Steps One Shots (ish)

Undercover (Part 3)

I know I published the other parts of this back in the summer, but I always knew I'd write this bit too one day
Warning: occational references to abuse (although I kept them incredibly light and brief they still might upset some people)

Setting - this is set after the other parts over a length of time, but it's a just to tie up some lose ends and add the ending I'd originally wanted to give the story.

Lee had remained true to his promise to Faye, and not only that, but him and Faye had finally agreed to move into Faye's house together. There'd been a few unavoidable times apart since they had, but it was never for anything big and scary, mostly for training, meetings and unavoidable jobs. When they did they never spent more than a week away. And they always made sure to keep in touch if it was more than a night; which proved to be quite lucky as time went by. Three months after Lee had come back, he'd been away for the second time since the mission that had ended so horrifically, Faye had phoned him in a panic because she was feeling really unwell and was pretty sure her period was late. The way she'd sounded when he'd answered the phone had sent him into overload, worrying Faye was in danger again. But the fact that she'd very softly whispered down the phone "So I was just thinking... could you maybe pick up some pregnancy tests on the way home?" after telling him about the symptoms had filled him with a sense of both joy and dread at once.

Four days later, with Faye still feeling unwell and Lee having been at home trying to encourage her to find the courage to do the test for three days, she finally relented and did it. The way Lee had held Faye (cuddled up against him as she so often did) as they sat on the bathroom floor, her shaking mostly from anticipation in that long 20 minute wait for the test to develop had reminded him on so many levels of that night once again, though he was glad this time there was no risk of guns and that Faye wasn't terrified she was about to die. All the hugging that had happened that night was part of the memories he didn't mind so much, because it was just sweet to them. But it always led back to what he'd put Faye through when he was on that placement, and he still felt guilty. He thought he probably always would. But when they'd both shakily dared to take the test off the side, his hand closing around hers so they both knew the other was there and that they didn't have to see until they were fully ready, they both felt so scared. Eventually though they looked at each other and smiled. Lee carefully opened his hand, Faye took a deep breath and opened hers and they lent close to each other to peer at the test.
After a moment of quiet where what they were seeing sunk in, she looked at him. "Oh my gosh!" Faye squealed, taking him into a tight hug.
Lee smiled, gently hugging her back, scared he might forget his strength and hurt her. "Now we know they really can't ever split us up like that for a mission again." He whispered.
Faye nodded. "And we'll have a little baby that's half both of us." She kissed his cheek and he kissed her's back.
Lee smiled as he thought through how to reply. "If they're even half as pretty as you they'll be so beautiful."
She blushed, looking down and laughing slightly as she did. "And if they're even half as sweet as you they'll be fantastic."
Lee gently kissed her on the lips, and she kissed him back. And for a while they just lost themselves to that sweet moment.

*****

They then had the tough job of keeping the pregnancy a secret. The first few months before it was visible that was meant to be easy, but having to keep finding excuses why Faye wasn't well and couldn't be at work, was late coming into work (as she sometimes did when they started early in the day) or was really tired because she'd been up feeling ill half the night was difficult. They both knew they couldn't tell anyone at work for a while because when they did Faye would end up having to do desk work until she went on maternity leave, and they both knew she'd hate that.
"Awh Faye are you feeling better?" Claire asked as they arrived at work one morning. Faye had been off work for three days (she tended to end up missing earlies most because she was worst during the mornings, and today was their first late shift).
Faye felt awful where she'd been up half the night again, but faked a smile and told Claire she was fine anyway. Lee just softly squeezed Faye's shoulders in reassurance, knowing she'd hate to lie to her friends but that she had to.
"You're ill a lot at the minute, are you sure you're alright... I mean it's nothing bad is it?" Claire quizzed.
"No, it's just... it's where I'm so determined to be at work I keep coming in when I'm not completely better and it makes me ill again." She lied.
Claire pulled a face, then stared at Faye's tummy where Faye'd instinctively rested her hand. "Are you... pregnant?" She whispered.
Faye bit her lip, dropping her hand to her side and hoping she hadn't given the game away.
"Oh you haven't got stomach cramps again have you?" Lee asked hoping his wildly bad acting would get them out of Claire's suspicion.
Faye knew what he was doing and played along. "A bit yeah. It's fine, they'll go away again in a minute."
Claire pulled a face that they both knew meant she didn't buy their little act, but luckily dropped the conversation there.