Winter Cold
Andy and Sam struggle with trying to have a normal life. Chris and Gail try to get the relationship back on track, while Traci seems to be moving too fast with a certain someone. All with holidays approaching, Dov gets a Christmas present wrapped in more than shinny paper
Chapter 4
Her eyes met his and for the first time in almost five years her heart jumped, she didn't know whether to run or just ignore him. Those weren't good options.
"What are you doing here?" he asked in a raspy voice. She didn't dare to speak. Hannah who was beside her looked worried; she smiled at her mother reassuringly but wouldn't make a sound.
"Is he my daddy?" Hannah asked suddenly. His eyes widened as the little girl spoke. Haley's breathing was fast and inconsistent. This hadn't been a good move, with one look at her he turn away and pretend she didn't exist
"Daddy?" He asked walking closer to them "what is she talking about?"
"Dov, I can explain" Haley finally said his name, and hearing them coming out of her lips hurt, they had been through so much together since they were kids and then chosen different career choices that would break them apart
"You can?" He said raising his voice a bit "Because I would love to see you try to make sense of this"
"Remember a party about 5 years ago?" Haley started but his face had turned to stone. this was too much for him to process, he didn't remember sleeping with Haley, so it couldn't possibly be his kid, and if he had, how could he had been so stupid?
"I don't remember me and you getting that far, I mean we'd have to do a lot more to make that" he said pointing at Hannah who until now had started to suck her thumb nervously "are you sure?" He had been sure as it was with Haley that he hadn't been the only one to sleep with her all those years ago. That was when he noticed his eyes looking back at him curiously, those same big blue eyes that had charmed so many girls back in the day, he swallowed hard, pain in his chest "I can't deal with this right now" He was turning away. Traci and Jerry had been watching the last moments of the unexpected encounter
"Dov?" Traci asked worriedly "what's wrong?"
"Epstein!" Jerry shot at him but he wouldn't stop walking until he was safely back inside
Traci then turned her attention back on Haley "I should have come, this was a mistake"
"Hey wait" Traci rushed to her side "you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, we have to go now" she grabbed Hannah's hand tightly "come on baby"
"Hey, wait up, listen you have some explaining to do" Traci said sternly "you should inside and talk to him, Epstein is not my favorite person in the world but he deserves an explanation"
They were now walking "what do you about this? How could you possibly understand how I feel?"
"I became a mother in high school so I know how you feel, trust me" she placed a hand on her shoulder "go talk to him, I'll watch her if you want"
Haley looked from her daughter to Traci and back again "fine, it will just take a minute" she walked back to 15th "you sit here with this nice lady" she dropped the bags on the bench next to the front door. She began to walk and then turned to Traci "thank you"
But Haley knew she couldn't face Dov. as much as she wanted to make him understand that she hadn't intended to lie to him, but just as she was about to open the door, she broke into a run, she was a runner and not even her daughter would stop her from running, she had been very careful as to not being seen by Traci or anyone close. She just put her hoodie on and disappeared.
20 minutes passed and in that moment something told Traci the game had changed. She took Hannah's hand and with the other grabbed her bags "are you hungry?" the little girl nodded "come on, let's get you something to eat" she entered the station; everything was as it should be. Jerry came to met her "has she talk to Dov?"
"Talked to him?" Jerry asked confused "was she supposed to?"
"She didn't come in here did she?" Traci asked whispering "she's gone"
"What do mean she's gone?" Jerry asked
"She tricked me and I was too stupid to see it" Traci said angrily "she abandoned her kid, just like that"
"We should tell Dov" Jerry said "I know this is a very low blow but, we can't just stay here waiting for her to return"
"She's not" Traci assured her sadly "she had it planned all along"
"So what do we do now?" Jerry asked her, Hannah had been too quiet. She was imagining where her mother might be and if she was ever coming back
"The first thing is to feed her, I think she's hungry" Traci said "would you go and put her bags in my locker? Come on sweetie, its okay"
He found Dov sitting. He had never seen him like that; his face was full of confusion and fear
"Hey listen" Jerry said sitting next to him "you didn't know"
"She left didn't she?" Dov asked without looking up at him "she's gone and that's that, I just walked away, like a coward"
"Yeah, she's gone" Jerry said softly "I know this is a lot to take in and I can't imagine how you must be feeling but, there is something you should know" Dov raised his face slowly
"She ran away, she told Traci she was coming to talk to you and... she left her here" He gave him a moment to digest what he had just said
"I'm not even sure she's really mine, I don't know how to treat kids" he said slowly "I'm not a dad, I have never wanted to be a dad"
Dov had reached a boiling point. He wanted to cry and scream and hate Haley for what she had done, he wanted to hand the problem to someone else, he wanted to…"
"I don't even know what to tell you" Jerry said patting him on the back "but maybe you have just done something someone doesn't expect to do so soon in life, especially in this job"
"What?" Dov asked, his hands were shaking with rage but he tried to calm down
"Maybe you have just found the way to finally grow up"
ROOKIE BLUE-
WHAT DID YOU THINK GUYS? NEXT, DOV MEETS HANNAH AND SAM AND ANDY GO BACK TO WORK WITH SOME NEWS OF THEIR OWN
