After a quick once around the island, including a stop for some chocolate frozen yogurt, the three detectives were on their way back to the station.
Elisa, having been soothed by the frozen treat, was reclined back with her hands braced on her belly. There had been no calls over the radio, but she'd gotten out for a while.
It had been a while since she'd been able to get out on her own, without someone following her. She knew everyone meant well, but it was frustrating feeling like someone was always silently judging her. Weighing the risks of what she was doing, even if it was just taking a walk.
There had been little conversation in the car, but again, that was fine with her.
In all too short a time, they were once more pulling into the station. Elisa sighed sadly. Maybe she should just take off early for her maternity leave. It wasn't as if she was financially hurting right now, and she was four weeks from being full term.
She had felt like she needed to keep working, because that's just what she'd always done. But now… Taking a little extra time off before the baby came seemed more and more like a good idea. Maybe she'd talk to Maria before leaving after her shift today.
The guys got out of the car, both coming to assist her out of the back seat.
With each of them taking one of her hands a piece, they braced her and gave her the additional leverage that she needed.
She was about halfway out when the pain hit. It was something between a sharp pain, and the fires of hades. Gasping, Elisa let go of one of the hands helping her, and grabbed at her belly.
"Elisa," Matt said his voice penetrating the pain filled haze that was clouding her mind. "What's wrong?"
Elisa, breathless from trying to breath past the pain, responded, "I don't know, I.." She stopped talking as another layer of pain hit on top of the other one, this time, it was more of a tearing or ripping feeling causing her to cry out involuntarily.
"Get her back in the car," Matt ordered briskly, grabbing the elbow of the arm that was currently clamped around her belly.
Once Elisa was once more in the back of his car, seat belted in with the door closed, the men glanced at each other.
"What's going on?" Travis asked, eyes wide.
"Nothing good," He muttered under his breath as he turned to run back around the car. "Are you coming with me or staying here?" He yelled at the younger man as he got in the car. Not waiting for a reply, knowing that Travis would get in or wouldn't, he jammed the keys back into his ignition.
Travis opened the door and flung himself inside just as Matt's engine turned over and the car was suddenly in motion, complete with lights and siren.
"Call Captain Chavez," Matt bit out the order to Travis as the younger man struggled to get his seatbelt on. "Let her know that we are taking Elisa to the Aerie Medical Clinic. She'll notify Elisa's family and the clan."
Elisa let out a groan from the back seat.
Matt wrestled his own phone out, hitting his pre-programmed speed dial option that he had created only last month for Doctor James' office for just such an occasion as this.