The Most Magical Place on Earth: Chapter 2. Breakdown
I do not own Lie to Me, the characters, dialogue, or events in the episodes.
"Bloody Hell Em." He looked at her defeated. "Disney World? Really?" Then as if things couldn't get any worse his daughter giggled at him. She giggled. Sighing, he stood up. "Right then." He walked to the door, looked back over his shoulder at her and asked, "Coming?"
"Wait you're leaving now? Right now?" Shazzer asked him surprised. "What about my case?"
"Somethings are more important luv. And anyway…" Cal caught sight of something in the hallway behind him. He leaned back looking to see what it was and spotted Ria heading back from the kitchen with a cup of coffee. "Torres!" He yelled her name causing her to stop and turn toward him suspiciously. Cal motioned with his head toward his office and she walked over to him. Before she could ask what he wanted, Cal spoke to Shazzer, "Torres will help you with the case." Turning to his protégé, he then informed her, "You're in charge while I'm gone." With that he turned and walked down the hall toward the office exit. Emily jumped up from the couch, chasing after him.
"Wait! You're leaving while Foster's gone?" Ria called after him confused and a bit concerned that both of her bosses would not be around. "What about our cases?"
"Handle it!" Cal yelled back. Turning briefly before he got onto the elevator, he called one last thing to her, "No phone calls. Don't bother me or Foster!" With that he and Emily got on the elevator and with a push of the button the doors closed.
Ria turned around looking at the agitated detective. "You want to explain that?" She asked her crossing her arms in front of her.
"Are you seriously asking me to explain Cal Lightman?" Sharon raised her eyebrow at the young woman.
A long pause preceded Ria's response. "I suppose that is asking a lot." Sighing she walked over to the detective eyeing the paper she was gripping in her hands. "So tell me about this case."
Gillian followed the directions in her car's GPS. Leaving as early as she had turned out to be a good thing; she missed most of the commuter traffic. When she saw the huge signs telling her she was actually entering Disney World she felt several things at once: excitement, apprehension, longing, and some other unidentifiable emotions. Her nerves only heightened as she continued to look for the resort.
She was amazed by how long it actually took her to find the Animal Kingdom Resort once she passed the Disney World signs. 'This place is huge,' she thought. Finally spotting the turn, she checked in with a gate attendant before pulling up into a gigantic unloading area. There were people and bags and cars everywhere. The large pillars, made to look like wood beams, continued up into the ceiling of the enormous covered car park.
She parked behind a car being unloaded. Immediately, she was greeted by a valet who took her keys and asked if she had any baggage. She was tempted to make a joke, but her heart wasn't in it. Instead she shook her head in the negative and he directed her as to where to check in, before valeting her car.
Walking into the resort was even more overwhelming. The entry way was a bustle of people. Passing by them she entered a huge open area with gigantic vaulted ceilings. She couldn't get over the sheer size of the place. "Check in is right over there miss." It took Gillian a moment to realize that the porter was directing her with an open palm extended toward the reception area. Nodding, she followed his instructions and got into a short line of people awaiting their turn to register with the resort.
Spotting several young children sitting patiently, she noticed that they were gathered around a television set watching Disney cartoons that she could remember from her own childhood. One young boy, with big bouncy blond curls looked up at her and beamed. She smiled back feeling her heart thump in her chest. Her love for kids never dissipated, even if a small part of her ached whenever she was around them.
A cough behind her, brought her attention back to the queue. She stepped forward realizing she was now next in line. When she was waived over, she greeted a young lady at the kiosk. The girl had a name tag that identified her as 'Genevieve' with what Gillian assumed was her hometown of 'Lyon, France' below it. Genevieve addressed her warmly with a slight French accent. Gillian explained that her reservation was under Foster, then handed over her identification and credit card. While Genevieve was typing, she couldn't resist asking her about her hometown. "Lyon, isn't that the capital of lights?"
"Oh, wi, Madame, it is so beautiful. My family still sets out the candles in the windowsills of our home every year for the festival. You know Lyon?" The young woman's eyes lit up in joy.
"I studied languages in university and spent some time in France. Sadly, I never got the chance to see La Fête des lumières. Perhaps one day." Gillian smiled back at her. The young lady wouldn't know the smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Oh you must visit. It will be worth your time. Tres magnifique." Finishing up her typing, she then informed Gillian that her reservation was not yet ready. "I am so sorry Dr. Foster, but your room is not yet ready. If you have a phone, I would be happy to have them call you as soon as it 'as been cleaned."
Gillian realized that she had not yet set up her temporary phone. Pulling the packaged phone out of her bag, she checked the back to see if there was a number listed. She looked up as Genevieve asked her, "Oh, would you like some help opening the package? I 'ave scissors." The young woman raised them up as if to evidence the truthfulness of her statement.
Gillian actually hadn't thought about how she would open the plastic packaging. She nodded as she handed the phone over the counter. "Thank you. I hadn't really thought through opening it. Those things are quite a pain."
"Of course Dr. Foster. Here you are." She handed the paperwork and the phone back to Gillian. "Would you like me to dispose of this?" She held up the plastic.
"Yes, thank you." Reading the paper she provided the new number to Genevieve and then asked if there was somewhere to eat.
"But of course." Pulling out a map, she pointed out several restaurants. "If you take the lifts to the first level you will find our counter service, Mara, is open and our dining room, Boma, will also be open until 11:00 a.m. After that the pool bar will open. Our wine bar and lounge will be open later this evening and if you'd like to pick up a few things, we also have the Zawadi Marketplace." Handing Gillian another sheet of paper that contained a calendar of activities, she continued her speech. "Here is a calendar of activities. In the evenings, there are campfire stories and Disney movies."
"Thank you." Gillian said folding the papers and tucking them into her purse.
"I noticed Dr. Foster that you do not 'ave any theme park tickets on your reservation. Would you like me to purchase these for you? It can be added to you room key, then you simply carry it to and from the parks." After Gillian expressed interest, Genevieve explained the benefits of purchasing a 'park hopper' so that Gillian could visit all four parks in a day if she actually wanted to, not that she thought she would.
The young woman also explained how Gillian could take buses to the parks or hotels. As Gillian had reserved the room for a week, she decided to purchase a 5 day park hopper with an extra day thrown in free. She also included the water parks. Why? She had no idea. Except that when she thought of her younger self, she knew back then she would have jumped at a chance to visit the water parks.
Having completed her purchase with Genevieve, the young woman handed over Gillian's card explaining that it not only worked in the parks for entry, but also that it would work on her room once it was ready.
"Bon Jour Dr. Gillian Foster, 'ave a Magical Day." Genevieve smiled brightly at her. Gillian thanked her politely and wished her the same. Turning she went in search of coffee and a place to sit so she could get her temporary phone working. She decided to try the dining room hoping they might have an opening. Taking the elevator to the first floor, she tried not to think of it as the 'lift' as it reminded her of Cal and that caused her stomach to clench up in pain.
Following the restaurant's signs, she found the Boma dining room. Luckily, since she was by herself, they were able to seat her right away. She was led to the corner table of a long stretch of a cushioned seat. She choose to ignore the chair and dropped down onto the softer side. The tables next to her had been pushed together for a rather large party. The group got up shortly after she sat down, leaving her mostly to herself while the wait staff cleared that table.
She peered over the menu. Originally, she had just wanted some more coffee and perhaps something light. But as she sat there, she thought about why she had decided to come. Her younger self would not have been happy with oatmeal. Spotting something on the menu, she smiled for real for the first time that day. It was a major overindulgence. Making her choice, she went to work on her phone while awaiting the wait staff.
By the time they arrived to take her order, she had a working phone. "Yes, may I please have a coffee, an orange juice, and I'd like to try the French toast bread pudding." Her inner child cheered.
The waitress smiled conspiratorially, an Amy from Gary, Indiana. "Great choice. It's fantastic and one of our more popular menu items. Would you care for anything to go with it?"
"No, that will be fine." Gillian responded before thanking her. After Amy had returned with her coffee and juice and Gillian had added her required creams and sugar, she laid her head back against the cushion and let her mind wander. And wander it did, around and around one question in particular: 'how did I get here?' A face kept trying to pop its way into her mind but she kept pushing him away. She was in public and she was not yet ready to go there.
Sitting up straight she spotted the waitress with a huge plate coming toward her grinning. Her stomach growled. Time to enjoy her newfound childhood.
"What the bloody hell do I pack to go to this… this…" Cal was completely thrown by the turn of events. His partner had left to go to bloody Disney World and now he was going to track her down and … and what? Declare his love for her? It sounded like one of her cheesy romance novels. Maybe he should dress like a Disney prince as well. "I mean, what does one wear to one of these park places? I'm not wearing tights that's for damn sure."
Emily laughed as she entered his room finding him throwing things out from his closet with a completely empty suitcase opened on the floor in front of him. "Like you could pull off tights."
"Oy!" followed by "Ow!" filtered out from the closet along with a thud signaling that her father had hit his head on a shelf in the closet when he stood up to quickly in frustration.
"Seriously dad. You own like the same outfit. Just pack it. Gillian loves you the way you are, you don't need to change now. She obviously has weird taste in men." She smirked at him as he glared out at her still rubbing his head. "It's Florida dad. It will be hot. Pack shorts, t-shirts, sneakers, and swim trunks."
"Yeah I know Florida is hot luv. I just…" His hands fell down at his sides. "It's Gillian and I'm … she… well… I just… I want it to be alright luv."
"oh Dad." Emily walked over and gave him a hug. "Whatever you wear won't matter." Emily stepped over the suitcase and hugged her father. Looking up at him, mid-hug, she frowned. "Dad, what exactly are we doing?"
"What do you mean luv?" Cal asked looking down at her, he thought it was obvious.
"I mean you're going after Gillian. She left and you're following her. You abandoned the office, you left Ria in charge, you don't seem to care about your cases. What exactly are you going to do when we get there? I mean, why now? Why not wait for Gillian to come back?"
"That's a lot of questions that is." Cal looked at his daughter and acknowledged to himself what a deflection that was. "Well, luv, I think the real question is… What if she doesn't come back?" The words tumbled out of his mouth surprising even himself. His daughter's wide eyes flashing a series of shock, hurt, fear, and then sympathy. Her arms tightened around him. Sighing, he kissed the top of her head then led her over to the bed, where they both sat down.
"She will come back dad. I mean, it's Gillian we're talking about. She always comes back." Emily looked at her father with such concern it really touched him. "No matter how stupid you've been." Well so much for daughterly concern. "Sorry, you know what I mean." She waved him along in responding after reading the disappointment on his face. He really was impressed by how good she was getting at reading expressions.
"That's the thing isn't it luv. Gillian's never not come back." He rubbed his face. "But she's also never run. That's my bit, in't it. That's what I do." Cal looked at Emily frowning. "So this time feels different, yeah. For her to leave, without a row, and just cut me off like that. It's not like her. She… she really doesn't want me to contact her."
"And that hurts." Emily looked up at her father with her big eyes.
"Aye. I feel … like my…" Heart's been ripped out of my chest. "Right arm's been cut off." Emily's eyebrow raised at his wording letting him know she didn't buy the right arm any more than he did. Sighing, he let his daughter in a bit more. "Yeah, Em, it hurts. I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't know what we're going to do when we get there. That's daft, right? I mean normally I'd know exactly what to do and all… but now, I just… don't." Emily watched her dad. It wasn't often he opened up like this. "All I keep thinking, Em, is that I need to find her and I need to know she's alright, that we're… gonna be alright."
"And are you going to tell her?" Emily shot him a look when he made to blow off her question.
He faltered before responding. "I'm… I'm scared Em. Petrified really."
She sighed. "I know you're scared dad, but what exactly are you scared about? Gillian, up to now, has never left you. She left the Pentagon. She left her husband. She. Never. Left. You. And you are not the easiest person to put up with." She held up her arms in a gesture of surrender when he moved to say something. "You know you've been hard on her and hard for her to deal with. But she NEVER left before. She is always there to pick up the pieces for you. When mom moved out. Every time you were in the hospital. And that's a lot of times."
She gave him a sideways look and he sheepishly looked down shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah luv she has always been there."
"And even if she didn't love you, which she does, cause why the hell else would she put up with you? I mean I only put up with you because I love you." She smirked at him and bumped her shoulder against his. He smiled back at his cheeky daughter. "Even if she didn't feel the same way, she'd make it work with you and you'd make it work with her, because that's what family does. That's what you've been doing for years. You both love each other. You both love what you do and the company you created. And you love me. That's an awful lot of love Dad."
"That's why it's so scary Em." Cal sighed. In for a penny, in for a pound. "You know about my mum, how she ended it all." Emily nodded. "See, Gillian, she knows it too. She knows a lot about my mum and … how I felt responsible."
"She was your therapist…" Emily started, and Cal shook his head agreeing.
"But she was more than that Em. She … well I mean, she just made it so easy, you know, to open up." Emily nodded vigorously. Gillian always made her feel safe and able to share anything. "No judgments right. She always told me it wasn't my fault that I couldn't have done nothing to help. Other people said it too, but with her, well, I could almost, sort of, maybe believe it a bit." Cal was gesturing with his hands as he tried to explain to Emily how he felt about Gillian and his mum. For her part, she listened intently.
"I knew when I met her, that… she was special, and that I couldn't not have her in my life." He eyed Emily closely wanting to make sure he got this right. "It wasn't sex, Em, not with Gillian, never was. I mean, I loved your mom. We were married. Gillian was married. It wasn't like that, not at all."
"It's ok Dad really. I'm a big girl. I know the issues between you and mom were not because of Gillian. And I know you didn't cheat on mom, and Gillian wouldn't do that either. I get it. It's ok." Cal nodded his head still reading her to make sure she had it right. Not seeing any signs of suspicion he sighed inwardly in relief. "You and mom were just like … gasoline and a flame thrower."
Cal laughed at that but Emily looked back at him seriously.
"No, I mean it. You two are volatile." Cal opened his mouth to speak but she cut him off. "I love you both Dad, I always will, but I like you a lot better when you are separate."
"Fair enough luv." Cal shrugged acquiescing.
"Gillian and you are different. It's like you're still so … you. But … it's like you, I don't know, maybe try to be better. Like you want to be better. It's hard to explain. It's like … instead of a flame thrower, you kind of manage yourself more, like a… a … blow torch. I mean you can still go overboard sometimes and cause fires, but with her you're better at keeping it in check. Mostly anyway. And you rile her up, but not nearly as much as mom. And she handles you at your worst far better than mom ever did. Mom wanted you to be different but Gillian, she doesn't try to change you. It's like she knows that is who you are. She gets why you are the way you are. She forgives you for the crap you put us all through. And she defends you and tries to get you to see why you do those destructive things. And you listen to her, mostly anyway…"
"Right, I get it Em." Cal said interrupting his daughter's rambling train of thought.
"Yeah. Right, sorry Dad." She shrugged.
"It's alright luv. And you're right. With Gillian, she gets me, mostly." He rolls his jaw around trying to figure out where to begin. "It's not your mom's fault, you know. It's mine really. I mean I let Gillian in. Deeper than anyone else. Even your mom. I didn't even realize I had done it. She has that way, right? She just gets your guard down without you knowing. Before you know it, there she is." Emily smiled at her dad. If he could only read his own face in this moment. "And you're right luv, I do want to be better for her, Em. I'm just so damned afraid I'll be bullocks at it and that … that she'll leave me too."
Emily's heart about died at his admittance. Her dad never shared this much. She didn't know how to respond but somehow he kept going.
"When I lost my mum, it was … I just lost sight of everything. I was young and I just ran, ran from all of it. Never told you much about my dad but he was a right wanker. Used to knock me and my mum about." He looked at her from under the side of his eyes and bit his cheek studying her face. Her flash of shock then anger and hurt were not unexpected but she didn't look overwhelmed so he continued. "He was long gone by the time mum… by the time she did it. I think maybe I felt like since I was there that I should have seen it. That I should have been able to stop her. I mean why would she do that Em? She was all I had and she left me. She left me." Tears had begun to run down her father's cheeks and were dripping onto his shirt. This wasn't the first time she had seen him cry but it was the first time he had been quite so open with her. She reached over and took his hand in hers. Taking a deep breath, her chin jutting out in a gesture of resolve and solidarity, she sat with her father and let him experience the pain.
After a few minutes, Cal squeezed her hand and then released her to wipe his face. She sat back knowing he was about to continue. "I, um, did some crazy things after that luv. Had something to prove, I did. Didn't really deal with it. Met your mom. Set the torch to her gasoline." He smirked at Emily, trying to lighten the mood a bit with her reference to their relationship. She rolled her eyes good-naturedly at him then smiled. "When I was at the Pentagon, something happened. Shook me pretty bad. Kind of brought up some things, some fears." He studied her eyes. There were still some things he wasn't going to share with her.
"That's when you met Gillian." It wasn't really a question but he answered her anyway.
"Yeah, that's right. Our first meeting, I was told she would evaluate me. See if I was bonkers. I think part of me kind of wondered that too. With my mum and all." Cal gestured with his hand as he mentioned his mother, only half kidding. "When I went to her office, I had this impression of what she'd be like, what it would be like, and then she just blew me away. Was nothing like I thought; just this open face and genuine concern and… you know… just so Gillian…"
"I know what you mean. She is pretty special." Emily smiled knowingly and he returned it.
"Yeah luv. Somehow she saw through my crap. And I could see on her face that she actually cared. You know, genuine." He smiled at the memory. "And even though, right off, I knew there was something she was trying to tell me but she couldn't. I could kind of see it, that she was hiding something. But she wanted to tell me. You know. She wanted to tell me. But I wasn't sure if that was it or not. There she was, so open and brilliant and honest and genuine. And I couldn't read her. It was like I could, but I couldn't. She was just … not like anyone else I had ever met. It was bloody intriguing." Cal gestured at his daughter as he spoke. "And then she got inside my head. You know. Every time. I mean every time I went back to see her, she would do it again. Just sit there and ask me questions and then I realized I was telling her things, things I didn't talk about, not to anyone, not even to myself Em. But there I was offering up my whole bloody life in a basket and she just calmly took it. And she called me on it, on my shit. But more than that. She… she cared, really cared. Like you said. And for the first time, in a very long time, I felt safe to be me, ok to be me, as I was, and… I hadn't felt that way, hadn't had that… since my mum. For all her faults, mum loved me. As. I. Was. And Gillian made me feel that way again. And … I got hooked."
Emily nodded at him. Gillian made her feel that way too. Made a lot of people feel that way. Safe and able to share. "So basically you're hooked and you love her," she wasn't about to let him forget that part, "and now she's left."
"Yeah, yeah I love her Em and I'm petrified she won't come back. I'll do anything to bring her back. However she wants." Cal ran his hand through his hair before running it down his face and resting it under his chin. "I don't know how to live without her Em and I don't want to."
"She needs to know that dad. It's not fair for her to be in the dark." Emily rested her hand on his shoulder and he turned to look back at her. She could see him thinking over what she had just said and everything he had just revealed. She could see the fear and also something else she hadn't seen before. Her eyes widened in surprise as it registered. He had hope.
"Right. Time to stop being a wanker and tell her the truth and hope she doesn't run somewhere crazier than bloody Disney World." Cal stood up laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation. He was crying in front of his daughter over an empty suitcase and they were about to chase the woman he loved to a bloody theme park. The woman he loved. He sat back down and ran his hands over his face. "What if it's not enough Em?"
"You'll never know until you try Dad." She looked at him with sympathy. "But let's face it, the fact that you of all people are going to Disney World to find her and tell her how important she is to you has got to win you some mad gravy points." She looked up at him with her big eyes all serious. He smiled down at her and pulled gently on a lock of her hair.
"You really think so?"
"I know so. She loves you dad. Trust me, everyone can see it even if you don't yet." Emily smiled sneakily at him.
"Mad gravy points?" Her father asked raising an eyebrow and ignoring her statement about Gillian loving him, even though his stomach flipped at the possibility.
"Yes mad gravy points. She loves you dad and she loves crazy romantic gestures, I mean look at the books she reads." Standing up Emily walked over to his suitcase and picked up a particularly wrinkled shirt and held it up for him raising her eyebrows. "You're lucky she does love you. She obviously didn't fall for you based on your ability to iron."
"It must have been my winning personality." He smirked back, grabbing the shirt from her and tossing it into the suitcase defiantly.
"Sure dad. That must be it." She grabbed the wrinkled mess out of the bag and tossed it at him. "Don't pack that." Turning she headed back toward her room. "Now hurry up. Ready or not, Gillian's waiting." She beamed at him before disappearing from view.
Sighing he picked up the disheveled shirt and tossed it into his hamper. Ready or not was right. He needed to pack fast. Too bad he didn't have a stack of summer clothes neatly tied up with a bow just ready for him to… Wait. He did!
Experiencing a light-bulb moment, he hunted through his shelves until he spotted the bundle of laundered clothing wrapped in plastic. After he and Emily had returned from Mexico, he had dropped off his clothes at the dry cleaners on their way home from the airport. "Never know what kind of parasites might have been in there." He had half joked with Emily. She had responded with a trademark eye roll. He hadn't felt the need to elaborate and disclose the interesting discoveries he had made in his luggage when returning from his tribal adventures. He did not care to repeat them. Not having need for the warm weather clothes since then, he had simply deposited the whole bundle onto a shelf.
Grinning he broke into the plastic, counted out the outfits as he dropped them into the suitcase. Adding a few jeans and sweaters along with his shoes and undergarments, he deposited toiletries into a travel case before adding it to the suitcase and zipping the bag shut. Grabbing a light jacket, he stood the suitcase up and wheeled it behind him out the door.
"Meet you in the car in five Em." He called out to her as he descended the stairs. He paused at the door to his study. Popping in, he glanced around once. Going to his personal safe, he squatted down in front of it and opened the faux book shelf hiding it from view. Spinning the wheel to the proper digits he reached in and pulled out a carved wooden box. When he peered inside, his heart did a little flip.
He squatted there for a moment just staring inside before making his decision. Pocketing the contents before shutting and locking the safe, he stood up and closed the shelf hiding it from view. He heard Emily at the top of the stairs and popped out before she entered the kitchen.
"All set Dad." She said smiling at him.
As he held the door open for her, he switched off the lights. "Right. Let's go turn your dad into prince charming."
"There's not enough tights in the world for that dad." She called over his shoulders.
"Oy, I'll have you know your father is quite charming."
"Sure dad, pull the other one."
Gillian could not eat another bite. It had been delicious. Delicious but so sweet and so heavy. Thank God for the coffee or her mind would have completely shut down from the carb overload. She was signing the credit card slip when her phone went off. She jumped a little, she was too full to move any more than that. Answering it, she was told that her room was now cleaned and ready for her.
With gratitude she stood and made her way back up to the lobby. Before heading to her room, she wanted to stop and get a few things from the store. She was amazed by how large it was. Seemed everything about Disney was grand. She wandered through the store, picking up a basket for her items.
Noticing a snack area, she grabbed a couple bottles of water and some Mickey Mouse shaped gold fish crackers for later, despite the protests of her full stomach. She then hit up the toiletry section, grabbing sunblock, an actual brush, and a better quality toothbrush and toothpaste. She also spotted a ladies section. They didn't have much but there was a simple white sundress that made her feel girly. Checking for her size she slipped it into her basket along with a pair of flip flops. At least she'd have an outfit for tomorrow. Not spotting any undergarments she sighed figuring she'd have to wash hers in the room.
She walked to the check out. Spotting wine behind the counter, she asked for a bottle of red and a cork screw. After completing the transaction, she carried the bag out to the lobby. Looking at the map Genevieve had provided to her she located the appropriate elevators to take to her room. After riding to her floor, it took far longer than she had expected to find her room. The halls seemed to go on forever. By the time she arrived, she felt drained. No more carbs for breakfast.
Trying her key card, she sighed with relief when she heard a clicking noise and saw the lights flash green. The last thing she wanted was to have to walk all the way back to the lobby. She entered the room and turned on the lights, locking the door behind her. It was really nice actually. She had opted for a one bedroom. Depositing the shopping bag on a table, she checked out the bedroom. It had two queen beds. A small towel had been folded into the shape of a mouse and laid out on one of the beds. Gillian picked it up and smiled. She would have loved this as a child.
She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the folded towel in her hand. Her little self would be so proud. So why didn't she feel happy?
A tear ran down her cheek, followed by another. She tried swiping them away, but the flood gates quickly opened. Curling into a fetal position on the bed she buried her face into the pillows sobbing uncontrollably. Her whole body shook. She was in the happiest place on earth, but she was alone and her heart was breaking.
She cried for that little girl all those years ago who had been rejected by her parents. She cried for the mother she had been for fifty seven days before her baby had been snatched from her arms. She cried for her failed marriage with Alec and her lost chance at love with Dave. She cried for abandoning her work was as a psychologist. Leaving behind her own dream to follow Cal, so he could create his company with his science.
Cal.
Thinking of him brought on a fresh bout of tears. How could her life possibly continue without him? He was everywhere. Eight years of her life were tied up in this man. She had put everything into their… his business. She had left everything behind following him, trusting him.
He was all she had had left. Now there was nothing.
She cried, the emptiness consuming her. Sobs wracked her body. She choked and gasped and struggled to breath. Eventually the pain was too much and she cried herself into unconsciousness.
Cal hadn't even considered driving to Florida, instead he had Emily book last minute flights for them to Orlando. He actually had no idea how Gillian had done it. That long in a car would have driven him insane. Still he was a fidgety mess on the plane. Emily had told him to calm down more times than he cared to admit. Now sitting on some Disney bus with some stupid video playing on the screen above the seat in front of him and a bunch of families chatting happily around him, he was even more on edge.
"Dad, seriously, calm down. We'll be there soon alright." Her big eyes stared at him with both concern and frustration.
"I'm fine luv, really, just tired of sitting is all." His daughter eyed him incredulously.
"Have you thought about what you'll say to her when we get there?" Cal stared at her blankly. "I'll take that as a no. Dad, you have like a plan for everything. Aren't you famous for the long con? Well you need a plan. Right? I mean were you just going to run into the hotel, hope she is sitting in the lobby, and say," and in her best imitation of her father she continued, "Foster, needed to tell you somefing, I luv you luv, 'fought you oughta know, right, now that's settled, Bob's your uncle."
"Bob's your uncle?" He looked at her half impressed by her accent and her knowledge of him and half annoyed at her cheek. She was his daughter.
Emily smirked back at him. "You do say that Dad. You know you do." He finally broke and laughed with her. Grabbing her around the neck he hugged her to him for a second.
"So 'ow do we go about this Em? Can't rush in and declare my love for Foster then. Though I thought that's how they did it in those crappy novels the two of you are always reading." Emily rolled her eyes at him.
"Seriously dad? Romance novels?" Emily looked up at the screen in front of them in time to see Cinderella dancing with her prince. "Although…"
Cal took one look at his daughter, then up to the screen. Spotting the prince's outfit, he groaned inwardly. "Oy. You promised. No tights Em!"
She grinned evilly back at him.
"Bloody hell."
"You've been saying that a lot Dad. You really need to learn to relax, de-stress… maybe you should take a vacation." Emily smirked at him.
"You're a riot Em. Absolutely Hi-larious."
Gillian's swollen eyes opened slowly and she blinked a few times trying to figure out where she was. She wasn't in her room or in her office. She wasn't in Cal's office. Cal… He'd be calling her a cry baby. She smiled and then frowned at the thought. It hurt.
Sitting up shakily her breath hitched. She wiped at the hair stuck on her face and rubbed at her eyes. Her stomach growled. She looked down at it and laughed at herself. Well at least she still had her sense of humor. Here she was in Disney World, had cried herself to sleep and woke up starving. She looked at the clock on the side of the bed and blinked a few times in surprise. No wonder she was hungry, she slept far longer than she had thought.
'Should I order in and take a long hot bath or take a shower and go grab food?' She wondered as she shakily rose and walked into the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, she groaned at her reflection. She'd looked worse, but this was still bad. Her eyes were puffy and dark, her hair was matted against her cheeks, and there were lines on her face from the pillows.
Turning, she went in search of the toiletries she had purchased. Pulling each item out of the shopping bag, she spotted the gold fish crackers. Her stomach growled again so she tore them open and shoveled a handful into her mouth, moaning in appreciation. She opened the bottle of water and chased another mouthful of crackers before returning to the bathroom.
Opting for the shower, she felt more alive after emerging from the hot water. She wrapped a towel around her and walked back into the living room. The dress she had bought earlier was draped over the back of the chair. She fingered the cotton material and thought about how different this was from her usual attire. It was so light, so freeing. Just a simple summer dress. She hadn't worn anything like this in so long. Not since…
Gillian's memory settled on a very special occasion when she had worn a sundress. It had been a light lilac color. She had spotted it while shopping for a birthday present. It was in the store front window and it had just called to her. Seemed like such an appropriate dress for a little girl's birthday party. On a whim, she had gone in and tried it on. She remembered how happy she had felt when she paid for it and carried it out of the store. It had white and purple flowers on it. The flowers had inspired her with the present she ended up purchasing.
She had been so happy with the dress, she had picked up a pair of sandals to wear with it. Then headed into a department store to look at jewelry. As she browsed, she spotted a kiosk filled with jewelry made for young girls. A white gold bracelet with a purple flower pendant was sitting at its center atop a small pillow. It called out to her and she had immediately called over the sales attendant.
It was a little bit more than she had planned to spend, but she knew she had to get it for Emily. She remembered how she had painstakingly wrapped the gift with purple paper, a white bow, and added a carnation dyed purple on top. Emily had been so excited when she opened it.
It was the first birthday party she had attended for Emily; the first one after meeting Cal at the Pentagon. She remembered they had still been working out of his kitchen when the pig-tailed 8 year old had hopped into the room and proudly presented Gillian with a hand-made invitation. Although at the time she had no idea it was an invitation. It had been covered with purple glitter with some pink animal drawn in the middle.
"I'm turning 9 on Saturday, Ms. Gillian, and I'm having a Kim Possible party." Emily had formally addressed her while presenting her sparkly creation.
"Kim Possible?" Gillian remembered asking looking over at Cal who raised his eyebrows and gave her a look that best read 'be glad you have no idea.'
"She's like the coolest secret agent. Her best friend's Ron Stoppable. He has a naked mole rat." She pointed at the pink thing on the card. Gillian made a mental note to look up naked mole rats. "She fights crimes and stops the bad guys. She's kind of like dad, only cooler." Gillian couldn't suppress the laugh when she heard Cal's "Oy" in response.
"I'm way cooler." Cal puffed up his chest as he corrected his daughter.
"Whatever dad. So not the drama." Rolling her eyes, she turned back to Gillian and beamed excitedly. "We're even gonna have nachos!" She hopped up on her toes.
"That sounds delicious." Gillian couldn't help but adore Emily in all her youthful exuberance.
"SO?" Emily's eyeballs got both serious and wide as she waited for Gillian to respond. Gillian however was lost as to what she was asking.
"Can you make it, luv?" Cal clarified for her reading her confusion. "Here on Saturday?"
"Oh," Gillian realized then that Emily was inviting her, and based on Cal's clarification he was seconding her invitation. "Of course Emily. I'd be delighted."
The squeal and hug that followed had left Gillian beaming. She couldn't get over how quickly Emily and she had bonded. The phone rang and before either she or Cal could move, Emily had bounded over to it screaming, "I'll get it!"
"We're in the bloody room Em!" Ignoring her father, she answered it and once assured it was a friend, went off chatting into the other room. "Hard to believe she's my bricks and mortar. Cup of Rosie?"
"Wh..what?" Gillian asked in confusion, as she was still becoming accustomed to Cal's cockney rhyming.
"Oh right sorry luv. Bricks and mortar. Daughter. Rosie Lee. Tea. Fancy a cup of tea?" He held up the pot indicating his question. She nodded. "So we're starting it at noon. Emily says that nine year olds don't get out of bed as early as eight year olds. Anything about that in your psychiatry tool belt?"
Gillian just smiled back at him. She was becoming used to his teasing. "Well young women do mature faster Cal. Even at nine, Emily can begin displaying signs of entering puberty, she could…" Gillian was cut off by a hand across her mouth. Her eyes widened as she looked back at Cal.
"None of that now. No talk of pu… of the 'P' word. She's way too young." Gillian just stared back at the fear in his face, unsure how to respond as his hand was still over her mouth. He lingered far longer than might have been deemed respectful. The contact was strange as it was still early in their relationship and she was unsure how to feel about the fact that his hand was still on her mouth. He was gaping at her and staring into her eyes. She could see all of the colors in them … blue, green, brown. His hand became softer as the tension in his fingers released. A different tension took its place.
The kettle saved them both. When the whistle blew they both jumped. He pulled his hand back turning toward the kettle. "Ah Rosie Lee and no more talk of Emily's … birthday."
Emily bounced back into the room as her dad poured the tea. She rattled on about her party, completely oblivious to the awkward moment between the two adults. Gillian left shortly after finishing her tea. She felt a little guilty but was not quite sure why. Nothing had happened between them, just Cal reacting to his daughter growing up. By the time she arrived home, she had pushed aside the feeling.
"So the problem is with the main suspect. Apparently, he's a triplet, identical obviously, and that's screwing up our DNA evidence. None of them are talking, brotherly love I suppose, but the D.A. won't prosecute unless I can eliminate the other two as suspects. If I charge our suspect, but can't rule out the whereabouts or ability of the other two, the case will go down on a technicality."
"Meaning without eliminating the other two brothers, the defense will argue that it could have been any of them?" Ria bit the side of her lip as she responded to Detective Wallowski. Remembering something, her eyes lit up. "Wait, we had a case like this recently. But with twin brothers."
Gesturing for the detective to follow her, she went in search of Eli. Finding him at his desk, she walked over with Wallowski behind her. "Loker, pull up the video footage from the Whitman case. The interrogation with Cal and the twins." Loker began searching through the video files. "Wallowski's got a case with a set of triplets. If we can review the footage of Lightman with the twins, maybe we can check out the techniques he used in the interrogations. It might help us on this case."
"I can't believe Lightman really left. He should be here helping with this." Loker huffed in frustration as he searched. Wallowski perched on the corner of his desk watching him search and Torres pace.
Ria stopped mid stride and quipped back at Eli, "I'm not sure Lightman knows the definition of 'should.'"
Wallowski smirked at the comment. "That's the truth. How do you two work with him every day? A few cases is about all I can handle. I think I'd go crazy if I had to deal with him more than that."
"Yeah, I wonder about my sanity at times." Ria mumbled still gazing at the screen. "But he is the best..."
"Ah ha! Found it." Eli exclaimed. Pulling up the feed, he played it on the monitors. Sure enough, there was Cal in all his glory, getting into the face of one of the two brothers, the one he had backed up against the glass.
"You know he did it!" He pointed toward the seated brother. "He's always been a liar. He lied to you, to your mum, he lies to everyone. You just keep taking the rap for him. You're the worst kind of stupid!" Cal raged at the man.
"You leave him alone." The seated brother pushed back from the table and stood up aggressively, but made no other movements forward. Showing that he actually had no intention of defending his twin.
"You think you're helping him, do ya? Right now he's just stolen a bunch of money. Well what happens next time? Huh? What happens when he steals from the wrong man? What then? You gonna take a bullet for him?" Turning toward the now standing brother, he stepped into his personal space and pointed at the twin against the wall. "How will you feel when he ends up dead? All because you screwed up!"
Cal exhibiting all the signs of anger, turned away from both brothers for a second, and the camera caught the moment when his mask dropped. All three sat forward trying to read his expression. It was then they realized he wasn't alone in the cube. Foster was seated calmly behind the table.
Although they could only see the side of her face, it was apparent she was sending him some kind of signal. Eli pulled up another camera view and displayed the feed on a second monitor. Rewinding the feeds, they watched as certain expressions passed over first Foster's and then Lightman's faces. It was obvious they were communicating non-verbally.
"It's like they have their own language." Wallowski whispered watching the exchange.
"They really do." Torres responded looked over at the cop, chewing her lip and wondering if that bothered her. Wallowski caught Ria's eyes and the young woman attempted to soften what she thought might have been a blow to the detective. "I mean, they've worked together a long time."
Ignoring the implication Ria's follow up statement gave, she opted for a deflection. "You've got a lot of loyalty to them." Ria's chin jutted out defiantly in response while Eli looked innocently between them. "No, I don't mean that as a bad thing. In my business loyalty is good." Ria raised her eyebrow, Loker coughed to cover up an impolite laugh, and Wallowski sighed. "Yeah, I don't need to do what you do to know what that meant. Maybe too much loyalty isn't so good." She shrugged her shoulders. Ria looked down at her hands unsure what to say in response.
"Well, it's easier to be loyal to Foster, not so much with Lightman." Eli posed.
Ria nodded. "Yeah, we respect Foster." Ria looked at the detective, who picked up on the implication.
"Look, I know Foster doesn't like me and I get it. I really do. I tried to change it, you know, make peace, but she's not having it. Maybe it's cause she thinks Lightman and I are still a thing."
"You're not?" Loker responded immediately.
Ria called him out with a warning tone. "Eli!" Looking at Wallowski, she tried to temper Eli's quick response. "I mean it's none of our business…"
"Right." Wallowski looked between the two of them and then sized Ria up. "You're a natural. You tell me if I'm lying. I am not involved with Cal Lightman in any way other than professionally." She waited for Torres to respond.
"You're telling the truth." Wallowski raised her eyebrows and slowly nodded. Ria cocked her head to the side still reading the detective. "Why do you think that's what matters to Foster?"
"Really? I thought you were a natural?" The detective smirked at Torres, who couldn't help but try to hide the smile threatening to rise in the corners of her own mouth. Loker laughed outright.
"They are tight, but we haven't seen any signs of them together." Ria shrugged and looked at Loker.
Loker took up the mantle, "I mean the whole office has a pool on when they'll…"
Before he could continue, Ria cut him off. "We really shouldn't be talking about this. Just cause Lightman's not here doesn't mean he isn't watching." She gestured with a nod toward the security cameras.
"Knowing Cal if he isn't watching now he will at some point." Wallowski looked up at the cameras and then her forehead crinkled as she thought of something. "He did head out of here pretty fast to hunt down Foster. If they haven't done anything yet that seems kind of like overkill."
"Well, for Lightman all bets are off when it comes to Foster." Eli offered. "He did seem pretty upset though that she left her laptop and phone here."
"What?" Ria asked eyes widening. "You didn't tell me that." She glared at Eli.
"What, you came in asking about the feeds and I didn't get a chance." Eli defended himself. "So, yeah, Foster caught me on my way up with my research. She asked me to bring up a few files and told me she had a family emergency. What she didn't tell me was that she had put her phone and laptop in the box with my files. When Lightman figured that out he lost it."
"That's not like Foster." Ria looked troubled. Eli shrugged not knowing how to respond. "Why would she do that?"
"I may have had something to do with that." Wallowski hesitantly offered. Ria glared back at her and she flinched back. Eli just looked at her stunned. "I came to see Cal about this case, and his daughter arrived for some special lunch. Cal insisted I tag along despite her protests. Turns out she had planned it for him and Foster. Emily thinks she spotted me in her seat and split."
Ria bit her lip and exchanged looks with Loker. They were all thinking the same thing. Loker just voiced it first. "Maybe it's time to cash in that pool."
"Did you see anything on Foster's face to suggest that?" Ria asked him. He shook his head no.
"Well maybe Foster's better at hiding it than you think." Wallowski suggested. She had seen the woman hold it together even under the worst of circumstances. In her experience, bad liars were seldom that composed. Based on their responses, she thought perhaps Ria and Eli weren't giving Gillian enough credit.
"Foster's terrible at lying." Ria said incredulously. Eli nodded in agreement.
Wallowski laughed. "I don't know about that. I think that may be her cover."
"What do you mean?" Ria's confusion was evident. Eli rolled his eyes in Ria's direction as if he didn't take the detective seriously.
"I think Foster is much better at hiding things than she lets on. She uses the belief that she is a bad liar to her advantage. Hell, she might even be better at lying than Cal." She paused for effect gauging their reaction, "Depending on the lie that is."
Alec had found the invitation on the kitchen table and held it up by the corner asking her what it was. She remembered laughing at his disdain for the glitter and naked mole rat. "Emily's having a birthday party this Saturday."
His response hadn't been quite what she expected. "Oh good, you'll have something to keep you entertained then. We've got a diplomacy meeting this weekend in Pittsburgh." She helped him pack Thursday evening and sent him off with a kiss Friday morning. After finishing up with Cal that Friday, she had gone shopping for Emily's present and come home with the summer dress and bracelet.
The day of the party, she let her hair fall naturally into curls and slipped on the dress and sandals. She brought a white cardigan in case it got cold. She remembered arriving at the house and before she could knock the door had swung open. "I'll just pop down to the store, grab the ice cream and be back before she knows I'm gone." Cal was calling to someone inside and not paying attention to what was in front of him. She heard a muffled response before stumbling backwards as Cal turned around and began barreling toward her. His arms caught her around the waist before she tumbled. He was very much in her personal space.
"Alo luv, you look…," He stopped as he took in her outfit. His eyes slowly trailing first down her body and then back up again. They lingered on her hair and he paused before ending his sentence. Her mouth went dry and her stomach did something funny. "Lovely."
She composed herself and tried to back up but found she couldn't as his hands were still around her waist. "Thank you," was all she could manage in response.
Cal gestured over his shoulder with his head. "I've got to pop down to the store 'cause apparently we can't have a birthday party without ice cream. Must be some kind of American rule." He joked smirking at her.
Gillian looked away, back at her car, "I'll take you."
"Nah that's alright luv, I'll just get my car… which is currently blocked by all these cars…" As he looked at the guests' cars blocking him in, he unconsciously pulled her closer.
"I'm happy to take you Cal." She placed her hand on his chest right over his heart. She told herself it was to stop him pulling her any closer, but her hand rested on him gently and didn't push him away. His heartbeat pulsed under her hand.
Whatever her reasons, it did the trick. Cal looked down at her hand and registered that he had his arms around her. He stepped back and bobbed a bit back and forth reminding her of Emily. "You sure luv? I mean there's a plethora of screaming kids inside you could be spending more time with."
Gillian smiled and withdrew her hand. It tingled a bit so she grabbed it with her other hand. "It's not a problem Cal." Turning she strode toward the car, unlocking it so he could get in. The ride to the store was… interesting. She could feel his eyes on her but when she would turn to look at him he'd be staring out the window. It made a flush run down her arms and up her neck. Luckily there was a convenient store just down the street as he pointed out to her. She pulled in as directed and parked in front.
"I'll just pop in, grab the ice cream and be back before you finish that thought." Without waiting for an acknowledgement he hopped out of the car.
Her forehead creased in confusion. What thought was he referring to? She flipped her visor mirror down to examine her face but couldn't get anything. Sighing she resigned herself to wait until he returned. She ran her hand up her arm rubbing at the goose bumps that had popped up. Looking down at her dress, she bit her lip. Perhaps she shouldn't have worn something like this…
"Stop that." She jumped as Cal's opened the door and threw himself inside. "You look lovely. None of that." He shook his finger at her face. She pulled back appalled that he was reading her so well and frustrated that she didn't know the science enough to stop him.
"It's perfectly normal to reflect on one's choices Cal. Most adults, even confident ones, have moments where they are unsure of a choice they have made…" Gillian began to fall back into her comfort zone.
"Nah luv none of that psych crap today. Save it for your patients." He smirked at her and she raised an eyebrow back. "We're partners now ain't we luv?" He grinned at her.
She laughed in response. She wasn't sure how he managed to so easily change the direction of their conversation. "Yes, we are." She found a parking spot on his street. "Emily's got quite a turn out."
"Indeed. Whole backyard's full. Driving me bonkers." She raised her eyebrows at him and he shrugged back. "But she's happy so it's worth it and all." She smiled at his begrudging acknowledgment of his love for his daughter. "Shall we?" He gestured toward the house and she nodded. Unsnapping her belt, she exited the car, locking it after he closed his door.
The volume of noise that greeted them when they entered the house signaled a large amount of rambunctious children. Cal popped the ice cream in the freezer on their way out to the back yard. She followed him outside and took stock of the chaos in front of her. Dozens of 9 year olds were running around a make shift obstacle course firing nerf guns at each other. Most were dressed in dark shirts and khakis with a few of the girls in cheer leader outfits. Those that weren't shooting at each other were aiming for targets placed around the back yard.
"Fancy a drink luv?" Cal leaned in and whispered in her ear, otherwise he'd have had to shout to get her attention. She nodded and he disappeared through the mass of screaming kids and various groups of adults congregating to the edges. She jumped again when a bouncing figure popped up in front of her and gave her a huge hug around the middle.
"Emily!" She exclaimed, hugging her back. A freckled nosed boy and a dark haired girl with glasses stood behind Emily, both eyeing Gillian suspiciously. "Happy Birthday. This is quite an event!"
Emily beamed up at her. "Right? I mean my dad totally set this up for us. It's like spy central!" Once again the young girl was hopping up on her toes. Gillian smiled at the similarity with her father.
"Emily… What's the sitch?" The girl with the glasses asked pulling on Emily's shirt with one hand while pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose with the other.
"This is Gillian, remember I told you about her. She works with my dad." Emily said proudly.
"Your dad's cool." The freckled boy stated with a smile, before frowning and clarifying the point, "and kinda scary."
"Who's scary?" Cal's voice boomed behind them causing all three kids to jump. Emily turned around and punched his arm laughing at the same time. The boy forced a laugh as if he had expected Cal to be behind him.
The girl with the glasses was having none of it. She pulled on the boy's shirt sleeve. "Let's go get some popcorn." He nodded obviously glad to leave scary Cal and his partner lady. Both looked at Emily to see if she'd follow.
"I'll meet you over there in a second." Emily watched them go then turned to Gillian. "I'm really glad you came!"
"So am I. Thank you again for inviting me. Here." Gillian handed Emily her present. Emily's eyes grew wide at the purple paper. She pulled the flower out and tried to push it into one of her pigtails. Gillian, seeing her frustration, helped her slide it under the rubber band. Emily smiled in thanks, then looked back at the package, and over towards the house. Gillian followed her line of vision and saw a table of gifts. "Wow, you've got a mountain over there."
She expected Emily to respond with a smile, but instead Emily bit the side of her lip and looked back at the package.
"What is it sweetheart?" Sensing the change in Emily's emotional state, she squatted down to Emily's eye level.
"It's nothing, just…" Emily looked up at Gillian and then over to her father who holding their beers and looking at her inquisitively. "Well mom said I should have all the guests put gifts on the table over there and I can open them after everyone goes home." Gillian watched Emily's face trying to figure out why she looked so upset. "And, well, I don't want to put your gift over there. I want to open it now." Emily scuffed the front of her shoe on the dirt. Gillian frowned. She respected Emily wanting to follow her mother's wishes, but felt sorry that she had given her the gift without knowing.
"You want to do what your mom asked of you?" While it came out as a question, it was more of a clarification of Emily's feelings.
"Yeah." She said remorsefully.
"Well 'ang on luv." Cal interrupted, squatting down next to Gillian in front of his daughter. "If I remember correctly, your mum said to put all the guests' gifts over there right?" Emily nodded, but something on her face perked up at her father's tone. Gillian heard it too; Cal was up to something.
"But this morning you were allowed to open my gift, right?" Again Emily nodded, scrunching up her eyebrows not sure of where her father was going with his line of questioning. Gillian was confused as well. "And your mum's too right? You opened her gift."
"Yeah?" Emily questioned her father.
"Well why you think that is luv? What's different about our gifts?" Cal was leading his daughter somewhere with this, but Gillian still wasn't sure where it was going.
"Well, you're my dad and she's my mom." Emily looked at her father and he nodded raising his eyebrows encouragingly. "So you're not guests. It's different… 'cause you're … family." Again Cal nodded shifting his eyes toward Gillian and back quickly a few times as if indicating her to his daughter. Finally getting the picture, the light bulb moment shone on her face. Her smile grew huge on her face. "And Gillian's not a guest either! She's your partner now, so she's family!" Emily bounced up and down again and lunged forward hugging her dad with one arm and Gillian with the other. Pulling out of the hug, she dropped to the ground and began ripping off the paper. "So I can open your gift right now!"
Gillian was taken back by the gesture, not just from Emily, but from Cal. She looked over at him with a smile that lit up her face and definitely reached her eyes. He smiled back quickly then made an eye rolling gesture toward Emily as if to say "kids, what can you do?" She knew better. He was trying to hide from the fact that he could read how much his gesture meant to her. She had shared with him some of her own family drama and he was aware that she had little to no contact with her biological family. By including her in his own family, he had touched her heart.
"OH MY GOD! I LOVE IT!" Again Gillian was almost knocked over when Emily threw herself at her in a bear hug. "It's real isn't it? Like Really real! Wow. It's so beautiful." Emily held up the bracelet as she drew back. "Can you put it on? Can I wear it right now?" She directed the question at Gillian, who looked over at Cal.
"As long as it's ok with your dad."
"Course luv. It's your birthday."
Emily squealed in delight. Gillian took the bracelet and secured it to the young girl's wrist. "I've got to show Molly, she's going to die!" They heard Emily squealing all the way to the popcorn table.
Moving the beers into one hand, Cal extended his other hand to help Gillian stand back up. "Think you made her day luv."
"Doubtful Cal, I think you're spy world has to take the cake." She gestured to the kids still shooting each other in the yard.
He shrugged. "Guess that's one benefit of working for the Pentagon." They both laughed. He handed over a beer. It amazed him that she would just drink it out of the bottle. Seemed like someone as classy as Gillian shouldn't be able to pull off drinking straight out of a beer bottle, but she managed it.
She looked at him appreciatively. "Thank you Cal."
"What, it's just a beer." He gestured down toward his hand, even though by reading her face he knew full well what she was actually thanking him for.
"It's very kind of you to welcome me into your family." She smiled and touched his shoulder. "It means a lot to me."
"Yeah, well, I meant it luv, and Emily did too." He smirked back before looking down at the ground. They both heard Zoe call his name and turned to look for her. She was carrying a cake box out of the house. "Ah, duty calls." He started walking toward the door, but when he realized she wasn't following him, he turned back around and waved her forward. "Come on Foster. Hurry it up. You can't shirk family responsibility already." He smirked at her and she laughed tagging along behind him.
A single tear ran down Gillian's cheek at the memory. For so long, Cal and Emily had been her family. She loved them. Emily with her inquisitive eyes and her bouncy self. Cal with his gruff and loud demeanor hiding his own frailty and need for compassion.
She wiped the tear off her face and ripped the tag off her dress. Sliding it over her head, she ran her hands down the material once feeling it's softness. Maybe stepping back into a dress like this would bring back the feelings that memory had. That feeling of being loved and of belonging.
Slipping back into the bathroom she finished getting dressed, brushed her hair, and applied a little makeup and deodorant. Taking a deep breath, she stepped back and looked at herself in the full length mirror. Her hair hung natural to her shoulders, waving slightly as it air dried. Her eyes were still a little puffy, but the red in her cheeks made her look younger almost. The dress… it fell so softly and gently. It made her feel feminine and young and … happy. She actually felt a little happier. Laughing she twirled as she would have done when she was a little girl. Glimpsing a flash of that little girl in the mirror, she hugged herself.
"Well, I'm finally here. I kept my promise." She smiled. In her mind, her younger self looked back at her from the mirror smiling. "Took you long enough!" Her little self retorted.
Smiling, she realized that while she may not have anyone else, she still had herself, and that would have to be enough. Maybe having nothing else would actually make this beginning easier. They say the best foundation is rock bottom.
It had indeed taken her long enough to get back to herself. And what better way to begin than with a trip to Disney World.
Looking in the mirror, she met her own eyes, "Happy Birthday Gillian."