AD7
Disclaimers: The usual….Blah blah yakety smackety
Author's notes: This one is for Divamercury, who managed to get me back in the groove
"Well, that would solve everything nicely, if I were to take such a long fall." Jeni spat back at Sarah.
The imprint of Sarah's hand was clearly visible in the hall's light, and it looked like it should sting worse than Sarah's hand did. It surprised her that Jeni had her hand over her stomach, not her cheek. The gesture was odd, most people would have sheltered the injury.
The protective gesture was not lost on Danny either. "Jeni, are you pregnant?" his voice was filled with shock and wonder in equal measure.
"The future detective finally detects the obvious!" Jeni exclaimed bitterly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Danny asked gently, his anger had evaporated under the shock of realizing he was going to be a father.
Jeni just shook her head, tears slowly started to make tracks down her cheeks. "You were so wrapped up in the Academy, it became your whole world. A world I could never belong in, that became pretty obvious as the days went by. I felt so alone. I thought you were going to leave me. Especially when I found out your new best friend was an intelligent, attractive woman who shared your interests." She paused to wipe at the tears with the back of her hands, and gave Sarah a dark look. Whatever else was or was not going on, it was clear she thought Sarah had taken Danny away from her on some level.
"Honey, I never realized how you felt." Danny reached for her, but Jeni moved back. She was not ready for him to touch her.
"Then I was late. Oh, at first I told myself it was just stress. It can throw off your cycle. I figured I would start any day, only I didn't. After two weeks of worrying, I went to see my doctor. All that time I wasn't sure, and we were drifting apart. I didn't want to jeopardize things by making you think I was trying to keep you. Once I knew for sure, we were well on the road to breaking up. I didn't know how to tell you then, or even if I should." Jeni was standing very straight, as if she might break.
"Of course you should have told me." Danny said softly, reaching out to her again. Jeni moved back again, just enough for his hand to fall short. She was just inside the door to her apartment now.
"Should I have? I know you. You would have felt obligated to offer marriage. I never wanted you to ask me to marry you out of duty, only love. In all the time we've been together, it never crossed your mind. You never thought, I want to marry Jeni. Why should you suddenly want to tie yourself to me just because of an accident? I want a marriage based on love and respect, not guilt and obligation." Her voice was stronger now, the weight of her conviction lending her strength.
"Jeni, I…" Danny started to speak, but Jeni put a finger to his lips. Danny fell silent in surprise.
"No. Don't say anything now. I want you to go away and think about it, really think. I don't want you to come back until you know in your heart the truth about how you feel. Then come back, and we'll talk. I won't use the child as a bargaining chip. Even if we are not together, you can still see him, or her if it's a girl. I wouldn't do that to you." Jeni said firmly, and took that last step back into her apartment. She closed the door with a soft, but final sounding, click.
The two were left standing in the hallway, surrounded by black plastic trash bags and silence. After a few moments, Danny shook his head slightly. "Pez, I'm gonna be a daddy."
The wonder in his voice nearly broke Sarah's heart. She had a feeling she already knew what his answer was going to be. "C'mon partner, we need to get this stuff outta here. You can pick out names in the car."
Disclaimers: The usual….Blah blah yakety smackety
Author's notes: This one is for Divamercury, who managed to get me back in the groove
"Well, that would solve everything nicely, if I were to take such a long fall." Jeni spat back at Sarah.
The imprint of Sarah's hand was clearly visible in the hall's light, and it looked like it should sting worse than Sarah's hand did. It surprised her that Jeni had her hand over her stomach, not her cheek. The gesture was odd, most people would have sheltered the injury.
The protective gesture was not lost on Danny either. "Jeni, are you pregnant?" his voice was filled with shock and wonder in equal measure.
"The future detective finally detects the obvious!" Jeni exclaimed bitterly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Danny asked gently, his anger had evaporated under the shock of realizing he was going to be a father.
Jeni just shook her head, tears slowly started to make tracks down her cheeks. "You were so wrapped up in the Academy, it became your whole world. A world I could never belong in, that became pretty obvious as the days went by. I felt so alone. I thought you were going to leave me. Especially when I found out your new best friend was an intelligent, attractive woman who shared your interests." She paused to wipe at the tears with the back of her hands, and gave Sarah a dark look. Whatever else was or was not going on, it was clear she thought Sarah had taken Danny away from her on some level.
"Honey, I never realized how you felt." Danny reached for her, but Jeni moved back. She was not ready for him to touch her.
"Then I was late. Oh, at first I told myself it was just stress. It can throw off your cycle. I figured I would start any day, only I didn't. After two weeks of worrying, I went to see my doctor. All that time I wasn't sure, and we were drifting apart. I didn't want to jeopardize things by making you think I was trying to keep you. Once I knew for sure, we were well on the road to breaking up. I didn't know how to tell you then, or even if I should." Jeni was standing very straight, as if she might break.
"Of course you should have told me." Danny said softly, reaching out to her again. Jeni moved back again, just enough for his hand to fall short. She was just inside the door to her apartment now.
"Should I have? I know you. You would have felt obligated to offer marriage. I never wanted you to ask me to marry you out of duty, only love. In all the time we've been together, it never crossed your mind. You never thought, I want to marry Jeni. Why should you suddenly want to tie yourself to me just because of an accident? I want a marriage based on love and respect, not guilt and obligation." Her voice was stronger now, the weight of her conviction lending her strength.
"Jeni, I…" Danny started to speak, but Jeni put a finger to his lips. Danny fell silent in surprise.
"No. Don't say anything now. I want you to go away and think about it, really think. I don't want you to come back until you know in your heart the truth about how you feel. Then come back, and we'll talk. I won't use the child as a bargaining chip. Even if we are not together, you can still see him, or her if it's a girl. I wouldn't do that to you." Jeni said firmly, and took that last step back into her apartment. She closed the door with a soft, but final sounding, click.
The two were left standing in the hallway, surrounded by black plastic trash bags and silence. After a few moments, Danny shook his head slightly. "Pez, I'm gonna be a daddy."
The wonder in his voice nearly broke Sarah's heart. She had a feeling she already knew what his answer was going to be. "C'mon partner, we need to get this stuff outta here. You can pick out names in the car."