Sorry for the delay, next chapter. Don't know if anyone is reading, but I'll keep going anyway. Review and let me know what you think...
Chapter 18
He was sitting outside, jacket on, staring over the wide fields in all directions. He hadn't smoked since the hospital, the thought of it hurt his throat. His neck was painful, still dark and invented, his leg throbbing. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back. He hadn't called Nick, Robin needed him. He took out his phone, pressing Lucy's name. She answered on the first ring.
"Cormoron?"
"Hey, how's it going?"
"Fine. The boys are loving the sun, suncream not so much. How are you?"
"I'm good," he looked over his shoulder as the door opened behind him, Jenny and the baby coming out and sitting on the bench on the other side of the garden. He smiled, no smile in return.
"How is it there? We leave in four days... I'll come straight up to get you."
"Lucy, don't, it's ok."
"You sound miserable."
"Lucy," it always irked him how his sister could do that, find the one thing he didn't want her to know. "I'm..."
"Don't lie. I can hear it, you're miserable. I know you."
"It's... not the best. But I need to..."
"You don't need to do anything. We should've come home."
"Don't start this again Luce."
"If you needed help, it should've been me. I'm coming up as soon as I land. I need to see you. Please."
"They're fine with you coming, I just don't want..."
"I don't care if they're fine with it or not! Fuck them." Strike let out a loud bark of a laugh, causing Jenny to jump and the baby to start crying.
"Shit, Lucy, I'm gonna have to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Is everything ok?"
"Yeah, I woke the baby. Tomorrow, same time."
"Tomorrow, love you."
"Love you too." He hung up, pocketed his phone, starting to wheel towards Jenny, who hadn't moved. "Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to... are you ok?" He was close to her now, noticing the distant look in her eyes, the loose way she was holding the baby. "Jenny? You ok?" But she wasn't looking at him. He looked down at the baby, still crying, almost slipping off Jenny's knee. "Jenny, give me the baby." He looked back over at the house, knowing no one but Robin was home. Linda was shopping, Martin with his friends. He didn't ask again, instead gently putting his hands under the crying baby, picking her up with no resistance. She was cold, he wrapped the blanket tighter, holding her close to his chest. As her crying subsided, Jenny began to cry. "Jenny? Jenny, are you..." But she wasn't listening. He needed Robin. He zipped up his jacket, putting the baby inside. She wriggled but didn't cry. Hands on wheels, he moved as quickly as he could to the house.
"Robin!" His throat hurt as he shouted, not as close to the stairs as he wanted, but not wanting to lose Jenny from his eye line, "Robin!" The baby was looking up at him as he heard footsteps on the stairs.
"Cormoron? What's wrong?" She appeared in front of him, in pyjamas and hair a mess. She looked beautiful. But he didn't have time to notice.
"Jenny's outside, she's crying."
"What? Why?" She had walked up to him, realising he had the baby, looking over his head to Jenny sitting curled on the bench, "Oh my God." She walked around him, into the cold. He watched her sit, Jenny curl into her, Robin stroking her head. He looked down. The baby was asleep.
oOo
"I managed to calm her down. She's having a shower. How's..."
"Asleep," he looked over when Robin didn't respond, she was smiling at him, "What?"
"She likes you."
"She was cold, she likes that I'm warm. That's it." Robin laughed.
"I've called Stephen, he's on his way back. Mum might beat him here. Are you ok, you're bleeding?" He followed her gaze to his hand, seeing the small cut from the wheelchair wheel, dried blood trailing to his wrist.
"Yeah fine, didn't even notice."
"I'll clean it."
"No, it's fine." But she had walked into the kitchen. He heard the front door open, two voices coming up the hall.
"Robin?" Stephen sounded worried, "Where..." He saw Robin leave the kitchen with their first aid kit, "You said she wasn't hurt."
"She's not..." She looked over at Strike, still in the wheelchair, baby asleep on his chest, small hand clinging to his top, blood on his wrist. They all just looked at him, he looked away, back at the baby, listening as Robin explained what had happened. He heard Stephen and Robin leave, climbing the stairs, felt Linda come closer to him.
"I'll take her." She was standing beside him, arms out straight, but he continued to look at the sleeping baby.
"It's ok, she's fine." He looked up at her, tightening is arms slightly, feeling the baby press closer to him. Linda had an odd expression on her face but didn't say anything else. She walked to the table, picking up the first aid kit, sitting beside him on the couch. He watched as she took supplies out the box, wiping the blood without talking, putting a plaster on the small cut. "Thanks."
"No problem. What happened?" she looked at his face, she looked like Robin.
"Wheel, I think. Is she ok?"
"She will be. Robin said you helped, thank you."
"Of course." He looked back at the baby, she was awake, but silent. Looking at him. Still clinging to his top.