A/N- I'm so sorry not to have updated. I realize now I left you with an incredibly short last chapter. I apologize; all those chapters I wrote while backpacking come further along in the story (I wasn't sequential.). I just got moved to uni and had my first week of classes, but we had a long weekend. Hopefully, I'll get more up soon. Thanks to everyone for sticking around, especially Taylor, Isolith, and Miss Shannon for reviewing (:
Yes, we're lovers, and that is that,
Though nothing will keep us together.
-Heroes, David Bowie
Around three, Sharon began winding down. Her infatuation with cleanliness was wearing off. She put everything away and pulled out a new set of clothes. She had called Jack and he'd said he'd take her out somewhere nice for dinner, but didn't go farther than that. She picked out a dress Jack had bought for her after his last big case. It was stormy gray with coppery sequins washing up from the bottom of the fluffy skirt. By four-thirty, Sharon had arrived at Cedars Hospital and made her way to Marcia Pierce's office. She was unsurprised when she found Jack wasn't there waiting. She decided not to bother trying to call; either he would come or he wouldn't.
There wasn't anyone else waiting, in fact, Marcia herself was lounging in the waiting room drinking pitch black coffee. She was wearing a white lab coat, half-buttoned, over her flower-patterned scrubs. Unlike many other women her age, she wasn't reading Vogue or a paperback romance. She had an oversize copy of Calvin and Hobbes in her lap.
"Marcia?"
"Sharon! I'm glad you called. I thought I'd have to make a house call." She shut her book and bounded up. "Where's Jack?"
Sharon smiled tightly. "I think he's on his way," she said trying to sound cheerful.
Marcia rolled her eyes. "Mmhmm. That's what they all say. Do you want to wait-"
"No, it's fine. Let's just get started."
~*~*~*~*~
Jack swung into his car, dropped his briefcase on the passenger seat, and glanced at the clock. 4:37.
"Oh, shit." He had promised Sharon he'd meet her at four-thirty for her doctor's appointment. Cedars was across town from the courthouse. "Shit, shit, shit." He slipped the keys into the ignition and roared away, darting between lanes when he could.
After two red lights and fifteen minutes, he finally pulled up to the hospital. He locked the car and walked in. The hallways all looked the same. He picked one at random, hoping it would lead upstairs, where he thought Sharon had said her doctor was. Or did she say the first floor? He couldn't remember. He hurried up the first flight of stairs he found, and, to his relief, he found the door for Dr. Marcia Pierce staring him in the face.
"My wife has an appointment here..." he trailed off.
The secretary looked nonplussed.
"Sharon Raydor. I was running late-"
The woman looked at him with what was clearly disdain. "Room two, on the left. She said you were welcome to join her if you showed up." There was an emphasis on "if."
"Thank you," Jack smiled, trying his best to leave a good impression. He ducked into the back hall an quickly found the room. He knocked, then let himself in. The room was brightly lit by the large window and he found Dr. Pierce already putting her equipment away.
"Sharon is getting dressed. She'll be back in a minute." Marcia didn't even look up from what she was doing.
"How did it go?" He leaned against the exam table, trying to appear casual.
"You'd know if you'd been here," Marcia said sharply.
"I was-"
"I don't care." Marcia snapped her files shut. "You're supposed to be here. I don't care if you have court, if you want to go out for a drink.... You have to be here. That's part of the job. Sharon's not going to complain about it, so I will." She scrawled something across the back of a business card. "This is her next appointment. Be here, on time, or I will kill you myself." She gathered her papers and swept out of the room. "Wait here."
Jack stood frozen. He was somewhat shocked. He had only met the woman on a few other occasions, and she had always seemed clever but reserved. He hadn't thought being- he checked his watch- just under half an hour late would be such a big deal. Appointments always start late, he thought. So, technically, he'd only been maybe fifteen minutes late.
The door swung open and Sharon walked back in. She was wearing a nice dress that he didn't recall seeing before.
"Jack."
"Hey Shar. Sorry I was late. Traffic was terrible."
She smiled faintly and turned around. One had was on her back, holding the dress together. "Would you zip me up?"
He stepped forward and took the dress. She swept her hair out of the way and he zipped it, forcing the zipper upwards at one point, and fastened the little hook at the top.
"How did it go?"
"Fine," she said. She gathered her things. "Not much I didn't already know."
He caught the connotation. "Something you didn't know."
"Yes."
He rolled his eyes when she opened the door instead of elucidating. He followed her out to the desk, where she checked out and received her own copy of the appointment card Marcia had given Jack.
They went outside together, and Jack paused, unsure of the driving arrangements.
"I took a cab. I figured we could just drive in your car."
He nodded and lead her to his parking spot. They slipped in, backed out, and turned onto the street.
"I'm sorry."
"I know." Her cool composure was almost more hurtful than anger.
He tried again. "What did the doc say?" He reached one hand over and set it on her knee.
She sighed, and with that, the façade cracked. "She said everything was fine, but I'm not to go tackling people anymore."
"That's good."
She hummed vague agreement.
Jack glanced at her. "Shar, is there something else?"
"Marcia says she's not totally sure, but she thinks it's a girl."
Jack turned to look at her, stunned. "Really? That's fantastic! Sharon-"
"Eyes on the road, please."
He dutifully looked back to the street with a wide grin. "Really? A girl?"
"Yes," Sharon replied. He could hear excitement creeping into her voice as well, and knew she was too excited to be angry with him any longer.
*~*~*~*~*
They ended up picking Ricky up early. The whole way to the restaurant he babbled excitedly about his day. The class had gone on a walk; he had petted a dog; could he have a dog; where where they going?
"We're going to Shiki."
"What's She-key?"
"It's an Asian restaurant, Ricky," Sharon said. "That means you can get fish, or noodles, or curry."
"Mac-cheese?"
"No, kiddo," Jack replied. "But I bet you can get something you like."
They pulled up to the restaurant and a valet took the car away. Ricky held tightly to his parents' hands and swung between them as they slipped inside. It was a small place, painted dark green and an olive bronze. Netting and lanterns were draped across the ceiling and tall plants divided the tables and booths.
"We have a reservation for three. Raydor?"
"This way." A young waitress led them to a booth in the back, deftly weaving between the other diners. "Here are the menus. Our special tonight is coconut curry on rice, and all house cocktails are buy one, get one half off tonight. I'll be back for your orders in just a few minutes."
They spent the time until her return looking over the menus. Sharon read selections aloud to Ricky, eventually helping him decide on California rolls, as there was no macaroni and cheese to be found. The waitress was back soon after. Jack ordered sushi, Sharon the special. She was somewhat dismayed when he looked over the wine list and ordered a glass.
"It's just a glass, Sharon," he said coolly when he caught her expression. He shook his head slightly, and turned to smile at Ricky. "Hey buddy, your mum and I have something to tell you."
"What?" Ricky looked up from the kids' menu he was coloring on. "Are we getting a dog?"
"No, sorry," Sharon said. "Not right now."
"Oh." He kicked his feet in the air, looking at them expectantly.
Sharon looked to Jack, unsure of how to phrase her thoughts. He shrugged back, and she rolled her eyes. "Ricky, remember when we told you that you were going to have a little brother or sister?"
"Yeah. Is the baby here now?"
Jack laughed, grinning. "Not yet. Not for a while yet."
Sharon smiled slightly. "I had a doctor's appointment today and she said that the baby is probably a little girl. So you'll have a sister."
"Oh. Okay. When will she get here then?" he repeated.
"Sometime in October, hopefully," Sharon said.
"Will she have her own room?"
"Yes."
"Can I hold her?"
"When she gets here you may hold her if you're careful," she answered.
"I will be."
"Okay."
"What's her name?"
Sharon looked to Jack again, somewhat surprised.
"Well, we haven't picked a name yet," Jack said slowly.
"She needs one! Can I pick it?"
Sharon smiled. "You can help us pick her name. It's something we will do together, okay?"
"Okay." Ricky nodded and went back to his coloring.
Jack reached for Sharon's hand. "That went over easily."
"Indeed."
The waitress returned with their food. The Raydors sat quietly as she set the plates down.
"Would you like another glass of the wine, sir?"
Jack didn't look at Sharon. "Sure. Thanks."
As the young woman disappeared again, Sharon looked to Jack, eyebrows raised. "I'm driving."
"Alright," he said calmly. "That's fine."
~*~*~*~*~
They arrived home maybe an hour later. Sharon helped Ricky get ready for bed again. She read him a short story about bears and slipped off his bed when she was done. He was breathing deeply, and she watched for a moment before turning off the light and shutting the door.
She walked into the master bedroom and reached behind her head to unfasten the dress and slide it off. When it puddled to the ground, she let her breath out and welcomed the freedom to breathe deeply again. She let her hair down and wrapped a towel about herself, before heading to the lone bathroom everyone shared.
Her thoughts were wandering when she pulled the shower curtain back to begin running a bath, and she yelped in surprise. Jack had already filled the tub. In fact, he was sitting there, amid clouds of bubblegum-scented bubbles.
She giggled nervously, heart still jumping.
He smiled up at her brightly. "I was just thinking that since today is kind of special, I could do something for you." He reached for a bottle and two champagne flutes that had been half-hidden on the floor. "Don't worry, it's just sparking grape juice." He poured them each a glass and Sharon sat on the edge of the bath as they sipped in comfortable silence. After a while, he set his flute on the tiled floor, and she followed suit, watching his face curiously. It looked as though he had something to say.
"What?"
"Nothing," he grinned. Suddenly, he reached up and pulled her in to the water. She shrieked loudly as foam and water splashed everywhere. He landed her gently in his lap, laughing. She threw a handful of bubbles at his face, giggling helplessly. It was times like this that she really loved him. The times when he was laughing and clear-headed and far too clever for his own good.
He scooped up a handful of foam in each hand and cupped her face. She spat bubbles out, right in Jack's face as he leaned in to kiss her. He sputtered and kissed her anyways. It was wet and somewhat bubbly, but she didn't care. Everything was perfect.
There wasn't anyone else waiting, in fact, Marcia herself was lounging in the waiting room drinking pitch black coffee. She was wearing a white lab coat, half-buttoned, over her flower-patterned scrubs. Unlike many other women her age, she wasn't reading Vogue or a paperback romance. She had an oversize copy of Calvin and Hobbes in her lap.
"Marcia?"
"Sharon! I'm glad you called. I thought I'd have to make a house call." She shut her book and bounded up. "Where's Jack?"
Sharon smiled tightly. "I think he's on his way," she said trying to sound cheerful.
Marcia rolled her eyes. "Mmhmm. That's what they all say. Do you want to wait-"
"No, it's fine. Let's just get started."
~*~*~*~*~
Jack swung into his car, dropped his briefcase on the passenger seat, and glanced at the clock. 4:37.
"Oh, shit." He had promised Sharon he'd meet her at four-thirty for her doctor's appointment. Cedars was across town from the courthouse. "Shit, shit, shit." He slipped the keys into the ignition and roared away, darting between lanes when he could.
After two red lights and fifteen minutes, he finally pulled up to the hospital. He locked the car and walked in. The hallways all looked the same. He picked one at random, hoping it would lead upstairs, where he thought Sharon had said her doctor was. Or did she say the first floor? He couldn't remember. He hurried up the first flight of stairs he found, and, to his relief, he found the door for Dr. Marcia Pierce staring him in the face.
"My wife has an appointment here..." he trailed off.
The secretary looked nonplussed.
"Sharon Raydor. I was running late-"
The woman looked at him with what was clearly disdain. "Room two, on the left. She said you were welcome to join her if you showed up." There was an emphasis on "if."
"Thank you," Jack smiled, trying his best to leave a good impression. He ducked into the back hall an quickly found the room. He knocked, then let himself in. The room was brightly lit by the large window and he found Dr. Pierce already putting her equipment away.
"Sharon is getting dressed. She'll be back in a minute." Marcia didn't even look up from what she was doing.
"How did it go?" He leaned against the exam table, trying to appear casual.
"You'd know if you'd been here," Marcia said sharply.
"I was-"
"I don't care." Marcia snapped her files shut. "You're supposed to be here. I don't care if you have court, if you want to go out for a drink.... You have to be here. That's part of the job. Sharon's not going to complain about it, so I will." She scrawled something across the back of a business card. "This is her next appointment. Be here, on time, or I will kill you myself." She gathered her papers and swept out of the room. "Wait here."
Jack stood frozen. He was somewhat shocked. He had only met the woman on a few other occasions, and she had always seemed clever but reserved. He hadn't thought being- he checked his watch- just under half an hour late would be such a big deal. Appointments always start late, he thought. So, technically, he'd only been maybe fifteen minutes late.
The door swung open and Sharon walked back in. She was wearing a nice dress that he didn't recall seeing before.
"Jack."
"Hey Shar. Sorry I was late. Traffic was terrible."
She smiled faintly and turned around. One had was on her back, holding the dress together. "Would you zip me up?"
He stepped forward and took the dress. She swept her hair out of the way and he zipped it, forcing the zipper upwards at one point, and fastened the little hook at the top.
"How did it go?"
"Fine," she said. She gathered her things. "Not much I didn't already know."
He caught the connotation. "Something you didn't know."
"Yes."
He rolled his eyes when she opened the door instead of elucidating. He followed her out to the desk, where she checked out and received her own copy of the appointment card Marcia had given Jack.
They went outside together, and Jack paused, unsure of the driving arrangements.
"I took a cab. I figured we could just drive in your car."
He nodded and lead her to his parking spot. They slipped in, backed out, and turned onto the street.
"I'm sorry."
"I know." Her cool composure was almost more hurtful than anger.
He tried again. "What did the doc say?" He reached one hand over and set it on her knee.
She sighed, and with that, the façade cracked. "She said everything was fine, but I'm not to go tackling people anymore."
"That's good."
She hummed vague agreement.
Jack glanced at her. "Shar, is there something else?"
"Marcia says she's not totally sure, but she thinks it's a girl."
Jack turned to look at her, stunned. "Really? That's fantastic! Sharon-"
"Eyes on the road, please."
He dutifully looked back to the street with a wide grin. "Really? A girl?"
"Yes," Sharon replied. He could hear excitement creeping into her voice as well, and knew she was too excited to be angry with him any longer.
*~*~*~*~*
They ended up picking Ricky up early. The whole way to the restaurant he babbled excitedly about his day. The class had gone on a walk; he had petted a dog; could he have a dog; where where they going?
"We're going to Shiki."
"What's She-key?"
"It's an Asian restaurant, Ricky," Sharon said. "That means you can get fish, or noodles, or curry."
"Mac-cheese?"
"No, kiddo," Jack replied. "But I bet you can get something you like."
They pulled up to the restaurant and a valet took the car away. Ricky held tightly to his parents' hands and swung between them as they slipped inside. It was a small place, painted dark green and an olive bronze. Netting and lanterns were draped across the ceiling and tall plants divided the tables and booths.
"We have a reservation for three. Raydor?"
"This way." A young waitress led them to a booth in the back, deftly weaving between the other diners. "Here are the menus. Our special tonight is coconut curry on rice, and all house cocktails are buy one, get one half off tonight. I'll be back for your orders in just a few minutes."
They spent the time until her return looking over the menus. Sharon read selections aloud to Ricky, eventually helping him decide on California rolls, as there was no macaroni and cheese to be found. The waitress was back soon after. Jack ordered sushi, Sharon the special. She was somewhat dismayed when he looked over the wine list and ordered a glass.
"It's just a glass, Sharon," he said coolly when he caught her expression. He shook his head slightly, and turned to smile at Ricky. "Hey buddy, your mum and I have something to tell you."
"What?" Ricky looked up from the kids' menu he was coloring on. "Are we getting a dog?"
"No, sorry," Sharon said. "Not right now."
"Oh." He kicked his feet in the air, looking at them expectantly.
Sharon looked to Jack, unsure of how to phrase her thoughts. He shrugged back, and she rolled her eyes. "Ricky, remember when we told you that you were going to have a little brother or sister?"
"Yeah. Is the baby here now?"
Jack laughed, grinning. "Not yet. Not for a while yet."
Sharon smiled slightly. "I had a doctor's appointment today and she said that the baby is probably a little girl. So you'll have a sister."
"Oh. Okay. When will she get here then?" he repeated.
"Sometime in October, hopefully," Sharon said.
"Will she have her own room?"
"Yes."
"Can I hold her?"
"When she gets here you may hold her if you're careful," she answered.
"I will be."
"Okay."
"What's her name?"
Sharon looked to Jack again, somewhat surprised.
"Well, we haven't picked a name yet," Jack said slowly.
"She needs one! Can I pick it?"
Sharon smiled. "You can help us pick her name. It's something we will do together, okay?"
"Okay." Ricky nodded and went back to his coloring.
Jack reached for Sharon's hand. "That went over easily."
"Indeed."
The waitress returned with their food. The Raydors sat quietly as she set the plates down.
"Would you like another glass of the wine, sir?"
Jack didn't look at Sharon. "Sure. Thanks."
As the young woman disappeared again, Sharon looked to Jack, eyebrows raised. "I'm driving."
"Alright," he said calmly. "That's fine."
~*~*~*~*~
They arrived home maybe an hour later. Sharon helped Ricky get ready for bed again. She read him a short story about bears and slipped off his bed when she was done. He was breathing deeply, and she watched for a moment before turning off the light and shutting the door.
She walked into the master bedroom and reached behind her head to unfasten the dress and slide it off. When it puddled to the ground, she let her breath out and welcomed the freedom to breathe deeply again. She let her hair down and wrapped a towel about herself, before heading to the lone bathroom everyone shared.
Her thoughts were wandering when she pulled the shower curtain back to begin running a bath, and she yelped in surprise. Jack had already filled the tub. In fact, he was sitting there, amid clouds of bubblegum-scented bubbles.
She giggled nervously, heart still jumping.
He smiled up at her brightly. "I was just thinking that since today is kind of special, I could do something for you." He reached for a bottle and two champagne flutes that had been half-hidden on the floor. "Don't worry, it's just sparking grape juice." He poured them each a glass and Sharon sat on the edge of the bath as they sipped in comfortable silence. After a while, he set his flute on the tiled floor, and she followed suit, watching his face curiously. It looked as though he had something to say.
"What?"
"Nothing," he grinned. Suddenly, he reached up and pulled her in to the water. She shrieked loudly as foam and water splashed everywhere. He landed her gently in his lap, laughing. She threw a handful of bubbles at his face, giggling helplessly. It was times like this that she really loved him. The times when he was laughing and clear-headed and far too clever for his own good.
He scooped up a handful of foam in each hand and cupped her face. She spat bubbles out, right in Jack's face as he leaned in to kiss her. He sputtered and kissed her anyways. It was wet and somewhat bubbly, but she didn't care. Everything was perfect.
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