Law and Order- complete

XXVIII

"The court of Charlottes famous Harry Styles, who in 2011 was arrested for the murder of Jason Hudson, is now being pushed back as evidence is reevaluating. Here, we stand outside of the warehouse off of the fifth avenue where previous Mayor-Elect Damien Soto and former UNC student Ryder Fuentes held Harr-"

I grab the remote and change the channel just as Miranda waddles into the room, holding a pitcher of Horchata in one hand, and three cups in the other. I smile gently at her, and Ellen, who follows soon after, hangs up the phone and makes herself comfortable at one of the dining tables.

"I just got off the phone with the doctor, says you shouldn't need stitches but you do need therapy, which you're doing, and that isn't a suggestion." She orders, and I shake my head lazily. I wasn't opposed to therapy after all that happened not just last week but since January. I know I needed it.

It felt good that I didn't have to lie to them any longer, and they knew everything. And I mean everything.

"I have an appointment next week," I tell her. My voice is still raw from all the screaming and crying I'd been doing during the middle of the night. I scratch at my nose as Miranda pours me the milky drink. I don't miss the sympathetic looks they share, it's nothing but pity.

"How many weeks are you now, mama?" I ask, changing the subject as she finds herself a seat. Luckily, Chris and Cameron weren't home. I'd rather not deal with both of them. Outside of that, it was very obvious that Miranda had been the one keeping the house together.

"About 25," She grins, "Halfway through."

I offer a weak smile, taking a sip of my drink.

"Any middle names?" Ellen wonders.

"I was thinking Mario,"

"That's stupid."She snorts. And Ellen glares at her.

"Mija's middle name is Marie, I wanted both of my children to have similar ones, pinche pendeja." She hisses.

"Oh, that's sweet," I say, as Ellen purses her lips before shrugging and nodding.

"It actually is, didn't know if it was something that racist piece of shit you're with came up with." She laughs, and Miranda rolls her eyes, knowing better than to defend him.

We talk over drinks for about an hour, and it's a relief that it isn't centered around the elephant in the room.

After about an hour or two of catching up, Ellen's pager beeps, telling her that she has to come into the hospital later that night. I nod and we get up from the table, sharing small hugs and kisses, dispersing into the driveway.

I make my way down the street and toward the apartments where I'd been staying for a while now.

It seemed to be the unspoken truth that Harry and I weren't ready for me to leave. I don't know if it was the trauma of what we'd gone through together or simply mental exhaustion, and we didn't have the energy to pretend we didn't need one another right now.

I knew how I felt about him, that I loved him. And as much as it scared me before, it didn't after that night. The thought of Harry dying was enough to scare the shit out of me, and I feared it so much that I woke up from violent nightmares during the night because of it. I couldn't lose him. I'm glad that he'd called Brian immediately after Ryder and Soto called him. But everything was too close, we danced with death that night. Tempted it.

Harry seemed to be doing fine, anxious though, as they pushed back his court date to review evidence. Soto confessed to killing Jason, legally, that cleared Harry's name.

We didn't talk about Sharon, though. I knew not to bring it up, especially since we still hadn't heard from her.

Harry told Liz that Audrey was still in the city, so she was quick to pick her up, and she's been staying with her since then. I hadn't seen either of them. Or anyone for that matter.