The Horseman of the Apocalypse
By SassyJ
Especially for Savannah, as always my guide in all matters concerning Picket Fences, and Anne, who wants more PF fic. Thanks guys, you keep me writing!!!
Zach Brock was having a bad ten minutes. He'd finally managed to get the new girl on her own, now he was utterly tongue-tied.
"Errrr. Could you help me with my math?" he blurted out, she was after all the school math genius…and electronics genius and computer genius. Amalie looked at him slightly strangely. Way to go Zachary, now she thinks y're an idiot.
Amalie sighed and took pity on him, she liked Zachary, he was open and friendly and normal. "Sure." She smiled encouragingly at him.
Zach bounded up out of his chair, he didn't quite punch the air in triumph, but he came close. Every boy in the school was after Amalie. She was completely different from the girls they'd had anything to do with up till then.
Weeks passed and Zach found more and more he had in common with the new girl. Amalie was clever and serious, but fun too. She had travelled more widely and read more than any other girl in the school. Zach loved the differences, Amalie was focussed, she knew where she was going and how she planned to get there.
They strolled slowly back to class after recess, she outlined the plan to him as they walked, it all seemed so beautifully simple. She hired her services out as a math tutor. He worked all the hours he could at the local store and they would combine their money to go to college together. It was a beautiful plan.
Matt dropped down into the chair and reached for the remote. It had gone. Zach was sweeping through the house, tidying everything up. Muttering to himself. Matt stared at his little brother as though Zach had lost his mind.
"Chill out will you! She's only a girl!" Zach looked at his brother properly for the first time.
"You're not wearing that are you?" He waved a hand at Matt's baggy t-shirt and black jeans.
Matt looked down at himself, "Why not?" he shrugged. "What's wrong with these."
"You look a mess. That's what's wrong with those."
Matt sloped off into the kitchen. "Mom, can you tell Zach to take a pill or something. He's driving us nuts. He just told Kimberley to get out of the shower, so's he could clean it."
Jill looked up from washing vegetables. "Matthew! Cut your brother a little slack here okay, Amalie is very important to him." Jill smiled indulgently at her youngest, now frantically tidying newspapers away. "She's his first serious girlfriend. You remember how that was!"
"I don't remember being this nuts about it." Matt reached into the fridge for a Coke. Zach slammed the door shut and started to wipe fingerprints off the handle. Matt glanced sourly at his mother. "Don't stay in one place too long, or he'll tidy you away." Jill smiled. Then frowned, when Zach swept the bowl into the sink and started to wash up.
"Zachary! Calm down, I'm sure Amalie will take us as she finds us."
Zach looked at her. "That's exactly what I'm worried about, how she might find us!" Meaningful glance at his casually dressed brother. Then nearly leapt out of his skin when the doorbell went.
Jill had invited Max and Kenny to dinner. After the shooting which nearly paralysed Kenny for life and then the death of his friend Deke the year before, the couple had put their terrifying experiences behind them and were eagerly expecting their first child. Max looked radiantly happy and Kenny hovered over her. Jill had to smile, he was so protective.
Matt grabbed Kenny and dragged him into the den. "We're hiding out in here. Zachary's gone mad." He raised his voice sufficiently so that his brother could hear him. It had no effect.
Kenny looked at Zach frantically tidying up and grinned. "All this for a girl? You must have it bad!" He winked at Jimmy. The indulgent grins on the faces of his father and honorary big brother went totally unnoticed. Zach was cleaning up.
The door bell went. Zach dived in front of the mirror in the hall, checked his appearance, rubbed his palms over the front of his jeans a couple of times and answered the door. They could hear voices. Jimmy got up, curious, as Zach stepped back into the hall, tugging someone by the hand.
"Mom, Dad, everyone, this is Amalie."
The excited and overawed note in her son's voice made Jill swing round. Oh-oh! She took in the slightly disbelieving, awestruck looks on the faces of the menfolk Oh-oh! Amalie Newton was the most gorgeous, jaw-droppingly beautiful girl she'd ever seen. The flame coloured hair, the creamy smooth unblemished skin, the incredibly green eyes. The girl had a stunning figure and the clothes she wore were a world apart from the usual teenager's garb.
Jill's heart sank, their little Zach and this gorgeous sophisticated creature. Then she stepped forward and greeted Amalie. "Welcome, Amalie, I'm Zach's mother."
"Thank you, Mrs Brock. These are for you." The accent was as engaging as the outward appearance. The smile revealed two rows of perfect white teeth. Jill took the flowers and chocolates feeling slightly overawed herself.
Dinner was a strange affair, Jill, Kimberly and Max worked to keep conversation going as the menfolk seemed utterly bowled over by Amalie. Zach's proud smile worried Jill, he's so young! She watched her youngest in disbelief, noting the changes, Zach had always been a casual dresser, now the usual sweater and jeans had gone, in their place chinos and a white shirt with a necktie, the hair cut was more sophisticated too. Suddenly her seventeen year old baby had grown up, Zach's a young man now, when did I miss that, Jill realised she was staring, flustered she reached out to the nearest bowl, "Amalie, did you have more vegetables?"
"No, thank you, Mrs Brock." Again the slightly grave but sweet smile.
Next morning brought Maxine Lacos' check up, and Jill put her earlier worries over her son out of her mind. Max and Kenny were so excited about the baby.
But from the first moment things were wrong. Jill checked and re-checked the scans, a terrible sinking feeling in her heart. She walked slowly back to them, knowing that what was to come would be utterly devastating.
Max looked up expectantly, Kenny was sitting on the bed next to her, his arm round her shoulders. Jill swallowed, this was going to be really hard.
"I'm afraid I have some difficult news for you." She began. Kenny sat up a bit, his arm clenched involuntarily, pulling Max closer to his side. Jill could feel the sorrow and pain building within her as fear replaced joy in their expressions. "We can't detect a heartbeat."
Max gave a strange sobbing moan and Kenny clutched his wife to him. Jill began to talk them through the procedures as though by concentrating on the basic facts, she could blot out the pain for both of them.
Kenny found the strength from somewhere to get through the next few days. Max was utterly devastated, too shocked to cry anymore. Jill had enduced her and after a couple of hours, Max had given birth. But there was no cry, no warm living being to cuddle. Stone faced, Kenny had held the lifeless little body in his hands. Why us, why my boy his mind screamed, but he couldn't get the words out. Gently he'd handed the perfect little boy to Max, she needed to say goodbye.
In wonder Max stroked the little limbs, the tiny hands and their beautiful little fingers. Her heart was frozen within her. Carefully, Jill took the little limp body from her. Max curled down into the bed and held on with all her might.
Kenny made all the arrangements. Quiet and dignified, he surrounded himself with work, then more work on top of that. He cared for Max. He sorted through disputes at work. But something was gone. People were so kind to Max, dropping in little gifts, and food, caring for her in a thousand different ways. Kenny held on to that.
Then came the day of the funeral. Max and Kenny got up, dressed, went through the motions. Stood by the graveside. Well meaning people came up and hugged Max, talked to her, tried in their own way to cheer her up.
She stood in the shower. The water flowed over her, cascading down her body, between her breasts, flowing over her nipples. Max raised her hand to the proud bud, the water was growing colder and her nipples were distended. With a strange sense of wonder she caressed her breast, it should have been for my baby, the incoherent thought rattled around in her mind. My baby, my baby, my baby echoing and mocking. Max sank to the floor of the shower, heedless of the water still flowing, growing colder and colder. She bent her knees up to her chest and her head down to her knees, arms wrapped tight around her legs as she began to rock.
Which was where Kenny found her. He could hear the shower running as he walked upstairs. "Max?" he didn't want to startle her, she was wound tight enough. He opened the bathroom door. Oh God!. Quickly he turned the shower off, bent down and scooped her into his arms, her wet and frozen body soaked his shirt instantly, but Kenny didn't care about that. Snatching a towel as he passed, he carried his shattered wife into the bedroom. Sat down on the bed, lifting her more firmly against his chest, he pulled the towel round her and held on. A moment of stiff resistance, then Max leaned into his sure bulk, fingers entwined in his shirt. Very softly, she began to cry.
Kenny sat and held her. He lost track of time, it grew dark outside. He was stiff from holding one position for so long, and Max's weight had sent his left arm to sleep, but he held on. Finally the storm began to ease, Max was drifting. He lifted her, wincing as the pins and needles began to attack his arm, slid the covers back. As he laid her down, she whimpered and clutched his soaked shirt tighter. Awkwardly, with his free hand, Kenny undid his belt, and dropped his pants, easing into bed beside her, he gathered her close again. The discomfort of sleeping in his soaked uniform shirt didn't bother him, Max needed him and that was enough.
Kenny lay awake as his beautiful wife leaned in to him and wept her heart out.
Max rubbed her hand across his chest. She felt safe and secure with him. She turned over in her mind everything they'd been through together, and it eased the pain in her heart a little. Kenny's arms tightened round her and Max drifted off to sleep. Long after she slept, he was still awake.
Kenny went into work every day, his heart wasn't in it, but he needed the security. He had a sense that if he stopped, he would never start again. The new man was due in today and Kenny had to see him, organise duty rotas, rearrange the shift a bit so that he could keep an eye on Savarino.
Things started badly. There had been an outbreak of petty thefts from local shops, the shopkeepers had been quite unpleasant about it, warning Jimmy that they would take matters into their own hands if someone wasn't caught.
Dunphy had nailed some kid, the parents had hit the roof, and the father had gone round to have it out with Dunphy. Kenny had gone round to the shop to keep the peace. It hadn't worked, the father had taken a swing at Dunphy, Kenny grabbed the father, while he was trying to calm the man down, Dunphy had taken a swing, missed the man completely and socked Kenny one, right in the eye. It did damage.
Already tense and upset, that had been the last straw. Kenny had arrested Dunphy. Now half the station were staring at him as though he'd lost his mind.
Into all this, Nick Savarino strolled.
"Nick Savarino, I'm your new Deputy." He held out his hand to Kenny. Kenny took it, immediately conscious that he wasn't exactly looking his best, tension heightened by the amused looks on the faces of some of his fellow deputies.
"Kenny Lacos, Under-Sheriff." Aware that his eye was rapidly swelling and his face cut and bruised. Also his shirt was untucked and his tie a mess. Things were all out of kilter.
Savarino by contrast was smart, shirt immaculate, shoes shined. He looked the picture of calm efficiency.
Amalie and Zach slid into a corner of the library that they'd made their own. They settled down to their project work. Amalie's mind didn't seem to be on it. Zach could sense something, but he let her take her time.
Finally she laid her pen down. "I think someone's following me."
Zach smiled, was that it? "Am, sweetie, half the school follows you."
"Zach, I'm serious." She looked into his eyes, and Zach swallowed hard, she was scared. "Last night, when I was alone at home, I felt like someone was watching. So I got up and went to have a look at the window. Zach, there was nobody there. It was really weird." Zach started to say something, "And that's not the only time. Walking home, shopping, a dozen different places."
Zach reached out to her.
Max came back to work. Occupation would ease the pain, and right then she needed the diversion. She couldn't talk with Kenny at the moment. Everything was too raw. She needed to get back on an even keel.
Jimmy put her with the new man, Savarino.
And Kenny had to watch his rival winning his wife away from him. Though he had to admit Nick Savarino and Max worked well together. But that was little solace when he could see how well they got on together. How Max would turn to Savarino and not himself.
One of their first cases was a body pulled from the river. It was male, mid-thirties, obviously well nourished and not a vagrant.
Carter was excited, he hadn't had a body in the river for about three years now, and he was tired of old folks and the ordinary experience of natural causes.
This one was clearly very unnatural causes. He scuttled about busying himself with preparations.
Finally he turned to Max and Savarino. Looking up at Savarino.
"Are you staying?" He'd heard the man had a strong interest in forensics, and Carter was looking forward to some fresh approaches.
"Why? You can take care of it, can't you?" Savarino suddenly seemed a little uncomfortable. Almost abrupt. Then he turned on his heel and dragged Max out without a further word.
Carter was surprised. Savarino was supposed to be a bit of a hot-shot in mortuary matters. Then he shrugged, okay, all mine then.
As days and weeks passed and merged into one another, Carter became increasingly baffled by Savarino. Obviously his contact in Savarino's former place of work was wrong, the man wasn't interested in forensics. He resisted all Carter's overtures to talk "shop".
The body in the morgue was fascinating Carter. Everything possible had been done to obliterate the man's identity, the face was unrecognisable, teeth smashed, fingers sliced off. An idea began to formulate itself in Carter's brain, but even he wanted to dismiss it as fanciful. Impossible!
He shook his head, pulling the sheet up over the body and pushing the drawer back into the wall.
Amalie turned to Zach. The feelings of being followed, of being spied upon persisted. She had to tell someone.
"Zach, there is someone following me."
"Sweetie, we've been here before, I've never seen anyone." Zach put his arms around her, pulling her into him, but Amalie was not going to be distracted.
"Zach, we could be in danger." How to admit this. She hung her head. "Zach, it must be because of my father. Because of who he is."
Zach looked at her. "Am, who is he?"
"Juan-Carlos Ruiz." There, she'd said it.
"The Bank Robber?" Zach was stunned.
Amalie was going to protest, say No, he wasn't a robber. Then she acknowledged the truth of it. Her father was a crook. She sat down and started the long and painful story.
Zach listened as she poured it all out. How her charming father could be two people at once, loveable and caring one minute and evil and ruthless the next, how all through her early childhood, he'd drifted in and out of her life until a robbery had gone wrong and he'd gone on the run.
"He had a partner. I never knew him, never saw him." Amalie moved closer to her boyfriend. "Zach, it's him, I know it is. The partner."
Zach pulled her close. "We have to tell Dad." Tearfully, Amalie nodded, wrapping her arms round his waist as he held her.
"And you've never seen your father, since that day?" Jimmy couldn't believe his ears.
"No. He left, my mother went back to her maiden name, changed my surname and we moved. Far away from Quebec. That was almost ten years ago." Amalie stared at the floor, she suddenly seemed very young, and very far removed from the sophisticated beauty that had come to dinner all those months ago. Jimmy's heart went out to the girl, she was scared.
He sought to reassure her.
"Amalie, I'm sure that you are safe. We have had no reports of suspicious strangers in the area, but if it will make you and your mother feel better, we will stop by the house every night."
Tearfully she nodded her thanks, and Zach put a comforting arm round her shoulders to guide her from the room.
Jimmy stared down at his blotter in disbelief. How was he going to spring this one on Jill.
"She's the daughter of an infamous bank robber?" Jill glared at her husband. "And Zach's mixed up with a murderer's daughter? How do you think I am reacting."
"Jill, it's how you're overreacting. Amalie's done nothing, and God knows she can't help her parentage, any more than we can." Jimmy spread his hands out wide, appealing to her sense of justice.
"Jimmy, of course, I don't blame Amalie, but you have to admit there is something to worry over, or you wouldn't have mentioned it." Jill softened slightly. Afterall, this was the girl that her son loved. And Amalie had never been anything other than loving and sweet.
Kenny woke up with a jerk. He was drenched in sweat and the bedclothes were damp. Unable to rest he went downstairs. Nothing made sense anymore. The world seemed to have turned against him. Going into work was a nightmare that he never seemed to waken from.
Kenny got some juice from the fridge and wandered out onto the porch. The night air felt cool against his skin, he sat down on the top step and tried to gather his thoughts. Stuff buzzed around in his mind and Kenny couldn't get a handle on any of it. Watching Max suffer was tearing him apart, being unable to talk to her about their feelings was killing him too, all that and the heavy weight that seemed to be dragging on his heart. Holding that tiny fragile little scrap in his arms and saying goodbye had been the hardest thing Kenny had ever done in his life. Knowing that his little boy hadn't made it. Then the funeral. All those well-meaning people, Max coming apart at the seams, didn't they realise all that sympathy and curiosity was making it worse for her. The whole dreamlike nightmare sequence. In a strange way, he still felt detached from it all, it was happening to someone else, something he'd seen on the news, it couldn't be happening to them.
The lead contracted round his heart. He could hear its beating, thudding in his chest, it seemed slower and out of step with his movements. Years back, when he'd been shot during the Frogman incidents, he vividly remembered looking down at himself lying on the operating table, watching Jill put her hand into his chest and pull a bullet out. Detached from the pain and the reality, that was how he felt then, and how he felt now. He was standing still, screaming, but everyone who passed by couldn't hear him.
He shivered, the night air seemed cold now.
Next morning, Jimmy asked Kenny to co-sign a loan agreement for a car for Zach. By the time they managed to get to the bank, the queue was almost out of the door, so they stood and waited. Jimmy took the opportunity of a moment of idleness to study his deputy closely, which had been part of his plan in the first place. Since being made Under-Sheriff, Kenny couldn't be faulted for his conscientious approach, but there was something else. Nothing Jimmy could quite put his finger on, but something eating at the younger man. Over the last few months, there had been times when the only thing that held Max together was her husband, the strain of that has to have had an effect on him.
Jimmy took in the weight loss, the tired look in Kenny's eyes. Very tentatively he broached the subject.
"If there was something we needed to discuss, you'd come right out and talk to me. Wouldn't you?" try the oblique approach.
Kenny eyed him sideways. "I don't know what you mean." A certain flat finality in the tone. Jimmy's senses went into alarm mode. Whoa, something going on here. Since their first major misunderstanding over Rachel, Kenny had never lied directly to Jimmy. Sure he'd glossed over some stuff, but this was different. He put his hand on the younger man's shoulder, turning him so that Jimmy could look into his face. A sudden flare of something, that was quickly masked. Kenny's expression was so impassive as to be unbelievable.
Kenny turned away "What are we waiting for, anyway?" His tone was loud, and to Jimmy's ears overlaid with a desperation which was not Kenny's style. He looked behind him and caught the curious and very direct gaze of Judge Bone standing ten feet away, Carter beside him. Oh great, an audience! Jimmy knew he'd never get answers from Kenny that way. Whatever it was, it was so private that Kenny was going to elaborate lengths to conceal it from Jimmy.
For a moment, anger rose. I told him, no secrets. Jimmy looked at his long time friend and Under-Sheriff, and then admitted to himself, the anger was more about Jimmy's hurt that his friend couldn't or wouldn't confide in him than Kenny's secretiveness. He sighed.
"Kenny, I…"
"Jimmy!" Whatever he was going to say was lost as Jill and Zach walked in. His wife looked cross.
"If I'd known you were going to sort out the loan today, you could have sorted out Zach's account at the same time. I have a million things to do and we're very rushed today."
"Jill, I…" Once again Jimmy was cut off.
"Well since you're here, you can sort Zach's account out now." Jill hitched the strap of her bag up on her shoulder. "I have to get back to the office."
As she turned to go, the office door opened behind them and Aaron Betts stumbled out. His face contorted with rage. "You won't get away with this!" he screamed, almost foaming at the mouth. He stumbled back, further towards the door, turned, paused a moment then swung back. The gun in his hand pointing straight at the Manager.
Jill stopped in her tracks. The gun was waving wildly, Betts was totally out of control. Jimmy started to take a step forward, the gun swung in his direction, Kenny shoved Jimmy clear as Betts pulled the trigger. Alarms began to sound.
Kenny went for his gun. As soon as he cleared the holster things began to spiral out of control. His heart was pounding, visions of Deke tumbling down the stairs, his friend's bloodied hand clutching Kenny's shirt front as the light faded in Deke's eyes, the memory of his tiny baby son lifeless in his arms, images flooding Kenny's consciousness. His whole being was centred on the thing in his hands, the thing he could not control, the instrument of death that he was growing to hate, desperately he tried to get a grip, he could hear the sirens outside. He gained control for an instant, but the demons flooded back, he couldn't remember what to do next.
Dimly he was aware that Betts had the upper hand. A strong hand closed over his wrist, slamming the gun to one side, smashing the back of his hand into the pillar. The gun skittered away across the floor as Betts kept his grip on Kenny's wrist and continued the movement, spinning Kenny around and shoving him hard against the pillar, yanking his other arm back and snapping Kenny's cuffs over his wrists. He shoved Kenny hard in the back, the big officer stumbled and fell to his knees.
Utterly humiliated, his wrists bound behind him with his own handcuffs, Kenny sagged to the floor. He couldn't bear to look at Jimmy or Jill or any of his other friends. He closed his eyes and slumped over.
"Any more have a go heroes?!" Triumphant, mocking. Betts looked down at his handiwork with pride. He'd beaten him, the tough top marksman cop, well he ain't so tough now!
Jimmy was stunned. He watched Kenny lose it completely without being able to do a thing to help him, it had all happened so fast. Zach and Jill cautiously eased themselves over to Kenny. Very carefully, Jill coaxed Kenny to roll onto his side. Despite her quiet promptings, his eyes remained screwed shut. Jill rested her hand on Kenny's head and gently stroked the brown hair. Her heart went out to him.
"YOU IN THE BANK! COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP" Max's voice blared out over the bullhorn. Betts swung wildly again, people scattered to right and left as the gun swept this way and that. Unnoticed, Carter concealed Kenny's gun beneath his jacket, easing the weapon towards him as he scuttled backwards.
Betts seemed to have forgotten the gun. Carter cautiously slid it into his pocket, thanking heaven that the mac had deep wide pockets. He checked where Jimmy was and began to slide closer.
Betts chuckled to himself. Lacos flat out on the floor, Mrs Lacos trying to take charge outside. Well let's give her something more to think about. He stepped over to Kenny, reached down and yanked him to his feet. "C'mon you. Let's show you off to your lady out there."
Kenny regained a little fight. "Fuck you!" he snarled, Betts laughed and shoved him ahead. Hooking his fingers into the back of Kenny's collar, he pushed him through the door, using Kenny as a shield.
Jimmy saw Carter's strange attempts to get his attention. Betts worried him, the man had Kenny, gun pressed to Kenny's throat and he was powerless to resist. Jimmy couldn't take risks with Kenny's life but they had to stop this maniac.
The bank doors opened and Max froze. Less than fifteen feet away, her husband stood. A gun pressed against his throat, his hands appeared to be tied behind him, helpless in the grasp of a maniac.
She turned to the big, calm, assured presence of her new partner. Savarino smiled inwardly as he caught the look on Kenny's face, couldn't have been better than if I had set it up. His cold calculations spun on a notch. The girl would now be defenceless and the Sheriff's department was in chaos. Anytime now, he'll come looking for his little girl.
He looked down at Max. Pity, if I had the time it would be enjoyable taking her away from that big ox. He summoned a reassuring smile, the consumate actor, "I suggest we stand down a while. Keep the rodent waiting, let him have a little glory in how clever he's been, then trap him off guard."
Max nodded. "Throw down your weapon, Mr Betts. You are surrounded."
"FORGET IT SISTER, I'VE GOT YOUR HUSBAND HERE, WANT ME TO BLOW HIS HEAD OFF!" Betts was triumphant. He jabbed the pistol hard up into Kenny's throat. "BETTER STILL, A GUNSHOT TO THE LARYNX, SO YOU CAN WATCH HIM DIE IN AGONY!"
Max held it together with a supreme effort, a vision of Kenny dying in front of her while she was powerless to do anything made the paving heave beneath her feet and the air swim around her.
"Mr Betts, we'll give you time to think about it."
The man reversed into the bank. Yanking Kenny backwards.
As they stepped back through the doors, Jimmy took his chance. Betts was off balance and only had a loose grip on Kenny's shirt collar. Jimmy pounced, Betts shoved Kenny clear and tried to spin round to grab Jimmy, but he was too off balance.
Jimmy slammed the gun hand into the wall, and the gun bounced away on the floor, spinning Betts round, he slammed his fist into Betts' jaw. That one's for Kenny. Betts' eyes rolled up and he slid to the ground in a heap. Jimmy kicked the gun away, flipped Betts onto his front and cuffed him. Then yelled out the door for help.
Turning to Kenny, he reached into Kenny's pocket for the keys to the cuffs and unlocked them. The big deputy still refused to meet his eyes. For a long moment, Jimmy paused, trying to decide what to say, or do. Then as Max and the others arrived, he stepped away. Can't humiliate him more in front of all these people.
It was over a week before Jimmy could figure out a way to get to Kenny's problems. They seemed swamped with work, the flu had hit them hard and he strongly suspected that Kenny was using their short-staffed state to avoid talking about the bank incident.
Jill dropped the spare key on Jimmy's desk. "Jimmy, what's really the problem here? You didn't just forget that key."
He smiled ruefully. "I wanted you to take a look at Kenny, but he's so stressed up, I had to think of some way to get you here without alerting him. Insists he's fine, and there's nothing wrong."
Jill turned and looked out the window into the office. Kenny was sitting at his desk, the whole room seemed alive with the noise and bustle that characterised the Sheriff's Department. Kenny was detached from it. Keeping her eye on him, Jill walked over to his desk.
Kenny looked up at her approach, he tried to summon a smile but it didn't quite work. "Hi, Jill."
"Hi yourself." Jill took in his flushed cheeks, and over-bright eyes. She laid the back of her hand on his forehead. It was very hot.
"Kenny, you're burning up." Jill tried to urge him to his feet, but he resisted.
"Jill, I'm fine!"
"Kenny. You're far from fine." She pulled a chair closer and sat down. She looked him over again, he'd lost some weight and his features were drawn and sharpened by the loss. We were so busy helping and protecting Max, we forgot you, didn't we Kenny. Then the bank thing came up. He really was a mess. Jill took his hand between both of hers.
"If you need someone to talk to, I'm here." She said gently.
He jerked his hand out of hers and got to his feet. "Jill I'm fine, honest. I can cope." His breath caught and he started to cough, his eyes didn't quite meet hers. "Jimmy is short-handed, as soon as we get some more people back in, I'll take a rest then!" Being Under-Sheriff meant a lot to Kenny.
Jill looked at his dejected slump, the red-rimmed eyes, his whole demeanour screamed exhaustion and illness, but Kenny was an adult, and she could hardly order him off work, based on no more real evidence than a nasty cough.
Kenny seemed to realise he'd been abrupt. He tentatively put his hand out, Jill took it. "Jill, I didn't mean……." He trailed off. Jill squeezed his hand, and was rewarded by a much more convincing smile.
"Kenny. The moment someone comes back in, you take time off. You hear me. I'll give you something for that cough."
For a moment she thought he was going to refuse again, deny that he was ill. Then he nodded. The shade of misery back in his eyes. On impulse, Jill put her other arm round his neck and hugged him close.
Things went from bad to worse, Savarino was a natural leader, and deputies flocked to him like moths to a flame. Kenny felt out of touch, surrounded on all sides by conspiracy. The most painful part, Max seemed very taken with her new partner.
More and more he questioned what he was doing. How can I take a life. He hated the gun now, loathed his status as department marksman.
Then came the call that there was a prowler in the School. The caretaker had seen a man on the premises, but by the time he'd gotten to the spot the man had vanished. The caretaker called Jimmy.
The Sheriff's department surrounded the building.
Jimmy deployed his team. "Max and Nick, round the side. Kenny, take Carmine and Andrews, up those stairs." Everyone moved out.
Kenny soon found himself alone as they moved through the building. His hands were shaking, sweat dripped down his back. He'd never been so scared and he hated himself for this fear. He moved cautiously round the building. Every sound seemed magnified. He rounded the corner and came face to face with their suspect.
"You are under arrest. Put y'hands against the wall, NOW!" The strain and fear showed itself in his voice as Kenny desperately tried to steady his grip on the gun. It felt alien to him. As he struggled to cope the man sidestepped and brought the butt of his gun round in a swift arc connecting with Kenny's temple. He dropped like stone, and lay stunned. His assailant ran off.
"KENNY" Jimmy burst through the door the other end of the room, as Kenny tried to pick himself up. Max and Nick appeared behind him. Jimmy gently pushed him back down, took his jacket off and folded it under Kenny's head. Kenny tried again, and then subsided. His head lolled to one side, eyes closed. Jimmy kept his hand on the younger man's shoulder, offering comfort.
Max stepped back. Jimmy looked up, briefly his eyes caught Nick's, the triumph on the new man's face repulsed Jimmy.
"Call for an ambulance." His voice unnecessarily harsh. Jimmy glared up at them. Nick he could understand, the man had been undermining Kenny since the day he'd arrived; in fact, the more Brock thought about it, the more he came to realise that Kenny's confidence had evaporated almost overnight from the moment Nick Savarino had joined the department.
But Max! Jimmy was having a hard time figuring out where Max was coming from these days. Then Max knelt down, the other side of her husband.
"Kenny" he tried to sit up again, "No lie still." She stroked his hair back. "Ssssssh. Just lie still." Jimmy could hear the tremble in her voice.
Jill Brock gently checked Kenny out. Alarm bells sounding in her head, his temperature was 103°, he was flushed and his skin was clammy. He lay passively under her hands, which was not like Kenny.
"Kenny."
He barely responded, the eyes that looked into hers were dulled and hopeless. Jill hurt for him. Kenny had given up.
She left him to speak to Jimmy and Max. They turned to her, panic written on their faces. Jill shrugged helplessly.
"Kenny has the flu. He has a temperature of 103°, the bang on the head has given him a mild concussion. However, his mental state is far more worrying. He seems to have given up hope."
"Mom, can we see Kenny?" Zach pleaded.
"Kenny's very ill, Zach. He needs his rest. So just a little while, okay?" Jill crossed her fingers, perhaps Zach and Amalie might get through.
They entered the darkened room. Kenny lay very still, he appeared to be asleep, but his eyes opened as they approached the bed.
"Hey!" very weak and hoarse, but a flicker of the old Kenny. He tried to sit up. Zach put his hand on his old friend's shoulder.
"I don't think you're supposed to be doing that. Mom would kill me if I let you."
Kenny subsided into the pillows and Zach and Amalie sat. Amalie reached out and took Kenny's hand.
"How are you feeling?"
"Okay." Patently a lie. Amalie eased up onto the bed, still holding Kenny's hand and gently stroked it. "Really, huh?"
His eyelids drooped a bit. "I'm okay."
Kenny packed a few clothes. He had to get away. His wife thought he was a coward and she'd found someone else, the entire office was laughing at him. He pulled out his gun and his shield, at one time being a cop meant everything to Kenny. Now the job represented nothing but pain to him. He'd written letters to Jimmy and to Max, the twenty or so previous attempts torn up in the bottom of the waste basket.
Quickly he propped the one for Max where she was likely to see it and left their home.
He'd timed it between shifts, so that he wouldn't have to face Jimmy, as he'd timed his exit from the hospital so Jill wouldn't stop him. The wisdom of doing any of this had passed Kenny by, he was running on pure wounded instinct. Dropping the letter with his gun and shield on Jimmy's desk where he'd see them. Kenny left, managing to avoid the few greetings as he sprinted for the exit. Twenty minutes later he was at the bus station.
He had a half hour wait for the bus and the sustained activity had taken its toll. He was feeling whoozy and sick, his head ached. He collapsed onto a seat, as the cough started he bent over one arm held hard across his stomach, handkerchief pressed to his mouth. The cough ripped through his body, his lungs felt like they were heaving to draw in air. The spasm lasted five minutes and it left Kenny weak and shivering.
Jimmy spotted the gun and shield as he walked in the office door. He knew what it meant. He sat down heavily at his desk, stared at the envelope, his name scrawled across the front in Kenny's big bold handwriting. Reluctantly he picked it up.
It took a while before Jimmy could make sense of what Kenny had written. His eyes took in the words, but his brain refused to process them. He put the gun and shield in a drawer so that the others wouldn't see it and went to find his wife.
Jill read the letter through twice in total silence. Suddenly, she was coldly, furiously angry, whether it was at Jimmy or herself she wasn't sure, but she rounded on her husband anyway. "You let him hurt this badly, and you did nothing about it. Jeezus, Jimmy, what kind of friend are you?"
Jimmy spread his hands, as though to defend himself. "Kenny wouldn't let any of us in, Jill. You know that. In fact, the only people who got even halfway close were Zach and Amalie."
"Well I suggest you talk to them, because we need to find him." She looked him straight in the eye. "Kenny is seriously ill, and he needs medical care and rest." He turned to go. "Wait, I'm coming with you." She shed her hospital coat and picked up her jacket.
Zach stared at his mother and father in disbelief. "Kenny's hurting," he swung round to Amalie and she nodded, "He's really upset, we tried to talk him out of it last night, but he kept going on about not being needed anymore."
Jimmy cut through the narrative. "Zach, this isn't helping us find him. We need to find him." He looked helplessly at the two of them. Amalie looked him straight in the eye.
"Kenny's headed back to Chicago. He talked about it last night, we didn't think he would try it." She spread her hands, a helpless gesture, "We couldn't talk him out of it." Tears welled in her beautiful green eyes.
Max opened the front door. The house seemed so quiet and deserted without Kenny. She went over and over in her mind the events leading up to yesterday. Kenny had been subdued for long time now. He got up in the morning, went to work and came home as he usually did, but the spark had gone. Her big strong fun-loving husband was a shadow of his former self. She thought about the baby and how strong he'd been for her. With a start, she knew she hadn't even realised how sick he was, until his collapse in the school the day before yesterday.
Slowly she walked into the kitchen, she had a lot to think about. On the breakfast bar was an envelope propped up. "Max" screamed back at her in her husband's handwriting. Fingers trembling and palms sweaty Max reached out for what she was certain she didn't want to see. She turned it over, tentatively reached for the flap, paused, then ripped it open.
Max read through Kenny's letter, her mind refused to accept what it was saying. She felt crushed by the weight of his grief. That he hurt this badly and had kept it from her, for whatever reason, hurt her!
She dropped the letter on the side and set off for the bus station, drawn by instinct. Kenny hadn't taken the car, so that's where he would have gone. She had to tell him she loved him, before he went. Max didn't think beyond that, she couldn't face the whatever, if he didn't love her anymore. For the first time, Max realised what the loss of their baby had done to Kenny.
She pushed the car faster, she couldn't lose him now.
Jimmy and Jill burst through the doors of the bus station. For a heart stopping moment they scanned the boards and realised that the bus to Chicago had already gone.
Jimmy swung round, as though seeking inspiration. Kenny was sitting hunched over on the bench seat near the back wall. He motioned to Jill and they walked towards the hunched up figure.
Jill sat down next to him, Jimmy crouched down in front.
"Hey, Kenny, how you doin', buddy!"
A half-smile, "Somehow, I couldn't get on that bus." Speech was obviously an effort. Jill put her arm around him, gently tried to urge him to his feet
"Come on Kenny, let's go home." He was shivering and distressed, Jimmy had to help him stand.
Max burst through the doors. "KENNY!" She flew into his arms like a dove coming home to roost. Leaning into each other, Max turned her face up to his, hands stroking him as though trying to reassure herself that he was real.
"Kenny, I can't lose you!" Max didn't care that she was begging. She loved him and needed him.
Kenny leaned against her, "Max, I'm so sorry. I can't lose you." His voice fading. "So sorry!" It was all too much, the floodgates opened, tired, sick and overwrought, he wept. They eased him back onto the bench, and Max held him close as the tears ran down his face. "Sssshh!", Max whispered and gently pulled him in to her chest, his head resting against her shoulder, she rested her cheek against his hair as the hot tears splashed down on her shirt, his head was very hot. Worried, Max felt his forehead, "Kenny, you're burning up." As the storm abated, she tried to urge him to his feet. Jimmy and Jill helped get him moving out to Jimmy's car.
They got him into the back seat and Max slid in next to him, pulling him back into her arms. Kenny's head rested against his wife's shoulder, Max cuddled him and whispered soothing nonsense to him.
Jill turned in the front seat. "We'll get you back to hospital, and then no more sneaking out, young man!" she gave him a stern look.
Kenny looked back at her, slightly shame-faced. "Jill, I'm sorry!……So sorry!" his voice trailed off, Max put her hand up to his cheek and gently pressed him closer. "Ssssssh!" dropping a kiss on the top of his head.
Jill's expression softened and she reached back to take his hand. "It's alright, Kenny, you're going to be alright!" The short strong fingers returned the pressure briefly, then he drifted off. Max's worried eyes met Jill's over Kenny's head.
Jill shook her head ruefully. "A few days total rest and some antibiotics, he'll be fine!" Max smiled mistily and dropped another kiss on the top of her sleeping husband's head.
Carter checked and re-checked. He was right! And he really wished that he wasn't. Triumph warred with terror. He scooped his jacket up, stuffing the fax in the inside pocket. He had to get to Jimmy. Warn him somehow.
Carter scuttled out to his car. He'd driven four blocks before the realisation dawned, he couldn't go to Jimmy directly, or he'd alert the man. Carter parked up and thought about it. Then he caught sight of Zach and Amalie crossing the road ahead of him, they weren't alone. The big cop passing himself of as Nick Savarino was with them.
Then he saw Jimmy's car coming towards. Carter dived into the road, frantically waving, the car slowed.
"Jimmy, I'm telling you, Savarino isn't who he says he is. Nick Savarino is lying on a slab in the morgue right now. In fact, whoever he is, he probably killed the real Savarino." Carter was flushed with equal triumph and fear. "Now he's got Zach and Amalie."
Jimmy took a chance, he couldn't leave Zach and Amalie alone with the man. They were one block from the museum, the station was ten blocks away. He and Max would take a swift look around, and Jill could look after Kenny for a while.
Zach pulled Amalie against himself, standing up to Savarino. "Okay, now what. Am's father isn't here."
"So we wait, I've waited a long time, I can wait some more." Savarino gestured with the gun, "Now move over there. And don't even think of warning him."
"You don' need to, mon cher!" The voice came from behind them, and Savarino spun round. Off balance for a second, then he regained control.
"Johnny, Johnny, Johnny, you have been a bad monkey." The timbre of the voice made Zach shiver, Savarino sounded crazy, he reached for Amalie's hand and they shrank back into the shadows of the room together.
"Carl Eastham, as ah live an' breathe. An' what brings you here, mon cher?"
"Well, it ain't the weather. Knew you'd show up sometime, just couldn't keep away from your girl." Savarino waved the gun. "Where is it, my share."
Ruiz didn't even cast a glance at his daughter.
He shrugged. "Not here."
Eastham/Savarino's voice took on a tone of evil. He moved closer, the gun rock steady. "Wrong answer."
"POLICE, PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS." Jimmy appeared in the doorway, as Savarino spun to fire hitting the Sheriff in the leg.
"DAD." Zach and Amalie dived towards his stricken father. They pulled him clear of the doorway as Ruiz went for Savarino. Not pausing to see what happened, they got either side of Jimmy and started to help him out of the room.
"Jill that was a shot." Kenny was instantly alert. He felt like hell, his head was pounding and the cough would wear him out, but he couldn't leave his wife and Jimmy to face a gunman without back-up. He started to get out of the car.
"Kenny, no. Stay here." Jill tried to stop him.
"Jill, go for back-up. I'll try and get in." She hesitated. "JUST GO."
A second's pause. "Okay, but be careful."
"I will. Now go." He pushed himself away from the car, trying not to stumble.
Amalie and Zach helped Jimmy move until they figured they'd found a safe spot. Easing him back against the wall, they checked the damage. His face was grey from blood loss and shock. Amalie pulled off her scarf and tried to bind the wound.
"Well, well, well." Terrified they spun round. Savarino had the drop on them, the gun unwavering. No one saw Kenny move quietly into position behind an exhibit.
Savarino paused in triumph, he'd won. Ruiz was dead, now all he had to do was finish off the witnesses. The Sheriff and his deputies were down and out for the count. Finish the Sheriff and the kids first. He took aim, Jimmy looked up into the killer's eyes, hand pressed hard over the wound above his knee. He could see the evil in the face of the murderer.
Kenny took his chance, he was unarmed but he had to do something, as Savarino drew down on Jimmy and the kids, Kenny tackled him from the side. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold Savarino off for long, he was weak and run down from the flu, but Kenny figured he could distract him for long enough and the others could get away.
Savarino was big and strong and easily a weight match for Kenny, they struggled and crashed against the railing. The old museum balustrade wasn't strong enough to bear the weight of two big men, it gave way with a crunch and they fell together. For a split second silence then a crash and the ominous sound of breaking glass.
Zach and Amalie raced down the stairs, but Max and Carter were there before them. Kenny and Savarino lay in the ruins of one of the exhibit cases, huge shards of glass and bits of broken wood, surrounded by smaller shattered pieces.
"Oh God, Kenny, no………….Please Kenny!" Max pulled the shattered wood and glass back attempting to get to her husband. Blood was spreading in an ever-widening pool beneath both men. Savarino was dead, a giant shard of glass had pierced his throat and carotid artery. Kenny was so covered in blood, Max thought she'd lost him, the worst part was the massive piece of glass that poked up through his shoulder where it had torn through the flesh. Terrified she reached out, her fingers encountered a weak pulse in his throat.
The welcome scream of sirens came to them.
Jill put them in a room together. Max, Zach and Amalie took up positions in the room and waited. Carter was eagerly presenting his conclusions to a slightly bored Carmine.
Jimmy came to. His leg was on fire, he felt old and battered. The first thing he saw was his wife's anxious face. "Hey, how're ya doing?" He grinned weakly.
"My leg feels like it's been in a grinder. Did we get him?"
Max left Kenny's side. "We got him." She glanced back to her comatose husband. "Actually Kenny got him…………..with a glass case." Max tried to make the words sound light, but she couldn't clamp down on the fear. Kenny's temperature was still 103°, he was badly bruised and cut from the fall onto the glass case. Jill had removed a lot of glass from the wounds, the wound in his upper arm and shoulder was right through, stitched him up, bandaged his arm and leg to protect the wounds and keep them clean. He looked a mess.
Zach moved in closer to his father, with a nervous Amalie in tow. "Hi Dad."
"Hi yourself." Jimmy reached out his hand to his son.
Jill went back to her duties and the others stayed.
Max sat next to Kenny, holding his hand and talking to him in a low voice. Jimmy drifted, Zach and Amalie stayed close by.
Kenny woke slowly. He was aware of Max's voice, talking to him, reassuring him, but he didn't feel very reassured. He ached everywhere, his head felt light and the constant dragging pain in his shoulder, arm and leg were wearing on him. He forced leaden lashes open and gazed at his wife. Max's joy was obvious to everyone in the room, but Kenny was focussed on what he'd done to her. The second time he'd let her down.
"Hi!" Max felt a little shy, he seemed a bit distant. "How you feeling?" She wanted to pull him into her arms and hold him close, but was scared she'd hurt him. Kenny desperately to hold his wife, but she was obviously uncomfortable being there. Kenny's heart sank. He'd finally finished it, wrecked his marriage beyond repair. He closed his eyes. Shit, this hurts worse than the last time.
Opening them again, he gazed at his wife, he needed her response. "I'm fine." His voice cracked slightly. He watched her closely, trying not to give his feelings away. Max waited in awkward silence, he was giving her nothing. Hurt and disappointed, she got to her feet, "I'll leave you to rest." She turned away and walked towards the door.
Kenny watched her go for a second. Something snapped inside, No!, ignoring Jill's instructions to stay put, he weakly hauled the bed covers back and slid out of bed, nearly collapsing to the floor as the extent of his injuries and illness made themselves felt. "Max" he gasped, she spun round as he gained some kind of control, and limped stiffly to her. Her hand flew up to her lips, as the tears started. He grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, the stitches in his right arm dragged agonisingly beneath the bandages. "I'll not let you go. I love you. I love you!" She returned his embrace with a passion, only loosening her grip when he winced. Their lips met and the kiss went on and on. He swayed, Max frantically tried to support him, but he was too heavy and collapsed to the ground. Max was on her knees cradling him in her arms.
The shocked stillness from the other occupants of the room was broken. Amalie dived for the emergency switch, as Zach tried to help Max get him back to bed.
Jill swept into the room. "What on earth is going on here!! KENNY! Oh for heaven's sake." Exasperated. Two orderlies appeared behind her. "Max, kids, out………….Now" when they looked like they were about to protest.
Jill and the orderlies got Kenny back to bed. She stayed and checked him over for damage. "Kenny, that was really stupid." She checked the injuries carefully, "you've pulled some stitches here." She glared at him. "I going to do something that I wouldn't normally do, but it's for your own good. You can't keep moving around like this, things are not going to heal and you may do extra damage. So we're going to restrain you in bed." The blue eyes pleaded and he started to protest. She held up a hand. "No. No arguments." gently stroked his hair back, "I know you don't like the idea, but you don't want to be here any longer than you have to, do you?"
Grudgingly he nodded, the effort of staying awake was wearing him out. He closed his eyes. "Okay."
Twenty minutes later, Jill adjusted the straps across the mattress, settled Kenny back comfortably and did up the restraints, dealing with his left arm first. She carefully put extra padding around his injured right arm, eased the restraining cuff gently round his wrist. She slipped the strap through the buckle and paused, it seemed wrong somehow but was the only way to keep his injuries protected from any movements he would make. She fastened the buckle, and patted his hand. "I know you don't like it, and it's a scary feeling, but it will keep you still until the worst is over."
The blue eyes were half closed and he was nearly asleep, "It's okay Jill. I can take it."
Max cautiously opened the door. Jill had told her that they'd restrained Kenny, and she wasn't sure what kind of mood he was going to be in. Being tied down in bed wouldn't sit well with Kenny.
He was awake. Max moved closer, he looked up at her grumpily, "Look at this." He moved his left hand the two inches leeway against the strap.
Max caught her breath, she didn't want to laugh and make everything worse. She sat on the edge of the bed next to him. "Oh, Kenny." His wounded look made the laughter well up inside again.
She laid a hand on his chest, "Well since now I have you as a captive audience, we are going to have that serious talk." She glanced over her shoulder, Jimmy appeared to be asleep, which is good. Last thing I want is him seeing this. She held her husband's slightly confused gaze, very slowly unbuttoned her blouse, revealing her breasts. Kenny's good left arm jerked involuntarily against the restraining cuff. Max caught the revealing movement, she bent forward, her breasts brushed against his chest. The feelings that swept through them both couldn't be denied. Max put her hands down on the pillow either side of his head and leaned in. Their faces were close and she took in every detail of the man she loved, his cheeks still flushed from the bout of flu he was getting over, brown hair ruffled, a multitude of little cuts and bruises on the right hand side of his face, the hospital gown had slipped and the edge of the bandaging covering his shoulder and arm showed; even bruised and battered with heavily bandaged right arm and leg, in a strange way he'd never looked better to Max. She knew she didn't have long, he looked exhausted and the mixture of drugs, pain and illness were going to catch up with him soon.
She claimed him for her own. "Kenneth Lacos, I love you. I will never love anyone else. If you don't love me, say so now."
He cleared his throat. "Max, I…….." the tears welled up, Max's hands moved, cupped his face and gently wiped the tears away with her thumbs, Kenny got himself together. "Max, I love you."
She leaned closer again, teasingly "Shall I pass sentence then?" he nodded, "I sentence us to life, together!" She kissed him, her hands gently stroked his face. Leaned in, delicately nipped at his earlobe and whispered, "Darling, I'm pregnant." The flare of joy in his eyes, accompanied by a fresh wash of tears, Max smiled mistily at her exhausted husband.
Sitting up, she watched as he slowly drifted off to sleep, a half smile on his face.
"About time!" Dry observation from the other bed. Max spun round, dragging her blouse shut hastily.
"Jimmy! I thought you were asleep."
He grinned. "No." He held out his hand and Max crossed to take it. He tugged on it, getting her to sit on the edge of the bed as though she was a little girl. "Ever since Kenny first arrived, you two were made for each other. You belonged and were right together. Somehow I have this feeling, that you will never be truly apart. However many rocks you two manage to drag into your path."
"Jimmy. How can you be that sure! I'm not even that sure." Max looked at him in bewilderment.
He smiled "Oh, I'm that sure."
He turned his head towards the sleeping Kenny. "Deep down, he's that sure too! He just has a hard time expressing it."
Max bent down and kissed him on the cheek. He looked up at her. "What was that for?"
"Believing in us. Caring about us. Take your pick." In a burst of shyness Max looked down at her slim hand still clasped in Jimmy's larger one. "Just for being a friend."
Jimmy tugged her down, wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug. Max slipped off the bed, gave him another quick kiss and rejoined her husband. As she bent over him, his eyes opened again, his left hand moved the two inches against the strap, fingers straining to reach for her hand. "Stay." Max nodded. "Okay."
She slipped her shoes off, and climbed up onto the bed next to him, easing herself down so that she could put her arms around him without jostling his injuries. Kenny leaned against her. "Max, I want to put my arm around you." He whispered, she looked down at him.
"Kenny, I don't think that's a good idea."
"It is. Just undo the strap." Max looked at him hesitantly. She couldn't resist the pleading in his eyes. She slipped the strap free, Kenny's good left arm came round her, tugging her close into his side. Biting his lip at the heated protest from his battered, abused body.
Max put her head on his uninjured shoulder and leaned into him. It felt so good to be back by his side. "I love you." She looked up. He bent his head to kiss her. They started to lose themselves in the moment, forgetting where they were. Kenny pulled Max on top of him in one swift move and instantly regretted it. An excruciating pain shot through the torn flesh of his right shoulder. He gasped in agony. Max slid off him, sitting up on the edge of the bed she cradled him against her as he tried to ride out the pain.
"Kenny, that was a really bad idea."
"No, it wasn't………………..I…………dammit……………………I need you"
A thin wail split the air. Max moved as if to go to answer it, her husband's pleading eyes gave her pause. "Okay!" He was out of his seat and halfway up the stairs, before she'd even got the word out.
Max sighed, and turned to Jill. "You see what I mean!? The slightest thing and he's in there. Is she too hot, is she too cold, does she want daddy to read her a story." She shrugged helplessly. "If he's this bad now, what will he be like when she's fifteen and dating?!"
Jimmy spluttered. "It's perfectly natural for fathers to worry about their daughters!"
Jill laughed.
Kenny bent over the cot. She'd kicked the covers off again, his little girl, his Kate. He reached down and tenderly scooped his baby daughter up. Pulled her into his shoulder, and settled back in the armchair, breathing in the delicious scent of baby. Tiny fingers unfurled and grabbed at her father's ear which was just out of her reach. Kenny turned Kate until she was lying back in his arms, settled her easily until her head was supported by the crook of his elbow. His free hand gently rubbed her front, the tiny fingers unfurled again and with a delighted gurgle, she grabbed his little finger, hanging on with a surprisingly strong grip.
Entranced by his daughter's antics, Kenny had no idea he was being watched from the doorway. Jill and Max stood and watched father and daughter together.
Jill turned to Max. "You don't really mind, do you?"
"No, we've never been happier." She turned to her friend. "Jill, sometimes it frightens me, being this happy. Kenny loves us so much……………………..I'm scared of being loved like this."
"Max, Max, calm down." Jill put her hands on her young friend's arms. "You two love each other, you have a beautiful healthy baby girl; and after everything that's happened, take your happiness, you deserve it."
Max smiled, pulling Jill into a hug.
Later that evening Max lay slumped back against the pillows, Kate in her arms, drowsy and replete after her feed. She held her baby close and watched her, marvelling in the perfection of it all. Suddenly she sensed she was being watched. Kenny stood in the doorway, Max stretched out her free hand and he took it, diving into bed next to her.
Kenny slid his arms round his wife and daughter and gathered them close, Max leaned her head against him, idly her fingers traced the faint white scar visible on his shoulder, thinking back to the day he'd acquired that scar. Kenny concentrated on his beautiful wife and daughter, he scooped Max closer and put his big hand on his daughter's front. A tired gurgle, then the tiny fingers grabbed his little finger again. Max slid her hand under his chin and tilted his face towards her. "I love you." She breathed. He leaned in and they kissed gently, the last months of hell had been worth it.