Part 16
Bailey is pacing the command center room floor. Grace and Sam sit in two chairs, watching him. They all appear nervous, and worried, and they have every right to be."John should have reported in by now." Bailey thinks. He is starting to get really worried. He usually is very patient when waiting, but not today.He wants to do something, preferably ring Rich Warren's neck for all the crap hes put the team through, and its only been today.What did George see in him? This assignment was striking a deep cord in Bailey. The VCTF was as close as he had gotten to family, besides Frances, since the divorce. He truly felt for these people and this hurt him.Ever since he the attacks had started at three, Bailey had been worrying about watching members of his "family" die, and then when he had found out he might have to watch both George and Frances go through that fate, he almost couldn't hold back the tears. Instead, of crying though, he had changed his sadness into anger, and yelled at George, which he shouldn't have done.He knew he shouldn't have, yet, he had, and it cut into his heart when George had burst into tears. Bailey could not imagine what it felt like for someone you loved to betray you so much.Bailey had just been so worried about Frances, she was just getting her life in order, he had forgotten George had a lot of his life left, too. Bailey had apologized, but he still felt bad about it, he would have to write George a note -or- bring him some chocolate, when this was all over. Then maybe this wouldn't trouble Bailey's conscience. George had never delibrately set out to put Frances in this postion, and Bailey knew that. He had overreacted, today just seemed the day for overreacting. It must be a full moon. Bailey thinks of something, he think, when this whole thing blows over, he will give George and Frances permission to date each other. He had a set of opera tickets for an opera next week. He'd give it to them. George wasn't that bad of a guy, and he had already seen a change come about in Frances somewhat from their meeting last night. Though, he would ask them, if they had to had intercourse, to use a condom, -or- wait till they were married. Not that they would get married, but after today, he wanted to emphasize safety to both of them. And he thinks George will not comment on this, but comply. With the fear he had had today, he would probably insist on it. Bailey looks at the phone, waiting for it to ring. "He should have reported in by now." He mumbles, referring to John. John not reporting in, was irrating him, and starting his supicions to rise again.Red flags popping up all over in his brain.
"I'm sure, he would if something had happened, maybe Rich hasn't gone to George's apartment yet."Grace answers. She was getting worried about George herself, but she knew he was a big boy, and he knew how to handle himself, most of the time. And John, being so against gays as he was, would probably intervene, if Rich and George were cuddling, and he would have most definetly have called if Rich had tried to kiss George. George probably would not kiss Rich on the lips, especially if he liked Frances now, like he had said he did, he would not want to risk it.
The elevator chimes, and the door slides open before Bailey can respond to this. Frances Malone steps out of the elevator. She gives Bailey a big smile. "Hi, Daddy."
Bailey pulls her into a hug, he had been so worried about her safety earlier, and this was a happy suprise."Why are you here?" He says after they share a long embrace.
Frances is a little confused by his heightened protectiveness, but it feels good to get a hug from him. "I wanted to talk to you about something.If, you're not busy."
Bailey nods, "I think I can manage a talk with you. Would you like to do it here, -or- in my office." He had something he needed to tell her, too. He wanted to let George handle it, but he might not be up to it, and she did need to know. He just hoped he didn't complicate things between her and George. He was sure, she would probably understand, it was not George's fault, and she would have the sense not to blame him.
Frances looks around the command center. Noticing only Grace and Sam, she gives a titling look down the hall. "Hi, Sam, Hi Grace, where's George?" she asks.
He knows she is looking for him. "He's on assignment. "
"We can talk in here, I don't mind if Grace and Sam listen, then." She really wished George was here, and finds it odd, hes on assignment, but it must have been important. "But first did George tell you we met last night at a cafe?" She sits in a chair next to Sam, where George's laptop sits harmlessly.
"Yes, he did." Bailey sits across from her.
"Then, hes already asked you, good, what do you think then." She rubs her fingers along the laptop, softly, tracing its features, while still looking up at Bailey.
"I am thinking the relationship over, but there is something, I need to tell you Frances." Bailey says.
"Do you think it is wise to tell her, I am sure George will tell her on his own." Sam answers.
"She does have a point, Bail, they should discuss this on their own terms." Grace comments.
"Tell me what? " Frances asks eagerly, wondering what is going on.
"Maybe I should tell her then, Bail, I know more about the whole situation then you guys, since it doesn't start with Rich." Grace comments.
"Okay." Bailey comments.
Grace takes a deep breath. She knows it may not touch Frances as much as if George told the story, he had an interesting way of storytelling, that can make emotions, set into people, as they fit the story, but she would get the point. "This really all started about five years ago. George was engaged to be married to a charming young woman named Julie Winters. This was when we all worked at the Atlanta, PD. They were a cute couple, and had been together eight years. Julie worked with me in forensics, George in communications. I was to be one of the bridemaids at the wedding.It was going to be a jewish wedding, with a reception to suit Julie's catholic parents afterwards. It was set for saturday, and they both had to worked the friday before. George came by at seven, to see if she wanted a ride home, we had both been busy with a series of autopsies and she had a couple of things to finish. She said "that it was okay, she would catch a ride home herself, and she would see him at ten the next day, and that she hoped he was as excited as she was about tomorrow." He said he was and, would see her tomorrow. I was just leaving at the time, and I told them both goodbye."She takes a deep breath,trying to control herself, this story always makes her cry, " When I got outside, my cell phone went off and Mason told me he couldn't come and pick me up. George offered to drop me off at home. I accepted. As we were on the road, I could tell he was jittery and nervous. We had a discussion about wedding jitters.He dropped me off at my house, and I told him I'd see him tomorrow. Me and Mason got their early at the temple,about eight am, and we found George pacing. He said Julie hadn't showed up yet. His female relatives were having a fit, she was suppose to be their at seven, since she had an elobrate dress, and they had to run her through the ceremony. He was nervous, he had the feeling something had gone wrong.Mason told him not to worry, that she wouldn't stiff him. His father came in, tapping him on the shoulder, saying he had a call from work, and that he wished he would take it quickly, and ask them not to call again. He goes into a room close by to answer it, making a comment about always having to work. A few seconds after he answers the phone, we hear him break into a loud sobbing. I hear him ask the person on the other end if he was sure, several times, each time a bit angrier. He slams the phone down, and comes back into the main room. "The wedding is off, everyone go home!!!" he shouts. He turns to leave, but I grab his shoulder. "What happened?" I ask. He falls into my arms and begins crying. "Julie was killed in a car bomb explosion......" I hear through his sobs....."
(more to come)
Bailey is pacing the command center room floor. Grace and Sam sit in two chairs, watching him. They all appear nervous, and worried, and they have every right to be."John should have reported in by now." Bailey thinks. He is starting to get really worried. He usually is very patient when waiting, but not today.He wants to do something, preferably ring Rich Warren's neck for all the crap hes put the team through, and its only been today.What did George see in him? This assignment was striking a deep cord in Bailey. The VCTF was as close as he had gotten to family, besides Frances, since the divorce. He truly felt for these people and this hurt him.Ever since he the attacks had started at three, Bailey had been worrying about watching members of his "family" die, and then when he had found out he might have to watch both George and Frances go through that fate, he almost couldn't hold back the tears. Instead, of crying though, he had changed his sadness into anger, and yelled at George, which he shouldn't have done.He knew he shouldn't have, yet, he had, and it cut into his heart when George had burst into tears. Bailey could not imagine what it felt like for someone you loved to betray you so much.Bailey had just been so worried about Frances, she was just getting her life in order, he had forgotten George had a lot of his life left, too. Bailey had apologized, but he still felt bad about it, he would have to write George a note -or- bring him some chocolate, when this was all over. Then maybe this wouldn't trouble Bailey's conscience. George had never delibrately set out to put Frances in this postion, and Bailey knew that. He had overreacted, today just seemed the day for overreacting. It must be a full moon. Bailey thinks of something, he think, when this whole thing blows over, he will give George and Frances permission to date each other. He had a set of opera tickets for an opera next week. He'd give it to them. George wasn't that bad of a guy, and he had already seen a change come about in Frances somewhat from their meeting last night. Though, he would ask them, if they had to had intercourse, to use a condom, -or- wait till they were married. Not that they would get married, but after today, he wanted to emphasize safety to both of them. And he thinks George will not comment on this, but comply. With the fear he had had today, he would probably insist on it. Bailey looks at the phone, waiting for it to ring. "He should have reported in by now." He mumbles, referring to John. John not reporting in, was irrating him, and starting his supicions to rise again.Red flags popping up all over in his brain.
"I'm sure, he would if something had happened, maybe Rich hasn't gone to George's apartment yet."Grace answers. She was getting worried about George herself, but she knew he was a big boy, and he knew how to handle himself, most of the time. And John, being so against gays as he was, would probably intervene, if Rich and George were cuddling, and he would have most definetly have called if Rich had tried to kiss George. George probably would not kiss Rich on the lips, especially if he liked Frances now, like he had said he did, he would not want to risk it.
The elevator chimes, and the door slides open before Bailey can respond to this. Frances Malone steps out of the elevator. She gives Bailey a big smile. "Hi, Daddy."
Bailey pulls her into a hug, he had been so worried about her safety earlier, and this was a happy suprise."Why are you here?" He says after they share a long embrace.
Frances is a little confused by his heightened protectiveness, but it feels good to get a hug from him. "I wanted to talk to you about something.If, you're not busy."
Bailey nods, "I think I can manage a talk with you. Would you like to do it here, -or- in my office." He had something he needed to tell her, too. He wanted to let George handle it, but he might not be up to it, and she did need to know. He just hoped he didn't complicate things between her and George. He was sure, she would probably understand, it was not George's fault, and she would have the sense not to blame him.
Frances looks around the command center. Noticing only Grace and Sam, she gives a titling look down the hall. "Hi, Sam, Hi Grace, where's George?" she asks.
He knows she is looking for him. "He's on assignment. "
"We can talk in here, I don't mind if Grace and Sam listen, then." She really wished George was here, and finds it odd, hes on assignment, but it must have been important. "But first did George tell you we met last night at a cafe?" She sits in a chair next to Sam, where George's laptop sits harmlessly.
"Yes, he did." Bailey sits across from her.
"Then, hes already asked you, good, what do you think then." She rubs her fingers along the laptop, softly, tracing its features, while still looking up at Bailey.
"I am thinking the relationship over, but there is something, I need to tell you Frances." Bailey says.
"Do you think it is wise to tell her, I am sure George will tell her on his own." Sam answers.
"She does have a point, Bail, they should discuss this on their own terms." Grace comments.
"Tell me what? " Frances asks eagerly, wondering what is going on.
"Maybe I should tell her then, Bail, I know more about the whole situation then you guys, since it doesn't start with Rich." Grace comments.
"Okay." Bailey comments.
Grace takes a deep breath. She knows it may not touch Frances as much as if George told the story, he had an interesting way of storytelling, that can make emotions, set into people, as they fit the story, but she would get the point. "This really all started about five years ago. George was engaged to be married to a charming young woman named Julie Winters. This was when we all worked at the Atlanta, PD. They were a cute couple, and had been together eight years. Julie worked with me in forensics, George in communications. I was to be one of the bridemaids at the wedding.It was going to be a jewish wedding, with a reception to suit Julie's catholic parents afterwards. It was set for saturday, and they both had to worked the friday before. George came by at seven, to see if she wanted a ride home, we had both been busy with a series of autopsies and she had a couple of things to finish. She said "that it was okay, she would catch a ride home herself, and she would see him at ten the next day, and that she hoped he was as excited as she was about tomorrow." He said he was and, would see her tomorrow. I was just leaving at the time, and I told them both goodbye."She takes a deep breath,trying to control herself, this story always makes her cry, " When I got outside, my cell phone went off and Mason told me he couldn't come and pick me up. George offered to drop me off at home. I accepted. As we were on the road, I could tell he was jittery and nervous. We had a discussion about wedding jitters.He dropped me off at my house, and I told him I'd see him tomorrow. Me and Mason got their early at the temple,about eight am, and we found George pacing. He said Julie hadn't showed up yet. His female relatives were having a fit, she was suppose to be their at seven, since she had an elobrate dress, and they had to run her through the ceremony. He was nervous, he had the feeling something had gone wrong.Mason told him not to worry, that she wouldn't stiff him. His father came in, tapping him on the shoulder, saying he had a call from work, and that he wished he would take it quickly, and ask them not to call again. He goes into a room close by to answer it, making a comment about always having to work. A few seconds after he answers the phone, we hear him break into a loud sobbing. I hear him ask the person on the other end if he was sure, several times, each time a bit angrier. He slams the phone down, and comes back into the main room. "The wedding is off, everyone go home!!!" he shouts. He turns to leave, but I grab his shoulder. "What happened?" I ask. He falls into my arms and begins crying. "Julie was killed in a car bomb explosion......" I hear through his sobs....."
(more to come)