Chapter 25: Back to the Grind
The next couple of weeks flew by, and Gus found herself heading back to work. If she could call it that. Flack had continued to defy every doctors' expectation and was doing fabulously, still weak and recovering, but not anything like someone who had been hit by a bomb blast six weeks before. Mac's heroics at the scene had gone a long way to help minimize the damage and being one of New York's finest got Don the best surgical care. The fact that he only needed one surgery helped him greatly and his looks and charm garnered him near round the clock visits from PTs and OTs and nurses. Gus was happy to be escaping the near romance novel level scenes playing out in her apartment on a daily basis.
Oh you big strong man, so wounded oh let me take care of you, oops I dropped something and I must pick it up with my breasts heaving. Well, your beauty is more than any mere mortal could deny, let me sweep you into my arms and- Gus shook her head, men were imbeciles and women were no better.
She entered the big glass doors of the crime lab, happy to hear the swoosh of them closing behind her. She hadn't fully realized how much she had missed this place until she was back. Mac was on the phone as usual, but gestured for her to come in and take a seat. "Welcome back, feeling back to normal?"
"When have I ever been normal that you have known?" Gus smiled at her uncle, "but I am doing a lot better, and I am beyond ecstatic to be back, even if it is just me and the head cases."
"Well I am glad you are back as well, and as I said, you toe the line and you may get more choices in your own fate."
"Do I still have my old office or did they give it away?"
"Hasn't been that long, Augusta."
"Guess not," she looked longingly at his shield and gun.
Mac followed her gaze, "trial basis, Gus, trial. Though in that trial basis, you are not to leave the office. You are to work 9-5 Monday through Friday. That means no saying you are leaving but staying, no sneaking in on weekends but forgetting to punch in, no overtime and no going to any scenes. Do you understand me fully?"
"Got it," Gus turned before she could get upset and wandered back out into the breezeway to her office.
Obviously no one had used her office since she had been gone, and a good layer of dust covered everything. "Welcome back," she said wiping down her desk with her sleeve, giving it a look of disgust.
"Don't look so happy to be back," said a voice from the doorway.
"Sid!" Gus happily exclaimed, "up from the morgue just to greet me!" She bounded over to the older man.
"Sadly no, I was just hand delivering some files, but was delighted to see your light on."
"You are just the sweetest thing ever, Sid," Gus gushed.
"Good to have you back old girl, good to have you back." Sid patted Gus like a retriever and walked off.
Gus wandered over to the precinct to check in with the Loo there, ignoring the stares in her wake. She knew she was going to face crap from others for not getting fired, but she didn't know what the reaction was going to be. "Looking good, Rocky, hows about we train together sometime?" "Yeah what weight class you in, doll?" the calls came after her.
Gus just rolled her eyes, walked through the pit and said, "now you know none of y'all boys can handle me and I have access to all of y'all's dirty little secrets." That shut them up. "Hey, Loo," Gus said knocking on the Lieutenant's door.
"Broussard, you are certainly looking better than the last time you were in."
"Um, thanks, I think."
"Yes, well seeing as the amount of complaints I have been getting from McNair and Kringas, I believe you will find your in-box full and plenty to do for the next several months."
"Looking forward to it!" Gus said sunnily, sinking on the inside, this meant they wanted her in an office for the rest of her life.
Gus balked when she saw the stack spilling out of her mailbox.
"I know you didn't miss us that much," McNair chided her, "I am sure we can find someone else for you to deck."
"Your humor continues to enchant me, Doctor," Gus said shuffling the stack and dropping files.
McNair helped her sort out a stable stack. "Seriously though, Broussard, I would carefully consider your actions in the future, especially if you want to stay licensed as a psychologist in the state of New York. Of course if you want to be an officer, you can continue with your lack of anger management just fine," he ended with contempt.
"I believe that is enough rhetoric from you for today Dr. McNair," chirped a voice behind them. "Augusta, we are glad you are back in a fully professional capacity, we did miss you when you were out and in the field."
"Thank you Celia, I do appreciate that," Gus smiled and turned back toward her office.
"Joseph do you have any idea what that girl's file reads like, it is amazing she didn't hit you. Not to mention her ability to get officers to open up is vastly better than yours or mine," Gus heard Celia chastising the other doctor.
"Well I'll be" Gus sighed to herself, "they don't all think I am a fruitcake."
Gus settled back into her role as staff psychologist seemingly easily. She wouldn't deny she was good at what she did, but that didn't mean she enjoyed it. Her taste of being out in the field made her feel alive again, and in this office, she felt stifled. But she knew better than to rock the boat so early. Her first week back was filled with dreaded chart reviews, it appeared as though the other staff psychologists had left all six weeks for her, and quiet a few fit to perform evals.
Gus was waiting on her 3:00 one afternoon her first week back when a knock sounded on door frame. "Doctor Broussard?" questioned a voice.
Gus looked up from her files, sliding her glasses down her nose. She had, despite Flack's warnings, started wearing them to work, not wanting to put in the effort of contacts. "Can I help you"? Gus was confused as to why this attractive raven haired women was doing in her doorway when her 3:00 was George Valterra, a very non-feminine male.
"I'm Detective Jessica Angell, I just wanted to introduce myself, I have been working with the CSI team since..." she trailed off like everyone always did.
So this was who had replaced them, Gus thought to herself, surveying the women. Intelligent eyes, too pretty face, boys probably followed her anywhere, Gus wondered who all did know her 'really well'. "Nice to meet you detective, I hope you have made yourself home on the team. Thank you for stopping by, but I am expecting a 3:00," Gus said professionally but coolly.
"Well then, I won't keep you, I am sure you are busy," Detective Angell backed out of the door, confused herself.
"As I am sure you are," Gus said perfunctorily. "Why are you such a bitch?" Gus said to herself as soon as the Detective walked away.
"You shoot one perp and that makes you a bitch now, you got tough in your time away from the desk, Doc!" George Valterra said from the doorway.
"Not you, George, me, so what has gone on with you?" Gus gestured for him to shut the door and sit.
At five o'clock on the dot, Gus left her office, not wanting to break rules so soon and wandered down the hall to the lab. Of course everyone was still there, working intently. Gus felt a stabbing in her stomach. Realizing no one would be able to play with her on her ridiculously normal hours, she headed out, running into Detective Angell on the way. Feeling she should be a good person, she spoke up. "Detective, I apologize, I may have been cold earlier."
"It's all good. I can understand that you aren't happy about your current situation," the women appeared hesitant, studying the psychologist carefully.
"You could say that again."
"So what is your story anyway? I just know Flack got hurt, you got yanked from the field, and I got pulled over from the North bureau."
"Long and complicated story that I cannot relay without much alcohol." Gus cracked a smile.
"Well you will have to tell me sometime, Stella told me you made a mean margarita."
Gus could feel her body tensing. "Listen detective, I know we just met, and I don't mean this as rudely as it may sound but-"
"Yeah?" Angell looked at her with cold dark eyes
"Flack is going to be back sooner than anyone thinks and I am not staying behind a damn desk."
"So?" Angell asked, cocking one eyebrow high.
"Don't get comfortable," and with that Gus turned and walked out.
"Don't worry, I never do!" Angell called angrily after her.
Arriving at home in a bad mood, Gus found Flack zombied out on her couch. "Your IQ may be dropping rapidly, Flack."
"What are you talking about?"
"That television has to be rotting your brain, I have books you know," Gus snapped gesturing to the overflowing bookcases all around the apartment.
"Yeah but it is all fancy highbrow intellectual stuff."
"No it's not," she snapped again.
"Rough day?" he asked, giving her an opening.
"I hate my job," she grumbled.
"At least you still have it," he pointed out.
"Don't start, Flack, not today," she sighed, pulling off her suit jacket and sunk beside him. "Has your fan club taken you out for your walk today, Donnie boy?"
"Bite me, but no they haven't."
"Feel up to a stroll in Gramercy?"
"You actually going to let me in to your precious private park."
"Only because you need to get your ass back to work, stat!"
"I'm trying, but why are you rushing me all of a sudden?" he asked, curiously.
"I'll tell you after I change and grab the key." Gus bounded out a few minutes later in tight yoga pants and a tank top.
Flack flicked his eyes over her figure while she was digging through a basket for the skeleton key to the park. He found it amusing that she had little clue the effect she had on men. "Hey sunshine, you may give the old chess playing men a heart attack."
"Buzz off, Flack, I am not even approaching a bantering mood currently," Gus reached out a hand to pull Flack up from the couch.
"Alright then, muscles," he said as Gus pulled him very quickly to his feet.
Once at the park, Flack spoke up, hobbling beside her, "you know most people would be happy with a normal schedule, Broussard."
"You really peg me as most people, Flack?"
"Not at all sunshine, not at all, just pointing out the positives." "Well thanks for that."
A few minutes in silence, carefully stepping though the park, Gus nodding and waving to her neighbors. "You know people have been killed for a key to this damn place, I don't get it," Gus said shaking her head, "I read some of the police reports."
"People are dumb." Flack responded. "So why this rush to get me back to work?"
"I met Detective Angell today."
"Ah, are your green eyes showing again?" he teased.
Gus stopped, exasperated, "watch it Flack, I think that old man with the artificial limb and walker just lapped you." Flack smirked. "Don't give me that, blue eyes. I am not jealous of her per se, I am jealous of being stuck in my office on this ridiculous schedule that none of my friends follow, isolated and surrounded by case files."
"Per se," was Flack's sarcastic reply, "you know for all that moaning about not being a cop, I find it funny-"
Gus cut him off, "yes, I get it, Karma is a bitch. And today so was I."
"Oh did the claws come out to an unsuspecting Angell?"
"Maybe, a bit."
Flack scoffed, "don't worry she can more than handle her own. She has been through the ranks".
"What is that supposed to mean"?" Gus bristled, was he saying she was a slacker because she didn't go through academy?
"Gus, you have to chill, I wasn't saying anything about you. I am just saying Angell is tough and probably didn't think twice about whatever you said or did."
Gus shrugged at him, "Fine. Hey, you just did a lap!"
"I know, those pretty young things, as you call them, have been kicking my ass."
"So they have done something other than ogling it?" Gus teased.
"Shut it," Flack said, shoving her, "what you making for dinner?"
"Hey, I'm back to work now, your being waited on days are o-v-e-r!" Gus looked at him. "Don't sulk, it is unbecoming, and I am making dinner. Ginger chicken with almonds."
"Tasty. You know Broussard, you would make a good housewife."
"You looking to get re-injured, Flack?" Gus mocked a boxer's stance.
"I'm just saying."
"God, when can you climb stairs again and go back home?" Gus asked in teasing exasperation.
Flack's face changed, "grown tired of me, huh?"
"No, Don, I wasn't saying that, I was just teasing." His eyes still stormy. Gus moved over to a bench, patting the space beside her. "Come, sit, what's up?"
"I hate that you can always read me, you know that right?"
"Just sit down and tell me what's going on." Gus turned to him on the bench, hugging her knees, trying to look more the concerned friend than psychologist.
"Honestly?" he asked.
"Don't you demand that from me?"
"I am kind of afraid of going home." Gus suppressed a laugh, this did not jive with Flack's personality at all.
She chewed her lip and studied him until he continued. "I know I have done better than anyone expected, but I can't lift anything, I can barely haul myself around, I have had nightmares and I just-" he paused to swallow, "I don't know if I will ever be back to my normal strength."
"Flack, I don't know how to tell you this, but you were hit by a bomb blast two months ago. You have exceeded every expectation, no, smashed through every expectation and what you are experiencing is pretty textbook."
"Great, it doesn't feel textbook."
"I know," Gus uncurled and kicked at the dirt with her sneaker. "Listen Flack, stay as long as you want, I have kind of gotten used to having you around," she looked over at him with a sly grin, "it's like having a cleaner and slightly less smelly guard dog." He dimpled back, bumping her. She fell to the dirt, "ouch, dammit, Flack, I thought you said you were feeling weak!"
He tried to suppress laughter, "good to know you are still a mess, now let's go make dinner, woman."
Mrs. Potter greeted them on the way in, sticking a potted plant in the door. Gus rolled her eyes, "Mrs. Potter, there are criminals just waiting for someone to do something like this," she said to the elderly women. Flack attempted to move the plant, but couldn't. Gus helped, without looking directly at him.
"You two just make the most adorable couple, it is so nice to have young blood around here again, makes me feel more alive. Hopefully soon there will be little feet running up and down the hallways. Not too early or late or loudly mind you, we do have rules," the little old women said, pinching Flack's cheek before she shuffled off to the park.
"Oh Gawd," Gus drawled, tilting her head heavenward, "not another rumor!"
Flack just snickered all the way to the elevator, "come on dear, dinner won't make itself," Flack teased.
"Please don't encourage them, you just will incite a riot."
"That's half the fun," Flack said with a grin.
"What does that say about us?"
"Whaddya mean?"
"That this is how exciting our lives have become, riling up little old people."
"True, true. We are full of excitement," Flack said following Gus into her apartment.
Chapter 26: Summer of Sam
Gus should have known better than to make jokes about how less than exciting her life was. A few days after July 4th, her phone rang toward the end of the day from a NYPD blocked number. This was Gus' first clue something was up, the number was from the within the department, but from outside the precinct. "Dr. Broussard, NYPD," Gus answered briskly.
"Gus"? said a very timid voice.
"Yes, this is Gus." Gus didn't immediately recognize the voice.
"Um, it's Sam, Sam Flack, Donnie's sister, I just...um I didn't know who to call."
Gus felt her brow furrowing, why was Flack's sister calling her, "oh, sorry! Hey, Sam, how are you? Do you need another shift picked up? I can only do it if it is after 5."
"I'm kinda got fired from there," Sam said, her voice quavering.
Gus felt the hairs on the back of her neck. "Sam, what's going on?" Gus got up, closing her office door with her foot.
"I kinda got in a fight with my boss, but that isn't the problem, I didn't know who to call I couldn't call my brother, and please don't call my dad or grandmother..." the girl was nearly hysterical.
"Okay, Sam, I need you to take a deep breath," Gus said calmly and Sam did. "Good and another one...now tell me, who is we and where are you right now?"
"Me and my friend Kelly and we are kinda at the 90th. I hate to ask, but can you come get us? And please don't tell my brother."
"The 90th precinct, in Brooklyn?" Gus had a bad feeling about this, but she couldn't ignore the girl or the icy pit in her stomach.
"Yeah, we are kind of being held...just please come."
Gus knew she should tell the younger woman to call her brother and step away from the whole situation, but something about the terror in Sam's voice stopped her. She had the feeling that the Flack men could be less than forgiving. "Listen, I can be there soon, I just have to let someone know I am leaving. And Sam?"
"Yes?" said a weak voice.
"Don't say another word to anybody until I get there."
"I won't, promise and thanks."
"Celia, I um need to duck out a little early, personal thing," Gus caught the other psychologist in the hall.
"No more appointments?" the other psychologist asked, her interest raised in why Gus was leaving.
"Nope, all quiet," Gus wasn't about to give this woman any ammunition.
"Is everything alright with you?" Celia figured she had a right to ask as the highest ranking staff psychologist.
"I am sure it will be fine, I'll see you tomorrow." Gus knew she was fishing.
"Good evening then." Celia said turning wondering if the personal matter had anything to do with the handsome detective Gus had been caring for.
Gus hightailed it over Brooklyn, cursing herself for doing so the entire way. Gus felt her heart and stomach leap and sink at the same time as the taxi pulled up to the precinct. "Dear Lord," she said, paying the exorbitant fare and pulling open the front door.
Much like the 12th, the precinct was a buzz of familiar activity, but Gus felt very out of place. "You lost or something?" the Desk Sargent asked Gus curiously.
"No, actually, I am here-" Gus stopped, why the hell was she here, "I'm Doctor Augusta Broussard, I am here on behalf of-"
"Gus, Gus, over here!" Sam called from where she was seated on a bench next to another young woman Gus could only guess could be Kelly. Sam appeared slightly sheepish but no worse for the wear, while Kelly was sobbing hysterically. It was only then that Gus realized they were both handcuffed to the bench.
Gus looked up to the ceiling, hoping some sort of cosmic event would save her from this situation. She squared her shoulders and walked toward the bench, noticing a uniform sitting at the battered desk next to it. "Can I have a minute?" she asked, flashing her credentials, desperately wishing she had been able to keep her shield.
Luckily it was enough for the uniform, who looked desperate for a break. "Please, if you can do anything to shut this broad up, it would be a miracle," he said, hooking his thumb toward Kelly.
Gus gave him a slight smirk, grabbing a box of tissues off the desk and handing them to Kelly. "Could one of you please tell me why you are sitting handcuffed in the 90th precinct and how you expect me to get you out of this?"
"It is all my fault!" Sam burst out dramatically.
"No it isn't," Kelly protested between sobbing hiccups, "I was the one that saw the open window."
"I don't care whose fault it is, just someone please tell me what is going on this second or I am picking up my phone and calling Don!" Gus said, her patience wearing thin and already knowing this was a bad idea.
This just made Kelly cry harder, but scared Sam enough to get her to talk. "So, I kind of got in a fight with Todd, my boyfriend, and he sort of kicked me out after I got fired." Gus nodded, waiting for the rest of it. "He just threw me out on the street, so I went to stay with Kelly at her parent's."
"I, hic, still, hic, live with, hic, them," Kelly interjected.
"Most of my stuff was still at Todd's, but when I went back today because I knew he was going to be at work, he had changed the locks. I just wanted my stuff back."
"And Kelly saw an open window and you decided to just let yourself in and get your stuff back?" Gus said, trying to not roll her eyes.
Sam nodded, "yeah, and it would have been fine, except the jerk came home early and flipped out on us and the nosy neighbor called the damn police when we started yelling."
"Sam!" Gus admonished, though she wanted to say a lot more. "What happened when the cops came? Did you actually get arrested, did they read you your rights?"
Sam shook her head, "no, they just linked us up and piled us in the squad car, some cop is in there, talking to Todd now." She gestured toward one of the interview rooms.
"Be honest, did either of you break anything while you were there?"
Sam shook her head, "no, I just wanted to get my stuff."
Kelly went pale, "I freaked out when the cops came and I jumped back out the window and I think I may have broke it on my way out. Am I going to jail? My parents are going to kill me and I am too pretty for prison. I'll never get into grad school now!" Her panic set off enough round of wails.
"You two sit tight, I am going to go see what is going on and how I can help." "It's not like we are going anywhere," Sam quipped, shaking at the cuffs.
Gus waited until the officer was finished talking to Todd, catching him as soon as he came out of the interview room. "Officer...Yance, is it? Dr. Augusta Broussard, out of the 12th," she said handing him one of her cards.
"Psychologist, huh? From Manhattan? What brings you all the way out here? I'm not being pulled for some eval am I?" Yance looked a little worried.
Gus decided to use this to her advantage. "Should you be?" she said with a flirtatious smile. "What is the deal with this?" she asked, pointing at Todd.
"Simple 808, some guy's crazy ex slipped back into his apartment to get some of her stuff and started causing a scene, had a friend with her, dove out the back window as soon as we pulled up, caused some damage to the pane and ticked the super's wife off."
"Slipped back in?" Gus asked, fishing for more info.
Yance raised his eyebrows, wondering why a psychologist was so interested in a disturbing the peace call. "Open window. Now why was it you were here, Dr. Broussard?"
"Did the crazy ex happen to mention her last name was Flack?"
"She claimed to not have an id on her, why I linked them up and dragged them in, wanted to make sure they weren't in the system without any outstanding warrants. Wait, Flack, like-"
Gus nodded, "yeah."
"So why isn't the legend here himself? Doesn't he also have a son, detective over in the, wait, didn't you say you were from the 12th?"
Gus sighed, "yes, I work with his son, but I think Sam was trying to avoid name dropping, so she called me."
"What did she think a shrink could do? Though to tell you the truth, her friend could use one."
"Is he pressing any sort of charges?" Gus replied, pointing at Todd.
"Don't think so, they didn't technically break and enter. Super wants the window fixed though, and she is pissed enough that she may push things. Apparently those two used to go at it like cats and dogs on a daily basis."
"What is it going to take to have you release them to me?" Gus asked, hoping he wasn't going to be a hard ass.
"You can vouch for them, get them to pay for the window?" Gus nodded, praying she didn't have to pay for it herself. "I gotta issue a citation for something, misdemeanor 808, if they don't have a record, shouldn't be more than a simple fine. You get them to cough up their ids and I can get you all out of here in no time."
"Thank you, so much, Officer Yance."
"Well, just remember this if I do get called up for an eval."
"Will do," Gus said, walking back to Sam and Kelly and getting both of their driver's licenses.
"I talked him out of arresting you," Gus said, trying to scare them, "you are both still getting a citation, though and you are going to have to replace the window. Officer Yance is going to run these through the system, I trust there will be no surprises?" Gus glared at both girls. They shook their heads. "Good, after he is done, I'll make sure Kelly gets home and Sam, we'll figure something out."
"I can't go home, my parents will kill me!" Kelly insisted with a plea.
"Your parents would kill you if they were having to bail you out of jail!" Gus protested.
"What about my stuff, it is all still at Todd's!" Sam cut in.
"For right now, you are going to have to forget about your stuff, Samantha," Gus warned.
"So I have no boyfriend, no job, no stuff and no place to stay?" Sam said, her tone petulant but her expression terrified.
Gus heaved a sigh,"fine, one night, you can stay with me, but Don is still at my place, so you are going to have figure out something to tell him."
"What about Kelly, if she goes home like this," Sam gestured to her mess of a friend.
"Fine, both of you, for one night, one night only and then you can each talk to your parents and figure things out. Even if you are both adults and should act like it!" Gus said, storming off to give Officer Yance the licenses.
After satisfactorily running them through the system, Yance wrote each girl a ticket and unlocked the handcuffs, giving them each a stern warning Gus was sure neither paid attention to. "Good luck," he said to Gus with a smile.
"Thanks," she grumbled, hailing them all a cab.
Gus told the girls to wait at the corner cafe for a few minutes before coming up. "I am sure the door will be open, if not buzz, but I think I should give Don some sort of head's up."
"You aren't going to tell him are you Gus?" Sam inquired.
"No, I am not, but I have to tell him you are staying the night, you get to tell him what you want on your own. Just remember, the truth has a way of revealing itself."
Gus let herself into the apartment with a heavy sigh. "Rough day again?" Flack asked from floor where he was...
Gus wondered what the hell he was doing. "Just the last couple of hours, what are you doing?"
"Core exercises," he replied, nonchalantly.
"Like Pilates?" Gus smirked.
"No!"
"They aren't just for girls, you know," she said with a grin. "I know, I know, they suggested yoga as well."
Gus suppressed a snicker, "well, you have fun with that, but I just wanted to tell you to ready yourself for overnight guests".
"Guests plural? One for each of us then, because I don't think I am there yet and I don't know if I really want to hear-"
"Flack, you might just want to hear who it is before you continue that statement."
"Who then?" he said running his hand across his forehead slinging sweat across the hardwoods.
Gus wrinkled her nose and tossed him a towel,"Sam and her friend Kelly."
"Sam?" Flack looked quizzically, "my sister Sam?"
"You know another Sam Flack I might be bringing home?"
"But Sam has her own apartment in Brooklyn, with like three roommates."
"Apparently not really, but that is all I am saying, it's..." Gus broke off.
"If you say complicated, I am going to considering hitting you," he glared at her.
"Not my place to tell you," Gus finished.
"Not your place? How do you figure?" Flack asked.
"Oh let's just say I have insider knowledge." Just then a knock sounded on the door, Flack pulled himself up by the coffee table and followed Gus to answer it.
As soon as Sam stepped foot in the door Flack was on her, "what are you doing here, sis? Don't you have your own place? Did you get thrown out again?"
Gus gave Flack a look, "way to be supportive, Flack," she admonished.
"And how would you know anything about sibling relations?" he shot back.
"I am going to ignore that. Kelly, do you want to take a seat on the sofa?" Gus asked the younger woman who was still breaking into sobs, "I'll get you some water." She turned to Sam and Don, "you guys can go duke this out in my bedroom if you want." Gus said to them on the way to the kitchen.
A while later they came back, Sam looking chastised and Flack looking pissed. Gus touched a finger to her lips, "Kelly passed out, why don't you come outside and wait on the pizza guy with me, Flack?"
"Fine," he snapped. They slowly, but somehow still angrily made their way outside. The evening was muggy, the air thick.
Gus' hair began to immediately curl, "damn, I need a drink," Gus muttered.
"Me too," Flack responded, he softened the slightest bit, "look I am sorry for the sibling crack, you probably had to learn all about that stuff."
"Please don't patronize me, Flack, you are right I don't know first hand, I just think the situation is...delicate".
"Ain't nothing delicate about those two," Flack said gesturing upstairs.
"Did Sam tell you about what happened?"
"Yeah, I just can't believe she would be so stupid. She sure knows how to pick winners. Bad enough she dropped out of school. Again. After lying to Grams and Pops about living with three roommates when she is really shacking up with some loser. Then she gets fired and kicked out by her no good boyfriend and then she B&Es him to get her junk back!"
"According to the NYPD, it was merely disturbing the peace," Gus pointed out.
"You didn't have to fix things for her, maybe all of us should just stop rescuing her for once and then maybe she would act her age."
"Cut her some slack, Flack, not everybody can have everything figured out by twenty."
"She's twenty-two!"
"I'm older than that and I still don't have things figured out!" Gus protested.
"You aren't getting arrested though," he countered.
"I see your point," she said with a slight smile.
"You really didn't have to help," Flack said again.
"I know, but I wanted to-" Gus started to say more, but was interrupted by the arrival of the pizza.
After dinner, Gus returned to the living room after stacking dishes in the dishwasher making them all tea, though she poured a shot of bourbon into her's and Flack's. She stopped short, sloshing liquids when she discovered her sectional sofa had no room for her, as the other three were enthralled with whatever was on the television. Kelly was cuddled on the lounger, finally not crying, Sam was half lying by her friend, and Flack was sprawled at the other end, kicking at his sister's feet.
"Stop it!"
"Move your smelly feet then!"
"Move yours!"
"Um, children, do you think maybe some one could let me onto my sofa in my apartment where currently none of you are more than guests or pay the mortgage?" Gus rolled her eyes, putting the tray on the coffee table.
Flack sat up, patting the space next to him, "come here, I'll even let you lean on me, since it is my good side."
"Damn right you will!" Gus said passing out the drinks. "There is a little extra in ours, Don, so watch it."
"Thanks, sunshine," he said, adjusting so Gus could settle in next to him.
"What about ours, it's just tea!" Sam looked as if Gus were trying to give her poison.
"Excuse me, this isn't room service, you want it, bar is in there," Gus gestured at the kitchen, trying to ignore the look Flack gave both of them when Sam returned with her mug doctored.
Gus pulled a face, "you ladies may have my bedroom tonight, I already put fresh sheets on the bed. I just hope I have enough pillows."
"We'll be fine," Sam said, yawning, "in fact I think I may go in there now. You do have a television in there, right?"
Gus rolled her eyes, "yes, in the wardrobe."
"Cool, 'night then, and thanks," Sam said, helping the still pale looking Kelly toward her bedroom.
Some time later, with Flack back on the lounger, Gus sprawled on her stomach facing him flipping through a magazine, he yanked on her hair. "Hey, ow, watch it!" Gus exclaimed.
"I just realized I should say thank you for, ya know, helping my sister."
"Funny way of showing it," Gus said pulling out her ponytail and rubbing her scalp.
"Let me, you big baby," he said massaging her scalp.
Gus flopped her head down on the cushion, "you keep that up and I might start drooling," Gus said muffled.
"Lucky for you, I already knew you were a drooler, sunshine," Flack said with a grin. Not five minutes later, Gus was passed out, and Flack had managed to get his hand caught in her hair. "If only you didn't have so much of it," he said struggling to free his hand.
"Wha- what?" Gus said lifting her head up sleepily.
"Sorry, I was stuck," Flack said pulling his hand back.
"Yeah, I break a lot of brushes, thanks for the scalp massage though."
"No problem. Hey, do you want the daybed in the office? I'm good here."
"Nope, you are still my charge, and I have a comfortable couch, remember?" Gus said, turning to her side, hugging a throw pillow to her chest.
"Just wanted to ask, trying to be nice."
"It's all good" Gus said yawning, "would be better if you could pick one channel and stick to it, though."
"Fine, here," he said stopping on some old fashioned horror movie.
"Humph, wouldn't have thought this," she remarked.
"Why not?" he asked, looking down at her.
"Thought you were afraid of ghosts."
He narrowed his eyes, "who told you that?"
"Everybody," she replied with a smile.
"Well, this is just a movie. Make believe. And remind me to kick everybody's ass later."
"Sure, whatever Flack, you don't have to be brave in front of me, you know."
"Shut it Broussard, or I won't keep rubbing your head."
Not one to turn down a good offer, Gus complied and inched her head closer to Flack's hand. "Rub away then," she murmured.
"You are spoiled," Flack remarked, tangling up a hand again. "You're one to talk," Gus retorted.
They spent the night, watching bad horror movies, listening to the girls talking in the bedroom, Gus' head nearly but not quite in Flack's lap, and Flack, for one time only, happily entangled. Both slept, solidly, without a twitch, without a nightmare, blissfully at peace.
Chapter 27: Breakfast Club
The next morning before work, Gus was making breakfast while her phone buzzed once again from a NYPD number. "Broussard here,"
"Dr. Broussard, this is Celia Kringas," responded a clipped voice. "I was just checking on you to ensure that your personal matter had been taking care of or if you needed any more time off."
Gus started to smile thinking this woman was being very sweet, and then she realized more likely the woman was just digging for information, "well thank you Celia, I should be fine, I might be the tiniest but late though, I will be sure to make it up."
"So it's not medical?" the woman asked.
'I knew it', thought Gus, but she was at a loss, she couldn't say a family matter because then they would think was Mac, and she didn't want to tell the truth that her sort of partner's little sister had gotten sort of arrested over in Brooklyn either. Instead Gus took a second and then said, "I thank you for your concern Dr. Kringas, but I promise, no worries, I will be in soon."
"Trouble at the office?" Flack came in to the kitchen, yawning and scratching his chest through his t-shirt, "what smells so good?"
"Figured I would try to wake the two little hell-raisers with some breakfast."
"Sam can sleep like the dead, breakfast ain't gonna cut it, sunshine," Flack said swiping a piece a bacon.
"I already heard them stirring, thank god I grabbed my shower early, otherwise it would be like dorm city all over again," Gus gestured to the towel wrapped around her hair.
"Glad it isn't just a new look then," Flack said going in for another piece of bacon.
Gus whacked at his hand with her spatula, "stop it!"
"What you don't make me breakfast?" he implored.
"Excuse me?" Gus stopped, cocked a hand on her hip, "where have you been every weekend for the past couple of months?"
"Well sometimes I go to my grandma's and sometimes you just buy it and you don't make it during the week," Flack said with a sulk.
"You are getting to be a brat you know with all these women waiting on you hand and foot, you try to go back to work and your head won't fit through the squad room door," Gus gestured menacingly with a knife.
"Hey, watch it there Mack the Knife, you don't have the best history with those things."
"Ha ha ha," Gus mocked but put the knife down, "maybe this will shut you up," she scooped up a mound of the banana's foster french toast and shoved it in his mouth.
At that moment Sam walked in and mocked gagged, "Jesus, I can't handle that much domesticity before coffee," she said slumping over to the coffeemaker.
Flack started to choke, "domesticity?" he said through a mouthful.
"Ew," Sam said "Donnie that is gross."
Gus slid Sam a huge coffee cup, "here have a real size mug, those are for pansy guest who can't handle caffeine," she looked the girl up and down, "are those my clothes?"
"Yeah, sorry, as I said most of my stuff is still at Todd's. I guess this is me getting over my stuff," she said with a grin.
Gus sighed, her words being twisted back on her.
"Sammy," Flack started with a warning, then shook his head, "I'll make sure they get dry cleaned," he said to Gus.
Kelly shuffled into the kitchen as well, damp from the shower, swimming in Gus' sweats, "morning," she mumbled.
"Okay y'all, we can't all fit in here, it is the smallest room in the place. Go sit at the table and I will bring food out."
Kelly cracked a smile, "I love your accent."
Gus looked confused, she sometimes forgot people picked up on it, "just go sit," she said with a shake of her head.
"You need any help?" Flack asked.
"Nah, I got it, table's set."
With her motley crew settled at the table and digging in, she pulled on her suit jacket. "I've gotta go 'you guys'," she stressed, "but good luck with everything, especially talking to your parents. Kelly, don't forget you have to pay for that window."
Kelly dropped her head, "I know," she said miserable, "I am going to call today."
"All right then, take care y'all," Gus said picking up her briefcase and stumbling out the door, spilling coffee as she went, "dammit" she muttered catching her briefcase in the door.
Sam laughed, "you got yourself one mess there Donnie".
"I don't have myself a mess other than you, sis."
"Whatever, you two are like so in love with each other."
"Sam, we are partners at work, you have to have each others back, but we are not 'so in love' as you say. I have had plenty of interest from admiring females anyway," Flack puffed up.
"Yeah, but how many of them make you breakfast and let you live in their office?"
"I told you, Sam, partners."
"Whatever," Sam replied with a snort.
"She is really nice," Kelly spoke up from playing with her food.
"Yeah she is," Flack said with a fine edge to his voice. "Now eat up so I can get your back out of my hair."
"Which is looking much better these days, bro, that long-haired thing was so not working for you," Sam dug at her older brother.
Flack reached over and flicked his sister's ear, "enough. Eat." "Okay, okay, jeez."