C S I (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 15 - Truth will out

A few months time skip//

Lauren's POV
"Mama!!" Kai calls from her room. "Yeah honey?" I answer as I walk in. "I can't get this on mama." She pouts. "Here." I help her into her outfit. I make sure her sweater doesn't have any creases before helping her into her shoes. "Let's go." I take her hand to head downstairs. "Hi daddy!!" She greets him with a giggle. "Hay princess." He smiles as he picks her up. "Daddy?" She turns serious. "Yeah baby?" He answers. "Can I come with you to work today, to catch bad guys?" She asks. "I'm sorry baby, you have daycare and it's not really safe for you." He sighs. "Please?" She pleads. "Kailani Melissa Stokes, what did daddy say?" He scolds. "Okay..." She sighs. "Better." He smiles. "Sweetie have your breakfast, we gotta run." I tell her. She devours the pancakes I made her and soon we're all out the door. "Buckled in?" I ask her once we're in the car. "Yup." She nods.

Lauren's POV
We drop Kai at her daycare first. "Bye mama, bye daddy!!" She waves. "Bye sweetie, have a good day!!" We wave back. We stop for a brief coffee run before heading to the palace. "Hay." I greet Danny as we walk in. "Hay." He greets. "What's up? We got a call the case was urgent." I ask. "It is." He nods. "Hay Lauren, could I talk to you in my office?" Steve requests as he pokes his head out of his office. "Sure." I nod. "Catch Nick up, Steve will explain for me." I state before walking into Steve's office. The blinds are drawn, and he gestures me to close the door behind myself. "Alright, thanks for your call." He ends the phone call he's on. "What's up?" I ask. "Oh my god, I know that look...what's wrong?" I worry. "Um, take a seat...I'll explain everything." He mutters. I plonk down on the couch and he sits beside me. "You remember when I went away last week?" He reminds me. "Of course I do. Steve, get to the point." I worry. "Well I wasn't visiting anyone. That was a cover. I actually went to Korea, long story short; I...was looking for someone." He reveals. "Who?" I questions. "Okay, I'll start from the beginning." He nods. "My mother is alive." He blurts. . "What?" I gasp. "Uh, long story short again; she's SHELLBURN." He reveals. "And? I'm assuming this is more than that." I state. "It is." He nods. "Um, I wasn't only away to find SHELLBURN. I was...I was looking for Wo Fat..." He mutters. I'm speechless at that reveal. That man ruined so many lives; mine, Stacey's, my family's, Steve's, Steve's family's. "Steve...I..." I stutter. "I know, you would've wanted me to tell you and to...I know, I'm sorry." He apologises. "I just..." I choke. "I just wanted to tell you that his body is downstairs in the morgue if you wanted to..." He mumbles. "Um...I...I don't...I don't know..." I stutter. "Hay, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to go through all that." He whispers as we hug. "Um, when can we go see him?" I whimper. "Um, we can go now. Max is expecting us." He states. "Let's go then." I decide. "Lauren, slow down...do you...maybe want to talk a little? Let it out?" He suggests gently. "No." I snap before striding down to the morgue with purpose. "Max, I'm here for the classified body, Steve's here." I demand as soon as we walk in. "Oh uh, Ms Lauren. I was told it was not an entirely good idea for you to see the body." He greets with a nervous smile. "Max, I appreciate the concern but I'm here to see the classified body and I have clearance. Where is it?" I demand. "Uh hi Max it's alright let us see it." Steve nods. "If you say so commander." He shurgs before guiding inside. A snow-white blanket covers his body but I feel myself shiver from his presence. "Lauren, maybe we should go." Steve places a gentle hand on my shoulder. "No..." I choke. All the memories of my past come rushing back. "I'm sorry, I can't..." I mutter before running out. I hold the wall for support, tears streaming down my face and my body shaking as I slide to the floor in a teary mess.

Steve's POV
I watch her face contort into a mix of emotion and I regret ever having told her. "Lauren, maybe we should go..." I suggest gently. "No..." She chokes. "I'm sorry, I can't..." She mutters before running out. "Lauren, wait!" I call after her. "I'm sorry Max." I apologise to Max before running after her. "Lauren..." I sigh when I see her buddled up in a mass of tears near the stairs. "I'm sorry, this is my fault. I know I shouldn't have told you..." I whisper as I hug her. "No, it's not. I'm just overwhelmed, that's all." She sniffles. "Well he's gone. He can't hurt you anymore." I assure her.