Chapter Seven
AN: Here we are—premiere day in the U.S. As such, I'll be wrapping this story up in the next few days. Not that it really has anything to do with what's going to happen, but who knows what story inspirations (or frustrations) the new season will bring with it? Well, we know a few. Which is why it's grand we have fiction. Enjoy.
"Your blood pressure's a little higher than I'd like to see it, Juliet." Dr. Russell glanced up from perusing her charts. "I have to say, I'm surprised, considering you've just returned from a month away and you're in otherwise wonderful shape."
"Situational," Juliet muttered, her heart rate accelerating just from the recollection of the scene she'd left a scant hour before. Carlton, utterly still in that way only he could be, staring at her for a long, stunned moment before he'd spun and left without a word.
Shawn, staring after Carlton before turning back to her, pale and disbelieving as he'd squawked, "Lassie? You slept with Lassie? Was it under extreme duress or the influence of a psychotropic drug? Because seriously, Jules—"
At least he'd have a matching set of black eyes.
"Is the situation going to be an ongoing problem?" the doctor asked as she pushed aside the front of Juliet's shirt and pressed the stethoscope to her chest, adding, "Breathe."
Before she could formulate a reply, a muffled, yet distinctly aggravated and extremely familiar, "Listen, lady, I'm the head damned detective of the Santa Barbara Police Department so if you know what's good for you, you will let me back there," echoed beyond the exam room's door.
"Sir, you could be the Pope borne in here on angel's wings and you still wouldn't be permitted back without the patient's okay. Now if you know what's good for you, you'll just sit your ass down and wait while I find out if you're wanted."
As Juliet's breath caught and her heart rate started skittering erratically, Dr. Russell lifted an eyebrow. "The situation I take it?" she asked.
Juliet sighed, part mortified, part hurt, part undeniably angry, but the biggest part of her so undeniably happy and relieved he'd come for her, it canceled out the other three. At least for the time being.
He was here. For her and their baby. In the end, that's what mattered.
She could crack his skull later.
She nodded in response to the doctor's question. "You'd better let him back here before he draws his weapon and starts threatening warrants."
Dr. Russell snorted. "Please. He could be George Clooney oiled, naked, and bearing fine wine and dark chocolate and Teresa still wouldn't let him back here if he wasn't supposed to be."
Juliet could well envision the tiny Italian nurse barring the way with nothing but her dark brown glare and iron will, but still—
"Even naked and bearing chocolate?"
That expressive eyebrow quirked once more. "I didn't say she wouldn't take him off to a supply closet and do bad things to him. Just that she wouldn't let him anywhere he wasn't supposed to be."
Juliet laughed. An instant later an outraged "Sir!" was followed by a shocked cry and a flustered, "Oh my God! I'm so sorry—I beg your pardon ma'am—" before the door to her exam room flew open, revealing a wild-eyed Carlton.
"Oh thank God, Juliet—are you okay? Is everything okay? Is the baby—do you need anything—I'm so sorry, I'm an idiot, you're so beautiful and oh my God, what's wrong? What's the doctor doing? Can you breathe? Is the baby okay, dear God, are you okay, what can I—"
Carlton's frantic ramblings came to an abrupt halt as a crack echoed through the room. Stunned, he stared down at Teresa, working his jaw back and forth as a red handprint bloomed on his cheek.
"Sit."
He sat in the chair she indicated, blinking as if emerging from a trance.
"Is he yours?" Teresa demanded from an equally stunned Juliet.
"I…um—"
"Yes."
Juliet stared as Carlton's quiet but certain reply overrode her stammering.
An unimpressed Teresa fixed him with yet another glare. "Do not speak until you are spoken to."
His brows lowered, expression growing thunderous in a way with which Juliet was entirely too familiar, and which, God help her, she'd missed so damned much.
"Yes. Yes, he's… mine." As her gaze met his, she felt her heart beat even faster at the clear relief reflected in the deep blue, and overriding even the relief, the desire—and love.
"I'm sorry." His gaze reached across the short distance between them, as warm and strong as his embrace. "I'm so sorry, Juliet."
She swallowed hard, wanting so badly to slide from the table and straight into his arms, yet held hostage by the remnants of hurt and a deep-seated fear that maybe he was just a figment of her imagination. That she'd wanted him so badly and had missed him so damned much, her heartsick imagination was conjuring him. That if she went to him, he'd simply vanish, never to be hers.
"Why don't we give you two a few minutes while I check on another patient?" Juliet blinked at the feel of Dr. Russell's hand on her shoulder. That was real, wasn't it? And Carlton remained right there in front of her. Looking so solid and real and so hopeful and oh, God, he was really there.
"I'll have Teresa bring in the rest of your file and Mr. Lassiter can fill in the relevant items."
Carlton's gaze flickered over to Dr. Russell. "Relevant items?" he echoed faintly.
"Father's health history and current information." A small smile turned up the edges of the doctor's mouth. "There's actually very little for you to fill out—Juliet was very thorough."
He stood, shooting a brief glare Teresa's way that practically dared her to try to stop him, and moved to stand before Juliet. Her breath caught as he took her hands, his long fingers warm and strong as they wrapped around hers.
More proof, because no matter how often she'd dreamed of it, absolutely nothing felt quite like the reality of Carlton's touch. Even as simple a touch as brushing her fingers with his as he passed her a coffee—even before she'd known just how much she loved him—no one had ever felt quite like Carlton.
"I'm not surprised," he said, his response meant for Dr. Russell, but his attention—that extraordinary, laser-blue focus—clearly meant for her. Making her feel as if they were the only ones in the world. "Juliet knows me better than anyone else in the world. Always has."
The sound of the door opening and closing vaguely registered, but the only thing Juliet cared about was Carlton. There. In front of her, his hands holding hers tightly as he stared at her, eyes wide and wondering and just a little terrified, as if he was continually coming to the realization that yeah—she was pregnant. And his. So very his.
"I'm sorry," he said again.
"Stop." She freed one hand and rested her fingertips against his lips, shivering slightly at the unfamiliar feel of his beard against her skin. Shivered more fully as he kissed her fingers leaving her with a very visceral sense of what it would be like to feel that beard over more of her skin.
Over all of it.
"You're here." Still a bit fearful, she stared into his face, studied every line, every shade of blue in those eyes that she knew by heart. And before she could even ask, he answered.
"I'm here," he said softly. "For both of you." The muscles of his throat worked as he swallowed. "For good."
Juliet sighed and leaned forward to rest her head on his chest, comforted by the steady, if fast, beating of his heart beneath her cheek.
"Are you absolutely sure?" Because she couldn't take it if he changed his mind. If he was here out of some misguided sense of honor and obligation—even as her subconscious was scolding there was no way he would have burst into her exam, frantic and desperate if it was simply out of obligation.
"Are you?"
As with so many times in the past, Juliet heard so much more than the sum of those two words in his hesitant question. Tightening her arms around his back, she said, "I had no intention of keeping anything from you, Carlton. I just…" She blinked back the tears that had a tendency to appear at a moment's notice lately. "I wanted you to be absolutely sure of what you wanted."
"It's always been you." He leaned back slightly and cupped her face in his warm, gentle hands. "I was a fool to think otherwise. Ever," he stressed, the unhappy line appearing between his brows. "I should have fought for you."
She recalled the sight of him standing over Shawn, fury and possession etched in every line of his body. Recalled every coffee offered, every awkward hug, every moment he'd stood beside her or backed her up. Recalled a cold morning and a dead clock face and the sensation of sheer terror abating as he let her fall apart in his arms.
Recalled a night when she'd needed him more than anyone else in the world and he'd been there for her.
"You did."
"It was almost too late."
She looked down, focusing on the buttons of his deep blue shirt. Her voice low, she asked, "Was it?"
He took so long in answering, she felt her heart begin a frantic trip-hammering at the base of her throat, leaving her more than a little short of breath.
"Not really." Her breathing steadied as his hands dropped to take hers. His thumbs began rubbing soothing patterns across the backs. "If she hadn't ended it, I would have, but…" His chest rose and fell with an enormous breath. "It would have taken me longer." His hold tightened. "Not because I loved her but because I was an arrogant, stubborn fool." His voice cracked. "A terrified fool."
Slowly, she leaned in once more and rested her head against his chest, feeling it rise once more, this time with an obviously relieved sigh. "We're a helluva pair, Lassiter."
"An unbreakable pair, O'Hara." Once more he cupped her face and tilted her head back, his eyes so endlessly blue, as if lit from within. "If you'll have me."
She nodded and sighed as he lowered his head and his mouth found hers, sure and sweet and possessive, all at once. And as the kiss progressed, his tongue teasing hers, gently at first then with more deliberate intent, sure and sweet and possessive became ardent and heated with desire. Holding him close, his warmth wrapped around her, Juliet felt herself sinking into sensation she'd only dreamt about for far too long—sensation that her body and soul and heart craved.
Carlton wanted her.
He loved her.
And in a flash, her world felt… right.
That sense of rightness allowed her to ease back—the kisses slowing to soft, gentle caresses until finally she dropped her head to his shoulder.
"I love you," she murmured against his neck, goosebumps rising at the feel of his beard tickling her lips.
"I love you, too," he said, his hands moving in long, soothing strokes along her back. "So damned much, Juliet."
A soft rap at the door had them reluctantly pulling apart, although not completely, as Carlton kept firm hold of her hand.
"All right then," Dr. Russell said with a smile. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we? I suspect the two of you would much rather be alone somewhere that's not an exam room."
"You—I have paperwork." Teresa briskly tapped Carlton's shoulder with a clipboard.
"Carlton," Juliet warned, barely suppressing a grin as his brows began lowering again and his hand tightened on hers, clearly reluctant to let go. "It's okay. There really isn't that much to fill out."
Carlton took the clipboard, grumbling, "For an O.B. nurse, your bedside manner sucks."
"It's not the fathers they pay me to take care of," Teresa shot back, clearly not in the slightest bit intimidated by the Lassiter bark.
Relocating back to his chair, he began reading the chart's contents, occasionally writing, while Dr. Russell resumed her exam.
"Look at that—your blood pressure's back down to normal."
"I'm sure it'll have its moments again," Juliet murmured with a fond glance at the downturned silver-and-black head.
Dr. Russell grinned. "Oh, honey, it wouldn't be love if it didn't."
A sharp intake of breath had them both turning their heads to find Carlton staring down at the file, his fingertips resting on a grainy black-and-white image.
Teresa, standing closest to Carlton, glanced down at the file.
"That was at twelve weeks," she said. "A lot's changed." Taking the file from his hands and placing it on the counter, she nodded toward Juliet. "Come on, tough guy. It's time for you to meet your baby."
As he stared blankly, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, for God's sake, I'm aging here. Go stand by your girl so I can get on with my work."
Juliet giggled helplessly as annoyance flashed across Carlton's face, but Teresa's rebuke had its intended result. Standing, he unhesitatingly approached the head of the exam table where she now lay reclined, slacks pushed down slightly and shirt pulled up to just below her breasts, exposing the smooth, round curve that seemed to evolve every day.
"My God, Juliet," he breathed his tone filled with obvious wonder. His hand rose and hovered, then started to drop away. Quickly, Juliet reached out and grabbed it.
"It's okay—" Her hand over his, she brought it to rest on her abdomen, sighing at the feel of his skin against hers. "At least… I hope it is," she said, Shawn's appalled/disgusted gaping briefly flashing in her mind.
He brushed her hair back from her face, his touch as reverent as the expression in his eyes. "Very okay. And I'll shoot anyone who implies otherwise."
From the opposite side of the table, Teresa nudged her shoulder. "He'll do," she said tartly with a nod in Carlton's direction.
"Gee, thanks," Carlton groused, then fell silent as Dr. Russell gently pushed his hand out of the way in order to spread gel across Juliet's stomach.
The electronic whoosh of the machine filled the room as she swept the wand across Juliet's abdomen followed an instant later by a steady, rapid beating.
"Is that—"
Juliet felt her heart constrict at the awe in Carlton's voice. "Yeah," she managed around the lump in her throat. "That's our baby's heart."
"Oh, God."
"And here's your baby." Dr. Russell turned the monitor slightly, revealing the image. Unlike the earliest ones, where it had been difficult to decipher anything other than a shapeless blob anchored by a rapidly beating heart—always strong and constant—the image on the screen was very clearly a baby. So sharply defined, even the placid sucking of its thumb was readily apparent.
"Oh God."
Juliet glanced up and felt the lump in her throat give way to the feeling of her heart simultaneously breaking and expanding. Carlton—her strong, reserved, resolute Carlton—stood transfixed, staring at their baby, a single tear clinging to his dark lashes.
He would suffer the tortures of the damned, she knew. Would feel every hurt—large or small—more intensely than if it were his own. Would pace endlessly, slay every monster, and blame himself for every injustice he'd be unable to fix. Would die for this baby, if necessary.
He'd be a pain in the ass, but a more devoted, loving father would be impossible to find.
"Well, well, well, so that's who you're going to be, Baby Lassiter," Dr. Russell murmured as she moved the wand around. Glancing away from the screen, she asked, "Do you want to know?"
Juliet exchanged a glance with Carlton. Slowly, he smiled and she shook her head. "No," she said, still holding Carlton's gaze. "All we want to know is that the baby's healthy."
"Everything looks great so far." The whooshing ceased as Dr. Russell removed the wand. As she handed Juliet a wipe with which to clean up, she added, "We'll schedule you for the three-D ultrasound before your next visit—if you change your mind about wanting to know, you can find out then, but that's just the frosting on the cake. Right now, everything looks absolutely perfect."
"Of course it does," Carlton murmured, stroking her hair. "This baby's got the perfect mother."
Juliet felt her cheeks heating at the absolute possession with which she felt herself enveloped—evident in his voice, his touch, his look.
Okay, her baby was healthy—could this appointment be done, already?
Dr. Russell smiled. "Juliet, as far as a return to the field, you're cleared for all but the most strenuous of duties. No chasing bad guys down dark alleys or body slamming them to the ground.
"The hell she will," Carlton growled.
"Look, you—don't make me regret letting you back here."
"You didn't—" Carlton began, but stopped short as Teresa shoved a small item into his hand.
"You really think she's that big a fool?"
Faint red streaked across his face as he gazed down at the ultrasound image he held, then lifted his worried gaze to meet Juliet's. "We'll talk to Karen?"
Offered as a request. In deference cloaked with obvious care and concern. Oh, he was going to be a massive pain in the ass, but he would try. And he would be there for her. She couldn't ask for anything more.
Well… there was one thing—
"Tomorrow," she said, reaching up to cup his cheek in her palm and thrilling to the sensual feel of his beard against her skin.
As his eyes darkened to a deep, predatory blue, she shivered. "Right now, all I want is for you to take me home."