Cory had left shortly after that; Palermo had said there was no reason for her to stay. Actually, part of her would have preferred to stay at the hospital. At least then she would have something to do.
For the moment she was wondering around her apartment. Just pacing…and thinking. She couldn't get what Palermo has said out of her mind. 'The relationship could get complicated'; 'It is a bad idea'. She wondered if he knew something that she didn't. Had Alastair told him something about them?
She gave up on the whole sleep idea at 4 am and decided to go back to the hospital.
Alastair had been back in the ward for about three hours and was a more responsive than he'd been in Recovery.
He was alone in his room when Cory walked in. He looked over at her and smiled.
'Palermo's gone?' She asked.
'He decided to take a walk. Keep himself awake.'
Cory nodded slowly. 'Look, Alastair. I wanted to talk to you.'
'If it's about the case, don't worry. My partner in LA, David Lourdes is getting the warrant first thing in the morning and he's arranging for a team to raid Reggie's Auto Yard. All that's left now is for me to do the paperwork.' Cory frowned. 'But that's now what you wanted to talk to me about is it?' He asked her.
She shook her head. 'Alastair.' She said slowly. 'This relationship; it isn't going to work.'
'What do you mean? Once I've finished the paperwork I'll be going back to LA which means we can see each other…'
'No you don't understand. It's already become too complicated.' Cory sighed as his face fell. 'Usually, I would be able to talk to Chris about things like this. She's my best friend and I tell her everything. But with you, it's like everything we do is confidential. I can't talk to her, I can't get her advice and I'm scared the even if I just hang around her then I'll let something slip. And I'm not prepared to run blindly into a high-stakes relationship like this.' Cory didn't need to elaborate. They both knew that the risks. People would think she was using him and ultimately his father to improve her career.
They sat in silence for a while.
'So what now?' Alastair asked.
'Now, we write up our reports, say our goodbyes and go on like this hasn't happened.'
'But I like you Cory.' He gave her a look that could melt ice. 'And I want to be with you.'
'It wouldn't work out, not in the long run. We could never have the big house, picket fence and lots of kids running around. It just wouldn't work.' She looked at her watch. 'I have to go.'
She walked out of the room. She didn't even see Palermo when she passed him in the hall. She was crying by the time she got to her car.
She'd finally found a man she could love and he was off-limits to her. Her life sucked.
'What's with you this morning?' Victor asked as they were out on patrol the next day. 'You've barely said two words since you came in this morning. Late I might add; it's not like you.'
Cory shrugged as she weaved through the crowd of holiday makers on the boardwalk. 'I guess I didn't sleep too well last night.'
'You know, rumour has it that you dumped the detective last night.'
Cory glared at him. 'How did you know about that?'
'Chris told me. Tc told her. And I have no idea who told him.'
'So I guess everyone knows.' She said bitterly.
Victor shook his head. 'I don't think so. I think it's just us.'
Cory frowned and kept on riding.
'You really liked him didn't you? And all that stuff you said about him irritating you was just a cover.'
She shrugged. 'Something like that.'
'So why not tell him.'
'Because he doesn't feel the same way.'
Victor scoffed.
'What was that for?'
'Have you even seen him this morning? Nobody looks that upset over a sore leg. Now a broken heart, that's another story.'
'Victor can you just drop it. It's like Palermo said; the relationship would be too complicated. It was a bad idea from the start. I should have known better.'
'So why did you? Start things off I mean?'
'He was nice, and cute, and interested.' The thought back to the morning after when he'd been holding her in his arms. 'Oh Victor, you have no idea how it felt. Right from the word go he treated me with the most respect I've felt from any man I've ever dated and the most love I've had in my entire life. I love him.' She blurted out. 'And it kills me that I can't be with him because of stupid workplace politics.'
'It sounds like love at first sight.'
The discussion ended there when a call came across the radio for a 4-15 at one of the stalls along the boardwalk. A customer hadn't been happy with a souvenir he'd bought and was now raising hell with the stall owner.
For the moment she was wondering around her apartment. Just pacing…and thinking. She couldn't get what Palermo has said out of her mind. 'The relationship could get complicated'; 'It is a bad idea'. She wondered if he knew something that she didn't. Had Alastair told him something about them?
She gave up on the whole sleep idea at 4 am and decided to go back to the hospital.
Alastair had been back in the ward for about three hours and was a more responsive than he'd been in Recovery.
He was alone in his room when Cory walked in. He looked over at her and smiled.
'Palermo's gone?' She asked.
'He decided to take a walk. Keep himself awake.'
Cory nodded slowly. 'Look, Alastair. I wanted to talk to you.'
'If it's about the case, don't worry. My partner in LA, David Lourdes is getting the warrant first thing in the morning and he's arranging for a team to raid Reggie's Auto Yard. All that's left now is for me to do the paperwork.' Cory frowned. 'But that's now what you wanted to talk to me about is it?' He asked her.
She shook her head. 'Alastair.' She said slowly. 'This relationship; it isn't going to work.'
'What do you mean? Once I've finished the paperwork I'll be going back to LA which means we can see each other…'
'No you don't understand. It's already become too complicated.' Cory sighed as his face fell. 'Usually, I would be able to talk to Chris about things like this. She's my best friend and I tell her everything. But with you, it's like everything we do is confidential. I can't talk to her, I can't get her advice and I'm scared the even if I just hang around her then I'll let something slip. And I'm not prepared to run blindly into a high-stakes relationship like this.' Cory didn't need to elaborate. They both knew that the risks. People would think she was using him and ultimately his father to improve her career.
They sat in silence for a while.
'So what now?' Alastair asked.
'Now, we write up our reports, say our goodbyes and go on like this hasn't happened.'
'But I like you Cory.' He gave her a look that could melt ice. 'And I want to be with you.'
'It wouldn't work out, not in the long run. We could never have the big house, picket fence and lots of kids running around. It just wouldn't work.' She looked at her watch. 'I have to go.'
She walked out of the room. She didn't even see Palermo when she passed him in the hall. She was crying by the time she got to her car.
She'd finally found a man she could love and he was off-limits to her. Her life sucked.
'What's with you this morning?' Victor asked as they were out on patrol the next day. 'You've barely said two words since you came in this morning. Late I might add; it's not like you.'
Cory shrugged as she weaved through the crowd of holiday makers on the boardwalk. 'I guess I didn't sleep too well last night.'
'You know, rumour has it that you dumped the detective last night.'
Cory glared at him. 'How did you know about that?'
'Chris told me. Tc told her. And I have no idea who told him.'
'So I guess everyone knows.' She said bitterly.
Victor shook his head. 'I don't think so. I think it's just us.'
Cory frowned and kept on riding.
'You really liked him didn't you? And all that stuff you said about him irritating you was just a cover.'
She shrugged. 'Something like that.'
'So why not tell him.'
'Because he doesn't feel the same way.'
Victor scoffed.
'What was that for?'
'Have you even seen him this morning? Nobody looks that upset over a sore leg. Now a broken heart, that's another story.'
'Victor can you just drop it. It's like Palermo said; the relationship would be too complicated. It was a bad idea from the start. I should have known better.'
'So why did you? Start things off I mean?'
'He was nice, and cute, and interested.' The thought back to the morning after when he'd been holding her in his arms. 'Oh Victor, you have no idea how it felt. Right from the word go he treated me with the most respect I've felt from any man I've ever dated and the most love I've had in my entire life. I love him.' She blurted out. 'And it kills me that I can't be with him because of stupid workplace politics.'
'It sounds like love at first sight.'
The discussion ended there when a call came across the radio for a 4-15 at one of the stalls along the boardwalk. A customer hadn't been happy with a souvenir he'd bought and was now raising hell with the stall owner.