From the minute Steve Sloan had been introduced to Grace, Jesse's ex-girlfriend, he'd had a feeling that the whole thing was going to go to hell in a handbasket. His father thought Steve was jealous and, even though Steve didn't admit that to his dad, he had to confess to himself there was more than a little of that mixed in. Jesse looked so adorably proud holding little Casey, the baby he thought was his son, and Steve couldn't help but feel a twinge in his heart at how much he'd have liked to see Jesse one day with a child of his own. Ever since he'd fallen hook, line and sinker for Jesse Travis, he'd had a picture in his head of their future together – a house on the beach, just down from his father's, a couple of little kids running around, kids that he and Jesse would adopt. He'd known it was all pie in the sky, of course, especially as Jesse had no idea Steve was in love with him and had shown no sign that he was in love with Steve, but he couldn't quite put the wished for image out of his head.

That wasn't the main reason Grace showing up made Steve's gut churn though. There was something not quite right with the whole situation and he'd been more than happy to tell his dad that. That was his cop instinct talking after all. His dad had cocked a quizzical eyebrow at him and given him a long, thoughtful look. "You're jealous," he'd said. "I don't know why you just don't tell Jesse how you feel about him. It's not like he and Grace are getting married or anything."

"I'm not jealous," Steve retorted flatly. "Besides, tell Mr. Straight-as-a-dye Skirtchaser that I've got feelings for him? Don't think that's gonna fly, Dad."

"He might surprise you," his dad replied but then refused to be drawn any further on what he meant by that and instead went on cooking dinner, leaving Steve turning his words over and over in his head.

"Do you know something about Jesse that I don't?" he asked finally.

"Hmm?" Mark shrugged. "No, no. I just don't think he'd be quite as horrified as you seem to think. He's never struck me as being bigoted or homophobic."

"Being homophobic's not the problem," Steve muttered. "You tell me any straight guy isn't going to be a little upset if they find out their best friend is in love with them?"

"He might surprise you," was all Mark would say on the subject and Steve realized there was no point pressing him anymore. No way was he telling Jesse though.

And he meant that right up to the moment he burst into Grace's apartment and saw Jesse lying on the floor bleeding. He'd got the situation under control and called for an ambulance and backup then he'd just sat, next to Jesse, holding his hand till the medics arrived and got him loaded onto the ambulance. He'd fully intended to ride in with Jesse but Grace had grabbed the baby and climbed in ahead of him, settling herself on the little jumpseat and Jesse had opened his eyes and seen her and the baby there and smiled as if they were all he had eyes for. So Steve had closed the doors behind them then banged on the door to tell the driver to take off. Then he'd gone back inside and made his report to the backup team.

By the time he got to the hospital after typing up his report at the station it was a few hours later and Jesse was already out of surgery and in recovery. Steve wanted to ask if he could see him but then he saw Grace in the waiting room so he grabbed himself a cup of coffee instead then went to find his father.

"Is Jesse going to be okay?" he asked the minute he walked through his father's office doorway.

Mark looked up from the report he was writing and gave Steve a patient smile. "He'll be fine. He just needs some rest. I'll be heading over to see him as soon as he's been moved into a room and he's a bit more with it. If you want, I'll call you and you can come see him then."

"Um, sure. Well, I guess I'll just head back to the station then." Steve gave his dad a wave then turned to go.

"Okay. I'll see you then."

When the call finally came that he could see Jesse, Steve wasn't sure whether he wanted to fly out of the PD and into his car and drive with his foot flat to the gas or saunter out and take his time so he could think of what he was going to say when Jesse told him he was marrying Grace. In the end he took the middle road, ran out to his car and drove just at the speed limit to the hospital while his brain raced a mile a minute and his nerves made his stomach queasy.

Outside Jesse's room, he resorted to pacing until he saw Grace come out carrying the baby, wiping tears from her eyes. His stomach felt as if it had plummeted to his knees and he barely heard her say goodbye.

"Dad?" he asked as his father came out of the room. "Is he okay?"

His father grinned at him and shook his head. "He's fine. He's a little sore and miserable but I've got the feeling that seeing you might be just what he needs right now."

"What happened with Grace?" Steve asked, already opening the door to Jesse's room.

"What I always thought would happen," his father said. "Nothing. She's going home and taking little Casey home with her." He put a hand on Steve's arm. "Jesse's been lied to enough, son. Just tell him the truth, that's what he needs to hear."

Steve nodded then swallowed hard and walked into the room. "Hey, Jess," he said, "there's something I've been wanting to tell you."

The End