Without Me

Criminal

''So we could have a mini-Marshall running around soon,'' Ashley was in the kitchen and jumped at the sudden presence on Nate coming into the room.

''Or a mini-me. It's a bit difficult to tell the gender at this stage, Nate unless that's your secret talent,'' Ashley joked as she buttered the toast she'd taken out of the toaster.

''Lucky for you it is and I'm saying it's a mini-Marshall,'' Nate replied stepping closer to her, ''wanna bet on it?'' He questioned noticing that Ashley gave him a look that clearly showed she didn't believe him.

''I'm not making any bets with you,'' she replied and he was taken aback by the harsh tone she used.

''Come on, is it because you know I'm right?'' He pestered a wide grin adorning his face.

''No it's because I don't take kindly to what you said about Sarah,'' Ashley responded pointing the butter knife at him. Nate just looked at her with a blank expression before cursing under his breath, Marshall had told her about their conversation.

''She's not your mother why are you taking it like an insult?'' Nate tried to justify, but the furry on Ashley's face told him he should have just kept his mouth shut.

''Erm maybe because it was. You know what go because a small, angry, hungry, pregnant woman isn't someone you wanna get on the wrong side of Nathen. So I suggest you leave whatever you have against her in the past where it belongs, you got that,'' the knife was still pointed at him in a rather threatening manner. He knew it wasn't supposed to be like that, but it did make him slightly nervous.

''Sure, I'm just gonna leave before that gets any closer to me,'' with that Nathen backed out of the room slowly, only turning around once he'd got over the threshold.

Ashley was left alone with her toast for a while. The silence allowed her to think. Allowed her to wonder when they'd be told that it was safe to leave the house. She knew the first thing she was going to do the moment they could leave, figure out how to redo the nursery or if Marshall wanted her to move into his place, figure out which room would be converted. The prospect of having the second child she dreamed of, with the person she loved was enough to make her feel good inside, washing away the sudden burst of anger she had felt earlier.

''Mom do you think I can take Lizzy out in the garden?'' Her thoughts were broken by Jamie running into the room, Lizzy on his heels. It appeared that they had bonded rather well and that she would not leave him alone.

''I don't see why not,'' Ashley replied walking over to the back door and unlocking it with the key that had been kept in the lock. The moment it opened she felt a furry object brush past her and then heard the happy bark that followed as Lizzy explored the new foreign area.

Ashley watched from the other side of the open door and Lizzy and Jamie played together in the small garden that the house provided. She wasn't worried about how Jamie would react to having a baby brother or sister because he seemed extremely happy at just the prospect of her being pregnant when Sarah had let it slip the other day.

''Hey, how are you feeling,'' a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind, along with a pair of lips kissing her hair.

''Good actually, I'm hoping it lasts, but I'll probably feel like shit again later,'' she mumbled relaxing into Marshall's hold.

''Well let's cross that bridge when we get there because right now I got some good news. Well, I hope it's good, for you, I...''

''What is it, Marsh?'' Ashley wriggled out of his arms so she could be facing him. His stuttering set her on edge, it made her feel as if what he was about to say wasn't going to be good news at all.

''They arrested someone over Alonzo's' and Arthur's murders,'' Marshall paused taking a deep breath as he watched Ashley raise a brow, he knew she knew there was more to be said, ''he's also being charged with murders in California and some other states.''

''Which means?'' Ashley knew the answer, but she wanted him to say it.

''If it goes to trial and I hope so, there's no way we'd be able to keep it out of the media. This guy is a mass murderer and the fact he killed your husband and ex-boyfriend, means that story will be gobbled up as quickly as I can rap.''

''Don't flatter yourself, buddy,'' she teased.

''Buddy? I thought you were my girlfriend aren't you supposed to call me babe or some sickenly sweet nickname,'' Marshall shot back resting his hands on either side of her hips.

''I don't think that's a mandatory thing. Plus I do have a nickname for you, I call you Marsh and I'm pretty sure about from when Jamie was like three, I'm the only one that has ever called you that,'' she smirked standing up on her tiptoes to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

''You kinda missed there buddy,'' he joked bending down to her now so he could place one fully on her lips.

***

''Jason Anderson has been charged with the murder of several men and women from the past twenty years. Included in these convictions is Arthur Calderon the well-known lawyer and former husband of Ashley Jackson who was killed outside the courthouse in Detroit on August 12th 2003.''

The whole of Marshall and Ashley's friends and family sat in front of the television screen in the safe houses living room. Nobody dared to say anything while the report was being read on the news, not even Talia breathed a word. Even though Ashley knew exactly what she wanted to say and what she was thinking. Ashley herself sat between Marshall and Jamie, holding both their hands in her laps as tightly as she could. It was as if she was afraid that they'd be taken from her soon too.

As images of the man who had been convicted the Arthurs murder flew across the screen she felt physically sick. She'd seen him before, she'd spoken to her before, she'd even been on a date with him.