Braids

"NO! I want John to do my hair!"

"Suri –"

"NO!" The little girl stomped away from her mother and ran up to John Reese who had just returned from checking the perimeter of the safe house they were staying at.

Reese shared a brief glance with Joss, who stood quietly next to Suri's mother, a former reality TV star whose fame had faded several years ago. They had spent the week undercover as a bodyguard/driver and personal assistant, respectively, while Suri's mother, Lauralee, had tried unsuccessfully to peddle her autobiography all over town.

Rumors that she was hoping to revitalize her career by selling sex tapes of her cavorting with her cast mates' husbands had finally accomplished something five tumultuous seasons could never have done – brought them together in a plot to kill her.

Enticed to a meeting at a warehouse in the deserted part of the city with the promise of a part for Suri, Reese and Joss had managed to spirit mother and daughter away under a hail of wildly careening bullets and a harrowing chase through an abandoned subway tunnel.

The police were rounding up the last of the castmates and Finch was completing the arrangements for Lauralee and Suri to begin a new life overseas with Suri's father, who was overjoyed to be reunited with his daughter again.

Without the makeup and frilly clothes, clean, fresh faced and dressed in a simple long sleeved top, drawstring pants and colorful sneakers, Suri looked like any little girl, her red-gold hair spilling halfway down her back. "Joss," Suri turned her head and smiled at her, "gave me a bath, but I want you to do my hair, John."

Reese squatted down in front of her. "That's a big responsibility. You sure I can do that?"

Suri nodded vigorously. "I know you can."

Reese looked at her solemnly, then nodded. "Go sit over there. I'll be with you in a minute."

The little girl skipped over to a low chair, and sat down with a big smile on her face, while Suri's mother, still stunned by the day's events, plopped down on the couch, bemused by the little drama unfolding in front of her.

Joss leaned against the wall as he gathered the necessary supplies in a hallway closet. "You sure about this, John?"

"I coiffed a few heads in the past, Carter."

She raised an eyebrow. "But were they still attached to a body?"

"Bartenders and hair stylists always know the best secrets, Detective. You'll tell them things you wouldn't tell your spouse, your doctor, your best friend or your priest." Reese smirked at her. "You've even been known to let a few things slip once or twice during an appointment at Nefetari's"

Joss gave him that look. "Do you listen to all of my conversations?"

Reese smiled. "I especially liked 'if you were forced to choose among your three closest friends - kill, boink or marry?' debate last month." His eyes slid over her. "You never did answer that question, Joss."

Joss grabbed the basket out of his hand and stalked back into the living room, with Reese following close behind her.

Standing behind Suri's chair, Reese took off his white shirt. Joss couldn't help noticing the curve of his biceps and the smattering of dark hair peaking out from the vee of his undershirt.

He picked up a comb. "You have a few tangles, Suri. This may hurt a little bit."

"Can Joss hold my hand?"

"Of course."

Joss sat down beside Suri and watched him quietly working, his strong forearms flexing as he combed and oiled the little girl's hair.

Her hair finally fell loose and Reese combed it through.

"What's next?" Suri asked.

"I'm going to give you a special hairstyle. Braids."

"Braids?" Suri's voice was skeptical. "Everybody has braids, John."

"These braids are different. They were worn by a little girl like you, who grew up and became Queen of her country."

Joss looked questioningly at Reese, but he didn't wink or smirk at her. He was totally focused on his task and his tale.

"A Queen?" Suri asked.

"Yes. Her name was Amina."

"Amina," Suri said quietly, letting the name roll over her tongue. "Where was she from?"

"She lived a long time ago in western Africa, in a country now called Nigeria."

Suri thought for a minute, then her face brightened. "Across the ocean!"

"Yes. Way across the ocean."

"What was she like?"

"She was smart and strong and brave, just like you."

"Good in school?"

"Very good in school."

"What did she look like?"

"Oh, she was beautiful." He paused, his eyes catching Joss' for a moment. "She had pretty brown skin, and long dark hair and big brown eyes. And her smile could light up a room."

Suri nodded eagerly, "Like Joss!"

Reese nodded. "Yes. Just like Joss."

"Joss is smart and strong and brave, too, like Amina."

"Yes," Reese smiled softly, "she is."

"When we went in the tunnel, I was scared, but Joss held my hand, and I wasn't scared any more. She helped me – like she's helping me now."

"Joss helps people all the time."

"Did she ever help you, John?"

Reese stopped braiding Suri's hair, his voice even softer than usual, as he gazed at Joss. "From the moment I met her."

The little girl turned in her seat, watching the two adults staring at each other. "Is Joss your girlfriend?"

"You think she should be?"

"Yes." Suri said simply. She turned her back to Reese again. "I want to hear more about Amina."

XXX

Several hours later, Suri bade Reese and Joss a tearful goodbye as Fusco escorted mother and daughter from the safe house.

"Looks like we have the rest of the evening to ourselves, Detective." Flexing his long fingers, he winked at her. "Any ideas of how we could spend the time?"

"Well…you could give me a fancy new hairstyle, John."

Reese cocked his head at her, then swept Joss up in his arms and carried her to the master bedroom. Gently laying her down on the bed, he watched as her hair fanned out over the pillow.

"My favorite style for you, Detective, is this."

She gave him that look. "As long as you fix it right afterwards."

"The salon is closed now, Joss, but I'll be glad to fix it…tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow? Hmmmm…I guess I can wait."

Reese bent his head to kiss her, then sat back. "You never did answer that question, Joss. Kill, boink or marry?"

"Well, I don't have three close friends, John. In fact…I really only have one."

"Really?" He took her left hand. "That makes the choice easier, Joss. Kill, boink or…" his thumb ran slowly down her ring finger, "marry?"

"Well, I'm tempted to kill him at least once a week, and I do like boinking him…but marrying him?" Her eyes softened for a moment, then she smiled. "You did say the salon is closed, John. I guess that answer…" she sat up and kissed him, "will just have to wait until tomorrow."