IIII
"So what's LA '09?" LaSalle asked as casually as he could muster.
Sonja stilled, her eyebrows arching slightly. "We just got a big in with Curry's gang and you're asking about LA '09?" she asked puzzled.
Honestly at this point LaSalle just wanted Curry caught and locked up in prison, if a stray bullet hastened his trip to hell – then even better. What he was concerned about was this Tucker character and his history with Sonja.
"Seemed like yol had a real blast," he said with a shrug. "I'm assuming since he obviously still thinks about it."
He was really trying to play it down. This way he didn't look like he was jumping to conclusions. Which he begrudgingly admitted he probably was.
Sonja cocked her head to the side and eyed him thoughtfully. "Christopher, please tell me you're not jealous about some ATF agent I knew way back when?"
"I'm not jealous," he quickly stated.
"Good then, can we talk about something else?" Sonja requested, rubbing at her temples. "I think I have a headache coming on."
LaSalle was torn. On the one hand he wanted nothing more than to forget the whole Tucker thing but on the other hand he needed to know what type of history they were dealing with. Percy would be working with the guy. He didn't want any surprises.
"When he asked you if you remembered LA did he mean you used to be good friends or..." he let the sentence die, watching for her response.
He felt a twinge of guilt when he noticed she actually looked dead on her feet. Maybe they didn't need to have this conversation after all?
"Are you asking if we had some type of relationship?" Sonja asked calmly.
He shrugged, gestured awkwardly with his hands before dropping them to his sides. Usually he was so good at interrogations. Only Sonja wasn't an accused and he was already predisposed to accept whatever her side of the story was.
"Look he's a good looking guy, sounds smart and you two obviously have history," he began having decided against saying 'chemistry'.
"And you aren't?"
"Well obviously I'm handsome and extremely charming."
"And humble apparently..." Sonja quipped dryly.
"Apparently," he said with a slight grin before becoming serious once more. "I just want to know if this could potentially cause some old feelings to resurface."
Sonja sighed, leaning against the counter as she folded her arms across her chest and levelled her gaze on him. "Tucker was a guy I got to know very early in my career as an undercover agent," she started. "He was as you said, goodlooking and smart but I'd sworn of relationships and love at the time and-"
"Wait, why'd you swear off relationships and love?" LaSalle interrupted, suddenly intrigued by what Percy had let slip.
"Are we seriously going to have this conversation?" she asked exasperated.
He hesitated. When it came to him and Sonja, he was all in. The more time passed the more he knew this was something he wanted and not just for a while but forever. Of course knowing how skittish she was about them he hadn't said this to her. But he could see a future for them, maybe even one or four kids. Initially he'd always planned on having a really huge family but due to them working the same line of work eleven kids was looking highly unlikely. Still, he wanted the whole white picket fence dream with her and maybe finding out exactly why Sonja was so tentative about relationships would help them in the long run.
"Maybe having it wouldn't be such a bad idea," he suggested.
"Well you have to choose," Sonjasaid.
"Huh?"
"Either you want to know about the Tucker situation or my angtsy brush with love," Sonja explained and by the determined set of her jaw, LaSalle could tell she wasn't going to budge either.
He was really anxious about the Tucker situation but that he felt he could slowly pry out of her eventually. Her 'angsty brush with love' on the other hand could be harder to extract from her.
"You know I'm a sucker for angst so let's talk about that," he said.
Sonja nodded. "Okay, but we should probably sit down," she said and motioned them to the kitchen table.
LaSalle obliged her and took a seat directly across from her.
"So I've already had the long boring narration of it with Merri so I'm going to give you the short version," Sonja announced.
LaSalle frowned. "Why does Brody get the long version?" he asked disgruntled. "You're not her girlfriend."
Sonja's lips twitched. "You're seriously running with this girlfriend thing, aren't you?"
"You said you'd beat me up if I referred to you as my woman in my public," LaSalle said with a shrug.
"And don't you forget it," Sonja reiterated.
"Now the long version please."
Sonja huffed as she rolled her eyes. "So there was this guy, Ty Tarpley…"
"Come again?" He asked not sure if he'd heard her right.
"Ty Tarpley," she repeated harried. "Want me to spell it for you?"
LaSalle fought off the grin threatening to curve his lips upwards. "Well I might have to run a background check or something," he said under his breath.
Sonja frowned. "What?"
"Nothing, so Ty Tarpley…" he urged instead.
For the next ten minutes LaSalle listened attentively as Sonja talked about how she'd fallen in love only to have her heart broken and humiliated to boot. On the one hand he was really glad this Ty guy turned out to be a flake, he probably wouldn't know Sonja otherwise but on the other hand he was angry for her.
She'd been mislead, lied to and hurt. Even though her voice was flat and disinterested he could tell, the whole thing had really hurt her deeply. It had happened way before they knew each other but a fierce need to protect her from all harm had him wishing he could run into the jerk just once.
"So that's the bulk of it," Sonja concluded eventually with a dismissive wave of her hand.
She shifted in her seat looking equal parts uncomfortable and embarrassed. If he gave some passionate speech about how much he loved and cherished her, she'd probably pull a Sonja. He needed to try a different approach.
"So... who won?" he asked after a pause.
Sonja looked confused. "Who won what?" she asked.
"The fight," he elaborated. "You got into it with the other girl and I'm wondering if you came out of the tussle the victor or the loser."
Her lips curved upwards, relief making her relax into her chair. "Aren't you going to tell me how it wasn't my fault and I was just a victim in all this?" she asked.
"You'd probably disagree with me than slink off to go sulk in your room," LaSalle answered. "And spoiler alert, but I was really hoping to get lucky tonight."
Sonja threw her head back and laughed, the act making him smile. She was so different from anyone he'd ever dated before and most times he felt like he was just winging it when it came to the real heavy stuff but he was learning and hopefully getting better at it.
"My word Christopher, what am I going to do with you?" she asked shaking her head, still recovering from her mirth.
"I'm thinking prove me right?" he suggested wagging his eyebrows suggestively. "'Cause I have some suggestions in mind…"
That got him another laugh and because she was so happy he pushed his thoughts on the whole Tucker situation to the back of his head. For now anyways. "But on a serious note, I'm really glad he turned out to be a complete jerk." He said, grasping one of her hands.
"Geez thanks," Sonja said sarcastically.
"I mean it, Sonja," he insisted. "You're one of the best things that have ever happened to me and it would really suck if I lived in a world where I never even got the chance to know you."
Sonja's reaction surprised them both. From experience he knew she wasn't an overall emotional person. So for her to start crying was actually shocking.
"Fuck it, I can't believe my eyes are leaking," she said, obviously annoyed with herself as she used her free hand to swipe at her eyes.
"Or you crying," he quipped as he rose to his feet and pulled her up. "It's this thing normal people do when they've been moved emotionally." He explained.
She scowled but there was no anger behind it. "I thought you wanted to get lucky?" she asked.
"Yeah, definitely leaking, you should get that checked out," he hastily amended.
A moment passed with LaSalle wondering how it was possible to keep falling in love with someone all over again every day.
Sonja squeezed his hand. "Thank you," she said earnestly.
Taken a back, his brows creased in worry. "For what?" he asked confused.
"For not being a Ty Tarpley."
He smiled, leaning in to press a kiss on her forehead. "Yeah well I kind of have my hands full being a Christopher LaSalle – who if I have to admit is pretty damn awesome." He teased.
"And apparently humble."
"Apparently."
/
"You okay?"
Sonja just nodded, sitting down behind her desk.
LaSalle was still frowning down at her. "I thought you went to the doctors to get that bug checked out?" he asked handing her a glass of water
"I did I guess these medications aren't working," Sonja replied with a shrug as she made a show of taking two tablets and gulping them down with the water LaSalle had given her.
It was really multivitamins but she was keeping that titbit to herself.
From the corner of her eye she could feel Meredith watching them.
"Maybe I should whip you up this tea thing my mama used to make for us?" LaSalle suggested. "You'll feel right as rain by tomorrow morning."
"I'm good LaSalle," she assured him.
He looked unconvinced but didn't push it. "I'll be back in a bit, anyone want me to pick something up on my way back?" he asked, also glancing in Brody's direction.
She shook her head. "I'm fine," she said.
He turned back to her.
"Christopher, I'm fine," she also said.
He hesitated then nodded before grabbing his keys on his way out.
"So how long do you plan to keep this up?" Brody asked casually.
Sonja rubbed her eyes. "I thought we weren't going to discuss this?"
"Thought you were going to sit down with LaSalle and stop bullshitting him," Brody retorted.
Urg. As if she needed any more guilt. After postponing her doctor's appointment and having to lie about it to LaSalle, Sonja had finally steeled her nerves and gone to the doctor's.
"I'm going to... but I don't want to jump the gun," Sonja said. "It could be just a stomach bug. My results are coming back tomorrow."
Brody nodded. "So are we possibly happy about this?" she asked with a slight twitch of her lips.
"To be honest I'm trying not to think about it until we get the bust," Sonja admitted.
"But you will talk to LaSalle, right?"
Sonja hesitated her eyes dropping to her hands. "Of course," she said, but it was really more for Brody's benefit.
"'Cause if you're pregnant you need to tell him." Brody advised sagely.
/
AN: Thanks for all the awesome reviews! As promised this instalment came much sooner. Hope you enjoyed it!
