wmc jill / lindsay Taking the Steps Ch 25
Title Taking the Steps ch 25
pairing lindsay and jil
rating 15 yr
disclaimer I don't own these characters in any way shape or form
Jill stared out the window of her bedroom and silently watched the rain. Sleep once again was eluding her but for an entirely different reason. Knowing Lindsay was asleep just down the hall was playing havoc with her thoughts. She'd take a cold shower but she was afraid it would wake the woman that had starred in her erotic dream. Jill crossed her arms and wondered what had happened with her two friends. She couldn't help worrying about both Cindy and Lindsay. Her own interest in Lindsay had to remain private especially until she was sure they were definitely over. Jill sighed in frustration. She really needed a cold shower.
“ Hey, bad dream?” Lindsay asked causing the blonde to jump out of her skin.
“ Uh, yeah. It was bad.” Jill murmured uncomfortably. What kind of bad was her secret.
Distractedly, she took in Lindsay's plaid pj bottoms and SFPD t- shirt and couldn't help smiling. Lindsay guessed the source of Jill's smile and grinned,
“ I know, the shirt should be thrown out.”
“ It's so you.” Jill chuckled.
“ You're one to talk standing there in that men's shirt. “ Lindsay teased trying not to look too closely at the skin showing at Jill's throat. What was it with her and buttons? Lindsay scratched her neck and gestured to the bed.
“ Why don't you at least lie down.”
“ Going to tell me a bedtime story Boxer?” Jill grinned crawling back in bed. Lindsay smiled and pulled the blanket up around her.
“ Sure, how about The Princess and the Pea?”
“ Too tame.” Jill said with a smile.
“ You ok? “ Lindsay asked gently.
“ I'm fine. Go back to bed.”
“ In a minute.” Lindsay replied sitting beside her.
“ Linds, what happened with Cindy?” Jill asked gently.
“ Just not forever.” Lindsay shrugged picking at the bedspread.
“ Whose decision?”
“ Both of us actually. I guess after Tom married and I broke up with Pete, I just fooled myself into seeing Cindy a certain way. I mean, she's great- I love her to pieces but- “
“ Not forever?”
“ I'm starting to like everything being a certain way. Cindy is - Cindy. All energy and adorable but it wasn't, I don't know.” Lindsay faltered knowing she couldn't very well say she was in love with someone else.
“ I'm sorry. Is Cindy ok? “ Jill asked.
“ She knew before I did I think. And there's Chloe.” Lindsay smiled.
“ The photographer. “ Jill nodded.
“ Push over.” Lindsay ordered stretching out on the bed. Jill tried to keep her heart from beating a mile a minute. They had done this a thousand times before. Lying beside each other and talking was a normal thing for them except now, of course, she was available and so was Lindsay.
“ We're ok. Neither one of us got hurt and our friendship is intact. How's that for a civilized break up?”
Lindsay smiled.
“ I'm glad. Not that you broke up- but that you both are ok.” Jill stammered.
~~~
Denise eyed Gates in frustration and tossed the file over to him. Shooting to his feet he headed for the door barely nodding at Jacobi as he walked in. Denise grimly watched the inspector sit down and sighed. Jacobi frowned and looked at her questioningly.
“ If our witness tanks, Peters will walk.” she said in a tight voice.
Jacobi smiled now realizing the tone that they all thought was cold was just a fascade. Denise Kwon had surprised him and in a good way.
“ Warren, Jill is going to be devastated.” Denise said grimly.
“ You can only do what you can do. One way or another, we'll get him. His kind always mess up eventually.”
“ That may be but he's a freakin Houdini when it comes to serving time. I'm worried, really worried.”
~~~
Jill felt the gentle squeeze of her hand and turned to look at Cindy. Forcing a smile, she leaned over as Cindy whispered,
“ Claire is on her way and Lindsay said she'll be here in thirty minutes. “
“ Ok.” Jill nodded . Cindy worriedly kept hold of her friend's hand as they listened to Gates. Jill shook her head and frowned. This was not going well. For once, Jill could sympathise with Denise. Brenda Coombs was a prosecutor's worst nightmare. Jill felt the bile rolling in her stomach. She could smell the verdict already.
Lindsay sank into the seat beside Jill and instinctively put her hand on her shoulder. The two exchanged looks and Lindsay's heart sank. She knew with that one look that Peters was going to walk. Jill always knew when a case soured. Lindsay silently cursed a blue streak and listened as Peters's attorney made mincemeat out of Brenda Coombs.
Papa Joe's was noisy and busy, as usual, but the four women sat unable to even manage the barest of conversations. Three of them spoke to each other with their eyes. All three were worried about the blonde as Jill stared at her drink. Ironically, she didn't want it. Ironically, Claire had insisted she needed it.
“ I remember the first time he came in my room- how many other girls did he molest or rape? “ Jill mused in a dazed voice. Absently she rubbed her lips and stared outside. People were hurrying by in both directions. Jill absently wondered if they even knew Leonard Peters, a rapist, was about to go free because of a slick lawyer and a scared witness who had folded under cross examination. Probably not.
Jill turned as Lindsay's cellphone chimed. Lindsay read the text.
“ The jury is coming back.” she said tonelessly.
~~~
It was strange. Jill had known the verdict before the foreman even stood up, yet, it still took her breath away. Lindsay's arm tightened around her as the courtroom erupted with a mixture of reactions. Claire blinked hard and watched Leonard Peters slap his lawyer on the back and shake his hand. Cindy didn't bother wiping at the tears that ran down her face.
Jacobi looked over to Lindsay and frowned. The brunette looked devastated. Grimly, he turned his attention to the acting DA. The petite attorney sat ramrod straight. Jacobi sighed and rubbed his jaw.. There would be no one walking away from this case unscathed. He frowned wondering what could have been done differently. He and Lindsay could have put more into the investigation than Morley He'd disagreed with Tom's decision to take them off the case. He felt somewhat disloyal to his friend but Tom had made a bad call and he suspected it had been rooted in his own history with Jill and Lindsay.
Lindsay physically began moving Jill out of the courtroom only to be blocked by the mass exodus. Jill ceased to move as Peters approached.
“ Jill. It's so good to see you.” he smiled
“ Get the hell away from her Peters.” Lindsay spat.
“ Or what? Are you going to hit me again? Lots of witnesses this time.” Peters chuckled.
“ Move along Peters.” Jacobi ordered moving pointedly between Peters and Jill. Peters laughed and looked passed him to the blonde.
“ Quite the little army of protectors you have there Jill. That's ok, they don't know how it is between us do they?”
“ Move it Peters!”
“ I can almost taste your sweet lips Jill. Soon sweetheart.” he smirked watching as the blonde paled.
Jacobi muttered an oath and forcibly dragged Peters out of the courtroom. Lindsay rounded on Jill and anxiously gripped her arms,
“ Jill, look at me. Sweetie, look at me! Nothing's going to happen to you. We won't let it. I swear on everything holy- he won't hurt you! “
“ Linds-” Jill shook her head.
“ Fuck! “ Lindsay hissed hugging the blonde close.