Second Chances, Chapter 3:
"Are you all right? You seem a little distracted?" Hood asked Leslie as they sat in the unmarked car watching the nearby streets.
"It's just taking a bit of getting used to being back on the job." She admitted as she fidgeted in her seat. She could feel pins and needles in her feet and she needed to pee for like the tenth time this morning.
"I know they've called everyone in on this case, but if you're not well I'm sure I can cover for you."
"I'm fine honest." She protested, "I just need to stretch my legs for a bit."
"Nothings happening here, why don't you go and get us some coffees?"
"Great idea." And diversion she thought. "There's a store two blocks down."
"I could do with stretching my legs myself." He admitted, "I'll do a couple of laps of the park, I'll meet you back her soon." Hood said getting out of the car and watching her drive off.
Leslie hit the accelerator as she contemplated letting Hood know what was going on. She was certain she could trust him, but that also meant putting him in an awkward position of keeping a secret from the Brass. Could she do that to him? It wouldn't be long before she started showing, as it was her clothes were starting to feel tight, but since she had always been a girl with a bit of healthy meat on her bones it was very noticeable. In only a matter of weeks she'd be forced to tell her secret, or to start wearing loose fitting clothing which was bound to be a bit obvious given her shapely figure hugging style that they were use to seeing her in.
"Thank god." She thought to herself as the convenience store appeared in front of her. She didn't know how much longer she could hold on for, and now she was looking at the advertisement she could feel her stomach starting to grumble.
^^^^ 0o0 ^^^
"Look dad I'll call you back." Jake promised as he pulled up into the empty parking spot. He ended the call and pulled the headphone out of his ear. As he reached over to grab his wallet from the glove compartment, he dropped the phone out of his front shirt pocket. He reached down to where it had landed in the footrest of the passenger side. Meanwhile Leslie pulled up and parked in a spot on the opposite side of the road. Jake, having been distracted by his phone, didn't notice until he looked up after locking his door. Leslie was still on her two way, most likely calling in he suspected. Deep inside something stirred and he couldn't name the emotion exactly but he was relieved to see her. Checking the traffic, and waiting for the slowest little blue hatchback in the world to pass, Jake made his way across the street.
Leslie noticed Jake's distinctive GTO immediately and figured that, as murphy's law often had it, he was tangled up in her case somehow. The odds of them being on two separate cases was so small that it was barely worth thinking about. "I knew it wouldn't take you long before you started checking up on me." Se teased him as she watched him waiting patiently on the other side of the road.
"Sargent Bennett." He smiled, "Here to raid the doughnut shop?"
"More like meeting my boyfriend for lunch, speaking of you'd better be careful. He's the jealous type you know."
"I bet. Probably 6 foot 3 and built like an ultimate fighter."
"You've met him?" Leslie placed her keys in her handbag, and was blindsided by 2 boys speeding past on their skateboards. As she spun around, she barely had the time to step back out of their way.
"Hey, Get back here…" Jake yelled angrily as he started to chase after them.
"Leave it be." Leslie pleaded, "There was no harm done."
"No harm done, that idiot almost ran into you." He listened to her though and turned to head back to Leslie. As soon as he was in reach, he grabbed her by the elbows and checked her over. She seemed fine and they hadn't connected. "What was that for?" He asked as Leslie leaned in and kissed him on the cheek.
"For being such a worry wart." She smiled. "It's endearing the way you look out for me but I'm a big girl Jake. I can take care of myself."
"Don't I know it." Jake kissed her back and for a moment they stood in the street embraced in each others arms until Jake took her by the arm and guided her across the street.
"So what are you doing here Jake?" She asked.
"Just looking for a missing girl, Kelly Kingston." Jake pulled out a picture of her, "I know a lot of the street kids hang out around her so I thought I'd give it a shot."
"She seems like a nice kid."
"What about you?"
"I was in the area" All of a sudden she didn't need to go to the toilet anymore. "Hood sent me on a coffee run, I needed to stretch my legs for a little anyway."
"Well let's not keep him waiting." Jake opened the door to the convenience store and ushered her inside, "After you."
^^^^ 0o0 ^^^
Leslie grabbed a chocolate milk from the fridge as Jake showed the picture to the other customers. "No. Sorry." The young mother apologised as she grabbed a pack of infant nappies, took her 3 year old daughter by the hand and headed for the counter. Jake looked across and watched Leslie as she ordered her bagel from the shop assistant. Taking the paper bag with her feast inside, Leslie turned back to see him staring at her. She wondered what he was thinking, and tried to imagine him, sneaking out to the corner store in the middle of the night on a nappy run or to buy more formula. Something inside her stirred. She first felt it a day or two ago, and every so often it came back. Not a cramp, or pain, but more like the evasive motion portrayed by her inner muscles when someone tickled her or ran their hand across her side. Flutters of the tiny life growing inside of her. She hadn't told Jake yet, she wanted to be sure and she knew it was too faint for him to feel. He'd only be disappointed that he couldn't sense it too. At almost 14 weeks Leslie knew it wouldn't be long before she could feel him or her moving around inside of her, hiccupping and reacting to those strange sounds from beyond its save little bubble. She could sense changes in herself, the way she moved, her energy levels, her appetite. Once she found out about the promotion she would let Hood know, and maybe the brass but until then she had to keep it under wraps.
"You ok?" Jake asked noting the absent look on her face as he stood beside her at the rear of the store.
"Fine." She assured him, "Just lost in thought is all."
"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"
"Not lately, but my boyfriend tells me all the time."
"Well I guess I better make it up to you then." Jake placed the money on the counter for her bagel and milk and waited for his change. He didn't know why, but the sound that the bell made as the door swung open filled him with dread and as he looked up his heart started to race as he watched 3 armed men entering the store and heading right towards the counter where Leslie and he were standing.
"Anything else?" The store keeper asked,
"Can I get 2 coffees please, one normal and one decaf." Leslie ordered as Jake checked out the latest customer.
"Nobody move!" One of the gunmen ordered as a second checked the rear exit and kept it guarded and the third barricaded the front door, flipping the sign to closed for the outside world.
"Everybody move to the back of the store!" They were ordered. Jake took two steps and positioned himself in front of Leslie, then kept her behind him as they shuffled their way away from the counter towards the side deli where the other three customers were waiting.
"Jake, what are we going to do?"
"Nothing Leslie, I mean it."
"They're breaking the law." She reminded him
"Let it be Leslie. Let them get what they came for and go. We'll catch them later." Jake insisted. From their height and frame he guessed that they were only kids. Leslie didn't like the idea of just watching a crime happen, but with no back up she knew it would be foolish to take them on, on her own. Jake looked around and noted that they were covered from all sides, there was no way he could get the drop on all of them at once. Weighing up his options, he noted that along with Leslie and himself there was an elderly woman, two teenage girls grabbing the latest teen mag and a middle aged man warming up his mid morning breakfast burrito. None of them came close to being adequate assistance.
"Hand over the cash and no one gets hurt." The lead gunman ordered as he waved his weapon around. Jake didn't think he would use it, but he couldn't be sure. Beside him just out of site, he could see the gunman at the rear stashing goods down his shirt. At best he thought they were on a high and looking for some munchies. If he played his cards right this would be all over in no time. When the clerk didn't respond straight away, the gunman pointed his shot gun towards the crowd of hostages. Jake stepped forward to take his line of focus, and he felt Leslie step into position beside him. He loved her independence, but at times he wished she'd just let him take control.
"Take it easy buddy all right." Jake spoke up, "No one here is going to challenge you so why don't we just point that gun the other way and nobody gets hurt."
"I know you don't want to hurt anyone and you haven't so far. Let's not do anything rash." Leslie added as Jake wondered what she knew that he didn't.
"Quiet!" The gunman yelled, "Start shovelling that money old man or someone gets shot."
"Ok. Ok." The clerk answered with fear in his voice, he loaded a few handfuls of cash into the hessian bag, and then subtly brushed against the panic alarm with the back of his hand. Noticing the move, the gunman swung his gun back around and shot out the glass behind the counter.
"NO!" Leslie screamed stepping forward. Jake grabbed her by the arm to hold her back.
"You moron, now every man on the street is going to know what's going on. The police will be here any second." Jake scolded him.
"Watch your mouth." Not taking too kindly to Jakes advice, the gunman thrust the back of his shot gun into Jakes mouth. Spitting out the blood and feeling the cut on his lip, Jake looked up to come face to face with his attacker. Leslie grabbed him to check he was ok, but he shoved her of and back behind him.
"You'll pay for that." Jake threatened as Leslie tried to hold him back,
"Just leave." Leslie pleaded as she reached back to grab her badge from her belt. Realising what she was doing, Jake grabbed it from her hand and hid it in his back pocket.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" He asked her. "These guys are in no mood to deal with the cops right now."
"Well we have to do something."
^^^^ 0o0 ^^^
Mal had heard the sirens and before Hood had even called him he knew something was wrong. He arrived at the store moments after Hood and just before Des and Rose.
"What's going on?" Mal asked Hood as he listened to the reports coming over the radio.
"We got a report of an alarm. Witnesses say three armed men have taken the customers hostage?"
"Are they all right?" Mal asked as they both looked around and saw Jake and Leslie's cars. Hood knew as Mal did that they were in there.
"Is it them? Are they inside? Is Leslie ok?" Rose asked as she came to stand by Mal's side.
"She's fine, they're both fine." He comforted her.
"Mal I'm sorry but I'm going to need you to stand back."
"I can help."
"No. You're not a cop. Let me do my job." Mal, Rose and Des took the message and stepped back behind the police line. They watched the empty window with baited breath as the police tried to establish communication.