NYPD Blue Fanfiction

Cece's Fanfic

Outer Strength

Hey again everyone. I have been writing this over a long period of time... I've been extremely busy w/everything lately. Anyways.... The end might seem kind of sudden. I mean, I had been writing bits and pieces whenever i had the time, but Lisa 1, Lisa 2, and Kira really wanted it soon, so I hurried up and wrote an ending, I hope you guys find it alright. There may be some unanswered questions at the end of this story, that just makes room for chapter three.... enjoy!

"Did you?"

"Come on! You don't honestly believe that do you?"

"I'm not sure..."

Dr. Jennifer Devlin had an underlying suspicion that the baby that Rita had lost was Johns.

"I haven't slept with her in at least three months!"

"There have been cases where they don't start showing right away John. Just admit it's a possibility."

"No, she would have told me."

"Put yourself in her shoes. Would you have told you?"

After a brief silence, "Yea."

"No, you wouldn't have, that's just it..."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Why do you not care ENOUGH?"

"What difference does it make if Rita's child was mine of not?"

At this point in the conversation, a frustrated Jennifer gets up and walks into Johns kitchen. She starts rinsing her plate off.

"There's no talking to you John!"

"Yea? Well, everyone seems to think that..."

"I didn't mean to start something. I just wanted to know if my boyfriend had a love child that he didn't tell me about with his ex girlfriend."

"What? That's it! I think it's time for you to leave."

Stopping washing the dishes, "FINE!"

Jennifer grabs a small duffel bag full of her clothes and storms out of Junior’s apartment, furious as ever.

John locked the door and flopped on the sofa. There wouldn't be any make-up sex after this fight.

John was very confused. He had a lot of mixed feelings. He was nervous, scared, and most of all, grief stricken by this whole thing. He knew it was a possibility that Rita’s kid was his. He didn’t want to believe it though. At the same time, he also didn’t want to believe that she was raped. If the baby was his indeed, he must be the cruelest man in the world, pushing Rita away like he did. Treating her like dirt. He still cared for her, and very much at that. If she was raped, he didn’t know what he would do with himself. He remembered one night, before his father committed suicide, Rita came over with bruises all over her body, crying hysterically, and when asked about the bruises, she claimed that when she was taking a perp. from her case that day to booking, he had gotten a little violent. When John asked for the perp.’s name, Rita acted very strangely, while making him promise not to look into it. “I have everything under control” is what he remembered her saying. His intuitions told him she wasn’t telling the truth, but Rape never crossed his mind, ever. Rita was a very strong woman, more than capable of taking care of herself, and he could never see her getting raped. He never thought he’d regret not looking into it, but he was wrong. Now he regretted it.

The next thing he knew, John was sitting in a quite comfortable chair in a hospital room. In the bed next to him was Rita’s limp, motionless body, soundly asleep, and still in the same state she had been since her admission to the hospital. He sat there for eight hours, not moving once, even to go to the bathroom or get a drink or something to eat. Although fighting a mighty battle against the temptations to fall asleep, the battle was a losing one, and at five o’ clock in the morning, John finally buckled and dozed off, awakening every time a nurse or doctor would set foot in the room. At 8:30 he dozed off yet again, after hovering over the shoulder of the head doctor coming in and checking for any signs that would lead to Rita coming out of the comatose state she had been in for, going on three days now. After reporting to John that there was no evidence that that would occur any time soon, but reminding him that sometimes there isn’t fair warning, and she could still come out of her coma at any given time, the doctor set on his way to finish his rounds, while John uneasily dozed back off again.

CAR TIRES SCREECHING, GLASS SHATTERING, DOORS AND ROOFS CAVING IN. THIS WAS IT. IT’S ALL OVER.

Rita sat up so fast that the IV in her forearm was yanked out. She moaned in pain and lied back down. She was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily. John awoke at the sound of her pain, with a terrified, yet concerned look on his face. A nurse rushed in to see what had happened. Rita’s moaning still hadn’t subsided. When she sat up, with her ribs being as damaged as they were, she felt a very sharp searing pain like she never had before. After the nurse shushed her and calmed her down quite a bit, she repeatedly asked Rita what was the matter. Rita, although now awake, was still not one hundred percent sure of what exactly was going on around her. 

Rita: (Shaking her head as to erase the grogginess in the physical appearance of things. After they became in focus…) Huh… Oh… Uh… Nothing…Sorry…

Nurse: (While reinserting the IV) Don’t apologize dear, I’m very glad to see you’re with us again. 

Rita: (A rush of hysteria coming over her…) What? Where am I? How long have I been here? What happened to me? 

John: (Interrupting…) Rita…Rita calm down.

Rita: (Having just noticed John,) (Gasping.) How’s the baby?!?!?!

John: Rita…

Nurse: (A sad look came over her face) I’ll let you tell her what happened all right? I’ll leave you two alone for a little while, while I go to update the Doctor on her condition.

The Nurse left the room as John gently squeezed Rita’s hand.

Rita: (Taking her hand away) Tell me John. I don’t want you to sugar coat things either. What happened to me?

John: (After taking a deep breath to gather his thoughts) Rita, you were in a car accident. When driving home the other night, your cab was hit by an eighteen-wheeler. Your Blood Alcohol Content was 2.5! You’re not a big drinker, or so I thought. Why were you drinking that night? Why were you taking a cab home that early in the morning? Where were you coming from?

Rita: (Ignoring his questions) How’s the baby John?

John: You lost it Rita. You lost it.

Rita: (Shocked to hear that) (Begins to cry) (Tries to hide her tears, but in the end just gives up and lets it flow)

John: (Taking her hand) I’m sorry.

Rita: (Between sobs) It’s not…can I be alone please? I want to be by myself if you don’t mind. Go home, or go to work, wherever, but I need some time to myself please.

John nods silently and leaves her alone crying to herself.

FADE OUT

::Ring::

::Ring::

Connie: Hello?

(Silence)

Connie: Hello?!?

Rita: (Quietly) Hi.

Connie: Rita! Oh my god. Are you okay? Where are you?

Rita: I’m fine. I’m still at the hospital.

Connie: When did you come to?

Rita: This morning. 

Connie: We were over there last night, Andy and I. Wow it’s so good to hear your voice. You really scared me. 

Rita: Listen Connie, I hate to impose on you, but do you think you could come pick me up and bring me back home? I don’t have my car, and for some reason my purse has no money in it either, so I can’t call a cab…

Connie: I wouldn’t let you if you did have the money. Not after what happened. You’re not imposing. Where’s John though?

Rita: He left. I asked him to. If you have something else to do, it’s fine, I could call someone else…

Connie: No! Stop it Rita. I always have time for you and you know it.

Rita: You’re right, sorry…

Connie: Stop apologizing, there’s no need. Are you all set?

Rita: Yea, they have to do a couple of tests then I’m done.

Connie: Okay, I’ll be over in about 20 minutes. I’m bringing Michelle if that’s okay, Andy and Theo are off fishing since this morning.

Rita: That’s fine. I’ll see you soon.

Connie: Okay, Buh Bye.

Rita: Bye.

::Click::

About half an hour later Connie steps off of the elevator with Michelle on her hip.

Connie: (Seeing Rita across the room in a wheelchair) Rita!

Rita: (In as cheerful of a voice as she could produce) Hey Connie.

(Connie hugs her awkwardly, knowing about her ribs and all)

Rita: I told them that I didn’t need this stupid thing, (In regards to the chair) but they insisted.

Connie: Have you been crying?

Rita: No.

Connie notices that the nurse to Rita’s left makes an odd face. Rita has been crying.

Connie: (Sarcastically) Uh-Huh.

Nurse: Could you sign her out please? (Handing Connie a clip board)

Connie: Sure. (Signs name)

Nurse: Since you have that ADORABLE little baby to hold, would you like me to get someone to help push Ms. Ortiz here out to your car and help her get in?

Connie: (Regarding Michelle) Oh Thanks, (About someone to help them) Yea, if it’s okay.

The Nurse motioned for an Intern observing her work to help them. As the intern, Michelle, Connie, and Rita are about to get in the elevator, out steps Officer Shannon and his partner.

Shannon: Hey Connie… (Noticing Rita, at first not realizing who she is) Rita?

Connie: Hi Shannon.

Rita: Yea, hi.

Shannon: Are you all right Rita?

Rita: (Forcing a smile) Yea, I’m great.

Shannon: Oh, all right. I hope you feel better. We’re actually here to bring a stabbing victim to Medavoy and Jones.

Connie: Is that right? Well, See ya’ later.

Shannon: (Getting the hint) Oh, right… Bye.

They all get on, while Shannon and partner get off, and Rita’s silent all the way out to the car, where they thank the intern, and then head out.

Twenty minutes later they wind up back at Connie and Andy’s apartment. Connie convinces Rita to stay for dinner, although Rita feels very awkward.

An hour and a half later Theo and Andy get home. On the ride home, Andy told Theo about how Rita was in an accident and how he shouldn’t bug her with questions or be too hyper around her.

Theo: Hi Mommy, hi Michelle, hi Rita. (He hugs Connie, smiles at Michelle, and looks awkwardly at Rita in her wheelchair sitting at the table.)

Rita: Hey Theo. Come here buddy. (She awkwardly hugs him, which brings a smile to Andy and Connie’s faces.)

Connie gives Andy a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Andy gestures for Connie to talk with him in their room.

Connie: We’ll be right back. Theo, why don’t you tell Rita about the fishing trip?

Theo: (Excitedly) Okay!

Andy and Connie walk into their bedroom.

Andy: How is she?

Connie: She’s as well as can be expected. She’s not talking about it much yet but I think she’ll be ready to soon.

Andy: Okay, I just want to know why John left her there alone at the hospital.

Connie: She said she asked him to. She didn’t feel comfortable.

Andy: Understandable. Okay, I don’t want to leave her alone with the kids for too long. They might get out of hand.

Connie: Yea…

They both head back to the kitchen.

Theo: …And Daddy caught three, and I caught a baby one, but we had to throw it back because it was too small to eat.

Rita: Oh Yea?

Andy: Hey sport, why don’t you wash up? It’s time to eat.

Theo: Okay Daddy. (Exits room.)

Rita: Hi Andy.

Andy: Hey, how are you feeling?

Rita: I’m fine Andy, really.

Andy: Good to hear.

They all eat dinner, with little conversation on Rita’s part, and afterwards Andy brought her home while Connie put the kids to bed.

On arriving home, Rita saw sitting on her porch, a most unexpected guest. Andy helped Rita into the wheelchair, and the unexpected guest took over.

Rita: What are you doing here John?

John: I was waiting for you to get home.

Rita: Why?

John: We need to talk.

Rita: About what?

John: Rita stop trying to make me leave because I wont until after we’ve talked.

Rita: I really don’t need this right now!

John: Well neither do I.

Rita: Then just tell me what you wanna know.

John: Was the baby mine or wasn’t it?

Rita: (Looking straight at John, and after a brief silence…) It was okay? It was yours. I lost it though. Okay? Will you just leave me alone now?

John is shocked. He knew it was possible, but didn’t expect it at all.

John: Why didn’t you tell me?

Rita: I tried John! Several times! Every time I tried to get our relationship rekindled, you pushed away. I finally gave you the option of ending it, not for you to accept it, but for you to open your eyes and finally go back to being the John that I fell in love with. I never wanted us to breakup. I love you John, I wish you felt the same way about me, but you can’t, and I can accept it. Also, Connie told me that you feared that I was raped? No I wasn’t, I was telling the truth about the perp. getting rough at Booking, and the only reason I didn’t want you to press the issue was because then other people would find out, and they’d think I needed someone to look out for me because I can’t handle a perp., and I didn’t want that. I was having a rough day, and that’s why I was so emotional that day. I knew I was losing you. I was right, and it’s over now, but know… I was not raped.

John: Rita, I love you too. I know you think that because of my actions over the past few months that I don’t, but I do. After my father died, it was like the only thing I had ever had in my life to believe in, before I met you, was gone. No one’s ever cared for me the way that you have. I’ve never known someone to love me so much that they’d do anything for me. I’m sorry, I really am, please… I want to be there for you, like you tried to be for me.

John grabbed Rita’s hand and gave it a squeeze. Rita looked up at him. She didn’t know if they could ever get back to the way they were before, but they could try.

THE END