The day McCall was released from the hospital was a Saturday. Hunter drove her home. After seeing the state of her fridge, he set her up on the couch and ran to the grocery store.
He spent several minutes in the ice cream aisle, and finally choose a couple flavors. He passed by the pickle aisle, and considered for a second. Nah, McCall have never shown the slightest interest in pickles, and would probably rag on him if he did get pickles and ice cream. He picked up a few other essentials and headed back to McCall's house.
He found her passed out in front of the tv, some random nature documentary playing. He put the food away, then came back into the living room.
He pulled the comforter from the back of the couch and laid it carefully over McCall. He brushed a stray lock of hair away from her eyes. She shifted a bit, then opened her eyes.
"You know, be careful, I might actually get used to this," she smiled.
"Good,," he replied, still stroking her hair.
She sighed and sat up, taking his hands in hers.
"Are you really ok with this? It's a big commitment, and I don't want you resenting it later."
"Dee Dee," he said, looking into her eyes. "I'm not going to pretend kids are something I've longed after. I never imagined having a family I could call my own. But it's part of you and I do care for you, more than I could ever have thought when I first asked you to be my partner. I...love you, and I can't imagine my life without you in it. I didn't think you could love me back, though, or that you'd want another cop after…after Steve."
He dropped his eyes.
Dee Dee swallowed. She did remember saying something like that to Rick, once, about not wanting to be with a cop again. Losing Steve had almost killed her. She looked into Rick's blue eyes and reached out to stroke his cheek. She cared for him in a different way than Steve, but realized her love for Rick was just as deep.
"How did I manage to deserve to fall in love with the two best men in the LAPD?" she asked. "Of course I want you, you knucklehead."
The rest of the weekend flew by in a haze. Monday morning came way to soon.
Captain Devane looked up from the paperwork on his desk, looking through the plate glass window of his office to the squad room outside. Hunter and McCall stood near their desks, bantering back and forth. The awkwardness between them since McCall had returned from Quantico seemed to have disappeared, and he was glad.
He looked down at the information packet the FBI had sent him. Apparently, McCall had impressed them as much as she did him. He hated even the possibility of his best team splitting up, but he had to at least give the option to McCall.
He stood up and opened his office door.
"McCall!" he bellowed, putting on the gruffest voice he could find.
Hunter made an "uh oh" face and wagged his finger at McCall. She started over to his office.
"Close the door," he said as she entered his office. He picked up the information packet off his desk, and handed it to McCall. "Looks like you impressed those guys in Quantico. They're apparently starting some new fast track program for cops to become FBI agents. The training program is apparently about 2/3rd the length of the normal new agent training and there's a class starting in 6 months, and another in 11 months. The agent running the course you went to seems to think you can handle it. Read it over and let me know if you're interested. It's apparently going to be very competitive to get in, so let me know if you're interested. We'd need to start getting your packet together, soon, depending on which class you'd be in."
McCall looked like someone had hit her over the head.
"Look," Capt. Devane said, "take some time to think about it. I'd hate to lose one of my best cops, but you deserve this. Of course, if you'd like to stay here and partner with that big lug," he gestured outside his office window at Hunter, who was sitting at his desk and doing his level best not to look interested in what was happening inside the office, "I won't object."
"Okay, Captain. I'll think about it," she smiled.
McCall sat down at her desk, as Hunter pretended to write intensely on a blank report. She pulled a folder from a pile on her desk, shoved the envelope the Captain had given her under it, then pulled out a different folder and browsed through it. She glanced at her watch.
Hunter continued to write.
Two minutes later, Hunter looked up.
"Look, are you going to tell me or what?" he asked.
"Tell you what?" she replied.
"What the Captain wanted? What he barked at you for?" Hunter narrowed his eyes and lowered his voice. "You don't think he knows, do you?"
"Knows what?" McCall asked blankly. Then, it hit her. The flattery she'd felt after finding out the FBI wanted her for some hot shot new program, then Captain Devane calling her one of his best cops, had pushed the life growing inside her completely out her mind. Before she could respond, Lt. Finn came over.
"Ok, you 2 caught one. They found a dead body in warehouse by the docks. Get on it," he said, handing a folder to Hunter.
"Well, let's go, Hunter," McCall said, standing up. "We've got work to do."