One Quiet Family Evening.
A/N: There were lots of hints in the show that there was something more between Ed and Donna besides just being teammates and colleagues. This is my attempt to explain the obvious chemistry between the two, without contradicting the canon.
Summary: Every couple has its fights. Ed and Sophie are talking about Donna's join to the Team One. Takes place after «Between Heartbeats».
Genre: Ah… Family? Maybe a bit Humor? a bit Hurt/Comfort?
Disclaimer: I own neither Flashpoint, nor the characters involved. All this is for entertainment only.
Warning: English is not my native language! Sorry in advance for the mistakes and for my limited vocabulary. If possible, be kind and don't judge me harshly. I'm trying really hard. Many thanks for your patience, your feedback, and your support.
And many, many, many thanks to Mahala for beta'ing of this story!
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"Ed, stop it!" Sophie snapped and flashed an irritated glance at her husband, who was currently engaged in a playful fork fight with his son for the last piece of apple pie in the center of the kitchen table, where the Lane family were finishing their dinner.
Ed gave Sophie a surprised look and the thirteen-year-old boy took advantage of the opportunity by yanking the pie towards him. The cake fell from the plate; crumbs and pieces of the filling liberally covered the center of the table.
"Oops!" Clark snorted. Not noticing tightly compressed lips of his mother but very pleased with his victory, he began to shovel the pie onto his plate, spreading the mess even wider and giggling.
Sophie put down her fork with a little more force that was necessary and stood up rapidly, harshly scraping back her chair from the table. Without a word, she quickly left the kitchen.
Clark looked at his father in confusion and turned toward the doorway where his mother had disappeared. "Mom! I didn't mean to!" he shouted and started to get up, intending to go after her.
"Clark!" His father's quiet voice stopped him. "Don't!" Ed stood up. "Clean up here and go to your room."
"Dad? What's going on?" The boy stood up too. "Mom... she's kinda upset lately. You two all right?" He looked anxiously at his father.
Ed stepped toward him, giving him a brief hug and smiled. "We're all right, kiddo. Come on. Finish here and go upstairs." He gently ruffled Clark's dishevelled overgrown hair. "I'll sort it out here. It's okay…"
Clark nodded, still frowning.
Ed left the kitchen, looked around the living room. Sophie was not there but the back door was partially open. Cold autumn air penetrated into the room. Ed snatched up the thin plaid from the sofa and went out on the back porch.
His wife was sitting on the steps, pensively looking into beginning twilight, hands pressed palm to palm and captured between her knees.
He closed the door and took a step toward Sophie.
"Go away, Ed," she said quietly.
"Not until you tell me what is going on," Ed said calmly. "You've been moody for the past two days. Now tell me what's wrong. "
"Why should I tell you? You're not telling me anything." Sophie snorted a small bitter laugh.
Ed stepped closer and draped the plaid over her shoulders. She did not resist, but show no sign she glad with it.
Ed sat down next to her, frowning slightly. "What do you mean I'm not telling you? What do you want to know?"
Sophie only huffed her annoyance, refusing to make eye contact.
"Sophie, what is going on? Hey?" Ed put his hand on Sophie's arm, pulling her softly closer to him. She jerked her shoulder, shaking his hand off.
"Oh please love..." Ed rubbed his face. "It's been one of the hell week you know... Tell me what's going on and we sort it out. I'm really not in the mood to play a damn guessing game right now. Sweetie?" He nudged her slightly with his shoulder.
Sophie sat there stony-faced with no intention of replying and Ed released a heavy sigh with a touch of annoyance. "Fine." He shook his head disappointedly. "You want 20 questions… Let's go then… What did I do this time? Had I missed something again? Any family date? Date of your parents?" He waited a moment. "No. All right... Damn. Please don't tell this is due to my work again?"
Sophie chuckled both bitterly and scornfully, and Ed made a face as though he'd been sucking lemons. "Oh, here we go! You start it again!"
"I'm not starting anything here! You're the one who started this!" Sophie said sharply.
Ed huffed an indignant breath. "I was working, Soph. I don't have a choice. Gawd, how many times do I have to say that?!"
"Maybe until you convince yourself!" she snapped back at him.
Ed pinched the bridge of his nose and winced. "Great... What do you want from me? Would it help if I said I'm sorry again?"
"Fine, Ed, you're forgiven," she said coldly, "You're absolved. Pardoned. Exonerated. Exculpated. Free of all blame or guilt your soul remains unblemished. Now go away."
"Damn!" Ed cursed under his breath and turned away, battling to control his frustration and anger. "You know our current situation," he began to talk in a hard voice, "Jules is on sick leave after injury. Greg and I, we've spent days and nights by considering rookies as a temporary replacement to fill her position. Endless interviews, tests, tons of information. There were more than hundred people, Soph!"
She suddenly straightened and lifted her chin, looking at her husband. "Well, you needn't spent so much time and effort. Guess it all was decided the moment you saw the name of one Miss Bleach Blonde in the list of candidates! What was the use of this farce?" she asked with obvious disdain.
"Blondy?" Ed's eyebrows shot up, "Wait a minute ... So that's all about Donna?!" He suddenly burst out laughing. "Don't tell me we have to dance this dance again! Gimme a break!" He rubbed his hands over his face with a groan.
Sophie watched him silently.
Ed jerked his head, "Wait, you seriously going to chew me out again with that?!" The volume of his voice had increased; he stared at Sophie indignantly. A muscle began to twitch in his jaw as his teeth clenched.
She stared at him back, her black eyes almost furious.
"Great! Just wonderful!" Ed almost shouted, stood up and started pacing on the patio, shaking his head in exasperation. Finally, he stopped in front of Sophie, his arms crossed over his chest. He sucked in a deep steadying breath. "Soph ... Whatever strange fantasies go on in your head, it's only a job. There's nothing more than friendship and partnership between Donna and me now. I swear!"
"Yah? So swear to me that your acquaintance with Donna did not enter into it when you picked this temporary replacement!" Sophie said coldly, looking at Ed squarely.
Ed squeezed his eyes shut tight in an attempt to calm down. "Yes! The fact that I familiar with Donna..." He made a visible effort to bring himself under control, but with each word his voice rose.
"... Very familiar!" Sophie snorted, interrupting him.
"... that I know Donna was only of MINOR importance in choosing the candidate! Is this what you want to hear?" Ed almost growled, arms barricaded across his chest. His fury was showing now. "But it was not the deciding factor! And you know that! She had the best results and came out top in all the tests! That is why she is on the team now! That's all!" He slashed his hand between them, stepped away from Sophie and leaned on the railing of the porch.
Sophie made a disparaging noise. "Results? Tests? So, that justifies it all in your mind then? Makes it all nice and tidy in your conscience?" The sarcasm in her voice cut like a knife.
"Hell! Are you saying I should have refused the best candidate?!" Ed couldn't help lashing out.
"Oh, the best! Among a hundred candidates. Don't make me laugh!" Sophie said caustically. "Tell me that the other 99 people had at least a tiny chance!"
"Excuse me? Should I bring you the resumes of all the candidates for a replacement in the team for your pre-approval?!" Ed's eyes were glinting, and his tone was dangerous. "Come on! Tomorrow I'll inform Greg and Holleran-"
"Shut up, Ed. Sophie furiously interrupted him.
"-that from now on it's only my wife, who-"
"Stop playing the fool!"
Ed cursed through clenched teeth and punched his fist in the wooden patio railing, hard. Something snapped in railing plaintively and Ed's face twitched in pain. He looked at his hand. Knuckles were trickling with blood. He shook his hand, trying to dispel the stinging off.
Sophie remained silent.
Ed sat back down on the porch, this time not beside his wife, but as far as the length of the stair allowed. Tense silence hung between them.
Somewhere in the house slammed the door. Clark, flashed through Ed's mind, his window is just above the back porch, have to keep my voice low … He glanced at his pulsating hand briefly and licked the wet and drying blood from his knuckles.
Some time passed. Ed, in a T-shirt and sweat pants, began to freeze. He looked in askance at the warm plaid, which was wrapped around Sophie, took a deep breath and spoke up, carefully choosing his words.
"Soph ... I really did not initiate this, honestly. This is standard procedure. The team needed a temporary replacement. We were considering other candidates. This is not that I insidiously planned to get Donna on my team! There were circumstances, nothing more."
She huffed bitterly, "But maybe it was SHE who planned to get onto YOUR team?"
"Christ ..." Ed shook his head, "That's not fair to Donna, Soph."
"No, it's not," Sophie pinned him with an angry glare. "But I'm not going to let you do me-"
"Do you? Soph, I-"
"Hear me out Ed!" she stared at him, implacable.
Ed snapped his jaw shut.
Sophie sighed, "Why did not you tell me? You didn't think I'd find out?" she rebuked, less angry now but almost sad.
Ed smiled mirthlessly and gave her a sour look, "What? You wanted something like, Hey, honey! Do you remember that pretty blonde who I had been living with for two months-"
"Two and a half months," Sophie grumbled.
"-two and a half months before I started living with you? Who you were deadly jealous of me for many years. So here she is on my team, yoo-hoo! And I'm going to spend long hours in her company from now on! What? Yes, of course there will be looong nights patrolling together! Oh, don't forget the sparring sessions, when our hot, sweat-covered bodies will be squeezed up against each other, exerting ourselves, wearing each other out, panting and-"
"Shut up, Eddie!" Sophie glared at the grinning face of her husband, but then her lips twitched and she could not suppress a smile. "If you had said that to me in such a pleased tone, it would have been your last words, I swear."
"I thought so," Ed nodded briskly, "So I decided... well ... " he faltered and shrugged.
"Decided to be silent and wait for it all to be resolved somehow by itself, right?" Sophie finished for him. She didn't look at him, but her voice had lost all the anger from earlier.
Ed sighed. "Suppose so. It worked just fine in my head."
"You just chickened out." She gave a little sniff, all her harshness melting away. She moved closer to Ed, so that they were once again sitting shoulder to shoulder.
"Hey! I'm not a coward! Ed exclaimed, offended. Sophie hissed at him, nodding up the Clark's window. "I am not a coward!" Ed repeated in angry whisper. "I was just waiting for the right time to start this conversation, assessing risks, trying to figure out the best line of negotiation, preparing options for retreat and for minimizing the danger. It's tactics, Soph! Tactics! " He grinned at her.
"Tactics! Sure thing," Sophie chuckled, rolling her eyes.
"I'm a tactical LEADER!" was the smug reply.
"Eddie ... Do you really think I'm a jealous thick-headed fool?" She calmly looked at her husband, who began to fidget a bit under her gaze. "Is that what you think of me?" she prodded him in the ribs with her elbow and Ed gasped, "You such a fool."
"I am a fool," Ed agreed easily with a broad smile.
"You chickened out, admit it." Sophie frowned at him.
"I chickened out," Ed nodded.
"Stop mirroring me!" Sophie protested and gave Ed an indignant look, "I'm not your subject!"
"You are not my subject!" Ed said with a laugh and hugged her with one hand, pulling her closer to him.
"Such a man," Sophie sighed contritely and leaned against his side.
"I am a man," Ed nodded, looking awfully proud of himself. "I am a man," he repeated in a low voice, burying his face in Sophie's hair.
"Stop that. I'm still mad at you. You should not have kept this from me," Sophie muttered, tilting her head to the side, only to put her neck to Ed's lips.
"No, I shouldn't," Ed muttered back and kissed her neck.
"Ah!" Sophie shrieked, "Eddie! Your nose and lips like ice!" She pulled her hand out from under the plaid she was wrapped in and pressed her palm to Ed's cheek. "Jesus, you're absolutely frozen! Come here." She slipped one end of the plaid around her husband's shoulders and pressed against him. Ed made a contented grunt and wrapped his arm around her, holding her close.
For a while they sat there, looking at the darkening sky.
"Just a teammate?" Sophie asked quietly, her head on Ed's shoulder.
"Just a teammate," said Ed gently and tightened his hold, resting his cheek against her hair. "A good friend as well. Great shooter; an experienced negotiator. A reliable partner, in whom I have total confidence. This is important, Sophie... "
She said nothing.
"Soph… Donna and I... it's all in the past." He kissed her hair.
"Yes, of course, except, well, she's here in the present now. And on your team." She sighed.
Though Sophie was already in his arms, Ed pulled her even closer. "I fell head over heels with you at first glance… I love you and nothing or no one is going to mess it up."
Sophie seemed to ponder his words, then sighed again, "Ed?.. Must you really spar with her?" she looked at him askance.
Ed laughed softly and instead of answering he playfully tapped Sophie's nose. She caught his hand, suddenly noticing his knuckles covered with drying blood.
"Ed, your hand! Let me see," she bounced excitedly, carefully taking Ed's hand between her own. "It's swelling up!" She looked up at him anxiously.
"It's nothing." Ed removed his hand from hers and tried to pull Sophie to his chest again.
"It's not!" Sophie protested and wrenched free of his hand. "Can you move your fingers at all?" She tried to maintain the stern stare.
"For you, honey, anything!" Ed wiggled his fingers, smiling. "Ouch!" he twitched piteously.
"Don't try to make me feel sorry for you!" Sophie rolled her eyes and turned back to study his hand. "You're an idiot, Eddie!" she sighed.
"It's how I feel," Ed asserted with a soft chuckle.
Sophie stood up quickly. "I'm going to get some peas…"
"Peas?" Ed blinked, clearly wondering if he had heard correctly.
"Frozen peas," Sophie explained, "For the swelling."
"Oh," Ed nodded as his wife disappeared into the house.
She returned a moment later carrying a bag of frozen peas and dishtowel. Ed picked up the edge of the plaid. "Come here..."
She sat down, and reached for Ed's right hand. "Here... Get that swelling down a little…Hurt?" she asked quietly as she pressed the towel wrapped bag to his injured fingers.
"Just a little," he said. "Give it to me… No need to freeze your hands, too." He took the bag from Sophie's hands.
They sat in comfortable silence few minutes.
"She's a great cop..." Ed said quietly.
"And she's your ex," Sophie said stubbornly, "Well, at least, she's dating someone now..." she sighed and looked at Ed slyly from the corner of her eye.
Ed's mouth fell open but then he mastered himself.
"Didn't you wonder?" Sophie asked, lifting one eyebrow.
"Nope", he grumbled, struggling to feign indifference.
Sophie sighed. "Well… Whatever you say," she trailed off, knowing that Ed had already swallowed the bait and wouldn't hold out for long.
He broke down in a three seconds. "All right! Who is he?"
Sophie laughed lightly, "Hank? He's an accountant."
Ed's eyes widened in astonishment. "What?! An accountant?!" he exclaimed and burst out laughing.
Sophie arched an eyebrow. "What's wrong with being an accountant, Ed?"
"Accountants are boring!" Ed said resolutely.
"Seriously? Maybe Donna decided she could use a little bit of boredom in her life at least? All her ex were cops and now…" she paused and fixed a leery eye on her husband.
Ed did not answer, but frowned and shifted uncomfortably.
"Stop fidgeting, Ed!" Sophie gently pushed him with her shoulder. "And not all accountants are boring. Hank is a great fisher and hunter, by the way. Maybe you'll like each other," she giggled.
Ed turned his head, staring at Sophie, "Listen…How... how the hell do you know all of this? This is more than her personnel file contains!"
"Just chatted for a while with the girls. Kira,Winnie, Shelley," she replied blithely. "Of course, we know a lot more about you guys than what your super-secret 'files' contain," she laughed, seeing as Ed swallowed nervously. "It's such a girlie-girl thing, relax! Your male pride is safe!"
Ed just scowled and turned away without answering.
"Eddie? You upset about something?" Sophie bent forward slightly so she could look at Ed's face. "Oh! I'm so sorry!" she sang with exaggerated pitiful tone and begun to caress him on the back, "Poor dear! She preferred a simple civil accountant to you all so cool and not-boring cops! Such a bummer! Winnie said you guys were so funny fawning over Donna, tails wagging!" she began to giggle again.
Ed turned to face her entirely, "We were not!" he protested with mock affront.
"And for that matter ..." Sophie stopped to laugh and narrowed her eyes, staring at her husband's face closely. "Who do you think that makes the alpha dog according to Winnie?" Sophie's hand, that was lying on Ed's knee, slowly moved. Her fingers with not long, but rather sharp manicured nails dug into Ed's thigh dangerously close to his groin.
Ed froze. "Sophie! I can explain everything! Careful, darling. I'm not sure that peas could help ... there ..." his voice came out in a strangled whisper.
Sophie took her hand off, laughing softly as Ed drew a long, shuddering breath of relief.
"Soph, it's a boy thing, you know!" He looked at her in wide-eyed innocence. "Girls are gossiping. We are boys, we just have to periodically find out which one of us ... ahhh..." he faltered.
Somewhere down the street, a door banged and a dog started barking.
"Who of us is the main dog!" Ed said, "You know, it's not serious! And Donna knows that. I'm a guy, all guys are dogs!"
"Oh, wait, I saw it on TV... Something about rutting stags and alpha males," she muttered and screwed up her face.
"I am the alpha!" Ed immediately swelled with pride.
Sophie rolled her eyes, "It's disgusting, Ed!"
"Hey!" he exclaimed, "That's man's nature, it's just instinct!"
"Thank you for enlightening me, Mr. Animal Planet!" Sophie snorted and wrapped both her arms around Ed's torso, resting her cheek on his shoulder.
"Does the team know that she is your ex?" Sophie asked softly after a while.
"Greg knows."
"Going to tell to others?"
"We'll see. It really doesn't matter, honey." Ed shrugged briefly.
Sophie shook his head sadly. "If it didn't matter, you wouldn't have hidden it from me, Eddie."
"I was wrong, I know. I should have told you," he whispered against her hair.
"You should have." Sophie agreed quietly and stirred in Ed's hold. "I'm fine with Donna, Eddie ... Honestly ...But it really hurt that you were hiding something from me. Please, don't allow any secrets to come between us. Ever. Whatever it is, I want to hear it from you, not through the grapevine..." she exhaled.
"I promise, it won't ever happen again," Ed said, sincerely. He bent his head and ducked under her chin to place a series of small kisses on her throat. "I would never intentionally hurt you, Soph..." he whispered.
She tilted her head slightly to allow Ed access to the left side of his neck. "Don't do it accidentally either."
"I swear..." Ed's voice was soft in Sophie's ear, his breath warm and moist, tickling her neck. He tightened his embrace. "Missed you." His breath begun to come in short little pants, his hands coming up to pull her head closer to his, his mouth seeking her...
He oofed when Sophie poked him with her elbow again, hard. She turned in Ed's embraces and gave him a little shove backward.
"Not so quick, Constable! Who told you that you have already been forgiven?" She frowned in mock indignation.
Ed closed his eyes and sighed loudly and plaintively. "Christ, Soph! You're never gonna let me live this down, are you?!" He didn't even try to hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Ne-ver." Sophie seemed to be tasting the word, and loving it.
"Really?" Ed gave her a sour look.
"Yeah, really."
"Alright, I got it, so what's your price?" he said dejectedly.
Sophie's eyebrows rose. "Price?"
"Yes, what do I have to give you to forgive me and to close this subject? Forever!"
"Forever? Hmmmm…" She narrowed her eyes, "Well, I'm afraid it will cost you dearly, Edward Tucker Lane..." The smile that lit up Sophie's face was a wee bit too much on the innocent side. Ed buried his face in his hands.
"Oh God..."
"Now, now," Sophie's voice sounded way too pleased, "You know, I'm not an unreasonable woman, Ed."
"Of course you're not," Ed muttered, not lifting his face.
"I think I'd settle for..." There was a pause, and Ed could hear she taking a breath. "I'd settle for a new car."
Ed's head flew up, eyes widened. "You're kidding, honey? Tell me you're kidding! S... Soph! Sweetheart?" he faltered, gaping at his wife who had suddenly acquired the best poker face he had ever seen, "Darling? You... You know well we can't afford it right now!" his voice was close to panic.
Sophie stared at him, implacable. "That is my price," she tilted her head slightly and shrugged one shoulder. "You did ask!"
"I know, love. I know," Ed eagerly confirmed, "But…It's just a little too much, do not you think?" he asked piteously.
"Ed?"
"Yes, baby?" he smiled broadly using his most charming smile.
"Stop trying to slide away gracefully," she wagged her finger at him, "Not a chance. Baby!"
Ed's face fell. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again.
Sophie quietly watched him for a moment, then broke down and grinned. "Gotcha! Did you know how cute you are when you get tongue-tied?"
Ed shot her an indignant look. "I am not cute!" he exclaimed with mock affront, " Puppies are cute! Maybe accountants are cute! Tough, brave, valiant, heroic and consummate SRU Team Leaders are NOT cute!"
Sophie shook her head and made a face. "Ed Lane, you're awfully confident!"
"But not cute!" came the stubborn reply.
Sophie gave a choked sound halfway between a snort and a snigger. They looked at one another sideways and laughed.
"Come here..." Ed slipped his arm around her waist and hugged her closer to him, pulling Sophie's head to his shoulder. She leaned against him and Ed begun to rock her gently to and fro.
The couple sat in silence for a time, listening to the night sounds.
"Okay. I just decided on your penance," Sophie said decidedly after a while.
Ed let out a sigh that moved the nearby foliage. "Okay. Go ahead then. Please, God, do not let her ask for her own restaurant!" he turned his eyes heavenwards.
"Dinner. That's your punishment."
"Dinner?" Ed looked at her quizzically, his eyebrows lifted. "That's it? Dinner?" His face burst into a wide grin; he was obviously pleased that she finally let him off so easy.
"Dinner," she confirmed with a nod. "But as in dinner with a capital D. The kind of restaurant where you have to wear a suit and tie." Sophie put her finger to Ed's lips, stopping his objections. "The kind of restaurant where the pretentious waiters affect patently bogus accents. The kind of restaurant where the hors d'oeuvres alone will strike a fatal blow to your credit rating," she smiled.
"Well. Dinner… And a suit… And tie! Looks like a rather severe vengeance," Ed sighed, "Anything you say, honey... Anything you say. Thank you," he whispered and moved closer, his lips meeting her in a tender kiss.
"Aaaand…," she whispered back against his lips with a kind of sweetness in her voice and gently put her hand on Ed's thigh.
"Aaaaand?" Ed repeated in a low and husky voice and shot her a wolfish grin, covering her hand with his palm.
The nails dug into his thigh, "New car!"
"Damn!" Ed groaned loudly in desperation…
The End.
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(I really did not remember what's Hank's profession :) And I had no possibility to rewatch the show. It's only flickered in my mind that he is an ordinary civilian, not a cop. So I've decided make him an accountant. And the main thing - "accountant" it's a simple word to use for me :) So let's allow poor Hank to be an accountant for a short while :)
Author's Note: Complete for now, but may be updated later as a series of stand-alone stories if I get further ideas.
I don't normally write romantic stories, so I don't know how well this turned out. That being said, thanks to everyone who read. I'm glad to have entertained you for a short while.
Feedback on my work is appreciated...really...just drop me a line, send me an e-mail...flowers? chocolate?