Chapter 68
Ryan was walking to his office when Liam called him in the hallway. Not knowing what to expect he prepared himself for the worst. Thinking of all the cases they've worked on the last two weeks and how one of them went wrong and that he is in trouble right now. He felt like a kid in the principal's office.
"I got a call from the guys in charge this morning. We have to make a two hour drive there to attend a mandatory meeting." Liam informed the special agent. "Okay. How many of us will be going?" Ryan asked hoping it won't be just the two of them. "Hilson and Miller is joining us. We'll leave in an hour." O'Conner answered and Ryan dismissed himself from his superior's office. According to Maranda she trusts these four guys not to screw things up. She wasn't going with since she believe she doesn't need to baby them anymore and they have to grow up some time. Although, deep down she's doubting her decision.
"What are we doing for lunch?" Shelby asked looking over at her friends who was actually busy working for once. "What we normally do, blondie. Try and take over the world." Nimah laughed, making the other three crack up. "You guys are terrible. I was about to offer to buy lunch, but now not anymore. Shelby said.
"Can the two of you please stop being rude. You don't have to invite them Shell. It'll just be the two of us." Nimah responded trying to sound like a peace maker. "Two faced Nimah Amin." Shelby smiled. "Come on Mrs. Booth. Let's go to our spot." Natalie got up from her desk and lead the way outside so the four of them can go eat.
When Alex got outside of the building the three musketeers were already waiting for her at her car. She got in and was just about to back out of the parking lot when Shelby stopped her. "Wait I gotta go pee first." Shelby stopped them in their tracks and got out of the car. "Can't you hold it?" Natalie asked turning around in the front seat to look at the blonde. "We'll talk again when you're in my position." Shelby said as she got out of the car and headed back inside to relieve herself.
They pulled up at the café and agreed to park underground to escape the heat. Alex stopped in front of the café so her three friends can get out while she parked the car, then she'll meet them inside.
"Enjoy the sugar rush baby." Shelby said rubbing over her small round belly. "Can I be weird and ask you a personal question Alex?" Shelby asked. Alex not sure how to respond or where this conversation is headed nodded her head anyway. "You told me about the birth and the painful contractions. But that aside, will my intimacy with Caleb be the same again?" Shelby questioned seeing Alex turn a shade redder. "Oooohh now this is some conversation I want to be a part of." Natalie leaned forward elbows on the table, Nimah signaling with her eyes that Alex should answer the question.
Alex sighed heavily before speaking. "Well, I felt insecure at first because I've gained some weight that I still didn't lose. And I felt insecure. It's not going to feel like it used to but my gynecologist said it'll take some time for everything to shift back into place, and then it would be back to normal." Alex explained in as little detail as possible so they can get this conversation over with. "I wanted more detail but that'll do." Nimah complained leaving the rest smiling as they looked over the menu.
Each of them ordering some chocolate cake with a caramel fudge filling and some milkshakes to top it all off. "The other night I watched a film Indiana Jones, and I ended up crying." Shelby said seeing the looks of her friends and how they are about to burst out crying any minute now. "Why on earth would an Indiana Jones film make you cry?" Alex laughed. "It was the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, okay. I cried because I was hoping they'd show an alien, and boom they did! And I just started crying." Shelby concluded seeing how her friends laughed.
"Is this blamed on pregnancy hormones?" Nimah asked and Natalie and Alex nodded while Shelby shrugged. "Caleb had no idea what to do. I told him what I was crying about and he got up and left the room. Came back when the movie was over." She told her friends. "Not that I would blame him. I would've done the same." Alex laughed.
"You're clearly going out with a bang." Natalie laughed and Alex high fived her. "Not even a drop the mic sentence, but that'll do." Alex said. "Guys, please record my last words when it's my time to go. If my last sentence isn't worth dropping the mic then you keep recording until you feel like it's worth enough for me, before closing my eyes." Alex told her friends who looked at her as if she's the alien Shelby cried over in the Indiana Jones film.
"I'm surrounded by a bunch of weirdo's. Proves that I'm the only normal one out here." Nimah smiled. They finished their cake and milkshakes, and called the waiter over so they can pay the bill and get back to the office. Alex's phone buzzed and she smiled at the picture Marci sent her. Phoebe and Jemma laying on their backs, watching each other, seems like they're in a very deep conversation. She smiled down at her phone and showed the picture to the three of them before they headed back to street and Alex walk towards the relatively empty underground parking to get the car.
"Hey, you're that cop lady right?" Came a voice on the far end of the lot. Alex turned around to see who was talking.
"Depends on who's asking." Alex answered when she saw a familiar face, trying to place the pieces of the puzzle were she saw this guy before.
"Remember me? You and your guys put our boss away for selling that doped up butter. Benito Cayne's the name. In case you forgot." The man introduced himself walking towards her.
"Yeah I remember, how can I help you Cayne?" Alex asked fumbling with the keys in her hand to open the car door, other hand in her back pocket close enough so she can grab her service pistol when it's needed. "I just wanted to have a talk with you. You're really pretty you know. Lucky bastard who gets to screw you every night." The man said walking closer to her. Alex felt her blood boil she was about to smack this guy if he said one more disrespectful word.
"Look, if you have nothing else to say to me, you better get the hell out of my sight before I do something you'll regret." Alex's patience was wearing thin right now. "Don't be like that baby girl, I told you I just wanted to talk." Benito said licking his lips scanning her body up and down. Alex had enough. She took a step closer to him and slapped him across the face. "You don't get to talk to me like that are we clear? Now. Get the hell out of my way before I drive over you." Alex hissed opening the driver's door, but he yanked her arm away from the handle.
Benito had his arm around her neck. Alex tried to punch him in the rub with her free hand but he grabbed a hold of her free hand and pinned it to her back. He was standing with his front to her back, holding her in a choking position and tightening his hold on her neck gradually. Alex tried squirming and screaming to get her way out but it seemed like her breath was caught in her throat. She figured after feeling like she's about to loose this fight, that she might as well give up her fight and use her breathe trying to stay conscious. "I can kill you here and now. You know our boss man's family is living in poverty now, because you've stopped our operation. So now, your family would have to see how they'll survive without you." Benito whispered in her ear, and Alex felt herself weaken.
In front of the street the girls are wondering where Alex is, taking her time. They started to worry when she didn't show, since it doesn't take that long to bring the car up front. They walked down and saw her in Benito Cayne's hold.
Natalie hit him with her elbow from behind and he stumbled, momentarily loosing his grip on Alex's neck and she stumbled forward couching looking for her breath. Shelby opened the door for her allowing her to get in the back seat and closing it again, attending to her friend, making sure she was okay before getting out and helping the other two. She had red bruised marks on her neck and some on her ribs that would surely discolor and turn blue in the morning.
Natalie and Nimah were trying to fight him, but when it seemed like he is much stronger than the two of them, they took out their weapons and shot him in the shoulder. They knew it was wrong but for now it was self-defense. In the car Shelby called the police and told them what went down. They came down and arrested Benito for assaulting an agent.
Panic set in and they drove Alex to hospital. She still had trouble breathing and coughed most of the time. Natalie drove while Shelby tried calling Ryan and Nimah called Maranda to tell her what went down. "Ryan's not answering." Shelby said and she tried calling Liam but his phone also went to voicemail. Maranda answered and met them at the hospital in the lobby while a doctor examined Alex.
"Are you guys with Mrs. Booth?" the doctor asked the four females in the room, who nodded. "Is she in an abusive relationship?" He asked and as one person all four women shook their heads again. "No, no not at all. Some guy in the parking lot did it. We work for the FBI and we put his boss away for selling illegal substances and I'm guessing he's out for revenge." Maranda explained briefly as they showed the doctor their badges.
"All right." The doctor nodded. "She's good to go home, she's in some shock and I gave her something to calm her down. Ask someone to stay with her at home it might make her drowsy. Her throat is going to be sore from the pressure and she might sound raspy and have trouble swollowing for a few days. She also sustained some bruises on her ribs which will heal up with time. Take care of her." The doctor concluded and walked towards the examination room where he gave Alex her prescription of medication.
She had a small bruise on her lip and one above her left eye brow. Her neck started to discolor already and she couldn't deal with the four sad faces in front of her. "Don't look at me like that. I'm fine." She croaked getting off the bed, her left hand holding her right rib. Shelby walked over to her and hugged her best friend.
"Ooww, not so tight." Alex said and Shelby backed away quickly. "Sorry." She apologized. "Go home, Parrish. And stay there for the rest of the week, you can come back on Monday again." Maranda told the brunette. "Thanks, but I want to keep myself occupied I'll be back tomorrow, Maranda." Alex said as she walked towards the door. "That's an order." Maranda answered and Alex didn't bother arguing with her superior.
They drove home in silence. Alex leaning with her head against the window staring at the cars passing. They stopped by the pharmacy to fill her prescription and stopped by the day care to get Phoebe. Alex sat in the car and called inside to say Shelby will come get her daughter, she didn't want to appear in public looking the way she did right now. For the first time in a while for the day Alex smiled when she saw her daughter. Shelby handed her to Alex in the back seat and she showered Phoebe with kisses.
In the back Nimah tried calling since they left the hospital but there was still no answer. Natalie looked in the rear view mirror to make eye contact but Nimah shook her head, indicating that she still didn't get through to him.
"You want me to make you something to eat?" Nimah asked her friend who took a seat on the couch not taking her eyes off Phoebe or handing her over to her friends. "No thank you." Alex answered dryly not making eye contact. "Alex you have to eat something, you can't take those mediation on an empty stomach." Shelby tried. Yeah, they ate cake about an hour before but that doesn't count as food. "I'm not hungry." Alex shook her head positioning Phoebe so she can look at her pretty blue eyed face, with her curly hair ad chubby cheeks.
Nimah's phone rang and relief flooded through her when Ryan's name popped up. She walked out of ear shot, went into the bathroom down the hall and answered the phone.
"Why the hell don't you answer your phone?" Nimah asked not bothering to greet. "I was in a meeting Nimah. What's going on?" Ryan asked not knowing why she's so agitated with him. "Your wife was attacked today, that's what happened!" Nimah yelled.
Ryan felt like the wind was knocked out of him. He had so many questions running through his head right now he didn't know where to start. "Is she okay? Where did this happen? Where's Phoebe? Who did it? Damnit Nimah why didn't you say something earlier." Ryan was frustrated and mad. Not at her friends but more at himself.
"We went out for lunch, and Benito Cayne showed up in the parking lot when she went to go get the car, and attacked her for putting their boss away." Nimah explained briefly. "We went to get Phoebe at day care, the police showed up and took Benito away." She concluded.
"I'll leave now. Can you guys stay there until I get home please?" Ryan asked and Nimah heard his voice crack. "Sure." Nimah said and walked out of the bathroom back to the lounge where the rest was. "Ryan's on his way." She told Alex. She nodded, silent tears running down her face.
None of them knew what to say so they sat down on either side of her and held her as tightly as they could, while staring at Phoebe in her mother's arms.
"Alex?" Ryan called when he burst through the door. He was surprised when he didn't see her downstairs. Shelby pointed towards the stairs and he took them two at a time until he got to the bedroom. They ordered dinner and bathed Phoebe so Alex wouldn't have to do it. When Ryan got there they wrote a quick note and pasted it on the fridge before leaving the two of them alone.
"Alex?" Ryan asked again and walked over to the closed bathroom door slowly. He peeked into the crib and saw Phoebe sleeping soundly. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the marks on her neck, when she opened the door.
"Oh my god. Babe I… Sweetheart I am so sorry." Ryan had no idea what to say. He felt his eyes burn with tears. His wife looked so fragile. He held his hands out to touch her, he wanted to hug her so badly, let her know everything would be fine and that he is sorry for not being there to protect her.
Ryan touched her arm and she jumped a little pulling her arm back, seeing the hurt reflect in both their eyes. Alex hurt physically, and for the action she just did. She wants to be held so badly but when she pulled her arm away she couldn't help but think for a second that her husband might lay a hand on her too. Ryan hurt on his part because Alex is afraid of being touched by him as if he'll hurt her.
"Alex, I'm not gonna hurt you." Ryan said softly and Alex's hand covered her mouth to try and suppress the sob that was about to escape. She stepped forward into his chest and allowed herself to cry and try to cleanse the stress of the day. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart." He whispered as his own tears fell from his eyes. "I was so scared, Ryan. I tried fighting but he was so much stronger than I was. If they didn't come look for me I'd probably be dead right now." She said taking a step back from him to look in his eyes. "Don't say that. You're gonna be fine, that's all that matters." Ryan told her rubbing his thumb softly over the discolored skin on her neck.
"Did you go to a doctor to get this checked out?" He asked concerned and she nodded her head. "Yeah, he said I'm fine it'll heal up on its own my ribs might take a little longer." She added seeing the surprise on her husband's face. He clearly thought it was only her neck. She lifted her shirt and revealed her purple and blue rib cage, she couldn't bring herself to look at it, but she looked at his reflection in the mirror.
Ryan knelt down in front of the bed , his back pressed against the base of the bed burying his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry, Alex. I'm sorry." He mumbled over and over again feeling like a failure that he wasn't there to protect his wife. Alex knelt down in front of him holding him tightly. Allowing him to sob in her arms, each sob tearing through her heart, and she allowed herself to cry with him. Once they both calmed down she lifted his head up softly with her hand. "Hey, look at me." Alex said softly, wiping his tear stained cheeks with the pads of her thumbs.
"I'm gonna be okay, honey. You can't blame yourself for this." Alex said looking into his red rimmed eyes. "That doesn't make me feel any better, sweetheart." He answered softly. Alex understood where he was coming from but it happened, they can't change anything about it. "Come on, let's get to bed." Alex prompted getting up, walking over to her bedside. Checking to see if Phoebe was okay before getting in. Ryan joining her a little while later.
Ryan got into bed next to her. Her eyes were closed but he knew she wasn't asleep. "Can I hold you?" He asked softly, head propped on his hand. He didn't know who need it more…him or her.
"Please." She replied, rolling closer to him.
Ryan took her in his arms, feeling the softness of her hair on his chest, pressing his lips against her head softly. He ran his hand down her back rhythmically, trying to stop the shaking that had started with his first touch.
Thanks for the read guys. I had a light bulb moment when I wrote this chapter. Hope you like it and that it wasn't too gory. I wanted to show a softer side to both of them, and that they're human too and hurt from time to time. Thanks for reading. Lovies-S