Really vague spoilers for 9x11-14 but a kinda big one for the Messers.

Chapter 27

Flack did return to work, the holidays always understaffed. That didn't stop him, or the lab team and half of homicide and special vics constantly checking in on Gus. Gus was annoyed that the cell coverage in her building had been improved, even if she did have to admit it was rather sweet how concerned everyone was about her wellbeing.

She was grateful for the connections and staying in the loop; even if hearing about the 3D printed gun, New York's guardian angel handing out millions, the recipient of Jo's sister's heart turning up, or the cursed building claiming another victim. All it did was make her yearn to get back to the precinct.

What threw her for the biggest loop, though, was Lindsay announcing her pregnancy. Not because she didn't find out when the rest of the team did, considering Danny learned the same time as all of them; more because now that she and Don had made the decision to have kids, Gus suddenly felt like she was way behind. Something not helped by the fact that they couldn't even contemplate trying until she got the six week all clear from her doctor. Luckily, Cree was on hand to help her to recover as quickly as possible, and Gus had never been so happy to go walking and hiking through cold, snow and slush.

Don tried to not worry too much about his wife, and knew that even if she had been at work he still would have been mentoring Lovato, especially after the Trinitarios case with Benny. He knew he was hovering over Gus too much, knew first hand how annoying that could be. He tried to throw himself into work, and those cases were some doozies. He still couldn't wrap his head around a printer printing guns that could shoot actual bullets, but then again he got in a fight with the copier at least once a week.

Riley getting killed shook him more than a little, partly because the man knew his Pops, but also he couldn't help but think what would have happened if Gus hadn't been wearing a vest or had taken a head shot. At least they got to do some almost spy stuff with that case, which did help take his mind off the what ifs...

He was glad that Gus was healing well, and that Lovato had loaned out her girlfriend to help with Gus' recovery; he certainly didn't want to rush her back to the precinct, any more than she was rushing herself. But when they caught that cursed building case, he missed having her there because he knew she would have gotten a kick out of it. And then when Lindsay told Danny she was pregnant again, like the whole lab hadn't been betting on it since she kept disappearing to the bathroom…anyway, yeah, that hit him harder than he cared to admit.

They hadn't really talked about it much since Gus was discharged, mostly because the doctor had made it very clear that she, they, couldn't do anything until she got an a-okay from her lady doc. Don was never so glad to have taken up boxing than he was in those six excruciatingly long and frustrating weeks, despite the alternative ministrations she did provide. He knew it was much harder on Gus, considering she didn't complain about the cold once and was talking about taking up running.

By the time January was over halfway done, nothing could keep Don from taking Gus to her six week check-up, not even the weird cheese disguised as drugs case. Luckily Messer and Lovato were fine with covering for him; not that he figured he would have gotten any blowback from Mac or Daddino anyways, they both were desperate to have Gus back in whatever capacity she could be.

"You want me to come back with you?" Don ask as the nurse called Gus' name.

"Yes, no, maybe?" Gus answered, her brow furrowing. She wanted him there, but what if the doctor didn't give her the all clear? What is despite following her discharge orders and Cree's PT program she wasn't healing as fast as she wanted? What if maybe the bullet had done more damage than they thought and she and Don couldn't have a baby and their only shot at it had been taken forever ago by that punk in an alley when she didn't even know…

Don saw the anxiety creep into her eyes, knew that her mind was going overtime with worry again. "Gus," he said softly, running a thumb over her forehead, "you're fine, we're fine, they are waiting."

She bit her lip and nodded. "Okay, yeah, come back, please."

He put his hand out and helped her up, the nurse smiling warmly at the pair as he gently nudged her forward with his palm at the small of her back. Don tried to stay out of the way while the nurse did her thing, getting Gus' stats, settling them in an exam room, giving her a paper gown. Still, he felt extremely out of place in this realm definitely meant for women; pregnant bellies everywhere, all kinds of alien looking anatomy charts all over the walls. Don didn't want to let on how anxious he was hoping everything was fine, he knew Gus was doing enough worrying for the whole planet. But he also was desperate to be back here under much more normal circumstances, rubbing their own sonogram in Messer's face…

Don's head snapped up, realizing the doctor was asking him if he would't rather wait in her office why she examined Gus. "It's fine, Don, go," Gus said, having seen the look on his face as he tried to shrink his tall form into nothingness as they navigated the maze of the OB/GYN. He gave her a wan smile, relieved as he followed the nurse out.

"You got a good one there," Dr. Ranger said, with a smile.

"The best, honestly," Gus beamed back.

The doctor turned toward her computer, tapping away on the keyboard. "Okay let's take a look at your chart. Gravida 1 nulliparous," she looked at Gus briefly, the other woman's eyes looking down, and continued reading, now silently. "You have an extensive and interesting, uh, work and medical history, Detective."

"Right there on the tin, not exactly a normal 9 to 5," Gus quipped trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her chest and gut.

Dr. Ranger gave a smaller smile this time before asking, "do you want to replace your IUD?"

"Uh, about that, I don't think so. We kind of want to try…" Gus trailed off, the doctor putting the pieces together and saying, "well let's get you fully looked at and then we can chat more."

Gus endured the poking and prodding, offering up a silent prayer that everything was fine, that if there ever had been a curse on her, that she had paid her dues and it had lifted in the swamp in the middle of that hurricane. She barely registered the doctor saying, "why don't you get dressed and I'll meet you in my office with your husband?"

They sat nervously in the chairs facing the doctor's desk, bridging the gap between the separate chairs with their intertwined fingers. Finally Dr. Ranger looked up from her tablet and spoke. "Your wound healed nicely, the stitches dissolved, your scar is minimal, but I am afraid it is permanent, at least it is low enough you can still wear a bikini."

She looked up as they both snorted in silent laughter, thinking about how many times plans of getting away anywhere for Gus to put on a bikini had been thwarted. She continued, "good job on the PT, keep that up, you can add some jogging and lift a little more. Watch any twisting, turning or anything too strenuous, listen to your body," she warned. "Given the unpredictability of your jobs, detectives, I am clearing you for desk duty only for the time being." This elicited a slight growl from the pair. "Just for a few more weeks," she added with a smile.

Don and Gus both shifted nervously in their chairs, wanting her to get to the main point of their being here, both slightly dismayed that Gus wouldn't be back in the field with Don right away and hoping that was the worst of the news.

The doctor saw their concern and impatience, continuing, "internally you do have some scarring, that's to be expected given the bullet's trajectory and fragmentation. At least it was a low caliber."

"So I keep hearing," Gus retorted, rolling her eyes and leaning slightly forward, trying to not glower. "What does this 'scarring' mean exactly?" she pressed.

Dr. Ranger took in a breath. "It means while trying to conceive you may have some trouble with implantation. Essentially you won't know until you try and even then there are a plethora of options for you. You two can start trying but it may take some time. At your age, Gus, I don't suggest couples even think about a fertility consult for at least 6 months. I understand your concerns given your uterine trauma, but let's just see how it goes, okay? Overall everything looks really good. You are young, healthy and incredibly lucky."

Gus and Don looked at each other trying to absorb and process the news, and also both anxious to get the hell out of the doctor's office. "Thanks, doc," Gus said, rising and giving the doctor a nod.

"You're welcome," she said, following them to the door, gesturing for them to exit saying, "I hope to see you both back for a very different consult soon."