"So, the team barbeque is tomorrow." Ed said during dinner, a couple of weeks later.
She smiled at him and nodded. "I'm aware."
"I'm hosting it."
"I know."
"Maybe you could swing by early.."
"You do know I've supposedly never seen your house?"
He nodded. "M-hm, but you could help me cook?"
"Oh, you're assuming I'll be there?"
"Yes, aren't you?"
She shrugged. "Don't know, it's a team barbeque."
"And their families."
"I don't know, having dinner with a bunch of cops.. sounds a little boring."
He smiled at her, a glint in his eyes. "I'll make it worth your while."
"Will you?"
"Yes, and if you help me cook I just might be able to pay you beforehand."
"I do like to be paid up front."
…
"I'm going early to Ed's, he asked me to help him with the steaks." She told her mother and Greg as she was putting on her shoes.
"You know where he lives?"
"Yeah, he texted me his address."
Jessie nodded. "Okay, we will see you there around 7 honey."
She got in her car and drove to his house, she could do this in her sleep by now. She used the key she knew would be under a plant and let herself in.
"Any cops in here?"
Ed walked out. "Just me."
"Good." She started unbuttoning his shirt.
…
"Ed, could I use your bathroom?" Veronica asked him just when everybody arrived.
"Sure, I'll show you. Wordy can you take over the barbecue for me?" Wordy nodded.
He took her through his living room towards his bathroom, he pushed her against the wall and kissed her once he knew they were out of sight.
"Hmm, I've been wanting to kiss you since Spike came.."
She smiled at him. "We're just lucky we were dressed when he came here." She stepped towards him, making him step back.
"Yes we are." He kissed her again, they smiled when they pulled apart. He opened his eyes and his heart fell in his chest, Jules was standing behind Veronica. Her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. "Jules." He let go off Veronica, she had about the same look on her face as Jules had.
Jules looked between them. "Uuhm.. I'm sorry for interrupting." She turned around to leave but Ed grabbed her wrist.
"You can't tell anyone."
"Sarge doesn't know?"
Ed shook his head. "No, he doesn't.. No one does."
"Why not?"
"My mom will kill him."
Jules nodded. "Sure, I won't tell anyone."
Veronica let out a breath. "Thank you."
"Just one question.." They nodded. "How long?"
"Couple of months." Ed answered.
Jules let out a low whistle. "That's a long time to keep a secret like this."
Veronica and Ed looked at each other for a second before answering.
"Yeah, it is." They both said in unison. Jules nodded before walking back outside. "Go," Veronica told Ed. "I need to use your bathroom."
"Okay."
…
"You only have to cook for two." Jessie told her as she put the phone back down.
Veronica looked up from the stove. "Why, Greg working late?" Inwardly she sighed, Greg working late meant that Ed was working late.
"No, he's at the hospital."
"Hospital?" Veronica asked a little concerned.
"Yes, Ed got shot. He's in surgery now, the team is going to stay there until they know everything is okay."
"Oh." Veronica was stunned for a second. "Is he okay though?"
"I don't know, Greg said he wasn't doing too great." She looked at Veronica. "Why this sudden interest in Ed's wellbeing?"
"I helped him cook for his barbecue two days ago.." She shrugged while she put the pasta on. "I'll be right back." She walked up the stairs, punching in Jules' number on her way there.
"Hello?"
"Jules, it's Veronica."
"Hey, you heard?"
"Yeah, I've heard.. How is he doing?"
"Give me a second." It was silent for a few seconds while she walked away from the group. "He wasn't doing too great.."
Veronica's voice was wavering. "And by that you mean he's in bad shape and could be dying."
"He's been off worse."
"Jules.." Veronica sighed, she knew Jules good enough to know that meant he was doing bad."Did they say how long surgery's going to take?"
"Couple of hours, at least."
"Okay.. I-uh, can't come right now. I have to make dinner, can you call me if anything changes?"
"Yes of course."
"Great, thanks Jules." She hung up the phone and sat down on her bed. What if he died? She couldn't rush to the hospital, her mother would know something is off. She took a few breaths before going downstairs. "I'm going to make some extra and bring it by the hospital."
"That's nice of you."
She smiled at her mother. "Yeah, they gotta eat right?"
…
"Veronica?" Greg asked surprised as he saw her walking towards them.
"Hey, I brought you guys some food." She held up a bag. She looked them all over, they weren't looking to bright. "How's he doing?"
Greg shook his head. "We don't know."
"How long has he been in surgery?"
"2,5 hours. I called Sophie and Clark.." Her eyes shot up at the mention of his ex-wife and son. "Sophie should be here any second."
"Really?" She glanced at Jules who nodded.
"Thanks for bringing the food, Veronica. Maybe you should go back home, I know you had plans with Angela."
"Yeah.."
Spike came to stand next to Greg. "You look a little pale, are you okay?"
"Fine, I just hope he's going to be okay. So, you called his ex-wife? Thought they weren't getting along to great?"
"Jules looked through his messages for his mystery girlfriend but couldn't find her."
She looked at Jules, knowing exactly what was in their text messages. "Ed has a mystery girlfriend?"
Jules nodded and smiled. "Yeah, some girl he's been seeing for a couple of months. Judging by the texts it's pretty serious."
"Greg." They all turned around when they heard a woman.
"Sophie, there you are."
Sophie smiled kindly at him. "How is he?"
"He's still in surgery. I don't know how long it'll take."
"Do they know if he's going to be okay?"
Greg shook his head. "No idea."
"Okay, so why did you exactly call me?"
"For the doctors, in case someone needs to make medical decisions."
Sophie looked surprised. "Me?"
"Apparently he hadn't updated his emergency contact."
"I've got someplace else to be, can't you just do that?" She turned around when Veronica huffed. "What, are you his cheerleader girlfriend?"
She was about to answer when Greg spoke up. "No, this is Veronica. She's my stepdaughter."
"Then why are you here?"
"I came to bring the team some food."
"Okay.." She looked back to Greg. "Do you need me here?"
Veronica rolled her eyes before answering. "Yes, they need you here." Veronica reached down to grab her bag. "Okay, I should get going.. Angela's waiting for me. Tell him to get better from me when he wakes up?"
"Sure." Greg smiled at her.
…
"Jules?" Veronica asked hopeful, she was at Angela's.
"Hey, so Ed came out of surgery. He's doing fine." Veronica let out a breath. "We're all leaving now, so if you want to sneak by.."
"Thank you so much. I think I'll do that.. Is he awake?"
"He was, he asked me if I could call you. His battery is dead."
"Thanks, anything I need to bring him? Charger, clothes?"
"No, Sarge is bringing all of that tomorrow."
"Okay, thanks Jules."
"You're welcome."
She hung up the phone and jumped up, startling Angela. "He's fine, I'm going by there to see him."
"Sure, honey."
She grabbed her coat. "Thank you for letting me stay with you and eat all of your chocolate."
"You're welcome, I hope he's okay."
"Me too."
She grabbed her keys and got into her car.
"I'm here to see Ed Lane."
"I'm sorry, visiting hours.."
"Are long past, I'm aware. It's just.. he just got out of surgery and I want to make sure he's okay. His phone is dead, I just want to talk to him."
"5 minutes.."
Veronica smiled brightly and nodded. "Great, thank you so much."
"Room 6485"
"Thank you." Veronica smiled before taking the elevator. "Hey."
He looked up from the magazine he was reading. "Hi." He smiled at her. "Come here."
She went to stand next to his bed and took his hand. "I'm so glad you're okay. You are, aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm good." He smiled at her. "I'm glad Jules knows about us.."
"Me too, it would've been hard to know you were still in surgery without her. I can only ask Greg so many times."
He smiled at her. "How were you doing?"
"Scared." She kissed him gently. "But I'm okay now." She gently touched his face. "Where were you shot?"
He pointed to his left lung.
"Going to have a cool battle scar?"
"Yeah, probably. All the cool cops have them."
She smiled at him. "Always did have a thing for dangerous men."
"You can ask me."
"What?"
"About my ex-wife, you can ask me."
She shook her head. "Nothing to ask."
"Anyone ever told you you're passive aggressive?"
"Yes, my professor."
"The one you slept with?"
"That's the one."
"When has he told you that?"
"After.. his fiancée showed up."
"He was engaged?" She nodded. "And you still slept with him?"
"Didn't know, apparently she was with doctors without borders for two years."
"Jerk." Ed muttered.
"He's not.."
"And you're still sticking up for him?"
"I loved him." She sighed. "Your ex-wife's a bitch."
Ed laughed and nodded. "Yep."
"While you were.. dying, she asked Greg if they really needed her. Because she had to do something else. If Greg couldn't make medical decisions for you."
"I wasn't dying."
Veronica took his hand. "Yeah you were, Jules told me your heart stopped. You were dead for a minute or so."
He smiled kindly and squeezed her hand. "Okay, but I'm not dying anymore."
"You better not. So, going to change Greg into your emergency contact?"
"I guess, unless you want to announce to the world we're dating?" He smiled, hoping to persuade her.
"We made a deal, after the wedding."
Ed sighed and nodded. "What if I'd died? Would you have told everyone?"
"Really, you want to go there?"
He smiled at her. "Guess not."
"I'm sorry, " A doctor said as she walked in. "visiting hours have long passed."
Veronica looked up at her in shock.
"Veronica? You okay?"
Veronica quickly got up and grabbed her stuff. "Yeah, yeah.. fine.. just, fine.. I will, uuh, see you tomorrow Ed." She walked out, not waiting for his answer.
"Weird." He then looked at the doctor. "Is everything okay with me?"
"Yes, everything is great. Just wanted to check your stitches and talk to you about what happens now."
"Okay."
"Can you lie down?"
…
A/N So what was up with Veronica freaking out because of the doctor huh? And now Jules knows..