wheelsy_sheriff | (no subject)

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(no subject)

["I gotta have him get word to Mrs. Pardy an' Kate, let 'em know what's goin' on."]

He hates this.

Pulling into Bill's driveway, Rudy gets out of the car and puts on his hat, takes it off, then puts it back on again, all while eying the front door.

He really, really hates this.

Why's he gotta be the bearer of bad news all the time?

He knows why, because Dave's with Bill, and Kelly is with Mrs. Freeda (who Rudy also hates), and Nancy has to watch the station, so that leaves just him.

It's not fair.

Approaching the house, Rudy stops in front of the porch and paces back and forth a few times. He knows he needs to tell Kate what happened to Bill so they can get going, but wants to take a moment to prepare himself.

Be calm, explain the situation, don't worry her or get flustered your ownself.

Heading up the porch, he knocks on the front door, putting his hat back on at the last moment.

"C'mon, Rudy, do this right."

God, he hates this.

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He's about to offer to take the bag, but sees her with the phone and doesn't want to interrupt, so he takes a couple quick strides so he can open the trunk before she gets to the car.

Once the bag is in, he shuts the trunk and hurries around to the passenger side to get the door open for Kate.

He can hear the soft buzzing of the line ringing as Kate moves past him, and he bites his lip, hoping June answers.

Alone in her home, June stares at the ringing phone, afraid to touch it.

She knew it. She knew it all along.

As much as she wanted to be wrong, as much as she prayed to be wrong, she knew that if Bill returned to work he wouldn't be safe.

She'd been waiting all day for the phone call telling her something had happened to Bill to come; stomach tied in knots, fears of the worst on her mind, going back to that night in August when Bill was shot again and again.

When Rudy showed up at the door it was déjá vu, and her heart had stopped.

She listened enough to learn that Bill was alive and headed for the hospital, then she couldn't hear anymore.

Now, with the phone ringing, she's afraid of who's on the line, and what she might hear.

Slowly, just before the machine picks up, she reaches out and answers, closing her eyes and holding her breath.

"Hello?"

She's sure she's going to get the machine when June picks up.

"Mrs. Pardy, it's Kate."

Her free hand is trembling as she clicks her seat belt into place.

"I'm with Rudy -- we're heading to the hospital."

A breath.

"Are you okay? Do you want us to come by and pick you up?"

Rudy buckles himself in and pauses before starting the car, waiting for June's reply.

June's own hand is unsteady, and she lets out a shaky breath.

"Kate."

Looking around her empty living room, she shakes her head.

"I'm-- I'm fine. I-- Rudy told me what happened."

You're not fine.

"Yeah, Mrs. Freeda made a mistake."

Her grip tightens on the phone.

Gently, "We're still at the house, we can come get you if you want."

"Mistake," she repeats. She wants to be mad, but right now she's too upset to muster any anger.

It's too much, and she can't pull herself together. Not wanting to be this way in front of Bill, she says no.

"I can't-- that's alright, you go on an' see t'Bill."

Her lip trembles, and her voice wavers.

"Mrs. Pardy, I -- "

She turns her head toward the passenger window so Rudy won't see the tear that rolls down her cheek.

"I'm sorry."

It's unfair and foolish to hold Kate to her promise, but June can't help thinking about it now.

Managing a slow breath to calm her a moment, June's voice becomes more gentle.

"Thank you, for callin' me, I do appreciate it. An' tell Rudy I'm sorry. Please let someone have me know when Bill's home."

Kate nods, unable to speak past the tightness in her throat for a handful of heartbeats.

"I'll, um -- "

She clears her throat quietly.

"I'll call you as soon as I see the doctor."

"Alright, you two be careful."

She hangs up the phone, letting out a half sob into her hand, then gets up and heads for the bedroom.

Rudy didn't want to be nosy, but it was impossible not to hear Kate's side of the conversation.

When she hangs up, he glances over at her, then with a small frown starts the cruiser and pulls out of the drive.

She closes her eyes for a long moment, willing away the saltwater.

When she opens them, she turns to see Rudy's profile.

"You said it's been a long day, huh?"

He mulls over things to say, but can't think of anything good, so he's relieved when she speaks up first.

Looking over at her, he nods.

"Yeah, been pretty busy."

She tries to smile, a telltale quiver to her chin.

"How -- how're you?"

"I'm alright, my day wasn't too bad," He manages a quick flash of a smile, trying to cheer her some.

"Glad I ain't Bill."

As soon as the words are out he shakes his head and tries quickly to explain himself.

"Not 'cause of what happened with-- I meant 'cause he spent the mornin' with lots of paperwork. That's all."

He sighs, berating himself for being such a lousy person.

"I just-- wouldn't want Bill or Dave's position. Too much responsibility."

"Yeah."

Her eyes fall to her knees, and she grips the phone in one tight fist.

"Rudy, it's all right. I think we're all a little on edge today."

He looks at the gauges on the dash, frown set on his features.

"I'm makin' an' ass of myself, an' I'm sorry."

They pass the city limits sign and he puts on a little more speed.

"You're not."

She leaves the cell in her lap and runs her fingers through her hair, tucking pieces behind her ears.

"You're smooth, next to Bill," she jokes weakly. "He lives with his foot in his mouth."

She licks her lips.

"But you probably know that better than I do -- you've known him a lot longer."

He cracks a small smile to that.

"I am?"

Then gives a small chuckle.

"He sure steps in it sometimes, but bad as he is now, he was a hundred times worse in high school."

That earns the most genuine smile she's managed since she opened the front door, tiny as it may be.

"Yeah?"

Catching that small piece of a smile, he nods.

"Oh yeah, back then he was trippin' up on his own feet, while he was puttin' 'em in his mouth."

She breathes a chuckle, then sniffles.

"I'm kind of sad I missed seeing that."

A road sign tells him that they're almost there and his smile eases off.

"You woulda laughed, an' probably found it cute. Lots of girls did."

Rudy sounds a little jealous of this, but only in a reminiscing sort of way.

Spotting the sign for Bishopville, her heart beats faster.

"Romeo in a football jersey?"

"Nah, the girls liked him, but he was pretty much focused on-- "

He pauses, and thinks maybe he shouldn't finish what he was saying.

Trying to cover himself by taking the moment to change lanes, he shakes his head.

"Bill was too much've a dork t'be Romeo. I was Romeo. In uh, the school play."

He doesn't have to finish; she knows who he isn't naming.

She shifts slightly in her seat, glancing out the windshield, then back to Rudy.

"Drama club?"

(Bill was right.)

"Yeah, see my geography teacher Mrs. Current ran it, an' she had trouble gettin' guys t'join, so she gave me extra credit for it."

He shakes his head at himself.

"You can probably guess that I really needed it."

After a beat, he glances around, suddenly embarrassed, and admits to her, "I kinda liked it, though. It was fun."

She offers him an encouraging half-smile.

"Hey, there's no shame in that -- I always wished I had the courage to get onstage in front of a crowd."

Her expression falters when she sees they've nearly reached the hospital.

Let him be okay, please.

"Well, I wasn't no Brad Pitt or nothin', but I guess I weren't too bad, neither."

He sees her expression shift and looks ahead, seeing the green steeple ontop of the hospital. Working his throat he turns, and navigates the parking lot.

After they've stopped he looks over at her.

"S'gonna be alright, Kate. Bill's good at takin' knocks an' comin' back from 'em. He'll be just fine."

She nods, smoothing her clammy palms down her thighs.

"Yeah. He -- yeah."

Another nod, and she tries to smile for both their sakes.

He nods, giving his own small smile, then gets out of the car.

Coming around quickly to get her door, he then hurries to the trunk to grab her bag.

"Dave outta still be here I think, we c'n find him and see what's what."

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