This is the final chapter of Happy New Year. Don't worry though. I'm aiming to start a new story line tied in with this one.
After they got back to the station after spending a good hour or so sorting out the drama, Cory was whisked away to discussions about her time at Reggie's Auto Yard where she stayed for mostly the remainder of the day.
By the time she got out Alastair had disappeared for the day. Victor was the only one left.
'I'm going out for a drink, want to join me?'
She shook her head. 'I think I might go home. I still have potato chips waiting.'
Victor patted her on the shoulder on the way past.
He drove to the bar that they all frequented after a long hard day. He went inside and ordered a beer.
'Hard day eh?' Bill said as he put the glass in front of Victor.
'You could say that.' He replied.
Bill went away to serve another customer and Victor scanned the room.
His eyes fell on Alastair who was sitting at a table by himself.
He went over and sat down. 'How's things?'
Alastair smiled sardonically and shook his head.
'That good huh?' Victor said. 'So, um, I heard that Cory turned you down.'
'You and the rest on Santa Monica.'
'News does travel fast around here.'
'Tell me about it.'
Victor spoke hesitantly. 'She does love you.'
Alastair shook his head. 'That's why she dumped me.'
'No, that's why she listened when Palermo said what he felt would be best for you.'
He gave Victor a strange look. 'She'd been taking advice from Palermo?'
Victor laughed. 'Yes, strangely enough. He said that the relationship was a bad idea and that it would get complicated.'
Alastair scoffed. 'Like Tony knows anything about relationships. Look at how his marriage turned out. At least Cory and I would understand each others work pressures and the like.' He sighed. 'Do you really think she loves me?'
He nodded. 'Yeah I do.'
Cory was sitting at home flicking channels on the television; news, news, sitcom, animal documentary. She tossed the remote control down in disgust.
The doorbell rang. She jumped up and grabbed her wallet. She hoped the pizza deliverer could give her change for a $20 note.
It wasn't her pizza.
'Hey Cory.' Alastair said.
She sighed and slumped against the doorframe. 'What are you doing here?'
He shifted on his crutches and looked at his bandaged leg. 'I didn't want to drive all the way back to LA with a sore leg.'
'You drove here this morning didn't you?'
Alastair grinned. 'I can't outwit you can I?'
She shook her head but she was smiling. 'Come on in. You'll need to rest before your long drive.' She teased him.
Alastair hobbled in and sat on the lounge. Cory went into the kitchen and put on the jug for some coffee before sitting down next to him.
'What's the real reason you came?'
'You know the real reason I came by.'
Cory sighed mournfully. 'Look Alastair, I've already told you that it won't work.'
'Why? Because of what Palermo said?'
She gave him a funny look. 'How'd did you know he said anything to me?'
'Victor.' Alastair said shortly.
Cory rolled her eyes. 'I should have known. Well, it wasn't only what Palermo said. I knew from the start that I shouldn't have gotten involved with you.'
'Because I happen to be the son of the Chief of LAPD?'
'Well, yes.' She said hesitantly.
'And?' He prompted her.
'And because you're a lieutenant.'
'Cory, I can't do anything about what Palermo thinks. I can't help who my father is. And being a lieutenant isn't really that scary. It just means more responsibilities.'
'You make it sound so easy.'
'That's because it is easy. Dad isn't such a bad guy. He's loud and opinionated but he doesn't bite and we hardly ever talk about work. Tony was just trying to do the right thing but he's looking at it from a third person's point of view. I hadn't told him how I felt about you until after you left that night at the hospital.' Alastair looked at her and smiled. 'And being a lieutenant won't affect my performance with you at all.' He reached out and held her hand. 'I'm not asking for a lifetime commitment just yet. Just give it a chance Cory. You may find you like it. So, do you want to be my girlfriend?'
Cory smiled. 'I'll give it a go.' She leaned across and gave him a hug.
Cory ran over to Chris's desk the next morning. 'Guess what!'
'What?'
'Alastair and I are going out.' She said proudly.
'That's great but guess what.'
'What?'
'Victor already told me.'
Cory gave her a puzzled look. 'How'd he find out?'
Chris pointed upstairs to Palermo's office. He and Alastair were up there talking. When Alastair saw her looking he gave her a wave.
Chris continued. 'When he came in quite early this morning Victor made the joke that he must have stayed at your house. Needless to say, he confessed.'
Cory just grinned. Life was definitely looking up.
After they got back to the station after spending a good hour or so sorting out the drama, Cory was whisked away to discussions about her time at Reggie's Auto Yard where she stayed for mostly the remainder of the day.
By the time she got out Alastair had disappeared for the day. Victor was the only one left.
'I'm going out for a drink, want to join me?'
She shook her head. 'I think I might go home. I still have potato chips waiting.'
Victor patted her on the shoulder on the way past.
He drove to the bar that they all frequented after a long hard day. He went inside and ordered a beer.
'Hard day eh?' Bill said as he put the glass in front of Victor.
'You could say that.' He replied.
Bill went away to serve another customer and Victor scanned the room.
His eyes fell on Alastair who was sitting at a table by himself.
He went over and sat down. 'How's things?'
Alastair smiled sardonically and shook his head.
'That good huh?' Victor said. 'So, um, I heard that Cory turned you down.'
'You and the rest on Santa Monica.'
'News does travel fast around here.'
'Tell me about it.'
Victor spoke hesitantly. 'She does love you.'
Alastair shook his head. 'That's why she dumped me.'
'No, that's why she listened when Palermo said what he felt would be best for you.'
He gave Victor a strange look. 'She'd been taking advice from Palermo?'
Victor laughed. 'Yes, strangely enough. He said that the relationship was a bad idea and that it would get complicated.'
Alastair scoffed. 'Like Tony knows anything about relationships. Look at how his marriage turned out. At least Cory and I would understand each others work pressures and the like.' He sighed. 'Do you really think she loves me?'
He nodded. 'Yeah I do.'
Cory was sitting at home flicking channels on the television; news, news, sitcom, animal documentary. She tossed the remote control down in disgust.
The doorbell rang. She jumped up and grabbed her wallet. She hoped the pizza deliverer could give her change for a $20 note.
It wasn't her pizza.
'Hey Cory.' Alastair said.
She sighed and slumped against the doorframe. 'What are you doing here?'
He shifted on his crutches and looked at his bandaged leg. 'I didn't want to drive all the way back to LA with a sore leg.'
'You drove here this morning didn't you?'
Alastair grinned. 'I can't outwit you can I?'
She shook her head but she was smiling. 'Come on in. You'll need to rest before your long drive.' She teased him.
Alastair hobbled in and sat on the lounge. Cory went into the kitchen and put on the jug for some coffee before sitting down next to him.
'What's the real reason you came?'
'You know the real reason I came by.'
Cory sighed mournfully. 'Look Alastair, I've already told you that it won't work.'
'Why? Because of what Palermo said?'
She gave him a funny look. 'How'd did you know he said anything to me?'
'Victor.' Alastair said shortly.
Cory rolled her eyes. 'I should have known. Well, it wasn't only what Palermo said. I knew from the start that I shouldn't have gotten involved with you.'
'Because I happen to be the son of the Chief of LAPD?'
'Well, yes.' She said hesitantly.
'And?' He prompted her.
'And because you're a lieutenant.'
'Cory, I can't do anything about what Palermo thinks. I can't help who my father is. And being a lieutenant isn't really that scary. It just means more responsibilities.'
'You make it sound so easy.'
'That's because it is easy. Dad isn't such a bad guy. He's loud and opinionated but he doesn't bite and we hardly ever talk about work. Tony was just trying to do the right thing but he's looking at it from a third person's point of view. I hadn't told him how I felt about you until after you left that night at the hospital.' Alastair looked at her and smiled. 'And being a lieutenant won't affect my performance with you at all.' He reached out and held her hand. 'I'm not asking for a lifetime commitment just yet. Just give it a chance Cory. You may find you like it. So, do you want to be my girlfriend?'
Cory smiled. 'I'll give it a go.' She leaned across and gave him a hug.
Cory ran over to Chris's desk the next morning. 'Guess what!'
'What?'
'Alastair and I are going out.' She said proudly.
'That's great but guess what.'
'What?'
'Victor already told me.'
Cory gave her a puzzled look. 'How'd he find out?'
Chris pointed upstairs to Palermo's office. He and Alastair were up there talking. When Alastair saw her looking he gave her a wave.
Chris continued. 'When he came in quite early this morning Victor made the joke that he must have stayed at your house. Needless to say, he confessed.'
Cory just grinned. Life was definitely looking up.