A/N: Again, thank you Em n jakc, the faithful reviewers you two are! Whilst you harass me to continue this story, might I nudge you two as well? hint hint, wink wink nudge nudge. I love the work both of you produce and I want more... so hungry for it...
I apologise, for I feel this is my worst chappy to date. Just reads rather awkward and clumsily to me methinks.
Meh, anyway, you don't want me to blab. Shall I continue with the story now...
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This will all fall down, like everything in the world
This too must end, and all the words we said
We can't take back
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10:30 and he still hadn't arrived. His shift had started half an hour ago and He'd left her house almost two hours before; it shouldn't have taken him that long to get home and change. He was being late on purpose, just to frustrate her. You deserve it too, her conscience argued with her; you've screwed him around just to protect your sorry self!
Ignoring the little voices in her head, she tried to keep her mind on the stack of paperwork in front of her, she couldn't help but overhear Ben and Jo whispering...
"Jackie must have kept him up really late last night," said Jo, grinning as broadly as a Cheshire cat.
"Wonder what his excuse will be," added Ben mischievously, "ten bucks that he says he 'slept in'".
Tess wanted to scream at them to get on with their work, but how could she do it without looking suspicious?
PJ emerged from his cave.
"Oi Peej," called Jo, "willing to make a bet on Jonesy?"
Tess grabbed the roster in annoyance, pretending to be deliberating over next month's shifts. Jo was taking a few days off, so she and the guys would have to fill in a few more shifts...
"Ah, here he is, what kept you mate?" said Ben as the door swung open and Jonesy emerged.
His shirt was untucked and his hair was a frightful mess. If she hadn't known better, she'd have thought he'd only just woken up.
"Your shift started half an hour ago constable," she said, keeping her eyes down on the roster and trying to keep her voice level.
"Sorry sarg," he replied, almost cheerfully, "slept in". A roar of applause and a few groans erupted as Jo and PJ reluctantly gave up their cash.
"Don't do it again," she said half heartedly, knowing well she couldn't tell him off on this occasion...
"Late night then Jones?"
"Get any sleep?"
"Have a good night," asked a few curious colleagues.
Jonesy grinned, despite himself, "aww yeah, wasn't so bad". Typically, Jo decided to press further, "so how is the lovely Jackie".
Jackie. Tess had completely forgotten about her when Evan had turned up at the police residence the night before...
"She was fine the last time I saw her," replied Jonesy vaguely, playing along with their little game. They obviously thought he'd spent the night with Jackie and were now interrogating him. The conversation was making her feel less and less comfortable.
"That's enough," she interrupted forcefully, "Jo, Jones, patrol!"
"As you wish," muttered Jonesy, leaving the station without another word, Jo following excitedly.
He was gone and Tess could breathe once more. Even in that brief spell he had been in the station, she could feel the tension between them. All she had to do was go on like she always did; act oblivious and ignore his advances. It'd be tough, but it was the only she'd be able to survive...
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Friday, some weeks later, Tess woke up feeling rather queasy. Josh was coming back tonight. He would only be back for the weekend, but the thought of seeing him made her feel sick to the stomach. It would be the first time she'd seen him sinceher 'encounter' with Evan. She refused to acknowledge that night as an affair, for it had been so much more than that.
Suddenly her stomach gave way. She rushed to the bathroom just in time to heave the contents of her breakfast into the sink...
Wiping her mouth, she stared at herself in the mirror. She looked rather white and pale. Lack of sleep was getting to her. She couldn't get Evan out of her mind and it was taking its toll on her. That would all change tonight though, once Josh was back...
Another wave of nausea hit her. She doubled back over the sink once more, trying hard not to look at what she was vomiting up.
Panic struck her; she hadn't had her period in over a month.
A sinking feeling rushed up on her again, but this time it wasn't caused by nausea...
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An hour later and she was back in the station, fiddling with papers. She had a pile of traffic reports and a few LEAP forms to occupy herself with. Unfortunately, her mind was elsewhere and a few files slipped from her grip.
Feeling like a bit of a git, Tess picked up the papers, put them aside and went to the kitchen. What she needed was a nice hot coffee; that would surely calm her nerves.
As she got a large mug and started piling in a few large teaspoons of instant coffee, someone came up behind her.
"Hey," said Evan in his deep, sultry voice, causing her to jump slightly. This was the first time the two of them had been alone in a room together since the 'incident'. "Hey," she replied, not so coolly.
"Heard Josh is back," he added, watching the way she flinched at his name. She didn't reply; he was only trying to get a reaction from her. What would happen if he found out why she was nervous and jumpy though...
"Any sugar left?" he asked innocently enough, searching the cupboards.
"I think the Boss has it," she answered, faltering slightly. To her great relief, he turned and left the room.
She closed her eyes and breathed. She shouldn't panic when she knew nothing for sure. Perhaps after her shift she would visit the Pharmacy and pick up a test...
Before then though, she had a pile of paperwork to get through. She turned to go and ran straight into Jonesy. In shock, she dropped her coffee, letting it fall to the ground and smash to pieces.
Jonesy put down the sugar and grabbed Tess' arms. "You alright?" he whispered softly with a trace of concern in his voice. "Yeah," she muttered, gazing down at her wet shirt, "I.. I'm just gonna go change".
As she left for the lockers, Ben brought out the mop and started helping Jonesy clean the mess. Jo however followed Tess into the locker room and shut the door fast behind them.
"Alright Tess?" she asked, mimicking Jonesy.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Tess replied, forcing a smile.
"You don't fool everyone Tess," Jo remarked, a little less subtly.
Tess turned away from her, hiding her face in hope that she wouldn't see her gathering tears. She was too slow.
"Tess, you're crying," said Jo, placing a hand on her shoulder, "what's wrong?"
A tear fell down her face and suddenly she couldn't contain them; a problem she was having quite a lot lately.
"Oh Jo," she cried, as Jo hugged her close, "I'm such a mess". Jo smiled and pulled out a clean handkerchief from midair. "Feel like telling me about it?" Jo said warmly.
Tess took the handkerchief, wiped the tears from her face and stared up at Jo. She was smiling back at her, with a new degree of warmth in her eyes. She and Jo had never really been close so this was a side to her Tess had never seen. Right now, a friend was what she needed.
Jo led her to a bench where she forced Tess to sit and placed an arm around her to comfort her. "I'm so scared Jo," she started, quavering a little, "I've been vomiting and... I'm late... I think I could be pregnant..."
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A/N: ooooh…. So now the question isn't 'is she' but 'who? Please review!