by C Paradee
Sensing Tony was still asleep, she slowly lifted her head and looked at her lover. This was a rare opportunity. Her partner was usually always awake before she was. She is so beautiful. All the tension from the night before was gone and her face was relaxed and peaceful. The corners of her mouth were turned up and Megan smiled at the sudden thought that Tony must be dreaming about something good and she hoped she was in it too. Very slowly raising herself up so as not to wake her partner, she got up from the bed. Looking at Tony one more time, she leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before saying, "I love you," her voice no more than a whisper.
When Tony woke up, the first thing she noticed was Megan wasn’t there. She must have been more exhausted than she thought not to hear her partner get up. Moving, she realized she was very sore. Sitting up slowly, she eased her legs over the side of the bed favoring the bruised one.
Gingerly standing up, she tested it before putting her full weight on it. It was stiff and complained angrily when she put weight on it. Ignoring it, but compromising a little, she favored it slightly while walking to the bathroom.
Megan was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. "Morning," she smiled at Tony. "How does your leg feel?"
"Not bad. Still a little sore," Tony said, underplaying her discomfort.
Megan looked at Tony pointedly. "Just a little? You have remarkable healing abilities then, because it should hurt more today than it did yesterday."
You’d think I’d know better by now. Tony drew her eyebrows together and with a questioning look on her face, she said, "What? You didn’t know that?"
Chuckling, Megan walked over saying, "You’re incorrigible," before reaching up to kiss her.
Megan unobtrusively watched Tony ease herself into the kitchen chair and decided another ice treatment was in order.
After they finished eating, she filled another bag with ice and handed it to Tony saying, "I’ll clean up out here. Go put this on your leg."
"Megan, it’s fine. I don’t need any more ice." Tony said, in her most convincing voice.
Looking her partner in the eyes, Megan said emphatically, "No it’s not fine. It shows every time you move." Softening her voice, she said, "It really will help."
Tony was not the least bit happy about the prospect of putting the ice on her leg, but seeing the concern on Megan’s face, she took the bag of ice from her partner. Knowing Megan would be watching her, she walked into the living room trying not to favor her leg, grumbling under her breath, "This is really getting old."
Megan shook her head while watching Tony try to walk without limping. She had been through this with her partner before. For some reason, she seemed to think acknowledging pain was a weakness, and if you ignored it, it would just go away.
When she was finished in the kitchen, Megan went to the bedroom and changed out of her nightshirt and into a pair of shorts and a pull over top.
Tony had turned on the TV and was flipping channels with the remote. Finally settling on the Discovery Channel, she looked up when Megan walked in. Megan said, "Another five minutes and you can take it off. I’m going to do the laundry."
Oh no you don’t. "It’s my turn to do the laundry," Tony reminded Megan, although she was quite sure Megan didn’t need the reminder.
"Yeah, I know. But I’m not doing anything so I figured I’d just do it," Megan said, knowing she was pushing it, but hoping Tony would agree. She wanted Tony to take it easy.
Tony thought quickly. She knew Megan was only thinking of her, but she had no intentions of being treated like an invalid just because she had a bruise on her leg. "Ok. While you’re doing the laundry, I’ll go grocery shopping."
Megan almost rolled her eyes. Grocery shopping entailed a lot more walking than doing the laundry. The laundry room was only three doors down from their apartment.
Shaking her head, and smiling at the innocent look on Tony’s face, she said, "You win. Go ahead and do the laundry. I’m going to do the grocery shopping."
When Tony smirked, Megan walked over and planted a kiss on her mouth. "Just remember what they say about pay backs."
Tony sat up and took the ice off her leg. Walking with Megan into the kitchen she said, "How about picking up some peaches? Maybe a peach pie too?"
"Didn’t we just have that last week?" Megan teased. One of the reasons she had changed to the peach scented shampoo and bubble bath was because of how much Tony loved peaches.
Tony cocked her head to the side, and with a winning smile said, "Please."
Megan walked over and hugged her. "Like I could really say no to that."
Tony kissed Megan. "Thanks."
After Megan left, Tony took the clothes out of the hamper and put them in the laundry basket. Stripping the bed, she added the sheets and a few other loose clothes in the bedroom to the basket, and walked into the kitchen to get the laundry detergent from the pantry.
Tony was disgusted to find that she still had to favor her leg walking down the hallway. But on reflection, she decided she really shouldn’t be upset. It could have been a lot worse. She vividly remembered being awash in light from the headlight of the rapid and honestly didn’t know how they had managed to escape the wheels of the transit train. At least Megan seems better today.
Megan exited the elevator and walked toward her car. Passing another tenant, she stopped and turned to look at him again, but he was walking toward the elevator, his back to her. There was something about him that seemed familiar. Shaking her head, she decided he probably just reminded her of someone she knew.
Megan pushed the shopping cart down the aisles of the small Bi-Rite store. The prices were a little higher than Finast, or was it Topps now, but it was more convenient, and it was worth it just not to have to deal with the crowded larger store. Stopping in front of the fruit display, Megan looked at the peaches. Selecting a dozen, she thought, this should last her a while. Leaving the produce area, Megan headed toward the bakery.
Tony opened the door of the apartment and heard the phone ringing. Picking it up in the kitchen, she said, "Hello."
"What’s with you anyway? You’re not even back in town a week and you’re in the paper again. Just can’t stay out of the news, can you?" Brian teased, effectively concealing his concern.
Tony smiled at the familiar voice. "Good morning to you, too, smart ass. How are things in your neck of the woods?"
"Quieter than yours," Brian retorted before adding, "you ok?"
"Yep. Got lucky." Tony thought, Very lucky.
Brian glanced down at the newspaper he was looking at, and said, "Paper says you fell from the platform. Somehow I find that hard to believe."
Tony snorted, "Fell, huh? I don’t think so. Guy behind me got shoved, lost his balance, and we both landed rather unceremoniously on the tracks. End of story," Tony summed up succinctly.
"The story says it was a miracle you were both uninjured. Care to let me know how you managed that?"
Tony heard the concern through the bantering in Brian’s voice, and said, "I was able to roll off the tracks along with the guy that fell with me."
Brian thought about what Tony said. He had seen her in action and she defied imagination. He had the utmost respect for her and considered her a friend. "Ok. Just checking to make sure you were all right. When are you guys coming over for dinner? Shannon’s been asking and the kids are really excited about meeting a real live FBI agent," Brian said chuckling. "They’re at that hero worship age."
Oh hell. I'm gonna have to turn him down again. "I’m working on a case that involves shift work right now. How about I give you a call when it breaks?"
"Sounds good," Brian said. He was looking forward to having Tony and Megan over.
"See ya," Tony said, replacing the receiver.
Tony had just set the phone down when it rang again. Frowning, she picked it up.
"Hello."
"Tony?" David asked, hesitantly. He'd only spoken on the phone with Tony once and wanted to make sure it was her.
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br /> "Yeah," Tony said, resting her weight on her uninjured leg.
"This is David. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. The paper said…"
"I know. I’m fine. The paper exaggerated the accident," Tony ad-libbed, having no idea what the paper said because she hadn’t read it yet.
David smiled, and said, "Oh, good. We were really worried."
"Thanks for calling David," Tony said with mixed feelings. She wasn’t used to having people care one way or the other what happened to her, except for Megan. She appreciated his concern, but found it somewhat disconcerting.
"No problem. Talk to you later," David said, relieved.
"Bye."
Tony opened the door figuring the wash should be about done when the phone rang again. Exasperated, she picked it up saying, "Hello."
Barbara was taken aback. She couldn’t have misdialed. Megan’s number was programmed into the memory. Tentatively, she asked, "Is Megan there?"
Not recognizing the voice, Tony forgot her irritation and said pleasantly, "She’s not home right now. May I take a message?"
Why was someone else answering Megan’s phone? "Yes. Would you tell her to call her mother?"
"Sure," Tony said, hoping her tone hadn't been to brusque when she answered the phone.
Hanging up the phone, Tony opened the apartment door for the second time when the shrill sound of the phone once again split the air. Ignoring it, she closed the apartment door.
Megan took the grocery bags out of the trunk and loaded them into the elevator, holding it with the stop button. Arriving on the fourth floor, she pushed the stop button in, grabbed a couple of the bags, and went to the apartment. Tony heard her and opened the door, taking the bags and putting them in the kitchen. She walked to the elevator with Megan to get the rest of the groceries.
"Your Mom called and wants you to give her a call," Tony told Megan while they were putting the groceries away.
Megan looked up from putting a box of rice and some pasta in the cupboard. "Did she say anything else?"
"No. But I think she was surprised I answered the phone," Tony said, still looking through bags.
"This is going to be real interesting. You have no idea how nosey she is," Megan said, frowning. "Guess I'll call and see what she wants when we get done here."
Tony looked up and winked. "Just tell her you have a roommate."
"Well, that does happen to be true," Megan said, grinning at her partner. "Just don't make me laugh when I tell her that."
Tony drew and exaggerated "x" across her chest. "I promise to behave while you are talking to your mother." Smirking, she added, "But only until you get off the phone."
Megan's eyes started twinkling, and she said, "Is that a promise?"
"Do you want it to be?" Tony parlayed back, grinning.
Chuckling, Megan said, "You are so bad."
Looking in another bag, Tony smiled when she saw the peach pie. Walking over to Megan, she kissed her, and said, "Thanks."
Opening the last bag, she glanced over at Megan. "You got Dove Bars."
Grinning, Megan said, "Don’t tell me. You like those too?"
"Well… a little," Tony said, with twinkling eyes.
Walking into the living room to call her mother, Megan noticed the red light on the answering machine blinking.
"Someone else must have called when you were in the laundry room," she said, depressing the play message button.
Tony put the last few items away and arrived in the living room in time to hear the message.
"Hi, Tony. This is Mom. If you have time, give me a call."
Megan looked at her partner and smiled. "Must be family day today."
Tony shook her head. "Yeah, I guess it is." Some days you just couldn’t win. Sitting down on the couch, she extended her sore leg out along the side of the coffee table. It felt a little better that way.
Megan sat down next to Tony and dialed her parents’ number. "Hi, Mom. You called?"
Barbara smiled at the sound of her daughter's voice. "Hi. I just wanted to remind you about Saturday. "Who answered your phone?"
She sure didn't waste any time asking. "Tony." Glancing at her partner, and winking, Megan said, "She lives here, too."
Well this is sure a surprise, Barbara thought. Walking out to the kitchen to get her tea, she asked, "Since when? You never mentioned having a roommate. How did you meet her?"
"I met her working on the Shadow case." Deciding to downplay it and hopefully satisfy her mother's curiosity, she continued, "Tony's lived here for a while now."
"Is she the FBI agent whose picture was in the paper with yours? The one you went on vacation with?" Barbara asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Yes." Megan said, correctly deducing that Ashley must have told her that, but offering no further explanation.
She couldn't have lived there that long then. The article about her in the paper said she was new to Cleveland. "Ok. It was just a bit of a shock to hear someone else answer your phone." A thought suddenly occurred to Barbara. "Megan… you know if you need any money we could help you out."
Megan frowned, wondering where her mother had gotten that idea. "Thanks Mom, but my money situation is fine."
"Well, I just thought since you had gotten a roommate…" Barbara trailed off.
Megan’s brow furrowed and she pursed her lips. Holding her anger in check, she said, "Mom, I don’t have a roommate because I’m short of money."
"Well, just remember we’re here for you if you need some help. It’s nothing to be ashamed of." Barbara couldn't think of any other reason her daughter would have a roommate. There had to be some problem. Since Megan had left home, she’d always lived by herself.
Megan’s anger briefly surfaced, and her words flowed forth unchecked, "If my roommate was a guy, would you still think I needed money?"
Smacking her lips together in a disapproving sound, Barbara stated what she thought was obvious. "That’s different."
Sighing, Megan said, "No it’s not." Deciding to end the conversation, she added, "I’ll see you Saturday."
"Ok, dear. Bye." Barbara shook her head. She should have known better. Megan would never admit she needed help. She was too independent.
Megan glanced at Tony. "I can’t believe she thinks you live here because I need money. That’s my parents’ answer to everything." Megan paused and met Tony’s eyes. "One part of me wants to just tell them about us, but I know how narrow minded they are. They would never understand."
"If you think it would cause problems, there’s really no need to say anything about it," Tony said. She didn't want Megan to do anything that would make her uncomfortable or further strain her relationship with her parents.
"I know. But I would like to tell them. It would be so nice if they would accept the fact that we are together, like your mother did." Shaking her head, and looking down, she said, "Unfortunately, I just can’t envision that."
Tony reached over and put her hand under Megan's chin urging her partner's head up. Looking into the troubled hazel eyes, she said, "Hey. Come on. "Don’t worry about it. There will be plenty of time to tell them if you decide to." Smiling and winking at her, Tony added, "I don’t plan on going anywhere."
Some of the stress faded from Megan’s face and the corners of her mouth turned up. Tony certainly wasn’t the most talkative person she’d ever met, but she sure knew how to make her words count. Leaning over, Megan kissed her and said, "Good."
* * *
Megan peeled off the surgical gloves and dropped them in the garbage can, having just finished her only case for the day. The woman had been found dead in her home from unknown causes. Megan had quickly located the cause of death as an aneurysm in the brain. The woman had only been 36 years old. Megan had long ago realized you didn’t take anything for granted, and it had been really driven home over the weekend.
She thought back over her conversation earlier with David. She had told him about Tony’s accident and he had shaken his h
ead in disbelief. He had commented that sometimes life was stranger than fiction, but it was amazing that no one had seen the impatient person who had caused the whole thing by shoving so hard. Considering how many people had been on the platform, Megan didn’t find it unusual at all.
Megan went to the locker room and changed out of her scrubs into her street clothes. A quick check of her inbox revealed a message from Tony. Smiling, she picked up the phone and dialed her number.
"Hello."
"Hi," Megan said, smiling into the phone. "I just got your message."
Tony smiled at the sound of her partner's voice. "Do you have time for lunch? I could come and pick you up whenever you’re free," she said, already missing Megan even though she hadn’t started her new shift yet.
"Sounds great," Megan said, delighted at the chance to see her lover again today. "How about 12:30?"
"I’ll be there," Tony answered, pleased that Megan wasn't too busy to go to lunch.
David walked in and sat down. Megan looked up and said, "What’s up?" knowing instinctively that her friend had something on his mind.
Flopping into the chair, David said, "Mike went to the doctor Friday."
"Is he ok?" Megan asked, concerned.
David smiled and said, "Yeah. But it turns out he’s allergic to cats. He tested negative on everything else, but we’re going to have to find a home for the kittens. So, I was wondering if you knew anyone who might like them? We’d really like to place them together. But I want a really good home. We’re going to miss them."
While he was talking, David pulled an envelope out of his pocket. Pulling a photograph out of it, he handed it to Megan saying, "I’m going to take this to Trading Times this afternoon. For just $10.00 extra they’ll put the picture in."
Megan looked at the picture of the kittens. One of the kittens was black with a white face. It had a splash of white on the chest and white stockings extending halfway up the front legs. The other kitten looked like an artist had taken black, orange and beige, and just splotched them arbitrarily over her back. Her chest, face, and legs were all white. The mismatch of color extended up to the top of her head giving the appearance of a hat.