Chapter Text
He felt her bolt upright and throw off the sheets in a hurry, and that was when he rolled over and looked at the clock on his nightstand. Wasn't even six AM yet. She didn't have to leave for another hour. Then he rolled back over and looked at the open bathroom door and listened to her throw up in the toilet and he knew.
He got out of bed himself and walked into the bathroom, looking at her kneeling on the floor, heaving over the toilet. He watched her wipe her mouth off with the back of her hand and reach up to flush the toilet.
"You're pregnant," he said simply, in a quiet tone of voice that even he could tell held a hint of wonder to it.
"I wasn't sure until right now," she said. "I just thought I was late."
"How late?"
"A week. That's why I wasn't freaking out." She stood up and looked at him, opening her mouth to say something before her eyes went wide and she scrambled back into a sitting position in front of the toilet. He reached over and pulled her hair out of the way as she vomited again. He waited patiently for her to finish, then he let go of her hair and offered her his hand for help getting up. She looked at him, confused. "Why aren't you freaking out?"
"I knew it was a possibility," he said. "You know, it only takes one time."
She nodded. "I forget my pill, condom breaks, and now here we are five weeks later and I'm knocked up," she said wryly. "Are...you okay with this?"
He nodded slowly. "Are you?"
"I don't really know right now."
"Look...you just threw up twice. Maybe you should call in, go see your OB/GYN. Get confirmation, you know?"
She shook her head. "I've got to transport Dunbrook's kid today." Then her eyes widened again and she headed back for the toilet.
"Don't think it's going to be good if you throw up on him," he said, going back to holding her hair back. This time it was just dry heaving, but he felt her hair tug in his light grip as she nodded.
"You're right," she said. "I'll call the Captain, let him know it might be a case of pregnancy."
"You really want to tell him that?" he asked, surprised.
"I found out yesterday there's an office pool about it, held as far away from your attention as possible. Captain knew about it and put his bid in that I'd find out this week. Trust me, I tell him I might be pregnant and he's going to be elated," she said with a tremulous smile as she turned her head and looked at him. "Plus he might actually be happy for us, for all I know."
"So I take it if you are you're keeping the kid."
She nodded. "I told myself if I ever got pregnant I'd carry the kid. Then I'd see what my options were a little further down the line." She caught the look on his face. "Trust me, Don, if I'm really pregnant there's no way in hell I'm giving it up for adoption. That was more my 'if I find myself single and alone' plan. I've got you..." She shrugged slightly. "If you're not freaking out that means you'll be involved."
"You're damn right I will."
"And before you say anything I am not suggesting we get married right away. Or at all. I can handle things continuing as they are for right now. I don't want to do what Danny and Lindsay did."
"To be honest, I feel the same," he said. Then he knelt down next to her and kissed the top of her head. "Come on. Call the Captain and get back into the bed while I run to the store for some saltines."
Her smile became bigger and warmer. "Thanks."
"Hey, it's no problem at all," he said, putting an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. He stayed like that for a moment before letting go, getting up and offering her his hand again. She took it and when she stood up she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. He grinned and began rubbing her back, marveling at the turn his life was about to take.
---
She got an appointment for nine, and the Captain agreed that with something that important, Flack should be there with her. He'd planned on seeing Terrence Davis that morning, but this was more important. Danny could handle it, and when Flack had called to ask and told him why, Danny had been more than happy to do it for him. Of course, Flack mused, he had to remind Danny not to tell everyone he knew exactly why neither of them were at work, and Danny promised ten ways to Sunday that he'd keep his mouth shut. But Flack knew that withing two minutes of hanging up Lindsay probably knew, and he was okay with that. Danny keeping his mouth completely shut with news that important would have been a miracle.
He wasn't really all that nervous while they were waiting, but Angell was. She kept picking up a magazine and then minutes later dropping it on her lap and fidgeting slightly. He reached over and put his arm around her shoulders, leaning in towards her. "You okay?" he asked quietly.
"No, not in the slightest. It's been a half hour, Don. If I'd peed on a stick I would have gotten the results faster."
He grinned. "But they're not always reliable."
She sighed. "I know, I just--"
"Jessica Angell?" They both looked to the nurse standing in the doorway. "The doctor will see you now."
They both stood up and he watched her take a deep breath. As they headed into the office, though, his phone rang. He glanced at the number, saw that it was Danny's and ignored it. Whatever it was that he was calling about, it could wait a few minutes. Then he heard Angell's phone vibrate and he frowned. "Jess, your phone."
"What?" she said. Then she looked down at her side and pulled it off. "It's the captain."
"Soon as we find out what's going on, we should return these calls," he said uneasily. "I get the feeling something's--" His phone rang again. When he checked the number this time it was Stella. "Wrong," he finished.
She started to reply when the doctor entered the office. "Please, have a seat," she said with a warm smile. They both sat down as Angell's phone began to vibrate again. "Is something wrong?" the doctor asked, the smile quickly becoming a frown.
"Something work related," Angell said. "So..."
"You're pregnant," the doctor said with a nod. "Five weeks along."
Angell shut her eyes and then slowly smiled. Flack took one look at her face and knew that, for the moment, she'd accepted what was going on. "Okay. Okay, good," she finally said.
"I want you to start on prenatal pills immediately," the doctor said, pulling over a prescription pad. "And I know the kind of job you do. I want you to be as careful as possible, okay? I also want to see you again in three weeks."
"Okay, three weeks," she said, turning to look at Flack as his phone rang again. The smile turned into a frown. "Answer it?"
He nodded and got up, moving away from the chair where he'd been sitting. "Flack," he said quietly.
"Where are you at?" Mac demanded.
"Doctor's."
"Where's Detective Angell?"
"With me, Mac. What's going on?" There was a moment of silence before Flack heard a Mac's muffled voice informing someone else that Angell was with him. "Mac, tell me what's going on!" he said. He turned and saw both women looking at him.
"Connor Dunbrook has been kidnapped, and there were reports a female detective on scene was shot." Flack's eyes widened. "The name hadn't been released and we all thought it was Detective Angell."
"No, Mac, she here. She's with me. She called in this morning because she was sick."
Mac breathed a sigh of relief. "We're on our way to the scene. Is she better now?"
"Yeah," Flack said.
"Come to the scene as fast as you can. Let me give you the address."
Flack looked at the doctor. "Can I get a pen and something to write with?"
She nodded. "Certainly." She handed him the pen she'd been using to write the prescription and a notepad.
"Thanks." He got situated. "Give it to me, Mac."
Mac reeled off an address. "When do you think you can make it?"
"Twenty minutes, give or take."
"We should be there by then."
"All right. See you there." He hung up and ripped off the page with the address and handed the notepad and pen back to the doctor. "I have to go."
"Don? What the hell happened?" Angell asked.
He looked at her and took a deep breath. "Dunbrook's kid was kidnapped. Someone got shot. A woman. Everyone thought it was you."
"Oh God," Angell said, her eyes widening. "Where are you going?"
"To the scene."
"I'm coming with you," she said, getting up.
"Jess..." he began.
"I'm coming with you," she said, her face determined.
He nodded slowly. "Okay. Let's go."
"Jessica?" the doctor said.
"Yes?"
She looked at her closely. "Please remember to make an appointment. You don't have to do it right now, but it's important."
She nodded. "I know. I'll call later today, if I can."
"Okay," the doctor said.
"Let's go," Angell replied, opening the door and heading out.
Flack followed her in silence until they got to the elevator. Once they were inside he turned to her. "Jess, tell me what you're thinking."
"It could have been me," she said quietly. "God, Don, it really could have been me." She turned to look at him and she saw tears beginning to fall down her face. He took a step towards her and pulled her into his arms, letting her sob on his shoulder. It was all he could do. He hadn't felt so helpless in a long time, and all he could do right now was hold her close and thank fate for morning sickness, because if it hadn't happened, he would have lost her forever that morning. Lost her and the baby. He didn't even want to think about that.