About Time

Chapter Forty-Two - Don't Sit At Your Desk!

"I'm surprised Lightman even let you come to work. Aren't they inducing you next week?" Ria asked.
"It's scheduled for Friday." Gillian grinned. She would be 35 weeks in two days and then four days after that was when she had to be at the hospital at ten in the morning.
The closer she got, the more excited she was. This baby was everything she'd ever wanted and she couldn't have been happier that she was getting a child with Cal. Sure, this pregnancy had been rough in the beginning and it still wasn't great (she still wasn't supposed to lift anything over five pounds and she couldn't stand for more than ten minutes at a time) but it was more than worth it.
She told herself that when she was leaning on the counter when she got a contraction.
"You okay?"
"Fine." Gillian said when it was over. "I'm one of the lucky ones that has painful Braxton Hicks instead of uncomfortable ones."
"As long as you're sure. He'll kill me if something happens." Ria said, referring to Cal. He was currently visiting a client in Annapolis that had dropped by yesterday right before they were going to head home. Cal had promised that he'd be there this morning and then showed the man the door and everyone left. Cal had already left when Gillian woke up at 7:30.
"I'm okay." Gillian promised.
She went in Cal's office and tossed her purse on his desk before grabbing a stack of paperwork he still hadn't done and heading into the lab where Ria and Eli were so she could just do it for him. She didn't want to sit in her office alone. She sat down and tried to ignore the contractions she was having. She was pretty sure they were still Braxton Hicks so she just breathed her way through them.

Anna was sitting at the receptionist desk around nine when a middle-aged man came in.
"Hi, may I help you?"
"I'm here to see Dr. Lightman or Dr. Foster."
"Dr. Lightman is out but Dr. Foster is in the lab. I can get her for you if you wait here."
"I know where the lab is. I was here yesterday."
"Oh, okay."
She let him walk down the hall.
He came back fifteen minutes later.
"Have a good day!" Anna told him on his way out.
"You too."
She thought about getting up and asking Dr. Foster what that was all about but decided if her boss wanted her to know, she would tell her.

Thirty minutes later, Cal called the landline at the desk.
"Dr. Lightman?"
"Put Gill on the phone."
He sounded impatient.
"Okay."
She put him on hold and ran down the hall and into the lab.
"Dr. Lightman is on the phone for you at the desk. Do you want me to transfer it to your office?"
"No, I'll just come to the desk." Gillian answered.
She walked with Anna and picked up the phone.
"Cal, why didn't you just call my cell?"
"I accidentally pressed the wrong button on speed dial. Listen, Jones isn't here. His shed around back was unlocked and there is bomb making equipment in there, Gill. Whatever you do, don't let him near you. I've called the FBI and they're on their way there. His neighbor said he hasn't seen him since yesterday so he's probably still D.C. I'm on my way back. I'm about an hour out. Be careful."
"I will. I love you."
"I love you too."
She hung up the phone and walked back into the lab.
"Print out a picture of Gavin Jones and give it to Anna. Tell her under no circumstances is she to let him in. Got it?"
They nodded. Gillian gathered up the stack of now finished paper work and brought into Cal's office before heading to her own.
Meanwhile, Ria brought the printed picture to Anna and relayed Gillian's instructions.
"But he was just here a half hour ago. He went into the lab and talked to Dr. Foster."
"No, he didn't. No one ever came into the lab until you came to get Foster."
Ria quickly pulled up the security feed. Jones had gone into Cal's office and Gillian's and spent about five minutes in each. Ria was pretty sure she knew what he'd been doing.
"Foster! Whatever you do, don't sit at your desk!" Ria yelled and ran in just as Gillian sat down. They both heard the little click. Ria dropped to the floor and looked under Gillian's chair.
"Don't. Move." Ria whispered as she stood up. She pulled out her cell phone and called the FBI.
"A bomb squad is on their way. They'll be here in about 20 minutes which is the fastest they can get here." Ria said when she hung up.
"Okay." Gillian's voice was shaky. Ria moved closer to the chair.
"Ria, get out."
"I'm not-"
"If I make one wrong move, this thing will go off. I don't want you in here if that happens."
"Sorry. But I'm not going anywhere."
Ria said, kneeling beside the chair. She dialed a number on her phone again, this time trying to call Lightman. He didn't answer so she tried again. This time he picked up on the third ring.
"This better be important."
"I think a man planting a bomb under your fiancée's chair that she's now sitting in counts as important."
"What?"
Ria heard several car horns honking in the background.
"I tried to warn her but it was too late. Bomb squad is on their way but it's going to take them 20 minutes."
"It's going to take me around 45. Give Gill your phone."
"I don't know how sensitive the bomb is so ill just have to put you on speaker."
"Fine, do whatever. Just don't leave her alone."
"Don't worry, I'm not."
Ria put the phone on Gillian's desk.
"Okay, you're on speaker."
"Gill, listen to me. Don't move, don't think about anything, just listen to the sound of my voice, okay?"
"I'm scared, Cal."
"I know, love. But you're going to fine, I promise. I'll be there as soon as I can. I'm going to stay on the phone until I get there."

Thirty-six minutes laters, Cal hung up because he was in the lobby. He ran down the hall to Gillian's office where a bomb tech was guarding the door. Loker stood nearby. Cal tried to go in but to no avail.
"Dr. Lightman, you know I can't let you in there."
"And you know, if you don't let me, you're not gonna live to see tomorrow. Try me."
"Cal?" Gillian called, sounding even more panicked than she had on the phone.
Cal looked at the bomb tech, who let him in. He knew that Cal Lightman would physically remove him from the doorway if it came down to it.
"Alright, Torres. Out. Don't argue, just go."
Ria stood up and left and Cal kneeled in her place.
"We can't get the bomb out because of its position so we have to defuse it while she's still applying weight to the detonator." Someone filled him in.
"Alright, stop talking then."
"Cal, if something happens to me, I need you to be okay. Just go stand by the doorway." Gillian told him, even though they both knew she needed him right where he was.
"You couldn't get rid of Torres, you seriously think you can get rid of me?"
"It was a shot."
"I'm not leaving this spot without you."
Gillian winced.
"What's wrong."
"Braxton Hicks." Gillian answered through clenched teeth.
"Dr. Foster we only need about ten more minutes and we'll be done."
Ten minutes passed with Cal and Gillian talking about nothing and everything. Cal said it was to keep Gillian's attention focused on anything but their current situation but if he was being honest with himself, it was to distract his attention too.
Cal didn't like the look on the bomb tech's face when he happened to glance over.
"There are two wires connected in the same places. One is going to defuse it but the other will detonate it."
Gillian squeezed Cal's hand tighter than she already had been.
"Gill, darling, let go of my hand. I'm just going around to your other side to look."
"Okay." Her voice was barely above a terrified whisper as she complied.
Cal moved around to the other side of the chair and offered Gillian his other hand which she carefully but quickly grabbed.
Cal examined the blue and green wires. The only two left.
"Cal?"
"Yes, love?"
"My water just broke."
Cal should've been overjoyed but all he felt was terror. What if he was wrong?
"Cut the green one." He ordered.
"Dr. Lightman, are you sure?"
"Far from it, mate."
"There's a 50% chance you're wrong."
"That goes for any of us."
"Cut the green one." Gillian repeated. She didn't know if he was right but if Cal thought they should cut the green one, she wanted them to cut the green wire.
She looked at Cal.
"I trust you."
"Dr. Lightman, I'm going to ask you one more time to please leave."
"I'm not leaving her."
"I'm going to need you to move back to the other side." The bomb tech sighed in defeat.
Cal moved to the other side and noticed Gillian was crying.
"Don't cry, love."
"I'm scared, Cal. And this is only hurting worse." She said, motioning to her stomach with her head.
"I know, sweetheart. But it's almost over."
She nodded.
"Thank you." She whispered. "For staying with me."
"Always, darling."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Are you ready?" The bomb tech asked.
They nodded. Gillian took Cal's hand.
The bomb tech cut the wire.
Practically before it was cut all the way through, Cal yanked Gillian up and out of the chair.
Nothing happened. No explosion.
Gillian buried her head in Cal's chest and sobbed.
"Shhh, it's over. You're safe, love."
"Ow, shit!" Gillian exclaimed as she grabbed Cal's shirt and crumpled it beneath her hands.
Cal remembered that Gillian was in labor.
"We're going to the hospital. Where's your purse?"
"On your desk."
Cal led Gillian out of her office and left her with Loker and Torres while he went into his office and grabbed her purse. The black bag was exactly where it had been thrown this morning. Cal grabbed it and turned to go but then had a thought and dropped to the floor, looking under his chair. Sure enough, a black mass was sitting there, identical to the one that had been under Gillian's.
"Cal!" Gillian called.
He jumped up and walked back to the trio.
"Loker, get bomb squad in my office then I want all employees to leave."
"There was one under your chair too? What do did you two ever do to this guy?" Ria asked.
"Don't worry about it now."
He looked at Gill.
"Let's go."
Gillian groaned at the thought of walking all the way to the car. Cal knew exactly what she was thinking when he saw her face. He picked her up, one arm behind her back and the other behind her knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek.
"My hero." She giggled.