The death of Lie To Me was tragic and my brain went on lock-down. I hope to be able to at least follow the actors wherever they land at next. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Oh my gosh people. I'm so sorry for posting this late. Last week I planned for my daughters 17th birthday and then had teenagers all weekend. We built a water slide and grilled out. You know all that summer stuff. We're exhausted, but it was worth it. There will be more mistakes than usual in this chapter, so bare with me on this one, thanks for your reviews!

Chapter 9

Gillian walked with Cal into his office. She was laughing and feeling more at ease with herself. Wallowski stood up from the couch when they entered the room.

"Foster." Wallowski spoke.

"Wallowski." Gillian acknowledged with a cold tone in her voice.

Lightman sat at his desk and Foster sat in the chair on the opposite side. Wallowski stayed standing near the couch so she could watch the office door. Silence fell in the room as the three waited for Alec. Lightman got out of his chair and walked over to Wallowski. Gillian turned her chair away from Cal's desk so that she could see the door also and hear what Lightman was telling Wallowski.

"Should I leave or are you going to include me in on what you two are planning?" Gillian was directing the question to Cal. She was getting perturbed with the two of them.

"I was just telling Shazza here no need for her to get trigger happy, that it should go... You know, smoothly." Wallowski pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. Never really knowing what bullshit was going to come out of Lightman's mouth, but she always expected something to fall out it. Gillian knew it wasn't the truth but was too anxious and worried to waste her energy calling him on it.

Gillian took a deep breath and looked down at her trembling hands in her lap. "I'm just ready to get this over with." She didn't understand why she was so nervous about confronting Alec. She was always calm and collected when it came to confronting anyone else. She was always in control of most any situation. She pulled her shoulders back and watched Cal as he approached her and stood beside her. Gillian was determined to concentrate on regaining her poise and put her mask up the best she could. Cal put his hand on her shoulder then gently slid his hand to the middle of her back. He softly moved his hand in small circles between her shoulder blades to ease the tension.

"Alright, Love?" He asked in a low voice. Gillian immediately relaxed and welcomed Cal's touch.

"I'm fine. Everything is fine." She tried to cover up the tremble in her voice. "I'm just hoping this will go smooth and be over quickly." Her composer was back. Cal knew she wasn't fine but he also knew it wouldn't do her any good to point that out to her.

"Dr. Lightman?" The front receptionist's voice came over the phone intercom.

He moved around Gillian to answer. "Yes."

"Mr. Foster is here. Anna is showing him to your office."

"Thanks."

Cal moved to stand a few feet away from Gillian to stand in the middle of the room. Wallowski moved to stand in front of the coffee table. Anna came in through the office door and Alec followed behind her. Before Anna could exit the room, Lightman warned her of absolutely no interruptions. She nodded her head and quietly shut the door as she left.

Alec saw Wallowski and then Cal, the two were in his line of sight first. He was first surprised then his eyebrows furrowed and anger fell upon his face. He then turned his head and saw Gillian sitting in the chair. Alec didn't move from where he was standing between the office door and the couch. All eyes were on him.

"What is this?" Alec asked while pointing in the general direction of Gillian.

Cal spoke and pointed at Gillian. "This, is a very close and dear friend of mine. Your wife, that you have been mistreating. And I don't want to see her get hurt again." He was looking at Alec with an intimidating stare. "Anytime you're ready, Love." He said to Gillian without taking his eyes off of Alec. Gillian remained quiet, gathering her thoughts to put them in words.

"Anytime for what?" Alec's eyes were shifting between Cal and Gillian. "What the fuck is going on Gillian?"

Cal held his hand out with his palm turned up aiming it toward Alec. "Does everything that comes out of your mouth have to sound pissed off. Eh? I mean. Look at her, she's sitting there, ready to discuss this calmly. You can see that she's not happy."

Gillian looked at Alec with sadness and disappointment. "Alec. I... I'm filing for a divorce."

"You're what?" Alec shouted as he quickly made a couple of steps toward Gillian, but still was a good distance away from her. Wallowski said nothing but stepped in front of Alec making him stop short.

Cal spoke and moved in closer to Alec. "Keep your distance. My house. My rules."

"I'm...leaving you. It's...It's over, Alec. I want a divorce." Gillian was unable to keep her voice from cracking.

"What?" Alec went to step forward again. Wallowski put her hand up gesturing for him to stop while her other went to rest on her pistol that was on her hip.

"Settle." Wallowski told him. Alec complied not wanting to go head to head with the detective.

Gillian stood up. Annoyed that her words were not getting through to Alec. "I can't do this anymore, Alec. I don't want to be around you anymore. When you drink and use drugs you become a monster. I loved you, but I realized that in the past two years, I have fallen out of love with you. You need help, Alec. More than I can give."

Alec pointed at Gillian and looked at Cal. "You see. This is what she does. She makes everybody think that she's the victim and tries to convince everyone that she has no faults. That she's perfect and now she's blaming me!"

Gillian took a couple of steps forward. "Alec that is not fair! I have done everything in my power to help you and to keep our marriage from falling apart! I'm exhausted! I have no strength left! I can't take it anymore!" Gillian's arms were down on either side parallel to her body. Her hands were formed into tight fists.

"Well Gill, you're the one that fucked this marriage up! You want to know when our marriage started falling apart?" Gillian swallowed hard and was afraid of what he was going to tell her, tears ran down her cheeks. "The day we found out that you couldn't conceive. I was so disappointed in you, so angry knowing that you would never be able to carry my child. I struggled with wanting to leave you and wanting to stay. Then the adoption situation came about. You screwed that up too and we lost Sophie!" Alec's nostrils were flared, his face red.

"Oi!" Cal yelled.

Gillian's anger got the better of her. She stormed toward Alec and was prepared to slap him, but before she could reach him, Cal pushed himself past Wallowski. She was caught off guard and couldn't stop Cal before he swung his fist at Alec and knocked him off his feet. Alec's glasses slid across the floor.

"Lightman!" Wallowski yelled. She steps between both of the men and grabs Alec by his elbow and jerks him up to a standing position. "Get up." She tells Alec.

"Cal!" Gillian gasps and covers her mouth with both hands. Her blues eyes wide with shock.

Cal backed away from Wallowski and turned to Gillian who looked at him. She was slightly shaking her head and her face was full of sadness. She tried so hard to calm down and stop the tears from falling.

"Sorry you had to see that, Love." Cal ran his hand through his hair, breathing heavily. He quickly calmed himself to keep Gillian from getting upset any further.

Gillian looked over at Alec. A small part of her felt sorry for him. She was numb, her love for him was practically gone and she had lost all hope that he could ever change. She slowly walked toward him. "Alec? Are you okay?"

Alec wiped the blood from his busted lip with the back of his hand. "You just fucked up, Lightman! I'll sue you! And as for you." He was pointing at Gillian. "I'll sue you for everything, including your share in this company! You'll end up with nothing!" Alec lowered his voice and gritted his teeth. "You'll be alone. Face it. What man would want a woman that isn't complete." Gillian eased back a few steps, her sadness had turned to pity for Alec.

Cal moved to attack Alec again, but Gillian grabbed Cal's wrist with a tight grip. He looked in her eyes and could see the hurt. He didn't want to disappoint her and cause her anymore pain.

Gillian shakes her head and whispers. "No. Please, Cal. He's not worth it."

Wallowski had been watching Gillian this whole time. She tightened her grip on Alec's arm and looked at him with disgust. The detective has seen her share of domestic violence in her days. She was really feeling bad for Gillian and thought about what Gillian had been dealing with. She sympathized with the other woman. Wallowski had enough of this whole seen, she was ready to get Alec out of there and away from Gillian.

"Alright, hands behind your back." She pulled the cuffs off of her utility belt and clasped them to his wrist a lot tighter than she should.

"What are you arresting me for? I did nothing." Alec was talking to Wallowski over his shoulder.

"I've got reason to believe you're under the influence and I'm sure if I search you, I'll find evidence of just how coked up you are. What about your car, Mr. Foster? What will I find there?" Wallowski was confident with her accusations and a smirk formed on her lips. Alec looked down and away.

"Now, that look right there." Cal pointed at Alec's face. "That, guilt and then shame. Too late for that mate. Now, you're going to leave Gillian alone and agree to what she wants in the divorce or Wallowski here is going to make sure you go to jail long enough for you to lose your job. Got that, you plonka? Detective, escort this prat out of my building. We know he'll never show up here again, don't we?" Cal said as he crowded Alec's space.

Wallowski pulled Alec around and pushed him out of the office. She drug him out of the building and took him to his car. "I suggest you take Lightman's warning seriously. Walk away from this and you'll have no trouble. If I hear of you attempting to get close to Dr. Foster, I will personally make sure you become someone's bitch while sitting in jail." She unlocked the cuffs around his wrist and walked away. Alec rubbed his wrist and tried to work the soreness away. He stood there for a moment in deep thought and let the warning sink in then got into his car and left.

Meanwhile back in the office, Cal sat with Gillian on his couch. He turned so that he was facing her. One leg bent laying flat on the cushion between them. His knee touched the back of the couch and his foot hung off the cushion. His arm rested across the back of the couch at just the right length so his hand could caress the back of Gillian's head. His other hand rested just above her knee. It was a comfortable position for both and they had sat like that many times.

Gillian just sat there, facing forward, staring down at her lap while she rung her hands together nervously. She put all of her concentration and energy in moving her hands, so to fight the flood of emotions that were beating down the wall to break through. Cal looked her over, watched her movements, the tension, the sadness. He knew she was about to explode. He took both of his hands and covered hers in her lap to stop her from making them a darker shade of red than what they were.

"Stop, Gill. Look at me, Love." He cocked his head to the side and leaned closer to her. She turned her head and looked at him. He could read everything that she was showing, her defenses were down. She was questioning herself, he could see that. He knew her mind was working overtime. He read the shame, the guilt, the anger and the need for comfort. To be loved. He wished so badly that he could rip the pain from her body like jerking a band-aid off the skin.

Cal moved his leg off the couch and slid as close as he could next to Gillian. One arm around the back of her shoulders and the other around the front of her waist. He pulled her closer and she brought her feet off the floor and tucked them under her leaving her knees bent and resting on Cal's leg. Gillian put her arm across Cal's chest and held on to his shoulder then buried her face against his neck. She breathed in his scent and felt the comfort of his arms enveloping her. It was security to her, Cal was her rock. The one man that she could depend on, the one that wouldn't pass judgment on her. The one that she's loved for a long time.

Her thoughts were racing. 'Could she ever lose the guilt she was feeling? Would she ever feel good about herself again? Would she be able to completely love Cal? Was she strong enough to confess her love to Cal? And if so, would she be able to let herself be really happy again?' At that moment she felt like they were the only two people left on earth. She didn't want to be anywhere else or with anyone else. She wanted to be with her friend, she needed this.

"You're gonna be alright, Love. He'll leave you alone now." He whispered to her. Gillian slowly started sobbing, quietly at first. "Let it out darlin', let it go." She held on to him tighter. Then the dam opened, her tears flowed freely. Her body shook with every breath she took in. Cal slowly ran his hand over her back and stroked the back of her head. He alternated between the two comforting gestures until Gillian had nothing left in her. Cal reached for the tissue on the end table and handed them to her. She sat up to wipe her face and nose and saw that the upper part of Cal's shirt was soaked with her tears.

"I'm sorry, Cal. You're shirts wet." She looked down, embarrassed of her sobbing like a child.

"No need to be embarrassed, darlin'." He cupped her chin with his hand and turned her head to face him. "Don't worry about the shirt. You can cry on my shirt anytime." He smiled softly.

Gillian returned a smile back and took in a deep breath then exhaled slowly. She actually felt somewhat better. It was a much needed release for her. Some of the weight was lifted off her shoulders

"How 'bout we call it a day, hmm? We can pick up some food and go home. I believe I promised you a massage. What do you say?" He stood up and took her hands to pull her up to him. She leaned into him and they held each other again. Gillian squeezed him tightly not wanting to let go, but knew that she had to. She backed away then stood up straight.

"I need to do some things first, but I'll see you at home." She straightened her blouse and ironed her hands over her skirt to restore her professional demeanor. She could do this very well and very quickly. That was one thing Cal loved about Gillian so much. She had class, she had morales and she didn't deserve any man that would mistreat her. She was above and beyond what an ideal woman was in his eyes.

"Okay, then I'll get the food and see you there. You alright, yeah? Don't need me to go with you?"

"No, I'm fine. I can do this, it'll take my mind off of all thats happened today. It won't take long." She moved toward the door and looked back at him. "Thank you for being here for me. I needed that."

Cal searched her face. 'You needed THAT or you needed ME?' Then he found the answer to his own question. It was written all over her face. He felt a surge of hope run through him, confident that he would make Gillian his one day.

"Anytime, Love. See you later." He smiled as she turned and walked out of his office.

Gillian went by her lawyer's office and started the process of the divorce. She knew that the waiting period could be up to six months depending on the grounds. The hassle of it all left a bad taste in her mouth. All her dreams and fantasies of weddings and marriages slowly started to whither away. Divorce will do that to people. She's heard all kinds of stories from clients in the past, but she had never really thought that it would happen to her.

Gillian had stopped in to see a Realtor to help her find a condo or an apartment. She didn't want to stay with Cal much longer because she felt like she was imposing. Emily would be back from her mum's in a week or so. The other reason was that she wanted her privacy and independence. Gillian was ready to move on with her life and get used to the idea of being single and that was going to be hard enough. It was funny to her that, even though she appreciated Cal, he was smothering her. Which is something he had always complained about her doing to him.

Gillian had went into a few shops buying some things she needed and to be honest some things she wanted. She purchased lipstick, nail polish and body wash. Those little things that made her feel better about herself. On the way to Cal's, she stopped in at a market and purchased some fruit and a few of her favorite snacks. When she got back to the car, her cell phone chimed indicating a text had come through. It was Cal asking where she was and if she had forgotten about dinner and a massage. Gillian smiled and checked the time. She didn't realize that it had gotten late, but not by much. She sent him a message back and told him she was on her way.

Yes, once again, I used dialogue from an episode. It just fit when I watched it and had the plan to have Alec come to the office, so, I fudged a bit! They weren't word for word but I mixed it up a little.

Okay, so I was anxious to get this out and I'm quickly trying to wrap up the story. Some fans don't want it to end too quickly. Guess I need to put more Callian in it before I end the story. I do have more ideas to add. Thanks for all reviews, I do hear you and you help me to keep going. This has never been my "Thing" but YOU (the fans) have given me that push I needed. Thanks to all. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. More to come your way soon. Sorry if it's not soon enough. I know how I am!