Chances Pt. 02

: CHAPTER FOUR:

"Shoshana, I'm Doctor Johnson, how are you feeling?" a kind looking woman asked as she walked into Shoshana's room.

"Better," Shoshana said with a smile.

"You were dehydrated, the IV should be helping with that, have you eaten anything?" the doctor wanted to know.

"A little." Shoshana fiddled with her hospital ID tag. "Doctor Johnson, am I pregnant?" Shoshana asked, not sure if she really wanted to know.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ash, oh my God! I'm so glad you're safe!" a tall brunette shrieked, running to meet him as Asher stepped off of the chartered plane.

"Hey Jessi," Asher said with a smile. He grunted when she threw her arms around him and squeezed tightly. "I'm okay, but you need to let me breathe," Asher managed. Jessi grinned and loosened her hold around his neck.

"Sho, oh my God, look at you!" Jessi exclaimed when she saw Asher's teammate.

"I look worse than I really am," Shoshana said, her voice strained at the sight of Asher holding another woman.

"Are you sure Sho, you look ready to fall over," Asher said, concerned.

"I'm fine. We need to debrief and then we can all go home," Shoshana answered.

Asher nodded and pulled away from Jessi. "I'll be out in the lobby as soon as I can," Asher told Jessi. She nodded, kissed his cheek gently and walked over to the visitor's lounge while Asher and Shoshana headed into the employee elevator. "How are you doing? Did you talk to the doctor about ..." Asher trailed off as other employees walked on to the elevator.

Shoshana waited until the elevator cleared at the next floor before saying, "Don't worry, you're free and clear."

"Damn it Sho, are you pregnant or not?" Asher demanded to know, his voice a harsh whisper. Shoshana swallowed and glanced around. Nobody appeared to have heard Asher's question which made her sigh in relief. "Well?" Asher asked, more gently.

"No, I'm not," Shoshana said finally. "You are one hundred percent free," she added. Asher studied Shoshana's face for a moment, and Shoshana could have sworn she saw disappointment in his eyes.

"Margo is ready in the conference room," Danny announced, walking into the hall.

"Coming," Shoshana said, and without another glance at Asher, she walked away, even though her heart was breaking.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Shoshana waited nervously at the airport, tapping her fingers impatiently on her knee, a million thoughts racing through her head. Asher stood a few feet ahead of her, leaning against the wall by the gateway, his whole body was tense as he waited for the plane to taxi to the gate. Shoshana wanted to talk to him, they had not really spoken since she had told him she was not pregnant. She regretted telling him she was not and had to remind herself that lying to him was for the best. He was with Jessi, he loved Jessi and the time Asher and Shoshana had together in the desert was just a lapse in judgement. "Ash?" Jessi asked softly. Asher turned and looked at Jessi and offered a smile. "Are you okay?" Jessi wanted to know.

"I'm fine, I'm just tired," Asher answered. He saw Shoshana sitting in a chair behind them and ached to go over to her. Shoshana had stayed away from him in the two and a half months that they had been home and it was killing him. He longed to hold her, to kiss her and continue what they had started all those months ago in the desert, but every time Asher tried to talk to her, Shoshana made up an excuse and hurried away from him. A voice over the PA system announced the arrival of the flight and both Asher and Shoshana turned their attention to the door of the gate that the plane was docking at.

"Do you think he's okay?" Shoshana asked softly as she stood and headed to wear Asher and Jessi stood.

"I hope so," Asher murmured, biting back a moan as Shoshana brushed by him. He grabbed her hand and kept her from walking any further away from him. "How are you?" he asked softly. "Do you want to talk? Mia said you've been having dreams," Asher added. Jessi put an arm around Shoshana and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Talk to Ash, you guys were so close once. I'll go sit down so that he is not overwhelmed," Jessi added and walked away.

"I'm fine Ash, really." Shoshana tried to pull her hand out of Asher's, but he held it tightly.

"I've missed you," Asher said quietly. Before anything else could be said, the door opened and a flight attendant pushed a weary man in a wheel chair into the airport.

"Man are you guys a sight for sore eyes!" the man exclaimed as he struggled to his feet. Shoshana rushed to him and held his arm as he stood and gave him a tight hug. "I thought you were a goner," Shoshana whispered. "G-d Jake, how did you survive that?" No longer able to fight back the tears, Shoshana clung to Jake tighter as the months of pain, fear and frustration wore her down. Jake wrapped his arms around Shoshana and held her as her tears soaked the shoulder of his shirt. "Everything is okay now Sho, I promise," Jake murmured. Finally, Shoshana stepped back, sniffled and wiped her eyes.

"I'm glad you're home," Shoshana said with a smile.

"Ash, get your ass up here," Jake instructed when he saw his friend hesitate.

"You look like death," Asher finally said with a laugh.

"Well, I feel like death, so I guess that is about right." Jake laughed a little and gave Asher a quick hug. "Damn bro, you have got to fill me in on what I have missed," Jake insisted as he slid back into the wheel chair.

"Are you okay?" Shoshana asked, worriedly.

"I'm alright, just worn out," Jake answered, patting his friend's hand.

"Let me take you home," Asher offered.

"I'll take him," Shoshana said quickly. "I mean, don't you have plans with Jessi? I think she said something about dinner with her parents," Shoshana added.

"That can wait," Asher replied with a shrug. Jake glanced back and forth between Shoshana and Asher in confused.

"Hi Jake," Jessi greeted as she walked forward. The confusion cleared up when Jake saw the look on Shoshana's face.

"Hey Jess." Jake gave Shoshana's hand a squeeze and winked at her before he turned his attention to Asher. "Ash, go have dinner with Jess and her parents. Sho makes a prettier nurse anyway," Jake said with a grin. Shoshana rolled her eyes and Asher frowned.

"Are you sure you can handle this Sho?" Asher asked.

"For crying out loud Ash, what do you think I am, a baby?" Shoshana asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"She's a big girl Ash, now come on, my parents just sent me a text. Their plane has arrived and they are in baggage claim," Jessi said a little impatiently.

"Go on man, we can catch up later," Jake told Asher when he hesitated.

"Okay, okay." Asher held his hands up in defeat. "Sho, if you guys need anything, call me okay?" Asher insisted. He took Shoshana's hands and pulled her towards him. "It isn't that I don't think you can handle this, it's that Jake has about fifty pounds on you," Asher added. He studied Shoshana's face and frowned. "Are you sure you're okay? You look exhausted."

"I'm fine, I just haven't slept well the last few nights," Shoshana answered.

"Ash, let's go," Jessi said, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Call me if you need me," Asher said again before walking away.

"What in the world has happened while I've been gone?" Jake asked after Shoshana wheeled him into his apartment.

"Nothing. Ash has gone back to his life and I've gone back to mine. Oh, I'm on a different floor and with a different department, but that's it," Shoshana answered.

"Bull shit," Jake challenged.

"Jake, I don't want to talk about it," Shoshana said with a sigh. She helped Jake take his jacket off, hung it on the coat tree, shrugged out of her own jacket and hung it up next to Jake's. "Are you hungry?" Shoshana asked.

"I could eat," Jake said, his eyes narrowed as Shoshana turned back to face him. "There's something different about you," Jake added. Shoshana looked up sharply. "And it is not just that you spent two months in the desert being Ash's wife, in every imaginable way, and then spent three weeks in captivity." Jake mused. Shoshana laughed nervously and started looking through the take out menus in the desk drawer.

"How about Chinese?" Shoshana offered, holding the menu up.

"Does Ash know?" Jake asked.

"Know what?" Shoshana asked, looking through the menu.

"That you're still pregnant," Jake answered. Shoshana dropped the menu and looked up quickly. "C'mon Sho, you told us that you thought you were pregnant while we were being tortured in the desert. I know you broke up with what's his name before we even left for the mission, and you are so in love with Ash that is not even funny," Jake told her. Shoshana fumbled with the desk chair, pulled it out and sank into it. "You haven't told him," Jake realized. "Sho, why?" he asked.

"Because he's happy with Jessi. What right do I have to ruin his life when he's happy with Jessi?" Shoshana's voice was just above a whisper.

"Sho, Ash has a right to know that you're having his baby," Jake reminded his friend, his voice gentle.

"He wouldn't believe me if I told him now, not after telling him that I wasn't pregnant after we got home," Shoshana said, her voice shaky.

"Sho ..."

"Asher loves Jessi! And even if I told him, it wouldn't matter now. He's planning on proposing to her tonight!" Shoshana exclaimed.

"You need to tell him," Jake argued.

"No Jake, I don't. I can do this on my own!"

"I know you can, but Ash has the right to know he is going to be a father!" Jake said stubbornly.

"Don't you dare tell him Jake!" Shoshana shouted. Jake took a closer look at his friend and sighed at the sight of tears in her eyes. "Please Jake," she whispered.

"I can't promise anything about later, but for now, your secret is safe with me," Jake sighed. Shoshana wiped a tear away. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, how about that Chinese?" Jake answered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Welcome back Jake. I assume you have been debriefed?"

"Yes Dylan, I have," Jake answered.

"Good. Shoshana has decoded more of the intel you picked up while you were in captivity, she is waiting in the conference room," Dylan announced. "Asher, you and Jake need to be there in ten minutes," he added before walking away.

"Jake, have you noticed Sho acting weirdly?" Asher asked his friend.

"Weird how?" Jake asked.

"She's been leaving work early, and she looks exhausted," Asher answered.

"That's it?" Jake wondered.

"Well, no. She looks like she's gaining weight," Asher added.

"Well gee, like people never gain weight," Jake said sarcastically.

"Not Sho. Don't you remember college? She would eat a bag of doritos and a shit ton of Oreos and never gain weight," Asher reminded his friend.

"College was five years ago Ash, people change," Jake answered. He wanted to shake his friend and shout at him that he was months away from becoming a father, but he had promised Shoshana that he would keep her secret; he intended to honor that promise. Before anything else could be said, Jake walked into the conference room, leaving a worried Asher behind.

"Sho, you have to tell him. Ash knows something is different about you," Jake hissed as Shoshana walked out of the conference room later that day.

"Not now Jake," Shoshana said wearily.

"Are you alright?" Jake asked.

"I'm okay. I have the flu and I'm beat," Shoshana answered, rubbing her eyes.

"Maybe you should go home and rest," Jake suggested.

"I have a ton of work to do," Shoshana argued.

"Sho ..." Jake trailed off as Asher walked up.

"Everything okay?" Asher asked, glancing between Shoshana and Jake.

"Everything's fine. I have work to do," Shoshana said, pushing past them both.

"Does she seem off to you?" Asher asked Jake as they watched Shoshana's retreating back.

"She said she has the flu," Jake answered.

"Tough luck. It's really going around, Jessi has the flu too,," Asher said. "How have you been?" he asked his friend.

"I'm doing okay. I'm getting back into the swing of things," Jake said. "How are things with Jessi?" Jake wanted to know.

"Eh, not great. Ever since we got home, Jessi has been super clingy. She wants me to resign," Asher answered.

"What?" Jake asked in surprised.

"Yeah. She is just, I don't know. She nags me every single time I come into the office. Even if I am not going into the field, she nags me. She wants me to get a real job, in an office. Pushing papers." Asher rolled his eyes. "She also wants to get married. She even introduced me to her parents as her fiancee," Asher added.

"Wow!" Jake commented and shook his head. "Maybe you should have broken things off with her when you got home and started seeing Sho," he suggested.

"I thought about it, but I know Sho loves her job and I love mine," Asher admitted.

"Dude, you need help," Jake said, rolling his eyes. Before another word could be said, Shoshana headed towards them with Jessi following close behind them. "Sho, sweetie, you really should go home, you look terrible," Jake advised his friend. Asher frowned when he saw how pale Shoshana's face was and how tired she looked.

"As much as I would love to Jake, the data does not analyze itself, and I need the hours," Shoshana murmured.

"Ash, I need to speak to you," Jessi said, impatiently tapping her fingers on her purse.

"I have to get back to work anyway, it was good to see you again Jessi," Shoshana told the woman and turned to walk away. She got no further than two steps before her knees gave out and gravity took over.

Jessi's eyes widened as she watched Asher catch Shoshana before she could completely hit the floor. "Call an ambulance, she's burning up!" Asher instructed Jake, his heart racing.

"What happened?" Shoshana's voice sounded groggy and felt dry.

"You fainted, how are you feeling?" Jake answered.

"Like I was hit by a mack truck," Shoshana said with a groan.

"You're awake!" Jessi exclaimed from the doorway as she and Asher stepped into the room.

"You okay?" Ash asked in concern.

"I think so," Shoshana answered. "Jake, could I have some water please?" she asked. Jake nodded and handed him his water bottle. Shoshana drank gratefully and passed the bottle back to her friend. "Thanks," she murmured. Jake smiled at her and smoothed a piece of hair back from Shoshana's face.

"What in the world were you thinking coming to work that sick?" Asher asked, a gently scolding tone to his voice.

"I needed the money," Shoshana said with a shrug. The conversation was halted when a doctor walked into the room. "Doctor Lucas, hi," Shoshana greeted.

"I need to speak with Shoshana alone," Doctor Lucas announced.

"We'll be outside," Asher promised before Jessi led him from the room.

"Is it okay if my brother stays?" Shoshana asked before Jake could leave the room.

"Of course," Doctor Lucas answered.

When Jake left the room a half hour later, Asher was waiting for him, anxiety written all over his face. "How's Sho?" Asher asked.

"She's fine, just a little dehydrated. Where's Jessi?" Jake wanted to know.

"She had to go," Asher answered. He hesitated a minute. "Jessi's pregnant and we're getting married," he said finally. Jake's eyes widened and he stared at his friend.

"Are you serious?" Jake asked after a minute.

"Yeah. She took two tests this afternoon and they both came up positive," Asher said. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed.

"You don't have to marry her," Jake reminded his friend.

"What kind of person would that make me?" Asher retorted.

"The human kind, the one who doesn't just do the right thing because it's what society thinks is the right thing to do. Do you love her?" Jake wanted to know.

"I like her, and I did once. Before Iraq," Asher answered.

"Before Sho?" Jake asked. Asher nodded. "You're in one tight pickle my friend," Jake said with a sigh.

"What else can I do?" Asher inquired.

"For starters, you can make sure that Jessi did not just have two false positives, and that she really is pregnant. Then you need to stop and think if you really want to spend the rest of your life with her," Jake answered.

"Jake?" Shoshana asked from the doorway of her room.

"Sho, you should be resting," Jake scolded, turning towards his friend.

"I can't sleep. Will you come keep me company?" Shoshana wanted to know.

Jake smiled and nodded. "Sure kid," he answered. "I'll be right there." He waited until Shoshana had returned to the room and turned back to Asher. "You need to figure your shit out Ash, before someone gets hurt," Jake warned, and with that, he turned and walked back into Shoshana's room.

: CHAPTER FIVE :

"Shoshana, you need to tell him! How the hell do you expect to hide it from Ash now?" Jake asked, amused by Shoshana's attempts to hide her ever expanding waist line.

"Ash is so preoccupied with his wedding plans that he would not even notice if I went into labor and had the baby on his desk," Shoshana retorted.

"Oh, I think he would notice that," Jake said with a laugh.

"Jake, you're not helping," Shoshana scolded.

"I'm sorry sweetie, but you really need to tell him. I can't keep this secret anymore, it's getting too obviously," Jake said gently.

"I'm not telling him!" Shoshana exclaimed stubbornly, and rubbed the small of her back.

"You're what, six months?" Jake asked.

"Seven and a half, but whose counting," she answered.

Jake stood up from the chair he had been sitting in, walked over to his friend and gently worked on the knots in her back. "You shouldn't be doing this alone," Jake murmured.

"I'm not, I have you, and Mia," Shoshana argued.

"Yeah, but Ash should be here doing this," Jake retorted.

"Well, he's engaged and preparing to raise his and Jessi's baby," Shoshana shot back, sniffling.

"Oh sweetie," Jake sighed as Shoshana burst into tears. "You are so head over heals in love with that bone head that you're willing to sacrifice your own happiness for his," he murmured, pulling his friend in for a hug.

"What bone head?" Shoshana's and Jake's heads snapped up at the sound of Asher's voice in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Shoshana asked in between hiccups.

"Looking for the both of you. Is there something going on between you guys?" Asher asked, his eyes narrowing.

"No, nothing. Sho is still like my sister," Jake said firmly. An alarm on his phone sounded and Jake sighed. "Sho, I have a follow up with the medical team, I really need to go," he added.

"No, Jake, you can't!" Shoshana sounded panicked.

"I need your advice, can't you wait ten minutes?" Asher asked at the same time.

"Go into the living room Ash, I'll be there in a minute," Jake answered. When Asher had returned to the living room, Jake turned back to Shoshana and tilted her face towards his. "Shoshana Levine, you need to tell him. If Ash does not know by tonight about that baby and that he is the father, then I will tell him myself," Jake warned gently.

"Okay," Shoshana whispered.

"Do you need me to stay?" Jake asked.

"No, Ash won't hurt me," Shoshana answered as she wiped away a tear.

"I left Jessi this morning," Asher announced, returning to the doorway of the bedroom. Jake turned and stared at Asher in surprise. "Turns out the baby isn't mine. I went out to pick up bagels this morning and when I got home, she was sleeping with the guy from the apartment below ours!" Asher ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"That's harsh man!" Jake said, his eyes full of sympathy, and a little mischief. "I can cancel my appointment, reschedule it ..."

"No, go on. The beer is on you," Asher told his friend.

"Deal," Jake agreed. He squeezed Shoshana's hand. "I'll call you later Sho." Jake lowered his voice. "Tell him," he urged before walking out the door.