CHAPTER 9

"So do you think the Dodgers might go all the way this year?" asked David as he and Rodney sat on the sofa drinking their beers and watching the baseball game on the tv.

"Maybe," said Rodney taking a sip of his beer "But only if Gonzales stays healthy and keeps hitting like he has been so far this year."

"Yeah you might be right because last year when he got hurt the team..." but that was all David got out before the kitchen door suddenly flew open.

"OHHHH...FUDGE!" said Lizzie as she came storming out of the kitchen and went by David and Rodney on the sofa without given them a second look. She than threw the front door opened and hurried outside into the vanishing sunlight.

"David does your wife always use filthy language like that around the house?" asked Rodney as he and David craned their necks trying to look out the now wide open front door.

"Not all of the time but she has been known to let a word like that fly every now and than when she gets really mad," said David getting ready to yank Rodney's chain a little "But if you think that was bad you should hear the things she says in the bedroom when..."

"Hold it hold it," said Rodney holding up his hands "Now David I like you and Lizzie and all but I think this talk is starting to head in the direction that makes people say the phrase TMI !"

"TMI?" said David rolling his eyes "What are we in seventh grade here?"

"No but that still doesn't mean I want to hear about you and sex with..." Rodney started to say but was interrupted when the front door was slammed shut signaling that Lizzie had reentered the house.

"Hon everything alright?" asked David as he noticed the upset look on Lizzie's face.

"Miranda left" said Lizzie as she came to stand at the end of the sofa looking down angrily at a very confused Rodney and David.

"Yeah," said David wondering if he was missing something here "She left about five minutes ago."

"Damn it why did she have to leave in such a hurry?" said Lizzie tapping her foot in anger.

"But sweetie weren't you the one who told her to leave and go to the store?" asked David.

"Yes," said Lizzie tapping her foot again.

"And now you're mad about that because...?" asked David.

"We're out of peanut butter!" said Lizzie.

"Of course," said David nodding his head as if that had made any sense whatsoever.

"Ok my turn now. I think I'll hazard the next question" said Rodney to David before turning to look at Lizzie "And us being out of peanut butter is a bad thing because...?"

"I won't have any to put on my hamburger when we eat," said Lizzie sighing as if to say that should have been easy to understand.

Rodney nodded his head as if he had a clue on what the hell was going on but he didn't. The only thing he could do was turn to look at David and mouth the words 'hamburger and peanut butter.'

"Oh ok I get it now" said David snapping his fingers "This is another one of your weird hormone food cravings thing again isn't it?"

"David Gordon," said Lizzie as she crossed her arms and glared at her husband "I DO NOT have weird hormone food cravings."

"Yes, you do!"

"I do not!"

Yes, you do!"

"I do not!"

"HOLD IT YOU TWO! " yelled Rodney holding up his hands getting the bickering duo to quiet down for a second.Rodney than looked a David "Weird food cravings?"

"Yeah" said David nodding his head "Ever since she got pregnant she's been on the weirdest food eating kick I have ever seen."

"Like what?" Rodney asked David, while the two men did their best to ignore the death glares that Lizzie was shooting at them.

"Oh like dipping dill pickles into strawberry ice cream, mixing ketchup in her coleslaw," said David "But my all time favorite was when I came to breakfast last week and found her putting mayo in her cornflakes."

"Oookkkaaay sorry I asked," said Rodney as he sat his beer bottle down on the coffee table when his stomach became queasy after hearing the last one "I do believe I'm done drinking for the day."

"Look it's so simple that even you nimrods can understand it," said Lizzie sitting down on the love seat.

"Oh so we're nimrods now huh?" Rodney asked David while smirking "Gee Lizzie you sure know how to treat your guest don't you."

"Well, you maybe a nimrod," said David looking at Rodney "but I'm sure not one."

"Why ME and not YOU?" asked Rodney.

"Well, you see nimROD and than RODney." said David smiling "Are you starting to see the pattern here?"

"Oh that is just great scientific reasoning you got there Einstein," said Rodney rolling his eyes.

"Look you guys" said Lizzie "I forgot to tell Miranda about the peanut before she left. And now we're out of it and so I won't have any for my burgers later."

But than Lizzie got a huge smile on her face as she looked up at Rodney "Unless there is some handsome and gentlemanly young man in this house who might be nice enough to go to the store and get me some peanut butter?"

"ME?" said Rodney when he notice that Lizzie was looking at him.

"Well she could be talking about me," said David elbowing Rodney in the side "I mean she did say handsome and all."

"Look wouldn't it be easier just to call Sanchez up on her cell phone and tell her to grab some P and B before heading back?" asked Rodney "I mean she does have a cell phone doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does" said Lizzie "And right now its currently sitting on the kitchen table doing her not a bit of good."

"What about your husband?" asked Rodney looking and pointing at David "I mean if this is like he said some weird pregnant food craving shouldn't he be the one to go get your peanut butter? Seeing how it was him who got you pregnant and all?"

"Can't," said David quickly getting up off the sofa and heading for the back door "I got to go start that grill so we can cook up those hamburgers later."

"You sure the hell wasn't to worried about the grill and those hamburgers before Lizzie came in here looking for someone to go to the store!" Rodney yelled at David's back as his partner went out the back door and out to the patio.

"Please Rodney can't you do this little favor for me?" asked Lizzie.

Oh that is so not playing fair, thought Rodney as he watched Lizzie give him the big hopeful eyes routine followed by that if you say no my feelings will be hurt pout of hers. How the hell am I supposed to say no to that."Ok ok I'll go get your peanut butter for you."

"Ohhhh thank you Rodney" said Lizzie as she got up off the love seat and went over to kiss Rodney lightly on the cheek "You're such a sweetie."

"I am not!" said Rodney blushing as he stood up and started to head for the door.

"Yes you are," said Lizzie smiling "But look it's ok I've changed my mind.You don't have to go out and get that peanut butter for me."

"Are you sure? Because if you really want some I don't mind..." Rodney started to say but inside he was really happy about Lizzie changing her mind.For it was still way to hot out there and he really didn't want to get back out on the road right this second.

"No, we'll just wait for Miranda to get back and than we'll eat," said Lizzie smiling "And besides I'm kind of out of the mood for peanut butter now anyway.

As Lizzie started walking back to the kitchen Rodney could hear her talking to herself "You know if I can't have peanut butter than maybe I should try putting some grape jelly on my hamburger instead?"

"Is she gone?" asked David as he stuck his head in through the back door.

"Yes, you big coward" said Rodney rolling his eyes "You can come back in and get back to watching the game."

David came back in and sat down next to Rodney on the sofa. David smiled at Rodney and begin to talk to him while doing a very bad impersonation of a Chinese Kung Fu Master "Don't worry my young Grasshopper. When you get married and have a wife of your own You too will also learn all the tricks that we wise ones know on how to get out of the work that the she wants you to do for her."

"Just shut up and let me watch the ball game," said Rodney rolling his eyes again.

A FEW MINUTES LATER

"I GOT IT!" came the loud yell from the kitchen when the phone started ringing.

"I think Lizzie got it" said Rodney after his ears stop ringing from Lizzie piercing yell.

"Gees what makes you think that?" laughed David.

"Well, I am a detective" said Rodney seriously.

"DAVID! RODNEY!" Lizzie yelled as she came flying through the kitchen door causing both me to jump to their feet.

"Lizzie what's the matter? What's going on?" asked David as he look at his wife in concern.He had never seen Lizzie looking this upset.

"That was the hospital! Miranda was in some type of accident!" said Lizzie as she was turning for the front door.

"Is she ok?" asked Rodney with worry very evident in his voice.

"They say her injures are not life threating." said Lizzie " But they said we should get to University Miedical, NOW!"

"Alright everyone pile into my car, I'm driving," said Rodney as the three of them practically ran out the front door.

It had taken Rodney only fifteen minutes to get from David and Lizzie house to the hospital. After finding their way into the waiting room it didn't take long before Rodney and David begin to throw their police credentials around in an attempt to found out what had happened to Miranda. And after they had found out they were shocked to say the least. A uniformed police officer had been the one to tell them how it was that Miranda had witnessed a murder and how the murder had tried to kill her. Luckily when she had wrecked into the parked cars there had been too many witness around and so the murderer fled without taking another chance at killing Miranda. Now as the doctor was checking up on her all her three friends could do was sit and wait.

"I still can't believe this is happening," said Lizzie for the umpteenth time as she sat in one of the hard white plastic chair that ran the length of the hospital waiting room.

"She's going to be ok,hon." said David who had been up at the nurses desk trying to get some new info on Miranda condition "You heard what the paramedic said. Her airbag came out just like it was supposed to and it saved her life."

"Yeah I know" David heard Lizzie mumble. A passing shape in front of him reminded David that Lizzie wasn't the only one he was here to keep an eye on. For the last hour Rodney had been wearing a rut in the waiting room linoleum floor by pacing back and forth and muttering something under his breath that sounded like to David to be something about skinning someone alive and doing it very slowly.

"This is all my fault," said Lizzie as tears once again started to run down her cheeks "If I hadn't sent her off to the store for that damn sugar than she would have never been there to..."

"No," said David sternly as he put his hand under Lizzie chin forcing her to look up at him "Lizzie this was not your fault. You didn't do this to Miranda."

"But I..."

"No Lizzie listen to me," said David "You had NOTHING to do with this. This is all the fault of whoever it was that killed that guy and shot at Miranda causing her to wreck."

"And besides," said David "you heard what the nurse said about Miranda. She's only got a nasty bump on her head from the wreck. And you and I both know that means Miranda's going to be ok. Because you know there's nothing out there in this world that can dent that hard head of hers."

David was reward when Lizzie graced him with a wobbly smile and a soft laugh.

"Feeling better?" asked David as he wrapped his arm around Lizzie and pulled her closer to him.

"A little" said Lizzie with her head resting against David's side.Lizze took in a few deep breaths and used her palms to wipe the tears off her cheeks. Looking up at her husband Lizzie gave him another smile "I love you,David Gordon."

"I love you to Lizzie Gordon," said David planting a soft kiss on Lizzie's forehead "And don't worry I promise you we will catch who ever did this."

"Oh we will catch him alright!" said Rodney as he finally stopped pacing the length of the waiting room and spun to face Lizzie and David "And than after we do I WILL kill him!"

"Ok now," said David taking his hands off Lizzie and holding them out and moving them palms down in a 'lets all just calm down here' gesture. David looked around at the half a dozen nurses, orderlies and other people in the waiting room. Miraculously none of them had heard Rodney's sudden and loud outburst "Can we at least wait to we get home before we start talking about killing someone."

"Fine" said Rodney as he turned and went back to his pacing.

Rodney's pacing had gone on for another ten minutes before the doctor finally came out of Miranda's room.

"How is she doctor?" asked Lizzie jumping to her feet and running up to the female doctor.

"Well although Miss Sanchez took a bad blow to her forehead during the wreck she's going to be fine," said the doctor.

"Oh thank you God," said Lizzie turning to hug David.Rodney only let a big smile spread across his face after hearing the good news.

"We'd like to keep her here for observation over night.But unless something unforeseen should appear she should be just fine and can leave in the morning," said the doctor "You can go in now to see her if you want to?"

"Thank you doctor," said Lizzie as she rushed into Miranda's room followed by David and Rodney.

The gang entered the room to find Miranda laying back in her bed with nothing on but a bandage to the forehead and skimpy hospital gown to cover her assets.

"Miranda! Oh thank God you're ok!" said Lizzie as she ran over to the bed and locked Miranda up into a hug.

"You gave us quite a scare there girlfriend," said David also coming over to the bed while Rodney hung out by the door.

"Uhhh" was all Miranda could get out because of the death grip hug that Lizzie was putting on her.

"Lizzie sweetie you can let go of her now," said David as he had pry Lizzie off Miranda "She didn't just survive being shot at and a bad car wreck just to die because you cut off her air supply."

"Sorry" said Lizzie as she sat down on the edge of Miranda's bed "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was in a car wreck," said Miranda who than smiled as she saw Rodney standing by the door "Hey"

"Hey" smiled Rodney "I'm glad you're ok."

"Thank you but what," asked Miranda with an arched eyebrow "No jokes about women drivers? No jokes about how my hard head saved my life?"

"No,no jokes," laughed Rodney.

Miranda's smile soon vanished and was replaced with a frightenedone as she looked at David "So it is true than? I was shot at?"

"Yeah, twice" said David nodding "From what I've been told by detectives that were on the scene whoever it was fired two shots at you. One bullet hit your car and became lodged in your trunk. The other one went through your back windshield and was stopped by your dashboard."

David was about to say something more when there came a knock on the door of Miranda's room. The group looked up to see the female doctor that they had talked to earlier standing there.

"Sorry I know your time was short but I'm going to have to ask you guys to leave now," said the doctor "Miranda here needs to rest for a time. Sorry."

Rodney watched as a look of fear started to spread across Miranda's face at the thought that she was going to be left alone for the night in this hospital room.And so after seeing that he came to a fast conclusion.

Lizzie looked ready to protest this but David put his hand on hers getting her to stay quiet "It's ok doc we understand."

Lizzie looked at David first but she saw that he wasn't going to budge on the fact that they were leaving.So she turned to Miranda "Don't worry sweetie we'll be here in the morning when you get out of here. And I'll bring you a new set of clothes."

"Thanks" said Miranda as David also said his good-byes.

As Lizzie and David walked to the door they found Rodney still standing there but now he was holding his car keys out to them.

"What?" asked David in confusion as he took the keys from Rodney.

"I'm not leaving," said Rodney as he walked past David and Lizzie.Rodney pulled a chair up next to Miranda's bed and sat down in it "I'm staying here for the night."

"Sir I can't really let you..." the doctor started to say but was cut off by Rodney's wave of the hand.

"I'M STAYING" said Rodney forcefully as he watched the look of fear leave Miranda's face and replaced by a smile "Miranda was a witness to a murder and the murderer is still out there. So as of now she's in police custody."

"Ok" said the doctor smart enough to no better than to press her luck "But she needs her rest.Try not to keep her up all night."

Rodney only nodded his head as the doctor left the room.

"Alright than while you're here keeping an eye on Miranda I'll take Lizzie home.I'll than check in at the station house and see if anything has been found out about the case," said David as he and Lizzie went to leave.

"Bye guys see you in the morning," said Lizzie right before David closed the door to Miranda's room.

"Thank you," Miranda said to Rodney as soon as everyone was out of the room.

"Thanks for what?" asked Rodney.

"For offering to stay with me tonight and keeping an eye on me," Miranda smiled shyly.

"Well there really wasn't going to be anything good on tv tonight anyway," said Rodney waving his hand but than smiled at Miranda.

"Oh so that's how it is huh?" Miranda laughed but her laugh was cut of midway by a yawn.

"Ok how about you do what the good doctor told you to do and try to get some rest?" said Rodney as he went over to the door and turned the lights to the room off. Walking back to Miranda's bed Rodney found her almost already asleep. But right before she was completely out Miranda took Rodney's hand into hers.

"You're going to be here when I wake up right?" Miranda asked with a soft voice.

"I'll be here when you wake up," said Rodney nodding.

"You promise?"

"Yes I promise," smiled Rodney "Now get some rest Miranda."

Miranda smiled softly at the fact that Rodney had called her by her first name instead of his trademark Sanchez.Miranda than closed her eyes and was soon fast asleep.

After noticing that she was asleep Rodney softly took his hand out from Miranda's hand.After pulling the covers over her better Rodney used his hand to brush a few stray dark curls away from Miranda's bandaged forehead. As he stood there keeping watch on Miranda,Rodney did know one thing.He meant what he said when he told David he would kill who ever did this if it was he who caught him.No one hurt one of his friends like this and lived to tell about it.

TBC