May I: Contemplating the Line

So far to the point to the walls that defined him were both closed and open. His demeanor was focused, yet as he looked at her, the dams that kept in every emotion inside of him, broke open the instant he locked eyes on her.


She hadn't moved an inch, and she had the right not to. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. He would have taken her home and tucked her in, if she wanted him to. In fact he would have picked her up and carried her if she hadn't physically been able to walk.

But there was that line again, the one that stood firm; that stood for respect between them. So for now he unfolded the blanket and draped it over her body, turned and shut off the light to her office.
When he arrived the next morning, he was on his way to his own office and curiously peered through the door of her office, expecting to see Gil still lying on the couch and sleeping peacefully.

But her office was empty.

The sun shining through the blinds reflected the emptiness; shining throughout the room, and particularly landing on her office chair, on the couch and the blanket that had been folded over once and draped over the middle of the couch.

Cal pressed his lips together, raising his shoulders in one short shrug before continuing down the hall. He had talked to the doctor who had treated her as he had left the hospital last night. Now, he wasn't saying the doctor wasn't right in her needing to take it easy for awhile, but then again Cal knew that Gil
had her own agenda.

Gillian woke up early, just as the sun was touching in the sky. She stretched with her free hand and it took a moment to realize where she was, where she was sleeping, and that there was a blanket draped over her body.

She must have fallen asleep before everybody had left last night. Either that she would have to go with the idea that she had sleepwalked over to Cal's office, and stolen his blanket. The thought had her chuckling softly, and thinking of Linus and Lucy from the Charlie Brown comics.

Sitting up, she felt her body ache, and so did her head. She contemplated going home and showering before everybody got here. In fact she wasn't supposed to be here. The case had been wrapped up last night, so frankly-beside the paperwork that was stacking up on her desk—she had no real excuse to be here. Well besides the one where she was too afraid to go home alone.

But at least she would go home and at least shower. She felt safer in broad daylight than she did at night, and it might help her head and body if she went home for a little while.

So she grabbed her keys, opened the door to her office, and stepped out in the clothes that she had worn yesterday.

With the sun on her side, she took her time getting home and when she had finally pulled into her garage, waiting until it was closed was when she finally unbuckled her seat belt and stepped out.

Her keys dangled in her hand as she walked up the stairs to the door. And every sound seemed more defined and echoed within her eardrums as she unlocked the door and walked in. Heart pounding in her chest she let out a breath of relief as her heels clicked along the wooden floor.

She went past the kitchen and living room, turning down the hall to her bedroom. Opening the door with one motion, she left it open while ruffling through her dresser, and then her closet. She laid them all out on the bed, took off her sling; careful to cradle her arm in the process as she made her way to the bathroom and closed the door.

When she had finished showering, dressing and beautifying, Gillian found that she still had time to be early and get back over to the office in time before Cal got there. At least he didn't have to know that she had slept there all night, but in some ways he would know sooner or later. She was a terrible liar, and he knew it. He would use it to his advantage in every way he could find that he could, beside the line that had been drawn.

As she grabbed her keys and slipped her sling back on, she thought about it more. Cal went through rules like they were hot. He too respected the line-and the fact that they needed their own space as colleagues—but would that really stop him from stepping over the line? And what would end up happening if he did?

Shaking her head, she shook the thought from her mind as she made her way across the house once
more, and out to the garage. But one more stray thought made it through as the garage door was going up and she stepped into her car.


Would he?

Arriving back at the office, the atmosphere was still very quiet from the night. She stepped back in,
listening to the silence. Reynolds was there, along with Ria. They were going over a case, probably for today, but guess she would find out what it was.

Reynolds handed the file over to Ria, his movement following hers. "Hey, Gillian" His expression was all rolled into one. His tone inflicted a "how are you?" His expression showed concern, relief and worry seeing her there.

Gillian stopped and turned. "Whatever you're about to say, it'd better case related." She smiled with warning that told him that she was fine and not to go any further than that. He relented with a sigh. "It is, come on. Ria and I will fill you in."