Sweet Revenge Chapter 1, an adam-12 fanfic

This story is co-authored by a1965chameleon and rookiegirl. It is set three years after chameleons' story, 'Personality Plus', and three months after the birth of Pete and Jillian's baby, Clara Rose. Please relax and enjoy the story.

Sweet Revenge

Chapter 1

He didn't realize that he'd been followed home. He had no idea that he was being watched; and not just today, but for the last couple of weeks. He had no idea that his calm, perfectly happy little life was about to be rocked beyond his wildest thoughts. He had no idea that his young family was in grave danger. No…Pete Malloy had no idea whatsoever, that soon; very soon, someone from his past would resurface and make his life a nightmarish hell; no, he had not one clue.

"Mmm, G'morning, Sunshine" Pete had just gotten home from working the midnight shift and he strode over to where Jillian was pacing back and forth, trying to comfort a very cranky Clara Rose. She stopped pacing long enough to be kissed and briefly embraced in Pete's strong, welcoming arms. Pete saw the dark circles under her eyes, and the tired look on her face. "Rough night, Babe?"

Jillian answered first with a wide yawn, then an emphatic 'yes' as she continued to pace back and forth once again when Clara Rose began to fuss again.

Pete reached out and felt Clara Rose's forehead and cheeks with the back of his hand, just as he remembered his mother doing to him when he was a child and didn't feel well. "She doesn't feel feverish." He commented, thankful that the baby's body temperature felt pretty normal.

"I took her temperature a couple of different times and she's not running a fever at all. She's been one unhappy little girl all night long, though. I just have to wonder if she doesn't have a touch of colic."

"Maybe she's trying to cut a tooth?" Pete wondered. "When do they start that, anyway?"

"She's at the right age to start that any day now, and I thought about that, too, but I haven't noticed any excessive drooling and her little gums don't look red and irritated. I just think she's got a little bit of colic."

"Isn't there something that we can we do to help make her more comfortable?"

"I've tried everything I can think of; I tried adding a drop of peppermint to her water, rubbing her little tummy, laying her belly down across my lap; you name it, and I've tried it. A couple of the methods worked for a little bit, and then she'd start in again. I feel so helpless in how to help her."

Pete's heart went out to his wife as he watched her eyes begin to tear up. He held out his arms, "Here, let me give it a shot…you go lay down for a little while."

"Oh Pete, no, you just got off of work. I'll be fine; you go on in and get some rest. After all, you worked all night."

"Now come on, Sunshine…don't argue this point with me, because, as you always say…'You won't win.' Now hand that little bundle over to her papa." Pete reached out and took Clara Rose from Jillian.

Jillian smiled at the site of Pete cradling Clara Rose in his arms. She had stopped crying momentarily as she realized that she wasn't in her mother's arms any longer. She briefly looked up and focused on her daddy's face, then drew her arms and legs in tight to her body before letting out a low, growling and grunting sound. Pete watched as her little face turned beet red, and she scrunched her petite features into an angry scowl. She opened her tiny little mouth and let out an earsplitting scream, startling her daddy and scaring herself. As he continued to watch his baby daughter with fascination, he spoke soothing words to her, bouncing her in his arms as he paced the floor.

Standing close by and watching father and daughter together, Jillian was just about to reach for the little one again when Clara Rose made a very unladylike sound and stopped fussing almost immediately. Pete scrunched up his nose, holding Clara Rose at arms' length, toward Jillian. "Here you go, Sunshine; I think little Clara Rose is wanting her mommy now."

Jillian couldn't help but laugh. As good as Pete was with Clara Rose, dirty diapers were not his thing at all. He seemed to have an uncanny knack for passing the little one off to Jillian whenever the need for a diaper change arose. "Chicken." Jillian teased.

"Huh-uh, not chicken…just cautious."

"Cautious?" Jillian was pulling out the necessary items needed for the task at hand.

"Yeah…that stuff can be lethal for those of us not as experienced at diaper changing."

"Uhm-huh…I hear ya, Pete; just wait, like it or not, one of these days, I will be at the grocery store, or out shopping with Jean and you are going to have to do diaper duty on a 'dootied' diaper whether you want to or not. You should be jumping at the chance to practice while I am here to help you."

Pete was laughing, as he watched Jillian make quick work of changing the baby. "No way! I'll take my chances when the time comes. Besides, some things just can't be practiced for…and I can always take care of the shopping if you don't' want to take Clara Rose with you."

Laughing, Jillian picked up the now cooing little girl and handed her off to her daddy once again. "You are absolutely hopeless Pete Malloy; do you know that?" She tossed over her shoulder as she was leaving the room to throw away the soiled diaper and wash her hands.

Pete had sat down on the sofa and was too busy smiling and cooing at his daughter to comment to Jillian, but as she walked out of the room, she heard him say, "Did you hear your mommy? She said that I am hopeless; she's right, you know, I am hopeless…I am hopelessly in love with your mommy and you, my sweet little angel cakes."

Jillian walked back into the room and went over to where Pete was sitting. She looked down at Clara Rose, who had closed her eyes and was drifting happily into dreamland. "Here, Honey, let me take her back and you go get some rest."

"I have a better idea, Sunshine; why don't we put her back down for a little nap and then we'll both lay down. You look like you could use a little more rest, yourself."

"Do you really think that we'll get any rest if I go into our bedroom with you, right now?"

Jillian felt her heart pick up the tempo with each beat, at Pete's next sentence. "Mmm…no…but maybe that's why I want you to join me." His eyes held the familiar twinkle that told her that her husband was feeling a little on the frisky side.

Giggling, Jillian made haste to lock the front door while Pete put the baby down in her crib.

The phone next to the bed rang loudly. Jillian snapped awake and grabbed it on the second ring so that it would awaken Pete or Clara Rose.

"Hello" she said quietly.

She was met with silence.

Settling back against the pillow, "Hello?" she asked again.

Again, she was met with silence.

"Fine…goodbye, then." She muttered, hanging up the receiver. She rolled over and looked at the clock. It was just a few minutes before noon. Thinking to herself, I have gotta get up. I had no idea I was that tired! Seems like I am always tired these days; especially with Clara Rose having her days and nights all mixed up. I need to think about putting her on formula so that she will sleep through the night, at least. Jillian made a mental note to herself to remember to ask the doctor about formula, tomorrow at Clara Rose's appointment.

"Who was that, Sunshine?" Pete asked in a groggy voice, still half asleep.

"I don't know; they didn't say anything. Probably just a wrong number."

"Hmm…" Was Pete's reply as he drifted off again.

Jillian, now wide-awake, decided to take advantage of the quiet house and get a few sorely neglected chores done. She placed a gentle kiss on Pete's lips, then slipped quietly out of bed. After checking on Clara Rose, who was still sleeping soundly, Jillian took a quick shower and dressed for the day.

Clara Rose awoke a short time later and began to fuss about in her crib. It was way passed her normal feeding time so Jillian quickly gathered the little one into her arms and sat down in the rocking chair to nurse her daughter. Just as she got the baby settled in to begin nursing, the phone let out a shrill ring. Jillian quickly got up to answer it so that it wouldn't awaken Pete.

"Hello?"

She was met with silence.

"Hello, is anyone there?" Jillian's tone was a little more brisk as Clara Rose began to fuss; she did not like having her mealtime interrupted.

Again, there was silence, but Jillian could hear the slight sound of breathing so she knew that someone was on the other end of the line.

"Look, if you've got the wrong number, just say so."

Still met with silence, Jillian hung up the phone with a thud.

Two silent calls in one day; it's gotta be kids, Jillian thought to herself as she settled down on the sofa, and continued to feed the baby.

Pete had heard the telephone, and the subsequent thud of the receiver being hung up. He rolled out of bed and threw on some sweatpants and a t-shirt before going out into the living room, where he paused a moment to watch his wife and daughter.

Slowly he made his way over to the sofa and sat down gently so he wouldn't startle the little one. He put his arm around Jillian and watched in awe as Clara Rose continued to nurse. It was beautiful sight to behold. Jim had told him that once, but, being a bachelor then, it wasn't something that Pete had wanted think about at the time; now he understood.

"Who was on the phone, Sunshine?" He quietly asked, as he leaned in and kissed Jillian lightly on the lips when she turned to answer him.

"Probably just some kids playing. They didn't say anything; all I could hear was a little bit of breathing."

"A heavy breather?" Pete asked, cop instincts kicking in. Did we have a hang-up earlier, or did I dream that? He wondered.

"Yeah, right…I should be so lucky." Jillian joked. "No, it wasn't a heavy breather. It was very faint; almost like they maybe dialed the wrong number and were afraid to say anything. That's why I think it was just a kid playing around."

"I see." Pete's mind was replaying the earlier memory. "Are we getting these very often?" He casually inquired. He didn't want to sound too worried, but gut instinct commanded that he probe the situation a little farther.

"No, not really. I mean we've had two of them today; one just before I got up and then the one before you got up just now. Probably just kids, Pete. Didn't you ever make prank phone calls as a kid?"

"No way! My mother would have strung me up by my ears if I'd had even thought about doing something like that…Why? Did you?"

"Well…Uhm…yeah…but only on a dare from my brothers." Jillian was quick to add the last part.

Pete laughed at her, "You know, I am really looking forward to our trip to Maine this summer. You seem to have an awful lot of stories about things that you did, but they always seem to be your brother's fault. I'm beginning to get really curious about just how innocent you really are when it comes to mischief, and I can't wait to sit down and talk with your brothers…you know, just so I can get both sides of the story."

Jillian tried to feign disgruntlement, "Pete Malloy, are you questioning whether or not your devoted and doting little wife would make up stories and pretend to be the innocent victim?" The grin on her face gave it away that, indeed, she was not an innocent victim.

Leaning over to give her another kiss, Pete laughed, "I don't think I am going to answer that, on the grounds that I might just find myself in the doghouse. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to go shower and then I am going to take my devoted and doting wife out for an early dinner. Why don't you call Jean and see if she, Jim and Jimmy want to join us."

"Okay; what time do you want me to tell them? And where?"

"How about the Steak House, at say, three o'clock? We'll beat the crowd that way."

"Okay, let me finish up with Clara Rose and then I'll call. Have a good shower, honey."

Pete glanced down at Clara Rose, who had drifted off again, and smiled broadly. "Hmm…I know I could have a really good shower if someone wanted to join me under the relaxing spray of the shower head."

"Well, if that's the only way that you will enjoy your shower, then I guess I had better take one for the team and join you, even though I've already showered once today. Just let me get little Miss Clara Rose situated back in her crib, call Jean, and then I'll be in." Jillian's heart did a quick flip, in anticipation. She was so in love with her husband that if he asked her to climb a mountain of hot lava, barefooted, she would have.

"I'll tell you what," Pete reached out and took the baby, "I'll take care of getting her into her crib; you go call Jean and then we'll meet under the shower head; sound good?"

"That sounds heavenly, Pete." Jillian agreed.

Hmm…I wonder where they are going? Pondered the lone figure that was sitting in the black four-door Chevy sedan, parked across the street and three houses down from the Malloy residence.

Watching as Pete carefully placed the baby carrier in the back seat of the mustang, while Jillian stood off to the side, ready to hand off the diaper bag to him, the occupant of the black Chevy mused, Oh…how convenient…they have a little one. I've been watching him and his wife for the last two weeks…wonder why I didn't notice this little tidbit before? This could change the whole dynamic for what I have planned for Officer Malloy. I had only planned on killing off his wife. Hmm…maybe I need to re-direct my focus…maybe I should just take the kid. That would be enough to totally destroy him; being a cop and not being able to keep his own kid safe…yeah, maybe that's what I'll do…then again, maybe I'll still kill off the little woman, too.

Had the car been parked any closer to the Malloy residence, Pete and Jillian would have heard the sound of sick and twisted laughter coming from the occupant of the vehicle that had spent many a day parked on their street. As it was, they had no idea that their world would be rocked to the core within in the next few days.

"Watch me, watch me!" Jimmy cried from his booster seat at the restaurant table, as he tossed a peanut in the air and tried to catch it in his mouth.

"James Reed, Jr. do not do that again. Do I make myself clear, young man?" Jean chastised; watching in horror as the aforementioned peanut came to rest in the beehive hairdo of the woman at the next table, causing the woman to shoot daggers at the little boy, as well as the adults at the table with him.

Jim had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing, Pete pretended to find something very interesting to look at on the tablecloth, and Jillian was sure that the dessert menu deserved yet another once over as they waited for their food to be brought out to them. Clara Rose, who Pete was holding at that moment, seemed to be the only one at the table that was taken in by Jimmy's behavior, and she happily cooed and waved her little hands in the air, as if she were his biggest fan at that moment.

"Okey donkey army chonkey" Jimmy retorted, which made it necessary for three of the four adults at the table to cover their mouths and look away. Clearly, Jean was not happy with her little boy's behavior in the least.

"And just where did he learn that at, I wonder?" Pete asked as he grinned at his godson and then at his wife.

Putting on her most innocent look, which she was finding more and more difficult to do around her husband, Jillian shrugged her shoulders, before saying, "I don't know…I don't say that."

Pete gave her the raised eyebrow look, "Come again? I don't think I heard you correctly, Sunshine."

"Quit looking at me like that, Pete; you know that's not what I say." Jillian quickly averted her eyes from her husband's penetrating gaze.

He raised his eyebrows a little higher and cocked his head slightly and Jillian began to feel the heat rising up her neck, and to her cheeks as she stammered out, "I say okey dokey arti-chokey…and I certainly never said it to my parents." Then she turned to Jimmy, leaned forward and whispered in a conspiring tone, "Jimmy, you're gonna get your Aunt Jillian in big trouble!" This earned her a big, exuberant laugh from the three and half year old little imp.

Even Jean had to join in the laughter as she watched her friend turn three shades of red. "Say, Jillian, when is Clara Rose's next appointment? Isn't it sometime this week?"

Thankful to the have the subject changed, "Yeah, Jean, it's tomorrow at ten o'clock. Why?"

"Well I was just wondering if you would be available to watch Jimmy in the afternoon. I have a doctor's appointment and I really would rather not take him with me. It's one of those appointments…if you get my drift."

Jillian, seeing that Pete and Jim were looking a little uncomfortable, held up her hand to stop Jean from any further details. "Say no more. It's supposed to be nice out, and I am planning on taking Clara Rose out to the park for a little fresh air in the afternoon so I'll just pick up Jimmy first and then head out. I'm sure he'd love to run off some energy on the playground."

"Oh, that'd be great. Thanks a bunch Jillian; I owe you one." Jean declared.

"Wanna go to the park!" Jimmy excitedly clapped his hands and bounced up and down in his seat.

"Tomorrow, big guy." Jim told him.

"Wanna go now!"

"Jimmy, honey, we can't go now. It's gonna be dark pretty soon." Jillian explained.

"Oh." He stuck his lower lip out frowned at her.

"Hey, buddy. If you keep looking at Aunt Jillian like that, you're going to make her sad. You don't want her to be sad, do you?" Pete stated.

"But I just wanna go to the park now…or I be sad." Jimmy explained to his godfather, leaving Pete at a loss for words.

"Jimmy, honey, Aunt Jillian's going to take you to the park tomorrow, okay?" Jean tried again. "Now, here comes your food, how about you sit up straight in your booster chair."

Across the way, a lone figure sat, unnoticed and watching silently, as the waiter delivered the entrées and refilled the drinks for the group of friends. Oblivious that they were being observed, the friends talked and laughed, enjoying one another's company.

Look at them; just sitting there, all happy and gay. They don't have a clue that I am about to turn their world into a living nightmare… "Oh, I'm sorry; Yes, I am ready to order. I'll have the baked chicken breast platter, please…oh, and how about a piece of apple pie for dessert."

"Of course; I'll have your order out shortly. It there anything else that I can get for you?" The waiter asked.

"No, but thank you." The lone figure sat quietly, watching the group interact. Enjoy your evening tonight, because tomorrow, your nightmare begins.