A/N So you add the wrong amount of water to icing sugar and you get a whole load of goo that sorta just sticks together. THAT'S what this chapter is. Tying up loose ends, because by my count, there's only two chapters left after this one! Therefore I apologize beforehand, because I'm not entirely sure how this turned out. Oh yeah, and I'm hoping real life won't interfere too much so I can do a real good job on finishing this off! :D
Disclaimer: I do own three cats. And a dog, because Parker decided the stray that lives on our block doesn't deserve to be a stray. So yeah...we have a dog. Called Sputnik. Eyeroll. Not Cold Case, although have I mentioned it's my birthday in a few months?
Scotty tapped on Stillman's hospital room door.
"Both of you, come in," the lieutenant called, not bothering to look up from his tray. Lilly hid a smile, following her partner into the room. They sat in the chairs beside the bed. Stillman looked up at them, his gaze coming to rest on Lilly.
"How are you feeling?" he asked in concern. She smiled.
"Shouldn't we be asking you?"
"I'm better. Now answer the question."
"I'm OK." He raised a doubtful eyebrow. "Boss, I'm fine. Really."
Scotty cleared his throat.
"We, uh, jus' wanted to, uh..." Lilly smirked at her boyfriend's obvious discomfort.
"We just wanted to talk to you about my maternity leave." Stillman nodded.
"When I come back, I'll find someone to cover you."
"What about Ellie Manning?"
The older detective sighed, sitting back to study his best, and most difficult, detectives.
"Rush, we already went through this."
"But she's good, boss! And we're not going to need her for a few months anyway!" Lilly protested. Scotty shrugged.
"Lil's right, boss. In three months, Manning might have, you know..." Lilly nodded.
"And it's not as if I'll stop working completely. I'll still come in to..."
"No, you won't," both men interrupted. Lilly vented her frustration on the bed cover, shredding the blanket into thin strands. Scotty raised an eyebrow.
"You know that's damagin' hospital property, right?" he said in amusement. His partner glared at him.
"Don't even go there, Valens, 'cause I'm really not in the mood. Why is everyone treating me like I'm suddenly going to disappear? I'm not even a third of the way through, and I've already had enough!"
She stood up suddenly, storming out of the hospital room. Scotty and Stillman exchanged grins as her annoyed protestations faded away.
"...and where can I get some goddamn peanut butter?"
Lilly stomped down the hallway, muttering under her breath about the injustices of being on pregnant. She walked for what seemed like ages, going in laps around the hospital. As she was almost out of the intensive care unit for the second time, a voice called her to a stop.
"Lilly?"
The detective turned, a smile lighting up her face.
"Dr. Klein! What are you doing down here? Isn't obstetrics two floors up?" she asked in surprise. The obstetrician shrugged, nodding slightly.
"I heard that Lt. Stillman had been brought in. Just thought I'd come and check on him."
Lilly arched an amused eyebrow.
"Check on him?" she questioned. The doctor blushed, her smile widening.
"Check on you," she admitted. The blonde detective laughed. Scotty came around the corner, holding two cups.
"Hey, what's up, Doc?" he said with a grin.
"Just checking in, Scotty. How's your boss?" The male detective nodded, handing one cup to his partner.
"Better. He'll be off work for a while, but..."
"But he's already asking when he can be discharged," Lilly finished. Dr Klein laughed.
"Right. Oh, Lilly, don't forget our appointment next Friday."
The detective grimaced.
"How could I forget the delightful physical exam?" she replied sarcastically. Scotty raised an eyebrow.
"Physical exam? Everythin' is OK, right? Nothin' we should be concerned about?"
Lilly sighed.
"Scotty, the physical exam isn't for the baby, it's for me. They stick a..."
Dr Klein cleared her throat, cutting the pregnant woman off before she could completely alienate her boyfriend.
"Don't freak him out, Lilly," she murmured, hiding a grin at the alarmed look on Scotty's face.
"Am I gonna need to be there for that?"
Lilly shrugged, smiling up at him innocently.
"Depends. How good's your stomach?"
When Vera and Miller returned from informing Greg Anderson of the case closure, Jeffries approached Lilly's desk, wishing he had taken early retirement. Anything is better than what I'm about to unleash. He cleared his throat, reaching into his pocket for the piece of paper that had mysteriously appeared on his desk.
"Lil, can I talk to you?" he asked calmly. She looked up, smiling slightly.
"Sure. What's up?"
Jeffries handed her the page, watching a confused frown steal across her face, the smile sliding away. Lilly scanned over it, glancing up at her colleague, and then back down at the paper.
"What is this?" she asked quietly, and Vera and Miller looked up at the anger they heard barely controlled in her voice.
"It's the page from the PD rulebook that talks about what restrictions should be enforced when a female employee becomes pregnant," Jeffries said gently. Miller shook her head. What a complete moron...
The blonde detective slowly set the page down on the desk, clenching her fist.
"The page that says pregnant detectives aren't allowed out of the precinct to conduct interviews?"
"Yeah, Lil."
"Where did you get this?"
"Found it on my desk this morning."
"Do you know who put it there?" she continued, looking up at him. Jeffries held her gaze, the look in his eyes telling her that he knew exactly where, or who, the paper had come from. Lilly took a deep breath, trying, but not succeeding, to push the outrage down inside her.
"What are you going to do about it?" she asked evenly. Jeffries retrieved the page, folding it and sliding it back into his pocket. Vera and Miller watched interestedly.
"I'll deal with this situation if and only if I feel it's necessary," he replied. She nodded.
"Thank you."
Giving her a small pat on the shoulder, Jeffries glanced across to his two other colleagues, shaking his head at the storm he knew was coming.
"Why does he have to be such an idiot?" Miller muttered. Vera shrugged, sliding the box of donuts across to her.
"He's just lookin' out for her. You know, because he loves her. I'd do the same."
She felt a faint blush creep over her cheeks, and turned back to her files.
"Right."
Lilly stormed into the break room, slamming the door. Vera winced.
"This ain't gonna be pretty," he muttered, earning a chuckle from the woman sitting opposite him. Behind the closed door, the blonde detective glared at her partner.
"Valens!" she said angrily. He looked up at her, narrowing his eyes as she shoved the piece of paper at him.
"What?"
"You had no right to tell Jeffries that I wasn't fit for duty!"
Scotty stood up, his eyes blazing angrily.
"Are you crazy? You're pregnant, Lil! You can't go chasin' doers!" he snapped. The frayed edges of her temper finally gave way.
"VALENS!" she exploded. Scotty took a step forward, pointing his finger at her.
"Well, sorry for tryin' to protect the woman I love, who jus' happens to be carryin' my baby!" he yelled. As if someone had stuck her with a pin, Lilly deflated, sinking back against the wall. She rubbed her eyes.
"Lilly?" Scotty asked, a mixture of caution and concern evident in his voice. His partner opened an eye to glare at him.
"What?"
"I'm sorry. I just…"
"Just what?" she said dangerously. The male detective edged closer. Scotty sighed, wincing as she stubbornly turned away.
"I'm way outta my league here, Lil," he began in a low voice, "an' I know you are too, but...I jus' gotta know that I'm doin' everythin' I can to look after you."
Her face softened.
"I know that, but you have to let me make my own choices, Scotty. You seriously think I want to put our baby at any more risk than it already is?"
"No, but...wait. What do you mean the baby's already at risk?" he asked in alarm. Lilly looked away, feeling tears prick her eyelids.
"Up until 20 weeks, there's around a 30% chance of a miscarriage. 30%, Scotty. That's the same chance of the Patriots winning the next Superbowl!"
Scotty felt sick. All he could focus on was the word miscarriage. Hearing his breathing grow shallow, Lilly sighed, her eyes glued to the dark counter top. She hastily wiped her eyes, and continued to speak quietly.
"I don't want you to have to keep an eye on me, Scotty. That's not what you're here for."
"Then you tell me, Lil, what the hell I am here for?"
"To stand by me no matter what I choose to do! Don't you get it, Scotty?"
He felt anger begin to boil deep down in his chest. He wanted her to look at him, not stare at the goddamn counter.
"Jesus Christ, why do you have to make this so much more complicated than it is! All I wanted to do was look after you, an' if I've gotta fuckin' keep you here, then that's what I'll do!"
Lilly finally spun around.
"Dammit, Scotty! You do NOT get to decide that! I am the one who has to deal with morning sickness. It's MY job that's being turned upside down. It's ME who'll get kicked from the inside. And I'M the one who's going to get so fat I won't be able to see my feet."
Scotty stood in silence for a moment, his anger draining from him like water running through a plastic tube.
"Vera can't see his feet."
Lilly shook her head, unable to stop a laugh from spilling over at the complete truth in his statement. Grinning, Scotty moved forward, pulling his partner into a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist, sighing.
"I don't want to be fat, Scotty."
He rubbed soothing circles on her back, resting his chin on her head.
"I know, Lil. But Dr Klein said you might not even start to show until five, maybe, six months." Lilly pulled back to smile up at him.
"I guess it's not that bad."
Scotty shook his head, his grin growing as Lilly laughed quietly.
"Nah. Jus' think. You can lose whatever weight you put on. Vera's been fat for years!"
Releasing a slow breath, Lilly placed the cup of coffee on the desk. Scotty glanced at it, before looking up at his partner in surprise. She gave him a small smile, walking over to the lockers. Scotty hurried after her, reaching for her hand. Lilly turned, and his lips caught hers in a gentle yet terrifyingly wonderful kiss. Pulling away, the blonde detective looked up at him with apologetic eyes.
"I know," she began slowly, "that you were only trying to help. I'm sorry for...overreacting."
Scotty stared at her for a moment, before lowering his mouth to cover hers again. Huh, Lilly thought, if this is what apologizing can do, maybe I should do it more often? Her partner broke away, resting his forehead against hers, grinning.
"You're gettin' pretty damn good at this whole deep an' meaningful talkin'."
As she laughed softly, one of his hands found her stomach, his thumb smoothing patterns on her shirt.
"Yeah, well. I learn from the best."
"Why, thank you, Detective Rush!"
"Who says I was talking about you?" Lilly retorted, arching a delicate eyebrow. Miller's head appeared around the corner, her face lighting up at the position she caught her friends in.
"Sorry to break up this heart-warmin' scene, but uniform have just brought in the priest. Thought one of you might wanna join me?"
Lilly slipped out of Scotty's arms, lapsing effortlessly into her bitchy detective mind set. As she grabbed her copy of the file from her desk, Miller chuckled, earning a glare from her colleague.
"What?"
The curly haired detective shook her head.
"Pregnancy suits you, Lil," she replied quietly. Lilly blinked in surprise, the soft words unfamiliar.
"Oh."
Miller rolled her eyes, heading into the interrogation room.
"Don't look so damn scared, Lil. It's one of those things called a compliment!"
Lilly shut the door, leaning back against it. Father David looked up at her, his eyes wide.
"Am I a suspect, Detective?" he asked in surprise. She shrugged, and Miller almost chuckled at the way her colleague had the 'I couldn't give a damn' look nailed.
"Well, you're not a witness," she replied. Seeing the doubt hovering in his eyes, Lilly smirked craftily, "are you?"
The priest hung his head.
"David!"
The older man appeared from the cloister.
"Michael! It's late. What are you doing here?" Marsden staggered forward. Fr. David stared in horror at the red stains on his friend's shirt.
"I killed her, David! She's dead! I killed her!"
The priest took in a sharp breath, hastily making the sign of a cross on his chest.
"Come with me, David," he said slowly, taking the man's elbow and leading him towards the confessional.
Lilly pushed away from the door.
"So you gave him an out. You knew that anything he told you in the confessional would have to stay quiet."
"And just to make sure nothing could go wrong, you offered to take the gun and hide it," Miller completed, perching on the edge of the desk. David shook his head, looking up aghast.
"No! I didn't realize the gun was at St Thomas' until Greg found it!"
Lilly narrowed her eyes.
"Meaning you had to keep him quiet," she said angrily. Miller slapped the folder down on the desk, and David jumped. He looked between the two women, realising that he stood no chance.
"What, you feed him some kinda crap about goin' straight to Hell?" the dark haired detective pressed. David grabbed at the table frantically.
"No! I just...he was so close to those kids, I...I didn't know what to do. I didn't want them to feel any more pain."
"So you covered up their mother's murder?" Miller replied incredulously. The blonde detective straightened.
"It's OK, Kat. Where he's going, he'll know all about pain," she said dangerously. Miller watched a single tear creep down the man's cheek.
"And if he's lucky, maybe he'll get a chance to ask God for forgiveness."
"I wouldn't count on it, though," Lilly added, "I hear there's a long line of people waiting to kneel down over at Curran-Fromhold."
Less than three feet away, behind the mirrored glass, Scotty and Vera were chuckling quietly.
"Remind me to never piss them off at the same time," the younger man said, rubbing the back of his head. Vera frowned, watching their female counterparts in awe.
"Remind me to never piss 'em off at all!"
Sorry to any Patriot fans! I needed a line, and my other half happened to be talking about football! Hope I didn't upset anyone...maybe ya'll could leave me a little review? Maybe one that makes me happy? Pwetty please? THANKS!