| Dead On Episode 30 |
| Part1 ** "Put your hands up and give me the money." Julian Montevideo didn't want any games. This was going to be quick and painless, just another bank robbery. "Give me the money and no one gets hurt." Julian watched the freightened faces on the tellers behind the counter as the bank customers laid scattered around the floor. "Put it in a bag." The tellers scrambled to open the drawers. The older, blonde teller searched anxiously for the panic button well-hidden below the counter, out of any customer's view. The other teller handed the first bag to Julian. "Now to the safe." "I don't know the combination, I'm new." The teller had only been there a week, she hadn't been given priveleges to access the safe yet. Julian pointed the gun to her head, she could feel the eyes of the concerned customers following her. "Learn it, and fast." Julian wasn't in the mood, he had to get out of there. He knew Bridges and his gang would be on him again soon, they tracked him all week. "Please. Marcy!" She checked over her shoulder for Marcy, hoping she'd come towards them and open the safe. Marcy looked as Julian led Kim to the safe at gunpoint, she pushed the panic button and came towards them. "Let's move it!" All he wanted was the money so he could leave, nothing more. Julian didn't want to shoot, but he would if he had to. He was on a mission. ** "What are you smiling about?" Harvey wondered what had gotten into Joe as he walked cheerfully through the SIU. "From what I've heard, I should be asking you." The gossip was certainly hot today and Joe had no intention of ignoring the news. Rachel and Harvey had been the most recent topic. "You haven't heard the latest?" Joe was positive Harvey had to have heard the rumours by now. He must be living under the bridge to have fallen so far out of the loop. "The latest what?" Harvey was relatively clueless to Joe's hints. Knowing Joe, it probably wasn't anything good. "Gossip, of course." Joe grinned and then looked at Harvey seriously, "word is that you and McCabe have been having some tedious rounds of tonsil hockey on my clock." "Is that so?" Harvey looked at Joe in disbelief. "I wasn't there." Harvey decided that he'd have to talk to Rachel about their noon-time rendedevous, they were becoming obvious. "That's what I said. I mean, no offense, but you're not exactly her type." Joe figured that Rachel wasn't the type of girl Harvey was interested in. "Oh no?" Harvey questionned Joe's knowledge of Rachel's type. "Nah, she goes for men more like Nash or Bill. She's that type of girl." Joe didn't mean to jump ahead, but he was predicting Bill and Rachel would be quite the couple. "Bill, as in Chamberlain?" Maybe he'd finally get an explanation for all the flowers that had been sent to his wife. Rachel had yet to ask Bill about those. "Yeah, he's her kid's adoptive father." Joe assumed everyone would know by now about Rachel's child. Rachel came in ranting and teary-eyed after another meeting earlier inthe week and pretty much gave herself away. "Is something going on?" Harvey wondered if there was anything he should know about. "Not yet, at least nothing officially. But he is after her, he asked her out before he even knew who Rachel really was." Joe thought Bill's interest in Rachel was pretty serious. "Joe, Montevideo got the bank on Hohman. We gotta go check it out. Harve, Antwon's coming with back up... you stay here with Rachel in case he moves again." Nash wanted to trail Montevideo and trap him before he could strike again, their attempts were proving to be futile. ** "Are you going to take her tonight?" Harvey knew Bill had asked Rachel to take Cecilia for the evening while he went to L.A. on business. Rachel hasn't slept since then. They had met two more times since their day at the beach, Rachel was convinced her daughter hated her. He wanted to see if there was anything to Joe's rumours. "I don't know, Harvey, it's still so weird. It's like she has this picture of an ideal mother in her head and I don't live up to it." Rachel believed she was inferior to her daughter's high demands. "Rachel, she's five." Harvey coulnd't understand someone being five years old with such great expectations. "I know, but I can't be Mary." Rachel thought she was being unfair to Cecilia by coming into her life now. "She wants, hell, she needs, a mother like Mary." "Are you sure that's what she wants?" Harvey wondered if Rachel knew this for a fact or if she had convinced herself that Mary was the only mother for Lili in order to make the situation she had easier to accept. "She deserves better, Harvey." Rachel knew she was a far cry from being the perfect mother. Nothing had changed in nearly six years, she was just as scared as before."Mary's the only mother she's known. Now I come in, just as naive and unmaternal as I was when she was born." "Maybe she knows you feel uncomfortable, kids can sense that type of thing." He was no Dr. Spock, but he knew from his experiences with Jerry that kids knew when something was wrong. "I can't get close, not then certainly not now." It wasn't that she didn't want to, it was that she couldn't allow herself to. "Why don't you try?" Harvey didn't know why Rachel wasn't making every attempt to get closer to her daughter. He knew it was hard, but this seemed odd. "Harvey, I love my daughter without question but I can't get close, not now." Rachel didn't want to set herself up for a fall, she couldn't face giving Lili up again. "Why not? Are you afraid?" Harvey wanted to help the problem if he could. He wanted Rachel to trust him with her child. "God, am I ever afraid." Rachel had never been more afraid of her own child, she never imagined she'd be so intimidated by a five year old. "I'm a terrible mother, and I know that. I don't know if she'd accept me trying to change." "Will you quit being so hard on yourself?" Harvey understood her inhabitions, he felt the same when Anna presented him with Jerry. "Relax a little." "I wish I could." Rachel frowned slightly, "but right now I'm worried about getting the officials from Chile on the phone to get a hold of Montevideo's records." ** "Looks like he's done it again." Joe paced around the floor of the bank, Montevideo had gotten away. Nash studied the area carefully, there had to be some clue. "This time, he didn't leave a trail." With the other robberies, there had been evidence. Montevideo had since learned to cover his tracks. "How's his record?" Joe wondered what kind of history Montevideo had, or if his crimespree had begun in the U.S. "Rache was going to look into that today." Nash had left Rachel specific instructions for the information he wanted, she was great at finding the facts. "Is she any better?" Joe had recalled her outburst from the other day, fearing something like that might hinder her attempts. "Was she bad?" Nash didn't know what Joe was referring to, wondering if he had missed something. "You know, her and her daughter." Joe questionned if there was something else Nash had been thinking of, certainly Rachel would've told Nash what was going on with her and her kid. "Oh." Now Joe had Nash's attention. Rachel hadn't said much about Lili to him, he figured she saved her vents for Harvey these days. He wasn't going to get involved unless it was problematic to her work. ** "You never said, what was with the camera the other day?" Harvey was curious as to why Antwon was trying to snap a picture of him with Rachel. They certainly weren't discrete about their relationship in front of him. Harvey looked over to Antwon in the PT Cruiser as they waited at a red light. They had been sent to patrol the area where Montevideo had been sighted later that afternoon. "Oh, that camera..." Antwon shrugged, he'd have to tell Harvey sooner or later. He knew Rachel would never volunteer this information. He only wished he had the proof to back up his story. "Yes, the camera. Remember, I was with Rachel after lunch and you..." Harvey thought he might jog Antwon's memory a little. He had kept the camera, but he had questionned Antwon's intent for the picture. "And I was outside with a camera." Antwon smiled, he was sure Harvey wouldn't mind what Rachel had done. He wanted the picture of them as part of a practical joke, not expecting to get caught in the middle. "I just needed a picture for a little project." "Project?" Harvey wondered what Antwon could be up to. He looked at him curiously, "why do I get the idea I'm not going to like this?" "Settle down," Antwon looked at the stop light... "and drive, it's green." "It's nothing bad, I was just having a little fun." Antwon had changed his original deadline from Harvey's birthday to whenever he and Rachel decided to walk down the aisle. It was the ideal gift for a bachelor party. Antwon was sure they'd get married sooner or later. "At our expense?" Harvey knew the outdoors was public, but he liked to think they had some privacy. There had to be a limit somewhere. They reached the bank and Harvey eyed a parking space. "It's nothing like that, man." Antwon could see Harvey didn't take a liking to his idea. "It's more about Rachel than you." "Oh, so that makes it okay?" Harvey didn't mean to get so defensive, but this was his wife. Antwon could tell from Harvey's tone that he had to start explaining. Antwon hesistated a moment, "you know how we were talking, with our guy talk, about what type of girl she is?" ''Yes." Harvey should never have told him, Antwon was bringing it up yet again. If Rachel ever found out, he'd be a dead man. "What about it?" Harvey knew, somethings were meant to be private and this was one of them. "I found some pictures, when I was helping her move, back from her college days and I was going to save the copies for you." Antwon couldn't help but smile, "and let's just say, Ms. April isn't half bad when she's half dressed." "Excuse me?" Harvey couldn't believe what Antwon just told him. Surely Rachel wouldn't have done anything like that. "I was trying to get pictures together for you, a little fun for when you finally decided to marry her." Antwon might ruin the surprise, but he'd hold out with the pictures for as long as he could. "I got that part, go back to the Ms. April bit." Harvey was completely confused. Rachel hadn't mentioned doing modeling, of any sort. His wife was either a former calender girl or a stripper? Something wasn't right. "Let's just say, she shed some clothes for charity." Antwon grinned, complementing Harvey's surprised face perfectly as he got out of the car. Harvey was intrigued. "That's your girl." ** "Go say hi to Rachel." Bill gently pushed Lili through the SIU. He wanted this evening to be an experiment, hopefully a successful one. He couldn't tell who was more nervous, Rachel or Lili. Bill looked towards Rachel, her eyes were locked onto her computer screen. "She looks busy." Lili didn't want to interrupt Rachel's work, thou she wasn't sure exactly what she was doing. She stepped back and clung to Bill. "She's waiting for you." Bill assumed Rachel was trying to finish up whatever it was she was doing so she could leave. He was relieved when she finally agreed to take Lili for the evening. "Go say hi." Rachel searched the screen, busily scanning the files on Montevideo that the police in Chile had e-mailed her. "Dammit, I should've known." Nash would need an update before she could leave, something so important couldn't wait. She started her printer, waiting for the information. Rachel looked back at her desk, surprised to see her daughter standing before her with Bill. "Hi." Bill could see Rachel was a bit surprised, and probably wondering what she had gotten herself into. Bill glanced down at his watch, "sorry, it's a little early. I have to catch the six o'clock flight to L.A." "Oh, no... it's fine. I was just... I just got caught up in a file." If Rachel hadn't told Nash already she was leaving with her daughter, she'd gladly have changed her plans to stay that evening to work on the case. He wouldn't let her back out, neither would Bill. She'd have to call Nash later. "I see." Bill smiled, looking down at Lili and realizing she hadn't said anything yet. "Here's her overnight bag, I think I've got everything covered. Phone numbers and a schedule, she's got everything ready for school tomarrow." Bill hoped Lili would warm up towards Rachel, even though he wouldn't be around to break the ice. "Lili, be a good girl for Rachel and I'll see you tomarrow when I get back." Bill gave his daughter a soft kiss on the forehead and looked back towards Rachel, "thanks again." "No problem." Rachel forced herself to smile, who was she trying to fool? There was every problem with the situation. She watched as Bill walked away from her desk, it was going to be a very long night for them both. ** "You're Inspector Leek, right?" Bill recognized Harvey immediately this time. He caught Harvey before he could make his way towards Rachel's desk. Harvey just got in with Antwon, wanting to catch Rachel before Bill got there. He was too late. "Yeah, I think we met here and at the hospital." Harvey extended his hand and got a weak handshake in return. He looked to find Rachel sitting at her desk with Lili, what a sight. Harvey couldn't wait. "You're Rachel's partner?" After what happened at Riley and his close friendship with Rachel, Bill assumed that's what Harvey was. He might be able to offer the insight Bill needed. "Nah, just a co-worker." Thou he hadn't come right out to say it, Harvey could tell Bill was interested in Rachel. He couldn't help but think and her husband. "I see, she's just a friend?" Okay, he wasn't her partner. But he knew her, that was a start. "Yeah, you could say that." Harvey chuckled, just a friend he practically lived with. "Is that Rachel's daughter?" He knew who she was, but he wanted Bill to tell him. Harvey wanted to see how far Bill would go. "Yes, that's Lili, she's five." Bill looked over towards Lili proudly. He was happy to see she was at least a step or two closer to Rachel's desk. "Cute kid, doesn't look much like you, more like her mom." Harvey knew that Bill wasn't Lili's real father, but he was curious to find out what type of relationship Bill would claim towards Rachel. "I know, lucky for her." Bill glanced at Rachel, "she's a great lady." Joe approached them from the stairs, wondering how Bill knew Harvey. "Harvey, Bill..." Joe waved at them, "got a minute, Bill?" Bill reached out and shook Harvey's hand again, "I need to catch up with Lieutenant Dominguez, nice to see you again, Harvey." Harvey walked out the doors towards the parking lot, asking Rachel about Ms. April would have to wait. Joe stepped in closer towards Bill. "You gonna ask her out or what?" Joe looked at Rachel talking with her daughter, wondering when Bill was going to make his move. "Rachel?" Bill knew this had to be who Joe was implying, there hadn't been anyone else mentioned lately. "Who else?" Joe knew little of Bill's personal life outside of him being Lili's father. This had him interested. Bill smiled, as he searched his pocket for his keys, "I'll talk to her when I get back." Joe peered back at Rachel after Bill left, as he softly began to sing "Matchmaker, matchmaker make me a match; find me a find, catch me a catch..." ** "Julian, this is Marco Bendetti." Marco looked around the phonebooth, wanting to make sure no one was around eavesdropping. "What can I do for you, Mr. Bendetti?" The name didn't ring a bell, Julian wondered if it was a cop. "You know what you can do for my boss, I work for Vincent Cardell." Marco received Vincent's letter, he had a job for Julian. "Oh, really." Julian had done a little business with Vincent before and was curious about what he might have in mind. "Do tell." "Bridges and the SIU are trailing you, right?" Vincent made his orders clear, he wanted Harvey Leek and Nash Bridges taken care of. He'd take care of Rachel himself later on. "Yeah, so?" Julian didn't know that Bridges and Vincent had a past, and questionned playing a role in anything that might go down. "You're working for cash, when they try and stop you --- shoot if you have to, just don't take down the lady, she's Vincent's." Marco had no idea what Vincent wanted with Rachel, but he wasn't about to risk Vincent's wrath by asking. "He wants me to kill the cops?" Julian never got that close to the law, he'd kill a bystander who got in his way but killing a cop was going too far. "Just two, anything else is extra." Marco hung up the phone, hoping that Julian would fulfill Vincent's wishes. ** "Not with your other half tonight?" Antwon was curious as to why Harvey was still around the SIU. Harvey was staring at an immense stack of files, sitting at Rachel's desk. He hoped Harvey wouldn't ask about the pictures again, Antwon surely wasn't ready to give them up. "You mean, Ms. April, why no..." Harvey looked at him and smiled, "tell me, what exactly did you find?" Antwon certainly grabbed his interest, he wanted to know what she was up to. "Oh, nothing." Antwon grinned shamelessly. Luckily for him, Rachel never noticed the pictures were gone. She could definitely hurt him if she wanted to. "I could find out myself, you know, tell her that you said you found a few pictures while you were helping her move." Harvey knew he could hold that over Antwon. "You wouldn't do that... I could always say you told me about them." Antwon certainly didn't want to get caught with the pictures, no matter how he found them. "Me? I didn't even know these existed." Harvey really wanted to see these supposed photos, he wouldn't put it past Antwon to try and pull a fast one. "Show me, or I'll talk." "You'll see." Antwon smiled, Harvey would have to wait a while. "So why aren't you with her tonight anyways?" Harvey checked the clock, noticing it was after eight. "She's got Cecilia for the evening." "She's staying the night?" Antwon had only heard bits and pieces of the problems Rachel had been having with her daughter. This came as a surprise. "Yeah, Bill talked her into it." Harvey knew he played his part in Rachel's decision as well, but Bill had pushed a little harder. There always seemed to be a sense of urgency with him. "I wonder how she's doing?" Antwon imagined Rachel probably had a small panic attack by now. "Maybe I'll stop by on the way home." Harvey didn't want to intrude, but he didn't think Rachel would mind if he stopped by to check in. ** "Maybe you should start getting ready for bed?" Rachel glanced at the clock and back towards Lili, who was busily drawing at her dining room table. She had followed Bill's schedule word for word, she wasn't going to screw up with bed time. "Okay." Lili walked back into the living room to retrieve her bag, "where do I sleep?" Lili was unfamiliar with Rachel's house, everything was foreign to her. Rachel had given her a tour of sorts, but she felt completely out of place in her mother's life. "Follow me." Rachel turned on the lights and led Lili upstairs towards the guestroom. Lili was hesitent to enter behind her as Rachel walked in. "Whose room is this?" Lili wondered whose room she was overtaking for the evening. Certainly the room had to belong to someone else, not her. The large queen-size bed was modernly outfitted, as was the entire room. It wasn't exactly decorated for a child. "I guess it's yours now.'' Rachel smiled, not knowing what else she could say as she sat upon the high bed. "It's a grown up room." Lili looked around, like much of Rachel's house, it lacked a child friendly atmosphere. Rachel's house reminded Lili of her father's office and study at home, where most of the area was off limits. "Grown up rooms are off limits." Rachel surveyed the room herself, to better understand Lili's analysis. "I guess it is a bit grown up." Rachel would have to make some changes, maybe Harvey would have a suggestion or two. "I'll turn down the bed and let you get ready." Rachel nervously removed a stack of decorative pillows and folded back the duvet, feeling Lili's eyes watching her every move. The door bell downstairs broke the silence. "I'll be right back." Rachel practically flew down the stairs, hoping Bill had come home early to relieve her. She eagerly opened the door, surprised by who she found. "Harvey?" "I wanted to come by and see how things were going, you had me worried." Harvey stepped inside from the porch, not sure where Lili was or what she was doing. He eyed Rachel from head to toe and smiled, "you looked stressed." "I live in a grown up house, Harvey. She hates it here." Rachel flopped onto the couch, exhausted mentally and physically. "A grown up house?" Harvey chuckled, "maybe we should visit the toy store before her next visit." Jerry didn't seem to mind Rachel's house, but he was totally entranced by Doc. "Next visit?" Rachel rolled her eyes, "I don't think I can handle that." Harvey sat down next to her, ''of course you can." He wanted to kiss her, but was afraid to do so in front of Lili. He looked around the living room and listened, "where is she anyways?" "She's upstairs, hiding from me," Rachel gave a weak smile, "in the grown up room." "Rachel," Harvey looked at her inquisitively. "Lili's getting ready for bed." Rachel wondered what was taking her so long to get ready. Maybe she really was hiding. "Rachel?" Lili came down the stairs, wondering who was sitting with Rachel on the couch. Her mother hadn't mentioned a man in her life. She stayed by the stairs, too shy to move in any closer. Rachel got up from the couch, "I'll be back." She met Lili by the stairs, "ready for bed?" "Uh huh." Lili took Rachel's hand and hurried her up the stairs. Lili pulled herself onto the bed and burrowed her stuffed bear under the covers along with her. "Do I still get a story?" Rachel thought about it for a moment, Bill had mentioned a nightly story. She was unprepared when it came to children's books and lacked the creativity to make something up, "did you have one in mind?" "There's one in my bag." Lili pointed to her book bag and Rachel retrieved the worn children's book, none other than The Aesop for Children. She had read a story or two from it to Jerry. Rachel returned to the end of the bed and began to read at the marked page. Harvey watched quietly from the hallway, waiting for the perfect moment. He didn't want to interrupt, but he didn't want Rachel to come downstairs and find him gone without reason either. ---"Get away from here, sir," she said to the Grasshopper. "Have you no manners? You should at least respect my age and leave me to sleep in quiet." Harvey tapped lightly on the door before entering, "Hello, Lili. I left the files on Montevideo on the coffee table for you, Rache." "I'm sorry, Harve, I just..." Rachel had completely forgotten he was waiting for her downstairs. She didn't remember storytime, otherwise she wouldn't have asked him to wait. "No, no. Finish up, I'll see you tomarrow." Harvey waved and closed the door behind him. He chuckled softly as he walked down the hall, "that kid loves her." "Who's he?" Lili sat up, waiting for Rachel's reply. "That's Harvey, he's another police officer." Rachel didn't want to overwhelm Lili with the details. "He's a good friend of mine.'' ** Lili found herself back in the room at Riley school, alone with Principal Daniels. Rachel came in, with her gun aimed at Daniels. It was just like before, but something was different. Daniels watched Rachel's every move, Rachel wasn't willing to risk Lili's life to get rid of him. "Don't move, honey, stay there." Rachel knew that one wrong move and her daughter would be gone. "Rachel, no..." Lili looked up at Daniels, who had his gun aimed at Rachel. She looked back towards Rachel, wanting to run to her side. "Make up your mind, McCabe. Your either a hero or a mother, get your priorities straight. See Lili, your mom is more worried about her job. She'll just leave you again." Daniels looked at her and laughed. "Some mother you are, you'll just leave again." Lili looked at Rachel, "don't go, I promise I'll be good now. Don't go." Bill walked into the room, "let's go, Lili." "What about Mommy?" The tears began to well up in her eyes. "Rachel has to stay." Bill picked up Lili and took her out of the room. "We won't see her again." "Mommy no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lili woke up, finding herself lost amongst the sheets and pillows in her room. "Mommy? Mommy?" She closed her eyes and tried to go back to sleep, unable to shake the image of being seperated from her mother again. ** "Hello?" Rachel set her book down and sat up in her bed, which was relatively empty without Harvey there. She assumed it was Bill calling to check in. "So tell me, what exactly are you wearing?" Harvey chuckled, knowing Rachel would be surprised by his late call. He wanted to check on her, make sure everything was okay. "Harvey," Rachel was relieved it wasn't Bill. "What are you doing up?" "As if we're not up this late nightly?" Harvey laughed, they both knew neither one of them was hardly sleeping at this hour any other night. "Good point.'' Harvey's call was exactly what she needed to end the evening on a happier note. "I'm finding that my bed is quite lonely without you in it.'' He missed not seeing Rachel, but he understood this was how things had to be for a while. Harvey wanted to ask about Bill and Ms. April, but didn't know how to approach either subject with tact. "Plaid cotton pyjama pants and a white cotton camisole. My hair is up and I'm wearing my glasses." Rachel laughed, only Harvey would call her after midnight to make sure she was okay and still find out what she was wearing to bed. "Extremely sexy, Mrs. Leek." Harvey chuckled, "pink plaid or red?" "Red." Harvey's knowledge of her clothing astounded her, she might have to add a few items to throw him off from time to time. "My favorite." He remembered going to her house when she had called in sick one morning and finding her more casually dressed than ever in the plaid pants and an old Berkley sweatshirt. He came to fix her printer and the print cartridge exploded on them. "And you?" If he could ask, so could she. "My best tie-dye and my second favorite boxers." Harvey wanted to be comfortable, he planned to spend most of the evening working on the Montevideo case. "My favorite pair is at your house.'' "Hmm... how'd that happen?" Rachel mischeviously giggled, "so what are you really doing up at this hour if you're not with me?" "Curious little devil, aren't you? Wouldn't you like to know." Harvey was almost positive she was in bed reading, not wanting to sleep with Cecilia there. "You tell me." "You're in the Dead Room, sitting in the bean bag listening to the Greatest Hits while reviewing Montevideo's file." Rachel guessed the CD, it was still in the player last time she was over. Harvey was so predictable. "With one empty beer bottle and one that's half full." "Song?" Damn, she knew him well. He looked at the empty beer bottle and the one in his hand. "Turn On Your Love Light." Rachel could barely hear the soft tunes in the back ground. "Now you're starting to scare me." Harvey chuckled, "you're in bed, under the sheets and waffle-weaved blanket, your book is to your left and you have a glass of white wine on the night stand. Doc is on the floor next to the bed. Trying to finish the story but your inquisitive husband interrupted your reading because of his withdrawal symptoms." "I don't mind." Rachel grinned, "I just thought it would be somebody else needing my full attention this evening.'' "Glad I'm so captivating," Harvey paused a moment, ready to ask about Bill. "Rache...I was wondering if..." Rachel was distracted by a light knock on her door, she knew it would be Lili. "I have to go, Harve." Rachel hung up the phone and opened her bedroom door, which was slightly ajar. She finds Lili standing in the hall, clutching her well-worn stuffed bear. Her lips are quivering and her eyes are filled with tears. Rachel has no idea what's wrong or what to do. "Can I come in, Mommy?" Lili remained in the doorway, not wanting to intrude into Rachel's space unless she was invited to do so. Rachel was blown away, not just by the question but by the fact Lili called her something besides Rachel. She simply couldn't refuse, though she knew she probably should. Rachel was breaking her own rules. "Okay.'' Rachel helped Lili onto her bed, instinctively seperating herself from Lili by staying on the far edge of the bed. Rachel picked up her book again, and Lili squirmed her way under Rachel's arm and rested her head upon her stomach. "I'm scared, mom." Rachel set her book down on the nightstand and ran her fingers through her daughter's dark hair, "of what?" "That you're going to go away again." Lili raised her tattered bear from under the covers, "I don't want you to leave." Rachel tried to fight her tears, wishing desperately that she could assure Lili that she wasn't going to leave her ever again. "I'm not going anywhere." Rachel looked down at her daughter's bear, surpised to see it was still around after all these years. "What's your bear's name?" "Beary." Lili proudly displayed Beary for Rachel to see, "he's old." "I guess he is." Rachel smiled, "he used to be mine." "Really?" Lili smiled at her mother, "you gave him to me?" "I did, when you were born." Aside from a few photos, that was all she really had left Mary with. "Can I sleep with you tonight, in here?'' Lili held onto Rachel tightly, almost as if she were afraid to let her go. Her dream hadn't helped. ''Of course." Rachel knew that something had changed between them, their relationship was going to be different from this point on. She kissed Lili lightly on the forehead and turned off the light. ** |
| Part 2 ** "How was last night?" Harvey waited for Rachel outside of the barge, a little worried when she didn't call him back the night before. He sipped his coffee, she looked much more refreshed and pleasant than previous mornings. "After I was seduced over the phone?" Rachel smiled as she fidgeted with Harvey's lapels, "I'm sorry I didn't call you back last night." "I figured you had your reasons." Harvey stole a quick kiss, "so how did it go after I left?" "I put her to bed and then later, when I was talking to you, she came to my room asking for me." Rachel couldn't wait to see Lili again that evening when they went to dinner with Bill. She didn't know exactly what had changed, but Rachel was willing to give their relationship another try. "And?" Harvey wondered what would've sparked Lili to come to Rachel like that, something must have happened after she left. "And if it wasn't for her incessant wiggling, I'd still be in bed now." Rachel grinned, she had nearly overslept. Luckily, she got Lili to school in plenty of time and hadn't been late for work. Rachel smiled, "she called me Mom." "So it was a good night than?" Harvey was pleased that things had finally started to turn around for Rachel and Lili. He hated to even think of what might happen if Bill changed his mind. "It was a great night." Rachel took a sip of his coffee and returned the warm mug to his hands before quickly stealing another kiss which turned into quite the lengthy embrace. "That was promising." Harvey smiled, "keep things on that track and we'll really be giving them something to talk about. Dinner tonight?" Harvey was hopeful he'd get to see her that evening, the withdrawal was getting to be too much. "Not tonight. I promised Bill I'd go to dinner with him and Lili." Rachel was eager to spend the evening with Harvey, but things just started to get better between her and Lili. She couldn't risk that right now. "I have competition?" Harvey looked down at his feet, wondering if this was what Joe had been referring to. "You consider my five year old daughter competition?" Rachel grinned, surprised by how insecure Harvey was about their relationship. She kissed him again in an effort to reassure him of where they stood. Harvey pulled back a little, "I'm talking about Bill." He wondered how Rachel couldn't see the man's interest in her. "Bill?" Rachel was surprised, this was an actual glimpse of jealousy. She wasn't naive by any means; she'd know when a man was attracted to her and Bill wasn't. "Bill isn't interested in me like that, Harvey." "Rachel, I've seen him with you. I've talked to him about you. He likes you like that." Harvey didn't like the idea of having another man that was so attracted to his wife, "remember the flowers he sent?" "So let him like me like that." Rachel didn't see what the big deal was; if Bill liked her, he liked her. "What if he's like Anna?" Harvey saw this as a definite possibility. Bill could give Lili to Rachel as easily as he could take her away. "Like Anna?" Rachel didn't understand the comparison, the situation was completely different in her mind. "If he only lets you see your daughter if your with him?" Harvey didn't want to believe Bill would do something like this to Rachel, but after Anna, he knew it could happen. "Harvey, he's not that type of guy." Rachel assumed she knew Bill well enough to make that type of statement, figuring he would've made his move if he really felt that way. "Are you trying to get rid of me or what?" "Rachel, you know that's not it." Harvey looked at her sympathetically, "I want to be fair." "Fair? To who?" Rachel's idea of fairness evidently wasn't the same as Harvey's. "If that's what Bill wants, I want to give you that chance." Harvey couldn't believe what he was saying, but he had to do it. Rachel gave him the chance to make things right with Anna so he could be with his son, he wanted to do the same for her. "I don't recall asking for it." Rachel walked away from Harvey and inside the SIU. Harvey stood there a minute to reflect on what he had said. Harvey couldn't bear to think what might happen if he was the reason she couldn't be with her daughter. ** "You're back early this morning." Maggie walked into Bill's office to find him already busily working at his desk. "Good trip?" "Not too bad." Bill looked over his agenda for the day, "can you call the florist for me?" Bill smiled, the flowers had become habitual. "To Inspector McCabe again, I suspect." Maggie grinned, it had been a long time since Bill was this happy. "Who else?" Bill chuckled, had hadn't been seriously involved with anyone since Mary's death. "She kept Lili for the evening yesterday." "Things seem to be going well." Mary still questionned Bill's motive in finding Rachel now, even before he found out that Inspector McCabe and Cecilia's mother were one in the same. "Let's make sure I'm out of here early tonight." Bill didn't want to make Rachel and Lili wait all evening for him to finish up with his work load. "Shall I make the reservations or are you cooking?" Maggie always made reservations for Bill, even while Mary was around. "Reservations, Avanzare on the Beach for six o'clock?" That would give Bill time to make it to his attorney's office and back before dinner. "Got it. And bouquets to her home and the SIU?" Maggie noticed that Bill was pulling out all the stops to make sure he kept Rachel around. "You know I love you, right?" Bill smiled as she exited his office, hopefully he'd get the chance he needed to talk to Rachel that evening. ** "Julian, this is Marco." Vincent had requested that Marco call Julian again, to make sure he was ready for the job. Vincent wanted them gone by the time he got out. Temporary insanity works like a charm. "Marco, what can I do for you?" Julian knew what Marco wanted, but he hadn't gotten the chance to make his next move. "The boss wants to know when." Vincent wanted a specific date and time for the occasion, to assure himself that she would be his. "Tell the boss when I get my money, he'll get what he wants." Julian wasn't going to do anything for Vincent Cardell without getting the money up front. "Vincent doesn't do business like that." Marco knew Vincent never paid until the job was done to his satisfaction. "I'm not taking the wrap for him again... no way. He pays or he does it himself." Julian hung up the phone, Vincent was going to play by his rules this time. ** "Doesn't like you, huh?" Harvey pointed to the newest floral arrangement on Rachel's desk. "Harvey, what am I supposed to do? I can't exactly come right out and ask him." Rachel had no idea how she should approach the situation, and it was obvious his interest in her wouldn't be ignored. "Find out." Harvey massaged his temples with his forefingers as he sat at his desk, his head was ready to explode. He had to be fair. "Find out? How?" Rachel didn't know how she could find out. Bill's interest in her wasn't as apparent to Rachel as it was to other people. "Go out with him and find out." Harvey realized after he said it that he was telling Rachel to go out with another man. He could only hope he was doing the right thing. "And then what? Ask him if my time with Cecilia depends on whether or not I sleep with him?" The more she thought about it, the more realistic the situation became. Bill might make her chose between Harvey and her daughter. "And if it does?" "Then we can get a divorce, no questions asked." If push came to shove, Harvey didn't want Rachel to lose her child in order to be with him. There was no other way around it, he'd have to give Rachel up. ** "I wonder what Vincent has to do with Julian Montevideo?" Joe found their association to be quite abnormal. They didn't seem like the ideal partnership. "The question is, what is Vincent going to have him do to us." Nash was sure Vincent would try some form of retaliation. "You think he'd do that?" Joe hadn't considered that Vincent might use Julian to get to them. "I'm surprised he hasn't done that yet. I'll tell you one thing, Bubba, I don't trust Julian for anything." The wrap sheet Rachel had gotten from the officials in Chile had read like a book. "Maybe Julians's not as dumb as we think, he's got friends in high places." Joe figured that Julian must be pretty clever, he chose his alliances well. "Let's just hope he can't outsmart us." Nash didn't want to lose a battle to Vincent, he had already lost Tamara. ** "Louis, I've made my decision." Bill was anxious to get everything taken care of, not sure of how much time he had left. "And what's that?" Since Mary died, Louis had learned to anticipate the unexpected from Bill. His desire to find Rachel came as no surprise. "I would like to rewrite my will." Bill knew the legal procedures all to well; but he also knew if he didn't do it now, it would be a mess later. "Now? You rewrote it after Mary died." Louis knew there'd be minor changes eventually, but he hadn't expected a complete rewrite. "I know, but I'd like to make some amendments and changes." Since he had no remaining family outside of Lili, Bill would have to rely heavily on his friends to carry out his final wishes. "Sounds pretty major. I take it your appointment in L.A. didn't go well?" Louis knew about his trip and his appointments, things had taken a turn for the worse. "It's back, like they said and I expected." Bill knew he wouldn't be in remission forever, but he hoped it would be long enough for him to see Lili grow up. "Is there anything he or maybe someone else can do?" Louis didn't want to lose his friend, and he certainly didn't want Lili to lose her father at such a young age. "He wants me to go to Boston." Bill hadn't yet decided if he'd go or not, a lot depended on her. "Are you going?" Louis studied Bill's face, searching for his reply. "It depends on her?" "Yes." Right now, everything depended on her. Finding her when he did had been a lifesaver. "You do know that this could all be avoided if you could get her to elope? Skip the legal banter." Louis' comment evoked a quiet laugh from Bill, in all seriousness, it would make things a lot easier. ** "Harvey, it's always good to seek a second opinion, but your doctor was dead on with his prognosis. No pun intended." Dr. Bradley looked at Harvey across the desk, noting the concerned look upon his face. "If there was a definite answer, I'd love to give it to you. But tests confirmed the same thing his did." "But there hasn't been any extensions or deductions in my timeline right?'' Harvey wanted to be sure there wasn't anything new that might affect his health differently. "He called it your timeline? Sounds like a history class project." Dr. Bradley smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "We'll monitor changes, and we'll make decisions from there." "So I have to wait and see, that's just great." Harvey didn't like not knowing what was next. He had so much going on in his life that he wanted to be around for. "These things take time, Harvey, if it gets worse --- we'll make the next move." Dr. Bradley didn't want to jump the gun and rush Harvey into a surgery he might not even need. It was an unnecessary risk. "What if I don't have time?" Harvey wanted definite answers, he wanted to get his priorities straight before the clock ran out. "You could be fine for the next fifty years or you could..." Dr. Bradley knew the situation could easily be turned, Harvey just had to be careful. "Or I could die tomarrow, right?" Harvey removed his beret and ran his fingers through his hair, wondering how long he could keep this from Rachel. "Keep a positive mental attitude, it might be a good start." Dr. Bradley wanted to give Harvey the benefit of the doubt. If all went well, he'd be okay and surgery would just be another precautionary measure. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Till we meet again." He extended his hand to Dr. Bradley. Harvey put the beret back on and got up from the chair. He had a lot to think about, and Harvey also had to get back to work. ** "Lili says she had a wonderful time with you." Bill had anticipated Lili would warm up towards Rachel once he was out of the way. He was thrilled that Rachel had been able to clear another evening for dinner with them. "I had a great evening with her." The turn of events had come as a pleasant surprise for Rachel. Her only worry was that Harvey might be right. "Can I stay with Mom again?" Lili wanted to stay with Rachel more often, wanting to get to know her better. "That's up to her." Bill nodded in approval, noting that Lili had already taken to calling Rachel mom. Rachel didn't know how to refuse, she wished she had told Bill about Harvey from the beginning. She wanted Harvey to be there with her, he'd know what to do. "You can come by whenever you'd like." "Can we change the room?" Lili looked at Rachel, wanting to make her house a little more like home. "That'll be our next project." Rachel knew she would probably not change that room, but the study instead. She wanted Lili to feel comfortable with her. "Sounds like you two will be spending some time together?" That was exactly what Bill wanted to hear. ** "What's with you?" Antwon turned his chair around to face Harvey and sat down infront of his desk. "Where do I begin? Bill Chamberlain is after Rachel, Anna won't give me a date for Jerry to come visit, Vincent Cardell has his fingers in this Montevideo case...it's not good." Harvey kept his head on his desk, "and things aren't looking to get much better." "Sounds like hell." Antwon had to admit, his relationship problems were small potatoes compared to what Harvey had going on. "You're telling me." Harvey knew he could trust Antwon if he told him about his visit with Dr. Bradley, but he wasn't up for sharing just yet. "Does she like him? I mean, other than him being Lili's dad?" Antwon wanted to know if the feelings were mutual between them. "She doesn't think he's interested, Joe and I think otherwise." Harvey hated to admit it, but Joe might be right. "Let's grab a beer and you can tell me all about Cardell and Anna." Antwon knew Harvey might feel better if he got a chance to talk about it, and with a few beers --- he let it all out. ** "Thank you, again, for taking her last night." Bill stood outside with Rachel on the porch, Lili was asleep in the car. "It was no problem." The evening had gone better than she expected after all. "It's great to spend time with her." "Hopefully, we can arrange visits more often." Bill wanted Lili to spend as much time with Rachel as possible. "You can see her anytime." Bill's offer was reassuring, but Rachel wondered if Harvey was right when she noted the small distance between them. "Bill, about the flowers..." "You got them?" Bill smiled at her, pleased she had received them before dinner. "Yes, I did..." Rachel didn't know how to ask that he not send them again, or what his true intent was with her. "I had a wonderful evening with you tonight." Bill moved in a step closer, only inches of air seperated him from Rachel. Bill looked directly into her eyes and kissed her, softly at first and then more passionately as he leaned her against the door... ** |
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