All is Found - Chapter 35: Chapter 35

The next couple of days have been touch and go. Thea has gotten a bit better and her spirits have improved a little, though showering is still an interesting experience. Yesterday a few of Thea's friends stopped by to visit. Rory and a few other officers came over in uniform and dropped off a lot of things. My house looks like a florist right now. Along with the flowers they brought over a lot of food and some money from a collection they took at the station.
Thea was moved to tears and thanked everyone who came over. Rory kicked his officers out an hour later but he hung around for a while. I made myself scarce during the visit wanting to give her some time with the guys and worked on some songs with Nikki upstairs. Rory actually stuck around for dinner and Pat came over to join us. We had some of the food the guys brought over and Thea went to bed smiling that night for the first time since the incident.
We got into a routine over the last couple of days with getting up, taking a shower, breakfast then cleaning up and bandaging Thea's arm. Today Thea, Nikki and I are going to the police station to pick up Thea's car and drop it off at Thea's house and to pick up some more stuff for her to continue to stay at my house. Thea said she was going to stay with me until I leave for Europe in less than a week now. Then I'm going to drop Thea off at Lindsey's house for them to hang out for the day.
Once Thea was ready to go we left for the station. Thea told Rory that we would be coming by today to pick up her car so he will be expecting us. The drive to the station was quiet. When I pulled up outside I parked next to Thea's car and the three of us got out.
"Before we go inside are there any hot single woman you can point out to me Thea?" Nikki asked as we regrouped on the sidewalk.
"Maybe if you're good I'll introduce you to a few. What's your type?" Thea asked entertaining Nikki.
"Hot, not super emotionally damaged, can handle me being away for months at a time on tour, laid back, did I say hot?" Nikki lists.
"So you're looking for a diamond in the rough." Thea said as we walked through to the front door.
"Hey I found a diamond, maybe there is another." I butted in and smirked.
Thea blushed and held the door open for us. As we walked in I gave her a kiss on the cheek. Nikki hung around behind us as Thea walked us through the station house. As we walked inside a few people turned their heads and saw us walk in. A few officers came over and gave Thea awkward side hugs and I even knew a few of them well enough for them to give me a hug as well. The fanfare died down a few minutes later as Thea talked with the sergeant behind the front desk for a few moments.
"Lee!" Thea yelled and I turned in the direction of the yell. A younger officer stopped in her tracks and turned around. I shifted my head and watched Nikki's jaw drop as the officer walked over to us.
"It's good to see you back up on your feet sergeant." Malia said and came over to give Thea a hug.
I've met Malia a few times before. She is usually on duty with Thea and the pair work well together. Thea's taken Malia under her wing and has been teaching her everything she knows. From what Thea told me Malia almost quit during her first few weeks out of the academy because she didn't think she could make it. Thea saw her potential and has been taking the time to work with her. Now two years later Malia has become a better officer from what Thea told me.
"It's good to see you too Ashlyn, this one hasn't driven you crazy yet?" Malia said and hugged me after she let go of Thea.
"Come on Malia I told you that in private!" I said sarcastically.
"Sorry to let the cat out of the bag." Malia said and smiled.
"Malia this is Nikita Cortez, she is Ashlyn's guitar player on tour." Thea said and introduced the pair.
"It's nice to meet you Nikita." Malia said and gave her a smile.
"I usually go by Nikki but you can call me whatever you like." Nikki said and blushed as she shook Malia's hand.
"Come on baby gay we need to get a move on." I said and put my arm around Nikki's shoulder after I looked at the time.
"I can show Nikita around if you want, I know Chief was looking to talk to you for a minute." Malia said as Nikki pushed my arm off her shoulder.
"Just bring her to the Chiefs office in 20 minutes okay?" Thea said looking at the pair.
"You got it Sergeant." Malia said and turned to start walking away.
Nikki turned around to us and kissed Thea on the cheek and whispered thank you before running off after Malia. Thea and I just laughed and walked back to her locker. She pack everything away and I took the backpack from her and her car keys. We walked over to her desk and she worked on some paperwork for a few minutes before we went to see Rory.
He was waiting for us when we got there and we chatted for a few minutes. Rory talked to Thea about returning to work on desk duty in two weeks if she is feeling up to it. Thea would let him know as she progresses in her recovery. A few minutes later Nikki and Malia walked over to Rory's office, both blushing.
We left the station shortly after that and we both grilled Nikki. Turns out that she has some game because she got Malia's phone number before they walked back to Rory's office. I drove Thea in her truck back to her house while Nikki went home in my car. We didn't take too long at Thea's house to get everything she needed before we were off to Lindsey's.
"I feel like I'm a kid being dropped off at their friends house for a play date." Thea said as I pulled into Lindsey's drive way.
"Sorry hun, but until your wounds heal some more no driving for you." I said as Thea unbuckled her seat belt. She got out of the car and I rolled my window down as Lindsey stepped onto her front steps.
"Have a fun time at your play date honey! Mommy will come by later and pick you up!" I yelled out the window. Lindsey busted out laughing as a blush rose on Thea's cheeks.
I watched as Thea hit Lindsey in the arm as she walked into her house and then backed out of the driveway. When I got back to my house I parked Thea's car on the street in front of my house, took the duffle bag of clothes from the backseat and walked inside. Nikki was sitting on the couch when I came back downstairs from putting the duffle bag in my room.
I jumped over the back of the couch and laid my head in Nikki's lap demanding her attention.
"So, how did it go with Malia?" I asked and wiggled my eyebrows.
"If you ever do that to me again I'm going to quit your band." Nikki said and locked her phone.
"Looks like someone has it bad already? What did you guys talk about?" I asked wanting to be nosey.
"We didn't talk about much; we are going to get drinks over the weekend though to get to know each other." Nikki said and blushed.
"That's adorable, Thea and I are so going to crash." I said.
"No thanks, I don't need mommy and daddy showing up on our first date." Nikki answered and tried to push me off of her.
"Who's mommy and daddy?" I asked.
"You and Thea?" Nikki questioned.
"No I mean who do you see as daddy really?" I asked curious.
"Definitely Thea." Nikki said as the doorbell rang.
"What why?" I asked as Nikki pushed me off of her to get the door.
"I'm not answering that." Nikki said and pulled the door open as I popped up on the couch to see who it was.
"Hi!" A beaming Alyssa stood on my door step with two huge suitcases behind her.
I fell off the couch and rolled to stand up. I feel like we just got caught by mom while we were doing something bad.
"You're early." I said and watched as Nikki helped Alyssa drag her bags inside.
"I know, I wanted to come out and see how Thea is doing and we need to talk about stuff for tour and what you want to do afterwards. So I figured I hop on an earlier flight." Alyssa said as Nikki closed the door behind her.
"Okay so I don't have another bed here so either we can go shopping, you could take the couch or you can stay at a hotel." I said thinking about how adding Alyssa would throw off the routine the three of us have built over the last couple of days.
"We should totally get bunk beds." Nikki said and I laughed.
"No, I can take the couch for a couple of days or get an air mattress." Alyssa said and leaned against the banister.
"How about I move the desk in the room and I can get a queen sized mattress and you guys and just share the bed for the next week." I offered.
They both agreed to that and we left for the store a few minutes later. I sent Thea a quick text to let her know I was headed out for a little and I drove us to the department store. It didn't take long for us to find a new mattress for the two goof balls and it would be delivered tomorrow with a new box spring and headboard. I'm just happy that they are going to put it together for us so I don't have to try and figure it out.
On our way back we stopped at the grocery store to get some more food to have in the house for the next week now that there is going to be one more mouth to feed. I'm happy that Diego and Britt are both staying in a hotel in Boston because I don't think I can take another two people staying in my house.
After we settled down Alyssa and I started to get to work on tour stuff and that took up a lot of the rest of the day. Nikki picked up dinner for us and we worked through dinner. As we were finishing up dinner I heard my front door open and saw Thea come in with Lindsey behind her. I wiped my mouth and stood from the chair to greet them both. Thea walked towards the kitchen and sat down with Alyssa and Nikki while I pressed my hand to Lindsey's arm to have her wait here.
Once I heard Thea pick up conversation with Alyssa I knew we were safe. I nodded to Lindsey to move more into the living room and she followed me out of sight of the kitchen.
"I don't know if you know but I'm leaving for Europe next week. I know you are busy with your job but do you mind keeping an eye on her?" I asked wanting to get that off my chest.
After the good cry the other day Thea seemed to be feeling better mentally after the incident but with me leaving she could fall back and I don't want that to happen.
"Of course I will even if I'm busy I'll make time for her. She helped me out of my own downward spiral after my brother passed unexpectedly and owe her for that. I asked her about how she has been taking care of herself and she basically said you have been doing it for her but she does realize that you are going to be leaving and she needs to be able to do it herself." Lindsey filled me in.
"It's not so hard and by the time I leave her wounds should be closing by then so she just really needs to be worried about her wrist." I answer.
"Alright are you two done gossiping about me?" Thea asked walking back into the living room.
"I was just checking in to see if my baby girl behave at her play date." I was quick to reply.
I could hear Nikki and Alyssa laughing from the kitchen from my comment and I had a hard time keeping myself from laughing. Lindsey laughed but not as hard as the two in the kitchen while Thea looked mad. Her eyes became dangerously like the ones she gives me in the bedroom when she wants to be in control and I backed up wanting to keep space in between us. That didn't last long as Thea backed me into the wall and came right into my personal space.
"I should be the one checking on you baby girl to see if you were good because I know how much you like to be punished by daddy." Thea said wrapped her hand around my throat, not enough to choke me but enough to make breathing difficult and for me to get her point.
"Okay I'm going to go before I ask to join. Call me if you need anything Thea." Lindsey said from behind us.
I could hear Nikki and Alyssa talking loudly from the kitchen about this moment and the only thought going through my head right now is that I'm never going to live this down.