Thirty-Six

It happened because it could happen. It came with the territory of being a cop. Being a cop in a major city. Being an undercover cop, in general. Most of the time, one would expect to last for twenty years before retiring with their pension; it had been wishful thinking, the light at the end of the long, treacherous time.

But sometimes, it didn't work out. One could make all of the future decisions they wanted, but could never battle against fate. It wasn't fair, then again, life tended not to be.

Jacob was standing next to her, only speaking when he knew Leah wanted it. She appreciated his consideration, his presence, his insistence that he was here to make sure Leah was okay. She would reach that point. Eventually, she vowed to herself.

She could go inside the room; she had every right to, given that according to the law, she was still Sam's wife. But she preferred to watch from afar, even if it was just the other side of the wall; she could keep an eye on him, she reasoned, through the window and the pulled back curtains. She could maintain her distance unless Sam asked for otherwise. Which given the man's unconscious state, it would not happen anytime soon.

Oh, Sam...

All she wanted was a divorce from him, not this.

Leah glanced down to see her hands trembling. She supposed she was still at the denial stage of grief, perhaps at the tail end. She looked back up, eyes locked on her comatose husband. "He saw this coming," she softly said.

He had seen it coming back in the spring. He had called Leah about it, during his last night as a free-cop. Leah had only brushed it off as nerves, telling him that everything would be okay—fuck, she felt like shit.

She took a deep breath and just stared, feeling Jacob's concerned eyes on her.

"What?"

"He told me... some time back. He called me about having this nightmare," Leah explained, fumbling with her fingers. Her shoulders had dropped, defeated. "He was worried about the mission. Of course, he didn't actually say that, but I could tell. And I told him that everything would work out."

"This isn't your fault."

Leah slightly frowned; those were the exact words she expected to hear from her partner. "I know, but it doesn't make me feel any better. It's just this fucking job; it only brings tragedy to my—"

"Leah..."

"My dad died a week after my tenth birthday. Two weeks after getting promoted to captain," Leah pressed on. It was a memory she would rather forget, even after all these years. But was still there. "Put a gun to his mouth."

She glanced up at Jacob. His face didn't convey much, but she could tell by his breathing, that... she didn't know how to explain it. But then again, she wasn't sure if she was telling this story to him. It was just something she needed to get off her chest.

Leah sighed, and carried on, "One day he was there, laughing with us, smiling, and the next... gone, and I still don't know why. He didn't leave a suicide note."

"Jesus..."

"My mom refused to accept it. She thought it had to have been an accident or murder. He was a cop. Of course, the department was going to investigate it thoroughly... and the verdict still ended up being the same. Self-inflicted gunshot."

"When I told my mom I wanted to be a detective, she had a breakdown. Didn't talk to me for almost a week; that was a couple of days after I graduated from college... by the time Seth told her he wanted to do the same, I think she just gave up." Leah dropped her gaze. "I think she thinks Seth and I are going to suffer the same fate as my dad... Seth... he says he wants to join to do some good. Help the public out, but I just can't picture him in a uniform. But maybe that's just me, still seeing Seth as a little, carefree boy."

"It's like bad things happen to my family when we become a cop—first, my dad, then me, almost dying, and now, Sam." She took a deep breath. "What would happen to Seth?"

"I don't want to sound insensitive, Leah," Jacob said. "But shit happens. I don't think it has anything about joining the force, it's just that life's a bitch." He sighed. "Plus, Sam's not dead."

"He has a bullet in his head, Jacob. He's in a coma, Jacob," Leah said. "He's not coming back from this."

"Then why don't you take him out of his misery and pull the plug?"

Leah stared up at her partner, speechless. The thought had never crossed her mind. She had never seen herself doing this, despite her feelings towards him and his actions. She didn't want to kill him.

"You hear his heart beating?" Jacob asked.

"You know I can."

"Then he still has a chance."

Leah appreciated Jacob's optimism, but she could only think of the worst.

The man had been shot in the head. Leah thought he couldn't come back from this, but then again, stranger things could happen. Have happened. After all, she was still alive and breathing and in better physical shape than she had ever been.

Leah's gaze dropped to the tiled floor. There was thought in her mind that wouldn't go away—She wanted to ask him. She wanted to ask him so badly, but he, not once, made any reference about it. With her, he hadn't hesitated. But with Sam, he had made no effort.

She couldn't do anything. Her bite would probably just shorten her husband's road to death.

"Leah..."

"Jacob."

"Just give me the word, and I'll do it."

Leah knew he would. The fire in his eyes told her that she would. But she could tell. Maybe, by the way his heart beat, that this wouldn't be his decision. He had never been too fond of the man, even before meeting Leah.

"It's not your job to turn every person at the brink of death."

"Just give me the word," Jacob repeated, rubbing his forehead. "You've been thinking about it. Now, I can't stop thinking about it."

"It's not my place—"

"You're his wife, aren't you? You can go right to his doctor, right now, and request to take Sam off of life support. No one would even bat an eye," Jacob said. "Or do you just want to leave him alone."

"I want to leave him alone."

No one gave her the usual shit about Sam.

It's about damn time, she thought.

She just wished it wasn't because of Sam. She wished it was because all of the people she worked with were mature. Only here to work.

"It doesn't work that way," Jacob told her. "Only in a perfect world would that happen. People can be assholes."

Leah knew that. "They're not now," she said. "Maybe that'll change once Sam gets better."

"Maybe."

Leah was never close to her in-laws.

In everyone's defense, the distance didn't help. Leah was from Chicago with family in Washington. The entire Uley clan was down in Texas.

Leah harbored no ill-feelings towards her in-laws even with her marriage coming to a close. Her in-laws were private, respectful people. They were always welcoming when necessary — always trying to coax their only child down to Laredo. It had taken them years to accept that their son wanted to stay in Chicago.

Leah wondered how they felt about it now, especially the woman standing next to her. Her mother-in-law, Allison Uley. Contrary to popular belief, there wasn't much tension between the two women; their focus was only one man who was lying comatose on the hospital bed.

"Will you be staying the night again, Mrs. Uley?" the nurse asked as she walked out of Sam's room. She had just checked his vitals and gave him his medicine.

Leah was Sam's wife. It made sense to stay behind, even for a couple of days. But Leah just couldn't. One moment she would try over him, and the next, she might actually pull the plug out of rage. "No," she said, glancing at her mother in law.

She didn't want the woman to think that she was some… bitch.

It was just for the best.

"I'll stay with him," Allison told the nurse. "Someone should be there with him."

Leah spoke up, "Allison-"

"It's fine," Allison insisted, smiling at her. "You're a very busy woman, and he's my son. I should there."

The nurse looked between Leah and Allison and shrugged. "Sounds good to me."

"I can stay," Leah offered as the nurse walked away. She didn't want Allison to think less of her. "It's not a problem."

Allison shook her head. "I think you'd do this city and Sam a favor if you find out who did this to my baby," she said. "Don't worry about it, Leah. I'll be fine." She checked her wristwatch. "You should go. Your lunch will be up soon."

Emily came the following day.

Leah didn't want her to be here, but she didn't have the heart to call on security and have her cousin whisked away. They were at a hospital, a public hospital. Emily wasn't a threat to Sam's safety. Annoying, but not a threat. And plus, he was the father of her unborn child.

Sue told her that it was a boy.

When Emily reached Sam's room, she quickly greeted Leah (wisely not hugging her as she had done in the past) and Allison before asking, quite frantically about Sam. She had learned about the man's condition via Sue—the petty side of Leah wished her mother hadn't said anything, but the more rational part was glad she had.

Allison didn't care for Emily—no, she didn't know Emily enough to care. They had met a few times, usually during Clearwater-Uley gatherings, exchanged the usual pleasantries and engaged in the general small talk. Allison didn't think much of the younger woman.

Which, in Leah's opinion, made this visit a bit easier.

Leah allowed Emily into Sam's room, allowed her to see him, speak to him, do whatever she pleased. Emily was grateful, but was smart enough to keep any communication between her and Leah to a bare minimum—Leah had threatened a restraining order in the past; although she never requested one, it seemed that Emily got the point.

Thank goodness.

"I didn't realize Emily was so close to my son," Allison remarked, watching Emily as she held Sam's hand into hers, caressing it. She even leaned over to plant a kiss on her forehead- that earned a look of pure bewilderment on the older woman's face. She looked at Leah, who tried to remain as stone-faced as possible. "Leah, what is the meaning of this?"

Leah sighed. This was not the time nor the place to discuss Sam's relationship drama. But Emily wasn't backing down, and Allison wasn't going to let this go.

"They are, you know," Leah said, trying to find the right words. "This."

"You're not making any sense."

Oh shit, Leah realized with horror, Sam had never told his parents about Emily. Only about the divorce.

Of course, he didn't.

"She's the reason why we're ending things," Leah admitted. She could have thought of a better response. A better lie. Something that could postpone the fireworks until after Sam woke up. But Allison, though never close with Leah, had always been unproblematic. Leah didn't want to lie to her.

Except that Allison thought Leah was lying to her. Or pulling a terrible, cruel joke.

When Leah told her that in fact, she wasn't lying, Allison didn't fall out. She didn't scream or try to drag Emily off of her son. She was shocked, but she didn't present the typical symptoms of being shocked. She was seemingly calm and collected, just standing there, staring at her son and his lover through the glass window.

"She's pregnant," Allison stated after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"It's his."

Allison raised an eyebrow. "I thought he didn't want any children?"

"I thought so, too," Leah replied quietly, glancing through the transparent window. Her gaze fixed on Emily's protruding belly. "From all accounts, it was an accident."

"She's far along."

"Due next month."

"That idiot," Allison said, shaking her head. "That idiot." She turned her attention to Leah. Her features soften, sympathetic, wishing she had the right words to tell her future ex-daughter-in-law. "When he told me about the divorce, about you asking for one, admittedly, I did not have any kind words for you. And for that, I'm sorry." She sighed. "I love my son. He's my world, but he can be so..."

"Obtuse?"

Allison nodded. "It's for the best," she said.

Allison would never know how grateful Leah was for those words. Allison was Sam's mother, so naturally, she would take her son's side. She didn't have any obligations to her daughter-in-law. She could push Leah away, accuse her of ruining her son. But she didn't.

"Thank you," Leah said sincerely.

"I suppose I should formally introduce myself to her," Allison would say moments later, eyes still glued to the window. Emily was now rubbing Sam's hand around her belly, smiling down at him, whispering sweet nothings. Allison was indifferent to the sight. "Since I'll be dealing with her for the next eighteen years," and then, "Tell me: is it serious?"

Leah shrugged.

She didn't even think Sam and Emily knew if it was. Honest to god, she hoped they figured out soon. She wanted them to be in love with each other; she wanted them to work things out, commit to an actual relationship. Because if you were going to fuck up a marriage and ruin family dynamics, you better make it worth it.

She hoped they couldn't breathe with each other. Live without each other.

It would make her feel so much better.

"She's your cousin," Allison stated, her expression a bit perplexed. She was trying to wrap her head around the revelation. "And she's carrying your husband's child…"

Leah nodded.

She didn't want to talk about this.

Thankfully, Allison sensed her daughter-in-law's discomfort and switched topics. "Joshua sends his hello. He's coming later. He wanted to come earlier, but his flight from Colombia was delayed due to a storm. He should be back tomorrow."

Leah nodded.

"An investigation is open?"

Leah nodded.

"So, this wasn't an accident."

Leah shook her head. "Most likely not."

"Details?"

"Can't give you," Leah said. "I'll let you know as soon as the information can be made public. Everything right now is sensitive… you know how it is."

Allison gave Leah a half-smile and nodded. "Yes, my husband was in the army, fought in the Gulf War." She nodded again. "I know how it is."

Aisha stayed with her that night.

Leah hadn't needed to ask.

Aisha just showed up with some much-needed food and wine. When Leah informed her that she appreciated the gesture, but couldn't exactly get drunk off her wolf-bane-free alcohol, Aisha, that saint, had managed to get some.

Leah had no intention of getting drunk. After all, she had work tomorrow. Paul had told her that she didn't need to come in the next day, but Leah needed work. She needed to get her mind off of everything.

"I don't know how he's still alive. I don't know how you are still alive. It seems that you both have angels looking over you," Aisha said, pouring herself a glass. She didn't have the highest opinion of him because of the whole Emily-situation, but for right now, he wasn't the estranged husband of a dear friend. He was just a cop, a coworker.

Leah felt the same way.

"In my case, Jacob just happened to come along at the time."

"Yeah, well, I stand by what I said."

"What happened?"

Technically, it wasn't her business. Undercover assignments were a touchy subject. But she figured everyone was going to find out sooner or later. Paul had already assigned Martinez to the investigation and Martinez had no issue discussing things with Leah—but Leah wanted to know now.

"The purge," Aisha said. "Many of the recruits are being interrogated and killed off. They think someone talked, which they did, but…"

"Whom did he work for?"

"Maria."

"Oh."

"Paul didn't want him to get involved with the Cullen's and the Volturi," Aisha explained. "It wouldn't have worked because we've been after them for so long. But Maria—she's only been in the area for a few years, laying low enough for us not to go after her."

"I see."

"Paul wanted someone to infiltrate the cartel to learn more about the UV's. Maria's people got a buyer out in Romania who transports the goods to Mexico, and then they bring them to the US. The ATF's trying to rain on their parade, but it's not been working out. Word on the street is that the Velasquez coven has ties to numerous cartels down in Mexico."

"Of course, it does."

"I don't think anyone knew how big this case was going to be. We all thought that we could use Jessica's murder to bring down the Cullen's and the Volturi. But this, right now, it's way bigger than us."

"And then, you still have the corruption investigation."

"My Lord, so much shit's been going on lately. I forgot we're being investigated for corruption," Aisha said, holding the glass to her chest. "At this rate, we may have a Netflix documentary by the end of the next year."

"As if this year couldn't get any crazier," Martinez said the next morning, shaking his head as he pulled up a chair. "I know you and Sam have your issues, but how are you?"

"I'm fine," Leah insisted, and then, admittedly, "I wanted to divorce the man, not have him take a shot to the head."

"Yeah, I know," Martinez said. "Paul assigned me to the case. I have some of my guys out there; hopefully, we can figure something out soon. I'll keep you posted."

"Thank you, Edwin."

Leah visited the Office of the Medical Examiner later that week. For the first time, it had nothing to do with the murder cases in her docket. At least, not directly.

Bella was surprised to see Leah standing at the door to her office.

Sans Jacob.

The women exchanged greetings

"I heard about what happened," Bella said, placing some reports to the side. "You're here for Sam?"

Bella's words weren't comforting; Leah didn't expect them. The relationship between the two women was strained, but professional, at best— it is, what it is—Leah should have been offended, but all she felt was a relief.

She was fucking tired of all of the apologies, the empty condolences, and offerings. Sam had gotten shot; he was now in a coma. She knew that, and she didn't need to be reminded of that every single goddamn she turned around.

Maybe, it was her being selfish.

Maybe, this was a coping mechanism.

Fuck it, she didn't know what it was.

Leah nodded. "Yes."

"How is he?"

"Hasn't woken up yet," Leah said. She was here, inside Bella's office, because she wanted to hear another perspective from a medical professional. It wasn't that she didn't trust the hospital doctors; they were fine, adequate... she just wanted more answers. A second opinion.

She retrieved the folded-up copies of Sam's medical records and handed it to Bella.

Bella skimmed through the pages, not conveying much emotion; she appeared exhausted. "Vegetative state is a finicky thing," she admitted. "Even with all of the medical advancements of today, we still don't know everything about being in a coma. Sometimes people wake up; sometimes they don't..."

Leah nodded. The words stung, but there were honest.

Bella eyed the detective and sighed. "I don't think that was what you wanted to hear."

"It's not."

"But if it gives you any solace, it's a miracle that Sam survived," Bella tried. "Two bullets to the head and still breathing? A guardian angel must've been by his side."

None of Bella's words satisfied Leah. "So, there's nothing else you can tell me?"

Bella shook her hand and handed back the pages. "His vitals are fine, considering. Now, we need his brain to wake up. You should consult with his doctor."

Leah nodded again and rose from her chair. "Thank you, Bella."

"Anytime."

Out of all of the members of the Voldemort taskforce, only Paul, as the captain, and Aisha, as Sam's keeper was invited to the emergency meeting on Friday morning. Not that it exactly mattered. Everyone knew what was going on because Paul's voice increased in volume when he was generally pissed off. And he was beyond pissed off today.

Jacob, Leah, and Embry were at their desks, trying to listen along while appearing like they were working; everyone else did the same thing. (Jared had offered to put a bug inside Paul's office, but the idea though satisfying, was quickly shut down. This was not the time to get on Paul's bad side).

The deputy chief was the first person to ask the most important question of the day, "How the hell did this happen?"

"There have been reports of a purge happening with all of the covens and even the other supernatural gangs," Aisha explained. It made sense for her to speak up. She was Sam's handler. She knew more about the investigation than anyone else. "I suppose the events of the tunnel raids spooked them… a few of our sources have been recently killed in the same—"

The deputy chief didn't like Aisha's answer. "How the hell did this happen?"

Aisha was becoming frustrated. Like she wanted to tell the actual truth, tell who was really to blame, but she held her tongue. She was important, yes, but she had the lowest rank in the room. "He was shot—"

The deputy chief brushed the detective and turned his sights onto Paul. "Captain?"

"I told you this was going to happen," Paul simply replied. It was probably the most inflammatory thing the captain had ever said to his superiors. But Leah knew that he quite literally had no more fucks to give. "I told you all that this was to happen, but everyone thought it would be fine."

"Are you implying that it's our fault?"

"I told you this was going to happen," Paul reiterated. He must have known that the deputy chief and the chief were fuming. His commander, his direct supervisor, remained quiet; the decision to keep Sam wasn't his or Paul's.

"Paul—"

"Captain," the commander interjected. "Tell us what we can do to make this unfortunate situation better."

The commander was trying to appease Paul who, based on the uptick in his anger, was about five seconds away from tossing his computer out of the window (Jacob made a point to devise a plan just in case Paul's wolf felt inspired).

"You can start by getting rid of the Deal."

The chief sighed. "Paul—"

"No. This unit was created after the shitshow that was Saint Patrick's to crack down on supernatural crimes, but how can we do anything with that goddamn Deal hovering over our heads? We literally can't do shit," Paul argued. "And now because we can't arrest anyone without getting chewed out, I got injured cops, dead witnesses, dead informants, covens running around like they're immune to the law, outside gangs who was ready to take over the city and now, as of last night—an undercover cop in a coma."

"This job was never going to be easy," the deputy chief tried to reason.

But Paul wasn't hearing any of it. "You and the other bosses either do something about the Deal, or I'm done."

The commander became extremely alarmed. "Captain, what are you—"

"I'm gone," Paul repeated, and he wasn't playing. He had tried to retire right after the tunnel-raid-gone-wrong. "I'm sick and tired of this bullshit. I'm here to make sure we get as many criminals off the Chicago streets as possible. Species, be damned. Get it done or find another goddamn captain."

"They're not gonna let him walk," Jacob whispered to Leah and Embry as practically everyone watched the "higher powers" walk from Paul's office. They all had grave looks on their faces. Except for Jenks, he seemed relieved. But that was most likely because he was the only person in that office that Paul hadn't screamed at.

"I didn't realize he had that much power," Leah whispered back.

"He's the only one who could handle this unit," Embry said. "Even the bad guys respect his authority. You know, at first, the Cullen's though he was a Chief. Not a deputy, but a Chief. That means a lot."

"Well, then, I hate to say this, but… maybe what happened to Sam is a blessing in disguise for the task force," Leah said, though she wished she didn't voice it. She wished Sam wasn't in this state. But at least, this was Jacob and Embry; they would understand where Leah was coming from.

And the guys agreed with Leah. "

It's either the Deal or Paul," Jacob said. "I doubt they'll scrap the whole thing in one swoop. Maybe make amendments. Maybe the whole thing over. Just as long as the public doesn't know about it."

"One of these days, they are."

Jacob nodded. "Hopefully, when we're all long gone."

Leah couldn't disagree with that.

"They all can collectively fuck themselves," Paul told the entire office once the higher rank men got into their cars and left. "This is going to be the last time we're going to be held back because of that Deal. If they are criminals—I don't give a damn if they're vampires, shapeshifters, humans or whatever—we're getting them. Got it?"

No one was stupid enough to argue with him.

"Good."