Fic: We Forgot to Slow Down (1/4)
Title: We Forgot to Slow Down (1/4)
Author: reve_silencieux
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Neal, Sara, Mozzie, Neal/Sara
Spoilers: None
Warnings: mpreg
Word Count: 16,400 (This chapter: 4,500)
Beta: sherylyn
Summary: Several months into Neal's cycle, it's summer and hot, and unfortunately, it's going to get a little rougher for Neal after he receives some news...
Series: Once Upon Another Time
Author's Note: I started writing this way too long ago, and it actually started out as two separate (short!) fic ideas, then I combined them when I realized they went together, and it turned epic. I had hoped to post this while it was still summer, but oh well... It's still hot at least. Title is from Jetta's Take It Easy.
“I hate summer.”
The declaration was made with little fanfare, and Neal looked up from his perch on the sofa to see Sara’s slender high-heeled foot kick the front door shut. To say she didn’t look happy was an understatement. Her ice blue blouse was a mottled swirl of dark blue sweat stains under her arms and across her chest.
“Join the club,” he joked and placed his book down on the floor.
Her face crumpled and she closed her eyes, bringing a hand to her head. “Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to complain, really, it’s just way too hot for me.”
Neal grinned and pushed himself up from the couch. “Hey, don’t sweat it.” She opened her eyes and glared at him. He chuckled and they both moved to meet in the middle of the living room. “Just because I’m carrying a good twenty extra pounds doesn’t mean you can’t complain that you’re miserable, too. I think the entire east coast feels the same way.”
After a pleasant, but unexpectedly wet and cool May, June had been warm and mostly dry - nothing to complain horribly about, but the beginning of July had bloomed hot and humid. They were now into their second week of soaring temperatures, well into the 90’s, and everyone was cranky. At twenty-eight weeks pregnant, he was more than ready for summer to be over. And as much as he liked being home during the holidays, he hated having summer cycles.
“I’m just so hot,” she griped and plucked her blouse from her skin with a repulsed look. It clung to her every curve.
He grinned. “Why yes, yes you are,” he agreed and pulled her into his arms. She rolled her eyes, resting her arms around his neck.
“I’m sweaty and disgusting, Neal. I just spent an hour on the train with a hundred other sweaty and disgusting people. Right now, all I want to do is get out of these clothes-” He waggled his eyebrows, and she lightly smacked the back of his head. “-don’t even go there!” She ignored his mock-pout and continued, “I want a shower, and then I want to plop myself directly under the A/C.”
Neal looked up at the ceiling, then moved them over a couple feet beneath a vent. When the cool air hit them, she sighed happily.
“I’m officially jealous - your A/C actually works. If it weren’t for the commute, you’d probably have a roommate. You don’t have to pay for that, do you?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Nope, all utilities are paid for, thankfully. I think they’d have a riot otherwise, or very few volunteers.”
“No kidding,” she replied with a grimace. “I just hope the power doesn’t go out. They’re having problems in the city.”
“We’re exempt from brownouts, but we have backup power generators just in case. Trust me, it’s not pretty when the A/C goes out. They have maintenance staff on hand and they’re kept pretty busy from what I hear.”
“Good to know. Now excuse me while I go wash off this layer of grime. I promise I’ll be in better spirits once I feel human again.” She gave him a quick kiss, then walked off to the bedroom.
Since her return from her trip, and their subsequent declarations of love, Neal had felt more at ease, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. While he had come to accept his life over the past few years, most days went by in a blur, where the days and weeks stretched out and no end ever seemed in sight. Now he had her visits to look forward to, and the days flew by quicker than they ever had before.
It was both good and bad, seeing as his pregnancy had progressed and his stomach grew at the same rapid speed. He was now about to start his third trimester and the heat combined with his unwieldy frame were starting to drain on him. But for Sara he was trying to keep a smile on his face. She was still making the effort to visit him, so she deserved a pleasant weekend, if not an attentive boyfriend that didn’t make her feel like she had wasted her time.
Granted, things had become a bit more uncomfortable as the weeks went by. Kate had left him after five months, so they had ventured into new territory as his belly became more pronounced and they had to get creative. Sara surprised him in that respect, willing to try just about anything. There were plenty of laughs and bumbling attempts, much to his chagrin, but she didn’t seem to mind.
He really didn’t deserve her.
Now as she sat at the table, chatting away about her latest case and he finished tossing the (cold) pasta salad, he was struck with an idea. Some days he wished he could treat her to more - be it a night out to see a play, or dinner at a restaurant they hadn’t gone to several times already. She never complained, and certainly they would make up for it during his break, but he tried his best to make their weekends special whenever he could.
And tonight he had the perfect idea.
*~*~*~*
“I’m going to have to take another shower after this - whatever this is. How long until we get there?”
Neal grinned, but refused to give in to her not-so-subtle interrogation. He swung their joined hands playfully in the air and she sighed loudly. Earlier, Sara had been vocal with her less-than-enthusiastic desire to venture outside and leave the comfort of the air conditioning. Especially when he didn’t tell her where they were going or what they would be doing.
There were many things that Sara Ellis would do for the sake of her job, but outside of that, she was a creature of comfort. She had only grudgingly acquiesced when he told her that she didn’t have to dress up, and could stay in her comfortable clothes - as long as she didn’t mind being seen in them if they passed anyone.
“And as much as I like your romantic side, I’m not in the mood for star gazing,” she continued, eyeing the bag he held in his other hand, which he, of course, had not allowed her to look inside.
He chuckled. It wasn’t a bad idea, though even he wasn’t willing to stay outside long, either. Even if it weren’t for the heat, the bugs would be out. “No star gazing. Now, please, just trust me, I know you’ll like it.”
Her eyes narrowed and she still looked slightly suspicious, but she didn’t protest anymore, thankfully.
Tugging on her hand, he led them towards a jogging trail that looped around the campus. It was a quiet night, and they had only passed a few people, but the trail was completely empty. They walked for a few minutes in silence, and Neal glanced up at the night sky. The new moon was hidden behind the clouds, leaving them blanketed in the darkness, with only a scattering of stars dimly lighting their way.
It was peaceful, and altogether appropriate and helpful for his plan.
Slowing down a couple minutes later, he glanced over his shoulder. They were alone. He pulled away from Sara, and started towards the back door of a building just off the path.
“Neal?” Sara asked hesitantly, her voice just above a whisper.
He waved her on, and kept walking until he reached the building. Dropping his bag, he slid his lock picks out of his back pocket and got working on the door.
“Neal!” Sara hissed, and glanced around wildly then back at him. “What are you doing?”
Glancing up, he grinned. “Trust me.”
“We couldn’t just go through the front door?”
He shook his head. “Nope. They lock up at six.”
Sara sighed. She turned her back, and went to keep watch for anyone coming their way. Neal knew they were safe, but he appreciated her mindset. He liked knowing she would have his back, even if she probably wasn’t too happy with him right now. She would change her mind in a moment though.
The lock clicked open and he straightened, putting his lock picks away. “Done.” He opened the door and held out his arm when Sara turned back around. “After you.”
“Just please tell me we don’t have to skirt around cameras like criminals. I am not wearing the right shoes for that.”
Picking up his bag, Neal eyed her flip-flops and chuckled, then shook his head, following her inside. “No cameras. The only cameras on campus are at the hospital, building entrances and the front gate. Just gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling, doesn’t it?”
He started walking down the back hallway, Sara trailing behind slowly, and seconds later he heard her gasp, their destination clear when the smell of chlorine wafted through the air. They turned one final corner and found themselves at the entrance to the large natatorium. There were two pools - one a large lap pool, and the other a shallow pool meant for relaxing. Both pools had been crowded the past two weeks. Now it was all theirs for the evening.
“Worth leaving the apartment and A/C?” he asked with a smirk.
She smacked his shoulder. “Yes, but did we really have to break in? I would still have appreciated it tomorrow during the daytime.”
Neal rubbed his arm playfully. “Tomorrow you would have to fight off a couple hundred cranky breeders for a chair, much less a spot in the pool. Let me tell you, it’s scary.”
“And you aren’t?”
He glared at her mockingly. “Funny.”
Sara laughed softly then nodded towards his bag. “I don’t suppose you have a swimsuit in there, do you?”
“Who says you need one?”
She raised an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth curled upwards. “Oh, really?”
“Mm-hmm…” Neal wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands dipping under her shirt and gently teasing her. “That’s the beauty of this - we have the place all to ourselves.”
She looked around cautiously, spotting the narrow windows near the ceiling. No one would see them.
“Well, in that case…” She trailed off and stepped back, kicking off her flip-flops and reached for the bottom of her t-shirt. Pulling it over her head, she dropped it on the floor. She then shimmied out of her shorts, and stood there in her underwear, her pale skin glowing under the night sky. With a saucy smile, she slowly peeled off her bra, and casually tossed it onto the growing piles of clothes.
Neal stared, slack-jawed, and felt a rush of blood go to his groin. Seconds later, she’d peeled off the last of her clothing, and was giving him a knowing grin as he drank in the sight of her. She reached up, pulled her hair out of the clip and shook her head, her hair spilling down around her shoulders. Her breasts jiggled, the nipples rosy and perky as they were exposed. He swallowed, feeling his body respond to the sight of her, but when he moved towards she smirked and turned, walking away from him with a sway in her hips.
Groaning, he watched as she sauntered over to the pool’s edge and paused, tossing a saucy smile over her shoulder at him. Slowly, one hand on the railing, she descended into the water, one step at a time, then dove in with a smooth arc of her back. Ten feet out into the pool, she resurfaced and ran her hands over her face, and pushed back her hair behind her ears. She looked up at him and smiled.
“Coming?”
Neal quickly reached for his own shirt, the blood pounding in his ears. He was less than graceful, as he stumbled kicking off his shoes, and pulled down his shorts and briefs. He heard Sara giggle lightly and tried not to think about what a sight he made right then. The fact that Sara hadn’t run off screaming this far into his pregnancy still amazed him.
He stopped and struck a pose, hand behind his head and jutting out his hip. “Am I rocking it, or what?”
Sara’s head fell back as she burst out laughing.
Grinning, he started walking to the pool, decidedly less sexy and without any swagger whatsoever, and carefully entered, sinking gratefully into the water. Immediately, he felt the weight of his belly and strain on his back disappear. He pushed through the water, making his way over to her. As he got closer, she started to push herself backward, kicking lightly, and grinned at him.
“Hey!” he cried out and her laughter filled the air.
Diving under the water, he swam to where she had stopped in the middle of the pool. He popped back up and drew in a deep breath. The water was now deeper where they were, and it came up to his neck. Sara, however, was slowly kicking, treading water to keep her head just above the water. She smiled broadly as she moved her arms around.
“So, good surprise?” he asked, admittedly feeling proud of himself.
“Very.” She grinned and shrugged lightly, bobbing gently in the water. “But I have to admit, this is my first time skinny dipping.”
His eyes widened. “Really?” He shook his head and smirked. "Wow, that’s a shame. I’ll definitely have to teach you on the do’s and don’ts.”
“Oh, such as?”
“One - make sure you’re alone,” he said, and did a quick check around the building, then glanced back at Sara with a wink. “Check.” He reached out and pulled her close. She stopped kicking and stood on her tiptoes, bringing her arms to rest around his neck. “Two - absolutely no clothes allowed.” His eyes fell to her chest and he grinned. “Definitely check.”
Sara laughed softly.
“And three-” he wrapped one hand around the back of her neck, “make out with the prettiest girl there.” She stilled and he leaned down, touching his lips to hers softly and kissed her with a slow, languid pace. Her lips parted and he gently pushed his tongue against hers. They danced around each other for several seconds before breaking apart to take a breath, and he dipped his head down again, hungrily kissing her.
He brought his other hand up, cupping her cheeks, and finally broke for air. Breathing heavily, he stared into her eyes and smiled, running his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek tenderly.
“I think I can handle that,” she murmured.
“Can you now? That’s very good to hear.” He dropped a kiss on her lips. “I think you have a very bright future ahead of you, Sara Ellis, especially with that attitude,” he added, the corner of his mouth curling up.
Sara smiled, and lightly played with the hair on the back of his neck. “Why, thank you. I’m pretty happy with how it’s going right now.”
He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. “Me too.” He paused, letting the moment sink in, then took a deep breath and looked up into her eyes. “Thank you.”
She frowned. “For what?”
Shaking his head, he simply smiled. “Everything. For… for just being you. For sticking around. Most people wouldn’t.”
“Well, I’m not most people.”
“No, you’re most definitely not.” He chuckled, tucking a tendril of her hair behind her ear. “Still, I know it’s not easy for you. And I can’t exactly give you a life out on the town, and I’m… well,” he glanced down at his belly and back up at her, and shrugged, “this.”
“You think I care about that?” She stared at him, wide-eyed. “Neal, when I look at you, I see YOU. And you are more than this,” she said, resting a hand on his belly.
Neal swallowed, and felt his heart lurch. “I’m not so sure you’ll say that in a couple of months,” he joked, his voice rough. She rolled her eyes. “Hey, you think I was kidding earlier? We’re scary in the last trimester, and even I’m tired of seeing pregnant bellies and floppy man boobs.”
She snickered. “Well, I can sympathize. I’ve been to the gym and seen some of those guys - albeit with beer bellies. It’s not a pretty look when they’re trying to pump weights with sweat pouring down their faces.” She put a hand on his chest and looked him in the eye. “But trust me, I can handle it. I would have already left if any of it bothered me.” Leaning in, she gave him a kiss. “Besides, you think I’d date just any pregnant guy?” She scoffed and shook her head. “Not a chance.”
“Oh, really?”
She nodded, smiling wide. “I’ll let you in on a secret - you’re the only guy I’d let someone come between us.”
He laughed. “Cute.” She shrugged, and gave him an impish grin. “Well, in that case…” He moved to pick her up, giving her butt a quick squeeze. She laughed, holding onto him tightly around his neck, and wrapped her legs around his waist. It was a tight, if slightly awkward position, but she didn’t appear to mind.
Instead she leaned in and kissed him soundly on the lips.
He stumbled back a few steps, and she held onto him as the water and gravity jostled them, but before he could gain his footing, he fell back, taking Sara with him. Her arms flailed out, sending a wave of water over their heads.
She broke the surface a moment later, kicking out and pushed her hair out of her face. Smiling, she shook her head and laughed. “See? Why would I give up this?”
*~*~*~*
A knock sounded on the front door, causing Neal to look up from his painting, and he smiled. The iambic pentameter was a dead giveaway as to who was visiting him, and he could always count on Mozzie to entertain him in some way. Putting down his brush, he wiped his hands on a rag and walked to the front door.
“Hey Moz,” he greeted his friend, pushing the door open wide.
“Neal,” Mozzie replied curtly, walking past him.
Shaking his head, Neal let the door close and followed Mozzie into the small living room. “What’s up?”
Mozzie looked up and paused, cocking his head to the side. “I think perhaps you should sit down.”
Neal raised an eyebrow. “Okay… you have me curious, and a bit worried.” Most of the time it was hard to take the older con man seriously, but his friend always had the best intentions. He just hoped Mozzie hadn’t gotten in over his head in whatever he was up to at the moment. Neal couldn’t exactly help out much.
Once Neal was seated on the couch, Mozzie paced for a bit, and Neal had to bite his tongue to keep from saying something that might cause a rise. Sometimes it was best to wait Mozzie out.
After a few moments, Mozzie finally seemed to get a handle on what he wanted to discuss and stopped in front of Neal. He wrung his hands together and took a deep breath. “Sara and I were scheduled to rendezvous yesterday in Central Park, and she didn’t show.”
“Rendezvous?” Neal blinked. Mozzie had grown to tolerate his girlfriend, but he’d never expected them to become fast friends. “Do I want to know why you’re meeting my girlfriend?” Behind my back, he refrained from adding. Not that he felt any fear of losing Sara to his best friend.
“She called for some help, which is neither here nor there,” Mozzie replied, waving his hands in the air.
Right, that made it so much better, Neal thought. “Okay… did you call her? I’m sure something just came up.”
Mozzie gave him a look and huffed. “When she did not return any of my messages, I called her office.”
Unfortunately, Neal knew that Mozzie’s ‘messages’ weren’t your normal voicemails, and felt a pang of sympathy for Sara. She must have really needed Mozzie’s help to reach out to him, and tolerate all his eccentricities.
“And, uh, well, there’s no easy way to tell you, but they informed me that she died Tuesday night.”
Neal’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “What? No, you can’t mean…”
His stomach dropped as he took in Mozzie’s somber expression. “No, no, no… she can’t be…” He felt his heart skip a beat, and he stood up, heart racing, running his hands through his hair.
There was no way she was gone. She was here just days ago, complaining of the heat, but oh, so alive.
“Moz, no, please don’t joke with me,” he turned to his friend, pleading with him. He pictured Sara smiling and laughing in his head, and couldn’t imagine anything else.
“I’m sorry, mon frère,” Mozzie replied sadly, and his quiet demeanor convinced Neal more than any words his friend might say. “I went to her place and it was cordoned off with police tape. I talked to neighbors, and they told me they heard a gunshot Tuesday night. Sally hacked the NYPD and got the police report. Someone entered her place, shot her twice with a silencer. But it appears Sara had her wits about her - she got a shot off. They found blood.”
Neal closed his eyes and felt his heart lodge in his throat. Oh God… Sara. The picture changed in his head and all he could see was blood. Staining her pale skin… pouring out of her. The beauty of her red hair eclipsed by the blood pool she laid in with her last breath.
He stumbled out of the room and dropped to the floor in his bathroom. His chest heaved and he threw up in the toilet. When he finally raised his head, a glass of water was pushed in front of his face and he took it without thinking, completely numb.
“I’m sorry, Neal.”
He stared at the wall, his eyes unfocused, and said nothing. Breathing heavily, he sat there dazed, and wondered if this was a nightmare.
“If you’re done, perhaps we should move this out of the bathroom. I think you’ve spent enough time here, as it is,” Mozzie suggested softly.
Neal shook his head, trying to clear the fog in his head. After a quick glance down, he grimaced, suddenly aware that, yes, he was back in his least favorite spot. He looked up, acknowledging his friend finally, who was uncharacteristically quiet and serious and nodded. “Yeah, sure,” he replied, his voice rough.
Handing the glass back to Mozzie, he gratefully took hold of Moz’s proffered hand and pushed himself up from the floor with a grunt. Without a word, they walked back to the kitchen, and Neal sank down in a chair. Holding his head in his hands, he closed his eyes and tried to push the image of a dying and scared Sara out of his head.
It didn’t feel real. He could still hear her voice, feel her touch…
He looked up at Mozzie, feeling lost and adrift. “How? I don’t get it…” he trailed off and took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.
“We’ll figure it out. Here, drink.” Mozzie put a glass of wine in front of him.
Neal raised an eyebrow.
“What? It’s not going to kill you to have one glass. And trust me, my friend, you need it right now.” He sat down and took a long drink from his own glass.
With a sigh, Neal picked it up and took a small sip, unable to argue that fact, and hard-pressed to deny his desire to drown himself in a lot more than a glass of wine.
“No one’s heard anything, and it’s a little hard to inquire since our people aren’t that fond of her type, but I’ve put out feelers. If this guy was shot, he probably didn’t go to a hospital. He’ll need drugs or a doctor. Hopefully he’s just holed up somewhere for now, which is good for us; this way, we know he won’t be leaving town anytime soon.”
Neal gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”
Mozzie leaned forward and he cocked his head slightly. “Look, I liked Sara, I did. She didn’t deserve to die like this. We’ll find whoever was responsible, Neal, I promise you. What can you tell me about what she was working on lately? I can’t see this as random.”
“True, but why her?” Neal shook his head. “We both know it’s not worth going after the insurance investigator.”
“Maybe not for the average thief,” Mozzie replied with a shrug, “but there had to be something worth killing her over. She probably just didn’t recognize it.”
With a pang in his heart, Neal thought back to the weekend, when he had teased Sara for always bringing cases with her. “She had several, but she’s been working hard on a case of stolen samurai bonds.”
“Samurai bonds?” Mozzie’s eyes lit up. “You know, I’ve always wanted to go after them. If you were still in the business, I’d suggest this would be a perfect time to forge some. No one would be the wiser.”
Neal glared at him, and Mozzie visibly shrank back. “Right, not the time. So did she have anyone in her sights yet?”
Rubbing his eyes, he sighed. “Yeah, some real estate guy. Umm… Edgar Halbridge, I think was his name.”
“Good, I’ll look into him. I’ll get Sally to help, too.” Mozzie took another long drink of his wine, nearly draining it, then set the glass down and fingered the stem absently, looking uncomfortable in the accompanying silence.
Neal closed his eyes wearily. “Moz, no offense, but go home. I need some time to myself.”
“Are you sure? I can stay, it’s no problem.”
He opened his eyes and gave him a look. “Yes. Besides, I need you to find this guy, and you can’t do that here.”
Mozzie stood up and paused next to him. Patting Neal on his shoulder awkwardly, Moz said softly, “I’m really sorry, Neal.”
Neal was silent. Moz sighed and left the apartment quietly. When the door shut with a soft click, Neal felt himself finally break. Lashing out, he sent the wine glass flying with a sweep of his hand. It crashed to the floor, but he ignored it. His shoulders shook violently and he felt his lungs close up on him as he gasped for breath. Hanging his head in his hands, he sobbed, the tears falling down his cheeks unrestrained as the truth sunk in.
Sara was gone.
He watched, out of the corner of his eye, as the dark red liquid spilled over the floor, and all he could think of was Sara lying on the ground. The life pouring out of her. Alone.
And now so was he.
Part Two
Author: reve_silencieux
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: Neal, Sara, Mozzie, Neal/Sara
Spoilers: None
Warnings: mpreg
Word Count: 16,400 (This chapter: 4,500)
Beta: sherylyn
Summary: Several months into Neal's cycle, it's summer and hot, and unfortunately, it's going to get a little rougher for Neal after he receives some news...
Series: Once Upon Another Time
Author's Note: I started writing this way too long ago, and it actually started out as two separate (short!) fic ideas, then I combined them when I realized they went together, and it turned epic. I had hoped to post this while it was still summer, but oh well... It's still hot at least. Title is from Jetta's Take It Easy.
“I hate summer.”
The declaration was made with little fanfare, and Neal looked up from his perch on the sofa to see Sara’s slender high-heeled foot kick the front door shut. To say she didn’t look happy was an understatement. Her ice blue blouse was a mottled swirl of dark blue sweat stains under her arms and across her chest.
“Join the club,” he joked and placed his book down on the floor.
Her face crumpled and she closed her eyes, bringing a hand to her head. “Shit, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to complain, really, it’s just way too hot for me.”
Neal grinned and pushed himself up from the couch. “Hey, don’t sweat it.” She opened her eyes and glared at him. He chuckled and they both moved to meet in the middle of the living room. “Just because I’m carrying a good twenty extra pounds doesn’t mean you can’t complain that you’re miserable, too. I think the entire east coast feels the same way.”
After a pleasant, but unexpectedly wet and cool May, June had been warm and mostly dry - nothing to complain horribly about, but the beginning of July had bloomed hot and humid. They were now into their second week of soaring temperatures, well into the 90’s, and everyone was cranky. At twenty-eight weeks pregnant, he was more than ready for summer to be over. And as much as he liked being home during the holidays, he hated having summer cycles.
“I’m just so hot,” she griped and plucked her blouse from her skin with a repulsed look. It clung to her every curve.
He grinned. “Why yes, yes you are,” he agreed and pulled her into his arms. She rolled her eyes, resting her arms around his neck.
“I’m sweaty and disgusting, Neal. I just spent an hour on the train with a hundred other sweaty and disgusting people. Right now, all I want to do is get out of these clothes-” He waggled his eyebrows, and she lightly smacked the back of his head. “-don’t even go there!” She ignored his mock-pout and continued, “I want a shower, and then I want to plop myself directly under the A/C.”
Neal looked up at the ceiling, then moved them over a couple feet beneath a vent. When the cool air hit them, she sighed happily.
“I’m officially jealous - your A/C actually works. If it weren’t for the commute, you’d probably have a roommate. You don’t have to pay for that, do you?”
He chuckled and shook his head. “Nope, all utilities are paid for, thankfully. I think they’d have a riot otherwise, or very few volunteers.”
“No kidding,” she replied with a grimace. “I just hope the power doesn’t go out. They’re having problems in the city.”
“We’re exempt from brownouts, but we have backup power generators just in case. Trust me, it’s not pretty when the A/C goes out. They have maintenance staff on hand and they’re kept pretty busy from what I hear.”
“Good to know. Now excuse me while I go wash off this layer of grime. I promise I’ll be in better spirits once I feel human again.” She gave him a quick kiss, then walked off to the bedroom.
Since her return from her trip, and their subsequent declarations of love, Neal had felt more at ease, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. While he had come to accept his life over the past few years, most days went by in a blur, where the days and weeks stretched out and no end ever seemed in sight. Now he had her visits to look forward to, and the days flew by quicker than they ever had before.
It was both good and bad, seeing as his pregnancy had progressed and his stomach grew at the same rapid speed. He was now about to start his third trimester and the heat combined with his unwieldy frame were starting to drain on him. But for Sara he was trying to keep a smile on his face. She was still making the effort to visit him, so she deserved a pleasant weekend, if not an attentive boyfriend that didn’t make her feel like she had wasted her time.
Granted, things had become a bit more uncomfortable as the weeks went by. Kate had left him after five months, so they had ventured into new territory as his belly became more pronounced and they had to get creative. Sara surprised him in that respect, willing to try just about anything. There were plenty of laughs and bumbling attempts, much to his chagrin, but she didn’t seem to mind.
He really didn’t deserve her.
Now as she sat at the table, chatting away about her latest case and he finished tossing the (cold) pasta salad, he was struck with an idea. Some days he wished he could treat her to more - be it a night out to see a play, or dinner at a restaurant they hadn’t gone to several times already. She never complained, and certainly they would make up for it during his break, but he tried his best to make their weekends special whenever he could.
And tonight he had the perfect idea.
*~*~*~*
“I’m going to have to take another shower after this - whatever this is. How long until we get there?”
Neal grinned, but refused to give in to her not-so-subtle interrogation. He swung their joined hands playfully in the air and she sighed loudly. Earlier, Sara had been vocal with her less-than-enthusiastic desire to venture outside and leave the comfort of the air conditioning. Especially when he didn’t tell her where they were going or what they would be doing.
There were many things that Sara Ellis would do for the sake of her job, but outside of that, she was a creature of comfort. She had only grudgingly acquiesced when he told her that she didn’t have to dress up, and could stay in her comfortable clothes - as long as she didn’t mind being seen in them if they passed anyone.
“And as much as I like your romantic side, I’m not in the mood for star gazing,” she continued, eyeing the bag he held in his other hand, which he, of course, had not allowed her to look inside.
He chuckled. It wasn’t a bad idea, though even he wasn’t willing to stay outside long, either. Even if it weren’t for the heat, the bugs would be out. “No star gazing. Now, please, just trust me, I know you’ll like it.”
Her eyes narrowed and she still looked slightly suspicious, but she didn’t protest anymore, thankfully.
Tugging on her hand, he led them towards a jogging trail that looped around the campus. It was a quiet night, and they had only passed a few people, but the trail was completely empty. They walked for a few minutes in silence, and Neal glanced up at the night sky. The new moon was hidden behind the clouds, leaving them blanketed in the darkness, with only a scattering of stars dimly lighting their way.
It was peaceful, and altogether appropriate and helpful for his plan.
Slowing down a couple minutes later, he glanced over his shoulder. They were alone. He pulled away from Sara, and started towards the back door of a building just off the path.
“Neal?” Sara asked hesitantly, her voice just above a whisper.
He waved her on, and kept walking until he reached the building. Dropping his bag, he slid his lock picks out of his back pocket and got working on the door.
“Neal!” Sara hissed, and glanced around wildly then back at him. “What are you doing?”
Glancing up, he grinned. “Trust me.”
“We couldn’t just go through the front door?”
He shook his head. “Nope. They lock up at six.”
Sara sighed. She turned her back, and went to keep watch for anyone coming their way. Neal knew they were safe, but he appreciated her mindset. He liked knowing she would have his back, even if she probably wasn’t too happy with him right now. She would change her mind in a moment though.
The lock clicked open and he straightened, putting his lock picks away. “Done.” He opened the door and held out his arm when Sara turned back around. “After you.”
“Just please tell me we don’t have to skirt around cameras like criminals. I am not wearing the right shoes for that.”
Picking up his bag, Neal eyed her flip-flops and chuckled, then shook his head, following her inside. “No cameras. The only cameras on campus are at the hospital, building entrances and the front gate. Just gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling, doesn’t it?”
He started walking down the back hallway, Sara trailing behind slowly, and seconds later he heard her gasp, their destination clear when the smell of chlorine wafted through the air. They turned one final corner and found themselves at the entrance to the large natatorium. There were two pools - one a large lap pool, and the other a shallow pool meant for relaxing. Both pools had been crowded the past two weeks. Now it was all theirs for the evening.
“Worth leaving the apartment and A/C?” he asked with a smirk.
She smacked his shoulder. “Yes, but did we really have to break in? I would still have appreciated it tomorrow during the daytime.”
Neal rubbed his arm playfully. “Tomorrow you would have to fight off a couple hundred cranky breeders for a chair, much less a spot in the pool. Let me tell you, it’s scary.”
“And you aren’t?”
He glared at her mockingly. “Funny.”
Sara laughed softly then nodded towards his bag. “I don’t suppose you have a swimsuit in there, do you?”
“Who says you need one?”
She raised an eyebrow and the corner of her mouth curled upwards. “Oh, really?”
“Mm-hmm…” Neal wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands dipping under her shirt and gently teasing her. “That’s the beauty of this - we have the place all to ourselves.”
She looked around cautiously, spotting the narrow windows near the ceiling. No one would see them.
“Well, in that case…” She trailed off and stepped back, kicking off her flip-flops and reached for the bottom of her t-shirt. Pulling it over her head, she dropped it on the floor. She then shimmied out of her shorts, and stood there in her underwear, her pale skin glowing under the night sky. With a saucy smile, she slowly peeled off her bra, and casually tossed it onto the growing piles of clothes.
Neal stared, slack-jawed, and felt a rush of blood go to his groin. Seconds later, she’d peeled off the last of her clothing, and was giving him a knowing grin as he drank in the sight of her. She reached up, pulled her hair out of the clip and shook her head, her hair spilling down around her shoulders. Her breasts jiggled, the nipples rosy and perky as they were exposed. He swallowed, feeling his body respond to the sight of her, but when he moved towards she smirked and turned, walking away from him with a sway in her hips.
Groaning, he watched as she sauntered over to the pool’s edge and paused, tossing a saucy smile over her shoulder at him. Slowly, one hand on the railing, she descended into the water, one step at a time, then dove in with a smooth arc of her back. Ten feet out into the pool, she resurfaced and ran her hands over her face, and pushed back her hair behind her ears. She looked up at him and smiled.
“Coming?”
Neal quickly reached for his own shirt, the blood pounding in his ears. He was less than graceful, as he stumbled kicking off his shoes, and pulled down his shorts and briefs. He heard Sara giggle lightly and tried not to think about what a sight he made right then. The fact that Sara hadn’t run off screaming this far into his pregnancy still amazed him.
He stopped and struck a pose, hand behind his head and jutting out his hip. “Am I rocking it, or what?”
Sara’s head fell back as she burst out laughing.
Grinning, he started walking to the pool, decidedly less sexy and without any swagger whatsoever, and carefully entered, sinking gratefully into the water. Immediately, he felt the weight of his belly and strain on his back disappear. He pushed through the water, making his way over to her. As he got closer, she started to push herself backward, kicking lightly, and grinned at him.
“Hey!” he cried out and her laughter filled the air.
Diving under the water, he swam to where she had stopped in the middle of the pool. He popped back up and drew in a deep breath. The water was now deeper where they were, and it came up to his neck. Sara, however, was slowly kicking, treading water to keep her head just above the water. She smiled broadly as she moved her arms around.
“So, good surprise?” he asked, admittedly feeling proud of himself.
“Very.” She grinned and shrugged lightly, bobbing gently in the water. “But I have to admit, this is my first time skinny dipping.”
His eyes widened. “Really?” He shook his head and smirked. "Wow, that’s a shame. I’ll definitely have to teach you on the do’s and don’ts.”
“Oh, such as?”
“One - make sure you’re alone,” he said, and did a quick check around the building, then glanced back at Sara with a wink. “Check.” He reached out and pulled her close. She stopped kicking and stood on her tiptoes, bringing her arms to rest around his neck. “Two - absolutely no clothes allowed.” His eyes fell to her chest and he grinned. “Definitely check.”
Sara laughed softly.
“And three-” he wrapped one hand around the back of her neck, “make out with the prettiest girl there.” She stilled and he leaned down, touching his lips to hers softly and kissed her with a slow, languid pace. Her lips parted and he gently pushed his tongue against hers. They danced around each other for several seconds before breaking apart to take a breath, and he dipped his head down again, hungrily kissing her.
He brought his other hand up, cupping her cheeks, and finally broke for air. Breathing heavily, he stared into her eyes and smiled, running his thumb over the soft skin of her cheek tenderly.
“I think I can handle that,” she murmured.
“Can you now? That’s very good to hear.” He dropped a kiss on her lips. “I think you have a very bright future ahead of you, Sara Ellis, especially with that attitude,” he added, the corner of his mouth curling up.
Sara smiled, and lightly played with the hair on the back of his neck. “Why, thank you. I’m pretty happy with how it’s going right now.”
He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. “Me too.” He paused, letting the moment sink in, then took a deep breath and looked up into her eyes. “Thank you.”
She frowned. “For what?”
Shaking his head, he simply smiled. “Everything. For… for just being you. For sticking around. Most people wouldn’t.”
“Well, I’m not most people.”
“No, you’re most definitely not.” He chuckled, tucking a tendril of her hair behind her ear. “Still, I know it’s not easy for you. And I can’t exactly give you a life out on the town, and I’m… well,” he glanced down at his belly and back up at her, and shrugged, “this.”
“You think I care about that?” She stared at him, wide-eyed. “Neal, when I look at you, I see YOU. And you are more than this,” she said, resting a hand on his belly.
Neal swallowed, and felt his heart lurch. “I’m not so sure you’ll say that in a couple of months,” he joked, his voice rough. She rolled her eyes. “Hey, you think I was kidding earlier? We’re scary in the last trimester, and even I’m tired of seeing pregnant bellies and floppy man boobs.”
She snickered. “Well, I can sympathize. I’ve been to the gym and seen some of those guys - albeit with beer bellies. It’s not a pretty look when they’re trying to pump weights with sweat pouring down their faces.” She put a hand on his chest and looked him in the eye. “But trust me, I can handle it. I would have already left if any of it bothered me.” Leaning in, she gave him a kiss. “Besides, you think I’d date just any pregnant guy?” She scoffed and shook her head. “Not a chance.”
“Oh, really?”
She nodded, smiling wide. “I’ll let you in on a secret - you’re the only guy I’d let someone come between us.”
He laughed. “Cute.” She shrugged, and gave him an impish grin. “Well, in that case…” He moved to pick her up, giving her butt a quick squeeze. She laughed, holding onto him tightly around his neck, and wrapped her legs around his waist. It was a tight, if slightly awkward position, but she didn’t appear to mind.
Instead she leaned in and kissed him soundly on the lips.
He stumbled back a few steps, and she held onto him as the water and gravity jostled them, but before he could gain his footing, he fell back, taking Sara with him. Her arms flailed out, sending a wave of water over their heads.
She broke the surface a moment later, kicking out and pushed her hair out of her face. Smiling, she shook her head and laughed. “See? Why would I give up this?”
*~*~*~*
A knock sounded on the front door, causing Neal to look up from his painting, and he smiled. The iambic pentameter was a dead giveaway as to who was visiting him, and he could always count on Mozzie to entertain him in some way. Putting down his brush, he wiped his hands on a rag and walked to the front door.
“Hey Moz,” he greeted his friend, pushing the door open wide.
“Neal,” Mozzie replied curtly, walking past him.
Shaking his head, Neal let the door close and followed Mozzie into the small living room. “What’s up?”
Mozzie looked up and paused, cocking his head to the side. “I think perhaps you should sit down.”
Neal raised an eyebrow. “Okay… you have me curious, and a bit worried.” Most of the time it was hard to take the older con man seriously, but his friend always had the best intentions. He just hoped Mozzie hadn’t gotten in over his head in whatever he was up to at the moment. Neal couldn’t exactly help out much.
Once Neal was seated on the couch, Mozzie paced for a bit, and Neal had to bite his tongue to keep from saying something that might cause a rise. Sometimes it was best to wait Mozzie out.
After a few moments, Mozzie finally seemed to get a handle on what he wanted to discuss and stopped in front of Neal. He wrung his hands together and took a deep breath. “Sara and I were scheduled to rendezvous yesterday in Central Park, and she didn’t show.”
“Rendezvous?” Neal blinked. Mozzie had grown to tolerate his girlfriend, but he’d never expected them to become fast friends. “Do I want to know why you’re meeting my girlfriend?” Behind my back, he refrained from adding. Not that he felt any fear of losing Sara to his best friend.
“She called for some help, which is neither here nor there,” Mozzie replied, waving his hands in the air.
Right, that made it so much better, Neal thought. “Okay… did you call her? I’m sure something just came up.”
Mozzie gave him a look and huffed. “When she did not return any of my messages, I called her office.”
Unfortunately, Neal knew that Mozzie’s ‘messages’ weren’t your normal voicemails, and felt a pang of sympathy for Sara. She must have really needed Mozzie’s help to reach out to him, and tolerate all his eccentricities.
“And, uh, well, there’s no easy way to tell you, but they informed me that she died Tuesday night.”
Neal’s eyes widened, and he shook his head. “What? No, you can’t mean…”
His stomach dropped as he took in Mozzie’s somber expression. “No, no, no… she can’t be…” He felt his heart skip a beat, and he stood up, heart racing, running his hands through his hair.
There was no way she was gone. She was here just days ago, complaining of the heat, but oh, so alive.
“Moz, no, please don’t joke with me,” he turned to his friend, pleading with him. He pictured Sara smiling and laughing in his head, and couldn’t imagine anything else.
“I’m sorry, mon frère,” Mozzie replied sadly, and his quiet demeanor convinced Neal more than any words his friend might say. “I went to her place and it was cordoned off with police tape. I talked to neighbors, and they told me they heard a gunshot Tuesday night. Sally hacked the NYPD and got the police report. Someone entered her place, shot her twice with a silencer. But it appears Sara had her wits about her - she got a shot off. They found blood.”
Neal closed his eyes and felt his heart lodge in his throat. Oh God… Sara. The picture changed in his head and all he could see was blood. Staining her pale skin… pouring out of her. The beauty of her red hair eclipsed by the blood pool she laid in with her last breath.
He stumbled out of the room and dropped to the floor in his bathroom. His chest heaved and he threw up in the toilet. When he finally raised his head, a glass of water was pushed in front of his face and he took it without thinking, completely numb.
“I’m sorry, Neal.”
He stared at the wall, his eyes unfocused, and said nothing. Breathing heavily, he sat there dazed, and wondered if this was a nightmare.
“If you’re done, perhaps we should move this out of the bathroom. I think you’ve spent enough time here, as it is,” Mozzie suggested softly.
Neal shook his head, trying to clear the fog in his head. After a quick glance down, he grimaced, suddenly aware that, yes, he was back in his least favorite spot. He looked up, acknowledging his friend finally, who was uncharacteristically quiet and serious and nodded. “Yeah, sure,” he replied, his voice rough.
Handing the glass back to Mozzie, he gratefully took hold of Moz’s proffered hand and pushed himself up from the floor with a grunt. Without a word, they walked back to the kitchen, and Neal sank down in a chair. Holding his head in his hands, he closed his eyes and tried to push the image of a dying and scared Sara out of his head.
It didn’t feel real. He could still hear her voice, feel her touch…
He looked up at Mozzie, feeling lost and adrift. “How? I don’t get it…” he trailed off and took a deep breath, forcing back the tears that threatened to overwhelm him.
“We’ll figure it out. Here, drink.” Mozzie put a glass of wine in front of him.
Neal raised an eyebrow.
“What? It’s not going to kill you to have one glass. And trust me, my friend, you need it right now.” He sat down and took a long drink from his own glass.
With a sigh, Neal picked it up and took a small sip, unable to argue that fact, and hard-pressed to deny his desire to drown himself in a lot more than a glass of wine.
“No one’s heard anything, and it’s a little hard to inquire since our people aren’t that fond of her type, but I’ve put out feelers. If this guy was shot, he probably didn’t go to a hospital. He’ll need drugs or a doctor. Hopefully he’s just holed up somewhere for now, which is good for us; this way, we know he won’t be leaving town anytime soon.”
Neal gave him a small smile. “Thanks.”
Mozzie leaned forward and he cocked his head slightly. “Look, I liked Sara, I did. She didn’t deserve to die like this. We’ll find whoever was responsible, Neal, I promise you. What can you tell me about what she was working on lately? I can’t see this as random.”
“True, but why her?” Neal shook his head. “We both know it’s not worth going after the insurance investigator.”
“Maybe not for the average thief,” Mozzie replied with a shrug, “but there had to be something worth killing her over. She probably just didn’t recognize it.”
With a pang in his heart, Neal thought back to the weekend, when he had teased Sara for always bringing cases with her. “She had several, but she’s been working hard on a case of stolen samurai bonds.”
“Samurai bonds?” Mozzie’s eyes lit up. “You know, I’ve always wanted to go after them. If you were still in the business, I’d suggest this would be a perfect time to forge some. No one would be the wiser.”
Neal glared at him, and Mozzie visibly shrank back. “Right, not the time. So did she have anyone in her sights yet?”
Rubbing his eyes, he sighed. “Yeah, some real estate guy. Umm… Edgar Halbridge, I think was his name.”
“Good, I’ll look into him. I’ll get Sally to help, too.” Mozzie took another long drink of his wine, nearly draining it, then set the glass down and fingered the stem absently, looking uncomfortable in the accompanying silence.
Neal closed his eyes wearily. “Moz, no offense, but go home. I need some time to myself.”
“Are you sure? I can stay, it’s no problem.”
He opened his eyes and gave him a look. “Yes. Besides, I need you to find this guy, and you can’t do that here.”
Mozzie stood up and paused next to him. Patting Neal on his shoulder awkwardly, Moz said softly, “I’m really sorry, Neal.”
Neal was silent. Moz sighed and left the apartment quietly. When the door shut with a soft click, Neal felt himself finally break. Lashing out, he sent the wine glass flying with a sweep of his hand. It crashed to the floor, but he ignored it. His shoulders shook violently and he felt his lungs close up on him as he gasped for breath. Hanging his head in his hands, he sobbed, the tears falling down his cheeks unrestrained as the truth sunk in.
Sara was gone.
He watched, out of the corner of his eye, as the dark red liquid spilled over the floor, and all he could think of was Sara lying on the ground. The life pouring out of her. Alone.
And now so was he.
Part Two