Brand New Day
Author's Notes, Part 1: A fun one with serious undertones. (I wouldn't be me if I didn't tie in the Bouchard shooting, AGAIN!) The bulk of the story is a dinner at Harry and Fran's. This is also my 2nd fanfic titled after a Joshua Radin song. He's an inspiring guy. ;-)
This story takes place the day after they tell Cap their pregnancy news in "Til Death Do Us Part". I wish we could have seen Fran more often in Season 5, especially for these milestone moments. I've also completely erased episodes 100/101 from my mind (other than Rita's promotion), so this story wraps the ending of Classic Silk into a neat, tidy present with a bow on top. If you have read my previous two fanfics, this could count as Part 3. However, it makes sense as a standalone piece as well. If you'd like to start with those, A Matter of Time is first, followed by Cross That Line.
Rita eyed her mirror image with a mixture of fascination and scrutiny. There was no denying it: she was definitely showing. The end of her first trimester of pregnancy was surprising in many ways. While she was grateful to say goodbye to morning sickness and felt more energized, this belly business was harder to get used to. Rita thought it would be a few more weeks until she reached this stage. She desperately wanted to hide it as much as possible for just a couple more hours- they still had one special person to surprise. After tonight, she could shout from the rooftops that she was carrying Chris Lorenzo's child. Luckily, she owned more than one black dress- it seemed to be the only article of clothing able to disguise their secret. Hopefully, Fran wouldn't notice that anything was different about her just yet. She flipped off the lights and made her way downstairs.
Chris looked up as Rita descended the steps of the loft. There was always an enchanting beauty about her, but the pregnancy made her radiate with innate, wild energy. Simply gorgeous. He caught her by the waist as she hit the last step and pulled her close, nuzzling her left earlobe and trailing his hands up her body to revel in the new fullness of her breasts. Everything about Rita intoxicated him; the fact that she was carrying his child added another level of adoration that he didn't think was humanly possible.
"Mmmm… don't we need to leave?"
"We can be a few minutes late," Chris whispered as he nibbled at her left shoulder.
Rita moaned with a need reminiscent of their first night together. Having all of Christopher to herself was exhilarating. In the past, she relished in innocent nuances and flirtations; a delicate foot rub or lingering hug was one of a thousand treasured moments of friendship. As time went on and her feelings began to shift, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the thrill she felt from the simplest touch. Now, she often found herself rendered incapacitated by the attraction she had denied for so long. She explored him ravenously, with a novelty and appreciation she had only fantasized about for years. Capturing his mouth in a searing kiss, her fingernails raked down his spine, stopping at the waistband of his pants.
Chris growled with a teasing, insatiable lust as Rita reluctantly stepped away to put on her shoes and grab her purse. They really were going to be late if they kept this up. She smirked as she handed Chris the keys to the LeBaron, code for I am not riding in your car until after the baby is born. A baby. While it took Rita some time to get used to the idea of being pregnant, Chris was all-in from day one. He possessed confidence and exuberance that Rita still marveled at all these years later. She was the rational worrier, he was the impulsive optimist. This is what made them a great team: they played off of each other's strengths perfectly. Partners in life and love.
Smiling, he silently took the keys. Chris' fascination with symptomatic muscle cars was quickly coming to an end. Rita would never ask him to sell his "new" car, but even he was having doubts about driving it around with a baby in the backseat. Breakdowns, tow trucks, covered in oil and grease- it all sounded lackluster compared to the excitement he felt regarding his newfound responsibilities. He made a mental note to call Cotton this week to help him find a reliable sedan.
As they began the drive to the Lipschitzes, Chris took Rita's hand in his, picking up an earlier conversation they were having as they readied for the evening.
"Hear me out, Sam. I know we said we'd get a new place, but maybe we should wait until after the baby is born. Do we want to pack up two places right now and do a huge move?"
"What are you suggesting, Chris? That we live separately until after the baby is born?"
Chris laughed. "No, of course not. I'm thinking we just pack up one place for now. Let's keep your apartment, and I'll move in."
Rita looked at him endearingly. It wasn't a secret that she was having a hard time with change. While she loved being Chris' wife and couldn't wait to have their baby, it was a lot to digest at once. Their physical relationship was still so new, and now they were married with a baby on the way. It was surreal. "But Sam, that's not fair to you. Why should you have to give up your place first?"
"It's just a place- I don't care where I live. As long as the two of you are with me, I'll go anywhere. And I love your place- I feel like I've already lived there for years."
Her green eyes shimmered with tears at not only this considerate gesture but the mention of the other soul that already owned their hearts. "Do you know how wonderful you are? We are lucky to have you." She brought his right hand to her lips and planted soft kisses trailing to the inside of his wrist.
"Mmmm…," Chris hummed, keeping his eyes on the road. "I'm the lucky one. Maybe later we can show each other just how lucky we are."
"It's a date, partner."
Partner. Chris' heart jumped at that word. It had a much more significant meaning now, of which he was eternally grateful, but this week had been difficult at work without Rita by his side. The tradeoffs were worth it, but devastating nonetheless. Feeling nostalgic and emotional, he changed the subject before it began. "So, how loud do you think Fran is going to scream?"
Rita chuckled, imagining the anticipated scene. "We should have brought earplugs. She's going to go nuts. But I can't wait to tell her. You know, I've been thinking…"
"That this is the closest those two are going to get to having a grandchild?"
The fact that they shared the same thoughts and completed each other's sentences didn't even surprise her anymore. She kept speaking without hesitation. "Exactly. We need to find a way to include them in the best ways possible."
"Fran is like a mom to both of us. I know I have Anna, but she's never been my mom. She's a cyclone that whips in and out of my life whenever it suits her. I'm over trying to place blame… she's just… Anna. I know she loves me and she adores you even more. She'll be thrilled with our news, but I don't think she's going to change much."
"And Benny?"
Chris laughed. "My father will probably be disappointed that he wasn't the one to sleep with you first."
"CHRIS!" Rita playfully slapped his arm.
"I kid, I kid… but you know he has the hots for you."
Rita blushed. "Isn't he still dating Jillian's mom?"
"Ugh, don't remind me. You know, there's a possibility that Jillian might be my stepsister someday. Can you imagine?!"
"Actually, that sounds like something that would totally happen in our world. I mean, what else could life throw at us?!" They laughed and she continued, "I do like Jillian and I hope she'll eventually be okay with how all of this worked out. If it means our baby gets a wonderful aunt out of the deal, I'm happy."
Enchanted by the goodness of Rita's words, he casually unclasped his hand from hers so he could run it down the length of her thigh. "You're amazing, you know that?"
"Mmmm… now what about your dad?"
"Benny Lorenzo wasn't the best dad when I was growing up, but I think he'll be a great papa to the bambino. We've gotten closer over the years, and I look forward to seeing him interact with my child. Our child." He took his wandering hand and placed it on her abdomen. "God, Rita, I can't wait."
Rita placed her hand over his. "Harry has been a father to me in so many ways. I want to honor that. I want to show them both how much we love and appreciate them."
"I agree. Cap and Fran are selfless, and they've watched over us as if we were their own. How about this, what if we asked them to be the Godparents?"
"Now that is a fabulous idea."
"Parfait."
"The newlyweds!" Fran squealed as she opened the door. "Come here you two." This was the first time Fran had seen them since their clandestine wedding earlier in the week. She enveloped them both in a huge group hug, tears already streaming down her cheeks. "I can't believe you're married! I wish I had been there, but beggars can't be choosers."
Harry stood back with his arms folded, glasses on the ridge of his nose in his all-knowing grin. Chris smirked and Rita tucked her head. The Fran guilt was in full force, and they knew they sort of deserved it. They felt remorseful for not including some friends and family in their hasty wedding plans but were hoping to rectify that with their little announcement.
Chris kissed Fran on the cheek. "Fran, we're sorry. We promise we will include you in every major life event from here on out." He gave Cap a knowing nod and shook his hand.
Rita walked over and hugged Harry while Chris took the brunt of Fran's litany. She whispered in his ear, "Don't look so smug, pal. Wait until she finds out that you have been keeping our news from her until now." She winked at him while he gave her a fatherly stare, which relaxed into a huge smile. Even though they had their share of differences, their playful banter was still intact. Rita knew that Harry's lectures and rants over the past few weeks came from a place of deep concern for her and Chris. He loved them and wanted to protect them. Now that he knew their secret, he was almost giddy with excitement. Keeping it from Fran, even for 24 hours, had been challenging to say the least.
They all made their way into the kitchen to grab beverages. Before Cap handed Chris a beer, Fran shrieked. "Wait! I have something special!" Reaching into the fridge, she grabbed a huge bottle of champagne. "Tonight is a celebration. Hesch, help me open this bottle so we can properly toast the married couple."
Cap grinned with a look that said, 'I can't wait to see how you get out of this one, Lance'. Rita grimaced. Uh oh. While she was hoping to share their news over dinner a little later, the champagne offering was throwing a wrench in the works. A sip or two wouldn't hurt, but she was already anxious and didn't want to take any unnecessary chances with the baby. Chris shot her a glance but Rita gave him a slight nod. Time to put their undercover talents into action.
While the older couple was distracted with the bottle, Rita leaned over to whisper to her beloved. Before she got a chance, he leaned in and mouthed 'bar trick?' and Rita smiled. Over the years, they had become Houdinis when it came to swapping out glasses at bars; it was a great way to avoid drinking too much while undercover. Having a heavily-tipped bartender in their back pocket also helped immensely, but Rita knew Cap was going to make her squirm on this one. In a pinch, one of the Sams would be the fall guy and take one for the team if the other was the point person in charge of the bust. In their entire career, they each only nursed a few hangovers and had a bizarre salad oil incident to avoid getting drugged. Tonight, Rita was the point person and Chris would be having his fill of champagne.
Handing over glasses to Rita and Chris, Fran took charge of the toast. "To the newlyweds. I am so excited for you both. Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness. Cheers!"
As the trio took sips from their glasses, Rita put hers to her lips to pretend to drink and paused as Chris leaned close. Were they really going to pull a trick on Fran, all for the sake of waiting for a perfect moment? Setting her champagne glass down, she beamed and grabbed Chris' hand.
"I'm sorry, Fran. I can't drink tonight." As Rita said this, Chris hugged her from behind, resting his hands on her bulging abdomen. They paused, waiting to see if Fran caught on.
"What's wrong, honey, are you sick?" Fran's eyes drifted down to Chris' hands and froze. Her eyes flew up to meet Rita's sparkling ones. For perhaps the first time in her life, Fran was rendered speechless.
Chris broke the stunned silence. "Fran, we have some news."
"OH MY GOODNESS! Are you really…?"
Rita nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks.
It was at that moment that those hypothetical earplugs would have come in handy. Fran screamed and raced over to the young couple, jumping up and down, hugging them both, crying tears of raucous joy. Harry walked over, grinning at his wife's spontaneous, unfiltered reaction.
"Hesch! Why aren't you freaking out?! Don't you realize what's going on? Rita's PREGNANT!"
"I know, dear, the kids told me yesterday." He cringed, waiting for Fran to chastise him. Instead, she just kept sobbing and hugging everyone.
After quick chatter about Rita's due date and how she was feeling, Fran went back to the fridge. To everyone's surprise, she pulled out a hidden bottle of non-alcoholic champagne. She turned to the group, still flush with excitement. "I was saving this for the day you told us. I kind of had a feeling it would be today, so I made sure to chill it."
"You knew?!"
"Of course, doll. First of all, that's the cutest baby bump I've ever seen, and the dress did nothing to cover it up. Also, why else would the two of you elope and not tell anyone?"
Rita blushed, and Chris burst into laughter. "Busted!"
They had a wonderful evening full of great food, stories, and laughter. Eventually, the topic of Chris and Rita's history came to the forefront.
Fran sighed contentedly. "We're just so glad the two of you finally came to your senses and found your way to each other."
"Finally?" Chris teased. While this wasn't the first time the couple had heard this word over the past week and had even received a comical yet heartwarming framed newspaper article from the Cap with that word added to the headline, it was their first time hearing it from Fran's lips.
"Oh, yes. We've known for years."
"Years?" They both exclaimed. Rita chimed in, "How could you know when we didn't even know."
Harry chuckled at what seemed like a rhetorical question. "It's a lot easier to see when you're on the outside looking in. The two of you were in denial, and I understand why. A cop's partner is sacred. It's a bond unlike any other. As I've famously said in the past, once you cross that line there's no turning back. The two of you had to face it and decide if it was worth it." He held up his champagne glass in a symbolic toast to the couple. "You made the best choice."
Chris looked at Rita lovingly and clasped her hand. Rita instinctively placed her other hand on her abdomen, caressing the life within.
"Ok, I'll bite. Tell us- when did you know that Rita and I were in love with each other?"
Fran laughed. "Hesch came home after his first day going on and on about how there was no way the two of you weren't sleeping together."
The young couple gasped and dissolved into laughter.
"FRAN!" Harry turned red and looked back at his detectives. "That's not exactly true."
Fran gave him inquisitive eyes. "Tell them what you did that night. Who did you call?"
"Is nothing sacred, Fran?"
"Nope. Now spill it."
Rita chimed in, eyeing her Captain suspiciously. "Yeah, who did you call?"
Harry sighed. "I called Hutchinson. Before I immediately split you up, I had to find out what the heck he was thinking, putting the two of you together."
Chris' eyes widened. "No way. You didn't."
"Cap, I can't believe you!" Rita exclaimed with mock seriousness.
"Wait, wait, hear me out! You need to remember that I just witnessed two of the most gorgeous detectives I had ever met waltz into my office."
Chris grinned. "Aw, thanks, Cap."
"Enough, Lorenzo. Anyway, your rapport was unflappable, you were finishing each other's sentences, and your teasing banter came off as a bit flirtatious for my liking. So, I called Hutch."
Rita motioned him along. "AND?"
Harry chuckled. "AND, I was rightfully put in my place."
"Attaboy, Skipper! Going in for the home run." Chris mimed swinging a bat as Rita and Fran giggled.
"However, he did say one thing during that phone call that you might find entertaining."
"Oh? What's that?" Rita's interest was definitely piqued.
"He said to give you time. I believe his exact words were, 'Once Lance lets her guard down and Lorenzo gives up the playboy life, they'll find their way to each other.' But he told me to trust you both in the meantime. To not let your youth cloud my judgment. That the two of you were wise beyond your years and held your partnership in the highest regard. He was right."
Chris grinned, remembering the conversation they had just yesterday with their beloved ex-boss. Hutch had also echoed the same word to them and shared similar sentiments that Cap recalled. Telling people their news had been quite a rush for Chris; he was so excited to share who owned his heart. Who had always owned his heart.
Rita smiled warmly but wistfully at Chris. Something had been bothering her this week that she couldn't quite identify. These 'finally' conversations were unnerving her for some reason. No one seemed surprised by their news, and most asked what took them so long. Even Hutch saw it all those years ago. She was annoyed with herself over lost time, but there was something more to it. Maybe it was because as much as she loved Chris and the life they now shared, her heart ached at the sacrifice they had to make to get to this point. They couldn't have it all, and their work partnership was the sacrificial lamb. "I guess our youth caught up with us," Rita surmised.
"Not at all," Fran interjected. "What you have didn't bloom from a youthful indiscretion. It may have if you gave into the passion early on, but you waited until your friendship and partnership had matured. You went through horrific experiences that taught you lessons about life and love, and what it means to be truly connected. You've learned more about commitment in the past few years than most will learn in a lifetime."
Harry added, "I know I gave you grief at first about what you were getting yourselves into, and I want to officially apologize for putting you both through hell. It was only because I knew how devastating it would be for the two of you to have to give up your partnership and wanted to make sure you had considered those implications. I had to play devil's advocate. But let me give you a little advice from someone that has been happily married for over 30 years… this partnership is everything. It surpasses what you've experienced so far, which for the two of you is saying a lot. It's life-sustaining, intense, fulfilling in ways you have yet to discover. No regrets. Your work partnership evolved to something even more important. Work is just that. Work. A job. None of it matters if you don't have a partner to experience life's highs and lows with."
The Sams locked eyes, two pairs full of nostalgia, passion, and overflowing love.
Fran sniffed and reached for her napkin. "This. We've seen this look in your eyes for years. It's so beautiful!"
Rita quickly broke her gaze at Fran's words. It went unnoticed to their hosts, but Chris knew his wife. Something Fran said triggered Rita's defense mechanisms. He made a mental note to discuss it with her later.
After dinner, Fran pulled Rita away for some girl talk, which gave the men some time together. They sat in the living room, sipping coffee, reflecting on life.
"Chris, I'm so proud of you. After everything you two have been through, here you are."
"It took us a while to get here, but I wouldn't change a thing. Well, maybe one thing- I understand the rules, but God, I miss her out there."
Harry nodded with a wisdom that comes from experience. "You and Rita were partnered for almost six years. That's a lifetime in our line of work. It's a difficult break, even if it's for a great reason. I've been meaning to ask you, how are things going with Holly?"
"You know, Cap, things are going well. I mean, she's not Rita, but she's got good instincts. Got a lot to learn, but she wants to learn and that's what's important. Rita and I have been loaned out to work with others before. Right now, that's what this feels like. I know it's permanent, but my mind hasn't absorbed that yet."
"It will take time. Didn't you and Rita go through growing pains at the beginning of your partnership?'
"Nope."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "Nope? C'mon Chris, I know it's easy to look back with rose-colored glasses, but you're telling me there was no awkwardness, no hesitation? You were just in sync from day one?"
"Numero uno. Cap, you gotta remember, we were already friends. Best friends. Had already done vice assignments together. We just clicked." Chris raised his eyebrows, excited to make Harry squirm a bit. "Hutch knew what he was doing when he put us together. We were hotshots, but we were smart and he knew we'd deliver results." He leaned back on the sofa and crossed his arms. "And to think that you were going to split us up because we were a couple of pretty faces."
Harry chuckled. "I wasn't really going to split you up. Your record spoke for itself, I would have been a damned fool. I just couldn't get over the chemistry. Bar none."
Chris sobered a bit, his voice lowering to make sure Rita couldn't hear. "Can I level with you?"
Harry leaned in for a more intimate conversation.
"I think I'm handling the split okay because Rita doesn't have a new partner yet."
Harry laughed. "I knew you were going to say that."
"Any word on the promotion?"
Right after they admitted their relationship to the Cap, Rita had put in for a promotion to Lieutenant. They saw the writing on the wall as far as their partnership at work was concerned, and Rita had been contemplating it for a while before then but didn't want to lose Chris as a partner. It was a slam dunk in everyone's opinion, but these things usually took months to process. Cap had held off on partnering her with Michael Price in hopes the promotion went through soon and started unofficially training Rita for the Chief of Detectives position.
"Not yet, but it has to be within the next month or two. When I find out, you'll know."
"I know, Cap. I'm just hoping it's sooner rather than later. If anyone deserves it, it's her."
"The Commissioner knows that. Everyone knows that. Her portfolio is filled with references and her record is impeccable. She's in."
"Good." He took a sip of coffee and smiled. "So… you never answered my question earlier. When did you know I was in love with Rita?"
Harry laughed but then sobered quickly as he eyed his detective, whom he treated more like a son than a colleague. "When you thought she was dead."
Chris' eyes clouded with bad memories of a horrific time.
"Seeing how it destroyed you. I knew then that your love for Rita went beyond the confines of friendship and partnership, even if you weren't ready to admit it to yourself yet. Your entire world was gone."
"It was. I honestly didn't know how I was going to pick up the pieces."
"Why didn't you tell her then? Perfect opportunity?"
Chris gave his signature laugh. "You know, I'm sure I did tell her in my own way. We've always loved each other, so whenever I poured my heart out to her, I think it was just accepted that we were bonded for life. But, to admit that it went beyond friendship? Well, you know how scary that is. Why mess with something so good?"
Harry nodded. "Every moment of truth followed torture over potentially losing each other. That takes time to process."
"Exactly. I wondered if what I was feeling was relief or something stronger. You saw the love, but I buried it. Complete denial."
"When did you admit it to yourself?"
"The second I laid eyes on her before my brain caught up and told me to knock it off." Harry laughed as he continued. "I mean, I've always loved her, Cap. To know Rita is to love her. As far as being in love, to be honest, I was confused for a while. Her "death" was just the start of it, then Brent tried to kill her… I just kept getting waves of strong emotions that I didn't know how to approach or what to do with. Last year when I was still riding the desk, I decided to go down to the records room and pull the evidence from the shooting." Chris made it a point not to say Deborah's name out loud for fear of Rita being within earshot. He didn't want to upset her on such a happy day. "When I looked through the paper file, something jumped out at me. There's something you never told me, Cap."
Unbeknownst to Rita, Cap and Chris had an in-depth discussion of all that transpired with the Bouchard case while he was still in the hospital. Chris didn't want Rita to go through it all again, so he purposely waited for her to return to work, and then Cap came up to the hospital and they hashed it all out. The details were fuzzy and disoriented to Chris, and he needed to fully understand what almost led to his demise. He also needed to know Rita's direct involvement, more concerned about her well-being than his own. Chris thought Cap had been pretty transparent with him until he examined the files more closely.
Harry seemed puzzled but had an instinct of where the conversation was going. He had the Bouchard case memorized. "How so? What did I miss?"
"You never told me about Rita. CPR. You never told me that she was the one that administered it- you just said officers at the scene helped until the paramedics arrived."
Chris was met with a look of surprise. Harry hesitated before continuing. "You'll have to talk to Rita about that."
"Why?"
"She didn't want you to know. I had to put it in the official report, but she said she wanted to have time to discuss it with you. I figured after a couple of weeks, if you saw it in the file it wouldn't have been a big deal because you already knew. She never brought it up?"
Chris shook his head. "I mentioned it briefly a few months ago when I found out she had accessed the files for the first time, but we still haven't talked about it. It's in the past, but reading that at the time was like a punch to the gut. All I could think of was Rita finding me not breathing, in her bed, covered in blood. CPR for five minutes, Cap. I can't imagine how emotional that must have been for her. It was then that it hit me. I know cops will go to the ends of the earth to save their partners, but it made me realize that she was it. She was the one. Not because she saved my life that night, but because our lives were so completely intertwined and had been since the day I first met her. I felt the power of the love I had for her so strongly at that moment. But…"
"But Eric and Jillian were in the picture."
Chris exhaled. "Yeah. At that point, it was like too little, too late. She seemed happy, and I thought I was happy, too. I tucked it away; I thought we'd missed our chance. She was still my best friend and that meant the world to me. But, that's when I started to see some flaws in my relationship. When Jillian accused me of not wanting to move to Boston because of Rita, I couldn't even deny it. At the time I still hadn't faced it yet, but in my heart, I knew."
"I think you both needed to go through those relationships to prove what you truly meant to one another. It happened the way it was supposed to happen."
"Well, Rita should have never been with Eric, but that's another story for another day."
Harry chuckled. "I knew you were going to say that, too."
"When I went to Boston, Jillian gave me some insight into the aftermath of the shooting. She told me about you and Fran staying with Rita while she kept vigil by my side. I can't thank you both enough for looking out for us during those bad days."
"You know that goes without question, Chris." Harry reached over and placed his arm on his detective's shoulder. "There was no way we were leaving Rita there by herself, in case…"
"In case I died. I know. Jillian also told me something that shocked me. She said that she knew then that Rita was in love with me."
Harry merely nodded in agreement. "I think we all knew. Except you, of course."
Chris laughed. "Rita convinced Jillian that she only loved me as a friend, but Jillian knew. I guess she originally thought Rita was my wife."
"When Jillian asked Rita that in the waiting room, that's when Rita fell apart."
"Wait, she asked Rita if she was my wife?"
"Yeah. Jillian came out and just assumed. No one could blame her, anyone else would have thought the same thing. That was when I knew Rita loved you. The shooting wrecked her. She had nothing to hide behind. I had never seen her so vulnerable."
Chris grew quiet. Talk of the shooting and its aftermath had unnerved him more than he cared to admit.
Harry sensed it too and changed the subject. "So, let's talk about this baby…"
While the men were deep in conversation, Rita and Fran were at the other end of the house chatting in Fran's sewing room. Fran was rambling at lightning speed about the baby. Her excitement was so contagious that Rita's cautious demeanor and pensive mood were temporarily forgotten. She sat back in Fran's rocking chair, letting the older woman fawn over her.
"Rita, you have no idea how happy we are for you and Chris. The two of you deserve the world. After everything you've been through, it's time for some contentment, don't you think?"
Contentment. Is that what she was having such a difficult time with lately? She was always so nervous and worried, while Chris was so confident and sure. Why was she waiting for disaster to strike?
"Fran, I'm thrilled. I'm also a mess. I can't stop worrying. I feel like this is all happening so fast."
"To us, you've moved at a snail's pace."
"Fair enough, I guess." Rita gave Fran a more intense gleam. "Fran, you said you've known for years. Give me specifics. What did you see? What did everyone see?"
"I know what you're asking. What did Deborah Bouchard see?"
Rita gawked, her jaw falling slightly. "How did you-"
"Rita, I didn't mean to upset you with my comments earlier, or the mention of Deborah now. I know your heart, doll. You need to stop beating yourself up over the shooting. She had a mental illness and made up stories in her head about you and Chris. Harry and I have had the upper hand advantage of seeing your real story. We've had the privilege of looking at you and Chris through… different eyes."
Rita smiled. "Parental eyes."
Fran grinned in acknowledgment but continued, passionately. "Is that why you ran from these feelings for so long, Rita? Because of her?"
"I don't know." Rita paused, contemplating the truth. "There were several reasons, I guess. I just didn't want her to be right. We spent so many years crafting the perfect partnership, and then he almost died. The reason behind the shooting was something that I couldn't ignore, as much as I tried to. If she couldn't have him, I couldn't have him either. It was that blatant. Think about it Fran, everyone found out what happened, the reason why Chris was shot, and no one was surprised. It bothered me. It made me wonder: how many whispers had there been about us over the years? How many people thought we were already sleeping together at that point? Everything we had worked so hard to establish, and none of it mattered."
Softly, Fran added, "Jillian asked you if you were his wife."
"Cap told you about that, huh?"
"Rita, I think in our world, friendships between a man and a woman are always scrutinized. You and Chris have this tremendous, unbreakable bond. It's what made your partnership so successful. Don't ever judge yourself for falling in love with your best friend. That doesn't mean that she was right."
"But she was right. That was the problem. I realized that night that I was in love with him, had been in love with him for years. And then I couldn't stop the guilt. I felt like the shooting was my fault. When Jillian asked me if I was his wife, everything reached a breaking point. I wanted nothing more than to be his wife, but in my heart, I could never let it happen. I had to protect him, not love him."
"So, we watched you pull away from everyone, bury yourself in your work, buy a convertible, chop your hair, date Eric, and ignore your true feelings. Sound about right so far?"
Rita laughed, amazed at the concise summary of events in typical Frannie fashion. She was never one to mince words. "I was definitely in crisis mode. I think both of us became experts at ignoring a lot of things."
"We knew Chris was in love with you when Tricia was murdered in your apartment. When we all thought it was you. Rita, he was destroyed. A walking shadow of himself. We thought for sure he was going to tell you then. I don't think he ever wanted to let you go again from that moment on. But, you both settled back into the comfort of friendship. It makes sense: during the hardest times, we seek the loyalty and companionship of family and friends. And then life continued to be crazy for the two of you. That ugliness with Brent where he almost killed you, those other dirty cops that tried to frame and kill you, now that I think of it, a lot of people tried to kill you!"
A wavering voice offered, "and then Chris was shot". Rita tucked a stray hair behind her ear, a signature sign of submission from her stoic facade. She was starting to crack; talk of Deborah and the shooting brought up a slew of mixed emotions. Cathartic, yet chaotic. Her eyes welled with tears.
Fran noticed Rita's mannerisms and smiled warmly, hoping to ease her tension. "Sweetheart, watching you in that hospital when he was unconscious, that's when I knew that you were in love with him. You were a woman on a mission, doing everything in your power to force him to stay alive. I'm sure you know now that you can never run from the truth. And look at your life now- you are his wife, and you have a baby on the way. Isn't it amazing?"
Rita laughed as the tears fell. "Yes, it is." She let out a deep breath. "I just wish I could shake the nerves from my mind. Chris is always so hopeful and positive. Why am I always waiting for something bad to happen?"
"You've been through a lifetime of loss. Your parents. Your foster parents. You almost lost Chris. Rita, you need to find a way to put the shooting to rest. It happened, and now it's over." Fran reached out to grab Rita's hands and look her in the eyes, making sure she had Rita's full attention. "Honey, Deborah didn't win, you did. You got the prize. Chris is here and he's alive and he's yours. Enjoy him. Enjoy life!"
Rita admired the zest that defined Fran Lipschitz. She wiped her eyes and stood up to hug her. As they embraced, Rita took in the moment, relishing in the feeling of maternal goodness. Her fears melted away in Fran's arms.
Fran dabbed at her eyes. "I have something for you, for the baby." She opened a cedar chest in the corner of the room and pulled out a beautiful quilt. It looked vintage and handmade. Rita remembered having a quilt like this as a child; memories came flooding back as Fran placed it in her hands. "This quilt has been with me for almost 30 years. I made it when we were expecting our little one."
Rita stared at Fran, a mixture of shock and sadness. "Oh Fran, I had no idea."
"Now, now. Today isn't supposed to be sad. Our baby wasn't meant to be, but I could never let go of the blanket. To me, it represented hope, and we are nothing in this world without hope. I knew I needed to keep it; years ago, something in my heart told me that I was saving it for someone else. Someone special. Rita, you are the daughter I wish I would have had. You are my hope. I want you to have this."
Rita was speechless. She enveloped Fran in her arms again, once again struck by how lucky she was to have this perfect, complete family.
"I don't say this often enough, but you and Harry are everything to me. I'm so glad that destiny, fate, or whatever higher power is out there brought you both into my life. Into our lives.
Fran grabbed Rita's hand. "I definitely believe in divine intervention. We were given to each other for a reason."
They continued to hold hands as they rejoined the men in the living room. Chris admired the quilt and Harry looked on lovingly at his two girls.
Chris cleared his throat, garnering Rita's attention. It was time. "Uh, Cap, Frannie… we want to discuss something with you."
"Uh oh," Fran kidded, "sounds serious".
His eyes wrinkled with his larger-than-life grin. "No, it's nothing bad, we swear."
Rita continued. "We want to thank you both for everything. You have been there for us in ways we'll never be able to repay. The two of you are such an inspiration to us in so many ways, and we can only aspire to have the marriage you have."
"I think it goes without saying that the two of you are going to be honorary grandparents to our bambino, but we wanted to do something more 'official'."
Rita winked at Chris before locking eyes with Harry. "Will you do us the honor of being our baby's Godparents?"
Now it was Harry's turn to be rendered speechless. Tears brimmed his eyes as Fran squealed with delight. "Really, kids?"
"We wouldn't have it any other way. Rita and I want our baby to grow up with faith. We can't think of two better people to guide our family spiritually."
Harry found his voice. "I'll be honest with you Chris, there have been times over the past few years where my faith has wavered. Not Frannie- she is my rock, and her prayers have seen us all through. But watching the two of you go through heartbreak and loss, surviving situations that most cops don't see in their entire careers… it's enough to challenge even the most devout Jew. However, through the two of you, my faith is slowly being restored. Let's say we all navigate this road together."
Rita and Fran were sobbing now as Harry and Chris hugged each other. Harry turned to Rita as Chris leaned in to hug Fran. No words were needed between the two, and they embraced with a familiarity returning to Rita's soul. Memories of her dad and Tom Lance danced in her head as she clung to the third father figure in her life.
The Sams were quiet on the ride home. It was a wonderful night, yet the talk of the shooting was still in the back of their minds, neither wanting to bring up their separate conversations.
"Sam, I have an idea. Feel up to a beach detour?"
Chris grabbed her hand and kissed it. "I thought you'd never ask."
They sat in their all-familiar position at their favorite spot, with Rita's back nestled into Chris' arms. They kept blankets in the car for such spontaneous moments, with one sprawled beneath them and the other cozily draped over them. They listened to the waves as they gazed up at the stars.
"I want to talk about Deborah, Chris."
She spoke so low, Chris barely heard her over the waves. He gently kissed her neck and murmured in her ear. "Are you sure? We don't have to."
"Yes, we do." Rita broke from his grasp to turn and face him. Grabbing his hands in hers, she continued. "I've been struggling with the shooting for a long time, and I want us to talk about it so we can move past it. So I can truly focus on our marriage and our baby."
"Sammy, I'm right here. She didn't destroy me. She didn't destroy us."
She paused, considering a question she wasn't sure if she should ask. "If it weren't for the shooting, do you think we'd be here today?"
"What do you mean?"
"I feel like that was such a turning point for us. I know it still took a while for us to forge ahead with our feelings, but I knew then. That night. I was in love with you, and had been for God knows how long before that. I thought I was going to lose you and I felt so incredibly guilty that you were shot."
"Guilty? Why? Why would her mental illness be your fault?"
"Don't you see? Everyone saw it, Chris. No one was surprised by the reason why."
"Rita, she was unstable."
"Cap and Fran aren't unstable. George and Diana and Hutch aren't unstable. Tia, Jillian...the list goes on and on. Hell, Donnie and Cotton aren't even that unstable, and they all said the same thing. 'Finally.'"
Chris blinked slowly, now making sense of the look Rita had on her face at the dinner table. He smiled, carefully moving a few tendrils of wind-swept hair from her eyes. "So what? I get what you're saying, but even if we were ignoring colossal signs that everyone else saw, that didn't give Deborah the right to interfere and try to ruin our lives." He paused and gently kissed her wedding ring, before circling back to Rita's theory. "To answer your question, yes. I think we'd still be here today. Hell, maybe even sooner. I don't think the shooting itself was the reason we found our way to each other. I think it was everything. So many close calls and missed opportunities, but above all, the natural progression of our friendship. Once I truly let myself acknowledge it, there was no turning back for me."
Rita leaned in to give a slow, appreciative kiss. She placed her forehead against his and spoke in measured tones, "The second I found you that night, not breathing, covered in blood, that's when it hit me. That's when I knew that I was in love with you. I couldn't lose you."
Chris nodded, solemnly. "Sam, you saved my life that night. Why didn't you tell me?"
Rita exhaled and let out a small laugh. "I honestly don't know. It seems so silly now. At first, it was something I didn't want you to hear about second-hand, so I asked Cap and Derek not to say anything. Once I knew you were okay, I figured when you got home from the hospital, we'd discuss it. But then…"
"Life got in the way?"
"Yeah… I was dealing with the Seaside Strangler case, you were going through painful physical therapy, then you left the force and came back, Jillian, Eric, and on and on. I guess I thought it was something serious that we needed to have some big heart-to-heart discussion about, but as time went on, it wasn't such a big deal. I figured you'd find out eventually and we'd deal with it then."
"But it was a big deal. It was everything. It's the one thing I go back to over and over again. Sam, I can't imagine what that must have been like for you. If the shoe was on the other foot, I would have fallen apart."
"No, you wouldn't have. You would have done the same thing that I did for you because you have saved my life in the past in countless ways. And, P.S. partner, I did fall apart. You just didn't see it." Rita shivered at the flashback.
Chris pulled Rita into his lap and repositioned the blanket again to keep her warm amidst the chilly memories. Nuzzling her cheek, he paused before acknowledging the next part of the story. "So… Jillian asked you if you were my wife, huh?"
Rita wasn't surprised that he knew, figuring that Cap or Jillian spilled the beans."Yeah," she chuckled. "It was a rough night all the way around."
"Sam, I hate that you held onto it for so long. I wish you would have told me about that night in more detail back then."
"Chris… I couldn't…"
"Because you were going to tell me you loved me. Were in love with me."
Rita stared at the dark waves lapping up against the sandy shore. "Something like that. I lost my nerve. Like you said, life… got complicated."
"Damn." Chris laughed. "Well, I can't blame you for that. I knew months earlier that I was in love with you and buried those feelings as well."
Rita didn't need any further explanation; she knew the event that led to his 'aha' moment. "And in that situation, you thought I was already dead. You fell apart and still carried on, moving heaven and earth to find my killer."
Chris nodded solemnly, lost in the haunting memory.
"Why did it take so much loss to bring us closer to each other? To admit our feelings?"
Chris considered carefully. "Maybe because those were the only times we let our guard down. Think about it, in our day-to-day lives we were calm, cool, calculated. Business as usual. Best friends. We kept ourselves in check. But when our world was off-kilter, that was when we had no choice but to think about what life would truly be like without the other in it. Gotta tell ya, those moments were intense for me. The car bomb was it- I couldn't let another near-death experience go by without telling you how I felt."
Rita sighed. "Too many near-death experiences. We may need to consider a new line of work, Sam. I can't handle it anymore. You are too important to me. To us. If I get the promotion-"
"When you get the promotion, Sam. Not if."
She smiled at his sweet interruption and continued. "- it will take me away from the action for the most part, but I don't want you out there either. Holly has potential, but she isn't me. I hate that you're out there without me to watch your back. I want to put you in a bubble."
"Actually, I need to talk to you about something…"
Rita perked up, eyeing him with curiosity. "Lorenzo, are you holding out on me? Spill it!"
Chris laughed. "I've been waiting for the right time, and I wanted tonight to be about the baby and sharing our news with Fran. I got a call from George this morning. Remember the meeting I had with the mayor last year? When he met with me after the shooting and I mentioned some of the ideas I had for community engagement?"
It was one of the most inspired, innovative ideas that Chris had ever come up with. It was brilliant- he had taken his love of coaching youth basketball and Rita's love for helping teen runaways to pitch a special detail: Community Police Officers. Officers specifically assigned to mentor youth, help senior citizens, meet with small business owners, speak in classrooms, create block clubs and neighborhood watch initiatives, etc. A bridge to hopefully mitigate issues before they escalated to crimes and also forge more positive relationships between the police and the people they served. She was so proud of him for mentioning it to the mayor that day, and even prouder that he had been following up with calls about it ever since. "Of course. What's going on?"
"Ah, well, apparently the mayor has finally secured the funds to make it happen. He is creating a task force called the Mayor's Impact Team, which he wants George to oversee as lead attorney. If I accept the job, I would be a member of the team as the director of Palm Beach's first CPO program."
"What?! Sammy, that is AMAZING!" She threw her arms around him and planted a congratulatory kiss on his parted, laughing lips. "What do you mean if you accept the job?"
"I wanted to talk to you about it first. It's a major change. It would mean that I'd be working out of the Mayor's office, at least temporarily. There will probably be several meetings at first to get everything off the ground. After, it looks like I'll be between headquarters and his office as we do recruitment and training. There also might be some travel involved once we get our program going. We would be one of the first cities nationwide to do something like this, and other mayors are already taking notice. I would visit departments around the country to share the program, field questions, etc."
Rita gleamed at him, her green eyes sparkling with tears. Safety. Contentment. She felt a wave of relief wash over her for the first time since the shooting. No more undercover work, chasing after suspects, precarious situations. Her Christopher would be safe. While there were no guarantees in life, she knew that everything was going to be alright. "Chris, I am so proud of you. This is perfect- you get to build your idea from the ground up. You have to say yes! I'll miss you in the bullpen, but it's for an amazing reason."
"I'll call George in the morning with the news."
"Call him NOW!" Rita giggled, surprised at her urgency.
Chris laughed. "As soon as we get back to the car."
"Does Cap know?"
"Nope- just us and George. I guess we'll be in his office in the morning with yet another announcement."
Rita snickered. "I'll bring him a new bottle of antacids. Seriously, though, I think he'll be thrilled for you."
Chris sobered and cupped Rita's face in his hands. "So… it's officially the end of an era. I know we weren't technically partners anymore, but it's still weird to think I'll be leaving the Homicide Division for good."
Rita tearfully took his hand and kissed it before placing it on her abdomen, covering it with her own. "We're still partners. It might be the end of an era, but it's the beginning of a brand new life for the three of us."
It was Chris' turn to have tears in his eyes. "I love you, you know that?"
Rita gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. "I love you, too."
"Thank you for always being there for me, supporting me in life." Chris flashed his signature, cockeyed grin. "You know, this is why people said 'finally'. Not because they thought we were already sleeping together, but because of this bond. This magic."
Rita winked. "They didn't think we were sleeping together, huh?"
"Ha! Okay, maybe a few of them did. But who cares? Didn't we even talk freely about it when we first became partners? I believe you said, and I quote, 'The minute they split us up, I will race you to the nearest motel.' You didn't even make it that long, I'm that good. I snuck up on your blind side, Sam." He teasingly poked her side for emphasis.
Rita was laughing during his little trip down memory lane but softened as she laced her hands with his. "Yeah, you did. And I'm forever grateful."
George was thrilled to hear back from Chris, and they had an animated conversation about the fact that they would be working together daily. They were always friends, but frequently butted heads over various legal snafus over the years. These new positions, while challenging in their unique ways, would bring a welcome reprieve from the battle they often fought in Homicide.
Later that night back at the loft, the Sams crawled into bed, exhausted from the day's events. Chris leaned in and enveloped Rita in his arms. "How are you feeling about the shooting? Is there anything else you wanted to talk about? We got a bit sidetracked earlier with work stuff."
Rita turned to face him. Tenderly, she caressed his cheeks with her hands before leaning in to playfully kiss the tip of his nose. "I think I'm good. Just talking about it feels like a huge weight has been lifted. We should have done this a long time ago."
Chris' eyes lit up, his hand slinking up to where they left off earlier in the evening. "I couldn't agree more- we should have done this a long time ago."
Rita laughed. "You know, if you had heard me that day in the hospital, maybe we would have done this a lot sooner."
He paused, and curious eyes met her gaze. "What are you talking about, Sam?"
"Oh, it's nothing. When you first woke up after the shooting, I sort of slipped and told you I loved you. I mean, I know we often said it anyway, but I meant it so differently that day."
"Wait, that was real?!"
"Chris, what do you mean?"
"I heard that in my dreams for months after the shooting. I thought I imagined it. It was different. I can't believe that didn't come up until now."
Rita shook her head in mock defeat. "It's amazing how many signals we missed. It took a literal bomb dropped into our lives to finally bring us together."
"'Finally.' See, now even you said it!"
"Touché." Her laughter dissipated as she locked hands and eyes with her soulmate. "Now, about moving. I've been thinking, we spend most of our time here. You were right- this is closer to work and it's huge. We are going to need lots of room for baby stuff."
"Sammy, I know how much you love your place. I want you to keep your ocean view."
"It's just a place. You are going to need to be close to downtown with your new job, and this is closer to Cap and Fran's. I haven't asked her yet, but I'm hoping Frannie might like to be our honorary babysitter too. Right now, these things are more important."
Chris caressed Rita's abdomen. "I know you are having a hard time with the physical changes, but this is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." He leaned down to place feather-light kisses where his hand had been. "This is incredible!"
Rita's eyes welled with tears, an occurrence that happened more and more frequently as of late. She cradled his face in her hands. "You are the incredible one, my wonderful husband."
"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that. So, what do you think? Boy or girl?"
Rita smiled. "Boy. Definitely a boy. I just have a feeling there's a little Chris Lorenzo junior in there. How about you?"
Chris grinned. "Nope. Not this time, Sammy. Your instincts are usually spot-on, but it's a girl. Mini- Rita. Although I don't know how I'll handle another set of green eyes owning my soul. You know I'm going to be wrapped around her finger- you'll have to be the heavy on discipline."
"That's okay, I've been in charge of discipline for the last six years." With a predatory glint, she used this statement to her advantage, playfully pinning him down and straddling his hips.
"You're a sex maniac!"
Are you complaining?!"
"No, ma'am. You can discipline me anytime you want."
She lifted Chris' tee-shirt over her head and casually tossed it aside. This simple task alone almost put Chris over the edge. It was astounding to him how the smallest movements from her could make him lose his mind. Playfully, he maneuvered them so that he was in control, a move reminiscent of their time spent in a couple of fun, yet compromising, undercover situations.
Rita laughed as Chris explored the recesses of her neck. "This time, don't watch where you put your hands."
"Music to my ears, Sammy."
Most kind of stories
Save the best part for last
And most stories have a hero who finds
You make your past your past
Yeah you make your past your past
It's a brand new day
The sun is shining
It's a brand new day
For the first time in such a long long time
I know, I'll be ok
~Joshua Radin, Brand New Day
Author's Notes, Part 2: And THIS is where we leave the Sams, to live out the next chapter of their lives. Chris didn't need to die for Mitzi and Rob to leave the show. I get it- from a writing/ratings standpoint, having Chris Lorenzo go out in a blaze of glory is incredibly traumatic and gut-wrenching. It makes for perfect TV. HOWEVER, I will never forgive them for what they did to Rita. Don't give us this beautiful soul with so much loss in her life and rob her of a happily ever after. Okay, rant over. #micdrop
*I know that Mitzi was way more pregnant in real life, but I had to follow canon where she said she was still in her first trimester. They didn't introduce the pregnancy storyline until M was five months along (I believe). I just went with her showing early since we saw it on the show. ;)
*I'm kind of obsessed with the idea that they never discussed the shooting, and how that has had a ripple effect on their present and future.
*A shout out to my mom for some extra inspiration on this one. She is my most favorite CPO. :)
*If you want to read an even better ending to Classic Silk, read Dead Asleep? By D of the DA's Office. The alternative ending is phenomenal. Slay, sister!