So this is a little tag that came to me after watching the premiere (which I thought was good, but also deeply unsatisfying). I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it, but I decided to post it anyway. Going by the way Charlie was playing with Carlos in the episode, I'm assuming Fi's been around a lot, so the fact that Charlie calls her "Auntie Fi" here doesn't seem too far fetched to me. That said, this still may be a little out of character, but we'll see. Let me know what you think!
"Fi?" Sam called, poking his head into the garage.
Sitting on the step below him, surrounded by boxes and garden tools sat Fiona. She'd needed a moment of quiet after the day they'd had, and the garage was the only place she could get away from the sudden influx of bodies in Maddy's house.
Sighing, and without looking up, she replied "Sam." It was a statement, not a question.
"There you are. Maddy's looking for you. Apparently it's Charlie's bedtime but he says he won't go unless 'Auntie Fi' tucks him," Sam informed her with a chuckle.
Fiona sighed and Sam watched as she straightened and stood, finally turning to face him, eyes full of sadness.
"You okay, sister?"
Fiona brushed past him and into the house, giving Sam nothing but a quick pat on the shoulder and a clipped "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"
Sam rolled his eyes as she breezed past him. "Of course you're fine. Why do I even ask?" he muttered under his breath as he followed her back into the house.
Slipping in the back door, Fiona called out in a sing song voice, "Where's my darling Prince Charlie?" and headed toward his room.
She found the boy dressed in train pajamas and sitting patiently on his bed, waiting for her, and the sight almost broke her heart. After pausing for a moment in the doorway to compose herself, Fi sat down on the bed and tousled the boy's hair.
"Alright, Charlie, I'm here, let's get you tucked in," she said with a smile. As Fiona pulled the blankets up to the boy's chin, he asked for a story.
"Can it be the one about the princess and the knight? Pleeeaaassseee! You haven't told that one in forever!" he begged.
Fiona sighed dramatically before beginning. "Well, once upon a time in, a land far away across the ocean, there lived a beautiful princess and her family. They were very happy and she loved them all very much. But one day, an evil queen invaded their home and kidnapped the princess's sister. The princess was very, very sad. Then, she was angry. So she decided to pursue the evil queen who had taken her sister from her. So she went on a quest, ready to do whatever she could to get her sister back. In the process, she met a brave knight from a foreign land who helped rescue her sister from the evil queen. The knight and the princess were successful and the princess's sister went back to live happily with her family. Meanwhile, the princess and the knight had fallen very much in love and the princess decided to follow the knight to the other side of the ocean so they could start a new life together. Once there, they spent their days defeating villains and protecting people like little boys in train pajamas." With that she winked at the boy and bent over to kiss him on the forehead before standing and turning out the light.
"And they all lived happily ever after. Goodnight, Charlie."
Once out of Charlie's room and into the safety of the dark hall, Fi immediately leaned against the wall and squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears not to come. Thankfully Charlie was already half asleep and she prayed he hadn't heard the break in her voice when she had finished the story. There was a reason she hadn't told it in a long time. It was too hard, too familiar. It was too much like what could have been. But tonight she just couldn't say no to those pleading eyes, so like his uncle's.
"Dammit!" she whispered, swiping a hand angrily across her eyes. This was ridiculous. It had been almost a year, things had calmed down, and she was starting over. Again. And now she was losing it, all because of a silly story she'd made up to help a toddler fall asleep? This was not how it was supposed to happen, not how any of it was supposed to happen…
When Madeleine found her, Fiona had slid down to the floor and was sitting outside of Charlie's door, head on her knees, tears flowing freely.
"Fiona?" The older woman approached hesitantly. "Fiona, is Charlie down? Are you okay, honey? The boys and I were wondering if you'd left without saying goodbye…"
"Yeah, yeah, Charlie's asleep. I tucked him in and told him a story; he should be out for the night. And I should get home to bed myself." Fiona stood abruptly and tried to leave without meeting the other woman's eyes, but Maddy caught her arm and pulled her into a tight hug.
"It's alright, honey. It's okay to cry. You don't have to be strong for everyone all the time," Madeleine whispered in her ear.
"But I do!" Fiona snapped, pulling away from the older woman's embrace. "I do," she repeated, this time much quieter, mindful of the sleeping boy on the other side of the door. "You've lost your son," she faltered, "your sons… and Charlie's lost his parents, and…"
"Fiona Glenanne, stop it right now. Charlie and I aren't the only ones who've lost people. You, and Sam, and Jesse also lost a friend, a man who loves you." Fiona winced at that, almost like she had been slapped.
Maddy sighed. "Oh, honey. Whatever else, don't you ever doubt that he loves you. My son has lied about many things in his life, but loving you was never one of them. After all this time, you should at least know that. Michael's made mistakes, but you're not on that list. Just because he's not here, doesn't mean that that love has stopped. But either way, we've got to power on without him for now, and that's what we're going to do, okay?" she said forcefully.
Fiona took a few deep breaths, eyes never leaving Madeleine's face, and nodded. "Okay," she said quietly, defeated.
"Okay. Now, let's go join the boys. I've got some beers that need drinking. You can stay here tonight if you want." And with that, Maddy turned and led the way back to the living area, leaving no room for debate.
"Auntie Fi?"
Fiona groaned and slowly opened her eyes. The sight she was met with was almost comical. Because she had spent the night on the couch, Charlie was much closer to eye level than usual and holding a bowl full of cereal out to her at a precarious angle.
"I brought you breakfast. Grandma says there's tea too, but she wouldn't let me carry it. She said it was too hot."
The face the little boy made was so full of offended pride, Fi had to laugh. Clearly Charlie didn't think that grandma knew best in this case. Taking the bowl of cereal from him, Fiona thanked him and said she'd come to the kitchen and eat with him.
"Hey Charlie, where's grandma?" Fiona asked as they sat down in the empty room.
"She went to take a bath. I told her she should use bubbles, they're my favorite."
Fiona smiled into her tea as she imagined Madeleine Westen taking a bubble bath.
"Auntie Fi?" Charlie asked, suddenly serious.
"Yeah, Charlie?" she replied, concerned.
"Auntie Fi, were you sad last night?
Fiona almost choked on a spoonful of cereal. "What? Why? Did I look sad?"
The little boy nodded, face full of honesty. "Yeah. Did you cry? Grandma always tells me that it's okay to cry. You can cry too if you're sad, you know," he said sweetly.
Fiona decided to go with the truth, and she swallowed hard before replying. "You know what, Charlie? I was sad. But I'll be okay. Your story last night just reminded me of somebody I haven't seen in a long time. I'm alright."
Charlie eyed her for a minute, like he was trying to decide whether or not he believed her, before finally nodding. "Okay, but you know what I think? I think you're like a princess so that story makes me happy, because it makes me think about you."
Fiona was speechless. All she could manage was a kiss to the top of the boy's head when she got up to wash her dishes, blinking back tears. Just as she was finishing up the washing Maddy returned to the kitchen and Fi decided it was time to go.
"Thanks for the couch and breakfast, Madeleine, but I've really got to run now. I'll see you soon, Charlie!" she called as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door, mumbling to Maddy as she passed, "That boy is far too clever for his age."
The older woman looked a question at her, but Fiona simply shook her head and smiled, "I've really go to go. I'll call you tomorrow."
Just as she was opening her car door she heard Charlie yell something from the front porch. Turning, she saw him and Maddy waving from the door and he repeated himself. "I hope you get to see the knight again, Auntie Fi!"
Driving away, she thought to herself, "Me too, Charlie, me too."
