Author's Note: So I'm having an awesome day. This chapter is getting posted, almost done with the next one (amazing what you can do when you're not doing theater every night) AND I scored tickets to see one of my favorite musicals, Side Show, on Broadway during it's preview weekend. *happy dance* Hope everyone reading is also having a lovely day. More writing to come! Thank you SO much for all the reviews and messages. It's nice to throw something out into the internet void and hear back that it's actually going somewhere.
Oh and because someone asked and I can't remember who it was, the song I was imagining playing when Paige was dancing in the club was Jeremih's "Don't Tell 'Em" but I usually try to leave that sort of thing up to the readers.
"Hey beautiful. How's that little monster of ours doing?" Paul asks as he sits down at the table across from his bride. Pregnancy is agreeing with her. She looks even more stunningly beautiful than he remembered.
"It's good. No more morning sickness, which is a nice change. I think I've eaten every damn pickle in California though. Jakes keeps making late night runs for me." Charlie says, hating how formal the prison requires them to be. She just wants to hold him, but the table between them and the officer standing guard nearby makes that impossible.
"Still an it huh? Haven't had that ultrasound done? You're past the twenty week mark." Briggs asks. He's been reading baby books while he's behind bars. He is going to be as involved as he can be from his cell.
"Doesn't feel right without you." Charlie says, dropping her eyes to her stomach. She told herself she would not cry on this visit. These visits were the only time Briggs got to see her or the baby. She would not ruin it with tears.
"Yeah, well unfortunately, baby, it doesn't look I'm getting out of here anytime soon." Briggs says kindly. "You might want to go get that ultrasound. I have to know what color cigars to have smuggled in."
"Ok. Maybe next week." Charlie wipes the beginning of tears away, before changing the subject. "So how you doing in here? Nobody's giving you a hard time, right?"
"Nah, you remember Benzy?" Briggs asks, casually leaning back in his chair like they were just meeting for coffee.
"That big thug you put away two years ago?" Charlie asks in shock. "The one with the neck tattoos with the glandular condition? Didn't he throw a car on you once? He's in there with you? Jesus Paul, we gotta get you transferred!"
"Ok, you're blowing that car story way out of proportion." Briggs says as he motions for Charlie to remain seated and not make a scene. "But it's fine babe. We always got along when I was under and I made sure his daughter was put in good care after he was locked up. He still likes me. He's looking out for me. Nobody's been brave enough to mess with me yet."
"So you're telling me you got a new boyfriend Paul? Should I be jealous?" Charlie crosses her arms across her chest, smirking at him.
"Shit baby, you should have known with eyes as pretty as mine, I would get scooped up. Don't be jealous. You're still my girl." Paul teases her, batting his eyelashes in her direction.
"Yeah, and sounds like now you're Benzy's girl." Charlie smiles back at him.
"It's not so bad. At least he lets me be the big spoon sometimes. More than I can say for you." Paul teases, but all this does is remind Charlie that he's not there for her to hold at night and she lowers her eyes again.
"Anyone in there know you're a cop?" She asks quietly. She worries for him every day. After putting so many people away, it was only a matter of time before someone recognized Paul. Police, especially undercover ones, were not treated well in prison.
"No. Actually I get a lot of respect in here from the other inmates because somehow the rumor spread I'm doing time for being a big time cop killer. Apparently I'm being credited with the slaughter at Solano's as well as my original charges. They're calling me the Pig Farmer."
"What the hell Paul?" Charlie slams her hand on the table, wondering how he can be so cavalier about all of this. "You weren't even there when that shit went down! You gotta set the record straight!"
"Charlie, chill. No one's dumb enough to actually bring those charges against me in court. It's just a rumor that the inmates believe, and I let them. It keeps them off my back. Though the guards occasionally get prissy..." Briggs sighs. He hates that Charlie's getting all worked up. She needs to keep calm for the baby's sake. He hates that he's not at home with her to take care of her during her pregnancy.
"Well if the prosecution is dumb enough to bring charges against you for killing Mikey, they may go after you for the shit that went down at Solano's too. Somebody out there wants you to burn Paul. They're stacking the deck."
"We said we weren't going to talk about my case. Not until after my preliminary hearing. Not here." Briggs voice drops to a low warning. He didn't know who might be overhearing things or how they might be used against him in court. Spousal Immunity only went so far.
"No I know. I'm sorry." Charlie shakes her head and once again fought back tears. She's always been an emotional person, but these hormones were making things even worse.
"How's everyone at the house holding up?" Briggs asks, trying to change the subject.
"It's not the same without you." Charlie says honestly. "Jakes has really stepped up. It's kind of weird actually. He's being really sweet and nurturing. The other night he actually tried to give me a foot massage. Did you say anything to him before you left?"
"I would never. I know you can look after yourself." It's a complete lie. Briggs had sat Jakes down drunkenly the night before the wedding and made him swear up and down he would look after Charlie. He was glad to hear Dale was following through on his promise.
"Johnny's getting snappy with everyone. It's like he's always on the defensive and pissed off. Paige is withdrawn. She won't talk to anybody. She's always either working or just sits out at that rock alone staring out at the ocean. I don't know what's going on with her. Her and Mikey were acting weird around each other ever since he pulled her out of Sulla's. I think she's feeling guilty for not patching things up with him before he died."
I think she's feeling guilty for a lot more than that. Briggs thinks to himself, but instead just says "And how are you doing babe?"
"I'm surviving. Just got to take it day by day, right?" Charlie says, but her strong act is not very convincing.
"Chuck, I am so sorry you have to go through this alone, but you're the strongest woman I know. I'm so proud of you baby." Briggs says, taking her hands across the table in his, despite the nontouching policy. The guard is polite enough to look the other way and pretend he doesn't notice the intimate moment.
"Paul, you need to find a way to get out of here. You need to come back to me. I want this baby to know it's father. I want my husband beside me. You beat this Paul. You figure out how to clear your name and come home. I don't care what it takes." Charlie knows in her heart how ruthless Briggs can be. Right now she doesn't care who he has to hurt. What he's done in the past or what he needs to do in the future. She knows he's guilty but she doesn't care. She loves him, and she needs that scheming devious man to do whatever it takes to come home to her.
"I know baby. I'm working on it. I will see that child grow up." Briggs promises. "Baby I need you do to do something for me. I need you to get me a lawyer."
"You don't have one?" Charlie asks suspiciously.
"I have a specific one in mind." Briggs slides a name across the table.
"Who is Wesley Trough?" Charlie asks looking at the card he's given her.
"He comes highly recommended." Briggs says vaguely, but there must be more than he's willing to let on. Briggs never does anything without having his reasons. "Now, my times almost up, so why don't you quickly tell me all the sexy details of our honeymoon that I missed, in enough detail to make the guard over here blush."
"That's going to be pretty depressing Paul. I mostly cried on Jakes' shoulder, ate ice cream and watched old CSI reruns."
"Make it up then. I've got a lot of lonely nights to make it through here." Briggs says playfully, "Plus by the time I get home that sexy body should be the size of a whale."
"You really think you'll get home in time to see the birth?" Charlie asks hopefully, ignoring the 'whale' comment for now. He'd pay for that later.
"Baby, I'm going to do whatever it takes."