Title: Gethsemane

Author: Monic

Rating: PG

Characters: Ted Earley, Dani Reese, Charlie Crews

Summary: Sometimes there are people you can count on to save you. Ted Earley and Dani Reese in the aftermath of the shooting.

Spoilers: Post-Trapdoor

Disclaimers: Does not belong to me. Owned and created by Shariat-Ravich Productions and NBC Universal.

Words: 11,500

A/N: Many and much thanks to and for beta and handholding and putting up with my ramblings.

Ted's first stint in prison lasted two years and ten days. He left prison with only the clothes he wore the day he went in: three bucks, a bunch of worthless plastic, a watch he pawned for cash the same day he got out.

Ted's second stint in prison lasted 14 days and five hours. Ted didn't know what kind of strings Charlie pulled or how much money he threw or what he did to get Ted out and quite frankly he didn't care. He was free.

"You're going to be handed to an LAPD Detective tomorrow," the warden said and Ted nodded along.

Tomorrow rolled on and the bodyguards Charlie got for him in prison shook his hand solemnly and then turned and walked away. Ted looked after them but they never turned back, not even for a hope of glancing outside into the world.

The COs returned Ted's personal belongings to him one by one: clothes, socks, shoes, his watch and then his wallet. He took them all with care and went to change. Ted stripped off the orange jumpsuit and dressed, feeling more and more human as he donned each article of clothing.

When he was done the COs escorted him outside, first one gate then the next until he was walking the last strip to freedom then Ted heard the electronic buzz and squeal of metal and he was a free man again.

Ted blinked at the sun as if it was the first time he'd seen it in weeks and he let his eyes close and let himself enjoy the free air. He opened his eyes and searched for Charlie's black bullet ridden Maserati, if that was still his car.

He saw a car parked across the street. It wasn't a Maserati nor was it some fancy muscle car. Instead the car was a dark colored Toyota hatchback and the person leaning against the car was not Charlie.

"Hey."

It took a second for Ted to respond. "Hey."

"You got everything?" Dani Reese asked.

Ted had nothing but the clothes on his back when the cops booked him, still he looked down at his feet where a bag was supposed to be then back up to her. "Yeah."

"Good." She opened her door. "Let's go."

He'd assumed, when the warden said an LAPD Detective was picking him up, he meant Charlie. He never expected it would be Charlie's partner, Jack Reese's daughter.

It's that last thought that made him enter her car with caution.

Detective Reese started the car and pointed her car in the direction of the city. Her car blasted cool air and she played no music. Ted spent the next five minutes trying not to fidget. Ted glanced at Detective Reese but she was focused on the road. She looked tired.

Ted cleared his throat. "I thought Charlie was picking me up?"

"He can't." She slid a sideways glance at him, it was brief and her attention was back on the road. "Crews is in the hospital." Ted stared at her, her eyes were stuck to the road and her knuckles where white. "He was shot."

#

The news caught Ted off-guard and yet by the same token, he really wasn't surprised. It was only a matter of time. Someone had him thrown in jail, of course they'd gun for Charlie next. Only, he didn't think they'd do it literally. Then again...

He only hoped Rachel was fine.

The shooter missed Charlie's heart by an inch. An inch more and Charlie would have been dead. "He was awake when the EMTs arrived," Detective Reese told him. "But the surgery took hours."

"And.... He's still asleep?"

"Yeah."

"What hospital is he in?"

"I'll take you there." Her eyes ticked towards him and then she turned to a familiar corner. "But maybe you wanna get freshened up first."

These were the same clothes he wore the day he got arrested. He had full intention of burning these damn things or failing that, throw them away. They entered Charlie's driveway and Detective Reese stepped out of her car and opened the door, entering Charlie's house with a familiarity Ted was sure wasn't there before he entered prison.

He stepped inside the house and it looked as airy and spacious and as quiet as it had always been. It was, actually, a little too quiet.

"Do you know where--"

"The girl is?"

Ted nodded, guarded, unsure how much she knew about Rachel

.

"Think Crews sent her away." She said, "Guy we were after made noise about her, next thing I knew she's not here anymore."

"I see." It still didn't answer if Detective Reese knew about Rachel.

"I'll wait here."

He took half an hour longer than he expected. He didn't do it on purpose but when Ted got back to his room he got... he was overwhelmed. It hit him in the shower, alone in the shower. He didn't need to be afraid for his life anymore, didn't need to look over his shoulder and be afraid someone would stick a knife him on his back.

Ted was free. But for how long?

Ted hurried out of his room, mortified and filled with apologies but when he entered the house, he stopped short. It was like Detective Reese had not moved from her spot except that she'd shrug out of her coat and she was looking up the stairs, where Charlie's room was, where Charlie's wall was.

She turned and looked at him. They stared at each other for what seemed like hours.

"Maybe you should get Crews something to wear," She told him, breaking the silence. "Just in case."

#

The EMTs brought Charlie to Cedars-Sinai Medical, Ted remembered reading something about the hospital a year ago but other than that, he'd never actually been into the hospital. The ride to the hospital wasn't quiet, the moment they entered her car and she started the ignition Ted began fidgeting with the strap of Charlie's gym bag.

"Can I put on some music?" He asked.

"You're not going to pop in some Zen CD, are you?"

Ted shook his head. "No."

"Then go to town."

He did and reached for the radio's 'On' button but the moment he hit it a loud shriek blasted from the speakers followed by the beat of drums and guitars. The noise level surprised him and he automatically stabbed at the volume. "Sorry, sorry."

Reese only looked at him askance.

Right. Of course, her car. "I... wasn't expecting." He cleared his throat as he lowered the volume to manageable levels. "I guess I just wanted to thank you for getting me out."

Reese shook her head. "Nothing to do with me, they just remanded you to me in lieu of a parole officer. District Attorney Griffiths got you out."

"District Attorney Griffiths?" He repeated, "You mean, Charlie's Constance Griffiths? That Griffiths?" Constance Griffiths had no love lost for Ted, in fact it was no secret that she disliked and distrusted him.

"Yeah." Reese said, "Guess she thought she owed Crews something."

#

There was a uniform by Charlie's door. Ted knew it was for Charlie's protection but it felt like prison. The uniformed officer nodded at Reese.

"Stark here?'

"No, ma'am. He was here earlier."

Reese opened the door and let Ted walk in and there was Charlie. He looked peaceful and...

"He's so white."

"He doesn't tan." Reese stood behind him, arms clasped behind her back, feet spread apart. Like she was on parade rest or something but there was a small smile on her lips.

Her phone vibrated and she took the call outside leaving him alone with Charlie. He looked down at Charlie, still asleep, paler than Ted's ever seen. "Um. So, hey." Ted began. "Heard you got shot."

No response.

"Your partner brought me here. I just got out so I didn't know until I was out, which was this morning. I wanted to thank you for the bodyguards in prison."

Still nothing but the door opened and Reese entered. "Are you done? I have to go."

"It's alright," Ted assured her. "I can find my way back to the house." Reese looked at him and he remembered: Remanded in lieu of a parole officer. "But I can't go outside by myself."

"Yeah, you can't, not until all the paperwork's cleared." She opened the door wide for him. "You're not allowed anywhere outside of Crews' house without me."

So, he wasn't exactly out free. He'd traded in one prison for the other. Still, he could do worse.

They arrived in the mansion a half hour later and he got out of the car. "Don't leave the house." Reese said and despite himself Ted heard an 'or else...'

#

Ted woke up disoriented. He'd woken with a start, expecting something to happen. An alarm, an attack but minutes passed and nothing happened. And then his stomach grumbled. He tried to ignore it but it grumbled again.

Ted went straight to his room the day before and didn't come out, not even for food. He'd lain on his bed staring straight up to the white ceiling trying to get used to the downy softness of the bed. But now his stomach complained abuse and he couldn't ignore it. He entered the main house and made a beeline to the kitchen hoping all the food hadn't rotted away, or worse that Charlie filled the kitchen with fruit and nothing else, only to be brought up short when he saw Reese.

She was on the table, reading something in a folder. Her hair was pulled back and she frowned at the contents of the file. It was strange seeing Reese without Charlie. He never saw Reese without Charlie beside her, it was like looking at an unfinished picture. Reese looked up. "Got you breakfast."

She gestured to the end of the table, there was a takeout bag from McDonalds.

"Thanks." He said, thrown. He ventured closer and saw something disturbingly familiar. Papers, pictures and folders marked 'Confidential' littered the table but when he looked closer the similarities ended. There were surveillance photos of a black man eating and then some notes.

Reese bought him coffee and a Sausage McMuffin.

Reese returned to studying files. She wore a ratty gray sweat shirt with a police shield and looked like she'd had hard night.

"Are you okay?"

She stared at him for a second. "I've been working. Eliminating suspects, I didn't see the shooter but I saw the car." She pointed to one photo, a black car parked somewhere with its doors hanging open. "Uniforms found it in a vacant lot half a mile from here. It was reported stolen the day before."

"Fingerprints?"

Reese shook her head. "Wiped clean."

"Do you have other leads?"

Her phone beeped an alarm and she looked at her watch. "I have to go."

"Okay."

She grabbed her keys and stood up. Ted saw she wore her gun but didn't see her shield.

"You can have food delivered to you," Reese said. "Just don't leave the house. If you need anything." She placed a card on the table. "Call me."

Reese walked out the kitchen, Ted looked at the table, the spread reminded him of Charlie's conspiracy file and Ted wondered why Reese brought all the files here instead of working in the station.

A name caught his eye, it was a list of telephone numbers, numbers Ted presumed, Charlie called. The name was highlighted in red: Mickey Rayborn.

And how much she knew.

#

The first four hours Ted spent time in his room, cleaning and the next were spent moving around the house and catching up with his reading. The second thing Ted did was enter Charlie's room and stare at his wall.

There were two photos similar to what Reese had downstairs: The Russian mobster and the black man with a card that read, 'Special Agent Bodner'.

Then, of course, Mickey Rayborn.

Ted left the room and locked the door.

He took out his laptop and decided to check-up on the state of Charlie's finances, see if Charlie did anything before he was shot, like buy another farm or a beach house but it turned out Charlie barely touched it. The man lived like a monk.

He skipped lunch but ordered pizza for dinner and settled in to watch a movie. He woke at three in the morning, thirsty. He spent a few seconds debating the merits of leaving his room for the dark outside and possible coyotes but he ate pizza and just had one can of soda. Ted sighed, shifted his foot to the floor and moved. Ted quick marched his way to the side door and sighed in relief when he reached the safety of--

"Don't move."

Ted stopped, heart leaping to his throat. He spotted a figure on Charlie's leather couch, holding a gun to him.

"Detective Reese?" He asked.

He heard leather squeak and the lamp beside her came alive. Reese sat on the couch, gun aimed at him.

"I was just getting water." He said.

Reese lowered her arm.

Ted went to the kitchen and drank a glass of water. His hands shook when he crossed the living room, it was pitch dark again but Ted had a feeling Reese was still awake.

The next morning there was another bag of McDonald's but no evidence Reese spent the night except for the files on the table. Ted picked up her business card and studied it. He took a deep breath and reached for the phone.

She answered on the third ring.

"Reese."

"Uh, hi," he began, "Detective Reese."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just... I was looking around Charlie's kitchen and it's all fruit here. I wondered if--"

"You need groceries." She said.

"Yes."

"I'll see what I can do."

She arrived at six with bags of groceries, Ted helped her move the groceries from her car to Charlie's kitchen.

"Thanks." He said.

Reese shrugged.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" He asked. Ted saw her hesitate but if what he saw from her car was any indication she subsisted on burgers, chocolates, coffee and yogurt. Hardly a healthy diet. "It's the least I could do."

She considered it a moment then sighed. "Okay."

Ted made spaghetti, Reese settled on the table and began looking through the files, when he was ready he took out the plates but was surprised when Reese stood-up and cleared the table until all the files were fixed in a pile at the other end of the table and then she took the plates and set them.

"I could help you." He said, midway into dinner.

Reese twirled her fork around.

"I'm good with money, financials. I could run things for you." He was beginning to stutter because Reese kept looking at him. "That-that is if you need it."

"I do." She said, finally. "Thank you."

#

They never stayed more than twenty minutes in Charlie's hospital room and while Ted appreciated Reese picking him up and bringing him Ted was starting to feel useless just staring at Charlie.

Ted read that talking to a person in a coma helped so he tried doing that as best he could but since he only stayed at home his topics for discussion didn't last more than a minute. Reese, on the other hand, never said anything. She alternated between working (reading files and speaking on the phone) and sitting in her chair and frowning at Charlie.

He tried to broach the topic about talking to Charlie but Reese looked at him and said: "Yeah, I heard that."

But she never talked to him.

One time, Reese excused herself, making another one of her phone calls when a man in a mismatched suit and too much hair product entered the room. He stared at Ted.

"Who the hell are you?" He asked, his accent full on New York.

"Ted." He answered. "Ted Earley."

"You're the roommate, the one who lives in the garage."

"Above the garage." Ted corrected.

"Aren't you supposed to be in jail?"

"Uh, I got out." He frowned, uncertain why he didn't know.

"Good for you, I guess."

The door opened. "Tidwell."

"So this is where you've been hidin'." He said.

Reese's eyes flicked from Tidwell to Ted. "Sometimes."

"Haven't been seeing much of you lately."

"You see me all the time."

"In the precinct." Tidwell said, "not outside of it."

"Station," Reese corrected and there was a look in her eyes half controlled and half on the verge of a grimace.

Ted looked from Reese to Tidwell to Reese and tried not to let his eyebrows climb up to his hairline.

Reese stepped to one side, Tidwell followed and Ted busied himself with reading the magazine he brought with him but Charlie's room wasn't that big and their voices carried.

"I'm worried about you."

"I told you, stop worrying about me. I'm doing fine, I'm working the job, clearing cases and I'm not always around 'cause I'm half a team right now."

"Maybe you should reconsider the temporary partner thing..."

"I already have a partner."

"Babe, he's in a coma. He might not wake-up."

There was a long pause and then. "Did you just call me 'babe'?"

"Babe? Did I say 'babe'? I meant--"

"I'm not getting a temporary partner," Reese interrupted. "Crews is going to wake-up."

Ted shifted his eyes to Charlie but he was still unconscious, his chest rising and falling.

"And you're going to your meetings?" Tidwell asked, changing the subject.

"Ninety in ninety right?"

"Right."

There was another pause.

"Look, I'll stop by later."

"That's all I wanted to hear."

#

The next morning Ted crossed the living room to the kitchen and was surprised to see Reese on Charlie's couch. Reese dropped him off last night and drove off. He assumed Reese would be out the whole night, he supposed he should have known better. Ted was more surprised he caught her still sleeping. There were files on the coffee table.

He prepared breakfast and by the time he was eating his bagels, Reese walked into the kitchen, her hair was everywhere and she wore loose pajama bottoms and a dark wifebeater shirt but what caught his eye was the gun in Reese's hand. She rubbed her eyes. "I smell coffee."

Ted pointed to the pot he brewed.

Reese grunted and reached for the pot, pouring herself a cup, she sipped the coffee and looked halfway human when she reached the island. "Tell me about Rayborn."

Ted had a sense of deja vu as he recounted Rayborn's life story, he wondered if, after Reese was going to insist they go to one of Rayborn's charity events. Reese took the briefing without saying a word, just continued sipping her coffee when he was done Reese had finished her cup.

"And his financials check out?"

"As far as I can tell, yes."

"His money legitimate?"

Their eyes met over the counter and held. It was then Ted realized Reese knew something about the Bank of LA shootout.

"Yes," he said, breaking the silence. "As far as I know." The question was at the tip of his tongue.

Reese pushed off. "I'm going. Got to get to the station."

"You could use one of Charlie's rooms. It's a big house." He said, "I doubt the couch is comfortable."

"Maybe next time." Reese tucked the gun in the waistband of her pajama bottoms. She looked around the kitchen. "Maybe you should install a security system."

"A security system." He repeated.

She turned around and frowned in the direction of the main door.

"I... don't think Charlie would like that." It wasn't like Ted didn't want to. He had an alarm installed on his door his first week in the mansion but the last time Ted tried to beef-up security by installing a fence around house Charlie had not been happy. Reese shifted her focus from the door to Ted. "Charlie doesn't like locks and bolts."

Neither did he come to think of it.

"Yeah." Reese said, lifting both eyebrows. "But he loves cameras."

Ted blinked. "I... did not know that."

"Think about it." She glanced at her watch."I'll be back."

center#/center

Reese reminded Ted of Coyotes. Or wolves. Or a lion. Like Scar from The Lion King (his daughters loved that movie) only, not evil (he hoped) and not scarred.

Ted's known Charlie to sometimes seek solitude but Reese really seemed like a really solitary person. He didn't know how she and Charlie got along so well or maybe that's why they got along so well.

Ted looked at her from across the table, he made roast chicken. Reese ate the chicken and smiled at Ted. "This is good."

That was the last thing she said before she went on eating, she didn't read any of the files on the pile, instead it was like Ted was eating with his wife around, always there to enforce manners.

Her phone rang, Reese checked the display and answered. "Not tonight," Ted heard her murmur, Reese poked at her potatoes. "Got something to do. Yeah, okay. Bye."

She placed the phone on the table and resumed eating. Again, in silence and it was beginning to get to Ted.

"I don't like coyotes." He said then grimaced.

Reese raised her eyebrows, waiting for him to continue.

"I saw one earlier by the pool."

There was a barely perceptible quirk of her lips. "They're harmless."

"Just because there are no recorded attacks doesn't mean it doesn't happen!" He returned.

"Sure, you might be right about that." There was a definite burr of amusement in her voice. "Do you want me to call animal control?"

This seemed like a conversation he'd had before. Cops were all the same. "No." He sighed, "They're not going to do anything."

"Don't worry." Her smile was lopsided. "They always leave in the end."

TBC