"I need Mouse's number. Now," Cali ordered Jay when she strode into the bullpen and stood at his desk with hands on her hips.
"Good morning to you, too," Jay snarked as he scrolled through the contacts in his phone. "Why do you need Greg's digits?"
Cali just gave him the evil eye. Jay put a hand up in surrender as he texted her the number.
You need to make this right! Cali angrily texted Mouse. Call me ASAP! Cali
Jay gave Cali a side glance as they headed downtown to interview a witness.
"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" he asked, concerned about his partner's behavior.
"Nope," she replied, staring ahead, her lips tight.
They were in the middle of having a lively conversation with the witness when Cali's phone buzzed. She stepped outside to see that Mouse had texted her back.
Can't talk right now. What's wrong? Cat OK?
Cali fumed and felt like pitching her cell against the wall. Sonofabitch, she mentally muttered, as she tapped out a response.
No, she's not. GET HERE ASAP.
Mouse didn't reply so either he was trying to get where he could call her or maybe he died. Cali didn't care either way as she re-entered the building.
"What did you tell him?!" Cati loudly whispered to Cali when Cali and Jay returned to the station. Cali grabbed her sister's elbow and practically dragged her into the break room.
"Did he call you?" Cali demanded after she nearly slammed the door closed.
"Yes!" Cati hissed. "He wanted to know what was wrong with me and why he needed to catch a red eye! What did you say to him, Calista?"
"I just told him he needed to make this right," Cali snapped, folding her arms over her chest and staring down her twin. "You and he are going to decide what happens next TOGETHER, Catina. He needs to know and take responsibility one way or another."
Cati's lower lip trembled.
"What if he doesn't want it? What if he never speaks to me again?" she said, her voice wavering.
Cali softened her expression and pulled her sister in for a hug.
"Whatever happens, you will get through this," she said. "I'm always here for you and we will help you in whatever way we need to."
"I wish Mom was here," Cati sobbed.
"I know. Me too," Cali murmured, as she stroked Cati's hair. "Me too."
"Greg's in a panic! What did you say to him? Why is he catching a red eye?" Jay demanded minutes later when he accosted Cali in the locker room.
Cali slammed her locker shut and shoved an index finger in Jay's face.
"Don't get in the middle of it," she warned him.
"He's my brother, so I damn well will get in the middle of it!" he argued. "What is so important to pull him out?"
"I'm not going to tell you," Cali spat. "It doesn't concern you."
"Fuck that! When it comes to Greg, it DOES concern me," Jay shouted.
"Detectives! What the hell is going on in here?" Sergeant Platt demanded as she barged into the locker room, her eyes narrowed.
Cali drew a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. Jay grit his jaw and shoved his hands in his pockets. Neither said a word.
Platt looked at each of them and shook her head.
"Either you resolve whatever this is like two respectable adults or I will force both of you to be on patrol indefinitely. Do. You. Understand. Me?" Platt clipped.
"Yes, ma'am," they replied in unison.
She glared at them for a moment more before exiting.
They glared at each other for another moment before Cali sighed. She held up a hand as if to signal wait while she checked to make sure no one else was present. Jay crossed his arms and impatiently waited for her to come back.
"You can't say anything to him or tell anyone else, not even Erin. Got it?" Cali finally said upon returning. Jay tersely nodded.
"Cati's pregnant," she quietly told him. His jaw dropped, and then the light went on in his brain.
"His and hers PTSD and add a baby in the mix. Shit," he muttered.
"Yeah, tell me about it," she muttered back.
Mouse's first thought was Hank was going to kill him, followed by "I'm not cut out to be a father."
His next thought completely faded as he saw tears trail down Cati's face as she nervously watched him.
He had miscalculated how deeply he felt about her, and had figured the attraction would disappear once he returned to the field. But watching her now, he realized he needed her in his life.
Suddenly everything else didn't matter but her and their child. And he would do anything at any cost to protect them.
Cali paced the floor of the kitchen while Cati and Mouse hashed it out in the living room.
Hank patiently sat in one of the kitchen table chairs, watching his wife fret for a bit, before he finally shot out a hand and yanked her into his lap.
"What the heck's going on in there?" Cali muttered, her arms crossed like a petulant child.
"They're adults, and they're talking it out like they're supposed to," Hank calmly replied.
Cali had informed him of the news moments before Mouse knocked on their door. Cali had wanted to confront Mouse right then, but Hank had corralled her in the kitchen and politely but firmly instructed a semi-distraught Cati to answer the front door.
Neither Cali or Hank could hear what was being discussed in the other room, but Hank noticed at least there was no screaming or sounds of things crashing, so he considered that a good sign. He had to give Mouse credit for taking responsibility and traveling all this way.
"Say something, Greg," Cati whispered, her hands defensively cradling her belly that was only slightly rounded at this point.
He lifted his eyes to meet hers, and she could see the resolve and determination reflected there. He wasn't going to let her go this alone. She nearly collapsed with relief, steadying herself by leaning against the arm of the couch.
"I don't know how to do this, Catina, but you and me together, we will figure it out," Mouse said, his voice steady.
She nodded, blinded by her crying now, as he moved into her space and reached for her.