Chapter 4: Bump In the Road (Almost Literally)

Soon it was December and two months had passed since they had split. They were both seeing other people, Flack was seeing a friend, Kayleigh, of his long-time best friend, Hayleigh, whom he had known since he was about twelve years old. Jamie was seeing another detective from a different precinct, Simon whom she had met at a party. But truthfully neither of them had moved on from their relationship with each other because they both regretted mutually ending their relationship.

And Jamie even more so. She hadn't been feeling well this last week and it was starting to get on her nerves. Then she realised what it could be. But she'd only slept with this guy a couple of times with protection, she couldn't be pregnant already! And she'd only been seeing him for five weeks. Ok they'd gotten absolutely wrecked and had sex on the first night that they'd met but surely she wasn't pregnant. To be sure she took the test anyway, a clear blue one, they showed how many weeks you were, roughly anyway. To keep it from Simon, so he didn't see them in the bin if they showed it wasn't his and just so he didn't see really, she took them to the precinct and went into the toilets. She did both of the tests then waited a couple of minutes before looking at them. Both of them were positive. She picked one up "10-12 weeks" she stared at the test. She was pregnant and the baby definitely wasn't Simon's, meaning there was only one other persons it could be. Flack. She put her hand to her forehead, she was pregnant with Flack's baby, how the hell was she going to tell him?

She put the two positive tests in the inside pocket of her jacket and left the toilets. She went into the squad room and headed towards her desk. "We caught a case" Flack spoke from behind her. "Man dead in central park"

"Ok, See you at the car" she nodded going over to her desk. He nodded in reply, turned around and disappeared. She took the two positive tests out of her pocket and carefully put them in the top drawer of her desk. She took her things from her desk and headed out to the car. She got in the car and he started the engine. She didn't talk to him, her head whirling from her discovering she was pregnant, by the man sitting next to her. She was also trying to figure out how to tell him in a sensible way. They did what was required of them at the scene before leaving to go back to the precinct. On the way back he made the effort to talk to her. "Are you alright?" he asked "Just you've been away on another planet since we left the precinct"

"Yeah, I'm fine" she replied "Are you doing anything after work?"

"No" he shook his head "Why?"

"We just need to talk, that's all" said Jamie "That diner round the corner from the precinct, have a drink and talk"

"About what?" he asked

"About stuff" she said vaguely.

She made a few personal phone calls and made an appointment at the free clinic to see a nurse or doctor. And managed to secure one for the following morning, at half-ten in the morning.

That night after their shift they headed to KK's All American Diner and got themselves a drink. They sat down at a small table in the corner and at first she couldn't find the words. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" he asked before taking a sip of his drink

"I haven't been feeling right in the last week or so" she began "I thought it was a stomach bug but now I don't think it is. I did two tests today… in the toilets at work before went off to that murder in central park. And they were both positive. I'm pregnant"

"Ok" he said

"And I know it's not Simon's" she added "The test I used gives you a rough estimate of how far along the pregnancy is"

"Are you saying that…" he tailed off

"Yes I am" she sighed "It's yours… I'm pregnant with your child"

He didn't exactly know what to say to her right this minute. It was a bit of a shock as they'd always been careful when they'd had sex. They'd always used protection. "I've got an appointment tomorrow morning, I was wondering if you'd come with me"

"Are you sure?" he frowned

"Yes, if I wasn't I wouldn't be asking you" she replied

"Ok" he agreed.

They had a deeply theoretical conversation before leaving the diner. "How are you getting home?" he asked as they left the diner.

"I'm taking the bus" she yawned

"I'll drop off at your apartment building, it's on my way home" he offered.

"Thanks" she nodded before following him to his car. He drove her back to her place and saw her off. "Night" he said as she climbed out of his car "See you in the morning"

"Yeah" she yawned again "Night" she turned away from the car and made her way into her apartment building. He watched her go, his mind going round in circles. The question he was asking himself was really, "why did I ever leave her?" because that had been a stupid mistake.

The following morning they took their break and headed to the free clinic. "Are you nervous?" he asked

"Yeah, really nervous" she replied "I hope everything's ok"

"It will be" he said softly

"Did you…" she tailed off "Did you go to any of Jada's scans?"

"No, Christopher went to all of them" he sighed "I wanted to but she told me where to go. She gave me pictures but that was it. Why?"

"Oh" she nodded "I was just curious… I'm really scared about this"

"It will be alright" he said gently before slipping his fingers between hers and gently squeezing her hand.

He was allowed to go in with her and sat with her while she answered a load of health questions. Then the nurse performed an ultrasound during which she confirmed Jamie was roughly eleven weeks pregnant. "You can look if you like" the nurse smiled to Jamie.

Jamie twisted her head to look at the screen the nurse had tilted so she could see and smiled at the tiny blob on the screen. It was so small, but she already knew she would protect it with her life. She listened to the baby's gentle, yet fast, heartbeat and smiled even more. It was perfect and it brought tears to her eyes. Finally they left, each with a copy of the scan. They returned to work together and worked their murder case from yesterday. They both had to figure out a way to tell their respective partners, who may well leave them, Jamie was pregnant. It was probably slightly easier for her, but only slightly.

That night Simon came round. She was at home, curled up on the sofa with her duvet and in her comfy pyjamas, watching TV. As she sat there, there was a knock on the door. Yawning she pushed her blanket off her body and pushed herself to her feet. She walked over to the door and pulled it open. On the other side stood Simon, he had an expensive bottle of wine in his hand, which she couldn't drink. She hadn't been expecting him at all anyway, she thought he was on the graveyard shift tonight. "Simon" she said "I wasn't expecting you"

"I thought I'd surprise you" he smiled before kissing her on the cheek "I got a lovely bottle of bubbly and a CD of classic love songs, we can have a real special evening."

"I thought you were on the graveyard shift" replied Jamie

"I was, Kurt owed me one and said he'd cover it for me because I wanted to spend some quality time with you" he smirked "So are you going to let me in"

She nodded and let him in before closing the door behind him. "I'll get us some glasses and we can have some of this"

"I can't drink" she replied, sounding rather ungrateful, though she wasn't trying to be

"Pulling an early?" he asked

"No, I'm on the late shift tomorrow actually" she explained "I can't drink because… I'm pregnant"

"Oh" he said, his face dropping "When did you find out?"

"Yesterday" Jamie replied as they made their way over to her sofa "I did the tests at work, two of them"

"I can't quite believe this" he said sitting down "We've only been together five weeks."

"Er" she bit her lip "Well no that's the thing"

"What's the thing?" he frowned "Have you already told someone else?"

"Well… yes" she nodded

"Why?" he asked "I should be the first one to know" he sounded upset, and a little angry.

"Well because, if you'd let me finish what I was trying to say a minute ago" she replied "The baby, it isn't yours"

"Well whose is it then?" he asked, confused

"My ex-boyfriends" she explained "I'm eleven weeks, I met you five and half weeks ago. I broke up with him about eight or nine weeks ago. I never cheated on him, so I know it's his"

"Oh, ok" he nodded

Elsewhere Flack and his girlfriend Kayleigh were all over each other, exploring the deepest regions of each other's mouths. And bodies. When they finally stopped she went into the kitchen to get a drink but she came back with something else in her hand and a confused and furious expression on her face. "What's this?" she held it up. It was the ultrasound picture of his and Jamie's baby. Then she opened it and looked at it. "Whose is it?"

"My ex-girlfriends" he replied

"And she just gave this to you for?" she asked

"I was there when they did it" said Flack

"Hang on you got her pregnant?" she asked "Your ex-girlfriend, you got her pregnant before you split up"

"Yeah, she only found yesterday and told me straightaway" he explained

"Oh right" she nodded, he could hear the slight jealousy in her voice. "I take it you want to be involved

"Well yeah I do" he replied "Why?"

"No reason, I'm not going to stop you. After what you had to go through to get access to Noah" she said vaguely "I wouldn't dare get in the way"

"Ok" he frowned, not quite sure exactly what she was trying to say here.

Both of their respective partners had taken it fairly well, however, it had dawned on both of them that they did still have feelings for one another, strong feelings. They worked with each other, which meant they saw each other on a near daily basis. But it also meant they often thought about each other and the feelings they had towards one another. They both knew they still loved each other but couldn't find the words to tell each other.

They started talking about the future, about how it would all work out. Flack made it known he wanted to be as much a part of the baby's life as he could because he'd already gone through two custody battles with Jada over Noah and didn't want to go through another. She was fine with that, with him being as much as a part of their baby's life as she was. She was pleased he wanted to know and be involved, she wasn't going to deny him the right to see him or her, unlike her ex-best friend.

They started talking about the possibility of getting back together and working something out…

They were in his car on the way back from talking to a witness in their latest case when the subject came up. The case in which they were working, a young man had been killed simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He'd been on his way to see his ex-girlfriend to make-up with her and had been targeted and senselessly killed for no reason. This girl was heartbroken, he had been the love of her life. She'd loved him and had been desperate to tell him so, which was why he had been on his way round. He'd felt the same way as they'd found a bunch of red roses and a card, which had contained a letter telling her just how much he loved her, by his lifeless body. It had got them both thinking, they were both still alive, they both knew they loved the other, even if the other didn't really know it, and they had a child on the way. This case, and Flack's previous personal experience of this very thing, highlighted telling someone you loved them while you still have the chance. And not when it's too late.

"This case has really got me thinking" Jamie began "About life, how you don't know what's round the corner and how quickly something can be snatched away from you"

"Me too" he admitted, although he'd known this feeling for ages, since about the time they'd split. Because he'd had personal experience of not telling someone you love them before they're snatched away from you and they end up never knowing. And you end up feeling like an idiot. He did not want it to happen again, he'd let Jess slip through his fingers, but he couldn't let Jamie slip through his fingers. "Maybe we should you know… try to give things another go"

"Maybe we should" she nodded. She did want to give things another go with him, she always had and clearly he did too. She'd realised they'd made a hash decision in splitting up, that maybe they hadn't thought it through enough. And ended up making the wrong decision. A very regrettable decision. She'd always regretted it. Always. "I think we could make it work. At least for the sake of this baby"

"Definitely" he nodded, smiling at her "We just have to keep it quiet this time, because really we don't need any more snide comments"

"Oh we can handle them" Jamie smiled "I pack a very nasty punch when I want to, you can vouch for that. I'll just tell them if they make comments I'll show them I'm not one to mess with"

"Ok now this I want to see" he smirked "Ignorance is bliss… we'll just focus on each other and what really matters, and everything else with will just disappear"

"So we're going to do this?" she asked "Give us another shot?"

"Definitely" he smiled

But things rarely worked out. Flack told Kayleigh that he wanted to break up with her. But she had a friend who had known him for 24 years, she knew everything about him. "Look Kayleigh I just don't think this going to work" he began "You're my friend, and I like us being friends but as a couple. Not so much"

"Why did you start dating me then?" she asked "Oh wait you were on the rebound from Jamie and you just wanted someone to be with"

"I guess" he said

"Well tough, I'm not leaving. You're not breaking up with me" she said angrily

"Kayleigh look I like you as a friend, I've known you for ten years, Hayleigh's like my second sister." He replied "But after ten years I could never love you as a partner"

"You're not ending it!" she snapped "It will break my heart"

He stared uncomfortably at her. "And you seem to forget, I've known you for ten years, I know a lot about you and Hayleigh knows everything about you. All I have do is ask and she'll tell me. I know the things you don't want other people to ever know. So I'd just think about that"

"Excuse me?" he frowned, was she trying to blackmail him?

"You know what I mean Don" she replied.

"Fine, ok" said Flack

"Good, good" she smiled before going into her kitchen and returning with two bottles of beer. Flack drowned his sorrows in that bottle, he'd tried to leave her and she'd turned to blackmail to get him to stay. Meaning he hadn't left her. How the hell was he going to tell Jamie? He knew it was her he wanted to be with, her and their baby. He was in love with her, completely and utterly, head over heels, in love with her. He'd loved before, but never like this. He'd loved Jess, but he loved her, Jamie, even more. He loved her with all of his heart and this would probably break hers. So how was going to break this to her.

Meanwhile Jamie had gone round to Simon's apartment to break things off with him. She wanted to do this, she wanted to be with Flack. Not Simon. She liked Simon yes, but she couldn't seem to fall in love with him. She had tried to do so, but couldn't. Maybe it was because she'd already found the one and loved him with all of her heart that she couldn't fall for him. Flack was the only man she'd ever truly loved. She knocked on the door and Simon soon answered and let her in. "We need to talk" she began

"Oh no" he said

"Listen I like you Simon but I don't think this is what I want right now" she continued "I'm having another man's baby and I don't want to burden you. I just don't think we're right for each other"

"I think this is working fine" he replied

"I don't though, I'm sorry" she sighed

"Hang on" he said, a tinge of jealousy in his voice "You're leaving me to go back to him aren't you?"

"It's not like that. I just want space, I've got a baby on the way. I'm trying to do what I think is best for him or her" she explained

"Please don't leave me Jamie" he said, rather pleadingly "I really, really like you. I think you could be the girl for me. Just give this another chance. I really think this could go somewhere"

"Simon I don't think-"

"Just give it a chance Jamie, a few more weeks" he asked "Please, don't end this!"

"I don't know" she sighed, her head was telling her one thing, her heart another. Her head was telling her maybe she should give this a shot but her heart was telling her to leave him and get back together with Flack. "I don't know if it's right, if it's the right time or anything"

"Jamie please, give it a chance, I swear to you, I promise you I'll be the ideal man. I'll be the man you want and need." Said Simon

"Ok" She sighed and found herself relenting, what the hell was she doing? Why hadn't she put her foot down and just made sure she'd ended it? How was she going to tell Flack, the man she knew was 'the one', she hadn't left Simon.

So in the end neither of them left their respective partners and they struggled to talk to each other about why neither of them had. He'd been blackmailed and she'd been begged on.

Somehow they found the words to tell each other they'd not left their respective partners, which when they realised the other hadn't done so, became much easier. "We need to talk" sighed Flack. She nodded in agreement and they went out to the rather desolate yard. "I have to tell you something"

"And I have to tell you something" replied Jamie "You first"

"I tried to leave Kayleigh, but I couldn't. I don't know why" he explained, seeing her face crumple with despair and devastation "I'm really sorry Jamie, I swear to you I am sorry from the bottom of my heart"

She looked at him, this was going to be slightly easier then. "I didn't leave Simon either" she admitted "I tried, he got all soppy on me and I just couldn't do it. I'm sorry too"

They looked at each other, neither of them had left their partners and that mean it didn't hurt as much. Though it did still hurt, neither of them had been able to do it. To someone looking in on this it would seem that they didn't really care about each other after all. But deep down they both knew the truth. Jamie love Flack and Flack loved Jamie. And you can't deny you heart or your feelings forever.