A/N: Hey readers! After a long hiatus from writing I'm back. This fic is going to be a short one, around 5 chapters. It was written as a one shot but it became way too long so I decided to break it up a little. It is a sequel to my previous fic Hope. You could probably read it as a stand alone, but there will be references and characters from that fic in this one. I hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you think :)
"Mommy, mommy wake up!" I heard as I groaned and rolled over, to find my five year old son jumping up and down on my bed.
"Nicky, do you know what time it is?" I mumbled, as I pulled myself into a sitting position.
"No, but the sun is up mommy! That means its morning!" my little boy beamed as he continued to jump up and down excitedly.
I glanced at the clock on my bedside table and saw that it was a little past 6am. I groaned again. I'd only managed to fall asleep around 3am, so I wasn't my usual perky self right now.
"Nicky, come here." I said, reaching for my son, stopping his jumping movements.
"What's wrong mommy?" he asked as he sat on my lap in bed.
"Mommy's just tired baby." I replied, before kissing the top of his head.
"Didn't you sleep very well?" Nicky asked innocently.
I snuggled in to my little boy even more, placing small kisses on the top of his head, causing him to wriggle in my arms.
"I was talking to Mama until late is all." I answered.
"When will she be home?" Nicky asked, looking up at me with those beautiful, sparkling blue eyes.
I didn't answer him. The truth was, I didn't know when Naya would be home and I missed her like crazy.
"Mommy?" Nicky asked, clearly waiting for an answer about his other mom.
"She's still shooting her movie baby, I'm not sure when she'll be home." I replied. I figured he deserved the truth.
"But, she does know that it's my birthday tomorrow, right?" Nicky asked, looking at me expectantly. "She wouldn't miss my birthday. Would she mommy?" he asked.
I could tell from the look on his face that even the mere thought of Naya missing his 6th birthday upset him deeply, and it made me just want to hold him a little bit closer.
"No baby, she wouldn't miss your birthday." I replied, trying to be as honest as I could with my boy, without upsetting him further. "I'm sure if she can be here, she will." I added.
The childlike, fun filled, happy boy who had been bouncing on my bed only a few minutes ago, now sat deflated in my arms, with the saddest look on his face. It nearly broke my heart.
"I tell you what, why don't we call Mama soon? Would you like that?" I asked, trying to make him smile.
Nicky just nodded.
"You wanna come make breakfast with me? Then we can make that phone call." I said, making a move to get out of bed.
"Okay." Nicky replied, slipping off my bed and making his way towards the kitchen.
"What shall we have for breakfast today?" I asked, trying to engage him a little more.
Nicky just shrugged. "I don't know."
I knew, if I didn't do something now, he would be in this mood all day, and I didn't want him to be sad the day before his birthday. Hell, I never wanted to see him sad.
"I know." I said, changing tact. "Shall we call in reinforcements and have a breakfast party?" I asked, hoping this would make him smile.
I could tell he was still thinking about Naya and the fact that she'd maybe miss his birthday, but the thought of what he called a breakfast party, made him perk up a little bit.
"Who should we invite?" he asked, and I knew he was hooked.
"Who do you want to invite, Rabbit?" I asked, using the nickname he seemed to have picked up.
"Can we invite the girls?" he asked, and I knew straight away who he meant.
"We sure can buddy." I replied, smiling at him. His pout had been replaced by a small smile and I knew by the time I was finished he would have the megawatt smile I was so used to seeing on his face.
"What should we eat?" Nicky asked then.
"What do you want to eat?" I asked, giving him control. I was trying to distract him and it seemed to be working.
"Can we have pancakes? And bagels?" he asked, looking at me expectantly.
"We sure can." I said, smiling at my little boy. He seemed to perk up more the longer we planned this impromptu breakfast party.
"What else?" I asked. "Not much of a party with just pancakes and bagels." I said, as I ruffled his hair.
"I don't know, what do you think there should be?" he asked, as he tried to dodge the hand I was running through his hair.
"Coffee." I added. "We all love coffee."
"I don't like coffee." Nicky answered. "But I know the grown ups do." he added. "What else mommy?"
"How about some French Toast and some eggs?" I asked, sounding him out.
"Uh-huh." he agreed. " And waffles. Can we have waffles?"
"Sure can buddy." I replied, thinking the amount of food may have been getting a little much. "You think that'll be enough?" I asked then, hoping he would agree.
"Nu-huh. Just one more thing." Nicky said, looking up at me. I waited to see what he wanted but he didn't say anything.
"What else Rabbit?" I asked, looking down at him.
"Me." I heard from behind me, and straight away I got that butterflies in your tummy feeling.
I turned to see Naya standing in the doorway, bag at her feet, with the biggest smile on her face. I could tell that she was tired, but for the most part she was hiding it well. I didn't say anything, I just found myself walking towards her and throwing my arms around her. I'd missed her like crazy. Yes, we spoke every night before bed. And we texted constantly throughout the day. But I hadn't seen my wifes beautiful face in almost two months, and seeing her now made me fall in love with her all over again.
"Yeah, her." Nicky said as he struggled to contain his giggling.
"Hey baby." Naya said as she wrapped me in her arms.
"Hey you." I managed to get out before I pulled back and looked at her. "I can't believe you're here." I said then, before I leaned down and kissed her.
"Well believe it" she said a minute later, after I'd reluctantly pulled away from the kiss. "Because I took a taxi, I took a train and then I took a flight half way across the country just to be here." she added.
I was shocked. I hadn't known she was coming, and clearly she had already been on her way when she'd called me last night. I turned around then to see Nicky, sat at the island in the kitchen, still giggling. He must have known.
"You knew mama was coming Rabbit?" I asked, as I made my way towards him.
My little boy didn't speak. Just looked at me and nodded his head enthusiastically. He was still giggling, clearly happy with himself and how he'd managed to keep this surprise from me.
"Mama!" he said then, as he got down from his chair, ran towards Naya and threw his arms around her waist. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too." Naya replied, as she bent down and picked Nicky up. "Good job kiddo." she added as she high fived him.
"What happened to the movie?" I found myself asking, as I stood in awe watching my wife and son together.
"I managed to persuade Claire to give me a few days off. She's gonna shoot around me for a couple days, then go back and shoot my scenes later." Naya answered, as she put Nicky down. "I am the star of the show." she added, kissing me as she made her way in to the kitchen. "So, when does this breakfast party start?" she asked, taking the seat next to where Nicky had been sitting only a few minutes ago.
"You guys planned this?" I asked, shocked my little boy had managed to keep this a secret from me. "Even the breakfast party?"
"Hey, what can I say? We know you and how your mind works. I knew once Nicky gave you that trademark pout, you'd do anything to make him happy and what better way than a breakfast party with the people he loves most?" Naya replied. She really did know me. "Speaking of which." she added.
Before she could say another word though, the doorbell rang. Apparently all of this had been planned and everyone close to me had managed to keep it a secret.
"Come up." I found myself saying, pressing the buzzer to allow our friends in.
I'd taken a bit of a break from work recently, I'd been offered varies opportunities, but I'd decided that staying with Nicky and getting to know my son better, was the best decision for me, so I'd turned all offers down. I'd become a typical stay at home mom, running around after him, taking him to and picking him up from school, helping him with his homework and deciding what after school projects he wanted to get involved in. Truth was, I loved it. In all my life, of all the jobs I'd had and loved, of all the roles I'd played, none came even remotely close to that of mother. I'd spent the first four years of Nicky's life away from him, his father had taken him from me the second he was born, and I'd missed the first four years of his life. Since I got him back, I tried every day desperately to make up for lost time, whilst trying to be a balanced parent. I didn't want Nicky to become spoiled or damaged by me trying to over compensate. And so far I seemed to be doing a good job of helping him become a well rounded individual.
Now as I sat at the kitchen table, at a little before 7am, taking in the faces around me, I knew there was no way my little boy would grow up to be anything less than an exceptional, kind, smart, loving man. I was surrounded by the people I called my family. Not blood relatives, but then blood doesn't make a family. I felt happy, I felt at peace.
I'd had a rough time these past few years, things got out of hand, there were crimes committed and court cases closed, and people who died. I was lucky, even though my life had been threatened, and the lives of my family, none of the people I loved had been hurt. None of my family had died.
I found my eyes glancing around the table then, at the faces of the women who I adored more than anything. The women I believed were my sisters. Not blood sisters, but sisters none the less. Then at my wife, my rock, the love of my life. Naya was my everything. Almost losing her, having faked my own death and put her through the grief of mourning me, I knew I never wanted to be apart from her again. That's why I hated her working away so much. But she is a superstar. I'm not being biased, she is one of a kind. Singer, actress, producer, and now she was about to launch her own fashion brand. My wife, one in a billion.
"Hey." It was whispered, but it brought me from my internal thoughts.
"Huh?" I asked, turning to glance at the faces around the table. It seemed all eyes were on me.
"Are you okay?" it was Naya, looking at me, face full of concern.
"Yeah, I'm good." I smiled. I didn't like the concerned look on her face, and I wanted to do anything to make her lose it.
"You were kinda, off in your own world there for a while." she said then, as she reached her hand across the table and placed it on my arm.
I looked at the faces of the people at the table once again. They had that look, like they wondered what the hell was going on with me.
"Sorry guys, just having you here feels good. Ya know?" I said, smiling again, trying to lighten the mood that had taken over the room.
"Don't give us that crap. I know you were fantasizing about what's gonna happen tonight now that Naya's home."
It was Dianna, always the great ice breaker.
"Di!" Lea chastisted. "Don't put thoughts like that in my head!" she whined.
We all seemed to share a laugh then, the awkward moment seemed to have passed. I turned to look at Naya. She still had that concerned look in her eye.
"You got me!" I said, trying to keep the mood light. Again, there were laughs. And Naya seemed to ease up then.
When the room became more animated, Naya leaned in closer to me and whispered. "You sure you're okay?"
I smiled at her, a genuine smile. I'd missed her like crazy, she'd been back less than an hour and she was worried about me because I'd gotten lost inside my own head for a while. She was adorable.
"I'm better than okay." I answered honestly, leaning in and giving her a quick kiss.
"Mommy." the voice of my little angel grabbed the attention of everyone in the room.
I turned to see Nicky, his Buzz Lightyear doll in his hand, and it seemed to be broken.
"What's wrong, Rabbit?" I asked, getting up out of my seat and making my way towards where he stood in the middle of the room.
"Olivia broke my Buzz." Nicky stated. There was emotion in his voice, like he was upset, but he seemed to not want to show it in any other way.
"Olivia!" I heard Lea call from behind me.
Olivia toddled into the room, smiling wide, like she didn't have a care in the world. She probably didn't. Most three year olds don't, do they?
"Yes, mama?" she asked, toddling towards where Lea and Dianna sat at the table.
"What did you do to Nicky's Buzz?" It was Dianna this time. She'd scooped Olivia up on to her knee, and was looking into her little girls beautiful big brown eyes.
"Broke." Olivia replied, looking up at Dianna. "Sorry." she added, looking between her two moms.
"It's okay, sweetie." I reassured Olivia, before bending down so I was at eye level with Nicky. "It's okay, Rabbit. It was just an accident. We'll get you a new one."
Nicky didn't do or say anything for what seemed like the longest minute in history. Then he walked towards me and threw his arms around me. I could tell he was upset. He'd tried to hide it, but now he seemed to be failing.
"Oh, it's okay buddy." I said, shushing him as I held him close. "It's just a toy, baby. We can replace it." I tried to reassure him.
Nicky pulled back then and looked into my eyes. It was like he was trying to decide if I were telling him the truth or not. I hadn't realised it until that moment, but I don't think he'd ever broken a toy until then.
"Hey Rabbit." it was Naya, she was moving towards us both in the middle of the room. "It's okay. You and me, why don't we go to the toy store? We can pick you up a new one?"
"Really?" Nicky asked, looking between the two of us.
"Really." Naya said, as she outstretched her arms for him.
"Okay, let's go." Nicky said then, surprising us all, as he took a hold of Naya's hand.
"Won't be long guys." Naya said then, as she made her way to the front door.
A few minutes later, after Naya and Nicky had left, I was sat back at the table. Olivia seemed to have snuggled herself in to Dianna, like she was sad. Maybe that the toy was broken or maybe that Nicky left, I didn't know.
"Sorry about that. We can totally pay for the new toy." Lea said then.
"No, don't be silly. It's fine. They're kids. They play with toys, toys break." I answered.
"Sorry." Olivia said again. It was impossible to be mad with her, not that I had been. I could see why Lea and Dianna had fallen in love with her and why they ultimately decided to make her their daughter when they adopted her a year ago.
"It's okay sweetie." I reassured.
"You want a hand with the washing up?" Lea asked, motioning the plates on the table. Most were at least half empty.
"No, it's okay. I can do it. But thanks." I replied.
"We need to start making a move. Olivia has a doctors appointment in half an hour." Dianna said then.
"Everything okay?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
"Yeah, everything's fine. Just some booster shots." Dianna replied.
"Oh." I said, relieved. I hated when kids were sick. There wasn't much you could do for them. So for the most part you just sat around helpless wanting nothing more than to be able to do something to help them, to ease their pain. When in reality, there was next to nothing you could do. I was glad Olivia wasn't sick.
"Are you sure you're okay with the washing up?" Lea asked again. "I feel bad, you made this great breakfast and now you get landed with the washing up too." she added.
"It's fine. Honestly." I answered, as I pulled my friend into a hug. "That's what dishwashers are for."
Dianna had put Olivia's coat on and had gotten her bag together, when I broke from the embrace with Lea, Dianna pulled me into a hug.
"Thanks for breakfast." she said, before she kissed my cheek and pulled away.
"Bye." My two best friends and my god daughter chimed, before they opened my front door and were gone.
The house was so quiet. I wasn't used to this. I stood in silence for a minute, just getting lost in the nothingness of it. I'd never much liked the silence, it made me feel so alone. But now, just a little of it here and there felt good, in an otherwise loud day.
I started to empty the plates and load them into the dishwasher, when my silence was broken by a ringing phone. I put the plate that had been in my hand, down on the table and made my way over to the island where my cell phone sat. Caller I.D read unknown number. I didn't usually answer these, I didn't much see the point. They were usually someone trying to sell you something you didn't need, or someone with a wrong number. But for some reason I found myself answering the phone.
"Hello?" I answered, cradling the phone between my shoulder and my ear.
Nothing. Complete silence on the other end of the line. "Hello?" I asked again, ready to hang up, thinking the line must have gone dead. I moved my phone from my ear and looked at the screen, checking the call was still in progress. It was, the clock ticking as the seconds passed. Letting me know the call had been connected for the last ten seconds.
"Hello? Who's there?" I asked, putting the phone back by my ear. "If you don't answer I'm gonna hang up." I said then, getting frustrated. Who called someone and then left the line completely silent? I moved the phone again, the clock now read sixteen seconds. This was starting to bore me.
"Bye." I said, as I went to hang up.
"Heather." the voice was deep, definitely male. But it was a voice I didn't recognise.
"Who is this?" I asked.
Silence once again. Complete utter silence. I waited, let a few seconds pass. Twenty eight seconds had passed. The seconds were ticking by.
"You made a mistake." the voice said, again deep and raw.
"What?" I asked. Not knowing what to say to that. I wanted to ask more, I wanted to say more. But I seemed to have lost my voice. I had no idea what was going on here.
"You will pay." and then the call ended. Just like that forty five seconds after it had began.
I'd just come back from the toy store with Nicky, not only had I replaced his broken Buzz Lightyear, I also bought him the new Woody doll. You pulled it's string and it spouted all different catchprases at you. Nikcy loved it the second he had it in his hands, so I did what any good parent trying to console an upset child did, I got him what he wanted. Nicky had bounded into his play room, the second I opened the front door. He was happy, that's all that mattered to me. I wasn't sure if Lea and Dianna were still here, but I doubted it. I walked into the kitchen where everyone had been, but no one was there. Just half empty plates on the table and some half loaded into the dishwasher. Something was happening. I wasn't sure what, but something had distracted Heather from what she'd been doing.
I walked into the living room and that's where I found her, sitting on the couch, hunched over, head in her hands, rocking back and forth. Something was definitely wrong.
"Baby?" I asked, moving further into the living room and sitting down beside her. "What's going on?" I added then, as I slid an arm around her.
"I don't know." she answered, and it was then that I realised she'd been crying.
I pulled her in to me and wrapped her in my arms as best I could. I wanted her close. I hated seeing her upset, it nearly broke me in two.
"What happened?" I asked then, changing the question a little.
Heather didn't answer me straight away, she just sat in my arms, still slightly rocking. Then she pointed to the coffee table in front of us. I looked up and saw her cell phone sitting there. I didn't understand.
"Someone called you?" I asked. She nodded. "Who?"
She stopped rocking, pulling back a little to look at me. Her face was tear stained and she seemed broken. Something was definitely wrong and I hated it. Hated seeing her like this.
"I don't know." she said, barely above a whisper. "A man." she added.
"What did he want?" I asked.
Heather sniffled, she was trying to hold back tears. She was clearly feeling very emotional but she was trying to keep the tears at bay. She was trying to tell me what had happened.
"I ... I think, I think he was threatening me." she said, before she slumped into my arms.
A whole host of thoughts, questions and emotions coursed through me.
"Tell me what happened." I managed to get out.
Heather looked up at me, she wiped her eyes, and sniffled before she told me what had happened, how she'd been putting the dishes away when her cell phone had rang, how it was an unknown number, how there was silence on the other end of the line, how a man then spoke and told her she'd made a mistake and that she would pay, before he hung up.
When she finished, I was at a loss. I had no idea what to say or what to do. Normally something like this may have been considered an idle threat. Someone trying to scare us, or maybe a crazed fan. But with what we'd been through, less than two years ago, made this seem so much more real and so much more scary.
We sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, but was probably only a few minutes. Then it hit me. I knew what to do here. I knew if anyone would help us, it would be her. The one person who had helped us through the ordeal we'd been through two years ago. It didn't hurt that she was an FBI agent either.
I got up and walked towards the mirror on the wall. I touched the pressure pad and the mirror moved. When it stopped turning, the safe came in to view. Cliche I know, but we had things we wanted to keep safe but also wanted to keep close. This seemed like the best option. I keyed in the code, then placed my finger into the finger print identification slot. After a few seconds, the mechanism clanged and the safe door opened. I turned to see that Heather was watching me with a bewildered look on her face. I turned back around and reached inside the safe. I didn't want the cash or any of the other valuables there. I wanted the single card that was resting on the cusion in the corner of the safe. I picked it up and pulled it out of the safe, before closing the door and concealing the safe once again. I walked towards Heather, the card in my hand. She knew what I was doing now, and she nodded in agreement.
"I'm gonna call Catherine." I said, although I didn't know why I'd said it out loud. We both knew what I was going to do.