Sound The Bugle

22

Daniel Cooper

Nikki left three days ago to stay with her parents. Three days of pure torture. I honestly don't feel like I can go on without her, and my baby.

Yes, you can, Daniel!

I'll only them if they're here. I'm not safe.

"Cooper, are you listening?" Regnary turns to look at me, piercing the bubble of pathetic self pitty I have wrapped myself in.

"I'd love to say yes, but no." I say bluntly as he starts up the car as we get ready for our shift.

Regnary chuckles as he pulls away from the station a chuckle that winds me up. I've been a miserable bastard these past few days, and everyone is at the end of their tether with me.  I don't care. All I want is Nikki and my baby back, but I can't have them.

The radio crackles before the slightly distorted voice of Sargent Duncan filters through. "Cooper, Regnary, family dispute at fourteen, Wicker Road. Doubt it's anything serious, over."

Here we go again. Thick as mince people who feel the need to call the police over spilled milk.

I look over at Regnary who is shaking his head, a frustrated smirk on his face, then I lean forwards to the radio and press the green response button. "On it, Sir." I say, then flop back in to my seat as Regnary heads in the corresponding direction.

****

That's how the day continued. No important cases, no real need for the police to be there. Those are the worst days. It leaves little hope for humanity. Really little hope...

As soon as I turn on to my street, I notice to massive BMW X5 outside of my house, almost lurking as it awaits my return from work. Carter fucking Sanford.

I am anything but in the mood to talk to him. The voice of reason is not the voice I am happy to listen to right now, only my voice of reason. I understand that I'm only protecting the two that I love by not letting them near me, but no one else seems to get it.

After directing my car up on to my gravel drive, and cutting the engine, I climb out, just at the same time as Carter climbs out of his car.

Our eyes meet, and his happy greeting is cut short by the annoyance I clearly hold in my eyes. 

Carter locks his car, then makes his way over to me, I remain by my car, shifting my weight so that I am leaning on it.

"Hey, Man." Carter says, then raises his eyebrows in acknowledgement. He stops  with about four feet between us. My bad temper is that prominent clearly.

"What brings you here?" I ask him, trying to keep my pissy expression off my face. By his almost timid body language, I am failing pretty miserably. 

I feel kind of bad for him. It's not his fault my girl and baby are gone. I'm just currently quite content being alone as I wallow in my own misery.

"I came to see you and Nikki." He frowns. "But this clearly isn't a good time..." His voice trails off as he fiddles with his car keys, his eyes shooting off in all directions but at me.

I sarcastically laugh, my bad mood has now possessed me and I can't prevent the distaste in my voice. "Yeah, it isn't considering Nikki isn't here anymore." I push myself up and off my car, allowing myself to stand at my full intimidating height.

Carter frowns. "What? Where is she?" His eyes have now met mine.

"We decided it wasn't safe for her to be around me. She's back with her parents." I tell him with no emotion behind my voice. 

I'm about to step around to head inside, but that doesn't seem to be what Carter has in mind as he steps in front of me.

"You mean you decided." He states pointing at my chest, his voice full of complete annoyance and I detect bewilderment. "Daniel! For god's sake! You can't let her go!" He cries.

Doesn't he think I thought about this.

"You have a fucking baby on the way! You need to be there for her!"

"Carter, I will hurt her, and the baby! It takes minuscule things for me to just freak out, mate, what if I do it around the baby." I'm not even arguing now. He's been here for no longer than five minutes and he's already making me think.

"Daniel, a father's instinct is stronger than I can begin to tell you, I have three kids at home, and that feeling of love and protectiveness grew stronger each time one of my babies was passed in to my arms for the first time." This is pretty much exactly what Richard told me. 

"And I'm telling you now, that any father that possesses event the smallest shred of sanity, understands one hundred percent that you can not lose your shit at any point around your child!"

This is two fathers now that have told me the exact same thing... is it right?

"But..."

"No 'buts', Daniel Cooper, you can, and you will be there for Nikki, the only one who has ever remotely help you, and the one you love more than life it's self, and you will be there for your baby." He instructs me.

I'm speechless. The fucking voice of reason has one once more.

Carter comes forwards and straightens the front of my jacket. "Thank you, Carter. I don't know what I'd do without you.

"Go and get your girl." He smiles, and rolls his eyes. "Oh, wait." He reaches for his back pocket and pulls out his wallet. What is he doing?

He produces a twenty pound note. "Even you, the hot shot police officer, who isn't afraid to kick ass, would be more than stupid if he turned up without a bunch of roses."