Series -, Episode -: Keep it in the Family
Date: Thursday 11th September 2008
Investigating Officers: DC Mickey Webb, DC Hannah McKay
"What d'you mean?" The detective demanded, taking a couple of steps into the room. Pippa turned over, wincing in pain. Hannah narrowed her eyes as she saw the tell-tale signs of a woman who'd been beaten. "Did Ed do this to you?"
Pippa nodded. "He got angry when I got back from talking to you. He wanted to know what you wanted. I told him you just had a few more questions about Briana but he didn't believe me. He said that if you came snooping around again he'd know I'd opened my mouth. I said you needed to know the truth if you were going to find Bri, but then… then he… he said that you wouldn't find her."
"Did your husband do something to Briana, Pippa?" Hannah asked, already having guessed the answer.
"I… I thought that he was looking after her. I was only out for an hour… he said that they'd gone to the park… he told me he'd left her to buy cigarettes. I was furious with him…"
"Was he lying?" Hannah prompted gently.
Pippa nodded and sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "She was pestering him; asking him for sweets. He snapped and hit her… she hit her head as she fell." The woman turned to the detective with tear-stained cheeks. "He killed my baby. He killed her."
"OK, Pippa." Hannah squeezed her hand. "It's OK. We'll get you out of here and then we'll arrest him."
"No, I don't think so."
They both turned and saw Ed pushing Mickey into the room, waving a kitchen knife at him menacingly. Hannah immediately put herself between the man and his wife, acutely aware of the fact that the move left her vulnerable to attack instead. Mickey, spotting that at once, shifted slightly so he was blocking her.
"What are you going to do, Ed?" He asked calmingly.
"I don't know." He ran a hand through his hair, still holding the knife aloft. "But you're gonna stay here while I think. Anyone who tries to get in or out of this flat will get this stuck in them."
He slammed the door behind him as he disappeared out of the room. Mickey took a step towards the door, intending to go out and try to talk some sense into him, but Pippa cried out, looking pained.
"Don't!" She cautioned. "He means it… he'll stab you."
"Don't, Mick." Hannah shook her head. "There's not point provoking him into doing something stupid. What happened?"
"I saw a bloody tea towel in the washing machine and guessed Ed had something to do with Briana's disappearance. He confessed everything."
"How did Uniform miss that?" The red-head demanded in disbelief. Mickey just shrugged, rubbing his jaw distractedly. "Well, call it in to the DCI and explain to him what's happening. They'll have to spare someone from the Jarvis case to come down."
Micky groaned, running a hand over his face. "He's going to kill me. He told me to make sure nothing happened to you." He let out another groan. "Then again, what he'll do to me will look like child's play compared to what Jo will do."
Hannah chuckled for a moment, before her face contorted in agony and she clutched her stomach, exhaling in short little puffs of breath. The contractions were getting closer together and Hannah knew that things were getting more serious, especially now that they were being kept prisoner at knife point. For a moment she considered asking Mickey to tell Jo that she was going into labour, but then thought better of it, knowing that it would just panic everyone. Jo would already be furious that she'd been sent out to the Estate.
"Are you alright?" Pippa asked worriedly, kneeling up and putting her hand on Hannah's arm. She ignored the pain in her ribs as she moved, focusing on the pregnant detective instead. "What's wrong?"
"She's got them Braxton Hicks things." Mickey said, waiting for the DCI to answer his call. "Ah, Guv… yeah… slight problem this end… Yeah. It's Ed Kelley, Guv. He lost his temper with his daughter and smacked her. She hit her head when she fell. Yeah… I know." There was a long pause. "There might be a slight hitch with us bringing him in. He's sort of holding us hostage in his flat, Guv." Another long pause followed his announcement and Hannah could hear the shouting on the other end of the line. Mickey winced. "She's fine, Guv, I… hang on."
Hannah took the phone that was shoved in her direction. "Hi, Guv. Absolutely fine. Yep… bread knife, yeah… No, she didn't." Her gaze flicked towards Pippa and she smiled reassuringly. "He's done a right number on her, Guv." Jack said something and Hannah frowned, shaking her head vehemently even though he couldn't see her. "Please make sure Jo doesn't do something stupid. Make sure she knows I'm OK. I will… I promise, Guv."
She passed the phone back to Mickey just in time to prevent Jack hearing her gasping and doubling over, clutching the end of the bed for support. DC Webb looked at her in panic, listening to the DCI telling him that they'd send backup and armed officers over to get them out. Hannah gritted her teeth closing her eyes and panting against the pain.
"These aren't Braxton Hicks, are they?" Pippa muttered in her ear, rubbing small circles into the small of her back.
Hannah shook her head. "No… the contractions have been getting stronger and closer together for hours."
"Why aren't you at the hospital?" The younger woman demanded.
"It's not due for another month." Hannah ground out. "I thought it would be OK… but it's moving so fast." She felt a popping sensation and then a rush of liquid down her legs. "Oh shit…"
"What?" Mickey asked, turning round and looking at her.
"My waters just broke…"
"Eh?" He looked terrified. "But you said…"
"I lied, Mickey." Hannah told him with a glare. "I lied."
"Why?"
She shook her head at him, glad of the brief respite from the contractions. "Don't you know me at all, DC Webb? I wanted to crack this case before this one made an appearance and I knew that the second you realised I was in labour you'd have me in a hospital bed in no time."
"When did it start?"
"At the nick."
Mickey threw his hands up in exasperation. "At the nick? Hannah!"
"Oh, pipe down, Michael." She ordered, moaning and clutching her stomach again. Once the wave had subsided, she turned her wide eyes on the other woman who was still rubbing her back supportively. "This isn't good, is it?"
"No." Pippa agreed.
"What's not good?" Mickey asked in confusion, looking between them.
"It's going too quick." Hannah gasped out, squeezing Pippa's hand in a crushing grip.
"Too quick? What does that mean? How long is it supposed to take?"
"It depends." Pippa told him without looking away from the red-head. "But this… this is very quick."
Unable to hold back anymore, Hannah squeezed her eyes closed and lowered her head, pushing her chin into her chest and panting heavily. "Oh fuck… fuck. I want Jo. Get Jo." She looked up and realised that Mickey hadn't moved. "Why the fuck aren't you fucking calling Jo?"
The man jumped, realising that she was completely serious. He fumbled in his pocket for his mobile, making the call and pacing nervously. He was dreading hearing what Jo would say when he told her that Hannah was in labour. The call, however, went to voicemail. Knowing that Hannah would panic, Mickey dialled Jack's number instead.
"We've got a problem. Hannah's–" He stopped, wincing as she let out a scream of pain. "Hannah's in labour, Guv. She's asking for Jo. Actually, asking is an understatement. We need to get her out of here, now." He looked nervously at the red-head. "I'll try, but I don't know if he'll agree. OK. Thanks…"
Shoving his phone into his pocket, Mickey knocked on the door. "Ed? Ed, are you listening." He paused, waiting for a response. When he got none, he continued anyway. "Listen, Ed, DC McKay has gone into labour. It's very important that we get her out of here and get her to the hospital." As though trying to prove his point, Hannah screamed again.
"No. No one's going anywhere."
"Please, Ed. Let her go. She needs to go to the hospital." Pippa tried reasoning with him.
"I said no."
Hannah whimpered. She tried to straighten up, moaning softly. "Have either of you ever delivered a baby before?" They both shook their heads, looking totally horrified at the prospect. "Oh good…"
They got Hannah onto the bed and tried to make her as comfortable as possible. She twisted her head, trying to bury her face in the pillows as another contraction ripped through her. A chain of swear words were ripped from her throat and she arched up off the bed, crying with the pain.
"I want drugs." She demanded. "I want Jo."
"Jo's coming."
"How d'you know that? You haven't spoken to her."
Mickey grinned, squeezing her hand. "I know Jo. She's probably got some superpower that alerts her to when you need her."
Hannah whimpered, crying out and bringing her knees up to her chest. She clawed at the duvet, grabbing handfuls in her fists.
"This is ridiculous." Mickey snapped, running his hands through his hair. "I need to do something. I need to… Is it coming?"
"Yes it's fucking coming!" Hannah screamed at him.
"Should we… check?" Pippa asked, glancing at the male DC.
Mickey held his hands up and backed away. "Woah… I'm not getting involved in that."
"OK, well, turn around, then." She ordered, suddenly determined.
The man barely had time to turn around before the younger woman was removing the pregnant detective's jeans and underwear to check the progress of her labour. She swore and scrambled backwards at the sight that greeted her, causing Mickey to whirl around with wide eyes. He covered his face at the sight that greeted him, turning to focus his attention back on the door.
"Oh god… I can see the head." Pippa muttered.
Hannah started crying even more. "I want Jo… Jo should be here."
As if in answer to her words, there was a loud bang and a lot of shouting from somewhere outside the door. Mickey and Pippa's gaze flicked towards the sound, but Hannah simply cried out, going with her strong urge to push.
The door flew open and Jo appeared, wild-eyed and breathless, looking around the room before her eyes settled on her sweaty, dishevelled girlfriend lying on the bed. She pushed Mickey out of the way to get to Hannah, grabbing her hand and pressing a series of kisses to the back of it. Jo pushed Hannah's hair away from her face, placing a single kiss on her forehead.
"It's gonna be OK now, baby. I'm here." Jo promised.
"I can't have her here… I… I can't…"
Pippa looked at her, slightly disgustedly. "I don't think you've got a choice. I don't know how to do this."
"Mickey… go and get Sam." Jo ordered, not taking her eyes off Hannah's.
Grateful for the excuse to leave, the DC slipped out of the room to go in search of the female DI. He didn't have to go far, bumping into the petite blonde in the corridor outside the bedroom. He passed on Jo's request that she go and help, before shooting out of the flat in search of the DCI.
"Why are you here, Han?" Jo shook her head in despair at her girlfriend's antics. "Mickey said you went into labour at the station."
"I… I needed to solve the case." Hannah gasped out, her nails cutting into Jo's hand as she gripped it tightly. "I needed to know."
"You're worse than me, babe." The brunette chuckled. "Hell, you're worse than Sam!"
Gritting her teeth, the younger woman looked sideways and tried to smirk. "I got him, though. I solved it."
"Yeah, love, you did." Jo agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"Han?" Sam beamed at her, rolling up her sleeves and moving to the foot of the bed. She winced slightly as Hannah whimpered. "Right, sweetheart, you're going to have to push, OK?"
"No. No… I can't. It fucking hurts."
"I know, darling, I know." Her friend agreed, stroking her leg comfortingly. "But if we're going to get this little one out, you need to."
"Come on, babe." Jo encouraged, kissing the side of her head and squeezing her hand tightly. "Jo Junior needs to come and meet her Mama."
"We are not calling her Jo Junior." Hannah said firmly, scowling. "Oh, fuck."
She grunted, pushing hard. The grunt turned into a scream and she threw her head back, nearly head-butting Jo in the process. Panting heavily, she closed her eyes.
"The head's out." Sam told them, smiling broadly. "One more big push, darling."
"No."
"That's an order, DC McKay." The DI replied, arching an eyebrow.
Hannah whimpered and nodded, pushing herself up slightly so that she could bear down more effectively. Another scream almost deafened everyone in the room. But then Hannah's cries were joined by smaller, more high-pitched wails. Flopping back against the pillows, Hannah closed her eyes and breathed deeply, holding onto Jo's hand for dear life.
Sam cradled the newborn carefully, cutting the cord with a pair of scissors Pippa passed her and wrapping the baby in her cardigan. Moving carefully to the top of the bed, she placed the tiny bundle in Hannah's arms, before throwing a blanket from the chair in the corner of the room over the woman to preserve her modesty.
"Jo was right; you've got a little girl." Sam beamed. "She's perfect."
"She's beautiful." Jo breathed, moving a corner of the cardigan gently.
"Caitlin." Hannah said softly, remembering the many conversations she and Jo had had about possible names for the baby. "Caitlin Elizabeth Masters-McKay."
"It suits her." Sam smiled at them as the brunette looked at her girlfriend in wonder.
"Elizabeth is Jo's middle name." Hannah explained with an exhausted smile, raising her face to Jo's and waiting for a kiss. "Here, hold your daughter."
"Your middle name is Elizabeth?" Sam asked interestedly. "I thought it was Jane?"
"Elizabeth Jane." Jo shrugged, looking down in adoration at the baby in her arms. Ripping her eyes away, she looked back at the red-head, seeing that her eyes were drifting closed. "Hey, baby… don't go to sleep. We need to get you and this little one to St Hugh's."
"Why?" Hannah demanded sleepily. "I want to go home."
"Caitlin's a month premature." Jo reminded her. "And you need to be checked over as well, sweetheart."
"I'm fine."
"We'll let the doctors decide that."
A soft knock on the door broke up the silent argument that was happening between Hannah and Jo. Jack and Mickey peered into the room, broad grins split their faces as their eyes fell on the squirming bundle in the brunette DC's arms.
"Who's this then? CID's newest recruit?" Jack teased, moving further into the room.
"This, Guv, is Caitlin Elizabeth Masters-McKay." Jo told him, standing up very carefully and carrying the baby over to them. She looked at him seriously. "And she is not joining CID."