Root in Trouble Deep
Finch was typing away at the computer when Root entered and unexpectedly curled up in his lap, throwing her arms around his neck and sighing melodramatically.
"Whatever's wrong, Miss Groves?" he enquired, unsure whether to embrace her in return and nervous about the close physical contact.
"Do you remember the wedding last month, Harry, where you sang?" she said "And what happened afterwards?"
Finch reddened. "I thought we'd decided not to talk about that, Miss Groves, we both drank a lot of champagne and I fear that I took advantage of you"
"Several times as I recall, Harry" she smiled "Was it just the alcohol or was it, you know, special?"
"Of course it was special, Root" he replied, deciding to use her nickname as she was obviously upset in some way "It's not the sort of thing I do with just anyone"
She took his head in both hands and put her face close to his, looking deep into his eyes. "Oh dear, she really is an attractive woman" thought Finch, although he could see (or thought he could see) the dancing lights of madness deep in her brown orbs.
Root stretched out, looking at him from under lowered lashes, and dropped her bombshell.
"I'm pregnant, Harry. You're going to be a father"
oooooooooooo
Like all men faced with this news Finch felt a mixture of joy and terror.
"Oh dear" he said, cursing inwardly at the inadequacy of his response "This is most… unexpected. I suppose it's not a mistake" he added hopefully.
"No mistake" said Root, wriggling about "Do you think the subway is suitable for a nursery or should we use one of the safe houses? It's rather dreary underground like this. We'll need to think about names too"
"Miss Groves – Root – I think you are getting ahead of things" cautioned Finch "We need to consider this carefully. After all we aren't in a normal situation, not with Samaritan about"
Root pouted in a charming way and sighed "I suppose you're right Harry. It is rather exciting though, isn't it?" She wriggled around on Finch's lap again.
"Ouch" winced Finch "Please be careful Miss Groves, that's not actually a gun in my pocket you know"
"Hmm" breathed Root huskily "I seem to remember that it's more of a sawn-off shotgun"
Finch gave a most un-Harold like smirk "Fully loaded too"
"Well Uncle Ralph" said Root standing up "Let's see if it still works"
oooooooooooooooo
"Anyone home? Finch? Root?" called Reese, entering the subway after dealing with a number.
"In here" replied Root from her bedroom.
Reese put his head though the curtain and immediately wished that he hadn't. Finch lay on his back in the bed, a smug grin on his face, with Root beside him. She extended a bare leg from under the covers and Reese fixed his gaze on the wall in case the rest of her followed.
"Hello Uncle John" she said cryptically
"I'm going back out" said Reese "And I'll return in 30 minutes. I'd appreciate it if you were both respectable by then"
"I fear that respectability has left us, Mr. Reese" said Finch sadly "But we'll do our best"
After Reese had left, Root sighed "I suppose we'd better tidy up"
"Let's not" said Finch in a thick voice, pulling her towards him.
oooooooooooooooo
Exactly 30 minutes later Reese returned and found them with tousled hair and flushed faces, looking guilty and as if they'd scrambled into their clothes 5 minutes before. He strongly suspected that was precisely what had happened. Finch and Root sat at the table, close together and holding hands.
"Are you expecting, Root?" he asked
"Yes I am" she replied
"And Harold is the father?"
"Well it's certainly not Lionel" she snapped. Finch bridled "Mr. Reese, I…"
Reese held up a hand "Please Harold, this is serious and we need to know the facts. Lionel is on his way too as he's the only one of us to actually have any experience of this… event"
As if on cue Fusco came in "What's happening guys?" he asked in concern.
"Harold has knocked Root up" Reese explained, rather crudely.
Fusco looked surprised but went over to shake Finch's hand "Congratulations Finch"
He half lifted a startled Root from her chair and planted a kiss on her cheek "Congratulations too, chucklehead" he said "Just curious, does he still call you Miss Groves when you're… together?"
"Detective Fusco!" "Lionel!" "Fusco!" said 3 indignant voices.
"Sorry" said Fusco contritely "I want to be sure he's treating her right"
He tilted his head to the other side of the room "Reese, let's talk"
oooooooooooooooo
"Is Root really pregnant?"
"So she says" replied Reese
"And Finch is the father?"
"So she says"
"Hmm, 'Root says' doesn't always ring true"
"What are you thinking Lionel?"
"Finch is very, very smart. Root is very, very smart. So far, so compatible. Root is also very, very twisty and devious. Finch isn't. Why is she telling the news? Why now? We don't have exactly normal lives so I'd expect her to have a discreet termination and carry on as before. She can't be thinking of keeping it, can she?"
"Now that Finch knows, he has a say in it too. We have a say as well – it affects us both"
"Root's always looked down on you and me, Reese, we're just hired hands. I think she wants Finch for herself. Hmm, has he proposed to her?"
"I didn't consider that. They didn't mention it"
"Finch is the sort of guy to do that. If he does, they'll get married quickly and a week later there'll be a sad miscarriage. She'll be Mrs. Finch though and you, especially, will be side-lined. Let's face it – Root is a woman and she can give Finch things we can't, if you know what I mean"
"I hope you and Shaw were more careful, Lionel, before… well, before"
Fusco looked round quickly to see if anyone had heard Reese's question "What do you know about that? Did she tell you?" he hissed.
"Relax, it was things you both said, the way you looked at each other sometimes"
"Yeah, well I figure better me than some random guy she found in one of those dive bars she favoured. Anyway it didn't happen often or mean anything, the same as you and Zoe Morgan"
"I'm rather jealous that Harold and Root seem to have got a proper relationship going"
"If it is a proper one and not some Root scheme"
"I found them in bed just before you arrived. If it is a ploy, I think Harold is well and truly hooked"
"In bed?" said Fusco incredulously "In working hours?" He sounded shocked and Reese smiled.
"I'm a bit embarrassed to ask, Lionel, but how does a pregnancy test work? If we get Root to do one in front of us then…"
"Whoa, hold it partner" interrupted Fusco "It involves a urine sample. We can't get Root to do that in front of us. Root treats me like crap but I won't humiliate her, also Finch would throw a fit. Trouble is, if she is faking this pregnancy thing, she'll have doctored samples – like athletes have to fool the anti-doping people"
"Let's see what the lovebirds have to say" said Reese and they returned to the table.
oooooooooooooooo
In the end they made no decision, Harold and Root unwilling to consider an abortion until all avenues had been explored. An idea from Fusco for the Machine to arrange a secondment for Detectives Fusco and Riley to Interpol in London and for the others to follow and escape Samaritan's New York to hide in Europe was a favourite although everyone recognised that Samaritan's reach extended world-wide. With suitable finesse from the Machine, Fusco and Reese would have enough freedom to save numbers while Finch looked after Root, who would be in no state for any strenuous physical activities later on. Deep down all 4 realised that this was a day-dream but it was nice to think of escape.