A/N: Sorry for the delay updating, I would like to thank everyone for your reviews. PM's are coming soon for those I haven't gotten a chance to respond to and thank you to the guest reviewers. I do not own POI the mistakes are all mine. Please enjoy and review.
Forgiveness is a Funny Thing Chapter 2
Ian is dead…..Ian is dead. John is back. Ian is dead. Thoughts were swirling in her head a million miles a second. "No, this cant be happening." Joss didn't know what news overwhelmed her more. That Ian was dead or that John Reese was suddenly back. "How, Fusco?" Joss asked as she collapsed onto a chair.
"From what we can tell, Ian was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between rival gangs. It looks like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. We suspect some of Elias' guys but, the departments been hearing rumblings of a new player named Dominic trying to make a name for himself."
Joss had heard of this Dominic she had assisted on some cases trying to put away some of his guys, she was frustrated that they were having a hard time holding on to them.
Don't worry Carter we're gonna get the guys who did this." Fusco assured her.
"John's a detective? How did that happen, did he say where he had been?" She asked distracted.
"All I know is he shows up one day transferred in from narcotics, after a big drug bust, they gave him a big promotion and your old desk." Joss was too numb to react to that bit of news.
Joss stared out the window of the cruiser as they made their way to the eightieth precinct from the coroner's office. She hoped John wouldn't be there. She didn't want to see him, not now. She was married to Ian and that's where her focus had to be right now. she wasn't sure how she would react and she just didn't have the energy to spare. When they arrived Lionel managed to escort her to an empty interrogation room unnoticed.
"I'll be right back okay." Joss grabbed Fusco's arm, "I don't want to see him Fusco, let him know, please."
Fusco knew it would be impossible to keep Reese away from her for long. "I'll do my best Carter."
"While we're here would you please call me Mrs. Murphy?" Fusco gave her a small understanding smile "Sure, Mrs. Murphy."
Just as Fusco suspected John was outside watching them through the two way glass. "Look Wonder boy she said she don't want see you, right now."
I won't go in I just needed to see if she was okay, John answered, never taking his eyes off Joss.
She was just as beautiful, as the last time he saw her. It reminded him this was one more failure in a long line of not being there for her.
John's mind went back to the first encounter they had after she had called for his help. He had basically told her he was busy and hung up on her.
"You doing okay Carter?"
"How do I look John?" She had looked exhausted, defeated, disappointed. He had found out she had dug up Detective Stills' decomposed body to clear Fusco plus she was still coping with Beecher's murder. Now here they were back in the same place, at odds with one another, he had cut communication with her then disappeared suddenly not giving her a reason.
He wanted to go to her explain everything that had happened, why he had to walk away from her that it was to keep her safe, this new threat was greater than anyone anticipated. Samaritan had proven to be formidable disposing even perceived threats without prejudice, to say Finch was a threat was an understatement. They all had to leave suddenly, to change identities or they were dead, he wanted to reassure her to comfort her to let her know she wasn't alone.
"Hey Reilly you got a call," one the detectives called out to him, bringing him out of his thoughts. John headed back to his desk answering the call. "Riley."
"Detective Riley?" it was Harold.
"What is it Professor?" John was perturbed that Finch was probably watching and listening at that moment.
"It would be unwise to be involved in any confrontations or dramatic discussions right now." John knew what Harold was saying, he just wasn't sure he agreed.
Fusco brought in Ian's personal effects, his wedding ring, his wallet and his cell phone and placed them on the table. joss sat staring at them for a moment before she reached out and touched them. She picked up the wallet and checked the contents his money, all his credit cards and driver's license where there but what caught her attention was a picture of her and Ian on their honeymoon he looked so happy, they looked happy. Joss took the picture out of the wallet and stared at it as tears welled in her eyes. It was in this moment she knew she loved Ian, enough to marry him to change careers and begin to live a peaceful life with him. After John disappeared she never thought she would be happy, but Ian changed that.
Fusco had begun to make fun of her calling her domestic goddess, but she was having a good time doing the housewife thing, even having a youngster to take care of when Alex wasn't with his grandfather. It was a chance to be normal and not live a life of constant danger. When her schedule allowed she would rush home to cook dinner so they could eat together as a family. They would have family movie night, family game night that included Alex and Taylor. She and Ian would have a date night whenever their busy schedules allowed, all Joss knew is that Ian filled the void, he helped to still the ache in her heart he was patient and waited for her, he loved her.
Did you love him? Ian asked her one day they were out together on the lake to go row boating. She was a million miles away thinking about john. What do you mean Ian? I'm willing to wait Joss as long as I have to. I love you and I won't share you with another man, you're worth waiting for. She still couldn't believe she had said yes to Ian's proposal what the heck she was marrying one man while her heart was with another. she didn't do soap opera well.
Alex, what am I going to tell that sweet kid. He's gone thru so much finding that his short life was a lie. The man he thought was his father was really his grandfather and the woman he thought was his aunt was really his mother. Alex was extremely intelligent and resilient he had taken in all the information well and seemed to be bonding with Ian as his father and on top of it all he had to accept a new stepmom and stepbrother. Thank goodness they were able to get his grandfather to help instead of hinder the adjustments the boy had to make. They were becoming a family, even Taylor had taken Alex under his wing, being in the same boat having to form a relationship with a father that had recently become a part of their lives.
The next few days were a blur for Joss as she planned Ian's funeral service he had no living relatives except her and Alex, a few friends and some business associates came to pay their respects. As they all gathered around the grave site something in Joss began to stir, indignation, this was beyond what HR had done, they had managed to manipulate and intimidate by threating her and son. they killed Cal and Syzmanski. they had tried to destroy Fusco but some how this seemed more personal. She went thru the motions the rest of the day accepting everyone's condolences, everyone telling her what a good man Ian was. She knew first hand. She was glad Alex wanted to stay with her so she brought him back to their apartment and stayed in his room, he had cried himself to sleep.
She made her way back to her own room and sat on her bed staring at the wall. she was exhausted physically and emotionally but anger raged within her as she made her way to her closet she dug out the storage containers and pulled out her old work clothes, her black jeans, heather gray t shirt, her holster and black leather jacket she put on her detective ensemble and made a phone call. "We need to meet."
Fusco stopped at John's desk and asked in a whisper "You heard from Car….I mean Mrs. Murphy?"
"Fusco she doesn't want to talk to me remember?"
It's just that her kid called me this morning said he found her cell phone and her gun was not in its normal spot and her bed hadn't been slept in. Taylor's worried it's not like her to not give him some idea what she's up to. I think she's gone off the gird to do some investigating of her own."
John had to go find her. He would deal with the consequences of her being angry at him later.
"Hey where you going?" Fusco called after John as he pulled out his phone to call Finch.
