HUSSSSHHH YOU ARE WONDERFUL

Allie slipped out of bed and placed a hand on her husband’s lower back, resting her head on his shoulder as she studied their baby more closely.

“I didn’t feel you get out of bed,” She murmured into his shoulder before pressing a kiss to it, breathing in the familiar scent of his cologne.

“I was already awake. Long day ahead of me,” He replied, gingerly placing the now-sleeping baby back in his bed. “James started fussing and I didn’t want him to wake you.”

“Mmm…valiant effort,” Allie murmured, her lips now against his. “What are your plans?”

“Oh, you know. The usual. Have to meet someone over at St. Bart’s later this evening.”

“Sherlock?”

“Perhaps,” He replied playfully, giving her a smirk. Allie smiled a bit, holding his gaze, searching his eyes for the slight flicker that would tell her if he was keeping something from her. She was the only one who knew what to look for, the only one on Earth who could catch it, and as she peered up into his brown eyes she saw it for just a second. Allie’s smiled faded and she cupped his cheek in one hand.

“Be safe, Jim. Please.” He turned to face her fully and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight.

“I will.” After a moment he stepped back and cradled her face in his hands. “I promise you, Allie, that no matter what happens, I will always return to you. A Consulting Criminal needs his queen,” He joked, and with that he pressed a sweet kiss to her lips and pulled away. Allie turned and grabbed the suit coat he was undoubtedly looking for, holding it up with a smile.

“Westwood?”

“Westwood,” He agreed with a chuckle, allowing her to slide it up over his shoulders and smooth it out. “See you soon,” He murmured as he kissed her cheek and left the flat, leaving Allie watching his retreating figure with a strange sense of anxious anticipation: something was off about him and had been for the last few days. Whatever was going on, it made her very nervous.

  Allie was curled up on the couch under a blanket, staring blankly at her television, her mind a world away when the phone rang. The strange sense of dread that had built up in her stomach throughout the entire day doubled, jolting through her like electricity, bringing her back to reality and out of the nightmarish daydreams her fears had created for her.

“Hello?” She answered, her voice shaking almost imperceptibly with her greeting.

“Allie?”

“Ashley? It’s nearly two in the morning,”

“Allie, I’m so sorry, I just heard,” The woman on the other end’s voice filled with sorrow and sympathy and Allie’s eyes narrowed.

“What are you talking about? Heard what?” It was silent on the other end for a moment. “Ashley, talk to me,” Allie pressed, her voice carrying a note of desperation. She listened to the other woman’s explanation as if hearing a conversation between two strangers, her face seeming to freeze in whatever expression she’d been wearing, her blood running to ice, her body falling into a strange stillness. “Jim?” She breathed weakly, her fingers beginning to tremble.

“I’m so sorry, Allie…gimme a sec and I’ll be over,” Ashley told her, hanging up not long after. Allie sat holding the phone for an hour, completely numb to her surroundings. She didn’t hear the television, didn’t hear the sirens of the emergency vehicles going past periodically, didn’t hear the baby start crying, didn’t hear Ashley enter the flat and speak her name. Ashley set her bag down and went immediately to the bedroom to tend to the baby; the child was asleep not long after. Once James was back down in his bassinet, Ashley padded her way carefully into the front room and sat down on the couch close beside her friend.

“Allie, dear….” She eased the phone from Allie’s fingers and hung it up, the physical contact finally bringing Allie out of her shock. Allie looked over at her, a distinct expression of being lost on her face, before bursting into horrible, wracking sobs that shook her entire body. Ashley pulled her close and held her as she wept, not saying a word, simply letting her presence be a comfort. She rubbed slow, soothing circles into Allie’s back and finally, slowly, Allie’s sobs began to quiet down.

  They sat in silence for another hour when a knock sounded at the door.

“I’ll get it,” Ashley offered, making to stand.

“No…no, let me,” Allie put her off, standing weakly and wiping her eyes. She made her way to the door and opened it, startling Ashley when she let out a shriek. Ashley leapt up from the couch and rushed to the door, freezing in place with astonishment as she took in the scene before her: Allie had thrown herself at the visitor, her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

“It’s good to see you too,” Jim chuckled into her hair, holding her tight, his face pressed into the crook of her neck as he supported her under her bottom with his arms.  

Aww, shucks!