missing you-petra solano

i. pilot

Romance was dead to Isabel Gloriana Villanueva...

Romance died when her wife had died almost a year before. Her sister had found true love shortly before she lost it, but that didn't matter to her anymore. She walked right past the two lovers, calling out to her partner as she walked to the car.

"Cordero, let's go."

"Is she always like that these days? Even at work?" Jane asked her boyfriend, secretly not at all shocked by her sister's harsh behavior. In Isabella's defense, she did have a tough year.

"Always. It's like a switch inside that she can't turn off."

"In all fairness, she did lose her wife." The honking from the car interrupted Jane's thoughts. "Okay, you better go. She looks like she's about to kill you."

Michael leaned in to kiss Jane once more, being interrupted by a much more obnoxious honk. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" Michael called out to Isabel as he jogged to the car. Michael got into the passenger seat quickly, letting out a sigh as he did so. "Are you okay?"

"Define okay." Isabel answered a deadpan expression, putting the car into drive.

"You know you don't have to hold this all in, right Iz?" Michael responded sympathetically.

"Well, maybe I don't want to. I lost my wife, I was hurt, I recovered, and I came back to work. I just want to work without thinking about my wife dying every five minutes, okay?"

"Uh, y-yeah, okay."

XXX

"I need to ask you something." Michael stated seriously, taking a seat next to Isabel's desk at the station.

"Sure, Michael, make yourself feel at home." Isabel smiled sardonically, not peeling her eyes off of her computer screen.

"It's important." Isabel finally looked at Michael, as the latter placed a small box down on her desk.

"Oh my god- is that-" Michael opened the box, revealing a small yet gorgeous ring.

"I want to propose to Jane. And I need your blessing."

"Jesus, man, of course you have my blessing." The two stood up, as Isabel hugged Michael firmly.

"Thank god you said yes, cause the ring was non-refundable." Isabel chuckled, trying to hold back her tears. "Hey, what's the matter?" Michael questioned, noticing the tears on Isabel's face.

"It's nothing, it's just...it looks just like the ring Isabel gave me."

"It's the same one, actually. They had a sale." Michael admitted, causing Isabel to burst out into a mix of laughter and tears.

"That was such a Liz thing to do." Isabel admitted. Michael hugged her this time, his best friend willingly breaking down for the first time in what felt like forever.

XXX

Weeks passed, and soon, Isabel found herself at her now pregnant sister and her best friend's engagement party. It was a mix of feelings for Isabel. She was proud of Michael, happy for Jane, and sad for herself. It hadn't even been a year since her wife was murdered in cold blood, and had only been 3 years since they'd gotten married. So, it hurt her to be reminded of it all. But still, Isabel smiled, and held her head high as she tried to keep herself occupied.

"Can I get you another one?" A woman approached Isabel, leaning against the wall next to her.

"I'm good, thanks." Isabel responded a bit dismissively as she took a sip of her beer.

"Sorry." The woman quickly apologized. "I know that we're not in a bar, but that's normally the best conversation starter."

Isabel gave her a quick nod. "Fair enough. How do you know Michael?"

"Lifelong friend. How do you know Jane?"

"My sister."

"Cheers to that." The women clinked their beers together. "Look, this may seem a little forward, but there is a shitty bathroom just sitting there, waiting for two people to fuck in it."

Isabel nearly choked on her beer. "That was forward." She admitted. "I'm sorry, but..." Isabel held up her hand, the ring saying the words she couldn't necessarily say.

"Ah...hint taken." The woman admitted, backing away. It took Isabel a minute to realize what she'd done. It had given her some comfort, pretending that her wife was still alive, but once she'd snapped back to reality, it only hurt that much more.

XXX

"Nothing's going on, sir." Michael begrudgingly informed their captain as he continued to look through his binoculars. Isabel sat more laid back, reviewing case files on the couch instead. "He had some girl come in there, she took off. Zazo's the contact. I'm positive."

"ID the girl." Armstrong directed him.

"Already sent the images down to the station."

XXX

The next morning, wearing a bright yellow dress, Jane strutted into the station, her sights set on the man who was holding the information that would change everything. Michael didn't look up from his work until he heard whooping and whistling coming from his companions. Jane seemed less confident now as she and Michael met each other in the middle of the station.

"Babe...what are you doing here?"

"Trying to be brave." She admitted. "But before I propose..." The whooping and whistling rose again before quickly dying down. "You need to know all the facts. And the fact is, I'm having the baby." Murmurs arose across the crowd before, once again, quickly dying down. "And we're giving it to the father. He and his wife, they really want it. And they're a really great couple." Michael's face sunk to a deadpan expression. Michael?"

"Yeah." Jane's grin grew exponentially. "Okay. I'm okay with that."

"Okay..." Jane laughed as she tried to get down on one knee.

"You can stand." Michael assured her.

"Oh, can I? Great, thanks." Jane leaned on Michael as she stood up again.

"Okay. All right. Oh, I'm not good at this stuff." Jane admitted. "So instead of telling you the reasons why I love you, I'm gonna tell you the reasons why I don't. I don't love you because you're smart and kind. I don't love you because you're hardworking and competitive and way too defensive."

"I'm not defensive." He instinctively retorted.

"I don't love you because you are incredibly sexy. I love you because you're my best friend. And I want to grow old with you. And right now, I'm confused about every single thing in my life...except you." The applause didn't die down as Michael kissed Jane, accepting her proposal. Isabel joined the two soon after, proud of her sister and best friend. And although the bliss was welcoming, it wouldn't last very long...