Disclaimer: I do not own Lie to Me or any of the show's characters. And that's the truth.
Okay, I know it's been a while, and I keep promising some of you more regular updates. Hopefully because I've left a bit of mystery here and something to be revealed it'll flow onto another chapter very soon. Not a particularly inspired chapter, but I promise there are better things to come!
Later that afternoon Gillian decides she needs another nap, and Cal thinks it's a good idea to give her a little space. He kisses his wife softly then heads out, mumbling a vague explanation about 'man stuff' on his way out the door. Gill shakes her head and smiles, amused. She expects he's going to whatever local watering hole is playing the World Cup on the big screen, and she leaves it at that. Heading upstairs, Gill changes and slips into bed, sleep coming almost instantly.
Cal makes a few stops while he's out, gathering the supplies he'll need for his latest project. It's been a while since he's gotten his hands dirty, but he hopes the effort will be appreciated. He unloads the car, taking his latest acquisitions into the garage, where he has a workbench. He backs Gill's car out then, giving himself some extra room, and sets to work. When he heads inside a short time later he runs into a bleary-eyed Gillian who's making her way downstairs in the same pyjama pants and t-shirt as she had on earlier, rubbing her eyes gently. "What on earth are you doing down here?" she asks tiredly, following Cal into the kitchen.
"Man stuff," Cal informs Gillian again, getting himself a glass from the cupboard near the sink then filling it with cold water and draining it quickly.
Gillian quirks an eyebrow. "Man stuff," she repeats, letting the words linger. "Man stuff makes you smell like sawdust. I thought you were going to watch the game with some friends."
Cal shakes his head. "Nah, love, bigger fish to fry. I'll catch the replay a bit later, though."
"Right..." Gill's intrigued now, but doesn't want to pry. If Cal wanted her to know what 'man stuff' consisted of he'd have told her by now. At least if there was sawdust involved then unless there was a tragic accident it wasn't going to affect his reproductive capabilities, unlike his last 'secret mission'. "What if I make a roast for dinner?" she offers. "Some nice chicken, baked vegetables, gravy..." She feels a little guilty about the last few days. While her physical presence hasn't been lacking, her mental one has, and it's time for her to check back in to their relationship- it was never her intention to check out.
Cal smiles. "Sounds good. Do you need a hand?"
"No thanks, I've got it," Gillian replies. "Plus, you have 'man stuff' to take care of, right?"
Cal chuckles. "That I do," he agrees, putting his glass in the sink then kissing Gill's cheek. "I love you. I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Me too," Gill smiles, stroking Cal's arm gently. "Thanks for looking after me." Cal starts to tell her he didn't really do much, but she silences him with a gentle finger to his lips, then a quick kiss. "You're a good man, Cal Lightman."
Cal shrugs. "My intentions are good, I don't know about the rest."
Gill smiles. "Have fun with your stuff. I'll let you know when dinner's ready, okay?"
Cal nods and smiles, stealing one final kiss before disappearing into the garage again, his noise resuming not much later.
Gill moves about the kitchen then, getting dinner prepared and in the oven. What on earth is he doing? She knows he has tools out there, but she's never had a husband who actually used them. Alec had a screwdriver and maybe a hammer- or at least she thought he did. He'd never really done anything around the house that gave an indication he was handy. Gill suspected he feared breaking a nail- he wasn't the most masculine of men, even at the best of times, and he certainly hadn't exhibited any signs of being capable of fixing anything that required more technical or practical knowledge than replacing batteries in the remote control for the television or changing a light globe. Alec had talents and redeeming qualities, but being handy was not one of them.
Gill thinks back over what she's heard so far. She knows she's heard power tools, but she doesn't know which ones. She's pretty sure that while she was upstairs in bed she'd been able to hear the faint sound of a hand saw, and she knows Cal smelt like sawdust. Whatever he was up to involved wood. A quick glance around the kitchen and living room tells her that all of their furniture is safe. For now. What else does she know? She's heard the occasional curse word, but that doesn't help. Terri Marsh's father was a carpenter, and she knows Cal had helped him from time to time in an attempt to help earn his keep. That's much more useful. So, if he isn't fixing something that they already have, he must be making something new. Gillian doesn't have a clue what, though. She sighs, hoping that she doesn't have to wait too long to find out.
The brunette sits down then, deciding to give Finn some much-needed attention while she waits for dinner to be ready. She picks up a brush and sits on the floor with him, brushing his coat out. "You're my handsome boy, aren't you?" she asks the dog, scratching gently behind his ears. "Mummy's sorry she hasn't been very good at cuddles and attention over the last few days, but she'll make it up to you. We'll go on an extra long walk tomorrow, and get you a nice big bone... Do you know what Daddy's up to in the garage? He's making a lot of noise, isn't he?" Finn looks up at Gillian then rests his head in her lap, thoroughly enjoying the attention, even if he has no idea what on earth she's going on about. Her words are just gibberish to him.
