"We don't have a pathologist. What exactly do you mean Mel, we don't have a pathologist? We're a cold case unit who visits crime scenes, we need a pathologist, as in two hours ago." Boyd getting more and more frustrated the more he listened.
"The duty pathologist is already backlogged, he's got three calls waiting for him. His team is spread paper thin, they said they would send someone when they can." Mel explained, knowing it wasn't good enough but giving him the only answer she had.
"For Christ sakes Mel, who did you speak to?" His temper now reaching boiling point.
"I'll text you their name and number, you can ring them up then." Mel getting more irate with her boss as she couldn't win no matter what she did.
"Do that then." Boyd barked down the phone before hanging up.
Grace had overheard most of what was said, it wasn't like Boyd was quite. She walked into his office, her arms crossed as she glared at him.
"This isn't Mel fault you know, she's doing her best." Grace squaring up to Boyd as he just looked at her.
"Who's bloody fault is it then? The government for not having enough funds, the home office for not having enough staff, who's Grace, who's fault is it?" His temper still simmering near boiling point.
"Yours for getting our pathologist pregnant." Spencer mumbled as he passed Boyds office on his way out the double doors.
Both Grace and Boyd heard Spencer's off the cuff remark, everyone having a short fuse due to lack of sleep and not enough hours in the day.
"What did you just say?" Boyd yelled before the doors shut, Spencer stopping with one foot on the stairs.
Spencer had had enough. Boyd had been like a bear with a sore head for days. He wasn't the only one who hadn't been home, had had a decent nights kip, or a proper meals in day. He was taking his temper out on everyone, even though they were all in the same boat. Spencer swung around and charged into Boyds office, his fists balled at his side as he stood ramrod straight and stared Boyd down.
"You asked who's fault it was, I answered it's your for getting our pathologist pregnant." The venom in his voice as he glared at Boyd.
Boyd took a step towards Spencer, both men squaring off with each other. Grace quick as lightning stepped between them, her hands coming up to still them both.
"That's enough, both of you. Boyd, sit down." Grace nearly yelled, Boyd stopping and looking across at Grace. "Spencer, go do whatever you were going to do. Catch up with Mel, whatever." Seeing Spencer take a step back before nodding his head at Grace.
Spencer turned and marched out the office, practically running up the stairs away from the cold case units squadroom.
"Boyd, back off, you're not the only one suffering here." Grace rounded on Boyd, her own lack of sleep making her just as irritable as the rest of them.
She watched as Boyd slowly started to deflate, his shoulders slumping as he rained his temper back in. Grace was right, everyone was in the same position, except no one else had a eight month pregnant girlfriend at home. He sat down at his desk and covered his face with hands.
"He does have a point." Body finally said a few minutes later, seeing Grace do a double take.
"Who has a point?" Grace asked, having no idea what he was on about.
"Spencer, with what he said, it is partly my fault." Seeing Grace finally work out what he was on about before shaking her head.
"Of course he's right, you did get our pathologist pregnant. He could have just worded it better and not threw it at you in the middle of a heated argument." Knowing they were both to blame for their tempers.
Boyd looked to the right of his computer screen, his focus on a brown leather bound picture frame holding two picture in it. One was a fuzzy black and white image, while the other was of Frankie, her hands resting on her very large baby bump.
"I should be at home Grace, not stuck here slogging my guts out." Boyd grumbled feebly.
"The sooner we get this case cracked the sooner you can go home to Frankie. No point sulking and throwing your toys out the pram, we're all in it together. Now, I'm going back to doing that profile you asked for, you can calmly ring the home office and see what they can do about sending us a pathologist, even if it's only for a couple of hours today." Seeing Boyd starting to sulk again. "Your team, your problem." Turning and leaving Boyds office as he just stood with his hands in his pockets.
Grace returned to her office and sat behind her desk, looking through the glass dividing the two offices. She could see Boyd sat at his desk, phone in one hand, pen in the other. He was talking to someone, and he didn't look like he had resorted to raising his voice yet, which Grace took as a good sign. She focused her attention back on the profile she had been writing and soon zoned out, her concentration back on writing.
"They are making some calls, seeing what they can sort out. They know we're desperate, so does the commissioner, let's see what they can pull out the bag." Boyds voice breaking her concentration.
"Good, I'm sure between the commissioner shouting and the home office complaining we'll have someone in the lab within an hour." Graced smiled, hoping that now Boyd was pacified they could all get along again.
An hour later Boyds mobile rang, Mels number appearing on the screen. He flicked the phone open and held it to his ear.
"Hey Mel, what's happening?" Seeing Grace look up as he spoke.
"Bodies being transported back now. The pathologist is with it, we'll be back in about twenty minutes, you better meet us down in the lab." Mels usual happy bubbly tone having a slight edge to it.
"Something wrong?" Knowing there was something up but not having a clue what.
"No, no, all good here. I'll see you about twenty minutes, okay." Mel quickly ending the call so she didn't have to explain what the problem was.
"Grace, lab, twenty minutes, everyone's heading back in." Boyd yelled through the quite offices.
Grace called out okay, signing her name on the report and placing it in the file.
Both Boyd and Grace were late getting down to the lab, a phone call coming in from the commissioner wanting to speak to them both separately. When Grace hung the phone up she looked at Boyd, who was stood leaning against the doorframe to her office.
"What did he want with you?" Seeing Grace trying to school her features as she came over to stand beside him.
"Let's get down to the lab, everyone will be waiting." Quickly deflecting the question so she had time to think.
As they approached the lab doors they could see Mel and Spencer, white lab coats on helping move stuff around. The pathologist who had been drafted in to help was sat with her back to them, pointing out where she wanted stuff, her voice muffled by the dividing Perspex wall. Boyd and Grace pulled on lab coats, Boyd punching in the security code to allow them access to the lab as he did. Grace braced herself, there was going to be one hell of a storm about to hit.
"Spence, can you place that box there please, and the others there. John, can you start preparing for the autopsy, I'll supervise when your ready." The doors opening to the lab so they could hear the pathologist giving out her orders.
Boyd froze, Grace stopping beside him, showtime.
Spencer stopped when he heard the lab doors opening, looking between the pathologist sat at the desk and Boyd.
"Grace, please tell me I'm both seeing and hearing things." Boyd's voice echoing around the now silent lab.
Grace didn't reply, just walked further into the lab to stand beside Spencer and Mel. The pathologist sat at the desk slowly turned in her seat, finally facing Boyd.
"Hey, Boyd." Frankie's voice sounding louder than it actually was.
"This has got to be a joke right! Please tell me this isn't really happening." Still stood rooted to the spot.
"You wanted a pathologist, the commissioner shouted enough about wanting this sorted out, I'm all they had." Trying to look slightly remorseful about the fact she was sat eight months pregnant in a lab coat that wouldn't fit her bump.
"My office, now." Was all Boyd said as he turned on his heels and stormed out the lab.
Frankie slid carefully off her stool, placing a hand on the side of her bump as she gave out a few more instructions before heading to the lab door. Grace watched her approaching, the very obvious waddle in the way she walked making Grace smile.
"I'll walk with you." Grace offered as Frankie stopped and pushed the button to open the lab doors.
When they stepped out the lab Grace removed her lab coat and hung it up, Frankie attempting to do the same. Grace saw Frankie struggle so quickly helped her remove it, hanging it back up and waiting for Frankie to take the lead. The climb up the stairs was slow, Frankie stopping on the middle landing as she caught her breath.
"Coming in the back was so much easier." Laughing as she saw Grace watching her.
"I'll beat it was, less problematic all round wouldn't you say." Staying a step behind Frankie as they started on the final steps up to the squadroom.
"Grace, I'm going mad at home, you know that. It's not like I'm in any danger, I'm sitting on my already overly fat arse running test for god's sake." Stopping as they reached the double door to the squadroom.
"I know, but he's already annoyed and on edge, he hasn't seen you in three days. He wants to be home with you, looking after you, looking after both of you." Holding the door open for Frankie so she could enter the squadroom.
"I know, but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, Grace." Both women stopping to look at Boyds office.
"I know, go easy on him, he's doing it because he loves you." Patting her on the arms as she moved to enter her office, leaving Frankie to face Boyd alone.
Frankie waddled her way into Boyds office, stopping just in front of his desk. Boyd looked up from his desk, his first sight being Frankie rather large baby bump. He let his eyes slowly travel from her bump up her body, drinking in the sight of her after three days. He was supposed to be annoyed, annoyed she had agreed to come in, annoyed she had agreed to work. Yet he couldn't quite muster up his temper to be annoyed with her now she was stood there.
"Take a seat." Finally speaking when his eyes met hers.
He stood from his desk, making his way over to shut the door. Frankie didn't move, she stood defiantly where she was. When he turned back around after shutting the door he saw she hadn't moved.
"Frankie, don't piss me about. Just take a bloody seat will you." Stopping beside her as he placed one hand on her arm, the other on the small of her back.
Frankie decided not to argue, the feel of his gently touch making her back down. She managed to lower herself onto the brown settee, opening her legs enough to accommodate the huge bump that wouldn't sit properly on her knee. When she was seated he returned to his desk and picked up the phone, nearly punching the numbers through the keypad. Frankie didn't say anything, just sat watching Boyd as he waited for the call to be connected.
"Commissioner please, it's Peter Boyd. Tell him it's urgent." Looking over at Frankie as she placed her folded hands on top of her bump.
"Hello sir," his first words to the commissioner at least were civil. "Yes, sir that's why I'm phoning sir." Trying to get a word in edgeways. "I do understand sir, but really. Anyone else would have been better." Glancing at Frankie as she glared at him. "No sir, I do, but my own girlfriend sir, she's due any day now, she should be home resting." Trying to keep his anger from controlling him. "She is sir, but she's also eight months pregnant. I can't let her work like this sir, she could endanger herself and the baby." His eyes glancing up to the picture of Luke on the shelves. "That may well be sir, but I know her better, she wouldn't be able to help herself." Frankie shifting around in her seat as she moved her hands to either side of her bump. "Yes sir, I'll tell her sir, unless you want to sir, she's right here with me." Hoping the commissioner would remind Frankie what she had agreed to get back in the lab. "Okay, thank sir, I will. Bye." Letting the phone dangle in his hand before putting it back on his desk.
Boyd didn't say anything, just stuffed his hands in his pocket as he looked over at Frankie. He sighed, a long deep sigh as he walked towards Frankie and took a seat beside her.
"You drive a very hard bargain. The commissioner told me what you had to agree to before he let you back in, and also what you asked for in return." Sliding his arm along the back of the settee so he could place it around Frankie's shoulders.
"As I said to Grace, staying home is so not my thing." Leaning against Boyd as she took his hand and placed it on their very active unborn child.
Boyd couldn't help but smile, the feeling of the baby thumping against his palm as it moved always did.
"I think they missed hearing your voice, they woke up in the lab just after you started talking." Wincing a little as a limb caught her under her ribs.
"I missed you both, all-nighters just don't hold that same appeal as they used to now I have you to go home too." Kissing Frankie on the temple.
"Well, the sooner I get back in my lab and start getting the tests run, the autopsy supervised and things moving in the right direction, the sooner we can solve this case and you and I can both go home." Shifting a little as the baby tired a very energetic shift around.
"I'm not going to win this one am I, not when my boss has agreed to it." Seeing Frankie smirk as Boyd admitted defeat.
"Nope, now I'm going back to work." The smile on her face showing just how much it pleased her to say she was going to do some work.
Boyd stood up and watched as Frankie shuffled to the edge of the settee before using the armrest to help push herself to stand. He would have normally offered to help, but if she was in a fit state to work she could manage herself. When she was standing he looked her up and down again. This was his Frankie, his fearless, strong, independent, no holes barred, tough as nails, and eight months pregnant with his child, Frankie.
"Be careful." Was he all he said, watching as Frankie nodded her head and made her way out of his office, turning to look at him as she opened the door leading down to the lab.
He knew she had plenty of people down there to help her, look out for her, and make sure she was okay, but he also knew Frankie. She would no doubt push herself, chip in with the autopsy, help catalogue the evidence, do more than she said should. He couldn't stop her, but he would go check up on her once an hour, even just for his own piece of mind. She would hate it, tell him she was fine and then he would leave, just to return in an hour to do the same. Taking a seat behind his desk he picked up the witness statements Spencer had dropped. Putting his glasses on he started to read the first one, keeping an eye on the time so he could keep a check on Frankie. She may have won the battle, but she wasn't going to win the war.