Title: Business and Pleasure, Nine

Author: Leese

Email: lisacheerio_85@yahoo.com

Note: Part Nine – FINAL – basically just a wrap-up of everything! It's slightly soppy, but I had to do it, couldn't help myself :-D



Mac ignored the catcalls as she was led through the minimum-security rec room and into the back yard, where there was a row of cells next to a small garden of flowers.

"Number three," the guard said to her. She nodded, and he left her be. Mac bit her bottom lip as she walked up and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

She opened it slowly. Peter stood as he saw Mac enter.

"You're early." She nodded. "Like this place I've got here? It's for those who can't be kept with the others. Security reasons."

"There've been threats?" she whispered. He shook his head.

"Not that I know of." He reached onto his side table, beside the bed, picking up a bunch of the flowers from the garden outside. "For you," he stated. Mac walked forward. As she took them Pete's hand wrapped around hers and she inhaled deeply. Pete's other hand brushed her cheek and she let her eyes close, her lips meet his. Pete pulled back suddenly, moving over to the window and closing the curtains. "Pervert guard," he mumbled, turning back to her, his arms outstretched.

"Danni and Oscar, um," she fiddled with the bright yellow, orange and pink flowers in her hand. "They um, Pete-" He walked quickly to her.

"What?"

"Bligh had a stroke, last night." Pete's eyes widened as she nodded in affirmation. "And um, Danni and Oscar found – in his house – Angie's file, and lots of scribbled notes and details of payments." Tears reached Mac's eyes and her voice cracked. "Proving that Angie was murdered, and that he was behind it-" She put her hand to Pete's chest to stop him walking forward to hug her – she wanted to finish. "And um, and they found the officer who shot Marty. He's going to testify it wasn't you that made him run, so we never did anything. Conspiracy isn't conspiracy unless the act is carried out, if it isn't it's just a fantasy. I, um," she managed a smile, ducking her head. "I was released about an hour ago. Your papers are being processed now." Pete watched her. While she'd stopped talking for now, he knew she still wasn't finished. "Bligh's notes, point to um, who killed Angie. They're arresting them now. There's going to be a proper trial and everything-" She finally broke down and Pete moved forward, holding her to him.

"Did Danni pass on my message?" She nodded, her lips meeting his neck. She looked up at him. "It's good to see you again."

"I missed you too."

*

"What happens now?" Danni asked. Mac looked into her lap, before meeting Danni's eyes.

"We start again." She paused. "Two new operatives will be joining the unit, Peter's being promoted." She smiled at the announcement. "Sergeant. Um-" Mac looked around. "Where's Oscar?" Pete walked into Mac's office in time to catch the last comment.

"Leaving." Mac stood at his intonation.

"Now?" He nodded. She brushed past them both, out the door, in time to see Oscar about to get into his car. "Stoney!" she called. It was probably one of only a handful of times she'd called him by that name, and he turned. "Where you going?" He turned, keys still in the car door.

"Away for a while." Mac knew he wasn't coming back. She nodded.

"Don't I get a goodbye?" she asked. He smiled, nodding and hugging her.

"You're the best boss ever, Angie loved you," he whispered in her ear. "So do I." Mac nodded.

"Look after yourself." Oscar took a step back, turning and waving to Pete and Danni. Mac watched him drive away, and stood there until the roller door finally grinded to a halt back in its position. She turned to Pete and Danni, who hadn't moved either. "Three, new operatives," she corrected.

*

Mac held up a bottle of champagne as she stood on Pete's doorstep some time later.

"I got the job," she said straight away. Pete laughed, letting her inside, his hand lingering on her waist as she entered and he took the bubbly from her.

"Amazing – you have no experience."

"I was a detective! Investigative reporting is no different." Pete smiled. "You even have informants."

"Yes, you do."

"And you're mine." She paused. "No such thing as contractual secrecy around me, is there?" Just checking, she thought. He laughed, taking her chin by his fingers and drawing her to him.

"Absolutely not."

*

ONE YEAR LATER...

Oscar stood at the alter, feeling nervous. He had no right to be nervous really, but he couldn't help it. He watched his brother beside him.

"We are here today to celebrate in holy matrimony..."

*

Danni sat at the cheap restaurant, talking.

"You want to count it to make sure?"

"I think I might, yeah," the target replied. There was a moment of rustling. "It's all here."

"Just like I said," Danni managed as she received the small packet across the table. "It's all there."

*

Inside the Com-V Pete was jumping out of his seat.

"Come on, come on!" When he heard the code he grabbed the radio. "All units move your arses, now!" Karen looked over at him, smirking. "Hey I have limited time for this! I shouldn't even be here." As he heard the target's rights being read over Danni's wire, he jumped out of the Com-V. Danni met up with him quickly. "I gotta-"

"Go, go," she finished.

*

"Do you, Bradly Walter Pierce take Jessica Donahue to be your lawful wedded wife...?"

"I do," Brad replied, looking over at Oscar for support. He smiled and nodded, but he wished so much it was he. If only she was still alive. If only he could see her, talk to her, touch her. They could be a family by now. He fought back tears. This was his brother's wedding, no time for grief, but that didn't stop him feeling it.

*

Pete raced back into the hospital to the right front desk.

"Well?"

"Ah, you're back," the nurse noted. "No word yet." Her brow creased. "Nice timing, I thought you said you'd be longer."

"I usually am. But I couldn't miss this." She nodded.

"If you wait over there, I'll let you know as soon as I hear."

*

Danni joined Pete half and hour later, taking his hand as she sat down.

"Hey," she stated. "Anything?" He shook his head. "She'll be fine."

"Yeah, I know." A doctor appeared and the nurse pointed him in Peter's direction. He stood.

"Peter?"

"Yep?"

"You've got a daughter-" Pete smiled. "Everything's fine. She's being taken to the nursery now-"

"What about the operation?"

"They're still working on her. Shouldn't be much longer until we hear a final result. It's been quite difficult to remove-"

"I know, just-"

"Would you like me to take you to your daughter?" Pete hesitated.

"Yeah, sure." He looked over at Danni, and she nodded, smiling.

*

Oscar looked at his family having fun, and he realised that his friends could have families by now, and he wouldn't know, not having returned their calls. He had just needed some time. And something inside him told him that time was finished. It was time to stop living what other people wanted him to live, and go back to 'his' life. That night, he left a note on his parents' pillow, took an overnight bag, and drove back to the city in search of something else.

*

Oscar found Angie's headstone no troubles, even in the dark of that night. There was a streetlight nearby, which helped. He sat down opposite it. Slowly, he reached out, touching the grey marble, feeling his fingers sink into the engraving.

"It's been a long time," he began. "I miss your smile." Fighting back tears, he continued. "I know you're here with me though. Angie, I don't know how long I'll be here, but one day I'll be with you. I promise you. I promise."

*

Pete held his tiny baby in his arms as a different doctor approached.

"Peter – congratulations," he began. Pete nodded.

"How is she?"

"We believe we got it all..."

"That's good, right?"

"I'm afraid though, that while we were able to remove the benign tumour, there was some nerve damage." Pete's eyes widened.

"How much?"

"She's in recovery now, and as soon as she's strong enough she'll be tested."

"Can I see her?"

"When she's out of recovery." He went to walk on but Danni stopped him.

"Wait. What kind of damage are you expecting?"

"Some of the nerves were enclosed in the tumour. It was impossible to foresee this and I'm afraid to stop the tumour regrowing, they had to be removed."

"Then there'll be definite damage."

"The extent of which I can't tell you just yet. I'm sorry," he replied, walking on. Pete looked down at the infant in his arms, letting his finger run along her face.

"Mummy's going to be just fine," he whispered softly as she opened her eyes, closing them soon afterwards.

*

Oscar returned to his apartment after driving to pick up some Chinese food only to see the light on inside. He hadn't left the light on! He got out of the car and opened the front door.

"Hello?" he called. He could hear someone moving about, and they stopped at his voice. "Hello?" he repeated. "Who's there?" Voices soon rose again.

"Quick, quick just take it."

"It's got a serial number."

"We'll deal there's no cash come on Jon's waiting!"

Oscar ran to the sound of the voices only to be met with a group of youths escaping out the back window.

"Hey!" he called. The last one turned, pulling his gun and firing warning shots to help with their escape.

He was a pretty bad shot, and Oscar moved too quickly, falling to the ground as the alarm was raised by the surrounding lodgers. He looked down at the wound in his gut – he wasn't getting out of this one, he knew – blood seeping quickly out. There was no time...no time...

"Sooner...rather than later, eh..." he managed to say to himself as he let his eyes close as the front door was entered by a number of people. "Ange..."

*

A nurse approached Danni.

"You know Peter Church?" She nodded. "There's a call for him. Bryan Grey, from Armed Robbery."

"I'll take it, he's with his family," she replied, following the nurse back to the station.

*

Mac's head rolled in the flat pillow until Peter came into view. He was holding her hand tightly.

"She okay?" was the first thing she said. He nodded, smiling as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"She's healthy and gorgeous. They said they'd bring her in a bit later, when you're recovered a bit more."

"Soon then?" He nodded. Neither of them spoke for some moments, before Mac stated the obvious – she was going to have to, it was tearing her up inside. "I can't walk," she whispered. Tears stung Pete's eyes.

"But they got it, they got it all Mac. It was benign, but they got it all."

"I know," she bit her bottom lip, a tear rolling across her face and down onto the pillow beside her ear.

"And we have a beautiful daughter, and you're both healthy, and you're going to be fine, I'm going to look after you." Mac nodded, reaching up and pulling Pete down to hug her loosely. When they separated, he too had tears on his cheeks. "And it's not like you haven't lost all feeling. The doctors, they told me that," he put his hand on her upper thigh. "You could feel this." Mac nodded as he squeezed her thigh supportively.

"Yes I can feel that," she replied, shaking. She reached up and let her hand rest along Pete's face. "I love you." He took her hand in his.

"I love you too." Their lips met briefly as Danni opened the door after a soft knock.

"Guys," she started. Pete looked up. Mac had been admitted to hospital after collapsing two months earlier due to the appearance of a tumour toward the base of her spine – almost seven months pregnant at that time-, and it was the first time Danni had seen her in a week at least. "Grey and Love were called to an AR. It was Oscar." She went on quickly. "I'm so sorry for coming in here now, but he just called and Pete, he wanted you to know." Pete nodded.

"He was in the city?"

"He'd just got back. His parents have been contacted. They said, um, he left a note, saying he missed us all too much and was coming back to start again. He came back to see us, Angie..." she drifted off. "I'm sorry," she whispered, but Pete shook his head. "I'll go down and identify him?" He nodded.

"That would be best."

"Um, I'll be back in the morning. Take care." She closed the door softly behind her as Pete turned back to Mac.

"Probably went to the cemetery, came back to the unit-" Mac took his hand.

"At least he's with Angie now." Pete nodded, before beginning to shake his head.

"I love you Mac."

"We'll get through this." They both nodded as the door opened and the nurse beckoned Pete outside. He returned moments later with their then- sleeping daughter, helping Mac to move over slightly so that he could lay her on the bed next to her, considering Mac was in no condition to sit up yet thanks to the caesarean. She reached across her with her good hand and let her finger touch her daughter's face. A tear rolled down Mac's cheek and Pete felt his heart tear in his chest.

"Looks just like you," he smiled. Mac looked up at him.

"What are we going to call her?" Pete hesitated.

"I was um, thinking, um, we should call her Angela – our little angel, yeah?" Mac nodded. "Angela Mackenzie Church?" She bit her bottom lip.

"Both our names?" He grinned, shaking his head.

"Narr, that's her middle name. Church is her last name, it can be yours too, you know."

"Can it?" He nodded, opening his palm to reveal a ring.

"You could always marry me, like you said you would." Mac smiled, looking between their daughter and Pete, and nodding as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

"I like that name," she replied softly, as Pete leant down and kissed her.

*

A YEAR OR SO LATER...



"Pete – door!" Mac called. Soon enough she heard his hurried footsteps coming from the direction of the kitchen. Their new house was spacious, large enough for her chair – which she admitted she didn't really like – but for when she was by herself. When she wasn't, well, Pete's touch was much more comforting. She looked back down at Angela, who was sitting up on the rug and playing with a ball that Mac was rolling to her across the ground. She heard voices in the entrance but ignored them. They'd come through when they were ready. Angela had looked up at the voices, however, and had lost interest in the ball. Mac used her arms and leant forward, tugging on her shirt. "Eh!" she said in a baby voice. "Who's that?" Angela looked at her and smiled, her tongue sticking out – something Pete had taught her, and she loved it. She knew it was cute. "Who is it?" Angela giggled. Mac smiled, biting her bottom lip. Angela's eyes lit up as Pete appeared over the top of the couch.

"What are you two doing?" he asked. Mac smiled, letting a hand run through her hair, hanging around her neck in a long bob once again.

"Who was at the door?" she asked. Pete looked over at her.

"Ah well see I can't say until I get you onto higher ground." He walked around and knelt down as Mac reached up and held onto his neck, Pete lifting her off the rug and carrying her over to the kitchen bench, sitting her on it. Mac narrowed her eyes playfully. He had a way of moving her without telling her why. She'd been in hospital for almost a month recovering and in rehab, and the house had been prepared for a while beforehand. The first night she was taken home he had carried her into the bedroom and made love to her – she hadn't know what on earth he was up to until he'd started 'assisting' her in removing her clothes – the whole thing was done in complete silence from the moment he got her out of the car, Angela in tow. She laughed, remembering. "What?" Pete asked. She shook her head.

"Why am I up here?" she asked. He held up a finger, turning and picking Angela up off the floor – she was much lighter, but he was keeping fit and working out in order to help Mac around – and handing her to Mac. Mac admitted she loved the additional muscle factor he'd developed in the last six months especially. "Pete..." she started.

"You're about to be ambushed," he simply said as he left back down the hallway. She heard him say to whoever was down there: "Right now she's holding Angela, so be nice."

She heard Danni laugh.

Pete poked his head around the corner and looked at Mac, whose eyebrows were raised in an all-too-professional manner.

"Peter-" She was cut off as Danni and Karen appeared – Karen the female recruit to the unit for the past two years – both with smug looks on their faces.

"Mac, Mac-Mac-Mac," Danni tisked. Karen grinned as they moved forward. Mac looked over at Pete. He'd told, the little bugger! "We heard the good news."

"But of course we can't trust this husband of yours," Karen added. "Is it true?" Mac played along.

"Is what true?" she asked as Angela sat on her lap.

"Are you pregnant?" Danni asked. Mac had confessed to Danni their desire to have more than one child, and she'd been extremely supportive of Mac, helping baby-sit and get her used to not being able to do everything she could in the past – Danni had had a wet-from-tears shoulder for a long time, and she was over the moon that they seemed to be finally settling into a new lifestyle, Pete himself only on light duties at work and considering changing jobs, Mac writing a column for a national magazine, something she was able to do from home. And now...Danni looked up at Mac as she broke into a smile.

"I think Pete here's pretty trustworthy about that sort of stuff," she replied. Danni grinned.

"Can I give you a really big hug then?" Mac handed Angela to Karen, and Danni proceeded to give her the really big hug. Karen congratulated Peter and handed Angela to him. He smiled, moving up and as Danni broke from Mac, he reached out, letting his hand rest suggestively on her thigh – where he knew she could feel it – and kissed her. Mac held onto him tightly, starting to lose her balance and laughing. Pete quickly passed Angela to Danni and got her off the bench, into his arms.

"Couch, chair, live it up cos in six months I'm not going to be able to do this-" Mac laughed.

"Well how about we sit on the couch then?" He nodded, looking fondly into her eyes as he sat her down, leaning forward and kissing her softly, Mac not wasting a moment and kissing him back with all the passion she could muster. Danni and Karen didn't really mind, they did it all the time. Mac fought back tears as Pete pulled away – however reluctantly (he wanted to take her into their room so badly) – and looked over at Danni and Karen, who'd taken up seats around them also.

"So how's work?" Mac asked. Karen shook her head.

"Oh no, no work-talk tonight." Mac rolled her eyes.

"Come on guys!" They shook their heads.

"Nuh, only rec-talk, Pete made us promise." Mac looked over at Pete. He smiled.

"Wouldn't want to put you to sleep," he started. Mac scoffed.

"Oh no of course not! I'm sure it was a really boring day." They nodded.

"It was, yeah," he replied, letting his arm pull her to lean against him. "Onto the better things in life, what's doing this weekend?" Mac smiled as the conversation grew around her, Pete's arm holding her secure, one hand caressing her still-flat tummy. Finally, after everything, she felt safe and loved, and she hoped that somewhere, Oscar and Angie were feeling the same way.

The End.