Just a little warning about this chapter! It maybe contain a little bit M, really just a bit. But there are no details.
And thanks for the support.
Enjoy,
T73.
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Liz is entering the bullpen after her husband the next morning and she can tell that he doesn't agree with her that she doesn't want to stop the investigation because they barely had spoken the previous night and the whole morning. It seems like he had locked himself up in his own world of thoughts. She is eyeing him as he sits down at his chair and worries her bottom lip.
Chaz is coming with a stack of files in the bullpen too and slows his steps as soon as he senses the tension. Everything's okay?"
She looks at him and forces herself to smile at him as she sits down at her desk too. "Yeah, what do you have there?"
"I had an idea after you went home yesterday and stayed a little longer." He says and hands her the stack. "After you mentioned that Nicholas McIntosh perhaps is running a mob I thought I could take a look in ViCAP and see if there already had been murders with the same MO, or at least similar MOs."
Liz is about to open the file on top and stops dead. "Are you kidding me?"
Adam furls his brows and sits up.
Chaz shakes his head and shifts his weight from one foot to the other. "I totally serious, Liz. The first murder with exact our MO took place twenty-five years ago."
"Cameron was three back then." Adam states and looks at Liz and Chaz. "It's hard to imagine that a three-year old stabs a grown woman in the heart and rape her while she's bleeding to death."
She starts to rub her neck and frowns. "No, that's impossible and we all know that." She replies and chews on the inside of her cheek. "No, those murders are on Nicholas McIntosh. Cameron adopted the MO of his lovely father."
Leslie comes in a good mood into the bullpen as well and frowns as soon she sees the faces of the others. "Um, hey."
Liz only nods at her and then she starts to write down something on her notepad.
The redhead furls her brows and looks at the two men. "What is going on?"
Chaz points at the files and sighs heavily. "The case is a little bigger than we thought. I took a look in ViCAP and found twenty-five year old murders with the same MO."
Leslie's shoulders are slumping and she makes a face. "Damn it." She pauses and looks long at him. "Is that the reason why you didn't come home last night?"
Liz eyes shoot up to Adam's and she stops to write for a second.
Chaz clears his throat and frowns deeply. "Yes."
Liz splutter and tears the sheet out of the notepad, handing it to her friend. "Can you go down to Soltini and ask him for the autopsy reports of those names and who performed the autopsies, please?"
The redhead nods slowly and turns the corners of her mouth downward. "Sure." She says and turns on her heels.
Adam leans back in his chair and eyes skeptically his wife. "And why are you not going down to Soltini?"
Liz stops dead in her tracks and tries to come up with a good excuse. She isn't quite sure why she hasn't told Adam that Soltini kissed her in the parking garage and that she told him that she is not interested in Soltini. And she is feeling really bad about it because she never wanted to have any secrets from him. She licks her lips and hunch her shoulders. "Leslie wants to help as well." She doesn't wait for any comment and points at Chaz. "Go and see if Nicholas McIntosh does have a criminal record and if yes, what kind of crimes he committed. And what kind of people are working for him, check their background. I want to know everything about him and want to be prepared for everything."
Chaz nods approvingly and walks back in the direction of BRIC. "You got it."
Liz looks long at her husband and narrows her eyes. "Can do a bit of ringing I around and find out who investigated these cases?"
Adam raises his brows high but smiles a little. "You do know that I am the senior detective, right?"
Liz smirks and starts to type on her keyboard. "You never complained when I took over control."
Adam is freezing and arches an brow as she starts to chuckle amused.
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"Soltini said that it is going to take a couple of hours until he got all the autopsy reports that you requested, when he doesn't get disturbed." Leslie says as she walks with her friend to Liz' unmarked car. "In the worst case, he needs a couple of days."
"Let's hope that there will be no worst case, then." Liz says with a small smile and blinks a couple of times against the sun. She slows her steps and turns her head to look at her friend. "Listen, this is going to be a dicey case, and most likely highly dangerous. Adam and I are aware in what we are getting ourselves into, we are about to try brining down a powerful mob and we just get an conclusion of what the McIntosh's are capable of. And we know that we are making ourselves a target because of our interference in their business."
Leslie is listening carefully and furls her brows. "Why are you saying this to me, Liz?"
The brunette is licking her lips and takes a deep breath. "Because you have to think about Damian, and because I could never forgive myself if anything happens to one of you guys. You have to be aware that you and Chaz are becoming a target too if you are a part in all of this."
Leslie is slowing her steps and frowns. "Liz, Chaz and I are always a target as soon as we put these uniforms on and go out on patrol, it is not new to us. Are we more careful now? Sure we are, but there is only a number of precautions we can make. We also now what we are getting ourselves into. And someone has to look out after you guys too."
Liz smiles now but turns serious instantly as soon as she spots a man sitting on the hood of her unmarked. Somehow, she can imagine who this guy is because she can tell that he doesn't belong in a neighborhood like this. She scoffs and unlock the car from the distance.
"You know who this is," Leslie asks and frowns.
"I do have an idea," the brunette growls low.
He turns his head in the direction of the two women and doesn't make the attempt to move off the hood.
Cameron McIntosh has a pale complexion, curly brown hair cut short , and green eyes. He is very tall, of average weight, and wears a tailored dark blue suit. He smiles broadly at her and eyes Liz unashamed. "You have to be Detective Rizzoli."
Liz is keeping a straight face and takes a deep breath. "It's nice to finally meet you in person, Cameron." She says and Leslie is giving her a sideglance.
He chuckles and pretend to brush dirt of his hands. "I didn't know that we are on first-name basis with each other already." He states and slides down the hood as she wiggles her brows unimpressed. "Why are you checking the background of my family and its business?"
Liz doesn't flinch or back down as he steps closer. "I think you already know the answer. I, on the other hand, would like to know how you got this information."
"I have my connections." Cameron replies and shrugs, smiling cockily.
She nods once and smiles as well. "Hmm."
He tries to read her expression and stuff his hands in the pocket of his pants. "I don't know why you are going after me and my family … Detective."
Liz is holding his gaze and turns serious once again. "I think you exactly know why we are going after you. Has to do with the death of Amanda Maloney and all the other bodies who are coming up again."
Cameron's smile is falling and all of a sudden he appears even taller. "If I'd be in your shoes, I'd stop before it's too late."
"Or what? I'll disappear as well," she asks and can tell that the answer is yes.
His facial muscles are twitching and he clench his teeth. "Be careful, you don't know who I am."
"I know exactly who you are." Liz says warningly as he steps into her personal space and flick the back of her middle finger against the lapel of his jacket, never losing eye contact. "You are a little, spoiled snotty brat who never really had to work for anything. I am a little surprised that daddy's gonna leave the business to you, because you aren't really the brightest light on the cake."
"I would watch my mouth." He growls low.
Liz doesn't even blink as he comes more closer. "And I, on the other hand, would step back."
He seems to be a little impressed and his eyes drops to her hand that is placed on her gun. He steps back and chuckles. "Watch your back, Rizzoli."
Liz snorts and arches an brow. "I was about to give you the same advice." She replies as he turns to leave.
Leslie takes a moment until he is out of earshot and blinks a couple of times. "And what are we doing now? I mean, he impossibly could know that we are about to talk to him."
Liz is looking after Cameron and shakes her head. "No. No, he didn't know that, Leslie. He was trying to be one step ahead of us, without knowing that we are now ahead of him. Now we sit tight, he's rattled and will make a mistake."
Leslie is rounding the car and smirks. "I am glad that I don't play cards with you anymore."
The brunette chuckles and opens the driver's door. "Because you suck at it?"
"Yeah, that too." Leslie laughs and sits down on the passenger's seat. "Where are we going now?"
"Let's see where two hours are taking us." Liz answers with a shrug and starts the engine.
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Adam groans loudly and slams the receiver down on his desk phone like he wants to beat the shot out of it. He feels like he tread water and it is frustrating him immensely.
"You know, when you wanna blow off steam we do have a gym for that." He hears the voice of his wife saying and turns his head. He frowns when he sees her with a brown paper bag coming towards her and sighs. "I probably should be workout any time soon, or I have to pay for a new phone."
"I heard that the heavy bag is a great sparring partner." Liz says and places the bag on her desk.
He nods once and runs his hands through his hair. "New evidence?"
"Lunch," she answers and scrunches her nose with a smile.
Adam closes his eyes for a second and splutter. "Did you and Leslie had any luck with Cameron?"
She passes the said bag to her husband and smirks. "For you."
He takes a look in it and his eyebrows shoot up. "Well, I love you even more, but it doesn't answer my question."
"He ambushed us when we were about to drive to him, thought he could humiliate us with his presence." Liz answers and flops down on her chair. "Didn't expect that I front him."
"Liz." Adam groans again.
"What? I needed to run rings around him, Adam."
He sighs heavily and rubs his forehead with his right hand.
Liz is watching him closely and can tell that something is wrong with Adam because he is a tad too pale for her taste. "You okay?"
Adam nods slowly and frowns slightly. "I'm fine."
"Uh-huh."
"Really."
"Adam."
He rolls his eyes and stifles a yawn. "I am just really tired."
"For how long haven't you been sleeping for real," Liz asks and furrows her brows.
He doesn't answer right away and shrugs. "I don't know. Three days, maybe four."
She looks questioningly at him and shakes her head. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Wouldn't have changed anything anyway." Adam sighs and keeps her gaze. He isn't sure why he didn't find any rest the last couple of days either. But he is sure that the current situation doesn't make it any better.
"Oh," she whispers worriedly. "Adam."
She nods with a deep frown.
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Liz is laying in the bed beside her husband and has propped herself up on her elbow. She has the feeling that he aged for ten years in the last couple of days and tries to smooth the deep worry lines on his forehead with her fingers. She sighs loudly because he hasn't blinked for what feels like hours. "Close your eyes and rest." She whispers and let her fingers trail down his face.
Adam turns his head and clench his teeth. "Don't look so worried, Elizabeth."
She smiles a little and shrugs. "It's my job to worry about you."
He smiles back at her and interlace their fingers. "It's just a little bad patch."
"Still," the brunette states and gives him a peck. She doesn't move away for real and keeps his gaze before her eyes drop back to his lips. She swallows hard and looks back up into his eye.
Somehow, he can see that there is something she wants to tell him, but doesn't know how, and he isn't sure if he wanna hear it tonight or any time soon. But he still want to know what it is his wife is keeping from him. "What," he asks in a whisper.
Liz shakes her head and smiles a little while her hand roams over his bare chest. "I love you, Adam. From the bottom of my heart."
Adam smiles back at her and tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I love you too, Liz." He looks puzzled at her as she straddle his hips all of a sudden and frowns again. "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like that I am doing?" Liz asks back with a mischievous smile and pulls her shirt over her head.
Adam needs a second before his brain can come up with an answer and pulls her body back down against his.
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Liz is the first who wakes up the next morning and smiles as she hears the even heartbeat and the even breathing of Adam. She had woken up in many pair of arms before she settled for him and none of them had felt like home, not like his.
She let her fingertips run over his collarbone and smiles when he makes a grunting sound. She blames it on the pregnancy that she still notice the small things that makes her fall for him all over again. She smiles as he pulls her even closer, but then she looks up as his body starts to tense up.
"Liz." Adam whispers and shudders.
Liz skids up and can see his eyes moving behind his lids and the frown on his forehead. "I am here." She whispers and caresses his cheek with her hand.
"Liz." He whispers again and his voice cracks now. "Elizabeth."
"Adam, I'm here." She tries to sooth him.
Adam's eyes shoot open and she can see that they are still troubled and unfocused, and that he's still in the middle of whatever he has been dreaming. She buries her face in the crook of his neck as soon as he holds her as close as possible to him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
"Sssh," she whispers and closes her eyes. "It's okay, it was just a dream." Liz furrows her brows and her heart drops when his body starts to shake. She looks up and can see that her husband has tears in his eyes. She props herself up on her left elbow so she can look directly at Adam. "Adam look at me." She says gently and Adam's eyes find her. "Look at me, look at me. It was just a dream, I am fine."
Blue eyes become focused now and he frowns deeply once more. "Liz."
She smiles reassuringly and nods. "Yes. Yes, I am here. I am fine, we are fine."
Adam closes his eyes now and releases his breath. "It was just a dream."
Liz places an hand over his racing heart and furrows her brows. "What was the dream about?"
He shakes his head and huffs. "Nothing."
"Adam."
"It's stupid."
She kisses him lovingly. "Doesn't matter."
Adam takes a deep breath and holds Liz close to him. "It's … I lose you, on one way or the other. But you always end up on a autopsy table. And I am not able to save you. Or our child, our daughter."
Liz is looking long at him and knows that she could cry right now too, which wouldn't be very helpful. "When did those dreams start?"
"I already told you, a couple of days ago." He answers and takes a deep breath. "But I woke up before they became realistic and got out of bed without waking you."
"You should have told me."
"So I am the big crybaby?"
Liz looks up and frowns. "Telling worries and sharing fears doesn't make you a crybaby."
He huffs and rolls his eyes. "When I would be a woman."
She put her chin on his chest and looks up with a frown. "Because you are the tall and strong protector? Allowing emotions isn't a weakness."
"When … I am a woman."
Liz is scrutinizing her husband's face to see if he's joking, but all she can see is determination. "Why are you saying this. You never had a … Do you say it because of your nightmares?" She waits and he clench his teeth. "They are just dreams, Adam."
"Liz, I couldn't protect you." Adam snarls and his face darkens.
"In nightmares." She replies and furrows her brows. "In real life you protect me every day, save my life. All right, you don't jump into the line of fire and take a bullet for me one day after the other, but I know you would do it in the blink of an eye. Yes, sometimes you are big softie but that's okay, that's why I love you. I don't need a macho, Adam, I want to come home to someone who takes me in his arms and share his feeling with me. Those things made me fall in love with you."
Adam frowns and scratch his chin. "Well, to be honest you never really said that you were falling in love with me or that you are falling for me."
"Oh yeah, I did." She replies with a small smile.
He scoffs and tucks an hand behind his head. "Correct me if I remember wrong. After we started to have sex, you showed up one evening, knocked at my door and kissed me like there is no tomorrow. And then you turned around and simply said Okay, leaving me standing dumbfounded at my apartment door."
"Yap," she agrees with a smirk.
"And after we had sex for the first time, when you tried to sneak out of my apartment, you said that I was a all right lover." He says and the look in his eyes has changed as he rolls her on her back and hovers over her.
Liz swallows hard and has to force herself to hold his gaze. "The first time was all right."
"It wasn't nails-digging-back-scratching-toes-curling sex?" Adam almost growls.
Her breath hitch and she blinks a couple of times. "Did you record our first time?"
He chuckles and shakes his head. "Before I met you and been with you for the first time, I had the opportunity to get experience too." He let his hand wander over her bare thigh like he did in their first night together and she shudders. "And that is the reaction I got at our first time as well."
Liz bites her bottom lip as his hand trails up her side and has to fight to keep her eyes open. She remembers that night too and her body is on fire. "Adam," she whispers and hates herself for sounding as desperate as at the night they slept with each other for the first time. She wants to wipe the smug smile off his face and frowns when he starts to go down at her body. "Oh God," she breathes and her eyes roll in the back of her head. She gasps and is arching her back as soon as he reached his final destination. "Oh God." She groans now and buries her hands in the sheets, and her brain went blank.