Who: Leon and Caroline What: Leon comes to visit Liz and runs into Caroline instead When: Recently Where: Forbes home Ratings/Warnings: Low/none Status: Complete
It had been a little while since the last time Leon had come to see Liz, and he felt a little guilty about that. Liz had taken care of him when he’d first joined the force, after his parents had died and he didn’t really have anyone in the world to look out for him. She’d shown him the ropes of police work and had made sure he was doing the little things like feeding himself during his first couple years. Hell, when he’d been stabbed by a perp when she was 19, she’d come to check on him nearly every day until he was back at work.
And he… well, it had been months since he had last seen her, and he didn’t really have an excuse, except for the fact that his life had been one thing after another for the last couple of years. He knew she was on leave for health reasons, and he should have been there for her. Chris was at the shop with D, and Leon had shut off his cellphone so work couldn’t interrupt him, and armed with a bottle of Jack and the latest office gossip, he knocked on Liz’s door.
Caroline was home for a change. No meetings or events to attend to. She was finally able to spend an evening with her mom. But of course her mom was asleep. It was okay though she needed a night in, and she knew her mom would wake up eventually.
Caroline was on the couch enjoying some Netflix and wine when there was a knock on the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone and didn’t think her mom was either. With a small sigh at having to pause her show she got up and made her way to the door.
The person behind it was the last person she was expecting to see. “Leon?” she asked unable to hide the shock from her face. She hadn’t seen him since her last year of high school and her mom kept inviting him over for dinner. “What are you doing here?”
“Caroline!” Leon exclaimed, just as surprised to see her as she was to see him. “You’re back,” he added dumbly. He hadn’t realized that she came back, but he guessed it made sense. If he had been across the country when his mom got sick… Well, his mom had always been sick, so he never would have left California in the first place.
He remembered Caroline never really liking him much though, and he hoped that wasn’t going to make his visit with Liz awkward. “I’m here to see Liz,” he said, peering past Caroline as if he’d spot Liz standing over her shoulder. “Is she home?”
“Yeah for a few months now.” Caroline wasn’t aware that Leon and her mother still kept in touch. She hadn’t paid much attention when her mom was bringing Leon around back in highschool. She was too wrapped up in her senior year and annoyed with her mom for trying to set her up when she had a perfectly good boyfriend already. She wasn’t sure why her mom had stayed close with him after he left. Other than the whole cop thing.
“She’s asleep,” Caroline replied eying what was in his hands. “What is that?” she asked pointedly referring to the bottle of alcohol in his hands. Of course she knew what it was, but why the hell was he bringing it here?
“It’s liquor, obviously,” Leon said, holding up the bottle so she could read the label, as if that’s what she’d been asking about in the first place. “I don’t have anything else going on. I can wait until she wakes up,” he said, moving to make his way into the house, expecting Caroline to step out of his way.
“And you’re bringing it here because?” Caroline asked folding her arms over her chest and not moving even when Leon attempted to come in. Usually she would, but she wasn’t sure she liked how he was just acting like he had a right to be there and bringing her mother alcohol no less.
“Because I’m going to share it with Liz as we catch up,” Leon snapped, turning his gaze from the inside of the house to Caroline. “What is your problem with me anyway, Caroline?” he asked.
“Oh I don’t know. Maybe that you thought it was a good idea to bring my sick mother a bottle of alcohol,” Caroline replied. “What is wrong with you?” She did feel a little bad though that he thought she had a problem with him all those years ago. She just had her own life and her own boyfriend. She didn’t need a new one.
"Oh yeah, I'm sure Liz would appreciate it a whole lot more if I brought her a glass of warm milk and a bowl of chicken soup," Leon snapped. "That'll make her feel a whole lot better, huh? When should I order the walker?"
“Yeah,” Caroline shot back even though she knew he was being sarcastic she didn’t care. “It’d be a whole lot better than alcohol.”
“Yeah? Why don’t you ask Liz her opinion on the matter?” Leon bit back. If he was sick and everyone started pussyfooting around him, he would go completely insane. He knew that he’d wish his coworkers would just treat him like normal. He doubted Liz was any different when it came to that regard.
“Did you not hear me?” Caroline replied man it was getting difficult to not raise her voice to the guy. “She’s asleep.” It was a really good thing she came back. Not only to spend time with her mom, but if her mother was left with Leon taking care of her? She couldn’t even imagine how that would go.
“Yeah, I obviously heard you. I can wait until she wakes up,” Leon repeated. He wondered if Caroline was actually ever going to let him inside the house, or if he was going to have to wait for Liz to wake up standing out here on her doorstop. That was not a thought that filled him with particular joy. “Though listen, Princess, if Liz wants to be treated like an invalid, then she’s not the same Liz I’ve known the last eight years. I get that you’re looking out for her, but you sure you’re not smothering her while you’re at it?”
“Fine,” Caroline said stepping aside to let him in, but not before snatching the bottle of alcohol from his hands. No way was she letting her mom have that. But if Leon had come to visit her she was sure her mom would want to see him when she woke up and she wasn’t going to deny her mom company. Even if he was more a pain in the ass than she remembered.
That was until Leon’s next statement. “Excuse me?” Caroline replied still keeping her voice low but there was definitely some bitterness there. “I think I know what’s best for my mom. You may have known her the past eight years but where the hell have you been the past two months?”
Finally. Leon stepped into the house and made his way to the living room before Caroline could change her mind. He glared a little as she took the bottle from him, but he wouldn’t fight her on this. Not yet, anyway. When Liz woke up, she could make Caroline give it up.
Leon breathed out through his nose, running a hand through his hair. There was no point in telling Caroline that life had been hectic the last couple of months; he should have made time. But… “Listen, Caroline, I’m sure you know what’s best for her health. But my mom was sick too you know, and sometimes you gotta let them have fun, even if it’s not ‘good’ for them,” he said, putting finger quotes around the world ‘good.’ “Otherwise, what’s the point, y’know?”
At the mention of his mother Caroline immediately softened. Even if the guy was pissing her off, she wouldn’t wish what she was currently going through on anyone. “I’m sorry,” Caroline said softly bottle still in her hand, though her anger was quickly dissipating. “I didn’t know.”
Leon shrugged, turning away from Caroline on his way to the couch. He put his hand in the air and waved it a little, as if waving away her apologies. “Why would you?” he asked, and seat, splaying out on the couch. “Anyway, I’m not as completely new to this whole thing as you might think I am.” He probably had more experience, really - his mom had been sick nearly the entire time he’d known her. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around the last couple months. I should have.”
Her desire to put the bottle away was temporarily forgotten. She ended up setting it down on the coffee table and taking a seat in one of the arm chairs. “It’s okay,” Caroline replied softly. “You’re here now right?” That was what mattered anyway. “I’m sure my mom will appreciate it.” When she woke up that was.
Leon gave her a bit of a smile, and then he glanced toward the stairs. “How’s she doing, anyway? We’ve talked on the phone a couple times, but…” he shrugged. “Well, you know how Liz can be about that sort of thing.”
Of course she knew how her mother could be. She hadn’t even told Caroline she was sick at first, not wanting to burden her daughter. “Tired a lot,” Caroline replied honestly. “But she doesn’t complain,” she paused swallowing a lump in her throat. “I don’t think she wants me to know how bad she really feels.”
“Yeah, they never do,” Leon said. His own mom had often stated that it was her job to take care of him, not the other way around. He was sure that she’d let her guard down around his father, but she never had in front of him. “But I guess you don’t need to know how bad it is for Liz to know that you’re here for her regardless.”
Caroline didn’t want to talk about that anymore. It was making her too sad. And there was still that bottle of alcohol on the table. “Look,” she began. “Just cause my mom can’t have this.” She was still adamant Liz shouldn’t be having hard liquor. “Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it.” Might as well kill the time while they waited for her to wake up. And well all this talk about her mom being sick made her want to drink. Not just the wine she was having earlier either.
Leon frowned a little, eyeing the bottle. He had brought it for Liz, and he wa damn well going to make sure that Liz at least got a say in whether or not she’d have a glass or two. But it wasn’t like they were going to kill the bottle before Liz woke up - he hoped not, at least - and drinking always helped smooth out any awkwardness.
“Yeah, sure. It’ll help pass the time,” he said, giving Caroline a toothy grin. And hey, maybe by the time Liz woke up, they’d actually get along.