Thank you to Hollie as always, I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it- this is one of my favourite chapters from the whole story!
It was a week since they had found Kimberly Stevens. Jess buried her head deep under the covers; she didn't want to get up today. She didn't want to do anything today. She just wanted to stay under these covers until the day had passed. But Callum had other ideas. He pulled the covers back slowly, the cold air wrapping itself around Jess' body. Goosebumps rose on her arms, and one arm emerged out the covers to try and pull them back over her.
"No, come on, get up!" Callum said sternly.
"I don't want to." she mumbled from under the covers.
"I've made you breakfast!" Callum replied. Jess peered out from the covers.
"You made breakfast? And you didn't burn the house down?" Jess said sarcastically.
"Yes, just for you, so come on." Callum said, his tone softer now, grabbing Jess' dressing gown and handing it to her.
"I'm not in the mood today." Jess said grumpily, shrugging into her dressing gown.
Callum paused at the door, "I know. But at least eat breakfast, and maybe then we can go to the cemetery?"
Jess looked at him, and nodded.
I'm running out of ways to make you see
I want you to stay here beside me
I won't be ok and I won't pretend I am
So just tell me today and take my hand
Please take my hand
Please take my hand
It was the first anniversary of Luke's death. Jess couldn't believe it had only been a year; to her it felt like a lifetime. So much had changed in the last 12 months, and sometimes Jess couldn't comprehend that she was here and still standing, still breathing. As Callum and Jess walked through the cemetery hand in hand, Jess kept her eyes on the ground. That way she wouldn't have to see death everywhere. All the trees were starting to turn as Autumn approached and many flowers that had been placed on loved one's graves had wilted and shrivelled. Death was all around them. The flowers in Jess' hand made a crackling noise as the cellophane surrounding them moved; Jess set them down gently on the cold earth over Luke's coffin, taking away the ones she had put down 10 days ago, her heart aching as she did so.
"Hey baby boy. It's mummy and Callum." Jess paused, not knowing what to say. She bent down and tenderly touched the headstone, sweeping aside some leaves. Jess and Dan had decided they wanted a picture of Luke on his grave, and his face smiled out from behind the glass which held the picture in place. "It's been a whole year since I saw your beautiful face. I miss you so, so much. You would be three now! Such a big boy! Did you like the birthday card I bought you? I thought you would." Jess smiled sadly, tears running down her face. "I hope daddy and grandpa George are looking after you, and I hope you're looking after the baby for me. I'll come visit you again soon, ok? Love you little man, always and forever."
Jess kissed the tips of her fingers, pressing them against the picture of him. She got up, not taking her eyes off of Luke's frozen smiling face, wishing with everything she had that he was still with her and this was just a dream. But as Callum pulled her close to him, stroking her back, she was brought back to the here and now; in the cemetery where her son lay dead under the ground. Jess' body began to tremble with sobs; Callum shut his eyes, holding her together while she tried not to fall apart.
Just say yes, just say there's nothing holding you back
It's not a test, nor a trick of the mind
Only love
On the way home, the couple dropped into the station. The night that Kim had been found dead, Callum had been called into the station by the Commander, informing him that he had been reinstated. He had been so happy, but he knew that it would be a while before they would let him do his job properly. So today, while Jess went to talk to Stevie about Kim's case, Callum went to see the Inspector about his shifts.
"Come find me when you're done talking to Stevie, ok?" Callum said to her as they split up. She nodded and walked up the stairs to CID. Stevie was sitting at her desk, poring over paper.
"Stevie?" Jess said, startling Stevie, "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."
"It's alright. I guess you came in to find out how it's going?" Stevie asked.
"Yeah. Has Milo confessed?" Jess asked, taking a seat.
Stevie pulled a face, "Yes and no."
"How so?" Jess asked.
"He's confessed that he abducted her and held her against her will at his house. But..." Stevie began, but Jess guessed what she was about to say.
"He says he didn't kill her?" Jess guessed, and Stevie nodded.
"Right. He says that he had gone downstairs to get some food for them. He heard a noise upstairs but just thought it was Kim. When he finally went upstairs, she was dead. He panicked and seemingly ignored the fact that she was dead until he heard us coming and then bolted it to the shed." Stevie explained.
"Why did he hide? Did he know we were coming? But also, she'd been dead for over 24 hours so how does that work?" Jess asked, confused.
"I really don't know, and he's not saying anything about the fact she'd been dead longer than he has said. He did say he thought that whoever had killed Kim would go after him as well, which is why he hid." Stevie carried on.
"Do you believe him?" Jess questioned.
"Tricky question." Stevie began. Jess waited for her to continue, "When he first said it, it just sounded like he was trying to get out of a murder charge. But when I watched the recording, he didn't exhibit any signs that he was lying. I've sent Eddie back to the house, seeing if there's anything that backs up what Milo has said, but until he gets back to me, we have no way of knowing."
"So we have no idea, if Milo is telling the truth that is, who the actual murderer is?" Jess asked, crossing her arms.
"Correct." Stevie said, leaning back in her chair.
"This case just gets better and better." Jess said bitterly.
"This case has been a hard one, that's for sure." Stevie said sadly, running her fingers through her short hair.
"Hard being an understatement." Jess replied sadly.
Stevie looked at Jess curiously, "This one hit you hard, didn't it?" Jess just nodded. "Maybe because of Luke?"
Jess bit her lip, "I think so yeah. This time of year...this day...I think it just got on top of me. I'll be good to go in a few days."
"I know this doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry." Stevie said sincerely.
"So am I." Jess said, smiling tightly at the detective before hurrying out CID to find Callum.
It's so simple and you know it is
You know it is, yeah
We can't be to and fro like this
All our lives
Jess looked in the Sergeant's office, in the male changing rooms, the male toilets, and the canteen, and still couldn't find Callum. She was about to give up and wait in his office when she heard his voice as well as Sally's. She stopped, and listened carefully.
"How's the preparations going?" she heard Sally ask.
"They're good, but it's a case of will she co-operate." Callum said quietly.
"I'm sure she will. She loves fun fairs, it shouldn't take too much persuading." Sally said, and Jess could hear the smile in her voice.
"How's your little project coming along?" Callum asked.
"Very good. It's nearly finished, I just need a few more bits from you and then it's done." Sally said in an accomplished voice. Jess decided that she wanted to know what they were talking about, so she walked out from behind the wall and looked at the pair suspiciously. They looked suitably guilty.
"What are you two talking about?" Jess asked, looking from one to the other.
"If we told you, we'd have to arrest you." Sally said with a smile, winking at Callum as she walked off.
"Callum?" Jess questioned.
Callum pointed in the direction Sally had just walked, "What she said."
"You know I don't like surprises!" Jess pouted.
Callum laughed, "That's a lie! You love surprises; you just get frustrated when everyone else knows but you!"
"Does everyone else know this time?" Jess asked.
"Not everyone." Callum said in a teasing voice. He put an arm round Jess' shoulders, manoeuvring her out the station. "How's the case coming along?"
"Milo confessed to abducting Kim, but he says that he didn't kill her. Eddie has gone back to the house to see if there is any evidence supporting Milo's claims, but so far, nothing." Jess said, shivering.
"It will all work out; you've all done too much hard work on this case for it not to." Callum said positively. They had just reached the car; Jess was looking at him curiously. "What?"
"Why are you so positive and cheerful?" Jess asked suspiciously.
"Am I not allowed to be? I just got my job back!" Callum said with a grin.
Jess couldn't help but smile at the look on his face, "Of course you did. They couldn't not reinstate you could they."
You're the only way to me
The path is clear
What do I have to say to you
For Gods sake, dear
Three weeks had passed and it was now mid September and the weather was definitely getting colder. Jess had sadly put most of her summer clothes away and had got out her autumn/winter clothes. She was sitting in the living room in front of the fire when Callum walked in.
"Shut the door!" Jess called, "You'll let a draft in!"
"You sounded like a right old woman then!" Callum said with a laugh, "And it's not even that cold!"
"I don't care; I don't think I've ever been so cold in my life!" Jess moaned.
"Poor darlin'! Maybe I should warm you up?" Callum questioned a sly look on his face.
Jess grinned, "Maybe you should. Come join me down here Sergeant." Callum sat down on the floor next to Jess, the heat from the fire flowing over them. There was a loose strand of blonde hair in front of Jess' face, and Callum gently tucked it behind her ear. Jess moved forward until she sat on Callum's lap, kissing him gently.
"I have the perfect idea for warming you up." Callum murmured, his lips against Jess' neck.
"Hmm, what would that be?" Jess asked, her voice silky in Callum's ear.
"Well..." Callum's lips came up to capture her own lips, and just as his hand was about to sneak up her top, the doorbell rang. Jess couldn't help but laugh as she clambered off Callum's lap. "Leave it!"
"I can't! What if it's important?" Jess called over her shoulder as she walked out the hall.
"It bloody better be." Callum groaned, getting to his feet and following Jess.
"Sally! What're you doing here?" Jess asked as Sally stood on the doorstep, a rectangular flat box in her arms.
"Can I come in?" Sally asked, her teeth chattering. Jess moved to the side, letting her in. "Thanks."
"What do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" Jess asked as Sally deposited her coat on the hanger.
"I just needed to talk to Callum about a case at work." Sally said, looking pointedly at Callum.
"Oh yeah, come with me Sal, I'll get you a cup of tea." Callum said, a look of knowing in his eyes.
"What case at work? Am I missing something?" Jess asked, confused.
"Oh just a small supermarket robbery, nothing you need to worry about." Sally said with a smile as she followed Callum into the kitchen, "You go back to the living room, we'll be in in a minute."
"Huh." Jess said with a shake of her head. She sat back down in front of the fire, waiting for them to come back in. A minute or two later, they returned, Callum handing Jess a steaming cup of tea. "All sorted?"
Sally nodded, "Yep. Are you coming to the fun fair tonight at the fields?"
Jess pulled a face, "Sally, it's cold outside, I don't know if I want to stand outside just to watch fireworks when I could watch them from the warmth of the house."
Sally looked at Jess dumbfounded, "Jess! You love the fun fair!"
"I know I do, but..." Jess began when Sally held up her hand.
"Nope, no buts, we're going out tonight and you're coming whether you like it or not." Sally said sternly.
"I'll handcuff her and carry her if I have to." Callum said with a smile.
"You're supposed to be on my side!" Jess complained.
"Sorry darlin', I want to go as well." Callum said, kissing her on the cheek.
Sally laughed and finished her drink, "Ok then, I better go, me and Nate are going shopping. So I'll see you down there at six? Text me when you're there and we can all meet up. Bye!"
"She's up to something." Jess said.
"How do you know?" Callum asked.
"Because she always talks a lot and gets really bossy when she's up to something. And you, you're up to something as well." Jess said, turning her gaze onto him as she narrowed her eyes.
Callum smirked, "I might be, but you'll have to kill me to find out."
Jess slowly got to her feet, never taking her eyes off Callum, "Would seducing the information out of you work?"
"I could be persuaded." Callum said huskily, his hands pulling Jess to him so she toppled onto his lap. Jess smiled, running her fingers through his hair, swooping down to press her lips against his. Their lips moved together hungrily, seeking more. Jess began to tug at Callum's top, and Callum quickly let go of Jess to pull it over his head. She ran her hands up his chest, relishing the touch of his skin against hers. He pulled off her jumper, throwing it on the floor next to his discarded shirt. Her top followed, and then her bra. She started to unzip his jeans, and as she did, they got caught off balance and fell onto the floor, Callum on top of Jess. They laughed, but Callum soon stilled Jess' lips with his own; he was hungry for her, and nothing could stop that right now.
Just say yes, just say there's nothing holding you back
It's not a test, nor a trick of the mind
Only love
Jess and Callum had both showered and were getting ready to go out. Callum had chucked on some dark jeans with a black t-shirt and a dark grey shirt over the top, finished with a dark navy jumper. Jess had on her black skinny jeans, an autumnal checked shirt and a half zip black jumper on top. She quickly plaited her damp hair, and then twisted it into a bun before slicking on some mascara and pink lipgloss. She finished off by pulling on her black biker boots and grabbing her woolly hat and scarf, and then she was good to go.
"I'm ready!" she sang to Callum, who was sat on the bed.
"Good! Let's go." Callum said, offering his hand to her. She slid her hand into his, and they left the warmth of the house to begin the walk to the fields.
Just say yes, coz I'm aching and I know you are too
For the touch of your warm skin
As I breathe you in
As they got closer to the fair they could hear all the noises from the rides, children laughing, the sound of chat, and the sounds of the stall owners trying to entice people to part with their money.
"I loved the fair when I was little. Mum and dad used to take me and Andy to the one that set up round the corner from us. We stopped going when Andy fell off one of the rides and cracked his head open." Jess said with a small laugh.
"Ouch." Callum said, grimacing.
"It was pretty gruesome. He was happy though cause he got what he called a "badass" scar which apparently girls dig." Jess said, rolling her eyes.
"He's got a point." Callum said, squeezing Jess' hand.
They rounded the corner and suddenly the fair was in front of them. The lights from the rides all whirled into one long colour which was bright against the night sky. The smell of hot dogs and hamburgers floated over, as well as the sweet smell of candy floss and other treats. The haunted house was to the left of them, the big wheel to the right, behind the wheel was the tea cup ride, and behind the haunted house was the coconut shy. There were so many different rides, so many things to do that Jess didn't know where to start!
"Don't forget you need to text Sally." Callum reminded.
"Oh yeah, thanks." Jess said gratefully, pulling her phone out her pocket and quickly texting Sally where they were. "Let's go through the haunted house!"
Callum laughed at how child like Jess had become, "So much for not wanting to come out tonight!"
"Shush you!" Jess said as she dragged Callum to the ride. They got into their carriage, and the ride slowly started to move. Jess and Callum's cart made its way through the haunted house, where creatures jumped out at them and creepy voices whispered in their ears.
"I think we should go on the ferris wheel for the fireworks." Callum said, "Think of how good it would be!"
"Sure, sounds good to me. And thanks for making me come out tonight." Jess said quietly, kissing him tenderly on the lips.
"How the hell did I end up with you?" Callum asked wonderingly.
I can feel your heart beat through my shirt
This was all I wanted, all I want
Its all I want
Its all I want
Later, Jess and Callum had met up with Sally and the others. Most of the gang were there, and a nice surprise was that Stevie was there as well, with Smithy, which led to much ribbing on Smithy's part. Nate had his arm round Sally's shoulder, and Will and Ben were plotting something as usual. Mel, Millie and Beth were trying to win a cuddly toy on the coconut shy, and Leon was chatting up the female stallholder.
"Where are you all going to watch the fireworks?" Jess asked the others, snuggling into Callum as a wind swept across the fields.
"Not sure, wherever we can get a good view." Sally said.
"Cause me and Callum..." Jess began but Callum cut her off.
"Are going to find somewhere in a minute." Callum finished, looking pointedly at Jess. She looked confused, but kept her mouth shut. Sally smiled in acknowledgment at Callum and nodded.
"Ok, well come find us whenever. We'll see you later; Nate promised he'd take me to the haunted house." Sally said with a smile at Nate, who grinned back.
"Alright then, we'll see you later." Jess said with a wave. She didn't notice that the whole gang was grinning at her, the knowledge of the surprise in store for her making them excited.
Just say yes, just say there's nothing holding you back
It's not a test, nor a trick of the mind
Only love
They finally got to the front of the queue for the ferris wheel, Jess missing the wink the ride operator gave to Callum. He opened the door to let them onto the ride, shutting it and locking it behind before slowly starting the ride.
"Are we the only ones on here?" Jess asked in confusion.
"Maybe they do it every so often, who knows." Callum mumbled.
The ride slowly made its way up into the night sky, Jess looking out over the fair, seeing if she could spot their friends. Callum gently took her hand, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb before bringing it to his lips in a gentle kiss. She turned to smile at him and his heart stopped for just a second; she was perfection to him.
She cocked her head to the side, placing one of her hands on the side of his cheek, "What?"
"You're just beautiful Jessica Hunter. You radiate sunshine." he said, staring deep into her sparkling green eyes.
Jess laughed, "Have you been drinking? Confiscate any drugs today that you forgot to put through processing?"
"I mean it. You truly have brought the sunshine into my life and I don't care if it's corny, it's the truth." Callum said seriously, moving closer to her and kissing her gently.
Jess was taken aback by the raw emotion he was showing. Callum wasn't shy about telling her how much he loved her, but the intensity of it blew her mind. Dan had never been like this and it was still something she needed to get used to sometimes. It gave her that warm fuzzy feeling, knowing that she was capable of being loved like that. Callum was the balm her heart needed after everything that had happened this last year. She leaned back into him, resting her head on his chest. "Look, they're starting!"
The couple watched as they had a front row show to the firework displays. Bang after bang after bang as green, red, gold fireworks exploded into the night. So many beautiful colours blending together in a light show just for them. Jess ooh'd and ahh'd, not realising she was doing it. Callum smiled against the top of her head. He hadn't seen her this relaxed and happy in what felt like months, but he hoped that this was just the start of something new and wonderful. As the last of the fireworks went off, Jess sighed contentedly.
"Wasn't that amazing!" Jess said, turning to him.
"It was. But it doesn't finish there." Callum said mysteriously.
"There's more? I thought they were finished?" Jess asked, turning to look at him.
"There's one more. Look down there." Callum said, pointing down and ahead of them to a seemingly empty clearing. Callum quickly fired off a text before sliding his phone back in his pocket.
"Callum, what are you doing?" Jess asked with a confused face.
"Just look!" Callum ordered, pointing. And then Jess saw it. Down below, the clearing had suddenly lit up with the finale of the night's fireworks. In bright gold, the words "Marry me Jess" exploded into colour. They shimmered brightly against the black background, and Jess could barely believe this was happening. Callum was proposing to her using fireworks! He'd used fireworks! He'd proposed! Then she felt something being placed in her hands. She looked down to see a photo album. "Open it."
She did as she was told, flipping through the pictures. There were pictures of them together from so many different events, and they all had funny captions written underneath by Callum. The album was nearly full, except for one picture slot at the end. In that particular picture slot was a photo of the ferris wheel where they were currently sat, and in the caption slot, Callum had written, The place where we got engaged. She turned so she could see him properly. He had a worried look on his face, but that changed to a beaming smile as he saw tears stream down her face, as he saw her wobbling lips turn into a smile.
He took the photo album out of her shaking hands and gently placed it on the seat behind him. He moved from the seat and got down on one knee and presented her with a delicate gold engagement ring with a perfect oval diamond set in the middle.
"Jessica Hunter, I meant it when I said you radiate sunshine. Will you be my personal sunshine, for the rest of our lives and whatever comes after, and marry me?" he asked her.
"I think if I said no after you'd gone to all this effort, I would be the biggest bitch of the century!" Jess said, her voice quivering through the tears as she tried to laugh.
"That's a yes then?" Callum asked hopefully, sliding the ring onto her finger.
"Of course it is silly!" Jess squealed, sliding off the chair and into his waiting arms, her arms wrapping around him tightly. "I love you so much!"
Callum laughed, "I'm so in love with you Jessica Hunter, it's unreal." Their lips pressed together to the sounds of applause as the ferris wheel slowly made its way back down to Earth, all of their friends coming forward to congratulate them. There was one thing that Jessica Hunter knew for sure: this man was the one she was going to spend her life with.
Just say yes, coz I'm aching and I know you are too
For the touch of your warm skin
As I breathe you in
Song: Just Say Yes- Snow Patrol