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Everything about Jessica Whitly and Gil Arroyo was a contradiction.
Jessica is a socialite from an old money family. Everything about her screamed class and wealth. Exquisite parties, expensive alcohol, and lavish clothing.
Gil is a police lieutenant with the NYPD. He is a more rustic type of man. Antique cars, smooth liquor (and beer), leather seats and soft turtlenecks.
They were from two entirely different worlds, yet there was one thing they had in common as far as tastes: they loved touch.
___________
The first time it happened, Gil’s palms brushed against Jessica’s as he tried to comfort her after being interviewed by Owen Shannon.
Jessica looked up at him, her eyes glassy, with a small blush on her face.
“It’ll be okay, Mrs. Whitly,” Gil told her. “Let me take you home.”
Jess nodded hesitantly and they both headed for his car.
___________
The next time it happened was Gil came by to check on Malcolm a few weeks later. Jessica had called him, panic lacing her voice.
“I don’t know what to do, Gil,” she cried. “This has been happening since his father’s arrest and nothing I’ve tried is helping…”
Gil grabbed Jessica’s hand to comfort her. He squeezed it gently and hugged her.
“It’ll be okay, Jess,” the lieutenant tells her. “I’ll do everything I can to help.”
He doesn’t notice, but Jessica is blushing profusely as she cries.
___________
They would both frequently give each other gentle touches, hugs, and hand squeezes over the course of the next several months. He was her anchor.
Jessica could feel herself falling deeper every time, and she was terrified.
She felt that she couldn’t handle it, so she decided to break things off with Gil.
He had tried to kiss her, but she pulled away. “I can’t do this, Gil,” Jessica told him.
“Jess…”
“I can’t, Gil,” she cries. “We’re from two different worlds… It would never work.”
Jessica just didn’t want to admit that it was only her insecurities. Fear held her back.
“We can make it work,” Gil tries to protest.
“Please just go,” she tells him quietly.
Jessica cries quietly when Gil walks out.
__________
These things were why Jessica resented Jackie when she and Gil got together. It upset Jess even more when Malcolm grew a fondness for Jackie.
Eventually, she broke off all contact with Gil, but Malcolm didn’t.
It was easier for her this way, even if there was always a dull ache.
Every time Jessica thought of Gil, everything would come flooding back. She could only think of how his skin felt against hers…
__________
Jessica wouldn’t see Gil again for almost two decades.
The first time was when she decided to try and convince Gil to stop allowing Malcolm to work cases.
Jessica’s back is facing Gil, but he could recognize her anywhere.
“Malcolm's not here,” Gil calls out.
“I'm so sorry about Jackie,” Jessica tells him, making her throat tighten.
“What are you doing here, Jessica?”
“I'm trying to offer my condolences, for starters.”
“Yeah, well, you're three years late,” Gil snaps. “My wife loved Malcolm like a son.”
“She was kind,” Jessica says quietly. “But she wasn't his mother….. And you aren't his father.”
Jess wishes Gil was the father of her children, though.
“You don't want Malcolm to work with me?,” Gil asks curiously.
Jessica’s throat tightens again, but she swallows. “No. I don't want my son to continue to throw his life away, Gil. Doing penance for his father's crimes. He doesn’t deserve it. I also imagine the salary leaves something to be desired.”
“Malcolm is a grown man,” Gil says firmly.
“And you are the grown man who befriended him, who swore to protect him, and then sent him back into the arms of that monster!,” Jessica snaps.
“I didn't know...,” Gil mutters.
“You had a case to close,” she says lowly. “You knew, Gil. More than anyone, you knew.”
Jessica feels betrayed. Even though she cut things off with Gil, she still trusted him with Malcolm’s life.
“Yeah,” Gil admits.
“Who sent him there in the first place?”
“I didn't have a choice,” Gil murmurs. “I'm sorry.”
Jessica sighs. “I was losing him. Malcolm worshipped his father. I thought if he could see what he really was, maybe he would come back to me.”
“Jessica, he was 11.”
“I was wrong. Help me fix it,” Jessica pleads.
Gil rubs his hand over his face and sighs frustratedly. “Malcolm Bright does whatever Malcolm Bright wants to do. We can't control him.”
Jessica’s face hardens. “Speak for yourself.”
Gil watches sadly as Jessica storms out. What happened to her in those twenty years?
___________
Both Gil and Jessica were busy over the course of the next few months, so they weren’t able to see each other again until that December.
Gil walked into Whitly Manor with a heavy heart. Malcolm had been taken by the Junkyard Killer.
Whether Colette wanted it or not, he was going to tell Jess her son was taken. She didn’t deserve having this kept from her.
When Gil walked into Jessica’s large dining room, he noticed a group of people at the table talking while Jess was on the phone.
“Yes, it would have been 20 years ago. Her encounter happened when? Oh, um, no. How-how would I know what I was wearing? That is disgusting!”
Jessica huffs indignantly before slamming her phone down.
She turns to face Gil and gives him an amused smile. “Men like that make me wonder if giving my phone number to half the world was a bad idea. Though I suppose it is slightly flattering.”
“You should send everybody home,” Gil tells her lowly.
Jessica sighs, exasperated. “Gil, I know you're angry, but if I want to keep Martin away from this family for good, I need enough evidence for a new murder charge!”
“Send them home,” he repeats.
“Sir, yes, sir,” Jess says sarcastically.
She turns to the group sitting at the table. “Thank you, everyone. We will reconvene tomorrow morning. And we will be dressed business casual, Leonard! Vests are for valets.”
Gil’s stomach turns again when the door closes.
“Let's sit down,” he tells Jessica gently. “It's about Malcolm.”
“What's happened?,” she asks, concern lacing her voice.
“He's been taken,” Gil replies. “By The Junkyard Killer, John Watkins.”
Jessica gasps and her eyes widen in horror. “No. No, no. N... Is it because I went on TV? I provoked him!”
“That's not what happened, Jess,” Gil says quietly. “Malcolm found Watkins on his own. But we will get him back.”
Gil puts his hands over hers for the first time in over 20 years.
Jessica looks at him, her eyes glassy and a blush forming on her face. She desperately wants to lean into his touch, but she can’t find the courage to.
“What am I supposed to do? I'm not going to sit here while…”
He squeezes her hands gently. “I know. I know. There is something you can do
to help us…”
Gil pauses, hesitating. Jess needs to know. “Martin knew Watkins years ago. Malcolm may have, too. We pulled these photos from Watkins' home. Maybe there's someone or something you'll recognize.”
He hands Jessica the photos. “Uh, anything could help. And, Jessica, if any of this gets leaked to the press...”
“I understand,” she whispers. “But... all of this? Gil, this is a world I knew nothing about. The man you need to speak with is locked in solitary.”
“Yeah. I got a friend in the FBI who's working on that,” Gil tells her. “I'm going to visit The Surgeon.”
“Gil…,” Jessica says worriedly.
“I’ll be fine,” he says before walking out.
Jessica hugs herself, missing Gil’s touch already. She braces herself and calls Ainsley.
_______________
Jessica had never lost her love for the lieutenant. No, she only buried it.
Every time Gil squeezes her hand, hugs her tightly, or caresses her skin, she falls for him all over again.
A romance was blossoming between them all over again.
Which is why, when Jessica saw Gil laying on Endicott’s expensive carpet drenched in blood by a stab wound, she does everything she can to save him.
After fending Endicott off, she gets into Gil’s LeMans and crashes it into the driver’s side of the car Gil was being held in.
Jessica grabs Gil and half-carries him over to the LeMans, blood seeping onto her expensive dress. Compared to Jessica’s weight, Gil was rather heavy, so it took a lot of effort to bring him to the passenger seat.
Once she buckled herself and Gil in, she hightailed it all the way to the hospital, breaking every traffic law.
About 15 minutes later, Jessica parks near the ER and runs inside urgently.
Everyone looks at her in horror when they see the blood on her dress.
“Please!,” Jessica cries desperately. “I need help! My friend got stabbed and is bleeding out!”
A group of nurses rush out with Jessica to the LeMans and gently place Gil on a gurney. Jessica follows them back into the ER.
“His name is Lieutenant Gil Arroyo with the NYPD’s Major Crimes unit. He’s an A negative and doesn’t have any allergies,” she tells them.
One of the nurses, Kathryn, turns to Jessica. “Thank you, that was very helpful Mrs…”
“Whitly,” Jessica supplies. “Jessica Whitly.”
Nurse Kathryn’s eyes widen, but she nods. “It seems like you’re good friends with the lieutenant.”
“I am.”
“Okay, Mrs. Whitly. Lieutenant Arroyo will be taken into surgery now. I will personally inform you when he’s being moved into the recovery wing.”
“Thank you, Nurse Kathryn,” Jessica says as Gil is wheeled into the OR.
She collapses into a chair nearby and starts to sob.
__________
A few hours later, Jessica is notified that Gil is being moved to the recovery wing.
Jessica walks gracefully down the busy halls towards Gil’s room. Luckily, her makeup was tear-proof, so most wouldn’t notice she was crying.
When Jessica arrives, she notes that Gil looks as pale as the sheets below him. There was a giant bandage around his torso and a bunch of machines hooked to him.
Her eyes started to water again. She couldn’t take this anymore.
Jess moved a chair so it was sitting next to Gil’s bed. She squeezed his hand tightly and laid her head on his shoulder.
“I don’t know what I would do without you,” she whispers, her throat tightening. “It’s been so hard being alone…”
Her face heats with a mad blush.
“I shouldn’t have let you go…,” Jessica says quietly as she closes her eyes tightly. “I was just afraid of not being good enough for you, that you wouldn’t feel the same way I did… Please come back to me…”
“I’m here Jess,” Gil rasps.
Jessica gasps. “How much of that did you hear?”
“Enough for me to hear why you sent me away all those years ago…”
“I’m so sorry, Gil…”
He squeezes Jessica’s hand.
“And you don’t need to worry about how I feel about you,” Gil says quietly as he lightly strokes her arm. “I love you too.”
Jessica blushes again, profusely, before lifting her head up to look Gil in the eyes.
Her eyes melt into his warm brown ones and Jessica makes her choice.
She won’t leave Gil behind again.
Jessica leans down and kisses Gil softly. He kisses her back before she pulls away.
“We should continue that when I’m released,” Gil tells her warmly.
“We should,” Jessica agrees.
“If you don’t mind, I’d also like to visit that Italian restaurant I know you like.”
“Are you asking me on a date?,” Jessica asks.
Gil nods.
Jessica lays her head on his shoulder again.
“I would love to.”
Finally, she allowed love to touch her heart.