Temperance follows Cam to her house. She parks her car on the street outside of Cam's house. She pulls her hair back into a pony tail before getting out of the car. She sees a woman in her mid-twenties exit Cam's house. She climbs out of the car and shuts the door behind her. She uses her remote to lock the doors. She walks across the street. She follows a walk way to a pair of concrete steps. She stops at a glass door. She looks in and sees the other door standing wide open. She pulls the glass door open. She steps inside the house, and closes the large metal door behind her. A chubby toddler makes his way to her unsteadily. She stops in front of her and smiles revealing some teeth.
"Hi," she smiles back and waves.
"Hi," he says softly as he reaches up for her.
She picks him up. "Where did Cam... where did your mommy go?" she questions.
He just smiles at her. Cam comes into the entry-way wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.
"Sorry I needed to change,"
"I understand," she answers.
The chubby baby with a smile and dark curls reaches for Cam. Temperance lets go of him and Cam balances him on her hip. She leads Temperance into the living room. They both take seats. Temperance sits in an armchair, and Cam rests on the couch. Cam places Eli on the floor in front of a pile of foam blocks. He stares at a tower of blocks in front of him. He slaps them down and then cackles. Cam smiles and rolls her eyes. They watch him for a few moments without saying anything. His look changes and Temperance makes a comment.
"He looks pensive,"she remarks.
"Yeah. That look can be deceiving though,"
"How so?"
"It's the same look that he gets when he's pooping,"
"How can you tell the difference?"
"The latter is accompanied by grunting,"
"Oh," she nods and stares at the baby in the middle of the floor.
"He has a charm smile too,"
"Of course he does,"
"So what do you want to do?"
"About?"
"Work?"
"I need to take some time off. I don't know how much yet, but I definitely need to take some time,"
"I agree. You need to figure out what you want to do about the whole situation,"
"I just don't know if I should tell him. I mean if it isn't his then I wouldn't have such reservations..."
"But you can't know yet,"
"No, there is no way to tell yet,"
"The question that you have to answer is if you want to do it on your own,"
"I just don't know. How did you reach the decision that you did?"
"I put off telling him. I could never get up the nerve. Then when I went into labor it became very apparent that I didn't need his help, and frankly I didn't want it. I don't want anything from him..."
"What about when he asks questions?"
"I'll tell him the truth. What he decides to do is up to him. If it had been the same situation with a different man I would have done the same. Our relationship ended, and I don't want to keep him from moving on,"
"How does that work?"
"What?"
"You work with him,"
"Uh huh,"
"And you see him everyday. How can you not just tell him?"
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you ever just wanted to blurt it out?"
"Yes, but I... he is noble to a fault. He's a good guy we both know that, but he'd want to be involved,"
"And you don't want that?"
"I've ran from this for so long that when it finally happened I didn't want... no I didn't need a husband to make things ok,"
"How do you have relationships?"
"With men?"
"Yes,"
"I don't,"
"What about sex?"
"Rarely,"
"Why?"
"Things are complicated now. I've got a kid, so I can't just bring anyone into his life,"
"How do you juggle all of this and work?"
"Not guiltlessly, but I know that I have to be realistic. He has to have food, and clothes, and I have to pay a mortgage payment, so I can't afford to not work. I'm happy with the job I have even if they hours aren't always appealing. It's difficult, but I don't have a choice,"
"I still don't understand why you didn't tell him. I mean I understand my reasoning. There is another man involved what is your excuse?"
"The other woman,"
"What? He wasn't involved with anyone,"
"I didn't want to stand in the way of something that he had yet to see. I couldn't be the reason that things didn't work for him. I wouldn't stand by knowing what he could have,"
"With who?"
"With you," she answers.
"What?"
"I can't make the decision for you. I don't know what I would do if I were you, but I do have thoughts on what you should do,"
"And what is that exactly?"
"Whether or not the two of you see it, it's clear to all of us. Everyone around you knows. We can see the way that you two look at each other. You're in love with each other, and if it takes an unplanned pregnancy for the two of you to see it, then so be it,"
"I..."
"It isn't going to matter him if the baby is his or not. He'll still want to be involved. He'll always be involved in your life. Sure you can run, you can take a sabbatical, but he'll follow you. You might not be ready to be a parent. You might not even be ready for the thought of being a parent, but it's a really good chance to evaluate things. It's good to know where you stand,"
"With what?"
"Everything,"
"I don't think that I can tell him though Cam,"
"Why not?"
"Because I... he's my partner. I don't want to ruin that..."
"You'd be stupid if you thought that you're just partners. He took a bullet for you, and you killed for him. You know that he loves you right?"
"Why is everyone convinced that we love each other?"
"It's like an old movie,"
"What?"
"A man and a woman, they cross paths. They find each other intolerable, but each of them saves the other in some way. At some point they no long find each other intolerable, but rather irresistible, but neither are willing to admit it. But movies only last a couple of hours, not several years, so in the end they always end up with each other,"
"It was just sex,"
"It's never just sex with him,"
"It was just sex,"
"No. It wasn't. You two have passion. You share a passion for catching murders. You're both passionate about your work, and you're passionate about each other,"
"No..."
"Yes. I just don't understand how you can't see it,"
"I... it's...,"
"You always want what you can't have. The thing that I've learned is that rules are meant to be broken, and lines are meant to be crossed,"
"I already crossed the line by sleeping with him,"
"You can't go back,"
"What?"
"Tell him,"
"I think I should go on sabbatical,"
"No you shouldn't. If you go on sabbatical you'll not only ruin your partnership, but you'll miss your chance with him,"
"How can you know that?"
"I've seen a lot of people who are in love. I know these things,"
"But..."
"I've never seen two people who love each other the way you two do,"
"You have a child with him how can you encourage me to take him?"
"Because he's yours for the taking,"
"That doesn't make sense,"
"Tell me how you feel when you're away from him?"
"I don't know. I feel... it doesn't feel right,"
"You feel incomplete,"
Temperance stares at her, "I guess," she nods.
"Because you're two halves to the same whole. Haven't you ever heard that opposites attract?"
"Of course,"
"This is no different,"
"But..."
"You've been looking for someone who won't leave when things get tough. You want a man who can put you in your place, and who complements you. The only thing is you've looked in every place but the obvious one,"
"I'm not ready for this. I'm not ready to have a baby... and I'm not ready to..."
"You're ready to tell him the truth, you're just scared,"
"I don't know why though. I mean it could be his baby, but he's my partner. I tell him everything,"
"You can't hide it from him, he'll find out,"
"You did,"
"I don't work as closely with him as you do,"
"I... I should never have had sex with him. It was wrong. I put my needs over the importance of our partnership,"
"Do you think that they'll separate you?"
"Most definitely,"
"Really? With the highest overturn rate you think that they'll separate you?"
"They will if they find out we..."
"No they won't," Cam reassures her.
"How can you be so sure?"
"I won't let them,"
"Why not?"
"It would be a stupid move,"
"I... I'm not ready for this. I hate being unprepared. I don't like not knowing what to do,"
"No one does. You can let it break you, or you can make the most of it,"
"How do I do that?"
"Tell him. The whole truth. Even I don't believe that it was just sex,"
"What do you think it was then?"
"A manifestation of your feelings for each other,"
"Now you sound like Sweets,"
"He's good,"
"I know... I..."
"Take the week off. Figure it out, but after that I expect you back at work. The lab can't survive without you for very long,"
"Ok," she agrees.