About Time

Chapter Two - Surprise

Seven weeks and twenty cases later, Cal and Gillian were still avoiding each other when possible. And it was starting to take a toll on them both.
Ria noticed Gillian came to work everyday with bags under her eyes, as if she weren't sleeping very much. If she was even sleeping at all.
Eli noticed Cal's temper was even shorter than usual. He seemed to have very little patience these days, if he had any to begin with.

*three weeks ago*

Gillian stared at the test, not willing to accept it. She was pregnant. With Cal's baby. According to numerous experts she'd seen when she and Alec were trying to have a baby, getting pregnant shouldn't even be possible for her. And if she did, the chances of her carrying the baby to term were even lower. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't get an abortion, she wouldn't. Not after trying for this for so long. Besides, it wouldn't be any different than a miscarriage. It wouldn't make her not pregnant; it would make her the mother of a dead child. And she wasn't sure that when the time came, she could give the baby up for adoption. Not when a baby was the only thing she'd ever really wanted.
She didn't know how she was going to tell Cal. He wasn't planning on any more kids. Certainly not with her. But he'd find out one way or another. And the farther along she was when he found out, the more pissed he was going to be.
Gillian curled into a ball on her bed and cried. She didn't know what else to do.

Finally, Ria decided to talk to Gillian. Even though she was still mad at both her and Loker for trying to get her to admit that she was getting laid. Although from the looks it, it hadn't and wasn't going to happen again.
""Gillian, what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing, I'm fine."
"Your moods swings lately have been ridiculous. You're all happy and giggly one moment, even freaking glowing, and then Cal will come by and tell you something and you're pissed at him or upset about something. Actually, you're always pissed at Cal for something. You two having been avoiding each other for almost two months. What's going on?"
"I'm not mad at Cal specifically." Gillian lied, which was probably a dumb thing to do to someone who could analyze her face and call her on it.
"Well, what's the problem?"
Ria must be slacking because Gillian was fairly certain she'd just given at least ten different tells to lying.
"I've just been feeling rather nauseous lately."
That wasn't exactly a lie. It just wasn't the whole truth. And Ria called her on it.
"You know I can tell when you're lying right? Isn't that why I work here? You've lied more to me in the past minute than you have since I started working here."
So Ria had noticed after all. And obviously she wasn't going to let it go.
"I'm pregnant." Gillian whispered.
Ria's eyes widened.
"You? Pregnant? What? I knew we were right about you getting laid that night!"
"Please be quiet. I don't want anybody to know."
"You mean you don't want Cal to know."
"Not really, no."
"Whose baby is it?"
"Baby? Who's having a baby?" A voice interrupted their conversation. A voice everyone knew all to well.
Ria looked at Gillian.
"I am."
Gillian had to admire the girl. Anyone who would try to lie to Cal Lightman was probably insane, but Gillian appreciated the effort nonetheless.
"Well, your hands tell me you're lying. And considering it was your voice I heard ask whose baby it is, I'd say Gillian is the pregnant one."
He looked at Gillian.
"Am I right or am I right?"
Gillian didn't say anything.
"Thought so." Cal told her and headed towards his office, which must've been where he was headed when he joined their conversation. Gillian went into hers and left Ria there wondering what was going on between them. They were business partners but more than that, they were best friends and everyone in the office knew good and damn well they had feelings for each other but lately, they seemed to be giving each other the cold shoulder and silent treatment. What the hell had happened?

Gillian was getting ready to leave. She thought about just going but knew she couldn't leave without talking to Cal, without at least saying goodnight. They were the only two left; everyone else had gone home hours ago. She quietly walked into his office. He was standing with his back to the door, staring out of the window.
"Were you ever going to tell me?" He asked, without turning around.
Gillian sighed.
"Eventually. When I figured out how."
That made him turn around.
"When you figured out how? What's that supposed to mean? Gill, you know you can tell me anything. Especially something like this. It is my baby after all.
Gillian felt her eyes fill with tears. She started screaming at him.
"What was I supposed to say, Cal? Thanks for screwing me and giving me the one thing I've always wanted with the only person I've ever wanted it with but don't worry about it because I know you don't care for me that way? I'm sorry I was stupid and told you not to use protection and now I'm pregnant but forget I said anything because I know you don't want a baby and certainly not with me? According to every doctor and expert I've ever seen, I shouldn't even be able to get pregnant! I don't even know if I'm physically capable of carrying this baby to term! How the hell was I supposed to tell you that?" She yelled. She turned and rushed out.
"Gill! Gillian! Wait!" He called after her but she was already gone.
"Well, I've gone and bloody ruined things this time, haven't I?" He told himself.

Gillian, still crying, pulled into her driveway. She got out of the car and fumbled with her keys, trying to unlock her front door. She dropped them and bent over to pick them up, but through her tears she saw another hand reach them first.
"I've got it, love."
She should've known he'd follow her. She should've known that he wouldn't just let her go home and cry in peace.
Cal unlocked and opened the door, going inside ahead of Gillian and turning on the lights.
"Cal, please just leave me alone!" She exclaimed, a new flood of tears streaming down her cheeks.
He didn't say anything, just pulled her close, into a hug. She fought him at first, hitting him, trying to free herself from his grasp but quickly stopped and buried herself in his chest to cry. He just held her, running his fingers through her hair, never saying a word. Finally the crying stopped and eventually, Cal realized that Gillian had fallen asleep standing. He gently picked her up and she subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck.
Cal carried her upstairs and carefully laid Gillian in her bed, pulling the blankets up around her before turning to go.
"Please don't go." Cal heard Gillian whisper behind him.
He knew he shouldn't stay. He knew if he did, it would make things worse. But he could hear  the plea in her voice. And whenever it came to Gillian Foster, she would always be his weakness. So he stayed. He didn't get into bed beside her, as much as he wanted to just lay there beside her, hold her close, and tell her everything would be alright, he didn't dare do anything else that he might regret later, staying here was enough. So he just sat down on the floor beside her bed, head leaning against the mattress. And when Gillian reached out her hand for him to hold, to reassure her that he was there, he took it.