The High Life (11/? Shannon/Stella)
Title: The High Life
Author: wiked_nachos
Fandom/Pairing: Rush - Shannon/Stella
Summary: Stella's brother Frank is slowly becoming corrupt from the influences of gangs and tastes of the high life. Unknowingly and unwillingly, he involves her in the dispute with a local gang who holds a lot of power in the area. On top of recovering from being thrown into the consequences of her brother screwing over a violent gang of drug addicts and traffickers, Stella has to deal with a long-lasting not-so-secret relationship at work, a clingly ex-fling and a stalker. How will Shannon and Stella survive these rough times? Together or apart? As friends or lovers?
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Rush so this could really happen more than once a week for more than one hour every time.
A/N: Sorry this took time to post, writers block sucks arse
After recovering from their hangovers, Shannon and Stella spent the morning cuddled up in bed, hands venturing ever so slightly, kisses moving across skin that was nowhere near their lips. Shannon was currently half sitting up against the pillows of her bed, her singlet top pushed up just below her breasts, exposing her flat stomach. Stella had shuffled down with a grin on her face, letting her nose brush along the smooth skin, while peppering kisses ever so often. The older woman's hands were brushing through Stella's hair. Stella had made it her mission to make Shannon laugh. Her laugh was fast becoming Stella's favourite sound on Earth.
"Stel, you're tickling me," giggled the Senior Sergeant.
Stella lifted her head in the middle of pressing another kiss to her navel. "I am doing no such thing!"
"Your hair is." She giggled again, arching slightly into Stella's touch.
"You seem kind of," started Stella, pulling herself up to lay fully on top of Shannon and attach her lips to Shannon's neck. "Tense."
"Can you blame me? I am currently laying underneath a gorgeous woman, who happens to be teasing me when I still have six weeks left on my celibacy vow," she deadpanned, having paused in the middle of her sentence when Stella hit that spot in the crook of her neck. "It's been a while Stel."
"Are you sure you're going to be able to make it another six weeks?"
"If I don't, you are so not getting any."
Shannon rolled them over and fused Stella's lips to her own as they began a rather heavy make-out session. After the drama of the past four weeks, they were helping each other to heal from the emotional and physical strains of their lives. Stella was doing her best to have her girlfriend smile at the tiniest things. Since the knowledge that Kronin's new associate was Shannon's father, she had been treated differently by Michael and Lawson. Their boss was pissed that she hadn't told him and continued to remind her whenever she made the littlest mistake. Michael was more pissed at the fact that a team mate's father was involved with the guy who had beaten him up.
The two members of TR spent their weekend mainly wrapped up in each other, ignoring the outside world and the people in it until Kerry called early Sunday night. Shannon and Stella were dancing in the kitchen to the stereo system, while they attempted to cook dinner. When the phone rang, Shannon was in mid twirl. Despite the current situation of Stella being stalked, they had a fairly easy time forgetting about it.
"Stella, its Kerry."
"Hey, boss lady what's up?" Stella laughed over the phone. Shannon was standing in front of her with a hand on either side the bench, trapping the younger woman against the bench again; the stir fry on the stove momentarily forgotten as she stared into Stella's pale blue eyes.
"What did I tell you about calling me that?"
Stella quickly changed her approach. "What can I do for you Kerry?"
"Are you able to come down to the base tonight? I need you to identify someone," said the Inspector.
"Identify who?"
"Leon noticed a man entering your apartment four times since you've been at Shannon's. He's shorter than your description but he has a key every time. We need a positive ID from you to grab him."
"Has there been anything around Josh's?" asked Stella.
Shannon had noticed that her girlfriend had gone quiet during her conversation with Kerry and watched carefully, trying to clue in on what they were talking about.
"Nothing. Just yours. So can you come in tonight? If not, you can come in early tomorrow."
"Give us half an hour?" proposed Stella, sneaking a look at the stove top and then motioning to Shannon. Their dinner was on its way to becoming charcoal and Shannon turned around to quickly dish it.
Stella ended the call with Kerry and looked at the phone for a moment before raising her eyes to Shannon in front of her. Her girlfriend looked concerned and let the younger woman take a moment to digest whatever she had been told.
"What's going on?" Shannon's head was tilted to the side with curiosity.
"Leon's found a guy going into my apartment on that camera four times since I've been here. He has a key to my apartment," said Stella, unconsciously rubbing her fingers over the small faded cut on her temple. "Kerry wants me to go in and see if I can identify him from the footage."
Shannon moved forwards again and brushed her hands down either side of Stella's face, pushing little bits of hair aside and settled them on her neck, pressing a kiss to the healing injury. "How are you going to know if it's the guy who attacked you?"
Stella snuggled in close. "I won't. I guess she just wants to see if I know him from anywhere else."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"Please?"
"Of course," agreed Shannon, pulling the brunette into her for a kiss. "When do we have to be at the base?"
"In about twenty five minutes."
"Okay, we may as well leave now," said Shannon, moving their dishes to the microwave.
They didn't bother with making themselves decent, deciding on the tracky pants and t-shirts they already had on with some street shoes. Stella stole the jacket that was hanging over the back of the couch, unsure if it was hers or Shannon's. It was a quiet twenty minute drive, the radio was turned off and all either of them could hear was the car's engine, other cars zooming past and Stella's thoughts. She was trying to think of people who had grudges or obsessions, people she didn't like who knew where she lived. She came up blank and Shannon could hear Stella's thoughts hit the brick wall hard several times before they make it to base.
When they walked in, they made no attempt at hiding any affection they had for one another with an arm around shoulders and waists, and played it off as comforting a friend when Leon asked. Ever since Detective Sam Stone had mentioned that Stella and Shannon were 'dating' to the group, Leon had taken it upon himself to look for minor details in their behaviour.
Kerry was waiting for them behind Leon as he played with the settings of a screen capture. There was a blurry image of Stella's front door, and a man looking over his shoulder up and down the staircase as he pushed the key into the lock.
"Hey, girls," said Kerry. "How much longer, Leon?"
"A couple of minutes."
"What are you doing?" asked Shannon, taking a seat next to the tech-head.
"Just trying to filter the image to get a better quality."
The four of them sat in silence as the tiny bar ran over the image repeatedly, creating a clearer image all together. It took Stella all of six seconds to recognise who had been illegally entering her apartment with key that should've existed. She could notice the ratty brown hair anywhere and the glasses were a dead giveaway. Kerry had barely gotten the question out of her mouth when it was answered.
"Dayle."
"Got a last name?" asked their boss.
"I've never taken notice. He's just Dayle to everyone."
"Who's everyone?"
"Everyone in my apartment building. He's the maintenance worker for my building. He fixed my sliding door about a month ago," explained Stella. "He's never given any indication of fixations on people at all, let alone me. He's too shy."
"Well, even if he isn't your stalker, he's still breaking and entering your apartment."
"I'd be curious to know where he got a copy of your key," suggested Shannon, frowning at the image on the screen. She had never seen him around the building before, but then again every time she had been to Stella's apartment, she had been slightly distracted by a certain brunette.
Kerry raised an eyebrow silently at Shannon's remark; Shannon was beginning to get protective. Hopefully it wouldn't interfere with their jobs too much. Leon was oblivious to the underlying tone in Shannon's voice as his fingers flittered across his keyboard.
"My landlord has a spare copy of everyone's keys, just in case. All he had to do was pretend the tenants have asked for some maintenance and he's got a key that he can copy," said Stella. She had been unable to take her eyes off of the screen in front of her.
"Leon, see if you can track him down; home address, GPS, whatever. Just find him," ordered Kerry as Leon began to type away furiously on his keyboard. "Has he ever seemed dangerous or violent?"
"He was always nice, but he seems like the kind of guy, that never fights back until he snaps."
"Alright. You guys can go home if you want." The two woman made to leave but their boss pulled them back. "Ah, Shannon. The paperwork for your promotion still has to go through the proper channels, but you should be able to start as a Senior Sergeant on Monday."
"Alright, thanks. Have a good night, Kerry."
"Night, boss lady!"
"What did I tell you!"
The two women wrapped their arms around each other again, bid goodnight to Leon whose mind suddenly flooded with images, and walked back out to the car. Stella had gone quiet again, leaning into Shannon as they headed across the parking lot to Shannon's SUV. The temperatures were beginning to get colder as the seasons changed, and a light rain had begun to settle across the city. Once they were back in the safe haven of the car, Shannon immediately turned the heaters on and they sat there quietly for a few moments while the car warmed up.
"You okay?" asked Shannon, as she shifted in the driver's seat to face her girlfriend.
"Yeah. I just...I can't see Dayle doing anything. He's always looked, but he's never actually cracked on to me. I just can't make any sense of it. There is no way that he is my stalker, he's too short to be my attacker."
Stella sighed and tiredly rubbed her face, stopping to think for a moment. She was pulled from her trance by Shannon's hand reaching for her hand, intertwining their fingers together. When she looked up, Shannon was leaning across the console bringing them closer to each other.
"While I can't blame him for looking," she started with a small smile, "He's been entering your apartment without your permission. This might be able to link him to those flowers. All we have to do is arrest him, ask him some questions."
"Yeah. I just, I don't know."
She sounded defeated to Shannon, who couldn't think of anything to say. Stella had been able to provide supportive words when Shannon was experiencing her own crisis. She decided on physical comfort instead. Her free hand slipped behind Stella's neck, gently playing with the hair at the base of her neck. Their foreheads bumped softly and Shannon earned a small smile.
"How do you always know what to do to make me smile?" asked Stella, pulling back from a soft kiss.
"Because I love you."
"I love you, too," smiled Stella. They shared one more kiss before Shannon drove out of the parking lot with one hand, the other still loosely ripping Stella's.
Kerry watched from the window of the front door, smiling at how easily and casually they were able to show their affection for each other. Shannon and Stella had become practically family and she was glad they had found love.
The next morning, Michael shuffled in half drunk, stinking like a pub. Everyone quickly pushed him towards the showers. One hour and three painkillers later, he was standing at the back of the group surrounding Kerry and Lawson for briefing. Stella and Josh were standing next to them, while Shannon tried to subtly smile at her girlfriend.
"Welcome back to active duty, Josh. Okay, once again. TR1, girls you're with me, TR2, Josh and the boys. Alright. Last night Stella was able to give a positive ID on a man that had been illegally entering her apartment several times in the last week. Leon."
The black screen lit up and the image of the maintenance worker from the security tapes appeared along with a short list of minor past offences. Stella gulped, suddenly repulsed.
"Dayle William Whitman. Other than working in Stella's apartment building as the maintenance worker, there is no obvious connection between him and Stella. There nothing linking him with Josh either."
"He's not the shooter," answered Josh, taking a long hard look at the screen.
Lawson nodded and continued on with his speech. "Alright. TR1 is going to go visit Whitman, providing Leon found an address ("Got it!" yelled Leon), and we're going to arrest him for breaking and entering. TR2 just stay vigilant on patrol today, Josh's shooter still hasn't been caught. Let's move out."
The girls headed out to the four wheel drive, tugging at the keys as they fought over who was going to drive. Shannon won out in the end and climbed into the driver's seat, adjusting everything slightly so she was comfortable, leaning back to glance at Stella in the rear view as they waited quietly for Lawson.
"You alright back there?" Lawson asked fifteen minutes later when they were heading towards Clifton Hill.
Stella had been thinking deeply about whether or not she would be able to hold herself or if she would snap at the sight of Dayle standing in front of her. She snapped out of her trance when Shannon called her name.
"What?"
"I said are you alright? But I guess I got my answer."
"Lawson, be nice, alright," warned Shannon. Shannon was glad that at least two people knew of the relationship she had with Stella, and they were the highest ranking officers at TR. Therefore if they needed to, Kerry or Lawson could pull rank and tell the boys to shut up.
"I might hang back just a bit when we talk to him. If I get too close, I might snap," she admitted.
"You're coming in with us. You don't have to say anything or do anything, but you being there might soften him up a bit."
"Yeah, and if he doesn't say anything, we can set my slightly pissed off looking girlfriend on him," said Stella sarcastically, making Shannon's angry expression disappear instantly.
Lawson shook his head at their playful banter. Stella had no problem with acknowledging her relationship with Shannon in front of Lawson, flaunt it if she could. Shannon was being more considerate to his feelings; he had lost the girl of his dreams to another woman, both of whom were under his command. It was a bit of a kick in the guts.
The car rolled to a stop outside an old looking, red brick building no more than four level's high. The railings on the balconies and the cars parked out the front her rusted. TR1 was in mint condition compared to the other vehicles in the street.
"Leon, are you sure we have the right address?" asked Stella as she stepped out of the car.
"Yep, according to this, he lives there with his mother."
Shannon chuckled. "Let's get this over with."
The trio trudged up the stairs to the second storey, turning right at the top and headed along the balcony towards the street.
"Unit 2E."
Luckily, Lawson knocked on the door, sparing Shannon or Stella from the duty while they pulled faces at each other. They could hear heavy footsteps on the carpeted floor inside the unit and then several locked being unlocked to open the flimsy door to reveal the small sliver of a tiny older woman. There was four chains hanging across the opening and a bolt at the top of the door.
"Yes?" snarled the woman.
"Mrs Whitman? I'm Senior Sergeant Lawson Blake. I'm looking for your son Dayle. Is he home?"
The little lady eyed Lawson for a moment, then Shannon and finally Stella. "What do you want with my boy?"
"May we come in?" he asked politely.
"Hold on!"
The door slammed in their faces and Shannon flinched openly. They could hear more chains being removed from their locks before it flew open with screech.
"Dayle! What have you done this time?" She yelled into the bedrooms at the back.
"Geez," muttered Shannon under breath.
Dayle walked out and was in the middle of yelling back 'what!' when he spotted the Stella standing behind two police officers, he promptly turned and ran. Shannon and Lawson stood there calmly in the middle of the filthy lounge room. Stella looked back and forwards between the two.
"He's not going anywhere," said Lawson, moving towards the direction Dayle had taken. He turned back to Stella who looked slightly confused. "It's a two bedroom unit with one entrance."
When they reached the end of the hallway, the TR members discovered that he had locked his bedroom door.
"Shan, you take point."
Stella leaned against a blank space of wall back down the dark hallway.
"Dayle? I'm Sergeant Shannon Henry. I need you to come out here," she said, listening for any movement within the small room.
"I didn't do anything!"
"If you didn't do anything, then why did you run?" she asked. Her tone was soft and inviting. She didn't want to scare him off any more than their uniforms already had.
There was a long silence.
"Because of her."
"Because of who?" Shannon knew exactly who he was talking about.
"Stella." The way he said it made both girls shiver slightly.
"Leon, get some uniforms down here to take when we're done," Stella requested.
Dayle's mother returned to the end of the hallway, shadowing what little light they already had. "Dayle! You get out here now!"
As all heads turned to his mother, the door opened quietly and he stood in the doorway, hands buried in his jean pockets. They quickly turned back to Dayle.
"Turn around and face the wall, hands above your head," ordered Lawson, forcing Dayle to comply as the TR leader began to search him.
"I didn't do anything," said Dayle, eyes cast towards the floor as he sat next to his mother on the couch. His hands were now flex-cuffed behind his back.
"See that's the thing. I know you're lying," exclaimed Lawson. Dayle began to interrupt, but Lawson held out a hand and he immediately quietened down. "We have you on video, illegally entering Senior Constable Dagostino's apartment four times in the past week while she hasn't been there."
Dayle's mother hit him several times across the back of the head, but he remained quiet.
"Now I want to know why you've been going in there, before we take you to the nearest station so you can be formally charged."
It seemed as if he was having an internal fight with himself. Stella watched on, still having yet to speak, from near the front door. What Dayle said next nearly made her fall over from slipping against the door.
"Some cop told me do it."
"Did he give you a name?"
"No," he scoffed.
"What did he want you to do?"
"He paid me to put some flowers in one day."
"What kind of flowers?" asked Stella.
"Lilly's. Then one day he asks for a copy of the key. He paid extra for it and I needed the cash."
"Okay, so what have you been doing going in there?"
"He wanted me to put some more stuff in there. A jewellery box, some chocolates, more flowers. Told me to take a photo as well."
"Which photo?" asked Stella, walking to stand in front of Dayle. The photo's she had in her apartment were her treasures; reminders of the people who had left, the people who had stayed, and the ones she loved.
"The one of you two girls at a restaurant."
"Josh's birthday last year," murmured Stella. That photo had once sat on her bookshelf. After she started dating Shannon, it moved to her bedside table. "Can you describe the guy?"
Lawson had been pushed out of the questioning, but he silently decided that if Stella could remain calm she could ask the questions.
"Yeah. Ahh, about your height," he said, nodded at Lawson. "Blonde hair, broad shoulders, muscular, always wears a suit."
Several people flashed through Stella's mind, but only one really stood out.
"How did you know he was a cop?"
"Moron forgot to hide his badge the first time he talked to me. It was hanging from the chest pocket on his suit."
"Remember anyone, Stel?" asked Shannon, moving to stand by the couch to have a look at Dayle's flex-cuffs, just to make sure he hadn't cut them with something hidden in the couch.
"One."
"Alright, you're coming with us. The uniform's waiting outside are going to take you to the closest station and charge you. Leon, send them the video footage," ordered Lawson, as he and Shannon walked Dayle out by the elbows, down the stairs to the marked police car that had just pulled up to the curb.
Shannon and Stella stood near TR1, watching as Lawson described everything to the general duties officers from Clifton Hill.
"Who do you think it is?" asked Shannon, leaning into the back seat slightly as Stella sat on the edge of the seat.
"Detective Sam Stone. Sir Perv-a-lot."
"He is the right build for your attacker."
"Yep." Stella gulped. "All we need now is a positive ID on him from Dayle."
Lawson joined them from the marked police car. "What do you think, Stel?"
"Detective Sam Stone."
"The guy from Preston who was harassing you? The guy from the pub the other night?"
Stella nodded. "It's big to point the finger at a cop, so introducing Stone into Whitman's interrogation has to be subtle."
"You can have a nice long chat with Kerry, explain every move he's ever made towards you and then she can take a photo over to the interrogation," suggested Lawson.
Stella nodded and gulped. With a name to her attacker, she could rest a little more easily; any random person in the street wasn't going to attempt to seriously hurt or even kill her. But by identifying a police officer as her stalker, this made Stella's fear increase at the same time. He had access to certain protocols that a civilian wouldn't.
There was a quick shared look between Stella and Shannon. The Sergeant's finger gently brushed Stella's cheek, a soft smile on her face. Stella smiled back and followed her girlfriends nod to hop back in the car.
"Alright, come on you love birds."
They chuckled and climbed back into TR1 to finish out their shift. It wasn't very exhilarating, attending to a Molotov cocktailed car in the eastern suburbs. When they arrived back at the base, their shift just finishing, Kerry was waiting for them, standing with several sheets of paper in her hands, looking slightly sombre.
Stella climbed out of the driver's seat, having taken over for Shannon after lunch. "Hey boss lady what's up?"
Kerry glared at her. "I've got some news for you, come with me."
Stella's eyes went slightly wide and she looked to Shannon, who shrugged and pointed after Kerry. Stella hurried after her boss and into her office.
"What's going on?" asked Stella as she took a seat opposite the desk.
"I went to interview of Dayle Whitman this afternoon."
"What did he say?" came out, words blending together as they were spoken with intense speed.
"He stuck to his story that he was paid by a cop to enter your apartment several times without your permission to do odd jobs for him. When I asked about the attack, he went nuts and denied it profusely."
Stella nodded as she took in the information.
"What about the ID?"
"He positively ID'd Stone from a group of six as the guy who paid him. Unfortunately, unless he admits it, you can't ID him as your attacker. He didn't say anything to you."
Kerry's phone went off and Stella slumped into her seat, her vest digging into her back, as she tried to remember anything that could nail him as her attacker. She went to leave when Kerry pulled her back and ended the call.
She sat up straight as a memory was triggered. "Stone had some bruising on his head when we came into the pub on Friday night. Right where an injury would have been on the guy I hit."
"Clifton Hill handed the case over to ESD, they went to talk to him and he ran. ESD is going to want a word with you. Mention the bruising. They'll be in tomorrow before you're shift. There will be a surveillance unit outside Shannon's until we catch him," explained Kerry. "Go home, Stel."
"Thanks, Kerry."
Stella left the office and walked back down to the locker rohadom to get changed. She filled Shannon in on their way home. Detective Sam Stone was officially scaring her. When they arrived home, they cleared the house with their service weapon's Kerry let them take home for protection. Stella didn't sleep at all that night and Shannon didn't get much more. Her stalker had gone off grid, no one knew where he was. They were waiting for him to make his move.
Monday arrived slowly; Shannon's first shift as a Senior Sergeant. Stella had caught her introducing herself to her bathroom mirror with her full rank, and promptly made fun of her girlfriend while telling her that she was proud of her. Shannon barely ate breakfast, just sculled a cup of hot coffee, and on top of having barely any sleep all week, she was set to be in a sour mood. Shannon became more and more nervous as Stella drove towards the base.
When they got there, Michael caught her introducing herself into the mirror in her locker as she put her uniform on.
Lawson had taken pity on Shannon and placed Stella and Christian in the car with her.
"So what's the preference for day one? Smooth or hairy?" asked the Islander from the back seat.
"Just take it as it comes."
VKC then spurted to life as backup was requested at a juvenile detention centre where a mass breakout had occurred.
"We'll take that. TR2 responding. Lawson you good to go?"
"Yep."
In TR1 Lawson and Michael shared a laugh.
"Alright, Leon, get us some details. Let's move it," she said, looking at Stella with a stern smile.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Stella grimaced, her headache intensifying minutely. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day as she drove towards the detention centre. It didn't take them long to spot several of the offenders running down a street not far from the centre. Shannon wasted no time in telling Stella which was to go. As soon as the car had stopped, Christian and Stella were gone, chasing after the two teenagers.
"You might be fast. But I'm faster," boasted Christian.
"Not as fast a Ben," disagreed the boy.
"Who's Ben?" asked Stella. When he didn't answer, she asked Leon. "Leon, who's Ben?"
Shannon had TR2, to continue the patrol for the last offender. Kerry quickly suggested that it was a ploy, that if all of the offenders head one way, the last one can go in the opposite direction. Shannon found him trying to hail a taxi out the front of the detention centre and efficiently arrested him as the taxi drove off.
"In future when you stage a break out, Ben, you might want to tell your decoys not to be so obvious."
"I didn't think I'd get caught by a girl. How about I buy you a coffee before you take me in?"
"Cute."
"I know a great little place in Brunswick."
"Is that called Fairview Detention Centre? 'Cause that's where you're going," deadpanned Shannon, gripping Ben's arm a little more firmly.
Ben continued to make attempts at starting conversation's with Shannon, but she wasn't in the mood to be playing games with a seventeen year old escaped criminal on her first day as Senior Sergeant. The next thing she knew, they were both face down on the grass not far from TR2.
"You seem a little on edge," he smiled, and was ordered into the car, Shannon buckling him into the backseat. "Nice perfume."
"Thanks. It's my girlfriends."
He scoffed again as she shut the door in his face. Shannon ignored the boy in the back of the car and explained that she had arrested him. She was in the middle of being told what to do by Lawson, when TR2 suddenly roared to life and took off down the driveway of the detention centre. All she could do was watch as the car was stolen. She spotted the flex-cuffs she had used on Ben, cut thrown out like garbage onto the bitumen.
"Shit!" she muttered. This was going to be a bitch to tell Kerry. "He's stolen TR2!"
"What?" came at her from three different people; Kerry, Lawson and Leon.
The uniforms pulled up and she hopped in, telling them that she needed to get back to her teammates.
"Hey, hey, hey, look who it is?" laughed Stella, as her girlfriend did the walk of shame. "Nice ride."
"We're going to need their car."
"What?" asked Stella, dumbfounded at the request and began laughing again. "Are you serious? Hey boys."
"Just arranging transport, Kerry," Shannon informed her boss. Shannon now had a burning hatred for the comms they used because everyone else could hear the conversation as well.
"Shannon, you have been a Senior Sergeant for fifteen minutes and you've already had your vehicle stolen by a seventeen year old kid!" scorned Kerry. Leon was giggling with Audrey at their computers. Stella looked at her girlfriend sympathetically as the uniforms vacated the marked car.
"Look, he's tripped and taken me down with him. He picked my pocket," she argued.
"Well what equipment does he have access to?" wondered Kerry.
"The strong box is fully stocked," said Shannon, realising that this could lead to a disaster. If she wasn't careful this could end her TR career. Shannon turned to look at her team, Stella watching the car with a soft look on her face.
"Well, you had better hope he doesn't figure that out."
Leon managed to find the GPS location of TR2 and told Shannon over the comms.
"Go, go," said Shannon, the door slamming behind her.
Stella had an amused look on her face as she drove the car away from the scene. "I'm going."
Michael was being sarcastic as Lawson let Shannon make the decisions. She had done the crime, she had to do the time, so to speak. The general duties police officers ended up boxing in TR1 with Michael and Lawson inside.
"You alright, Stel?"
"Yeah, yeah, just a headache. I think I pulled something."
"Suck it up. You know what they say: pain is weakness leaving the body."
"Yeah, cheers for that," said Stella, swallowing two pain killers she had found in the marked car. Having a headache always made her cranky and upset at the slightest noise or movement. Shannon was no exception today and would bear the full brunt of Stella's anger if it came to blows.
"You should be right on him," said Leon.
"Well, he's not here," said Shannon.
"You sure?"
"I can't see him."
A moment later, Shannon found the GPS sitting on top of a rubbish pile. "I found the transponder unit."
Stella simply smiled and crossed her arms. Christian was looking slightly worried. Kerry told her off. Lawson called her phone when Leon listed the standard inventory.
Ben had a standard comms pack and was probably listening to their conversation at that present time. Their mobile phone bills were going to go through the roof by the end of their shift. Now everyone was going to hear her attempts at negotiating with a cocky teenager who had stolen a police vehicle.
"Ben, this is Senior Sergeant Shannon Henry?"
"Is that you muscles?" he asked. "Are you the young lady whose car I stole?"
Stella tried to stifle a giggle as she drove and Shannon simply glared at her.
"Yes, that's right."
"Sorry about that. I was going crazy in that detention centre. No music, you see. Do you like this song Shannon?"
"It's not bad. Ben, you're in a very dangerous situation here. Look I need you to pull the car over and talk to me."
He was simply messing with her by now. This was the worst first day of Shannon's life, and her girlfriend wasn't being very supportive.
"Has something upset you today?"
"I asked a pretty girl out on a date and she rejected me."
Stella lifted an eyebrow at Shannon.
"Oh, I promise to pay back that money from your wallet." Shannon's eye slid shut in anger. "And ah, cute photo by the way."
Stella looked into the rear view mirror and could see Christian smirking. He mouthed back 'karma'. Shannon's phone went off and she tried to justify her failed attempts at reasoning with Ben. Then Leon rang.
"Okay, Shannon, relax. I'm putting a block on your bank accounts and credit cards."
"Don't worry, my accounts empty and my cards are maxed."
"It's too late. If anyone tried to access your accounts, we'll get the jump on his location. Did you say that you've got nothing in your account?"
"It's bone dry."
"Not any more. Someone's just deposited one hundred grand."
"How do you know my account numbers?"
The occupants of the car just giggled again and Shannon ordered Leon to double check Ben's recent history. Less than five minutes later, it came as news to the team that Ben had robbed a arts supply store for more than three thousand dollars. Dressed in a Tactical Response Uniform.
"How the hell did he get that?" asked Shannon.
"I keep a spare one in the back," admitted Christian quietly. "Look, I'll make amends and note to keep my spare in my locker the next time I think the car's going to get pinched."
"Well make another one: not to be a smartarse."
Stella smiled at Shannon again. By staying relatively quiet for the day, Stella was less likely to dig herself a hole, or at least avoid digging a deep hole, with her girlfriend. She parked the car in the Brunswick street Ben had been spotted along. Lawson told them all to split up and search thoroughly.
"You've got to admire the kid," said Michael. "He thinks on his feet."
"He's a crook," said Stella.
"At least he's free."
"Not for long," she laughed, and they continued down the main street.
Christian found the car barely ten minutes after they had all split up, and Ben shot him with the beanbag shot gun.
"You're armed with a Glock and he's shooting at you?" asked Shannon, as Christian applied the ice pack to his bruised shoulder.
"I'm not about to shoot a kid armed with a bean bag rifle."
"Well you don't have to make that obvious to him."
"Hey Shannon," called Lawson, directing her away from the eyes of the rest of the team. "Just tone it down a bit."
"One of team got shot!"
"Just listen to me for two seconds okay? If I have to pull you off this, these guys will never back you again. Stop whinging, stop blaming and stop criticising everyone," explained Lawson.
Shannon sighed heavily as Stella walked past.
"You okay?" she whispered.
"You gonna laugh at me again?" she replied.
"We'll see. Are you okay?"
"Hopefully, I'll still have a team by the end of the day," answered Shannon. She sounded defeated as they walked back to the general duties car together, Christian not far behind. The emptiness in Shannon's voice made Stella feel slightly guilty about laughing at her girlfriend earlier, and she felt her heart crack at this.
Shannon's phone went off when Kerry called. She called for Lawson and put it on speaker phone. Ben had turned eighteen the same day Shannon had her first day as Senior Sergeant. At a court appearance, the Judge had charged Ben as an adult which meant prison and not juvenile detention. They came to the conclusion to let Ben talk to his mother.
As they got in the cars, Shannon heeded Lawson's advice and turned to Christian. "You okay?"
"Yeah."
They listened as Ben's mother mocked him, and his actions. "The smartest boy in school spending his life getting chased by the cops!"
"I thought we could do something together, go to Phillip Island."
As soon as she started to insult her son, Josh pulled her off the phone. Ben had gone quiet and Shannon was back to negotiating.
"Ben, can you hear me? It's Shannon. Ben?"
Ben refused to response and was spotted momentarily at the Etihad Stadium. It didn't take long for them to find their stolen vehicle parked roughly on the third level with the driver's door wide open. The TR members immediately got out of the cars to clear the vehicle. Shannon and Lawson went to the front seats while Stella checked the inventory in the strong box.
"Oh, good, he left my wallet," said Shannon as she tucked it into her vest.
"And the comms pack," said Lawson. "Leon, we're back in communications. Get onto CCTV and try to find will ya."
"VKC this is TR2, we've located the stolen vehicle along with missing weapons. All backup units requested to stay outside the stadium, over."
"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Lawson, looking at her like she was insane.
"The kid had got nothing to lose. We don't want him having a face off with a bunch of junior constables and their glocks."
'Nice call,' thought Lawson. "Well, we have to find him first."
The blocked off TR2 with the marked car, locked all three vehicles and headed into the stadium to search for Ben. Shannon, Christian and Lawson were on the second tier of seats and couldn't see anyone, not even a worker. Leon was sifting through the CCTV footage to find him, while Stella and Michael were running through stairwells and corridors.
On a landing in between levels, in the stairwell, Stella's head began to sear in pain as she was running. She was bent over, hands on her knees, trying to focus on her breathing and ignore the pain. As her mind began fogging with pain and her body began to sweat, Audrey's voice came over the comms.
"He's headed for the stairwell, second level, gate three."
"I'm there guys," said Stella, shakily. Shannon heard her voice come through the earpiece; it was not the strong, confident voice of Stella. Something was wrong.
"Stop, Police! Guys, he's heading down."
Ben had just reached the landing at the bottom of the stretch of stairs Stella was on, when she grabbed the railing, gripping it tightly with her face contorted in pain. Ben kept running. Her vision was becoming blurry and dark and she could see a figure in a TR uniform coming back up the stairs. Ben took a left at the bottom, disappearing as Shannon came up the stairs, Michael just behind her. She could see Stella's feet on the stairs, she wasn't moving.
"Go after him," she ordered and ran up the stairs towards Stella. She had just reached the bottom of the stretch. "Stella. You okay?"
Shannon didn't get a response as her girlfriend fainted, falling from the stairs. Shannon just caught her before she hit the concrete and tumbled to the bottom, lifting the smaller woman to lay on the landing.
"Stella, Stel. Can you hear me? Come on," said Shannon, checking her pulse. She had her hands on either side of Stella's face holding her neck. "Stel, sweetie, open your eyes. Leon, I need a medic at Stella's last known position. She's fainted."
It wasn't until after Christian and Lawson had joined her, that Michael came back. "I lost him. Is she okay?"
Stella's eyes opened to just a crack, her face showing her confusion at what had happened.
"Hey, no, no don't move. Stay still. What happened? You okay?" Shannon asked, holding Stella's shoulders down to prevent her from getting up.
"I don't know. I saw Ben and then everything just went black. My head hurts."
"Okay, just stay down. Leon, where is that ambulance?"
"Five away. I've spotted him, he's heading to the roof."
"Shannon, you, me and Michael and going to go after Ben," instructed Lawson. When he saw the look on her face that clearly said she didn't want to leave her girlfriend, he quickly reminded her. "You started this with this kid, and you're going to finish it. Christian, you stay here with Stella."
"I'll see you later, okay, Stel?"
Stella simply nodded and told her to go back to work. Shannon smiled at her girlfriend, and then glared at her boss as she followed him back up the stairs. Fifteen minutes later and they still hadn't been able to spot Ben, he hadn't followed through on his way to the roof and Michael had disappeared when the ambulance officers were loading her into the ambulance.
"Hey do you want me to come with you?" he asked.
"Nah, I'm fine."
"You sure?" he asked, moving to get in.
"I'm fine!" exclaimed the Senior Constable, taking another breath of the whistle.
"Just one more look, you guys go that way and I'm going to go back this way," said Shannon as they all met up on the second tier.
"Okay, I've got him!" yelled Leon. "He's on the upper level heading for the roof near you."
She turned and could see him disappear into a doorway. She pulled out her weapon and began to clear the stairs leading to the roof.
"Ben!" she called, finally finding him sitting on the edge of the roof.
"I'm glad it's you who found me."
"Me, too."
"You're a good guy, Ben. I can see that."
"You heard my mum."
If Shannon wasn't careful, he would jump. Slowly, she began to make her way across the roof, holstering her weapon to show that she meant no harm. "If you go quietly, it'll help."
"Is that what you'd do? Go quietly?" he asked.
"You can be anything you want to be," she said.
He scoffed at her, "That's bullshit, Oprah!"
"It's not!"
"It's A-grade bullshit."
"It's not. You simple do your time, get out and start again," she explained, trying to reason with him. She could see it wasn't working.
"No, thanks. I've gotta fly," he replied, turning to get off the edge. He went to run and jump over the edge around the corner from where he had been sitting, but Shannon tackled him roughly on the corrugated steel of the roof.
"Ben Miller, you are under arrest!" she said, forcing his head down and his hands into cuffs. "I've got him. He's been detained."
"Thank God," said Christian.
"This time make sure he doesn't trip you and pick your pocket," retorted Lawson.
Shannon laughed and sat Ben against the wall opposite the door. She sighed loudly when Lawson patted her shoulder to let her know he was there. Chasing Ben Miller across Melbourne had taken their entire shift. By the time they got back to the base Kerry simply told them to do their paperwork tomorrow.
"Alright, shift's over, go home," said Kerry, walking into her office.
"Hey, Kerry, how'd Stella go at the hospital?" she asked, following the Inspector in.
"Ah, something about having low blood pressure and not eating enough. Tash said she'd be fine, just to sleep the headache off and have decent meals, lay off the alcohol for a while and regular exercise."
"Okay, where is she?"
"I dropped her off at yours."
"Thanks, Kerry."
Josh met her in the hallway, walking with her towards the parking lot. "Well, well, well."
"Not a word out of you," she smiled, pointing her finger at the man. He laughed.
"Everyone has a shit first day at some point. This one was yours," he explained. "You alright?"
"Yeah. What was shit first day?" she asked.
"First day on the job as a cop. The car got t-boned and I had a gun pointed my head."
Shannon stood there thoughtfully for a moment, "Seriously?"
"Yeah. You get most embarrassing, I get most injured, alright. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. A shit first day and now I get to go home and look after Stella," she smiled.
"Try not to kill her 'ey?" he yelled jokingly across the parking lot. Shannon waved him off and got into her car, in a hurry to get home.
Twenty minutes later, she arrived home, the house as quiet as a tomb. She couldn't hear anything, but didn't want to call out in case Stella was asleep. She wasn't on the couch, so Shannon left her bag at the front door with her coat, slipping her boots off and slowly making her way upstairs. Stella was snoring lightly in the bed, curled around a pillow on the edge.
Shannon smiled at the peacefulness of the scene and kneeled next to the bed, kissing her girlfriend's forehead to wake her up, her hand resting on Stella's hip.
"Hey, gorgeous."
"Hey, yourself," smiled Stella, her eyes opening slightly.
"Do you feel a little better?"
Stella nodded into the pillows.
"Why are you hugging the pillow?"
"It's your pillow. You weren't home yet," muttered Stella.
"Let me get changed and I'll lay down with you. Yeah?"
Stella simply nodded again and watched with bleary eyes as Shannon stripped own to her underwear and slipped on some shorts and a baggy t-shirt, before calmly getting into the bed and spooning Stella who hummed in contentment.
"I'm sorry for being such a bitch today, babe," apologised Shannon, her chin resting on Stella's shoulder.
"That's okay, I'm sorry for laughing at you." Stella turned slightly and pressed her lips to Shannon's, and then turned over completely to snuggle into Shannon's side. "You've got to admit it was kind of funny."
Shannon giggled against Stella, only tightening her grip around her girlfriend's waist.
"A little funny. Just promise me that you won't scare me like that again."
"I'll try. In our line of work, I can't promise anything. I love you Senior Sergeant."
"I love you too, Senior Constable."
Stella drifted into a light sleep, Shannon content to lie there holding her girlfriend, enjoying the feeling of Stella's calm breathing pattern.
Author: wiked_nachos
Fandom/Pairing: Rush - Shannon/Stella
Summary: Stella's brother Frank is slowly becoming corrupt from the influences of gangs and tastes of the high life. Unknowingly and unwillingly, he involves her in the dispute with a local gang who holds a lot of power in the area. On top of recovering from being thrown into the consequences of her brother screwing over a violent gang of drug addicts and traffickers, Stella has to deal with a long-lasting not-so-secret relationship at work, a clingly ex-fling and a stalker. How will Shannon and Stella survive these rough times? Together or apart? As friends or lovers?
Disclaimer: I wish I owned Rush so this could really happen more than once a week for more than one hour every time.
A/N: Sorry this took time to post, writers block sucks arse
After recovering from their hangovers, Shannon and Stella spent the morning cuddled up in bed, hands venturing ever so slightly, kisses moving across skin that was nowhere near their lips. Shannon was currently half sitting up against the pillows of her bed, her singlet top pushed up just below her breasts, exposing her flat stomach. Stella had shuffled down with a grin on her face, letting her nose brush along the smooth skin, while peppering kisses ever so often. The older woman's hands were brushing through Stella's hair. Stella had made it her mission to make Shannon laugh. Her laugh was fast becoming Stella's favourite sound on Earth.
"Stel, you're tickling me," giggled the Senior Sergeant.
Stella lifted her head in the middle of pressing another kiss to her navel. "I am doing no such thing!"
"Your hair is." She giggled again, arching slightly into Stella's touch.
"You seem kind of," started Stella, pulling herself up to lay fully on top of Shannon and attach her lips to Shannon's neck. "Tense."
"Can you blame me? I am currently laying underneath a gorgeous woman, who happens to be teasing me when I still have six weeks left on my celibacy vow," she deadpanned, having paused in the middle of her sentence when Stella hit that spot in the crook of her neck. "It's been a while Stel."
"Are you sure you're going to be able to make it another six weeks?"
"If I don't, you are so not getting any."
Shannon rolled them over and fused Stella's lips to her own as they began a rather heavy make-out session. After the drama of the past four weeks, they were helping each other to heal from the emotional and physical strains of their lives. Stella was doing her best to have her girlfriend smile at the tiniest things. Since the knowledge that Kronin's new associate was Shannon's father, she had been treated differently by Michael and Lawson. Their boss was pissed that she hadn't told him and continued to remind her whenever she made the littlest mistake. Michael was more pissed at the fact that a team mate's father was involved with the guy who had beaten him up.
The two members of TR spent their weekend mainly wrapped up in each other, ignoring the outside world and the people in it until Kerry called early Sunday night. Shannon and Stella were dancing in the kitchen to the stereo system, while they attempted to cook dinner. When the phone rang, Shannon was in mid twirl. Despite the current situation of Stella being stalked, they had a fairly easy time forgetting about it.
"Stella, its Kerry."
"Hey, boss lady what's up?" Stella laughed over the phone. Shannon was standing in front of her with a hand on either side the bench, trapping the younger woman against the bench again; the stir fry on the stove momentarily forgotten as she stared into Stella's pale blue eyes.
"What did I tell you about calling me that?"
Stella quickly changed her approach. "What can I do for you Kerry?"
"Are you able to come down to the base tonight? I need you to identify someone," said the Inspector.
"Identify who?"
"Leon noticed a man entering your apartment four times since you've been at Shannon's. He's shorter than your description but he has a key every time. We need a positive ID from you to grab him."
"Has there been anything around Josh's?" asked Stella.
Shannon had noticed that her girlfriend had gone quiet during her conversation with Kerry and watched carefully, trying to clue in on what they were talking about.
"Nothing. Just yours. So can you come in tonight? If not, you can come in early tomorrow."
"Give us half an hour?" proposed Stella, sneaking a look at the stove top and then motioning to Shannon. Their dinner was on its way to becoming charcoal and Shannon turned around to quickly dish it.
Stella ended the call with Kerry and looked at the phone for a moment before raising her eyes to Shannon in front of her. Her girlfriend looked concerned and let the younger woman take a moment to digest whatever she had been told.
"What's going on?" Shannon's head was tilted to the side with curiosity.
"Leon's found a guy going into my apartment on that camera four times since I've been here. He has a key to my apartment," said Stella, unconsciously rubbing her fingers over the small faded cut on her temple. "Kerry wants me to go in and see if I can identify him from the footage."
Shannon moved forwards again and brushed her hands down either side of Stella's face, pushing little bits of hair aside and settled them on her neck, pressing a kiss to the healing injury. "How are you going to know if it's the guy who attacked you?"
Stella snuggled in close. "I won't. I guess she just wants to see if I know him from anywhere else."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"Please?"
"Of course," agreed Shannon, pulling the brunette into her for a kiss. "When do we have to be at the base?"
"In about twenty five minutes."
"Okay, we may as well leave now," said Shannon, moving their dishes to the microwave.
They didn't bother with making themselves decent, deciding on the tracky pants and t-shirts they already had on with some street shoes. Stella stole the jacket that was hanging over the back of the couch, unsure if it was hers or Shannon's. It was a quiet twenty minute drive, the radio was turned off and all either of them could hear was the car's engine, other cars zooming past and Stella's thoughts. She was trying to think of people who had grudges or obsessions, people she didn't like who knew where she lived. She came up blank and Shannon could hear Stella's thoughts hit the brick wall hard several times before they make it to base.
When they walked in, they made no attempt at hiding any affection they had for one another with an arm around shoulders and waists, and played it off as comforting a friend when Leon asked. Ever since Detective Sam Stone had mentioned that Stella and Shannon were 'dating' to the group, Leon had taken it upon himself to look for minor details in their behaviour.
Kerry was waiting for them behind Leon as he played with the settings of a screen capture. There was a blurry image of Stella's front door, and a man looking over his shoulder up and down the staircase as he pushed the key into the lock.
"Hey, girls," said Kerry. "How much longer, Leon?"
"A couple of minutes."
"What are you doing?" asked Shannon, taking a seat next to the tech-head.
"Just trying to filter the image to get a better quality."
The four of them sat in silence as the tiny bar ran over the image repeatedly, creating a clearer image all together. It took Stella all of six seconds to recognise who had been illegally entering her apartment with key that should've existed. She could notice the ratty brown hair anywhere and the glasses were a dead giveaway. Kerry had barely gotten the question out of her mouth when it was answered.
"Dayle."
"Got a last name?" asked their boss.
"I've never taken notice. He's just Dayle to everyone."
"Who's everyone?"
"Everyone in my apartment building. He's the maintenance worker for my building. He fixed my sliding door about a month ago," explained Stella. "He's never given any indication of fixations on people at all, let alone me. He's too shy."
"Well, even if he isn't your stalker, he's still breaking and entering your apartment."
"I'd be curious to know where he got a copy of your key," suggested Shannon, frowning at the image on the screen. She had never seen him around the building before, but then again every time she had been to Stella's apartment, she had been slightly distracted by a certain brunette.
Kerry raised an eyebrow silently at Shannon's remark; Shannon was beginning to get protective. Hopefully it wouldn't interfere with their jobs too much. Leon was oblivious to the underlying tone in Shannon's voice as his fingers flittered across his keyboard.
"My landlord has a spare copy of everyone's keys, just in case. All he had to do was pretend the tenants have asked for some maintenance and he's got a key that he can copy," said Stella. She had been unable to take her eyes off of the screen in front of her.
"Leon, see if you can track him down; home address, GPS, whatever. Just find him," ordered Kerry as Leon began to type away furiously on his keyboard. "Has he ever seemed dangerous or violent?"
"He was always nice, but he seems like the kind of guy, that never fights back until he snaps."
"Alright. You guys can go home if you want." The two woman made to leave but their boss pulled them back. "Ah, Shannon. The paperwork for your promotion still has to go through the proper channels, but you should be able to start as a Senior Sergeant on Monday."
"Alright, thanks. Have a good night, Kerry."
"Night, boss lady!"
"What did I tell you!"
The two women wrapped their arms around each other again, bid goodnight to Leon whose mind suddenly flooded with images, and walked back out to the car. Stella had gone quiet again, leaning into Shannon as they headed across the parking lot to Shannon's SUV. The temperatures were beginning to get colder as the seasons changed, and a light rain had begun to settle across the city. Once they were back in the safe haven of the car, Shannon immediately turned the heaters on and they sat there quietly for a few moments while the car warmed up.
"You okay?" asked Shannon, as she shifted in the driver's seat to face her girlfriend.
"Yeah. I just...I can't see Dayle doing anything. He's always looked, but he's never actually cracked on to me. I just can't make any sense of it. There is no way that he is my stalker, he's too short to be my attacker."
Stella sighed and tiredly rubbed her face, stopping to think for a moment. She was pulled from her trance by Shannon's hand reaching for her hand, intertwining their fingers together. When she looked up, Shannon was leaning across the console bringing them closer to each other.
"While I can't blame him for looking," she started with a small smile, "He's been entering your apartment without your permission. This might be able to link him to those flowers. All we have to do is arrest him, ask him some questions."
"Yeah. I just, I don't know."
She sounded defeated to Shannon, who couldn't think of anything to say. Stella had been able to provide supportive words when Shannon was experiencing her own crisis. She decided on physical comfort instead. Her free hand slipped behind Stella's neck, gently playing with the hair at the base of her neck. Their foreheads bumped softly and Shannon earned a small smile.
"How do you always know what to do to make me smile?" asked Stella, pulling back from a soft kiss.
"Because I love you."
"I love you, too," smiled Stella. They shared one more kiss before Shannon drove out of the parking lot with one hand, the other still loosely ripping Stella's.
Kerry watched from the window of the front door, smiling at how easily and casually they were able to show their affection for each other. Shannon and Stella had become practically family and she was glad they had found love.
The next morning, Michael shuffled in half drunk, stinking like a pub. Everyone quickly pushed him towards the showers. One hour and three painkillers later, he was standing at the back of the group surrounding Kerry and Lawson for briefing. Stella and Josh were standing next to them, while Shannon tried to subtly smile at her girlfriend.
"Welcome back to active duty, Josh. Okay, once again. TR1, girls you're with me, TR2, Josh and the boys. Alright. Last night Stella was able to give a positive ID on a man that had been illegally entering her apartment several times in the last week. Leon."
The black screen lit up and the image of the maintenance worker from the security tapes appeared along with a short list of minor past offences. Stella gulped, suddenly repulsed.
"Dayle William Whitman. Other than working in Stella's apartment building as the maintenance worker, there is no obvious connection between him and Stella. There nothing linking him with Josh either."
"He's not the shooter," answered Josh, taking a long hard look at the screen.
Lawson nodded and continued on with his speech. "Alright. TR1 is going to go visit Whitman, providing Leon found an address ("Got it!" yelled Leon), and we're going to arrest him for breaking and entering. TR2 just stay vigilant on patrol today, Josh's shooter still hasn't been caught. Let's move out."
The girls headed out to the four wheel drive, tugging at the keys as they fought over who was going to drive. Shannon won out in the end and climbed into the driver's seat, adjusting everything slightly so she was comfortable, leaning back to glance at Stella in the rear view as they waited quietly for Lawson.
"You alright back there?" Lawson asked fifteen minutes later when they were heading towards Clifton Hill.
Stella had been thinking deeply about whether or not she would be able to hold herself or if she would snap at the sight of Dayle standing in front of her. She snapped out of her trance when Shannon called her name.
"What?"
"I said are you alright? But I guess I got my answer."
"Lawson, be nice, alright," warned Shannon. Shannon was glad that at least two people knew of the relationship she had with Stella, and they were the highest ranking officers at TR. Therefore if they needed to, Kerry or Lawson could pull rank and tell the boys to shut up.
"I might hang back just a bit when we talk to him. If I get too close, I might snap," she admitted.
"You're coming in with us. You don't have to say anything or do anything, but you being there might soften him up a bit."
"Yeah, and if he doesn't say anything, we can set my slightly pissed off looking girlfriend on him," said Stella sarcastically, making Shannon's angry expression disappear instantly.
Lawson shook his head at their playful banter. Stella had no problem with acknowledging her relationship with Shannon in front of Lawson, flaunt it if she could. Shannon was being more considerate to his feelings; he had lost the girl of his dreams to another woman, both of whom were under his command. It was a bit of a kick in the guts.
The car rolled to a stop outside an old looking, red brick building no more than four level's high. The railings on the balconies and the cars parked out the front her rusted. TR1 was in mint condition compared to the other vehicles in the street.
"Leon, are you sure we have the right address?" asked Stella as she stepped out of the car.
"Yep, according to this, he lives there with his mother."
Shannon chuckled. "Let's get this over with."
The trio trudged up the stairs to the second storey, turning right at the top and headed along the balcony towards the street.
"Unit 2E."
Luckily, Lawson knocked on the door, sparing Shannon or Stella from the duty while they pulled faces at each other. They could hear heavy footsteps on the carpeted floor inside the unit and then several locked being unlocked to open the flimsy door to reveal the small sliver of a tiny older woman. There was four chains hanging across the opening and a bolt at the top of the door.
"Yes?" snarled the woman.
"Mrs Whitman? I'm Senior Sergeant Lawson Blake. I'm looking for your son Dayle. Is he home?"
The little lady eyed Lawson for a moment, then Shannon and finally Stella. "What do you want with my boy?"
"May we come in?" he asked politely.
"Hold on!"
The door slammed in their faces and Shannon flinched openly. They could hear more chains being removed from their locks before it flew open with screech.
"Dayle! What have you done this time?" She yelled into the bedrooms at the back.
"Geez," muttered Shannon under breath.
Dayle walked out and was in the middle of yelling back 'what!' when he spotted the Stella standing behind two police officers, he promptly turned and ran. Shannon and Lawson stood there calmly in the middle of the filthy lounge room. Stella looked back and forwards between the two.
"He's not going anywhere," said Lawson, moving towards the direction Dayle had taken. He turned back to Stella who looked slightly confused. "It's a two bedroom unit with one entrance."
When they reached the end of the hallway, the TR members discovered that he had locked his bedroom door.
"Shan, you take point."
Stella leaned against a blank space of wall back down the dark hallway.
"Dayle? I'm Sergeant Shannon Henry. I need you to come out here," she said, listening for any movement within the small room.
"I didn't do anything!"
"If you didn't do anything, then why did you run?" she asked. Her tone was soft and inviting. She didn't want to scare him off any more than their uniforms already had.
There was a long silence.
"Because of her."
"Because of who?" Shannon knew exactly who he was talking about.
"Stella." The way he said it made both girls shiver slightly.
"Leon, get some uniforms down here to take when we're done," Stella requested.
Dayle's mother returned to the end of the hallway, shadowing what little light they already had. "Dayle! You get out here now!"
As all heads turned to his mother, the door opened quietly and he stood in the doorway, hands buried in his jean pockets. They quickly turned back to Dayle.
"Turn around and face the wall, hands above your head," ordered Lawson, forcing Dayle to comply as the TR leader began to search him.
"I didn't do anything," said Dayle, eyes cast towards the floor as he sat next to his mother on the couch. His hands were now flex-cuffed behind his back.
"See that's the thing. I know you're lying," exclaimed Lawson. Dayle began to interrupt, but Lawson held out a hand and he immediately quietened down. "We have you on video, illegally entering Senior Constable Dagostino's apartment four times in the past week while she hasn't been there."
Dayle's mother hit him several times across the back of the head, but he remained quiet.
"Now I want to know why you've been going in there, before we take you to the nearest station so you can be formally charged."
It seemed as if he was having an internal fight with himself. Stella watched on, still having yet to speak, from near the front door. What Dayle said next nearly made her fall over from slipping against the door.
"Some cop told me do it."
"Did he give you a name?"
"No," he scoffed.
"What did he want you to do?"
"He paid me to put some flowers in one day."
"What kind of flowers?" asked Stella.
"Lilly's. Then one day he asks for a copy of the key. He paid extra for it and I needed the cash."
"Okay, so what have you been doing going in there?"
"He wanted me to put some more stuff in there. A jewellery box, some chocolates, more flowers. Told me to take a photo as well."
"Which photo?" asked Stella, walking to stand in front of Dayle. The photo's she had in her apartment were her treasures; reminders of the people who had left, the people who had stayed, and the ones she loved.
"The one of you two girls at a restaurant."
"Josh's birthday last year," murmured Stella. That photo had once sat on her bookshelf. After she started dating Shannon, it moved to her bedside table. "Can you describe the guy?"
Lawson had been pushed out of the questioning, but he silently decided that if Stella could remain calm she could ask the questions.
"Yeah. Ahh, about your height," he said, nodded at Lawson. "Blonde hair, broad shoulders, muscular, always wears a suit."
Several people flashed through Stella's mind, but only one really stood out.
"How did you know he was a cop?"
"Moron forgot to hide his badge the first time he talked to me. It was hanging from the chest pocket on his suit."
"Remember anyone, Stel?" asked Shannon, moving to stand by the couch to have a look at Dayle's flex-cuffs, just to make sure he hadn't cut them with something hidden in the couch.
"One."
"Alright, you're coming with us. The uniform's waiting outside are going to take you to the closest station and charge you. Leon, send them the video footage," ordered Lawson, as he and Shannon walked Dayle out by the elbows, down the stairs to the marked police car that had just pulled up to the curb.
Shannon and Stella stood near TR1, watching as Lawson described everything to the general duties officers from Clifton Hill.
"Who do you think it is?" asked Shannon, leaning into the back seat slightly as Stella sat on the edge of the seat.
"Detective Sam Stone. Sir Perv-a-lot."
"He is the right build for your attacker."
"Yep." Stella gulped. "All we need now is a positive ID on him from Dayle."
Lawson joined them from the marked police car. "What do you think, Stel?"
"Detective Sam Stone."
"The guy from Preston who was harassing you? The guy from the pub the other night?"
Stella nodded. "It's big to point the finger at a cop, so introducing Stone into Whitman's interrogation has to be subtle."
"You can have a nice long chat with Kerry, explain every move he's ever made towards you and then she can take a photo over to the interrogation," suggested Lawson.
Stella nodded and gulped. With a name to her attacker, she could rest a little more easily; any random person in the street wasn't going to attempt to seriously hurt or even kill her. But by identifying a police officer as her stalker, this made Stella's fear increase at the same time. He had access to certain protocols that a civilian wouldn't.
There was a quick shared look between Stella and Shannon. The Sergeant's finger gently brushed Stella's cheek, a soft smile on her face. Stella smiled back and followed her girlfriends nod to hop back in the car.
"Alright, come on you love birds."
They chuckled and climbed back into TR1 to finish out their shift. It wasn't very exhilarating, attending to a Molotov cocktailed car in the eastern suburbs. When they arrived back at the base, their shift just finishing, Kerry was waiting for them, standing with several sheets of paper in her hands, looking slightly sombre.
Stella climbed out of the driver's seat, having taken over for Shannon after lunch. "Hey boss lady what's up?"
Kerry glared at her. "I've got some news for you, come with me."
Stella's eyes went slightly wide and she looked to Shannon, who shrugged and pointed after Kerry. Stella hurried after her boss and into her office.
"What's going on?" asked Stella as she took a seat opposite the desk.
"I went to interview of Dayle Whitman this afternoon."
"What did he say?" came out, words blending together as they were spoken with intense speed.
"He stuck to his story that he was paid by a cop to enter your apartment several times without your permission to do odd jobs for him. When I asked about the attack, he went nuts and denied it profusely."
Stella nodded as she took in the information.
"What about the ID?"
"He positively ID'd Stone from a group of six as the guy who paid him. Unfortunately, unless he admits it, you can't ID him as your attacker. He didn't say anything to you."
Kerry's phone went off and Stella slumped into her seat, her vest digging into her back, as she tried to remember anything that could nail him as her attacker. She went to leave when Kerry pulled her back and ended the call.
She sat up straight as a memory was triggered. "Stone had some bruising on his head when we came into the pub on Friday night. Right where an injury would have been on the guy I hit."
"Clifton Hill handed the case over to ESD, they went to talk to him and he ran. ESD is going to want a word with you. Mention the bruising. They'll be in tomorrow before you're shift. There will be a surveillance unit outside Shannon's until we catch him," explained Kerry. "Go home, Stel."
"Thanks, Kerry."
Stella left the office and walked back down to the locker rohadom to get changed. She filled Shannon in on their way home. Detective Sam Stone was officially scaring her. When they arrived home, they cleared the house with their service weapon's Kerry let them take home for protection. Stella didn't sleep at all that night and Shannon didn't get much more. Her stalker had gone off grid, no one knew where he was. They were waiting for him to make his move.
Monday arrived slowly; Shannon's first shift as a Senior Sergeant. Stella had caught her introducing herself to her bathroom mirror with her full rank, and promptly made fun of her girlfriend while telling her that she was proud of her. Shannon barely ate breakfast, just sculled a cup of hot coffee, and on top of having barely any sleep all week, she was set to be in a sour mood. Shannon became more and more nervous as Stella drove towards the base.
When they got there, Michael caught her introducing herself into the mirror in her locker as she put her uniform on.
Lawson had taken pity on Shannon and placed Stella and Christian in the car with her.
"So what's the preference for day one? Smooth or hairy?" asked the Islander from the back seat.
"Just take it as it comes."
VKC then spurted to life as backup was requested at a juvenile detention centre where a mass breakout had occurred.
"We'll take that. TR2 responding. Lawson you good to go?"
"Yep."
In TR1 Lawson and Michael shared a laugh.
"Alright, Leon, get us some details. Let's move it," she said, looking at Stella with a stern smile.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Stella grimaced, her headache intensifying minutely. She had a feeling it was going to be a long day as she drove towards the detention centre. It didn't take them long to spot several of the offenders running down a street not far from the centre. Shannon wasted no time in telling Stella which was to go. As soon as the car had stopped, Christian and Stella were gone, chasing after the two teenagers.
"You might be fast. But I'm faster," boasted Christian.
"Not as fast a Ben," disagreed the boy.
"Who's Ben?" asked Stella. When he didn't answer, she asked Leon. "Leon, who's Ben?"
Shannon had TR2, to continue the patrol for the last offender. Kerry quickly suggested that it was a ploy, that if all of the offenders head one way, the last one can go in the opposite direction. Shannon found him trying to hail a taxi out the front of the detention centre and efficiently arrested him as the taxi drove off.
"In future when you stage a break out, Ben, you might want to tell your decoys not to be so obvious."
"I didn't think I'd get caught by a girl. How about I buy you a coffee before you take me in?"
"Cute."
"I know a great little place in Brunswick."
"Is that called Fairview Detention Centre? 'Cause that's where you're going," deadpanned Shannon, gripping Ben's arm a little more firmly.
Ben continued to make attempts at starting conversation's with Shannon, but she wasn't in the mood to be playing games with a seventeen year old escaped criminal on her first day as Senior Sergeant. The next thing she knew, they were both face down on the grass not far from TR2.
"You seem a little on edge," he smiled, and was ordered into the car, Shannon buckling him into the backseat. "Nice perfume."
"Thanks. It's my girlfriends."
He scoffed again as she shut the door in his face. Shannon ignored the boy in the back of the car and explained that she had arrested him. She was in the middle of being told what to do by Lawson, when TR2 suddenly roared to life and took off down the driveway of the detention centre. All she could do was watch as the car was stolen. She spotted the flex-cuffs she had used on Ben, cut thrown out like garbage onto the bitumen.
"Shit!" she muttered. This was going to be a bitch to tell Kerry. "He's stolen TR2!"
"What?" came at her from three different people; Kerry, Lawson and Leon.
The uniforms pulled up and she hopped in, telling them that she needed to get back to her teammates.
"Hey, hey, hey, look who it is?" laughed Stella, as her girlfriend did the walk of shame. "Nice ride."
"We're going to need their car."
"What?" asked Stella, dumbfounded at the request and began laughing again. "Are you serious? Hey boys."
"Just arranging transport, Kerry," Shannon informed her boss. Shannon now had a burning hatred for the comms they used because everyone else could hear the conversation as well.
"Shannon, you have been a Senior Sergeant for fifteen minutes and you've already had your vehicle stolen by a seventeen year old kid!" scorned Kerry. Leon was giggling with Audrey at their computers. Stella looked at her girlfriend sympathetically as the uniforms vacated the marked car.
"Look, he's tripped and taken me down with him. He picked my pocket," she argued.
"Well what equipment does he have access to?" wondered Kerry.
"The strong box is fully stocked," said Shannon, realising that this could lead to a disaster. If she wasn't careful this could end her TR career. Shannon turned to look at her team, Stella watching the car with a soft look on her face.
"Well, you had better hope he doesn't figure that out."
Leon managed to find the GPS location of TR2 and told Shannon over the comms.
"Go, go," said Shannon, the door slamming behind her.
Stella had an amused look on her face as she drove the car away from the scene. "I'm going."
Michael was being sarcastic as Lawson let Shannon make the decisions. She had done the crime, she had to do the time, so to speak. The general duties police officers ended up boxing in TR1 with Michael and Lawson inside.
"You alright, Stel?"
"Yeah, yeah, just a headache. I think I pulled something."
"Suck it up. You know what they say: pain is weakness leaving the body."
"Yeah, cheers for that," said Stella, swallowing two pain killers she had found in the marked car. Having a headache always made her cranky and upset at the slightest noise or movement. Shannon was no exception today and would bear the full brunt of Stella's anger if it came to blows.
"You should be right on him," said Leon.
"Well, he's not here," said Shannon.
"You sure?"
"I can't see him."
A moment later, Shannon found the GPS sitting on top of a rubbish pile. "I found the transponder unit."
Stella simply smiled and crossed her arms. Christian was looking slightly worried. Kerry told her off. Lawson called her phone when Leon listed the standard inventory.
Ben had a standard comms pack and was probably listening to their conversation at that present time. Their mobile phone bills were going to go through the roof by the end of their shift. Now everyone was going to hear her attempts at negotiating with a cocky teenager who had stolen a police vehicle.
"Ben, this is Senior Sergeant Shannon Henry?"
"Is that you muscles?" he asked. "Are you the young lady whose car I stole?"
Stella tried to stifle a giggle as she drove and Shannon simply glared at her.
"Yes, that's right."
"Sorry about that. I was going crazy in that detention centre. No music, you see. Do you like this song Shannon?"
"It's not bad. Ben, you're in a very dangerous situation here. Look I need you to pull the car over and talk to me."
He was simply messing with her by now. This was the worst first day of Shannon's life, and her girlfriend wasn't being very supportive.
"Has something upset you today?"
"I asked a pretty girl out on a date and she rejected me."
Stella lifted an eyebrow at Shannon.
"Oh, I promise to pay back that money from your wallet." Shannon's eye slid shut in anger. "And ah, cute photo by the way."
Stella looked into the rear view mirror and could see Christian smirking. He mouthed back 'karma'. Shannon's phone went off and she tried to justify her failed attempts at reasoning with Ben. Then Leon rang.
"Okay, Shannon, relax. I'm putting a block on your bank accounts and credit cards."
"Don't worry, my accounts empty and my cards are maxed."
"It's too late. If anyone tried to access your accounts, we'll get the jump on his location. Did you say that you've got nothing in your account?"
"It's bone dry."
"Not any more. Someone's just deposited one hundred grand."
"How do you know my account numbers?"
The occupants of the car just giggled again and Shannon ordered Leon to double check Ben's recent history. Less than five minutes later, it came as news to the team that Ben had robbed a arts supply store for more than three thousand dollars. Dressed in a Tactical Response Uniform.
"How the hell did he get that?" asked Shannon.
"I keep a spare one in the back," admitted Christian quietly. "Look, I'll make amends and note to keep my spare in my locker the next time I think the car's going to get pinched."
"Well make another one: not to be a smartarse."
Stella smiled at Shannon again. By staying relatively quiet for the day, Stella was less likely to dig herself a hole, or at least avoid digging a deep hole, with her girlfriend. She parked the car in the Brunswick street Ben had been spotted along. Lawson told them all to split up and search thoroughly.
"You've got to admire the kid," said Michael. "He thinks on his feet."
"He's a crook," said Stella.
"At least he's free."
"Not for long," she laughed, and they continued down the main street.
Christian found the car barely ten minutes after they had all split up, and Ben shot him with the beanbag shot gun.
"You're armed with a Glock and he's shooting at you?" asked Shannon, as Christian applied the ice pack to his bruised shoulder.
"I'm not about to shoot a kid armed with a bean bag rifle."
"Well you don't have to make that obvious to him."
"Hey Shannon," called Lawson, directing her away from the eyes of the rest of the team. "Just tone it down a bit."
"One of team got shot!"
"Just listen to me for two seconds okay? If I have to pull you off this, these guys will never back you again. Stop whinging, stop blaming and stop criticising everyone," explained Lawson.
Shannon sighed heavily as Stella walked past.
"You okay?" she whispered.
"You gonna laugh at me again?" she replied.
"We'll see. Are you okay?"
"Hopefully, I'll still have a team by the end of the day," answered Shannon. She sounded defeated as they walked back to the general duties car together, Christian not far behind. The emptiness in Shannon's voice made Stella feel slightly guilty about laughing at her girlfriend earlier, and she felt her heart crack at this.
Shannon's phone went off when Kerry called. She called for Lawson and put it on speaker phone. Ben had turned eighteen the same day Shannon had her first day as Senior Sergeant. At a court appearance, the Judge had charged Ben as an adult which meant prison and not juvenile detention. They came to the conclusion to let Ben talk to his mother.
As they got in the cars, Shannon heeded Lawson's advice and turned to Christian. "You okay?"
"Yeah."
They listened as Ben's mother mocked him, and his actions. "The smartest boy in school spending his life getting chased by the cops!"
"I thought we could do something together, go to Phillip Island."
As soon as she started to insult her son, Josh pulled her off the phone. Ben had gone quiet and Shannon was back to negotiating.
"Ben, can you hear me? It's Shannon. Ben?"
Ben refused to response and was spotted momentarily at the Etihad Stadium. It didn't take long for them to find their stolen vehicle parked roughly on the third level with the driver's door wide open. The TR members immediately got out of the cars to clear the vehicle. Shannon and Lawson went to the front seats while Stella checked the inventory in the strong box.
"Oh, good, he left my wallet," said Shannon as she tucked it into her vest.
"And the comms pack," said Lawson. "Leon, we're back in communications. Get onto CCTV and try to find will ya."
"VKC this is TR2, we've located the stolen vehicle along with missing weapons. All backup units requested to stay outside the stadium, over."
"Hey, what are you doing?" asked Lawson, looking at her like she was insane.
"The kid had got nothing to lose. We don't want him having a face off with a bunch of junior constables and their glocks."
'Nice call,' thought Lawson. "Well, we have to find him first."
The blocked off TR2 with the marked car, locked all three vehicles and headed into the stadium to search for Ben. Shannon, Christian and Lawson were on the second tier of seats and couldn't see anyone, not even a worker. Leon was sifting through the CCTV footage to find him, while Stella and Michael were running through stairwells and corridors.
On a landing in between levels, in the stairwell, Stella's head began to sear in pain as she was running. She was bent over, hands on her knees, trying to focus on her breathing and ignore the pain. As her mind began fogging with pain and her body began to sweat, Audrey's voice came over the comms.
"He's headed for the stairwell, second level, gate three."
"I'm there guys," said Stella, shakily. Shannon heard her voice come through the earpiece; it was not the strong, confident voice of Stella. Something was wrong.
"Stop, Police! Guys, he's heading down."
Ben had just reached the landing at the bottom of the stretch of stairs Stella was on, when she grabbed the railing, gripping it tightly with her face contorted in pain. Ben kept running. Her vision was becoming blurry and dark and she could see a figure in a TR uniform coming back up the stairs. Ben took a left at the bottom, disappearing as Shannon came up the stairs, Michael just behind her. She could see Stella's feet on the stairs, she wasn't moving.
"Go after him," she ordered and ran up the stairs towards Stella. She had just reached the bottom of the stretch. "Stella. You okay?"
Shannon didn't get a response as her girlfriend fainted, falling from the stairs. Shannon just caught her before she hit the concrete and tumbled to the bottom, lifting the smaller woman to lay on the landing.
"Stella, Stel. Can you hear me? Come on," said Shannon, checking her pulse. She had her hands on either side of Stella's face holding her neck. "Stel, sweetie, open your eyes. Leon, I need a medic at Stella's last known position. She's fainted."
It wasn't until after Christian and Lawson had joined her, that Michael came back. "I lost him. Is she okay?"
Stella's eyes opened to just a crack, her face showing her confusion at what had happened.
"Hey, no, no don't move. Stay still. What happened? You okay?" Shannon asked, holding Stella's shoulders down to prevent her from getting up.
"I don't know. I saw Ben and then everything just went black. My head hurts."
"Okay, just stay down. Leon, where is that ambulance?"
"Five away. I've spotted him, he's heading to the roof."
"Shannon, you, me and Michael and going to go after Ben," instructed Lawson. When he saw the look on her face that clearly said she didn't want to leave her girlfriend, he quickly reminded her. "You started this with this kid, and you're going to finish it. Christian, you stay here with Stella."
"I'll see you later, okay, Stel?"
Stella simply nodded and told her to go back to work. Shannon smiled at her girlfriend, and then glared at her boss as she followed him back up the stairs. Fifteen minutes later and they still hadn't been able to spot Ben, he hadn't followed through on his way to the roof and Michael had disappeared when the ambulance officers were loading her into the ambulance.
"Hey do you want me to come with you?" he asked.
"Nah, I'm fine."
"You sure?" he asked, moving to get in.
"I'm fine!" exclaimed the Senior Constable, taking another breath of the whistle.
"Just one more look, you guys go that way and I'm going to go back this way," said Shannon as they all met up on the second tier.
"Okay, I've got him!" yelled Leon. "He's on the upper level heading for the roof near you."
She turned and could see him disappear into a doorway. She pulled out her weapon and began to clear the stairs leading to the roof.
"Ben!" she called, finally finding him sitting on the edge of the roof.
"I'm glad it's you who found me."
"Me, too."
"You're a good guy, Ben. I can see that."
"You heard my mum."
If Shannon wasn't careful, he would jump. Slowly, she began to make her way across the roof, holstering her weapon to show that she meant no harm. "If you go quietly, it'll help."
"Is that what you'd do? Go quietly?" he asked.
"You can be anything you want to be," she said.
He scoffed at her, "That's bullshit, Oprah!"
"It's not!"
"It's A-grade bullshit."
"It's not. You simple do your time, get out and start again," she explained, trying to reason with him. She could see it wasn't working.
"No, thanks. I've gotta fly," he replied, turning to get off the edge. He went to run and jump over the edge around the corner from where he had been sitting, but Shannon tackled him roughly on the corrugated steel of the roof.
"Ben Miller, you are under arrest!" she said, forcing his head down and his hands into cuffs. "I've got him. He's been detained."
"Thank God," said Christian.
"This time make sure he doesn't trip you and pick your pocket," retorted Lawson.
Shannon laughed and sat Ben against the wall opposite the door. She sighed loudly when Lawson patted her shoulder to let her know he was there. Chasing Ben Miller across Melbourne had taken their entire shift. By the time they got back to the base Kerry simply told them to do their paperwork tomorrow.
"Alright, shift's over, go home," said Kerry, walking into her office.
"Hey, Kerry, how'd Stella go at the hospital?" she asked, following the Inspector in.
"Ah, something about having low blood pressure and not eating enough. Tash said she'd be fine, just to sleep the headache off and have decent meals, lay off the alcohol for a while and regular exercise."
"Okay, where is she?"
"I dropped her off at yours."
"Thanks, Kerry."
Josh met her in the hallway, walking with her towards the parking lot. "Well, well, well."
"Not a word out of you," she smiled, pointing her finger at the man. He laughed.
"Everyone has a shit first day at some point. This one was yours," he explained. "You alright?"
"Yeah. What was shit first day?" she asked.
"First day on the job as a cop. The car got t-boned and I had a gun pointed my head."
Shannon stood there thoughtfully for a moment, "Seriously?"
"Yeah. You get most embarrassing, I get most injured, alright. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. A shit first day and now I get to go home and look after Stella," she smiled.
"Try not to kill her 'ey?" he yelled jokingly across the parking lot. Shannon waved him off and got into her car, in a hurry to get home.
Twenty minutes later, she arrived home, the house as quiet as a tomb. She couldn't hear anything, but didn't want to call out in case Stella was asleep. She wasn't on the couch, so Shannon left her bag at the front door with her coat, slipping her boots off and slowly making her way upstairs. Stella was snoring lightly in the bed, curled around a pillow on the edge.
Shannon smiled at the peacefulness of the scene and kneeled next to the bed, kissing her girlfriend's forehead to wake her up, her hand resting on Stella's hip.
"Hey, gorgeous."
"Hey, yourself," smiled Stella, her eyes opening slightly.
"Do you feel a little better?"
Stella nodded into the pillows.
"Why are you hugging the pillow?"
"It's your pillow. You weren't home yet," muttered Stella.
"Let me get changed and I'll lay down with you. Yeah?"
Stella simply nodded again and watched with bleary eyes as Shannon stripped own to her underwear and slipped on some shorts and a baggy t-shirt, before calmly getting into the bed and spooning Stella who hummed in contentment.
"I'm sorry for being such a bitch today, babe," apologised Shannon, her chin resting on Stella's shoulder.
"That's okay, I'm sorry for laughing at you." Stella turned slightly and pressed her lips to Shannon's, and then turned over completely to snuggle into Shannon's side. "You've got to admit it was kind of funny."
Shannon giggled against Stella, only tightening her grip around her girlfriend's waist.
"A little funny. Just promise me that you won't scare me like that again."
"I'll try. In our line of work, I can't promise anything. I love you Senior Sergeant."
"I love you too, Senior Constable."
Stella drifted into a light sleep, Shannon content to lie there holding her girlfriend, enjoying the feeling of Stella's calm breathing pattern.