As Brody woke she wasn't sure what had disturbed her till she opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. Then the memories came flooding back to her. She reached out and found herself still being used as a pillow and still with an arm wrapped round her waist. When she went to bed the night before she never expected to be brought in to such a turbulent torrent of emotions and feelings for the 2 men in her life. She had a tough time dealing with her own feelings and emotions yet her she was trying to help one with his feelings as he watched his brother slip further away from him due to his mental illness.
The other man in her life was a different story altogether. They had both taken tentative steps towards a more intimate relationship but due to the fact she had a cold and the fact LaSalle need them it was put on hold. LaSalle needed them first and that's what they would do, help LaSalle. Family came first here and they were all family.
Looking around she was still puzzled what woke her till she felt herself being watched. She couldn't see behind her so she has to presume that Pride was there. With her free hand that was not entangle with LaSalle's she reached behind her, knowing he would see the gesture and join her on the floor. Sure enough she saw movement out the corner of her eye and turned her head towards it. Pride put a pillow on the floor beside her and sat on it. Due to the fact she was now lying on her back she could see both men, LaSalle as he lay curled up at her side and Pride as he sat looking down at them both.
Pride looked down at the way LaSalle had used Brody's chest as a pillow and how he had linked their hands together making sure there fingers were slotted together. He had managed to get one of his legs up and over Brody's in effect, pinning her down so she was unable to move away. He was not surprised how the man had drew comfort and sort refuge in the position.
Brody needed to move, she needed to get up and use the bathroom but the position she was currently in had her stuck. She knew by moving she would no doubt wake LaSalle up and the day would begin for her troubled friend. She wanted to let him sleep longer but it was no good she had to go. Brody and Pride looked at each other and braced themselves as Brody set about waking the man at her side.
"Chris can you hear me? Any chance you can shift a little please I need to get up" hoping her voice would rouse him.
This was not something Pride wanted to intrude on so bringing himself to his knees he kissed Brody's cheek and inclined his head to the kitchen. She nodded her head and watched as he walked away.
"Chris wake up, come on I know you can hear me. Hiding away is not the answer" as she moved enough to make him move.
As LaSalle felt the edges of consciousness tug at his brain but he wasn't sure if he wanted to open his eyes or not. He knew he couldn't lie here forever, wherever here was. The peace he felt albeit briefly was soothing and calming. His name was called again and this time he registered who's voice it was. He stiffened as he remembered how he came to be in the position he was in now. Time to face the world and his problems. Moving so he stretched out he let his head move from her chest and come to lie beside her head so he could look at her. She turned and looked at him and they both just stared at each other.
"Morning Chris, you here with me?" As she watched his eyes and brain process everything.
He nodded his head indicating he had heard her.
"How about we get off this floor and chase up that coffee we never got to drink last night and as you can smell Pride is cooking breakfast. That has to be worth getting of the floor for, a Pride cooked breakfast" trying in inject a little normalness in to the fact he had a major breakdown on her a few hours before.
"Sure" as he pushed up from the floor and sat up.
She sat up and watched him as he looked at her and then around the office. He had snippets of memories of getting here but nothing was clear. He seemed to only be able to process thought up till he watched the ambulance drive away with Cade and Savannah in it. After that he was hazy and nothing was in order. Brody stood up and reached her hand out to him and he took the hand and stood up. He looked at her and there joined hands before he felt himself be lead to the kitchen. He sat at the table and was passed a cup of coffee. Soon enough he had a plate of food in front of him as well.
Neither Pride nor Brody brought the subject up about last night. When LaSalle was ready he would talk and Brody knew it would be soon, after the breakdown came the rambling as she called it. It was the part where you sat down and went through what had happened, what lead to it and how you could have stopped it and didn't. LaSalle ate in complete silence lost in his own thoughts and memories.
When he was finished he pushed the plate away and sat back in his chair with his coffee in his hand. Pride decided to speak up and see what response he got.
"You bag is by your desk,Christopher if you want to go take a shower and get ready. I think I got everything you need for your place" as he watched the man opposite him.
"Thanks King. Think I'll take a shower now then" standing from the table and walking in to the office.
When they were both sure that LaSalle was in the shower they set about sorting things out. Pride made a couple of calls and called in a few favours. Within 10 minutes someone had swung by and picked LaSalle's house keys up to go and clean up and redecorate.
The breakfast dishes were washed, dried and put away and more coffee put on. They needed to be ready when LaSalle came out the shower and find out where he stood on what he wanted to do. As they sat side by side at the kitchen table Pride took Brody's hand and brought it to his lips. He placed kisses to every finger and fingertip before leaning towards her and letting his head rest on her shoulder. Brody resets her head on top of his and they stayed that way till they heard movement and pulled apart.
LaSalle entered the kitchen looking refreshed and clean shaven. He still had a haunted look to his eyes and would till he could work through this. He sat at the table and looked between Pride and Brody.
"Is it okay if I take some time to day King, I got a house to clean up and that's just for starters" as LaSalle looked across the table at Pride.
"You house is being done as we speak, it should be back to normal by tonight, tomorrow dinner time at the latest. I will know more when I hear from the people doing it" Pride told LaSalle who just sat looking at him.
"You didn't have to King, this is my mess and I got to sort it out" LaSalle replied.
It was then Brody stepped in and reached across the table taking LaSalle's hands in hers.
"Someone once said to me that I was part of this family and the sooner I accepted it the easier it would be on me. Well I did and here I am, have you forgot you owe lecture Chris. Families help each other when they need it and that's what we are doing or trying to do if you let us" as she squeezed his hands and smiled at him.
For the first time since he left to go the night before he smiled, it wasn't a full smile but it was a start. He remembered the time he said those words to her all those months ago. They had come along way from that day. They has been through a lot as individuals and as a team and if he wasn't mistaken they were still going through changes now. He didn't miss the lack of distance between his boss and partner sat opposite him as in the fact there was no distance. There legs must have been touching under the table. If they had found each other then he was happy for them. Pride needed to move on from Linda and Brody, well she just needed to move on and find someone to make her happy.
"You're right, at least I know I give good advice" and the tiny smile was back only a little bigger.
Just then LaSalle's phone rang and they all jumped at the sound. Pulling it out his pocket he looked at the screen and up at his colleagues before answering it. Brody still kept hold of his other hand the whole time he was on the phone. A couple of times during the call he squeezed her hands, more to ground himself and stay with the conversation he was having. After hanging the phone up he sat in silence staring at his and Brody's hands still joined on the table. Pride could see he was struggling again. He had no idea if saying anything would make a difference so he did the only thing he could think of. Taking his hand he placed it over the top of the 2 sets joined on the table and squeezed.
After gathering his thoughts and steadying himself again LaSalle looked up.
"That was Savannah, he's no better but he's no worse. She hopes that by adjusting his meds they can bring him back down slower than waiting for it to come. At least if they can keep a close eye on him it may not end as it normal does or worse. She's trying to find him somewhere for longer but she's not sure if she can" as he trailed off from speaking.
"How did I miss it? How did I not see it coming? I have seen it before and still ..." But he was cut of by Brody.
"Chris you can't blame yourself for this. You did what you thought was best. You went to that session with Cade yesterday and they missed it as well. He had everyone fooled on how he was doing. All you can do is wait it out and see how it gos" as she squeezed his hands causing all 3 lots to move as they were still joined.
They sat in silence until Pride moved his hand and stood up.
"Who's up for a nice walk and a spot of lunch, we got 2 days off so let's make the most of it" as he looked at the shocked expressions on the faces of LaSalle and Brody.
"Want, you want me to cancel them? I thought we needed a couple of days off. Director was more than happy to gives us them, even asked if we wanted more which was strange" as Pride looked at them still sat at the table.
"Well, what you waiting for" as he went and grabbed his jacket.
"Any chance I can get ready before we go, don't think shorts and your t-shirt look that good together" as Brody gave LaSalle's hands one last squeeze before letting go and standing up.
"Well I think you look good in anything but I suppose we can have coffee while we wait for you" Pride commented seeing the look he received in return.
"So kind of you" as she thumped his arm and left the room.
Pride went and made coffee while he made small talk with LaSalle. He knew any conversation about food would get LaSalle talking and it did. By the time Brody came back they were having a long drawn out discuss about some restaurant or another and if it served the best of some dish she had never heard off.
"Ready boys?" As she broke the discussion up and stood at the table.
They both got up and headed out to the doors. As they walked down the street they were all linked together in some way. Pride and Brody walked hand in hand while Brody had her arm though LaSalle's. This family was not to be messed with, they would take things a day at a time with LaSalle and Cade and see what happened but he knew they were there when he needed them. As for Pride and Brody, they seemed happy as they walked hand in hand down the street. It was a new development for them and they both knew it would not be easy but they would work at it, love and family were worth fighting to keep hold of.
AN- Well that finished different to how I thought it would but I am happy with it.