new development properly, and maybe discuss how, or when, we want to tell the others…"
Mal nodded, knowing his girlfriend was right. They had to focus on catching the Maskmaker, no matter how much they wanted otherwise. And after that… then, and only then, they could celebrate. "Let's go catch a serial killer".
So there we go. Did you enjoy the first chapter? Feel free to leave me a Review and let me know what you thought, I'd love to hear from you.
Songs for this chapter:
Lullaby, by Dixie Chicks
With Arms Wide Open, by Creed