Carter Shaw sat in his police issue Dodge Challenger, his phone to his ear and, after sweeping the vehicle for the umpteenth time, he was sure that it was the only place he wouldn't be overheard or his call intercepted. Holding up his end of the conversation with a grunt every now and then he listened as Dr Burrows spoke.

"Sergeant Bendis definitely displays some anti-social behavior as well as a few sociopathic tendencies but nothing to be overly concerned about. He'll never make a good patrol officer and should probably think twice about becoming a father but his character flaws are an asset in his work as an undercover cop."

"And the situation with Erin?"

"Sergeant Bendis explained everything to my satisfaction," Burrows said simply then added, "And to hers."

Carter remained silent for a long time, not even a grunt, and Dr. Burrows finally asked if he was still on the line. When he told her he was, she asked him, "Do you have a problem with his version of the story?"

Carter had never really heard Dean's side of the story. He had never watched the tapes except for the one marked Avery Smith which he had kept. He had however read Erin Scott's official report before Maynard made it disappear per his request. He had also heard a few tidbits dropped by Ty and Jamie and had seen first hand the scratches on Dean's face, the cast on his hand and the way Erin Scott and her partners had reacted to seeing him at the station. He could pretty well guess what had gone on.

"I just wanna know one thing. Does he know right from wrong?"

It was Dr. Burrows' turn to be surprised but she answered truthfully.

"Yes, he does. Even though his world is, and has always been, primarily made up of shades of gray, Sergeant Bendis has a profound sense of right and wrong."

Good, Carter thought, then I'll know it's his choice when he finally flips to the dark side.

Carter cleared his throat and said, "Thank you for taking an unofficial look at my guy, Doctor Burrows."

"I was happy to help. As you know Erin Scott is a valued resource to DEA and our loss is Quantico's gain," she said. Carter was quiet once again and, to fill in the awkward silence, Dr. Burrows added, "Mac must have told you that she's been transferred to Hostage Negotiations as a trainer."

McLeod had only grudgingly taken Carter's phone call letting him know about Dean's impending arrival but he may have intimated to Dr. Burrows that the two of them were much more than just two cops who had passed in the night on the Clovis bust. She believed that he had, in fact, once been an integral part of the very unit to which McLeod and Erin Scott belonged.

"He never mentioned a thing about it. That's gotta be a tough break for him...and I bet Lassie's fit to be tied," Carter said smoothly and added, "Talk about being out of the 'for old time sake' loop."

Burrows laughed and assured him, "Well, I'm sure she'll call you herself to fill you in herself and when she does, tell her that the office pool's sixty-forty that it'll be a boy."

Erin sat on the corner of the bed and just watched as Dean slept. His face was completely relaxed, the furrows between his eyes absolutely smooth, his dark whiskers shadowing his chin and she wondered how often he was able to "sleep like a baby" as he was at that moment. The thought of a sleeping baby with his features crossed her mind and she stood up and quietly walked into the bathroom. Bending over the wastebasket she pulled one of the used condoms from its shallow depth and, sealing it in a plastic container, she dropped it into an evidence bag which she then tucked away into her purse. She returned to sit again on the edge of the bed, content to just watch him as he slept.

During the night he had told her - about his childhood, about his foray into a life of crime, about his life altering meeting with Carter Shaw, about his hopes and dreams. During the night he had shown her - that he was decent and forthright, complicated and tender and capable of giving, unconditionally, the love that had been withheld from him. He had also shown her that he could be trusted, trusted to never hurt her again and, as she sat watching him, she wondered if she could also trust him to walk out of her life when she said finally said no.

Dean walked into the compound the following night thankful that Carter was alone.

"Listen Carter," he started but Shaw didn't even bother to look up from the file he was reading. After a moment to judge just how pissed off his Lieutenant was, Dean forged on, "I'm sorry but I needed to take care of something, something personal."

Carter looked up at him and, after a measured amount of time and a measured look, said, "I spoke to Dr. Burrows and she says you know the difference between right and wrong."

Dean was stunned. The psychic son of a bitch had set him up, called Denver and the spider had been waiting for him.

But Carter Shaw had no otherworldly powers, just the uncanny ability to read Dean Bendis like a book.

"Yeah, I do Carter," the young UC answered cautiously but really wanted to know, "What's this all about?"

"Right now it's about being responsible, about using protection when you fuck somebody, about doing the right thing," Carter said cryptically.

Yeah, he had used condoms and he hadn't fucked Erin Scott, he'd made glorious love to her. But seeing the look of contempt on Carter's face Dean realized that he wasn't talking about his trip to Denver. He was talking about LA.

"You didn't use protection when you raped Erin Scott," Carter said getting to his feet and rounding the desk, "and now she's pregnant."

Carter's voice dripped venom as he ground out his accusation.

Dean looked at him as if he was the world's biggest asshole.

"Since when does a dead woman need protection from pregnancy or aids or anything else for that matter? Those scumbags expected me to kill her, not worry about knocking her up and living happily ever after."

"Yeah, but that's exactly what happened although I don't think happily ever after has ever been part of your plans...for any woman."

"And you're positive this baby's mine," Dean shot back with a sneer and added self-righteously, "You rode her bareback, too, pal."

That was when Carter slugged him.

The subsequent knock down drag out, one that had been coming for a long time, didn't hurt nearly as much as the realization that Erin hadn't told him that she was pregnant. Knowing he could be the father of her unborn child, she had still said no and he had had no choice but to let her go.

It was spring again and Erin sat enjoying the warmth of the sun as she at a small metal table in her tiny courtyard waiting for Davis Colley and his wife to take her to the hospital. Although the results of Dean Bendis' DNA sample and that of her baby had come back months ago, she hadn't spoken to him since she'd said no and he'd walked out of her life. She now felt it only right to call the father to be and, putting her phone to her ear, she dialed an unlisted number.

"Where's Carter?" Dean asked trotting up to Ty and Jamie as they stood by Carter's desk, "I set up a meet in half an hour with that jackoff, Travis Dunne. We gotta book."

Ty looked uncomfortable and Jamie turned her eyes to the floor, suddenly fascinated by the cockroach that was making its way toward the kitchen.

"Yo, where's Carter? Travis isn't gonna wait," Dean said anxiously.

Clearing his throat Ty told him, "Carter's not here. We're gonna have to do this without him."

Jamie finally looked up and, glancing guiltily at him, picked up her jacket from the desktop. "Carter laid it all out. Make the buy, pop Travis and sweat him for a couple of days until he flips his source."

Dean stepped back and tilting his head, stared at them both. "Where...the fuck...is Carter?"

Jamie looked away again and, when Dean made an angry move toward her, Ty physically cut him off.

"Carter ain't here, man," Ty repeated. He pushed Dean back and, knowing that his partner would not let it be, told him with a sigh, "He's gone to Denver."

"Denver?" Dean said, his heart starting to race, his face going pale.

Ty picked up the keys to Carter's Challenger and stuffed them into his jacket pocket then added, "He's flyin' out right about now. He's tryin' to get there in time for the birth of his son."

FIN

Thanks so much to all of you who have stopped by to read and to review. This is a wonderful place to practice my craft, witch and literary. I have a Carter centric Dark Blue fic waiting in the wings but first I need to get back to another Dean and his brother Sam and help them stop the Apocalypse. Again, much thanks!