Chapter 177

Ryan was hesitant about going back to work. He wasn't sure how to face everyone after what had happened and if they would treat him the same. He lingered in the car fidgeting with nothing in particular and Alex looked over at him as she loosened her seatbelt and laid a hand on the door handle.

"You have nothing to worry about." She said looking over at him sympathetically and he looked back at her.

He shook his head, "well I'm not so sure about that. What if I end up getting a bunch of sideways looks from everyone, and they continue talking behind my back, which i'm sure they're doing anyway." He argued.

"Then you keep your head high and walk with pride. I don't know why I said that it just seemed appropriate." Alex laughed seeing a small smile appear on her husband's face. "Come on, the sooner you walk through those doors the sooner we'll be able to go home tonight." She said opening the door and refusing to walk unless he was walking beside her. After all they're in this together.

Surprisingly it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be, and everyone seemed to be glad to see him, although he wasn't sure if they meant it or if they were just putting up a façade. Maranda called a mandatory meeting soon after they were settled into their office spaces and she gave them all a ten minute waiting period where they had to meet in the boardroom. Liam and Ryan took in their usual positions, Ryan standing at the back of the room while Liam was standing in front next to Maranda.

"Good morning everyone, I won't keep you as I am sure you are all wanting to get back to work. I just want to welcome back our two special agents who were absent for a little while." She started and everyone started clapping and smiling. "It wasn't an easy journey, and though it might not have looked like it myself and the rest of the team were standing behind both of you, we didn't doubt you for once." She said sincerely , and the fact that Ryan could see the nods of his co-workers made the doubts of them judging him earlier disappear. "Alright, back to work all of you." She dismissed the meeting and everyone walked back to their stations.

Alex was just getting comfortable and opened her internet connection on the desktop to do some internet shopping when the email icon appeared and she groaned as she read it. She looked around the bullpen but it seemed as if no one else besides five or six others received the email. When she asked Shelby she said they have a field day where they have to go for some training, and the others have an exam coming up that they needed to study for. Confused Alex wondered how long she was away for and if she missed out on that much work in two days. Shaking off the uneasy feeling she walked outside to see only Maranda and some of the new recruits on the van with her, no one else who seemed familiar except Harry Doyle. "You're leading this case, the rest of the team has to go out into the field and have some exams to study for." Maranda said nonchalantly, and Alex nodded not knowing what to expect as they drove off.

On their way there they were briefed and found out that there was a shooting going down in the suburbs in a so called quiet neighbourhood. They pulled up to see a group of people yelling and shooting in the direction of one particular house. And when they pulled up the shooting stopped except for a few stray bullets that were flying in their direction.

Alex was intimidated by the men looking at her as she got out with a five month pregnant stomach and a gun strapped to her side.

"Wassup mami?" One of the men asked whistling in her direction, and upset as she was she wanted to say something back at him but she kept walking, and spoke to one of the guys standing in the corner.

"Why are you shooting at a house?" She asked and he looked at her, his eyes touring the curves of her body before he looked in her eyes again. "Take a picture, it will last longer." She said losing her pertinence. "I asked you a question, why are you shooting at the house?"

"I can take you back to mine and we can see how accurate my loaded pistol will shoot at your body." he said licking his lips, Harry walked up to her slowly in case things gets out of hand. Without thinking twice she balled her left hand, forgetting her diamond stone of her wedding band as she punched the guy in the nose, he stumbled forward for a little while, and ran a hand under his bleeding nose. The fact that his friends saw he was hit by a woman, making him loose his big boy status for the time being. Her hand was aching but she had to resist the urge to shake it out as her fingers throbbed, and she looked back at the guy expectedly since he didn't answer her yet.

"The lady of the house is selling crystal meth, taking over our business. we'll continue shooting until she comes out and tells us why she is doing this." he said strolling back to the rest of his crew, while the rest of the team dealt with them, Alex and Harry joined by Maranda as she knocked on the front door.

"FBI open up." Alex said, and a blonde curly haired woman opened the door, as they showed their badges. "Can we come in?" Alex asked and she nodded nervously as the men out on the streets shouted things as her, and she closed the door behind her fast.

Before they even managed to ask her any questions she started speaking. "My name is Lonny Damon, my husband is out of work and I had to do something to support my family. My daughter is in college and doing this kind of business helps keep her there because she didn't get a scholarship."

"I understand that ma'am but you do know that what you are doung is illegal, and these guys shooting outside your house is putting everyone in the neighbourhood's life in danger. " Alex said and Lonny nodded her head, running a hand through her blonde curls.

"So what happens now? Am I going to get arrested?" Lonny asked and looked between the three FBI agents who were standing in front of her.

"We'll have to take you in for questioning but, other than that we cannot say or certain what the outcome of any of this will be. " Harry said and Lonny nodded, as she walked into a room on the left, and told someone something before she came back out again, so they can escort her into the van.

When they got back to the office Alex and Harry walked back inside slowly, and by the fact that he wasn't as talkative as he always was Alex sensed that something was up. "Okay, out with it. What's bothering you?" Sh asked and he sighed deeply before answering her.

"Can't we have like a fundraiser or something, for the lady's daughter so she can at least complete college. I mean the child has no idea that her college experience is being funded by dirty money, she's just grateful to be there. Alex think about i.."

Alex didn't say anything she just stopped walking and looked at him with a facial expression that he knew all too well. It was sometimes the looks she gave her husband when she was annoyed with him and thought no one in the office was looking or knew they were disagreeing on something. "What was the first thing I told you when you started working here?" She asked ad looked at him expectedly.

"Not to get personally involved." he said softly.

"Look I get that you want to be superman in times like these and save the day, but there is a law in place that protects us from things like this. Because getting involved means that you'll end up doing more harm than good. Ask me, I've been there." She said patting his shoulder and he nodded as he walked away.

Alex grabbed her belongings and made her way out of the office when Maranda called her back to talk to her in the office. She had no idea why and felt like she was in the principal's office once again for something she shouldn't have done, although she didn't know what it was that she did wrong exactly. Surprised to see Liam standing there as well, his arm still in a sling but there is no way he was missing work even when it meant he couldn't really d much and was used for sending emails and making phone calls.

"You can relax Parrish, you've done nothing wrong. On the contrary. After I've seen your performance today and the way that you've handled those guys Liam and I have discussed the possibility of giving you a promotion on the Special Agents team." Maranda said and looked at her. She had no idea what to say so she just stood there blinking. "You don't have to give an answer right now." Lim said noticing that she was speechless. "If you happen to accept it, like we hope you will, you'd have to go through the field exercises again and have a written exam before you can qualify." Liam said and Alex nodded.

"I'm really grateful. I promise to get back to you on this." She said and was dismissed. She walked downstairs towards the parking lot to look for her husband, so they can go home and get their little monkey. And then she'd have to tell him about this. He saw her approach and closed the trunk of the silver SUV quickly looking like someone who had something to hide.

"What dead body are you hiding in there?" She asked and he just looked at her as if he didn't hear a word she said.

"Wait until we are home then you will know what it is." he said and pulled out of his parking space. When they got home Alex carried Phoebe inside and waited for him to finally reveal what it is that he hid from her. He placed the box on the floor in the living room and Alex looked at it questioningly, until she noticed the picture on the side and started smiling. "A rocking chair, and it's blue. Babe we don't even know the sex of the baby." Alex laughed looking at him but he was certain that it was the right color and that he had the perfect place to put it.

"Mine!" Phoebe said pointing to the box and looked at her mother for confirmation.

"Uhm, not exactly, it's for the baby." Alex explained looking at her daughter to try and see if she understood what she meant.

"Nooooo baby. I your baby." She continued and ran over to her father hugging his legs, and he picked her up. Just when they thought she made peace with the fact that a new baby will soon be in the household they are now in the same boat as previously. He sat down on the floor, and she crawled into his lap, as he waited for her to calm down before he spoke to her. "Pheebs just because we're going to have another baby does not mean that we'll leave you. Mama and still love you, very very much." He said and she looked up at him with big eyes blinking rapidly. He kissed her cheeks continuously until she started laughing and soon forgot that she was upset, walking over to the box in the corner where her toys were stacked as she threw them out.

"I need to talk to you about something." Alex said and he got up from the floor as they both sat down on the couch.

"What's going on?" He asked concerned.

"No one is sick, we're fine. Today, Liam and Maranda offered me a promotion onto the special agents team. Of course I'd have to go through field training and an exam before I'm approved but I asked them for some time to think about it. What do you think should I accept it?" She rambled seeing the smile on her husband's face.

"First of all, I am extremely proud of you. And whatever you decide with regards to this I will stand behind you 100%."

"That's not what I asked Ryan! Should I take it?" She asked but before he could answer he held out his hand just in time to catch a doll his daughter was throwing, and it ended up in their direction. Sometimes she has the tendency of throwing all her toys out of the box, literally, and then refuses to put it back when it's all out and then decide that she is done playing.

"Phoebe Grace, stop throwing your toys around please." He said sternly and she looked up at him, and got into the empty box instead, and played with the few balls and lego blocks that was still inside the box to occupy her for the time being.

"I can't make a decision like that on your behalf Alex. But if you do happen to take it, it'll help us out financially in more ways than one. I mean we can use a better health insurance plan, and we're still paying the house, and some car payments. Point it, if you take it 'll support you and if you decide otherwise I'll support you on that as well." He said sincerely and Alex nodded.

Phoebe made her way out of the box eventually and walked with a minion and barney under her arms and ran over to her mother, dropping the yellow toy in the process. "No baby mama!" She yelled and started hitting her mother's growing stomach with Barney continuously.

Hey guys! here's another chapter. I've had a suggestion for this promotion last year in September already and i only got around to writing it now. I'm sorry but there you are. Will Alex take it or decline? And what about Phoebe's new jealous behaviour where she's being a little rebel to lash out at her parents for having another baby. Thoughts welcome on this. Thanks for reading.

Lovies-S