Chapter 95: Chapter~95~An ounce of prevention.

Nick~

Given that Harley had tossed and turned most of the night. I'm surprised to wake and find her missing from my arms. A quick scan of the room finds her sitting in the bay window, knees pulled up to her chest.

In the warm morning light, she glowed. "Harley, honey, are you ok?"

She glances over her shoulder. "Yeah, just thinking."

"It looks deep," I prop up on my elbow and push the blanket away. "What's on your mind, Amante?"

"Having Melinda bind Etta's powers so we don't become the next addition to 'freaks like us.'"

"You can be my freak anytime," I waggled my eyebrows at her with a wink, but my antics aren't working. "Please come here." She gets up and crosses the room; the soft tread of bare feet on hardwood fills the silence. Once she's tucked beneath the comforter, bringing her warmth back into my arms, I kiss her forehead. "We still have a while yet to decide on that. Meanwhile, I'll ensure my girls remain calm."

"Right! Did you inform the Captain we're coming in today?"

"Yep, all taken care of. Just keep your hands to your sides, and you'll be fine."

I'm expecting a round with my she beast, but no. We roll out, shower, and dress without so much as a growl from her. Harley is focused on accomplishment, so we also make it a quick breakfast. If I thought it would actually make her slow down, I'd suggest it.

Instead, she grabs her mug, the scent of chamomile and steam rising into the air as she puts on the lid and drags me out the back door. On the way, I snatch Harley's straw hat and oversized shades from the hook, trying to keep up.

As we hit the carport, the motion light snapped on, casting long shadows before the metal door groaned open. Still, I pull her in close for a quick but sweet kiss before scrambling into the SUV. We pull out of the drive into a still-sleeping neighborhood.

Fresh dew sparkling in the sun on the lawns looks peaceful. Harley is a million miles away, staring out the window at the scenery passing by, when I glance over at her. We made our way through downtown LA in continued silence.

She raised her brow and looked at me when we pulled into the parking lot and found the station house packed. "Must be a busy day," I shrugged, killed the engine, and exited the car.

It feels different going in with my arm wrapped around my wife's waist and not having to hide it. Not even the sun blazing down on us or the nose-burning fumes from the traffic can put a damper on my mood.

Inside, uniformed officers, plainclothes detectives, Belinda's staff, and even the desk sergeant filled the narrow lobby. Harley stopped dead beside me, her hands flying to her mouth as she stared at the human wall.

Overhead, the fluorescent lights catch the silver metallic finish of a balloon banner draped across the main desk. The immediate noise was a wave of rhythmic clapping and cheers.

She looked at me, her eyes glossy. "Did you do this?"

"I might have tipped them off," I said, a smile breaking through.

The dense wall of chatter instantly thinned as they stepped aside, revealing the stuffy squad room's transformation. Harley's welcome-back, baby shower, and retirement, all in one, were a burst of vibrant colors and delicious smells.

We get little time to take in the mountain of gifts stacked on a silk-draped table, or the buffet of food and desserts. Within seconds, her other family wrapped around her, engulfing her in warm embraces.

'Are you ok?'

'Yes, go, use the Captain's phone.'

'Keep in touch,' I slip away and make my way to Howard's office. Once inside, I eased the door shut, sat down behind the desk, and dialed Ian. The third time was the charm, but the line is silent.

"Ian? It's me. You there?"

Ian's voice crackled through the speaker, sounding far away. "Nick? Son-of-a-bitch." Ian breathed out, a wet, ragged sound. "Tell me you ain't in the cage."

"Accused of murder, they're building a cage, yeah."

"Listen to me, no statements until I get you a mouth who can handle this. I'm sending a shark."

"Titus already handled it; his attorney is on the way," I gripped the phone tighter.

"And your assignment?" Ian's tone sharpened, cold as steel.

"I'd planned to wrap up the task before the…..minor detour. You'll receive instructions in a few hours."

"When you walk out of there, you come here. Immediately."

"Sure thing," I said, seeing a shadow move behind the frosted glass of the door. "I gotta go, Ian."

'Do you think he's hooked, Nick?'

'Yeah, I do, Z. Ian's got no wolf; he doesn't trust Kyle, which makes Harley his lifeline; he'll come for her.'

'Nick!!'

'Amante, are you ok?'

'If one more person touches my belly, I'm gonna spaz.'

'I'm on the way.'

Any good bounty hunter worth his salt can slip back in as easily as he slipped out. Harley meets my eyes with a 'save me please' grimace, and I go to her side. In front of her is a variety of boxes, containing everything from her favorite perfume to baby blankets.

Howard raised a toast, "Detective Gibson, Harley, you've been a part of our family for a while. We all love you, and we will miss you. Nothing but the best for you, sweetheart, that's what we all want."

"Thank you, Mitch, it means a lot."

He slaps me on the back, "Take care of her, Reins."

Shelia has tears in her eyes, "Don't forget about us, ok? I want pics of that baby."

Harley returns her embrace. "I promise, you'll get them."

A procession of officers escorted us out, carrying armfuls of Harley's gifts. We hit a snag with the car; the unpacked bags from our Culver trip still filled the trunk, leaving zero space.

"Backseat it is," an officer muttered. We cram the remaining items into the rear until the seat fabric looks like it just got a facelift.

Her sharp, ragged breaths were unmistakable as I started the engine. Her palm brushed over her cheek as we pulled away. "It's not goodbye, Amante."

"Yes, it is," she said, her voice barely rising above the hum of the AC. "Some people are just meant to be chapters, not the whole book. But you feel their loss just the same." She watched the parking lot until it was out of sight. "How did it go with Ian?"

"He's desperate; he'll come for you."

She goes silent for a long moment. "So where and when are we meeting them?"

"Rolling Bridge, the when depends on the progress Kyle made with Leonard."

We pull up to the Mountainview gates; I make eye contact with the guard, and they open. The garage doors opened as we pulled up in front of them. Harley rolls up the window and slides her shades up into her hair. She waits for me. I open the door and pull her into me, where she buries her face in my chest.