don't get me wrong () prodigal son SLOW UPDATES

Fifty One

Chapter Fifty One:

Surprisingly, Malcolm slept through the entire night with no issues. Theodora had stayed up, making sure she kept her promise.

When he woke up, he disappeared into the bathroom before she heard the shower squeak on and running water. Theodora watched the closed door from his bed, sighing as she flopped down onto the mattress.

"Why is everything so confusing?" She sang out, "Why am I like this?"

With a roll of her eyes she slipped off the bed, grabbing her belongings that managed to fall onto the floor as she made her way down to the front door.

It took a half an hour for her to arrive at her own apartment, breathing in the dusty air. She tossed her keys onto the kitchen counter, finding herself in her own room digging through the closet. Theodora hunted until she found a pair of clean black jeans and a loose black shirt along with a clean bra and underwear. The woman couldn't remember the last time she showered and felt disgusting.

After another half and hour, Theodora was dressed in fresh clothes with a satisfied look on her face. She left her wet hair down as she vacated her apartment again, the precinct the only destination in her mind. The last few meetings and outings she hadn't really paid any attention to anything, which in hind sight wasn't the best thing for her to be doing while trying to help solve a murder.

"Gil!" She beamed as she waltzed into the dull conference room, "What's up?"

He shot her a weird look, "What?"

"What have I missed." Theodora took a seat, "Fill me in."

Gil watched her, he adjusted his brown blazer and put a finger to his lip. He said nothing, as if debating what to say to her. Soon enough he stepped towards her, "How did you know about that case?"

Theodora pursed her lips, "Research."

"Fletcher, I know that's not true."

She sighed, falling silent.

Why does everyone want to bring up what's true or not? Who knows anything about the truth. Nobody. Not her, not Gil, not Malcolm. No one.

Theodora met his gaze, "Why didn't you tell me that the body that was presumed to be my mother was, in fact, not."

There was no surprise in his eyes, because he already figured she knew. Or that she'd find out somehow, knowing that it meant a lot to her. When he failed to reply, Theodora leaned forward on her chair. "Edrisa called me. At the church, told me you didn't want anyone to know."

"That's not what I meant." He told her, "When we got the results back, and she explained them to me saying that that woman was not Jay Fletcher—"

"You should've told me."

"No, I shouldn't of. It's confidential—"

"To my knowledge that dead body was my mother, I think I should be told that it's not. And that this means she could still be out there."

Gil sighed, "Theodora. Think about this, for a minute."

I know that's another conversation. To not give myself hope. She dead either way, I know.

"How come her name was attached to the body when it was found. If nobody knew, why was it picked?"

"I don't know."

"If I was anyone else, if I didn't know my way around how things worked around here... I don't know would be a very piss poor answer, Detective."

Gil's expression shifted at the end of her sentence, his face went from mild annoyance to pure worry. Theodora didn't understand what the snap was, but here he was watching her with worry in his eyes.

"You're off the case."

Her brows furrowed, "What?"

"I said you're off the case. Just this one. You need a break."

Theodora found herself standing up, "I don't need—"

"You do, Theodora. You need to get your mind straight, there's to much going on in there and you need to sort it all out." He told her, "I don't want you falling off the deep end. Malcolm's almost there and I don't want you tumbling off with him."

"Malcolm's mental state has nothing to do with me."

Gil closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "This is how it starts. This is how he started, I've been watching him since he started with the FBI. Instead of telling him to take a break, he worked harder and the more he worked the worst his mental state got. It started with one thing, and this case involving your mother will end up being your one thing. Go home. You're no longer apart of this case."

Theodora frowned, walking to the door and marching out. She made a beeline for the elevators, and when they opened it revealed Dani and Malcolm in deep conversation. She slipped around them as they stepped out, but Malcolm noticed her and gave her a warm smile.

"Where are you going?" He questioned.

Theodora jabbed the first floor button, "I'm off the case."

His eyes widened, "What, why?"

She jabbed the button again, "Because I'm going crazy."

"Fletcher—" Dani began,

Malcolm reached out for her, but the doors slowly closed. His confused eyes disappeared as she descended, anger bubbling within her along with guilt and ignorance.

Gil was right, she needed a break. But she didn't want to be told it by someone else, especially not Gil.

Just one case. She told herself, Then you'll be back.

The doors opened and Theodora rushed out the front ones, finding her long way back to Malcolm's apartment. The only place she wanted to be right now.