The Long Walk Home
Cheryl parked her car and rushed into Community General. It was ten thirty in the morning, she was due in to work at eleven, but Martin had called to say he needed to speak with her and so she had just dropped everything, and was rushing up in the elevator, tapping her foot in annoyance every time it stopped and admitted extra passengers.
Finally, after what seemed a blue age the doors opened onto his floor and Cheryl made her way towards the now familiar door to the room that housed the man she loved. For a moment her courage failed her and she stood on the threshold, but then Martin smiled his lop-sided smile at her and she moved closer and then waited for him to speak.
"Hey … Chey." Martin's voice was a little tremulous still, but somehow it seemed even more so at the moment.
Cheryl pulled back and looked him in the eyes. "Martin, what's the matter?" She settled herself down on the chair nearest to his shoulder and waited.
For a couple of minutes Martin looked down at his bed covers, and began twisting them slowly in his left hand. His right hand rested on the sheet, he didn't try to use it, and Cheryl felt her heart constrict for him. "I … o … reeehabbbb."
"When? Did they come and see you?" Cheryl was a little confused, she hadn't thought his meeting was until later in the week, and she had planned to be with him when it was discussed.
"I … o … morro." For a moment Martin continued looking at his hands and then he made eye contact with her. "I don … ant yew come."
"When you are transferred, ok, I'll wait and see you once you're there."
"No! No, not … not t'all … why … I … there." Martin looked down again, and Cheryl stood up, not knowing what else to do.
"Why? Why can't I come?"
"I … ave … do … out yew."
Cheryl felt her eyes fill with tears, he was dumping her, she had been right, he no longer loved her, and he wanted to be independent when he left the rehab centre. Suddenly, she knew that she had to fight for what she had, for what they had, and she moved back towards him and took both his hands in her own.
"Martin, I love you, I don't want you to have to go through this alone. I … I, won't crowd you out, I promise you that, but please, please, let me be a part of it."
"If … if g… gows … wron, … can't … get … be … bettr, yew … can … find … some … one …" the words ran out then and a tear slid down his cheek.
"Oh, Martin, no, Honey, it's you I love, and even if everything stays the same, just like it is now, you will always be the man for me."
Martin hadn't let her kiss him or even hug him since the accident, but now as she took her courage in both hands and placed her lips against his she felt his warmth as he moved his mouth to let her in.
It wasn't a long kiss, and in their time together they had definitely shared more passionate moments, but as they parted, the love in their eyes was as deep as it had ever been.
"I … I yuf … yew, Chey." Martin closed his eyes. He was tired, it was still early but it had been one busy day so far.
"Oh, I love you too, Honey, and I'll do whatever you think is right. If you don't want me to be there, I'll stay away, it'll be real hard, but I will do it."
"No … I … cha … chaed … mind." The lop sided grin reappeared, and Cheryl sat herself on the side of the bed and snuggled up to him, just for a while before she headed into work.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The information that Steve and Cheryl had got the previous day hadn't helped their case at all, and so they found themselves back in the elevator riding the car to the twentieth floor to carry on with their investigation. They had decided to start from the top of the building and work their way down, and so just after half past eleven they made their way into the offices of the Bank of America.
At a quarter to twelve they were waiting for the elevator again. "Why did our Jane Doe come to this building? It could have been for an interview for a job, she could have been coming for a loan, for a lunch meeting with a new colleague, any number of reasons… Arghhh … I should have stayed at the hospital." Cheryl shook her head and punched the button again.
"The hospital, you've been there already? Is Martin all right?" Steve knew that she had a routine that she followed when she was seeing her boyfriend. It made it easier for him to plan his day, and for her to arrange her working hours.
"Yeah, Martin called me … he goes into rehab tomorrow, but … but I think it will be ok." Cheryl smiled then, as her mind went back to her earlier visit, and she thought about the kiss, and the cuddle that they had enjoyed before she left him, there had been no need for either of them to speak, they both knew that the relationship was as strong as ever.
"I'm real glad, Cheryl, real glad."
"I think I might talk with Rae though, not yet, but before Martin comes home, and maybe Jesse too. I know it isn't gonna be easy, but we both want to be together, and that's all that really matters." The elevator pinged to announce its arrival then and the two friends walked into it, and made their way to the nineteenth floor, and another round of pointless interviews.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jesse looked at the clock on the mantle and did a mental calculation. Rae had been sleeping for over eighteen hours, and he figured that maybe he should wake her. That was, however, easier said than done, and for a moment he just lay on his own bed and thought.
It had been reassuring to know that she was upstairs, but he liked sleeping on his own right now. Somehow if he was by himself then he could pretend nothing had happened. But he knew that if he didn't wake her she would be grouchy and grumpy and probably awake all night, so he began to think again. As he did so he spotted his cell phone on the night stand and groaned. "Travis you are loosing it, man." He carefully picked it up and punched the number for Rae's phone.
"Detective Yeager." The voice was sleepy and soft, but somehow it didn't warm Jesse's heart as it usually did.
"Rae, I thought I should wake you, otherwise you won't sleep tonight."
"Mmm, what? Oh, Jess, Honey, I'm sorry, I … I'll be right down." The phone went dead then and Jesse turned his off. He sat and listened and in just a moment or two he heard his wife's feet as they padded down the stairs, and then the door to the breakfast room opened and she poked her head in.
"Hey, handsome, I am so sorry, it's not even the same day that I went to bed is it?"
"Nope. Don't worry. Michael had the girls, and Sally came and got them from there. How are you feeling?" Jesse watched as Rae came further into the room and then saw her carefully move first her head from side to side, and then her arms, up above her head and down again.
"You know, I feel fine. A little stiff, but much, much better than I did." She beamed, and for a moment Jesse felt his heart warm for her.
"Good, I'm glad… I guess that means you'll be going back to work soon, yes?"
Rae's happy face was suddenly sad. "Oh, Jess, I … I guess I could take some leave."
"I know, and I know you would do so happily, but let's wait, when I'm all better we could take the girls somewhere couldn't we? D'you think Eliana's too young for Disneyland?" Jesse smiled; he wanted to think about happy things, things he could do that would put all his bad thoughts out of his mind.
"No, I think that would be wonderful, and even if she is too young, we're not!" Rae moved across and sat down next to her husband. "I don't want to hurt you, but I could do with a cuddle."
Jesse needed her to move away, not to sit too close, but he knew that he had to do something, so he smiled and took her hands in his. For a second or two he pulled her closer to him and gently stroked her hair, and then he let her go.
Rae smiled, the feeling of his hand had been wonderful, and she had wished it could have lasted for ever but somehow she wasn't surprised that it had ended so soon.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
One Week Later.
The sun was setting on the patio outside the Travis house. Rae and Jesse were lying on two softly padded lawn chairs watching the sky change colour. Eliana and Anneya were both asleep, and the play area that Rae'd had put in while Jesse was in the hospital was empty now. There were two swings, both with baby seats on them, a small slide, a sand pit and two tricycles. Rae had hoped that the little girls would play there every day, she could work in the house, see them through the window and know they were safe, but when she had mentioned that to Jesse he had been absolutely horrified. He had told her such tales of children being taken and sold, as he had feared when Louise Willis had taken Eliana, that she had promised him that she would only let them in the garden when she was out there with them. She had found that she enjoyed the fact that she could take her laptop out into the garden and listen to their happy chatter while she read through case notes, and autopsy reports as she tried to catch up on her cases and it was something that she had managed to do every day since she got home from the hospital. She was trying to get everything into some sort of order before she returned to the station the following Monday.
Although Rae had planned to return straight after her manipulation had been such a success, Captain Newman had insisted she spend a further week getting over what had happened, and she had gratefully complied, happy to spend the time with Jesse and her girls. However, following a conversation with Steve earlier in the week she had gained a case when she hadn't even been there. Rae looked over at her husband, his eyes closed as he lay relaxing on his chair, and thought back to the barbeque that Steve had cooked for them, in their new pit, to celebrate the fact that everybody was home, on the way to full health again, and together.
Amanda and Ron had been there with CJ and Dion, Alex and Shannon, along with Mark, Michael and, of course, Steve, Jo and Daniel. Much to the delight of everyone Cheryl had brought Martin over for a short visit. He was in rehab and had been given permission to go out for a couple of hours. Rae had sat with him for a while and they had talked quietly together.
"Hey, Martin, how are you feeling today?" Rae had visited Martin a couple of times in the hospital, but she hadn't been in to the rehab centre yet.
"K."
Rae understood his reluctance to say more than he had to, she had been the same after she had a head injury a few years earlier.
"We've known each other a long time, Martin, you've always been there for me, you believed in me when no one else did and I got put in jail. If you need anything, anything at all you just let me know, ok?"
He had nodded. "Friends … I yike yew." Martin's hand was over Rae's and he squeezed it.
Rae felt really moved by what Martin had said, and just nodded her head. Nothing else was said, but sitting together in the warm sunlight they had enjoyed each other's company.
It had been about a half hour before Cheryl had come over and sat with them. "Rae, I need to ask you a question, and I want Martin to hear too. I don't want to upset you, or for you to get angry with Steve for betraying your confidence."
Rae was now sitting with a completely bemused expression on her face, and Cheryl laughed, despite the worry she felt. "I guess that was a little confusing. Rae, Steve told me that after you were injured and in a coma while I was in London, Jesse left you, for a while."
"Yeah, he did, he couldn't cope with seeing me injured all the time, and he felt that if he wasn't with me it would be better. He was wrong." Rae stopped talking, it was a time in her life that she didn't like to think about, but she knew that Cheryl and Martin were starting on a very difficult journey and she would help them if she could. "Forgive me for asking, but are you thinking of leaving?"
"No! Oh, no, but I know it's gonna be hard, and … and … I guess, you've been there, done that, and I needed to ask."
"Cheryl, any time, just call me, grab me as I walk across the squad room, speak to Jesse, Martin, you too, ok?"
"K." Martin hadn't said anything, but he had looked so worried when Cheryl had said about Jesse leaving that Rae's heart had almost broken for him.
Martin and Cheryl had left a little while after that, he was still weak and tired easily, but Cheryl had kissed her on the cheek and thanked her, and Martin had held her as close to him as he could while he hugged her. Rae had moved away for a while, trying to push her memories back to where they belonged at the back of her mind. Then she had sat looking out at the gardens and waited for her meal. It was while the burgers were cooking about ten minutes after she had sat down that Steve had gently put his arm round Rae's shoulders and moved her aside.
"Rae, I know that this is a social occasion, but I have a case that is causing a few problems, like who the victim is. And I have a feeling that you could help me."
"Sure, but why do you think I can do that?" Rae could feel her heart beat a little faster. She wanted to be back in the saddle so much it hurt.
"We have a picture of the victim, and that's it. She was found shot to death in a bank elevator. I don't know why but I know this woman, not personally, but I have seen a picture of her before, and I know I was with you when I saw it."
"Let's have a look then, before the burgers burn." Rae had taken the picture in her left hand with ease. The manipulation had solved her problems so completely that she was no longer taking any pain medication and was extremely grateful to Alex that he had suggested she try the procedure a second time. "Oh, my." Rae had looked at the picture, and known straight away who the person was, and that her knowledge would cause someone she had begun to consider a friend great personal pain.
"Who is it, Rae? And where did I see this picture?"
"You saw it in the Chief's office, it's his sister!"
Steve had been silent for a little while after that, but then they had chatted for a few minutes and decided that they would keep the information between themselves until the morning. The Chief, Steve knew, was out of town at a conference in New York, and wouldn't be returning until the following Monday. There was nothing they could do and so they both managed to push the knowledge to the back of their minds, and enjoy the rest of the evening.
Ron and Amanda had been full of news themselves. They had set a date for their wedding, and even though it was six months down the line, they were both noticeably excited about it, and after they had sat and talked with Rae and Jesse they were excited too.
"Rae, Jess, we wondered whether you would consider letting Eliana and Anneya be our flower girls when we get married?" Amanda had been smiling, she knew that when CJ and Dion had been ushers at the Travis wedding she had been delighted and proud, and she had a feeling that those feelings would be reciprocated.
"Oh, that would be wonderful, yes, definitely yes, thank you." Rae had known that she was gushing, but she couldn't help it.
The evening had continued in a very pleasant way. Mark had sat with Daniel talking quietly for a long time, and Steve and Jo had smiled and hugged each other as they watched the obvious love that was shared between the two of them. Jo was going to Community General the following week for the fitting of her new finger and she was happy and relaxed as she enjoyed the company of those around her.
Her hair had begun to grow back thickly now, but, unlike Jesse's hers had grown back white. It looked stunning, and even though at the moment she saw it as a reminder of her ordeal she also knew that it made her stand out in a crowd, and she liked that. If she ever felt too overpowered by the emotions it evoked she would just dye it, but that wasn't an option right now.
Carefully Rae got up from her lawn chair, her mind full of happy memories, it had been a lovely evening, but she had enjoyed sitting in the evening sun with her husband almost as much, and so the evening she had just spent was another one to store away. Jesse opened his eyes, stretched a little and stood up too, and then, because it had always been a job that was beyond Rae's capabilities alone, they helped each other put the covers onto the recliners.
Jesse was getting tired, he had slept almost all day, but just sitting with his wife in the garden had drained him once more. He was getting a little stronger every day though, and he was hoping that he would be back at work, at least on light duties within the month. Rae had been working on and off all day. She had contacted the Chief in New York to break the news about his sister, and he had requested that she personally handle the case.
Jesse was walking easier now, his crush injuries had healed well and as they carefully made their way back into the house together they both stopped. They'd forgotten that they had put Eliana and Anneya to sleep in the bed in the breakfast room, neither of them had wanted to come in from the garden to listen to the baby alarm, and so, as both girls had been almost asleep on their feet they had guided them to the temporary bedroom and let them climb up onto the double bed.
Jesse looked at Rae and a grin broke out on his face, as Rae returned it the front door bell rang, and with a sigh they moved out together to answer it.
"Steve, Jo, Mark, Daniel? Is everything all right?" Jesse had been worried to see their neighbours standing there, but then he saw the look on their faces, and asked them in.
As Steve began to speak there was a cry from the breakfast room, and then a sleepy Eliana wandered out, at least she was sleepy until she saw who the guests were.
"Unky Teve, up, up." She moved over to him, her arms up in the air so that she could be picked up, and with a smile her godfather did just that. There was no sign of Anneya however, and so Rae looked into the room to see her still fast asleep, her hair fanned around her face, her thumb in her mouth, totally at peace.
"Guys, I'm sorry that we have come round uninvited, but we have some news, and we wanted to share it with you." Steve finally got the chance to talk.
"What? The four of you are grinning like Cheshire cats, so spill, before you burst." Rae turned to face her friends and found that she was grinning too. She had no idea why, but the expressions on their faces were contagious.
"Daniel made a request of us yesterday, an' today we set the legal wheels in motion. Which is a very stuffy way of sayin' that Daniel wants us to adopt him, an' so do we!"
The tiredness that Rae and Jesse had been feeling was pushed aside, and soon they were all back out on the patio, a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket, along with some soda for Daniel and Rae, and so that she didn't feel left out for the Eliana too. Anneya woke up and began cry and Jesse carried her out into garden enjoying the feeling of her in his arms.
Toasts for the future had been made and the impromptu party was beginning to wind down when Rae carefully stood up, a glass of soda in her hand.
"Before we all head to our beds, can I say something?"
"Sure, Sweetie, it is your house after all." Mark had smiled and looked around at his extended family, which now included a grandson and a beautiful daughter-in-law.
"Yes, it is, and that is part of what I wanted to say. Jesse, you were right, I do love this house, I hope Texas and Steve will let us stay here forever." Her husband smiled at her, he didn't say anything, he didn't have to, his eyes told her all she needed to know. "I don't want to get soppy or cute, but as I stand here and look around me, at my family and my friends, I feel that I have reached a very satisfactory stage in my life. It's been a long walk, but thanks to all of you, I think I'm home."
The End.
I would like to thank you for all the reviews I have received. This was a very long story and I am gratified that you stayed with me.
I also have the two most patient beta readers in the entire world, who helped me through the writing process, gave me ideas and comments which, I know, made this a better story. Ladies, you know who you are, and I thank you.
Tracy