Andy Barber - Duplicity 💜

Chapter 14

Andy held onto Allison's hand as they entered the police station with Jacob following close behind. They were greeted by Neal as Andy dropped her hand to shake Neal's.

Neal smiled at Allison, motioning to her stomach, "you look great Allie."

She gave him a small smile, not wanting to be there, "thanks Neal."

He motioned for her to follow him, "come on, you can watch with me as Andy and Jacob talk to Laurie."

She looked at Andy as he nodded, kissing her on the cheek, "we'll be fine. Just go." She nodded, following Neal into a separate room where they could watch Andy and Jacob with Laurie.

Andy entered with Jacob behind him as they saw Laurie look up at them. "We're here." Neither of them sat down as she tried to stand, but her hands were chained to the table.

"Sit. Please."

Andy shook his head, looking from Jacob to Laurie, "we're okay. What do you want?"

"I wanted to see my son! And my husband."

He laughed, "we're not married anymore Laurie. We're only here because Neal said you would plead guilty if we came. Please, plead guilty. Otherwise they're going to have to call both Jacob and Allison to the stand to testify against you and I think you've put them both through enough."

She rolled her eyes, looking at Jacob, "can I have a hug?"

Jacob hesitated, looking at Andy.

"You don't have to do or say anything you don't want to son."

"I'm still your mother!"

Jacob laughed, "when? When you murdered a boy and let me take the fall for it?" He shook his head, "no. Allison is more of a mother than you ever have been."

Andy watched him storm out of the room, leaving him alone with Laurie. "Well, there you have it." He leaned on the table, "are you going to plead guilty?"

"Are you going to marry that whore?"

Andy clenched his jaw tightly as he tried to control the anger in his belly that was threatening to erupt, "once we're sure we are free of you. Yes."

She sighed, staring down at the table, her voice barely audible, "is it too late to apologize?"

Andy laughed, looking at her, "you're serious?" He watched her bring her head back up, her eyes wet with tears, "I don't need or want the fake the tears. And you can apologize by pleading guilty on Monday." He left her alone in the room crying to join Neal and Allison. He looked at the tv to see her stop crying as soon as he left. He laughed, "she's ridiculous."

Neal sighed, "yeah. She's been like this the whole time. I have no doubts we would win a trial, but I don't want to have to go through with it."

"Right." Andy grabbed Allison's hand, "do you want us to stay until Monday?"

Neal shook his head, "no. I'll call you on Monday with what happens?"

Andy smiled, "sure. That's perfect. Thanks Neal." He led Allison out of the station to the sidewalk where Jacob was waiting for them. "Hey bud, are you okay?"

Jacob nodded, crossing his arms protectively over his chest, "I'm fine. I don't have to see her again, do I?"

It was Allison that answered for Andy, rubbing Jacob's shoulder, "only if you want to." He nodded again, this time hugging Allison as she felt him linger for a minute, Andy coming up to rub his back. She sighed when he finally pulled away, "let's go home."

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Allison felt Andy come up behind her on Sunday morning back in Charlotte as she made brunch. She felt him wrap his arms around her, resting his hands on her stomach. She moaned as he began to kiss the base of her neck, "baby. Come on. You know you can't do that."

Andy laughed as she turned to face him, "I know. We'll have to wait until later. You've met this girl?"

Allison laughed, brushing Andy off her as she began to plate food. "If you mean did I meet her when her lips were attached to your son's, then yeah. Sort of. It was brief." She shrugged, turning back to him, "she's cute." She wrapped her arms around his neck, "but you Barber men have no trouble getting pretty girls."

Andy laughed again as he looked around, "where's my pretty girl?"

Allison hit him in the chest, "so mean." She tried to push against him out of his grip but he held firmly onto her.

"You know I'm kidding. I love you Allison and I want to marry you."

She grinned, "I want to marry you too, but if that's a proposal, then I might be second guessing it."

He laughed, "of course it isn't." He brought his hand up to her cheek, cradling her face in his hand, "you've been really great this last year. I know our relationship hasn't exactly been conventional but I really don't think I would have been able to get through everything this past year without you. I love you."

She nodded, "I love you too Andy." She giggled as he nipped at her neck, his beard brushing lightly against her skin when they heard a knock on the front door as Jacob came running downstairs. She laughed, watching him answer the door. She looked at Andy, "behave yourself."

He shrugged, "always."

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Andy sat at his desk at the office the next morning when he heard a knock on the door, Allison peeking her head inside. "Allie. Baby, what are you doing here?"

She watched him stand up to greet her as she closed the door behind her, "am I bothering you?"

He shook his head, "never."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "Neal called me, he thought you might be working. He said Laurie pled guilty and she won't be getting out. Killing Ben and attempting to kill me and the baby, he's made sure she won't be getting out."

Andy grinned, pulling her to him as he felt a sense of relief wash over him, "good. Thank you."

She chuckled pulling away to look at him, "for what? I'm sorry, I wanted to come tell you in person."

He nodded, "I'm glad you did baby." He went to his drawer, pulling out a box, "now I'm proposing."

"You're serious?" Her hands shakily accepted the box from his hands, opening to find an engagement ring. "Andy.."

He knelt on one knee, "thank you for firstly, being my friend and someone I knew I could depend on before we even started to see each other. I love you so much, and that baby growing inside you and I don't want to waste anymore time not being your husband. Will you marry me?"

Allison nodded as tears streaked her cheeks, "of course I will." She watched him slide the ring on her finger before he stood up to pull her to him, "I don't want to waste anymore time either. I just want to be married to you Andy. I don't need a big wedding. I only need you and Jacob and this baby."

He grinned, running his thumbs under her cheeks to wipe away the tears, "me too."