Hey all!
So, I struggled with this chapter and making it longer. The first part is a lot longer than I originally anticipated, but once I finally found a conversation topic, it just kept rolling. Same with the very end of this chapter.
I'll be honest, I don't know how I'm going to end the story. I have a very vague outline for the next 5 chapters, but there are so many potential plot lines to follow, that this could end up over 30 chapters. I am determined to finish this story! It just might take me another year or two... Anyways, I don't know when the next chapter will be ready, but I do have half of a scene written! My new goal is posting at least once a month.
Notes: This chapter starts the same night as the last chapter ended, like an hour after the phone call. I couldn't figure out how to put it in the scene, but Lassie and Juliet are in an empty apartment/office that the SBPD has set up for the stakeout, equipped with recording equipment. It's not really important for the story.
In the second half of the story, when Sharon comes back in, she is about 22.5 weeks pregnant.
Enjoy!
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Chapter 16
*Saturday July 17th*
"Carlton!"
"What, O'Hara?!" Carlton snapped as he turned away from the monitors and looked towards her.
"Are you okay?" Juliet frowned as she sat down next to him. "I was trying to fill you in with what Buzz and Seamus reported; but I don't think you heard a single word I said."
Carlton rubbed a hand down his face and sighed, "Sorry. I was just thinking about what Sharon told me."
"You talked with her?! Did she call you?"
"Yeah, about 20 minutes before I picked you up."
"Well, what did she say?! Is she doing okay? Is she coming back? Does she still want to talk with you?"
"O'Hara!" He groaned and looked out the window.
"Sorry!"
He shrugged. "We mostly just touched base and agreed that we need to talk in person. She has an appointment in a week and a half, so she will be back by then."
"Oh, I'm glad she's coming back!"
"Yeah," Carlton agreed half-heartedly.
Juliet frowned, "What's wrong?"
"She doesn't know if she'll keep the baby once it's born."
"What?!"
"I never asked before. I just assumed that she would raise the baby and I would, at the very least, get visitation rights. I never imagined it not being in my life."
"Well, what if you keep the baby?"
Carlton laughed, "I would barely have the time to co-parent, let alone be the only parent."
"That's because you are always choosing to spend extra time at work and doing more than you have to! There are plenty of people that you can delegate tasks to who would be more than happy to help; especially if it helps them learn how to become a detective."
"I could just retire."
"No! Carlton, I promise you that I will help you figure this out, okay? Without you sacrificing your career! Besides, you're getting ahead of yourself. You two are only, what? Halfway through the pregnancy?"
"5 months in, 4 to go."
Juliet smiled. "I love that you know that!"
Carlton shrugged, "Sharon signed me up for some email program that sends me weekly updates of what the baby currently looks like and how much time is left. I just happened to get an email today."
"And you decided to open it and read it! Come on! Admit that you're excited to have a baby."
"I've always imagined having kids one day, pursuing the American Dream. You know, to actually have someone to pass skills and hobbies onto. I know that the first couple of years will be tough; but I think I am looking forward to it."
"Good! You should share this with Sharon! Explain to her that you are willing to commit to the baby and her because you want to, not just out of obligation."
"How exactly am I supposed to do that if people keep warning me that it's her body and her choice?"
"Well, we know that she is going to see the pregnancy through to the end, so you can start by making plans. Here, I'll help." Juliet turned to a blank page in her notepad. "Let's start with where the baby will be staying. You have three bedrooms in your house, right?"
"Shouldn't we be focused on the case that we are on a stakeout for?"
"Carlton, we're just taking notes on who comes and goes to this warehouse; you can easily alert me when someone comes and we'll pause this. So, how many bedrooms?"
"Fine," Carlton sighed as he looked out the window. "There are technically three bedrooms: the masters, guest room, and office."
"We will need to turn one of them into a nursery. Which one of them is closest to the master bedroom?"
"The office. I guess I can move the desk and file cabinets into the guest room and move the guest bed into the attic."
"No, you need to keep a guest room for when people come to help you with the baby, like your mother or sister."
"I doubt I will get desperate enough to have my mother stay over."
"Never say never!" Juliet grinned.
"Okay, I can move the desk into my bedroom? I can probably fit the filing cabinets as well."
"Will you have room for all of that plus Sharon's stuff?"
"What?"
"You need to show Sharon that she is welcomed too; so you need space for at least another dresser."
"Then the desk can go into the dining room."
"Good. What color do you want to paint the nursery?"
"Color?"
"Yeah. Most people paint the room blue or pink, depending on the baby's gender. Some go with neutral colors like yellow or green. You could also pick a theme like the ocean or jungle animals."
"I feel like Sharon would have more fun with the color scheme; assuming she doesn't just do pineapples."
"Well, pineapples are green and yellow. Another option is to see what type of baby furniture you end up with, and design the room accordingly. You should ask your parents and Sharon's dad if they have anything they want to pass on. Although, I highly recommend buying a new crib since safety standards have improved a lot over the past few decades."
"How much furniture does a baby need?"
"It depends, really. I would say you need at least a crib, changing table, and a dresser. Then I would add a bookcase, rocking chair, soft chair, and pillows. I would also suggest end tables for lamps and a sound machine."
"O'Hara, this seems like a little too much detail-planning when we don't even know if Sharon wants to keep the baby."
"We want to show her that you are committed and are thinking ahead. And this way, you have a starting point for if you decide to keep the baby yourself."
"How are you so knowledgeable about this anyways?"
"I helped my brothers and their wives when I lived in Florida, and I picked up a lot when they were nesting."
"Nesting?"
Juliet laughed. "I'll make you a copy of my notes so you can think about any preferences. Next, let's…."
"O'Hara, a blue sedan just pulled up." Carlton interrupted as he raised his camera.
"Can you make out any details?" Juliet asked as she switched pages in her notebook.
"Looks like a Toyota Camry, license plate starts with ZX9…. can't make out the rest." He quickly took a few pictures. "Driver is the only occupant and he is getting out: middle-aged white male, approximately between 6'2" and 6'5", grey buzz cut, black business suit and dress shoes."
"Okay. The time is 10:18. How long do you think he will be in there?"
"What were the times McNab had?"
"Anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes."
"This guy seems to have a fast stride, so I would guess it takes him around 8 minutes." He said as he lowered the camera and wrote down a few of his own notes.
"So, in the meantime, we can discuss all of the guns that you have at your house."
"What about them? They are all safely hidden."
"Hidden is not the same as locked up."
"What's the point of keeping guns in the house if I have to fiddle with a lock first?! Am I supposed to ask a potential murderer to please wait while I unlock a gun?! Next you're going to tell me that I need to keep the bullets separate!"
"Carlton! People do wacky things when they are sleep-deprived. You know we get about a dozen calls each month because of that. At least take the guns out of the easier accessible spots, like the bread box, and put them up high, like above the refrigerator or behind the flat screen TV. And reduce the number of them around."
"I'll think about it."
"Good. Now let's talk about your wardrobe."
"Not you too! Sharon has already hidden, possibly trashed, half of my ties and a third of my work shirts! What else are you going to take!"
"Huh, I was wondering why I haven't seen any of your.. less attractive ties lately. But I was going to suggest that you buy some super casual clothes, like sweatpants and t-shirts, because babies are messy."
Carlton groaned as he checked the surveillance monitors. "This is going to be a long night."
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*Monday July 26th - Canada*
"Hey Gus!" Sharon smiled as she answered her phone.
"Hey Sharon." Gus greeted.
"Aren't you at work right now?"
"Yeah, but, um. Are you free right now?"
Sharon frowned as she detected a nervous quality in his voice. "Just finished breakfast, and was about to watch some American Duos reruns. Why, what's wrong?"
"Lassiter got shot."
"WHAT?!" She exclaimed as she dropped the remote.
"He's okay; he got shot in the leg and never lost consciousness."
"What happened?"
"Juliet said that they went to serve a warrant and the suspect shot at them before fleeing."
"Did they catch the S.O.B.?!"
"Yeah. Luckily they were both wearing their vests and Juliet went after the guy."
"How bad is it?"
"The bullet went straight through and Lassiter was able to make a tourniquet with his tie while he waited for the ambulance. They just took him into surgery a few minutes ago."
"Okay. I'll um, I'll be there tonight." Sharon stood up and went to grab her laptop.
"Are you sure? You probably won't make it before visiting hours are over."
"I can't just sit here and do nothing!"
"You're supposed to be back in 2 days for your next appointment."
She shook her head as she opened her laptop. "Gus, don't be the fourth movie that breaks a trilogy! You know I won't be able to rest until I see with my own eyes that he's okay."
"Alright. Let me know when your flight gets in and I'll try to pick you up."
"Thanks, Gus. I'll call my mom and let her know that I'm leaving, then I'll call a taxi to take me to the airport. I'll call you later." She quickly hung up and started making plans.
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*Monday July 26th - Santa Barbara*
"Gus!" Sharon jogged quickly towards Gus and gave him a tight hug. "Any updates?"
"Yeah. The surgery went well, they put in a couple of dozen stitches, and gave him a few pints of blood. He woke up about an hour ago, wanting to leave the hospital. Juliet said that he will probably have to stay for a week."
"Oh thank God he's okay!" Sharon pulled back and wiped her face. "Let's go see him."
"Visiting hours end in about 20 minutes." Gus said as he led the way to his car.
"Then you better drive fast."
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"Excuse me," Sharon said as she rushed up to the nurse's station on the ICU floor. "Can you tell me what room Carlton Lassiter is in?"
The nurse smiled patiently, "I'm sorry ma'am, but visiting hours are almost over."
"Look, I literally just got here from the airport; there's no way I could have gotten here any sooner! Here's my plane ticket to prove it. I am pregnant with his baby and we are about this close to being married! I just want to see with my own eyes that he's okay! Please?!"
"Well, since you are his fiancee, I guess I can let you have 5 minutes; but no more! He needs his rest." The nurse smiled and looked towards a younger nurse. "Carol, would you mind escorting Detective Lassiter's fiance to his room? Let them have 5 minutes together."
"Yes, Nurse Mary." Carol set down her charts and gestured down the hallway. "Right this way, ma'am."
"Thank you so much!" Sharon replied as she followed Nurse Carol as fast as she could.
Sharon took a deep breath as she entered the recovery room and made a beeline for Carlton's bed. She gently took his hand and whispered, "Hey Lassie."
Carlton slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. "Hey, what are you doing here?"
"Gus told me what happened, and I got here as fast as I could."
"I'm fine. It's just a flesh wound."
Sharon laughed shakily, "I spent the whole flight worrying about you."
"I lost a lot of blood, but should be fine once my body makes enough. I've got some stitches, but they should come out in a week or two."
"Okay, good." Sharon took a deep breath. "Gus said that you will be in here for a week?"
"Yeah, they have to watch for infection. Also, being shot takes up a lot of energy, so I need a lot of sleep. You look like you could use some sleep as well."
"I did miss my afternoon nap." Sharon chuckled as her stomach growled. "I should probably eat too. I haven't eaten since breakfast and the baby is kicking up a fess."
"It's being active now?" Carlton asked as he looked towards her stomach.
"Oh yeah. It seems to have inherited my night owl tendencies, so I try to take nightly walks in order to fall asleep."
"Can I feel it?'
"Yeah," Sharon smiled as she stepped closer to the bed and let him put a hand on her belly. "It's the weirdest thing, feeling something moving around inside yourself. Sometimes I can't help but think of the Alien movies. Like it's going to burst out of me any minute-Oh! Did you feel that?!"
"Yeah." Carlton smiled as he moved his hand closer to the spot that was kicked. "Amazing."
"That was a strong kick. I think they like you! It took over a week before the timing was right and my mom felt anything. Gus is going to be so jealous that you felt a kick before he did and he's been…."
"Spencer?" Carlton interrupted.
"Yeah?"
"Just shut up for a minute." He started caressing her stomach.
"Okay." Sharon smiled as she watched the various emotions cross Carlton's face, the most prominent being awe.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door and a nurse sticking his head in. "Apologies, but visiting hours ended about 10 minutes ago. You will have to leave and come back tomorrow."
Sharon turned slightly towards them and asked, "Can we have one more minute, please?"
"One minute!"
"Thank you." Sharon replied before turning back to Carlton. "I'll be back tomorrow."
"Where are you staying?" Carlton leaned back and tried to get comfortable
"Well, tonight with Gus. I haven't talked to Henry since I left; so we'll see how things go."
"Maybe, after they release me, you could stay with me."
"Really?!" Sharon asked skeptically as she fixed his blankets. "You still trust me?"
"Spencer, I have always trusted you; or else I wouldn't have let you work with me all these years."
"I thought it was only because the Chief made you?"
"I've heard it both ways." Carlton mumbled as he closed his eyes.
Sharon laughed, "I knew you always liked me."
*Ahem* The nurse coughed, as he walked into the room.
Sharon took a couple of steps back from the bed. "Good night."
"Good night." Carlton mumbled as he glanced at her. "Thanks for coming."
"For you, anything." Sharon smiled as she turned to leave.
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"So, how'd it go?" Gus asked as they walked out of the hospital.
Sharon shrugged. "Pretty good, actually. He said that I can stay with him once he leaves the hospital."
"Wow. That's good, right?"
"Yeah. I mean, I haven't talked to my dad since I left and I didn't tell him that I was coming back early. Plus, this will give Lassie and I time to talk and figure things out. He says that he has always trusted me, so I guess that's a good start."
"Are you ready to talk with Lassiter?" Gus asked as he unlocked his car.
"As ready as I'll ever be." She sighed as she got into the car. "I'm hoping that it's been long enough that the odds of him shooting me are low."
"He's not going to shoot you while you're pregnant. He's looking forward to being a dad." Gus said as he started the car.
"How do you know that?!" She frowned.
"Juliet and I talk."
"About what?!"
"Mostly you and Lassiter. She's been really concerned about you the past few weeks, especially since she found out that you were Shawn and you haven't answered any of her messages."
"I don't know what to say to her; especially after basically lying to her for six months!"
"They both know the truth now and she's still your friend." He shrugged as they drove out of the parking lot. "Maybe start by telling her yourself that you're okay, and ask for her forgiveness."
"Gus, you're so smart when it comes to women and relationships. Why exactly are you still single?"
"Hey! I'm a playa and I get plenty of dates."
"You can't call yourself a player if you have only been on a handful of dates in the past year."
"I've actually been on over a dozen dates since January."
"Really? Name them."
"Alright. There was Tonia, Carolyn, Kim, Rosie, Susie, Maya…"
"Man! At least three of those don't count since you were carpooling to work functions!"
"We went out for dinner or drinks afterwards, so they do count. Besides, it's not like you could talk. In the three months between you breaking up with Abigail and when you started seeing Lassiter, you only went on one date, which was clearing a rebound date. And before Abigail, you just mainly picked someone up at whatever bar or club you happened to stop at that night."
"Which means that I clearly have had more experience with both men and women, and can call you out."
"Except that hookup culture is way different than dating."
"Which would mean that your 'dates' after carpool pool would be classified as hookup culture."
"Not all of them."
"Agree to disagree, then. How about you buy me dinner to make up for it?"
"How about you pay for your own damn dinner, or I drop you off at your father's house?"
Sharon groaned, "You didn't call him, did you?!"
"Yes, while you were talking with Lassiter. He's having dinner with an old cop buddy, so he said you can either come by after ten tonight or tomorrow afternoon."
"Ugg, what did you tell him?"
"That I was planning on being in bed by 9pm, so we would most likely see him tomorrow."
"Okay, cool. That gives me like 20 hours to prepare. Oo! Tacos! Turn here!"
"Why do you always pick tacos?" Gus asked as he turned the car into the parking lot.
"I've told you, there are no good taco places near my mom's place and my mom doesn't like making tacos. Something about it using up too many dishes and she prefers one-dish meals. We did have a burrito bowl one night, but it just wasn't the same."
"I hear that." Gus pulled into the drive thru lane before asking, "So, where's your money?"
"In my wallet."
"You better give me some before I reach the speaker, or else I'm only ordering you the cheapest thing on the menu, which I believe is a kid's taco."
Sharon tsked as she found her wallet and pulled out a twenty dollar bill. "I believe that is called the bait and switch or cruel and unusual punishment! And I expect change back!"
"No way, you owe me for being your chuffuer and for letting you crash at my place tonight. If anything, I should make you pay for food all week."
"My dad's house is looking really nice right now." Sharon sighed as Gus placed their order.