Homebodies

[Robbie C.]

Just a short little thing I put together. If you don't like Caitlin, best read elsewhere.

 

“But you know I have to go back on tour!”

Sonny Crockett looked across the wide, white living room. “I know, darlin’. I know. And I know it’s no different than me going undercover as some scumbag using a dating service. Hell, it’s probably better than me going undercover with some dating service. I just…” He threw up his hands. “Hell, I don’t know.”

Caitlin Davies smiled, her bright blue eyes melting his heart like they aways did. “I get it, Sonny. It’s all new to me, too.”

He’d expected it to be hard. Hell, he and Caroline had enough trouble getting used to each other early on when he was just out of the Marines and she was trying to finish school. Maybe they’d never gotten used to each other, something he thought about from time to time as he looked at his first marriage through the rear-view mirror of divorce. And they’d talked about it even before they were married. Walking in with their eyes wide open. Or so he thought.

“You know they’ll want you away from the press.”

“Sure. Hell, after last time I’d want me away from the press.” He smiled. “It’s fine, though. Better for my work if I keep a low profile.”

“I’d imagine so.” She smiled and came around the couch. “How could you go undercover with a dating service if they knew you were married to a real-life pop star?”

“To hell with that. They’d want to know why I’d leave such a beautiful woman alone at home to pay for company.” He took her in his arms and kissed her, feeling the strength of her body against his and the warmth of her lips. “To be honest it’s not the press I worry about. It’s security. Fans can get crazy…”

“Yeah, and Fremont and Wiggins still have friends in the industry. Fremont may be dead, but Wiggins can still talk. They’ll make nice to my face, but who knows what kind of shite they say behind my back.”

A loud sigh echoed from the doorway. “Girlfriend and Blondie need to get themselves a room they keep carryin’ on like that.”

Sonny turned. “Aw, come on, Angie. Now that we’re married we can carry on anywhere in the house.”

“Not if I have to clean up afterwards.” Angie snorted and tottered out on heels about an inch too high for comfort.

Caitlin giggled. “Now she’s gonna do something to get even, Sonny. I’d watch your coffee the next couple of mornings.”

He laughed with her, glad the mood had changed. But she wasn’t far wrong. He was worried about friends of the two record executives. And crazy fans. And just about anyone else who might wish her harm. Most of the bozos the record people hired to run security were fat-ass aged out patrol cops. They might be good for rousting a photographer and scaring off an autograph seeker or two, but when it came to real threats they were as useful as an umbrella in a hurricane.

“Were you going in tonight?”

“Naw. It’s a simple stakeout, and the lieutenant wanted to send Stan out with Rico.”

“So, Mr. Crockett, you’re saying I should cancel my date?”

“Yes, Mrs. Crockett, I believe I am.”

Her eyes glittered in the weak light from the setting sun. “Whatever shall I wear?”

“I’m partial to nothing.” He smiled, then gasped in fake astonishment as she unzipped her tight white dress and let it fall to the floor. “Let me rephrase that. I’m very partial to nothing.”

She giggled and did a quick turn. “Now it’s your turn, mister.”

 

Morning came far too soon, and Sonny slammed his hand down on the alarm with a muttered curse. Beside him Caitlin made a little mewing noise in her sleep and moved closer, her smooth skin pressed against his. She didn’t make getting out of bed easy.

The floor was cool under his bare feet, and he pulled the comforter up around her chin before heading for the bathroom and a quick shower. He dressed quickly and was slipping on his shoulder rig when he walked into the kitchen to find coffee already brewed. “Thanks, Angie,” he said to the empty space as he poured a cop, then sniffed it as he remembered Caitlin’s warning.

“Blondie all suspicious of Angie now?”

“Naw, nothing like that. Cait just said you liked to play pranks.”

She smiled, showing her even white teeth. “Not with no man’s coffee first thing in the morning. You have to go in?”

“Yeah. If anything comes up I’ll call, otherwise I should be home before six or so.”

Angie nodded. “That good for girlfriend. She needs to see Blondie before the tour.”

“Yeah. You ever been on those tours with her?”

“Some. Mostly at first.” Angie shook her head. “Lots of bad hotels. Bad food. Girlfriend cranky. Had to slap me a couple of people back in the day. Boys who thought mail-order badges made them men.” She looked at him again, and he could feel her eyes appraising him. It always made him uneasy when she did it, like he was being measured and falling short each time. “How long you think this gonna last? You two passing each other like ships in the night?”

“I don’t know, Angie. I’m gonna make it work, though.” He paused, looking down at the remains of his coffee. “I love her, you know. More than anything.”

“Trust me, Blondie. I know. I didn’t think that, you’d be smacked upside the head by now.”

“How long’s it been since she’s been on tour?”

“Like this one? Years. Three, maybe five. It’s a big thing for girlfriend. For so long all she had was Angie and her music.”

He nodded, not wanting to keep the conversation going but not able to stop himself. “She told me about Will, Angie. I know that was hard, and that she’s been alone ever since. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make this work.”

She gave him that look again. “I think you will, Blondie. Now you’d best go so you ain’t late and that man in the black suit gives you that stare.”

She’s right about Castillo. Won’t do for me to be late. Sonny turned the thought around in his head as he pushed the Ferrari through early morning traffic to OCB’s headquarters in the old Gold Coast Shipping building. And that’s not all she’s right about. Damn her sometimes.

Ricardo Tubbs looked up from a file folder on his desk. “Well, well…look what the cat dragged in.”

“Good morning girls.” Sonny chuckled and looked from Rico to Stan Switek pecking away at a typewriter on a nearby desk. “Did I miss anything?”

“Just the pure joy of watching two mid-level Columbians make asses out of themselves over a cut-rate stripper at Rizzo’s.” Switek chuckled and fed another form into the Selectric in front of him. “Rico’s got all the details, don’t you, partner?”

“Up yours, Stan.” Rico grinned. “We drew straws and I lost. He got to monitor the radio in the Bug Van while I had to get all up close and personal with Rizzo’s.”

“Hope you had your shots first.” Sonny laughed again, feeling back in his element. But it wasn’t the same. He could feel the distance in Stan’s voice any time the burly detective had to talk directly to him. The ghost of Larry Zito hung in the air, an unspoken barrier between them. He wasn’t sure how to lift the barrier, and some days he wasn’t sure he wanted to. Today was feeling like one of the latter days.

Rico seemed to pick up on the tension. “You wanna take a ride, partner? I gotta run down a source down near the Grand Hotel.”

“Sure.” He pulled his white blazer back on and slipped his Wayfarers out of the pocket. “Let’s blow this pop stand.”

They were halfway to the hotel before Rico spoke again. “So Caitlin’s going on tour…”

“Yeah. That show up on the news?”

“Yeah. Pop star comeback story and all that.” Rico chuckled. “Saw that every other day back in New York, but I guess it’s something new for Miami.”

“More or less. Only pop stars we get are over sixty and had their last hit back in 1960.”

“And you’re ok with it?”

“Hell, Rico. I have to be ok with it. That’s part of the deal. It’s what she loves, and I’m not a big enough jackass to try to make her stop.”

“Fair enough, partner. I was just wondering…”

“Yeah, I know. How do I feel about it.” He looked out the window of the big Caddy, glad Rico had the top up for once and the A/C pumping full bore. “I’m more worried about her security than anything. Those two bastards Frick and Frack still have friends in that business. They tried to kill her once all on their own, and who knows what kind of reach Wiggins still has.”

They stopped at a red light, and Rico turned toward him. “I wasn’t gonna say anything, Sonny, but you need to take some time and be with her before she goes back on the road. I ain’t no ace with relationships, but you two gotta be there for each other.”

“Angie said the same thing before we came back to Miami. You two talking late at night now?”

“Naw. She scares me.” Rico chuckled and hit the gas as the light changed. “I am serious about you taking some time, though. Be with your lady. Gina’s back now and we’ve got Gorman working some stakeouts. It ain’t about coverage now, partner.”

“Yeah, I hear you. I’ll talk to Castillo and see what he says. You’re right, though, Rico. If we’re gonna make this work we need to know what that looks like. For both of us.”

They stood in the heat next to a hot dog cart that should have been condemned in 1977 for close to twenty minutes before Rico decided he’d been stood up. “Just wait till I get my hands on that little chump,” he muttered as he stormed toward the car.

“This CI of yours happen to call himself Leo? If so, the little bastard’s been standin’ cops up for years. Hell, he’s sort of a rookie right of passage in these parts. Don’t tell me you ain’t heard of him before.”

“No-Show Leo? I though he was some story you told the new folks.”

“Naw. He’s real enough. Shows up the first couple of times to get you hooked and then pulls a vanishing act. He’ll pop up again in a couple of weeks with some story about alien abduction or how his aunt in Palm Springs was sick. Happens all the time.” Sonny settled into the Caddy’s seat with a grin. “And don’t try sending Stan next time. He’s already had his turn with No-Show Leo.”

“What about Gorman?”

“Now that’s one who’s about due. Pass his number along next time Leo calls in.” Sonny pushed his sunglasses up on his nose and chuckled. “Dibble knows about Leo, though, so make sure he ain’t around when you set up Gorman.”

“What about you?”

“Gorman still doesn’t trust me. I sent him out to bust some hookers about five years ago, except I sent him to St. James Avenue.”

Rico laughed. “You mean transvestite row?”

“Yeah. I thought Gorman was gonna kill me for about two weeks. Guess he didn’t like what he found under the mini-skirts. Lou actually threatened to suspend me for that one.”

OCB was quiet when they got to the squad room. Stan had vanished, and both Gina and Trudy’s desks were vacant. Rico gave Sonny a nod. “I’ll write up No-Show. You go have a word with Castillo.”

Sonny knocked once and waited. “Yes.”

It was always dim in Castillo’s office. A desk lamp cast a yellow circle on the battered metal top, and Martin Castillo sat just back from the desk, his chair reclined enough to keep his face out of the light. “Do you have a minute, lieutenant?”

“Yes.”

“I…ah, hell…I was wondering if I could take a couple of days. Caitlin’s in on a break from the first leg of her tour and there’s some things we need to work out.”

“Leave any active cases you have with Tubbs. He can share them out with the team if necessary.”

“My desk’s actually clear, lieutenant. Only one or two long-term CIs in the works, and they’re not going anywhere.”

“Take a week. If she’s here longer, let me know and we’ll extend the time. Get the answers the two of you need.”

Sonny nodded, not sure what to say. In the end he settled for “Thanks, lieutenant,” before turning and walking back out to the squad room.

“Don’t worry about it, partner. We got this.” Rico grinned.

“Yeah, yeah. It still feels like I’m running out on the job.”

“Naw. The Job ain’t going anywhere. But your marriage might.” He closed the folder in front of him with a snap. “You know that, man. Better than me. You already lost one to it. You wanna lose another?”

Sonny started to snap back, but then paused. “Yeah, you’re right. Hell, man. I know it, too.”

“Get outa here, Sonny. Go be with her. Get this figured out.”

 

Her car was still in the drive, but the house felt empty when he walked through the entryway. Maybe it was because Angie was gone somewhere, her usual bustle and clicking heels not filling every empty moment. Still, there was a chance she’d gone out for something. Tossing his keys on the side table he started through the house.

He found her on the deck, looking out over the green swath of the back yard. She turned and smiled. “And to what do I owe this honor? The lord of the manor returning during work hours?”

“I took some time off.” He paused, covering his nervousness by lighting a Lucky Strike. “Actually, Rico told me to and Castillo practically threw me out of the office.”

“So you get on their nerves, too?”

“Something like that.” He smiled, drawing the smoke deep into his lungs and collecting his thoughts. “Cait…we need to talk. Hell, I’m no good at this being there thing. My own feelings are a damned mystery to me, let alone someone else’s. But I want this to work. More than anything. And that means I gotta know where your head’s at. And I need to let you know where mine is.”

She turned away for a moment, and when she looked back he could see tears on her smooth cheeks. “Sonny…I’m no good at this either. Angie told me she gave you what for, and I told her she should be yelling at me, too.”

He reached out and touched her, brushing a tear away with his finger. “Then let’s try, Cait. Both of us. We can learn.” He took another drag off the cigarette, looking past her to the yard. “I go crazy when you’re on tour. After that assassination attempt I’m scared as hell someone’s going to take you away from me. But there’s no way I’d ask you to stop. The look in your eyes when you’re on stage…hell, I can feel it from a football field away.”

“I know.” She sniffed a bit, biting back tears. “But I’d give it up if that’s what it takes.”

“No. I could never ask you to do that. It’s who you are. It’s one of the things I love about you. Seeing how happy you are when you perform, and knowing how many people your music makes happy. No, I’d be a Grade-A jerkwad if I asked you to give that up.”

“And you. Do you know how scared I am every time the phone rings? I keep waiting for that call…the one that says you were slower than some dope dealer or punk mobster.”

He looked back down at her. “Yeah, I know, darlin’. You know, Caroline used to say we were all adrenalin junkies. Maybe she was right.”

“Sonny, I can’t ask you to give that up.”

“But I don’t you being afraid every time the phone rings.” He crushed out the cigarette, not quite trusting his voice but knowing if he stopped now he might not say the words again. “I don’t want you resenting me because of the Job. Yeah, it’s important. It’s a big part of who I am. But you’re a bigger part now. And yeah, that scares the hell out of me. But I also know I don’t want to lose it.”

Her eyes went wide and then she was in his arms, her grip strong and demanding. “I love you so much, Sonny.”

“I love you, too, Cait. More than I ever thought I could love someone.” He kissed her forehead.

“Even more than the Testosterone?”

“Yeah, even more than the car.” He held her close, smelling the shampoo in her hair and looking out at the yard again. “I want a normal life, Cait. A real one that’s all me and not someone else’s name and another guy’s clothes. I never thought I’d say that, but some days it feels more real for me to be Burnett. I always told myself when that happened it was time to get out. It’s been coming for some time, but until now I never had a reason to get out.”

“The tour starts back up in a week.” She pulled back and locked eyes with him. “If I go…”

“You need to go, darlin’. It’s who you are.”

“But you…”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve got a few long-term cases I’d like to close out before I drop my papers in any case.”

“You’d leave the force?”

“Yeah. I’d have to, really. You don’t just go from being undercover to traffic. Well, some guys do. But I can’t.” He smiled. “Guess I’m an all or nothing kinda guy.”

“We can try this, too. See how it goes during the tour and decide when I get off the road.” She kissed him, and he could taste the salty tears on her lips.

“Or you could hire me to do your security. Best of both worlds.”

She smiled. “I like how your mind works, Sonny. Along with other things…”

 

Later they sprawled together in the big king-sized bed, sheets twisted and pillows tossed on the floor. Her hair fanned out in a dark halo around her head, and her breathing was finally returning to normal. “That was amazing, Sonny.”

“Yeah, you were.” Sonny propped himself up on an elbow, letting his gaze roam. “No, you are amazing. No question.”

“Will you tell them?”

“Not right away.” He ran his finger along her hip, feeling her warm, smooth skin. “The tour dips back through Florida, right? We can check in then and see how it feels. If everything’s on track I’ll drop my papers then and close out cases until you get off the road.”

“And you’ll leave Burnett behind?”

“In a heartbeat.” He thought back to the FBI agent who’d gotten in too deep and stayed too long. Arthur Lawson had become Artie Rollins, and paid for it with his life. He’d always sworn he’d never end that way, but it was feeling close now. He’d lapsed into Burnett at a press conference, and from time to time the line between himself and his cover blurred and even disappeared. No, it was time to walk away. And now he had something, someone, to walk to. “It’s the only way to save us, Cait. And I want nothing more in this world.”

[Bren10]

Sonny shouldn't be smoking now, should he? Or is that dramatic license because he's so stressed? Or are you implying he's been smoking all this time just not on screen?

[Robbie C.]

Nice catch. I put that in to show the stress he was under. 

[Matt5]

19 minutes ago, Robbie C. said:

Nice catch. I put that in to show the stress he was under. 

Nice touch - keep it coming.

 

 

[mjcmmv]

Wow, short, but sweet! Another good one, and very different from your other stories. I liked this a lot!

[Robbie C.]

Glad you enjoyed it. I could have strung this one out but it didn’t feel like it needed to be longer.

[Glades]

The length is perfect!

[Bren10]

The show itself could've used more interactions like this. I wonder if people would be complaining more or less about Caitlyn if it did.

[Robbie C.]

6 hours ago, Bren10 said:

The show itself could've used more interactions like this. I wonder if people would be complaining more or less about Caitlyn if it did.

I agree. I think you saw hints from time to time in the first season or so, but after that it was gone. And we're much the poorer in terms of characters for it.

[vicegirl85]

22 hours ago, Robbie C. said:

“In a heartbeat.” He thought back to the FBI agent who’d gotten in too deep and stayed too long. Arthur Lawson had become Artie Rollins, and paid for it with his life. He’d always sworn he’d never end that way, but it was feeling close now. He’d lapsed into Burnett at a press conference, and from time to time the line between himself and his cover blurred and even disappeared. No, it was time to walk away. And now he had something, someone, to walk to. “It’s the only way to save us, Cait. And I want nothing more in this world.”

This was good.  I really enjoyed it and I do think you captured some of the feelings Sonny and Caitlin experienced during their brief time together.  

[Robbie C.]

1 hour ago, vicegirl85 said:

This was good.  I really enjoyed it and I do think you captured some of the feelings Sonny and Caitlin experienced during their brief time together.  

Glad you enjoyed it!

[Kladdagh]

This was "short" but with a really cool factor ... Loved it (like your others writings I must say) ... 

[Mr. Vigilante]

Great work.  I like the nod to Artie Rollins too.  Nice touch!

[Robbie C.]

28 minutes ago, Mr. Vigilante said:

Great work.  I like the nod to Artie Rollins too.  Nice touch!

I like closing holes the show left in things. And carrying on the narrative, which is the point of my Task Force stories.

[sdiegolo78]

Nice story, I really did enjoy reading it! I suppose Caitlin first leg tour started after she drove off in the limo at the end of 'Rock and a Hard Place'.

[Robbie C.]

It's hard to say given the fluidity of Vice timelines in general, and many of the events in the Caitlin arc in particular. I think it's safe to say she would have at least started promo activities around the time you mention, though, if not a few smaller shows in preparation for a larger tour.

[Tom]

@Robbie C.nice work! I especially liked the tone and the characters reflected very well and properly (=to be in continuity with what we saw in 4th season), but going its own way in an attempt to fill the ridiculous loophole the story writers left after "Rock and a hard place" (when Caitlin went on tour, wanted to meet with Crockett in NYC, then was unavailable on tour while he was in hospital and then got shot at the end at a Miami concert). Actually, you did a better job than the writers back then!

 

[Robbie C.]

Thanks, @Tom. One of the things I try to do with my stories is fill in the gaps the series left for us. I'm also a bit of a stickler for character tone based on the season and whose POV the story's coming from (so Sonny always seems more abrasive when it's coming from Stan or Trudy's POV in the later seasons, for example).