Author's Note: So I wasn't sure if I was going to continue with this series, but then I thought I wanted to see how Reese would be in the role of Father :) So a lot of fluff and cuteness to be had, but not to worry there is be serious drama to come. I hope to enjoy the read and if you read I sincerely hope you will leave a review. Please keep in mind this is a 'fan's fic', my fic and if it's not written to your satisfaction then please read something else or better yet write your own fic. ;)
A Personal Interest: Book V
"Morning Finch," Reese greeted as he entered their headquarters.
"Morning Mr. Reese," Finch greeted as his eyes remained locked onto the screen he had pulled up. He didn't let his eyes lift to where Reese stood until he heard the soft cries of a baby fill his ears. Finch's eyes widen a bit as they settled onto the newest addition to their team, baby Vivian Reese Carter. "Mr. Reese, why is Vivian here, and more importantly does her mother know she's here?" Finch asked as he stood from his desk and limped to where the man and child stood. Despite his apprehension to how Carter would react knowing that Reese had brought their daughter to 'work', Finch was still happy to see her. He had really taken to his role of 'Uncle' to both Vivian and Taylor. Enjoyed spending time with them and giving them gifts, or as Carter would often say 'Spoiling them'.
"Well Finch, today was supposed to be my day off remember?" Reese commented as his eyes stayed focused onto his daughter, who looked up at him with a smile. "So I gave the nanny you hired us the day off to spend with her family, and I don't want to call her up and ask her to watch Viv. Besides, this is just a simple surveillance to gather some intel, right? Nothing too heavy and a man with a baby wouldn't stand out to anyone as a threat."
"Well taking into consideration that your significant other would probably castrate you if she knew you had taken her baby on a numbers job?" Finch questioned as he lifted Vivian from the carrier Reese had secured to his chest. "Hello Vivian," Finch cooed around a smile as he finally held her in his arms. Vivian instantly gurgled out happily, obviously recognizing her Uncle Finch even at just seven months old. "How is my beautiful niece this morning? Do you think you've dressed her well enough to be gallivanting around New York City this time of year?" Finch asked as he let his eyes scan over the pink and yellow summer dress Vivian wore with matching pink and yellow sandals, finishing off the look with a pink bow clipped in her thick curly hair, that had lighten to a shade of light brown and took on more of her mother's texture than her father's. Her skin tone however was an equal balance of both of her parents, a caramel shade.
"It's summertime Finch and if she gets too hot I'll take her inside. As for Jos I have no plans to tell her of me and Viv's adventures today, do you?"
"Let's just hope she has no reason to call me today, I find it very difficult to lie to Jos even over the phone she has a way of just knowing." Reese simply nodded his head in agreement. "Maybe it would be best if Viv stayed here, you know I am very capable of looking after her and I even have so baby things in the back room," Finch stated and Reese arched his brow in interest. "I thought it would be best in the unlikely event you ever had to bring her here, and it seems I was right in my thoughts on that."
"Thanks for the offer Finch but no thank you I had already plan a day out with Viv. I'm taking her to the park, some boutiques for some more things, she's growing so fast Finch," He said with a proud smile as he reached out and brushed his fingers against her soft head of curls. "You know Jos was right about all those clothes you brought her she's only got to wear a quarter of them, the rest we had to donate.
"That's OK I have taken the liberty of setting up accounts for her at several of the best children's boutiques here in town as well as several in London, Paris, and Italy, money is no object, all my treat, and if there's a shop that is not included that you or Jos wish to add just let me know."
"Jos is right you do spoil our kids." Reese said with a smirk.
"That's what uncles are supposed to do right?" Finch spoke out as he reached up and stroked at Vivian's round, full cheeks and she rewarded him with a wide gummy smile.
"So who am I tailing today?" Reese asked as he scooped his daughter back from Finch, who in turned frowned a bit but released her back to her father. Reese resettle Vivian, who excitedly kicked her legs, back into the carrier as Finch moved back to his workstation to pull up the information on their new number.
"Her name is Rebecca Jones and she is the very well-kept mistress of our latest number Dr. Andreas Krates. He's a self-made multimillionaire obstetrician." Finch said as he moved to the board and taped up a picture of Miss Jones next to the one of Dr. Krates.
"If she's so well kept why do you suspect her as a potential threat?" Reese asked as he moved closer to the board while he let his teething baby girl gnaw on his finger.
"Well I intercepted a phone call between Dr. Krates and Mrs. Krates yesterday, apparently the missus is now aware of the mistress and she made Dr. Krates realize that keeping his wife would be far less expensive than keeping his mistress. As of this morning all of Miss Jones's bank account set up for her by Dr. Krates have been closed and all of the limitless credit cards he has given her will decline. Miss Jones is about to lose the lifestyle she has become accustomed to for the past five years, and I think that will make her a strong contender."
"Right, well send her location to my phone. Hey Viv you wanna go be a superhero with daddy, huh?" Reese spoke to his attentive daughter in a babyish voice which made Finch smile warmly at the man standing before him. Finch couldn't help but think on how much Reese had changed since they first met he knew that John Reese had 'literally' been reborn, and that his new life definitely agreed with him.
Later
"How are things going Mr. Reese?" Finch's voice came through the earpiece.
"Well I think you may be right about Miss Jones, she's already been declined at several stores and it doesn't look like Dr. Krates is accepting her calls now. I'd say he's definitely been moved from her Christmas list to her shit list."
"Mr. Reese, please do try to watch your language in front of Vivian."
"I covered her ears Finch," Reese stated with a smirk just as he removed his hands from his daughter's ears, and by the way she frowned up and whimpered a bit, he could tell she didn't like being left out of their conversation. "Wait a minute," Reese spoke out as he watched the woman he had been following for the past couple of hours from across the street. "It looks like Miss Jones has another male friend."
"Another suitor?" Finch asked as he tried to pull up the cameras at their location to get a better view of the mystery guy, and see what he could pull up on him.
"No, just by the way he's standing and scoping his surroundings I'd say he's some kind of ex-military probably special ops."
"Yes and now an assassin. Mr. Reese that is Miguel Munoz, ex-military turned assassin for hire. He is wanted by just about every Government agencies around the globe." Finch said as he lifted his gaze from the screen. "I think it is time for you and Vivian to end your pursuit, now John." He added as a panic for his niece filled him.
"Too late," Reese spoke as he then placed a kissed against his daughter's forehead while seeing Miss Jones and her mystery guy crossing the street out of his peripheral vision. "He's spotted me probably just as easily as I spotted him." Reese added as he wrapped his arm more protectively around his daughter and just waited. He hoped this guy had enough self-preservation to not start anything with so many people around.
"Oh God, should I call Jos?" Finch wondered aloud as his heart began to race.
"No, are you crazy?" Reese exclaimed through the line his voice a pitch higher than normal and caused his daughter to stare up at him curiously. "She'll kill me if she knew I took our daughter on a job. Don't worry I won't let anything happen to our baby Finch."
"You had better not otherwise Jos will have to wait in line to kill you." Finch stated and then ended the call but left the line open so he could clearly hear what was happening.
"Hey," The mystery man called out and Reese focused his full attention onto Vivian and pretended as if he hadn't heard the man just a few steps away from them.
"Miguel, what are you doing?" Rebecca Jones called out as she tugged at the man's arm, and the man quickly turned to face her.
"What you already hired someone else to do the job?" Miguel asked in a low menacing voice.
"What are you talking about?" Rebecca asked clearly confused. "You charged across the street to pick a fight with a man holding a baby?"
"Right an innocent man with a baby, it's a front one I've used myself a time or two." Miguel stated as he focused back onto Reese and Vivian. "Who do you work for?"
"Excuse me?" Reese replied playing dumb to the dangerous situation.
"Ok you want to play it like that," Miguel said as he pulled a gun from his pocket. "Move," He waved the gun towards the nearby alleyway. Reese's eyes immediately locked in on the gun and then when he looked up at the man holding it all facades had fallen. With just his eyes Reese had let this fellow assassin know that he had been right on sensing that Reese was or had been in a similar profession as he. Also Reese's eyes told the man that he had made a terrible mistake pointing a gun at his child. Both Reese and Miguel knew in that moment that only one of them would leave that alleyway alive.
"Oh my God, are you crazy?" Rebecca asked as she followed the men down the alleyway. "This is not what I hired you for this is not the man I need you to take care of. Oh God...and he has a baby." She exclaimed as she began to visually panic.
"Yes I do," Reese spoke out calmly. "Her name is Vivian and I need you to take her." He said this as he looked directly at Rebecca for a split second before he resettled his eyes back onto the man with the gun. "My daughter has nothing to do with this, this is between me and you," Reese spoke this directly to the man before him. "Please let her take my daughter to safety." Reese grasped Vivian from under her arms, but he didn't make a move to lift her until he saw Miguel give a nod of his head. Reese then pulled Vivian from the carrier. "Here take her." He directed to Rebecca and she hurriedly moved and took Vivian who didn't care for this woman who was not her mommy holding her, and she began to wail. "It's ok Viv, its OK baby."
"What am I supposed to do with her?" Rebecca asked as she held Vivian out from her body like she were some smelly trash.
"Well first don't hold her like that you might drop her, nestle her more closely to your bosom."
"Yeah and mind her little head," Miguel tossed in and Rebecca did as instructed.
"Wait she's not gonna try to breast feed is she?" The woman asked with a frown as she hugged the baby closer to her. Both men rolled their eyes slightly.
"Don't worry she prefers chocolate milk," Reese said. "Now listen carefully her mother is Det. Jocelyn Carter and she works at the 9th precinct. Make sure to get her to her mother, understand?"
"Oh God now the cops are going to be involved you idiot!" Rebecca hissed at Miguel who too looked to be worried now himself at this news.
"Hey!" Reese regain her attention with his sharp tone that made his daughter flinch and then cry more sorrowfully, and it nearly broke Reese's heart that she was so scared and he couldn't comfort her. "Just make sure that you get her to her mother safely, understand?" Rebecca clutched the wailing Vivian closer to her shielding the baby, as she nodded to Reese's commands.
"Sorry but I don't think I can let any of you leave now. I don't like to take out kids but, c'est la vie," Miguel finally spoke out as he shrugged his shoulders a bit. "You over here against the wall, right beside h..." Miguel's words were cut short. In the second it took him to cut his eyes to Rebecca, Reese had disarmed him and then snapped his neck. Rebecca stood watching Reese with wide frightened filled eyes as she protectively clutched Vivian even tighter to her, making sure the baby hadn't seen the violence.
"Yo..you just killed him," She gasped out in shock.
"It was either him or us, besides you hired him to kill your boyfriend Dr. Krates, and I'm sure there is some paper trail that will attest to that fact."
"No, I didn't want him to kill Andreas, just to rough him up a bit." She defended.
"This man," Reese pointed to the dead man crumbled on the ground. "Was just about to kill you, me, and my 7 month old daughter, do you honestly think he would have just 'roughed up' your ex-boyfriend?" Rebecca stood silently for a second mulling it over and then Reese's words and his knowledge of her situation suddenly struck her.
"Wait how do you know so much about me and Andreas?"
"Let's just say I work for those who try to prevent the senseless murders of others. Look I believe that you had no intentions of killing Dr. Krates but I can promise you had you sent him," Reese again pointed down at the dead man. "That is exactly what would have happened. My advice to you is to go find yourself another sugar daddy, and preferably one who isn't already married."
"So what do we do now about 'him' I mean?"
"Don't worry I'll take care of it. Give me my daughter back," He spoke as he stepped towards them and Rebecca instinctively stepped back still protectively clutching Vivian.
"How do I even know she is your daughter? Maybe...maybe I should just take her to her momma like you said." Rebecca stated as he took another step away from Reese.
"Just look at her, she has my eyes, she's reaching and crying for 'me', and I just killed this man because he threatened her do you really think I'm just going to let you walk off with her?"
"I...I'll scream," She nervously said.
"Go ahead," Reese said nonchalantly but inwardly prayed that she wouldn't. "I have pictures and documentation in my wallet proving that I am her father," He gave a partial truth he did have a lot of pictures but no legal documentation which he planned to speak with Finch about rectifying. "You as I mentioned will no doubt have some paper trail, most likely a payout to Mr. Miguel here. Now who do you think the police are more likely to look suspiciously at? Never mind my lady, Vivian's mother is a police detective, remember...Det Jocelyn Carter." He could see that he had truly frightened her now and that her hold on Vivian seemed desperate. "Look, just give me my daughter and leave, go live your life and never speak of this. I'll take care of Mr. Miguel here, Ok?"
"How?" She asked.
"Do you really want to know?" Reese asked and she quickly shook her head no as she stepped to him and held out Vivian.
"No here take your kid, she smells like she needs to be changed." Reese enveloped his daughter back into the security of his arms as Rebecca hurried back out of the alleyway. Reese buried his nose in the thick soft curls atop Vivian's head, closed his eyes a moment and just breathed in her scent. He then places gentle kisses on her forehead as she quieted down a bit and rested her head against her father's chest.
"Daddy's sorry babygirl, never again...never again." He mumbled the promise against her head. "Finch," He called out knowing that Finch was listening.
"Yes Mr. Reese I have already alerted Fusco to the situation, and do not worry he will use discretion when it comes to Jos."
"Thank you, I'm taking Viv home I think we've both had enough excitement for one day." Reese stated as he moved them to exit the opposite end of the alleyway from where they'd entered. "Oh and Finch I need documentation for Vivian, legal proof that she's mine. I want her to have my last name."
"I will see what I can do but you do understand that given that you are a fugitive it may prove...tricky but I am sure I can come up with something creative."
"Thanks Finch," Reese said with a smile. He had cleared the alleyway just as the police siren could be heard pulling up at the other end.
Later that evening
Carter had been looking forward to getting home to her babies and her 'man' all day. A part of her was jealous that John had the day off to spend with their daughter while she had to work. When she finally stumbled through the door and kicked off her shoes by the door, she walked in and noticed the sleeping man and child on the couch. Carter's heart swelled with love as it always did when she was witness to the bond between John and both Vivian and Taylor. She giggled a bit as her eyes rested for a second on John's relaxed face as she slept with his head thrown back and mouth slightly opened, and then she looked to her daughter settled snuggly against her father's chest with her head back slight and her mouth open. They looked so much alike in that moment. Carter smiled and shook her head as she moved to her 'babies'. She leaned down and kissed the smallest one atop the head and when she raised to place a kiss on John's forehead she wasn't at all surprised to see his electric blues gazing at her now fully alert.
"You let me get this close before you decided to wake up?" She asked in a hushed voice as so to not wake the sleeping baby. "Aren't you always supposed to be on guard?"
"I needed you this close so could deliver my deadly blow," Reese teased with a sleep laced gravelly voice and a smirk.
"Oh really?" Carter replied as Reese reached his free arm out and grasped her while maintaining a secure hold on their still sleeping daughter.
"Uhm…hmm, c'mere." He drawled out as he tugged her closer until her lips found his. Carter's knees weakened as they always did the instant their mouths touched, and she crumbled to the floor beside the couch. When Reese began to do his signature move with his tongue that made Carter's womb catch fire with need, she hastily broke away, panting.
"Nuh…uh, we can't…not now anyway." She said as she tried to tug her arm free of Reese's grasp but he wasn't ready to give up just yet.
"Why not, Taylor is spending a couple of nights with his friends." Reese said as he tried to pull her back to him and at that moment the soft cry of their other child rang out as her little head began to bob up from her father's chest. When she turned and spotted her mother her wails increased in volume and she excitedly tried to get to her mother.
"Hello my beautiful baby girl," Carter cooed at her daughter as she pulled from Reese now relaxed grip and grasped her baby. "You have perfect timing my love, because your daddy was just trying to get some and you just reminded him that we have a very impressionable baby in the house that will make his attempts very difficult." Vivian giggled out as if she understood her mother's words and both Carter and Reese laughed out at her.
"You feed her, burp her, change her and she'll be out for a good 4 hours," Reese said as he threw his legs over the side of the couch. He then leaned forward and kissed the back of his child's head and then swooped in for a quick peck on the lips of his lady love. "Then I can get some." He ended by waggling his brows and was rewarded with a smile and giggles from Carter, who he knew would happily oblige him in his quest later. At that moment the doorbell rang. Just as Carter moved to stand and answer the door, Reese stilled her by placing a hand on her arm. The serious look on his face set her on edge a bit. She knew he only got that way when he was working a dangerous number, so she stayed where she was and allowed him to go peek out the window. Reese got to the window just in time to see the delivery guy re-enter his truck. When he noticed the name of the delivery company he instantly relaxed because he knew it was one that Finch owned, and have purchased solely so he could get important things delivered to him. "Special delivery from Finch," Reese answered Carter's questioning eyes as she sat with her blouse opened and their daughter already nestled to her breast feeding.
"Lord I hope it's not more clothes for Vivian, she's growing so fast and Finch gets her so much stuff she's never able to wear it all." Carter called out as Reese made his way to the door. He opened the door a crack and let his eyes scan the surroundings briefly before fully opened the door and he stepped out and retrieved the large manila envelope by the door. Reese then did another quick scan before he reentered the house. He read the writing on the envelope as he walked back into the living room where Carter was now seated on the couch still nursing Vivian. "No this is addressed to me, but I did mention to Finch today that 'you' think he's spoiling our kids."
"And you don't…we're running out of room here John," she replied as she rolled her eyes slightly as Reese opened the envelope and pulled out the contents.
"Well you were the one who didn't want to stay in that spacious apartment Finch set up for us after Viv was born, it's still available. I have the keys so whenever you want to move back in just let me know."
"I don't know I just felt like a kept woman in that place, and it's kind of hard to explain the new digs on my meager cop's salary." She said.
"You are a kept woman," Reese declared as he read over the note that Finch had attached to the documents in the envelope. "Kept by me, and if it makes you feel any better I made sure that I had Finch dock my pay for the place, a full month's pay, so it's ours, and listed under my name of course. Jonathan Michael Reese,"
"That is not your real name." Carter proclaimed as she smirked up at him.
"It is now…it's close enough and more importantly it's all legal," Reese said with a smile as he threw her a wink before refocusing on the papers he held.
"Wait you went to see Finch today," Carter's mind fleshed out some tidbits of their conversation. "He didn't have you working some number did he…you didn't take Vivian…"
"No," Reese lied as he looked at Carter with cool, calm eyes and he could see her stiffened shoulders instantly relax at his words, and he silently promised he would never take Vivian with him again even on a simple surveillance. "I 'called' Finch and asked him to get some legal documents for me, and he did." Reese said as a smile played on his lips as he read and re-read over the documents. "So now we can live a bit more freely without having to worry so much about the FBI, you will very soon be Mrs. Jonathan Reese, and even better than all that I'd like you to meet Miss Vivian Kaitlyn Reese." He announced as he handed the brand new 'legal' birth certification of their daughter over to Carter. Carter read over the document and noticed the name change as well as the field for the 'father' was now filled out.
"Kaitlyn, that's beautiful, your mother's name?" She asked as she fought down the tears of joy that wanted out. Reese shook his head 'no'.
"My grandmother, on my mom's side, she looked after me more than my mother." He answered.
"Vivian Kaitlyn Reese," She repeated the name already liking the sound of it.
"I know from what you've told me about your ex-husband he was a fine man, and he helped you create Taylor and I'll be indebted to him for that alone. But I don't want another man claiming 'my' child, 'my' flesh, 'my' blood," Reese explained and hoped Carter wouldn't be upset.
"I get it, I do…I understand and I don't fault you John," Carter reassured with a smile. "It is a beautiful name."
"And what about you?" He asked as he suddenly grew nervous. "Would you be ok with Det. Jocelyn Carter-Reese?"
"No, sorry," Carter replied and Reese's heart clinched in his chest but he hardened his face so the hurt didn't show there. "But I am ok with Jocelyn Renee Reese, or just Det. Reese." She added and then giggled a bit as the relief that filled Reese's face. "How are we going to pull this off, the FBI already know that we're connected and here is this child with blue eyes just like her 'fugitive' father's, and whose last name is Reese just like her 'fugitive' father's, and then if I change my last name to Reese…I think they might put two and two together."
"I told you before that you don't have to worry about the FBI any more, I've taken care of that and if they didn't get my message the first time then I'll make sure I'm clearer the next time."
"John I don't think threatening the FBI is the way to handle the situation."
"I didn't make any threats, I simply told Agent Jones to let it be known what would happen if they came after you again."
"That you would kill them," Carter questioned.
"Yes," Reese answered honestly as he held her gaze, he wanted her to understand that he meant to do just that if it came down to it and he wouldn't feel a bit sorry about it. "I'd burn that whole fucking place to the ground Jos. I won't let anyone or anything harm our family nor take you from me, and if I have to murder and or maim to accomplish that I will." He prepared himself for an argument.
"All right," Carter said out with a heavy sigh.
"Just all right?" He repeated with a bit of skepticism in his voice.
"Yes just all right. I mean please spare me the gory details but I want and expect you to do whatever you have to do to protect our family, and keep us together."
"I will, always." Reese declared with determination in his voice and his eyes.
"And when do you plan on making an honest woman outta me?" Carter asked in a teasing manner that she hoped would lighten the mood, as she adjusted her bra and top and then lifted their once again sleeping child to her shoulder to burp her. Reese smiled at her for a few seconds and then dipped his fingers into the top of his tee and pulled out a chain that he taken to wearing during the day and usually removed and hid away once he was home. Carter let her eyes settle onto what his hands were doing, and she let out a startled gasp when she noticed what had to be at least a 3 carat princess cut diamond ring, around the tip of Reese's ring finger. Reese stepped to her and kneeled down before her. "Oh God," Carter gushed out and the tears sprung forward as she cupped her hand to her mouth. Reese took in her reaction and began to think maybe this was not the right time.
"Should I have waited…is this too soon?" He questioned genuinely with concern in his eyes.
"John Reese if you stop now so help me I will shoot you," Carter sniffled out, and Reese couldn't stop the chuckles that escaped his lips.
"Ok then, Jocelyn…"
"Yes!" She exclaimed cutting him off as she waved her the fingers of her left hand at him. "Yes…put it on me."
"But I haven't finished, you don't want me to finish and get the full experience?" Reese playfully asked as he continued to chuckle and began to unhook the necklace to remove the ring.
"John, now put…the…ring…on…my…finger." Carter commanded through her sobs and when he finally did place the ring on her finger she reached out gripped his shirt and pulled him into a searing kiss. "Mmmm…" She moaned out and then released his lips but kept him close enough that she rested her forehead against his.
"God I love you," Reese proclaimed as they stared heatedly into one another's eyes.
"Hmm….I love you too," Carter replied around a huge smile. "Now take your daughter and get out of my way, I need to call my mother because we have a wedding to plan." Reese complied with the order quickly snatching up his daughter whose eyes snapped open at the movement. Both Reese and Vivian watched as Carter hurried from the room, and then she suddenly reappeared. "Wait do you have a budget limit in mind?" She asked.
"Go crazy baby, whatever you want. Consider it a wedding gift from me and Finch." Reese said and again the huge smile re-emerged on carter's face as she exited again. After a few seconds her excited voice could be heard all the way from up the stairs.
"Looks like we're finally gonna make it official babygirl," Reese spoke softly to his daughter and then kissed her forehead. His trained eyes missed the small red sniper scope light that briefly targeted the back of Vivian's head.
