Saving Me

Black-Angel-001: think of the last chapter as a filler with some teasers....

Saving Me

"We're halfway there, woah, livin' on a prayer. Take my hand and we'll make it I swear, woah, livin' on a prayer." --Bon Jovi, 'Livin' on a Prayer'

Roy was discharged two days after he arrived at Rampart with a stern lecture from Dixie, Brackett, Early, and even Morton that cops were paid to take care of guys waving guns. Carefully and with incredible slowness he put the clothes Stacey had brought for him on, glad it was a button down shirt and not a polo. When he was dressed he put on his sling and hissed in relief and pain at the movement and relief. He slipped into his shoes and stood, catching his breath at the lighthead feeling it brought. Finally ready, he went to sign his release papers.

As he was signing, Roy heard a familiar voice call his name. He'd barely had time to turn before a warm body was hugging him tight. He stared at the head of Karen with some surprise. He brought his right arm to hug her but before he could she was pushing away from him and glaring up at him. Roy took a small step back. Was she teary eyed?

"You aren't supposed to get shot," she told him with a poke of her finger at his chest. "You are supposed to go to scenes when the guy with the gun isn't a threat, and take care of people at car wrecks and save them from burning buildings. You aren't allowed to get shot!"

She was still poking him in the chest with her finger, still staring up at him with eyes of pain and fear covered by anger, still talking. Roy took hold of her hand then leaned down and kissed her. She stilled and Roy thought for a minute that it was a mistake. Then she leaned forward a bit to apply more pressure on their lips. After a moment of just contact he pulled away. Slowly his eyes opened and he looked at her face. Her eyes opened and the expressive green searched his face.

"What was I talking about," she asked softly.

Roy smiled. "That you were coming over with me to my house for a few hours?"

The light blush on Karen's cheekbones grew darker and she frowned. "Roy, I really like you. I do. It's just...I don't feel...comfortable just yet..."

"I know and I'm sorry, I should have been clearer. Come over to talk like you did last time? I...enjoyed that."

The from became a smile and Karen nodded. "I'd like to."

"Great. And I really like you too, Karen." Now he was lightly blushing.

Even while the mood was light and friendly, both of them were thinking 'What in the world just happened?'

Roy couldn't drive with one arm and his car wasn't at the hospital besides, so Karen drove the two of them to his house. Stacey's car was parked in the driveway with the other cars and the kids were tossing a baseball back and forth in the front yard. As soon as Roy got out of the car, the ball dropped onto the grass and then both were wrapped around him as tight as they could without hurting him.

"Hey, I'm okay," he assured them putting one arm around both of them.

Chris leaned back and looked at his father seriously.

"No, I am. Just a little sore." Karen stepped up next to him and the kids looked at her quietly. Stacey stepped out on the porch.

"Roy, get in here already so you can sit down."

He introduced Karen and Stacey and cuddled with his kids on the couch, letting the warmth from their little bodies heat him up, in the heart too. The adults talked quietly and the kids stayed quiet for the most part. They kept glancing at Karen and at their father, questions in their eyes.

After about four hours, Karen stood to leave, politely refusing offers of staying for dinner, although she did agree to come back over tomorrow. At dinner, there was general small talk and Roy felt that something was slightly off with his family and he had an idea of what it was.

Roy sat down with Chris and Jenny after dinner and told them that if they wanted to talk about his friendship with Karen, it was okay to do that. He couldn't say what would come from it, if anything, and if anything did happen, they would definetely be the first to know.

He was on paid sick leave for almost a month and was on a limited activity order, but Roy wasn't thinking about work. He was thinking about something else entirely, and how he was going to handle it.

Three days after he was released from the hospital, he called Karen and asked her for a huge favor.

"Karen? Hi, It's Roy. Listen, I need a favor. Yeah. Would you mind driving me over to Johnny's place?"

Black-Angel-001: i realize that you guys have been waiting for a lot of things in this story...johnny's end to drug addiction....roy and karen getting together...finding out who killed joanne...well, the next chapter doesn't have all of that, but it does have (ha! thought i'd tell you? right, try clicking the button! lol)