When Alvin had returned downstairs after spending time with her, Hank didn't speak to him but he could tell that he wasn't too thrilled. Even if it hurt him, Alvin knew that Hank was only reaping what he had sowed. He had always been the one that Caitlin had turned to and he had lost that privilege.
Kenny was out of surgery and based on what Connor had said, it had been a success. He too had been admitted for the next couple of days up on the third floor.
As Kim, Adam and Jay went to visit Caitlin, Hank and Alvin went to see Kenny. Paterson was already there.
"You do understand that there will be a disciplinary hearing once you're back on your feet".
Kenny nodded. "I fully understand that and will take full responsibility for my actions".
Seeing Hank and Alvin in the hallway, Paterson stepped out of the room and looked at Hank. "We'll be in touch".
Hank shook his hand and followed Alvin inside the hospital room.
"How are you feeling"? asked Hank.
"Could be worse. How is Caitlin"?
Hank looked at Alvin.
"She'll be alright", said Alvin.
"I'm really sorry. I put her life at risk, it wasn't my intention".
"Right now, you focus on getting better", said Hank.
Alvin looked at him. Apparently, Hank knew something that he did not. He realized he wasn't the only one with secrets.
When Hank stopped by to see Caitlin, she was asleep. He watched her for a few minutes and then left. He told himself that he was going to work very hard to make everything right between them. He had let her down and he was going to win back her trust. He left the hospital and headed back home. Being nostalgic, he went into the attic and brought down some old photo albums. With a glass of whiskey in hand, he turned the pages slowly as he sat at the table. Justin was gone, Camille too and Erin was halfway across the country. Caitlin was the only family he had left. He couldn't lose her too.
He decided to stop at the hospital the following morning to see how, both, Kenny and Caitlin were doing. He looked through the glass door and blinked a couple of times. Caitlin was asleep with her head resting on Alvin's chest and he had his arm around her. He too was fast asleep.
"He's been here all night", he heard Will say from behind him.
Hank turned around and said nothing.
"She had a bit of a rough night, but she's improved".
"When can I take her home"? asked Hank.
"It depends on the next 24 hours. If all goes well, I could release her tomorrow afternoon, if I know someone's keeping an eye on her until the end of the week".
"That won't be a problem. I'll take a couple of days off".
When he arrived at work, what he had seen still left him perplexed. He felt as though he was missing something but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"How are we moving along with our strangulation victims"?
"Well, you're not going to believe this, we got back the DNA results and ran them through various databases and we got a hit on the Federal one, and it's Ricardo Lombardi", stated Jay.
Hank smiled. "Good thing we have in custody". He turned to Adam. "Bring him up for questioning".
After having received Lombardi's full confession, Hank and Adam returned to the open space where Kim and Kevin were huddled around Jay's desk.
"I can't believe it! There must be a logic explanation to this", said Jay.
"Maybe it's due to the angle at which the picture was taken", said Adam. "How many times have we seen how our first impression of things is wrong".
"What's going on here"? asked Hank.
They all looked up and Jay put something away in his drawer.
"Nothing".
Hank walked over. "What was that"?
"Just today's newspaper", said Jay acting like it was nothing important.
"What about it"?
"Nothing".
"Well it must not be nothing, you all seemed rather interested in what it had to say".
Hank put a hand on Jay's drawer and opened it. His blood turned cold as the rest of his body boiled when he saw the headline of the folded newspaper: Failed FBI undercover operation sends a former CPD detective, to the hospital! He read the article that had a lot of details about the operation and about Caitlin. He didn't turn it over but simply flipped the paper upside down on Jay's desk.
"Find me who wrote that article. This is a violation of privacy! This article was written without the consent of the FBI, the CPD or the victims themselves"!
He turned and headed towards his office, when his eye caught what he hadn't initially seen on the other side of the front page. He backtracked and picked it back up and looked at it, as the rest of the team watched closely for his reaction.
Alvin walked up the stairs and arrived in the open space. He felt everyone's stare on him as he walked in Hank's direction.
When Alvin was within his reach, Hank put the paper back down on Jay's desk and punched Alvin in the face. Alvin didn't wince or blink. He had been used to being punched in the past. He simply looked at an enraged Hank in front of him.
"What the hell"? he said.
Hank picked up the paper again and showed it to Alvin. Alvin grabbed it and looked at it. There was a picture of Caitlin in her hospital bed and they were kissing!
Alvin kept the paper in his hand and headed for his desk. He removed his coat.
"Tell me, it's not what I think it is", said Hank.
Alvin looked him straight in the eyes. "I can't do that".
"This is a joke right"?
"No Hank, it's not a joke".
Hank closed his eyes and shook his head. "This can't be happening".
"I'm sorry. This was not the way we wanted you to find out".
"Have you freaking lost your mind!? This is Caitlin we're talking about! You've known her ever since she was born. You held her in your arms when she was born, you gave her piggy back rides and had tea parties with her in the backyard! And now you're telling me that you and her are…". He couldn't even bare to finish his sentence.
Kim looked at Alvin. Although she was happy for him, she didn't want to be him right there and then.
"I understand that this is hard for you, but that's the way it is and I will not justify myself to you. Caitlin is a grown woman and has a right to live her life as she sees fit and she doesn't need your consent"!
With that Alvin grabbed his coat and pushed past Hank and left the building. Leaving not only Hank but Adam and Jay speechless and in a state of disbelief. Hank went into his office and slammed the door.
Adam looked at Kim. "You don't seem the slightest bit surprised or disturbed by this".
"I'm not".
"We're talking about Alvin and Caitlin here. Am I the only one who sees something wrong in the situation"? he asked looking at Jay and Kim.
"It's wasn't a problem for you when it was Caitlin and Antonio", replied Kim.
"Yeah but for one he's way older than her and secondly, Antonio died like only yesterday".
Kim stared him down. "And you called off your wedding to be with me"!
"That's different".
"You're right, you cheated on your fiancée and betrayed her, it was worse".
Adam looked at Jay. "You're not saying anything about this. You're OK with it"?
Jay said nothing. He wasn't really. He remembered how Alvin had put him back in his place when he'd realized that Jay had feelings and was attracted to Caitlin. Even if the conditions had been different, he couldn't help but think that Al had taken Caitlin right under his nose.
"That's because neither one of us have the right to say anything", Kim answered. "It's their life, if they're happy, what more could we want for them"?
Hank only came out of the office at the end of the day. He drove over to Alvin's old house. He rang the doorbell and Meredith came to answer it.
"Meredith".
"Hello Hank. You want to come in"?
He nodded and stepped inside the house. He followed her into the kitchen.
"You want a beer"?
"I'll need something stronger than that, if that's alright with you"?
She pointed to the bar. "Pick your poison".
He returned with a shot glass and the bottle of tequila.
He noticed as he sat down a copy of the newspaper on the counter top.
"So you know", he said to her as he filled up his glass.
"Yes".
"Meredith, you've got to talk some sense into Al. He's not thinking straight".
"You know, he was here earlier".
Hank raised an eyebrow.
"He came to tell me in person what was going on. I hadn't seen the paper yet".
Hank finished his glass in one gulp and served himself a new one. "Guilt".
Meredith shook her head. "No, Hank there was no guilt in his voice or in what he said. Don't get me wrong, I was shocked when he told me. But as I listened to him and the shock dissipated, I realized that it wasn't something he did on a whim. And I know Al, I know him very well and I can tell you he wouldn't be doing this if he wasn't sure that his feelings for Cat weren't deep and true".
"Basically, what you're telling me is that you're Ok with this".
"Hank, how many woman have you known Alvin to be with? He's not the kind of man that goes and sleeps around. He's loyal. Ok so yes he strayed years ago when he was undercover, but that was the only time. He commits and he's a good man. You know that. You know him better than anyone else".
Hank filled up his glass again. "I thought I did. But the Al I know would never have pulled a stunt like that".
She put her hand on his. "You do know him. He hasn't changed. You know his values, his heart and if you take out of the equation that it's Caitlin, you'd realize that. He didn't do this out of spite".
She stood and walked over to the window and remained quiet for a moment.
"He loves her".
Hank sneered. "He loves the idea of being with her, but he doesn't love her".
She turned around. "You're wrong. I saw it in his eyes and I heard it in his voice when he talked about her. And I think that if you we're to look at them with unbiased eyes, you'd see it too".
Hank sighed. "I still see her wearing Keds with a double pony-tail, playing on her Lite-Brite in the family room, while you, Camille, Alvin and I had dinner together. Why doesn't he see her like that"?
Meredith smiled. "Because she's not like that anymore. She's a grown woman and she's been for a while Hank. She's strong, beautiful, smart and caring. That is what he sees. You and Camille raised her well Hank, with great values, knowing what was wrong and what was right. You taught her never to settle, to be independent, to never let anyone dictate who she should be or what she should do. Knowing that, you are going to have to trust that she's making the right decision. Sometimes you fall in love with the most unexpected person at the most unexpected time".
"I can't lose her Meredith".
"Then you are going to have to accept this, otherwise you WILL lose her".
"I'm not sure I can", he said as he stood up. "Thanks for the drinks".
"Sure", she said.