Evie Grace (Repost)

Carol returns from South Africa.

When I wrote this fic to start (almost a year ago) I was a very new writer. I want to have another crack at this fic, so enjoy. Will probably post some new content as well.

Please forgive me for not posting. I have had so much homework for my ALevels. My first exam is in only 3 months! Anyway, I will try to post as often as I can.

'I have something to show you,' said Tony, taking her hand and leading her into the bedroom.

'What?' asked Carol.

'Look in the bedside cabinet on the left,' said Tony.

Opening the drawer, Carol saw the drawers only contents. A ring box. A single ring box. She inhaled deeply as if searching for inner strength and opened the box. Her eyes gazed upon the emerald set in diamonds and gold. It was an engagement ring.

'I went out and bought it when I'd been released from the hospital,' said Tony. 'I was going to take you out for dinner the night after we'd slept together. I wanted us forever Carol, I didn't want us to be just friends. You leaving broke my heart. As soon as I was better, I went looking for you. But you'd left for South Africa, and the ring's sat there ever since. And I threw myself into my work as a coping mechanism, and here we are now.'

'Here we are,' said Carol, wiping a tear from her face. 'I've been an idiot, haven't I?'

Pulling her into a hug, Tony said, 'No, you haven't. You just underestimated me.'

They sat there for what seemed like an eternity in each other's embrace, simply hugging. It didn't go anywhere beyond that, just hugging. It could not be described as platonic, but comfortable, intimate and revealing.

'You've made my shirt wet,' commented Tony, feeling the moisture seep through the material.

'Oh, I'm sorry,' said Carol, sniffing a bit.

'Don't worry,' he said. 'I have plenty of others.'

'I just want to stay here forever,' said Carol.

'Yeah,' he replied quietly. 'Me too…'

For a few more moments, they remained in this close embrace, until the resounding chorus of Tony's phone interrupted their comfortable, intimate silence.

'Bloody technology,' cursed Tony, removing his arms from around Carol and picking up the phone. 'Alex, hi. Now? Oh God, how? Okay, give us half an hour to an hour, we'll be there.'

As Tony put down the phone, Carol said, 'What's happened?'

'They've found Darcy Calgary's body on the industrial estate,' said Tony. 'Without any clothing and severely beaten, most probably sexually abused.'

'Oh God,' said Carol, bringing her hands to her mouth in shock. 'We need to catch this bastard Tony, we really do. What kind of a man can do that to a child? What kind of a man could mutilate an innocent little girl? God help him if I catch him first, I'll kill him!'

'Carol!' said Tony. 'You can't take this personally. Darcy was of a similar age to Evie, yes. But don't act as if it was Evie that was hurt in this way. Channel your anger and frustration into catching the killer and bringing justice for Darcy. Don't let your hatred and motherly instinct consume you.'

'I can't help it Tony,' said Carol loudly, pulling herself away from Tony's arms and standing up, picking up her coffee cup and taking a sip from it, slamming it down on the coffee table afterwards with anger. 'I couldn't even keep my emotions in check with cases before I was a mother, let alone now. How can you not react? Now that you know you're a father, how can you not be angry? How can you not want to rip Dingane limb from limb for harming a child? What if it was Evie in that warehouse Tony? Would you react then?'

'I have no choice but to be objective!' roared Tony, making Evie whimper. Noticing this, he said hushedly, 'Evie, oh my darling I'm sorry. Forgive Daddy for shouting. I'm sorry Carol. I understand what you mean, but I have to keep a clear head on this one. For Darcy.'

'For Darcy,' replied Carol quietly. 'I'll get Evie and myself changed out of these clothes, and we can go.'

'Okay,' said Tony. 'I'll go and change my shirt. Be ready in 10?'

'Sure,' said Carol. As his back was halfway out of the door, Carol said, 'Tony?'

'Yes?' he asked, turning around, their eyes meeting.

'I'm sorry,' she said.

'I know,' said Tony. 'I'll be back in a moment.'

He left the room for his bedroom, where he changed his shirt. Once he was finished, he came back into the living room, where a dressed Evie sat on the sofa smiling as Carol was dressing herself. But she had not got far, for there she stood in her underwear.

'Oh my God Carol,' said Tony, shielding his eyes. 'Forgive me.'

'No worries Tony,' she said with a calm smile. 'You've seen it all before.'

As Carol pulled on her trousers and her shirt, buttoning it up, Tony said, 'That was then.'

Flattening her hair looking at her reflection in the mirror, Carol said, 'I know. Never mind, you didn't see everything.'

'Yeah,' said Tony. 'You ready to go?'

'Yeah,' said Carol. 'Just have to get mine and Evie's shoes on.'

'She's nodded off again, bless her,' said Tony.

'Oh Jesus, she's so tired,' said Carol. 'Evie,' she said softly. 'Evie my love, wakey wakey.'

Evie opened her eyes and yawned slightly. 'Mumma,' she said sleepily.

'Yes beautiful, Mumma's here. I'm just going to put your shoes on and then we're going to the Police station. We'll take the buggy so you can sleep, okay?'

Evie nodded quietly.

'Let's go then,' said Carol with a smile.