Someone to Lean on chapter 6
Continuation of my Wheeler/Nichols story.
Title: Someone to Lean on chapter 6
Author: cate12345
Genre: comfort/friendship /romance
Rating: g
Pairings: Wheeler/Nichols
Spoilers: none yet
Disclaimer: not mine, as much as I wish the show was!
Earlier chapters are located
Here
Everything was working out fine for the two partners, except they never did revisit what had occurred at Megan's apartment. If Zach tried to bring it up, Megan generally avoided it. Still, he stood beside her. He was there for the doctor's appointments, the unexpected cravings in the middle of shift, and yes, even the mood swings. He was more patient than Megan had ever suspected he could be. Things were going quite well, except for the glitch of Alex having to drop out of the birthing classes. When Ross had found out that she was suppose to be Megan's coach, he went off on a tangent of not being able to afford two of his officers to be out at the same time. So, Megan asked her sister, which she wasn't exactly sure about. And this set Zach off again.
“Look, Zach, if Alex can't do it, do you honestly think Ross is going to be thrilled you are taking her place? I believe I just got raked over the coals for asking her in the first place.”
“Megan, I want to be there. I should get first choice, I've been taking the classes longer than your sister has.” he pouted.
“Zach, you can still be my backup, okay? It's just I need to have someone outside of work to be there. And it's not like she's taking your place in anything else.”
Appeased for now, Zach let the subject drop. He wasn't happy, but he could see the logic of her decision. For now, they kept a routine of doing things together a few nights a week, but Megan didn't let her guard down again. She didn't know what she wanted, how she felt. She put it off to hormones, and left it at that. Zach didn't push it, either. He was determined to let Megan take the lead on this. As much as he wanted to pursue what had almost occurred at Megan's, he held back. For him, it was enough that they were spending time together, and he was learning more about her everyday.
They were becoming closer all the time, the two bonding together. Even on birthing class nights, Megan's sister cut out after class, sometimes feeling like a third wheel around the two of them. It wasn't as if the partners tried to exclude her, but given the closeness of them, it couldn't be helped. Even with that, Megan was still on guard, almost expecting to get hurt at any moment.
Before they knew it, Megan was almost to term. She was tired a lot, and moody, but she kept working. She didn't want to be thought of as anything but a detective doing her job. On the job, she didn't let Zach coddle her, no matter how hard he tried. And when they ran into the case of a murdered young assistant to a “famous” poet, things started to brew into a storm for the two of them.
“Listen, I'm going to see Sandra Dunbar tonight. I think we almost have enough on her, and if I visit, we may make the case.. Do you mind if I skip movie night tonight?” Zach asked as they left their last birthing class.
“Really, Zach? I thought we'd go out and celebrate the end of these classes. Are you ditching me?” Megan joked.
Zach looked at her, not good with being deceptive with her.
“We'll celebrate tomorrow night. My treat, anywhere in the city you want to go.” he cajoled her.
Megan looked at her sister, not knowing quite what to say. Finally, she gave a little head nod, and Zach left her standing there with her sister.
“Well, there went my ride. Could I catch one from you, Sarah?” Megan asked.
“Anything, sis. Too bad he had to take off on you tonight. What's so important he couldn't at least celebrate the last of these classes?”
“Well, if he gets a hint on anything, he's like a dog with a bone, he's going after it, and won't let it go. I suppose I should be used to it by now. Still, I feel like I've been stood up. You should see this Dunbar woman. She's really “enthusiastic” about poetry.” Megan tried to joke, but her heart wasn't in it. She really did feel like he had cut out on her.
“I'll take you out to celebrate, Megan. How about an ice cream?” Sarah smiled.
“Sure, I'd like that. I feel bad, we've been ignoring you, haven't we? I mean, I ask you to help with this, and we're always running off right after class.” Megan said.
“It's no biggie, really. I have to get going after class usually anyway, so it's okay. Your “friend” is kind of intense, isn't he? How do you put up with him on a daily basis and not kill him? I thought the teacher would, he seems to know about as much as she does about birthing techniques. At least if you go into labor on the job, he'll be able to deliver!” Sarah laughed.
“Well, I said this to him, the first time he sees me half naked is not going to be when I'm giving birth. And still he wants to take the birthing classes.”
“Ah, so you do want him to see you that way someday!” Her sister latched onto that.
“What, no, wait, I didn't say that! I'm just not comfortable letting Zach see me that way.” Megan protested.
“You say that now, but after you have my niece, you'll be singing a different tune! Don't worry, I'll babysit any night you want to seal the deal with that gentleman.” she giggled.
“Sarah, don't make me hit you. Seriously. I have no idea whether anything will happen between us. I'm still not sure I do want anything to happen. I do like him, but we're partners. Interdepartmental fraternization is kind of frowned upon.” Megan replied.
“Your lips say no, your eyes are telling me something else. I'll just say this, he's very charming. And not in the fake way that Colin was. Honestly, he's more your type than that pompous ass you were engaged to.”
“You tell me this now. You couldn't have told me before I got engaged and knocked up?” Megan said sadly.
“Megan, you loved him. If I had told you that a year ago, you would have told me to mind my own business. You know that as well as I do. And even if he is a lying jerk, you are still going to have my niece. The only good thing he ever did.”
“Well, it's not the way I wanted to become a mother, but I do love this child. I'm still not telling him about her. I don't think I ever will.”
“Maybe someday you'll change your mind. It won't be for him, it will be for her, because she might want to know someday.”
“I know, I've thought of that. But she won't ask for a while yet. I at least have time to think about it. I'm not thrilled at letting him know. I don't want him back in my life, even letting him know about her.”
With that, the conversation ended, as they arrived at a diner to get some ice cream. They ordered a couple of sundaes, and sat down to talk.
“So, what's so important about this Dunbar woman that he had to run off and see her tonight?”
“Oh, he probably had an epiphany about some small clue. He does that, just wanders off when the thought strikes him. I should be used to it by now, but yeah, I'm surprised he cut out. We have an Audrey Hepburn movie to watch.” Megan toyed with the ice cream in the bowl.
“He seems like an okay guy. Weird, but nice.”
“I've gotten used to him. First time I met him, I was ready to throttle him by the end of the day. But yeah, you get used to certain things. And now, I'm going to miss working with him, once the baby comes.”
“I don't think it's the work you'll miss.”
“You could be right, Sarah. But you know what? I'll live. I'm going back, he'll still be there. I just hope he doesn't like working with Eames better.” Megan tried to joke, but she still had a little fear of that in the back of her mind.
“Megan, I don't think you have anything to worry about. Just seeing him in class shows how much he thinks of you. If it makes you feel any better, I think he's going to miss you as much as you miss him.”
“I hope so, I really do.”
With that, Megan finished her ice cream and the sisters called it an evening.