Disclaimer: I do not own Lie to Me or any of the characters in this story.

Ok, I was in bed trying to fall asleep and I discovered I'd left my speakers on, so every time I received an email notification my computer made a noise. The first one I ignored and rolled over (Hi Angie pear). A minute or two later I considered getting up to fix things after the second one came in (this time from StepFurther), but decided it was too cold to get out of bed. Having heard it go off multiple times in just a few minutes I thought I'd brave the cold and find out what was going on. I'd received that many reviews and messages from awesome readers that I thought I should post another chapter for you all now.... Even if it is 2am and I'm freezing my tush off. Thank you, thank you for the amazing reviews and all of your feedback. It's really encouraging and I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story. Your feedback makes me want to write more, which is exactly what I intend to do! This chapter's a little different to previous ones, and is mostly just setting things up for later chapters.

Anyway... turning my speakers off now, so feel free to keep those reviews rolling in without worrying about disturbing me!

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The next few days passed quickly and before either of them could realise, Cal and Gill were husband and wife, and on a plane to their honeymoon. Paris had been the obvious choice. Gillian had been drawn to its reputation for romance and, of course, for excellent food. Cal had only been too happy to oblige, not having been there for quite some time himself, and wanting to do something that would make Gill happy. True to his word, Cal had not spoken another word about children. No mentions of attempting to conceive, no discussion about adoption. The closest they'd come was when Gill had complained about Cal wanting to use condoms on the honeymoon and Cal giving her a look that said she knew why he was doing it, and it wasn't open for discussion.

They'd been back for almost a fortnight when Gill went to visit Cal in his office. She kept the door open when she went in these days, not wanting Loker to get the wrong idea about what they might be doing in there during a work day. "Hey," she smiled, letting herself in and walking over to sit in one of Cal's visitors' chairs. She raised an eyebrow when Cal quickly changed what was on his screen to bring up a report she knew he'd finished the day before. Odd. "Revisions?" she asked, gesturing to it.

Cal nodded. "Yep," he said, letting her see he was lying. That was his way of being honest with her- they both knew he could lie easily and even as well as Gill knew him it was still possible for him to get it past her. When he let her see he was lying, though, he felt that was the same as being honest. It was just a signal for her to not push and ask any further. It was hard for Gill to do that after she'd ignored things with Alec that she should have addressed, but she trusted Cal and didn't probe.

"Oh, okay," the brunette replied, nodding at her husband. "I'll come back," she told him. "Or better yet, why don't you come and see me when you've finished with your..." she hesitated. "Revisions."

"They can wait," Cal assured Gill, turning his screen off altogether. "What's on your mind, love?" he asked.

"It's almost end of the financial year," Gill said. "I'm going to have to work on the budgets for the next 12 months and go through this financial year with the auditors to make sure everything's above board."

Cal nodded. This wasn't unusual, it happened every year. Gill had always handled the finances.

"I was just going to say that I'll probably make a start next week, and if we could make sure Ria and Loker are picking up most of my new cases that'd be good."

"You don't need my permission to do that," Cal said.

"I wasn't asking permission," Gill told him with a smile. "I was letting you know what was going on."

"Good," Cal replied. "We'd be lost without you."

"Personally or professionally?" Gill asked, leaning back in her chair a little.

"Both," Cal grinned, letting his eyes travel slowly up and down his wife's slightly extended form. He loved how comfortable she was around him. "I've been thinking," he said out of the blue. "We should get a dog." He'd tried it on Gill when she was still married to Alec and she'd shot the idea down then.

Gill shook her head no without even a second's worth of though. "A dog is not a replacement for a baby," she informed him. Ah, the b word was back. "Is that what you were looking up on your computer?"

"No," Cal told her honestly. "And it's not meant to replace a baby. I haven't had a dog since I was a kid, and I thought it'd be nice. You're always trying to get me to go on walks and stuff and I figured that'd make me. It's nice coming home to a dog with a wagging tail, and they're kind of interesting emotionally, y'know. Cats are complicated. Dogs are... they're kind of black and white. They're more transparent. Plus, it'd be company for us if either one of us has to work back at night. I like knowing there'd be something there to bark and protect you if I couldn't." It didn't happen much anymore, but they still occasionally left the office at separate times and despite the fact they lived in a safe neighbourhood in a house with an alarm system Cal did worry about Gill.

"It's not going to make me clucky and lead to me giving in," Gill said. Weeks without discussing it had hardened her resolve again, and now Cal was certain he would have to start from square one.

"Why are you so convinced I'm trying to manipulate you?" Cal asked. "When have I ever done that to you before?"

"Let me think. How many times have I been victim to Cal Lightman's long con?" Gill said out loud.

"Work doesn't count. That's not fair," Cal interjected.

"Fine," Gill replied, letting it go. "No dog, though. I know what you're up to, and it's not fair, Cal."

Cal swallowed. Gill's accusation might not be as baseless as he was letting on, but it wasn't the dog he was using as a tool. Even so, their words served as a warning- once he went down this road, he could never take it back.