A/N: This chapter starts in the timeframe from Teddy leaving work the day of Grotto's funeral and when she found out about Frank, then jumps into present time. The language Teddy speaks is Romanian, I used google translate so I apologize for any mistakes. Also a big shout out to A.K.A Author Unknown for their amazing review. Please R&R and thank you.

After leaving work, Teddy went to the Nelson & Murdock office, finding only Foggy.

"Hey," she greeted "Where is everyone?"

"Theo, hey, uh, Karen's off chasing the Punisher files and Matt left a few hours ago" Foggy replied

"You mean he left, like out left?" she asked

"Yeah" he nodded

Teddy sighed and sat in a nearby chair

"How're you guys doing?" he inquired. Since Matt dropped the ball on his intent to propose he wondered how Theo was doing, especially after the gunshot incident and the call he made to her the night Matt went missing.

"I don't really know. My relationship with Matt feels like I'm dating Daredevil more often than not. I just worry so much that, the next phone call I get from you is telling me he's dead. After everything that's already happened, I don't know if I can handle that" she answered

"You know, when he says he loves you, he means it. Just like when he promises not to leave you, he means that. He'd never purposely leave you"

"I know. I believe that with all of my heart...but leaving me on purpose isn't my concern."

Foggy was quiet, he wanted to tell her about the ring, give her something to be optimistic about, but he knew it wasn't his place to say. "Theo, he'll stop...once he catches the Punisher"

"But what about when the next Punisher comes around? Or the next one? Is our life going to be put in purgatory every time a new criminal stirs up Hell's Kitchen?"

"You see a life with him?"

"I see the rest of my life with him. Marriage, kids, the whole nine yards. But I am terrified that because of Daredevil, Matt won't be coming back"

"Theo, I've known Matt for a really long time. He's never been more serious about anything than he is with you. You can get him to stop if you ask him"

"I feel like if I were to ask him to give up the suit...it would be like asking him to give up a part of himself. I don't know if I can do that to him"

"I don't see too many other options"

"Neither do I. My only plan for right now is to try and keep things going smoothly and keep loving him until we hit the next bridge."

Foggy smiled softly at her "You really are too good to him"

"No" Teddy smiled back "He's good to me"

Suddenly, her phone started ringing from an unknown number. She excused herself from Foggy and went to answer it

"Hello?" she answered

"Is this Theodosia Xitano?"

Teddy took a deep breath "Yes. It is"

"I'm calling from Victory Memorial Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. I'm calling about Florica Xitano, she'd like to see you"

"What's wrong with her?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that over the phone. If you come in, I can explain everything to you."

"I'm on my way"

She hung up the phone and went to grab her bag, telling Foggy that she had to go, giving him no further details. She hopped on the subway and about half an hour later, she was walking in the doors of the hospital and to the front desk,

"Hi, someone just called me about a patient. Florica Xitano" she told the nurse

"Your name?" he replied dryly

"Theodosia"

"Follow me. She's been asking for you"

He got up and walked around the desk, gesturing for Teddy to follow him

"What's wrong with her?" she asked

"Advanced lung cancer. Docs don't give her but a few more hours. I'm sorry" he answered

"Damn. Is anyone else in there with her?"

"Her son, his wife, and their kids"

Teddy nodded her head and remained quiet for the rest of the walk to the room.

Once she got to the room, the nurse apologized once again and left, leaving Teddy to walk in alone. Cree was inside with her husband, Teddy's brother, and their three children napping on the couch and cot in the room.

"Theo!" Cree exclaimed in shock

"Hey Cree. Nicolae" Teddy addressed, trying to keep herself calm

"I didn't know if you would be coming. I'm glad to see you" said Nicolae

"I didn't know if I wanted to come. Where is he?"

"Dead. He died last year. Heart attack"

Teddy huffed and crossed her arms

"Nicolae! Nicolae!" called a hoarse voice, followed by a loud cough

Teddy stepped further into the room, seeing the frail old woman coughing harshly on the hospital bed. When she finally saw Teddy standing there, her eyes welled with tears and she whispered "Theodosia"

"Salut" Teddy replied "Maică" (Hello; Mother)


"Mi-a fost dor de tine, copilul meu," Florica told her daughter, "Ești atât de frumos" (I have missed you, my child; You are so beautiful)

Sensing the tension, Nicolae and Cree quickly gathered their children and left the room.

"Ce fac eu aici?" Teddy snapped (What am I doing here?)

"Am vrut să te văd ... ultima oară" (I wanted to see you...one last time)

"Dupa toti acesti ani? După toate acestea sa întâmplat?" (After all these years? After all that's happened?)

Florica looked at her hands in shame "Trebuie să înțelegeți-" (You must understand-)

"Ce este de înțeles?" Teddy shouted, "L-ai lăsat să mă bată. Când eram în sfârșit în siguranță și fericit, amândoi ați încercat să mă răpiți din familia mea și când am refuzat să mă întorc, ați văzut cum mi-a făcut numele de Gadje. Am fost unsprezece ani!" (What is there to understand?; You let him beat me. When I was finally safe and happy you both tried to kidnap me from my family and when I refused to go back, you watched as he branded me a Gadje. I was eleven years old!)

"Theodosia, am nevoie de iertarea ta" Florica pleaded (Please, Theodosia, I need your forgiveness)

"Nu știu dacă o pot da" (I don't know if I can give it)

After that Teddy left, disappearing down the halls trying to control her sobs. Her chest where the brand was located burned her, even though it had been years since the incident. As she cried, she felt herself starting to hyperventilate and all she wanted was to be comforted. But not by her brother or Cree, or even Matt. But the one person she wanted comfort from was the one person she couldn't get.

It was a long time before she finally got up and went back to her Florica's room, Cree and Nicolae sitting in the chairs by the bedside.

"Imi pare rau. Dar nu te pot ierta pentru ce sa făcut. Fiecare dintre voi." she stated, turning on her heel and leaving the hospital for home. (I'm sorry. But I cannot forgive you for what was done. Either of you)


Xx


Waking up, Teddy was groggy and confused, unsure of where she was.

"Well, well, well. Sleeping beauty's finally awake" came a familiar sarcastic voice

She looked over and when her eyes focused on the obsidian eyes staring at her, she broke into a grin "Hey"

"How're you feeling princess?" Billy asked her, gently grabbing her hand

"A little confused. You know, we really do have to stop catching up like this" she joked

"You're telling me. I'm not a big fan of seeing you in hospital beds"

"I'm not a fan of being in them. Where exactly am I?"

"Metro-Gen. They said you had some kind of panic attack"

She nodded slowly, the memories coming back to her. "Of all the bad shit that happened yesterday, finding out about dad was the worst"

"What happened yesterday?" he inquired, concern etching his features

She inhaled deeply "It's not important right now"

"You can tell me over breakfast then"

"Is it breakfast already?"

"Yeah, they, uh, they sedated you last night and you've been asleep ever since. They were hoping to discharge you a few hours ago"

"What time is it?"

"10 AM"

"Jesus. I should call Matt"

Trying to not let his jealousy show, Billy got up and stepped out to give her some privacy. Matt didn't answer his phone so she left a slightly irritated voicemail

"Hey, Matt, uh, they're letting me out and I guess you're busy or something, so I'll just see you later at home. Love you, bye"

After hanging up she changed into her clothes, calling Billy back into the room

"You ok?" he asked

"Yeah. He didn't answer," she told him

"Good, then I can take you out for breakfast. No arguments"

"Bill"

"Come on, Teddy. I haven't seen you since…." he huffed "Please, Teddy, I'll bring you anywhere you want to go"

"Anywhere?"

"Name it"

"Fine. I want to go back to yours"

"W-What?"

"You heard me. I want to go back to yours like we used to. So we can cook, eat, and talk"

"Alright. Deal."

"Alright"

They grabbed Teddy's discharge papers and headed out, Billy's arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders.


Once at Billy's apartment, Teddy was ordered to sit down while Bill cooked and made her a cup of tea.

"So," he began as he scrambled the eggs in the pan "You want to tell me about yesterday?"

Teddy fiddled with the mug between her hands "I really should've guessed nothing good was going to come from that phone call when they asked for 'Theodosia Xitano'"

"What was the call about?"

"My birth mother, Florica. She was in the hospital and wanted to see me"

"So you went"

"I did. Turns out she was dying of lung cancer, didn't have much time left. All she wanted from me was to forgive her so she could move on peacefully"

He turned the burners off and faced her "Did you?"

"I couldn't. She died sometime early this morning I guess" she told him, not meeting his eye

"Who told you?"

"My brother text me. He was there when I saw her"

"I didn't know you had a brother"

"We're not close. He was the coveted son, I was the unwanted daughter"

"When was the last time you saw them?"

"My brother is married to my friend Cree and they have three kids, so I see him when I see her. My parents…" she trailed off, raising her hand to the brand again, tears streaming down her cheeks "I was 11"

"Hey, hey," he said gently, picking her face up in his hands "You're ok...What the hell did they do to you?"

"I'd be better off showing you" she stated, standing up and taking off her hoodie, then her shirt, leaving her in her low-cut tank top, the discolored scar in the shape of a 'G' standing out against her skin

"I..never...never saw this before" he stuttered

"Probably because the last time you saw me without a shirt on I was covered in bruises and you were ready to kill someone" she replied

He brought his hand to the mark and used his thumb to trace it "Does it mean something?"

"Gadje. Outsider. It means I no longer belong. They grabbed me after dance practice one afternoon...they wanted me to go back with them since I belonged to them. I didn't want to...so I fought. My birth father got really mad and he said that if I wanted to turn my back on them and betray the family, then everyone would know I wasn't one of them. He took some wire from his pocket and made the G, burning it into me with his lighter. My birth mother held me down and watched. I ended up getting a restraining order after that"

"I'm so sorry Teddy"

She brought her hand up and covered his, squeezing lightly "It's ok"

They were silent as they stood holding their hands together against her chest, her fast heartbeat thumping against their fingers.

"I miss you" Bill suddenly blurted

"What?" Teddy questioned, thinking she heard him wrong

"I said, I miss you."

She fought the urge to tell him that she missed him too, that she thought about him more often than she'd like to admit. But her mind screamed at her, reminding her that she was with Matt and she loved him. Which wasn't a lie, she did love him, but she also loved Billy, whether she liked it or not.

"I...I can't" she whispered

"You can't what? You can't miss me?"

"Exactly! Bill, I'm with someone. A good man who I love...I can't be thinking about you"

"You love this guy? The same guy who didn't show up for you today?"

"That's not fair"

"Neither is life sweetheart. You say you love one guy and yet you admit to thinking about another"

"I didn't come here to fight with you Bill. Please just let it go"

"I don't want to let it go! I'm tired of letting it go! Do you have any idea how many times a day you cross my mind? How often I wonder what you're doing? Because it's often enough that it drives me crazy!"

"You think I don't get that? I hear songs on the radio and I think how much better they'd be if you sang them like you used to when you cooked. I think about your eyes and your smile and it makes me insane because I shouldn't be thinking of them when I'm with Matt. And God forbid I find that old t-shirt of yours...It still smells like you and it makes me miss you all the more. And I hate myself for it"

"You hate yourself for loving me?"

"No" Teddy wept "I hate myself for wanting you when I'm with and in love with someone else. I hate myself for not being able to get you out of my head."

Billy frowned, tears leaking from his eyes. Seeing him cry, Teddy reached up and wiped the tears from his face. He put his hands on her wrists to keep her in place, closing his eyes and relishing in the feeling of her touch. Teddy found herself pressing her forehead to his, melting into him. Catching herself before she went too far, she kissed his lips and pulled away before he could react

"I'm sorry" she cried, pulling away from him and running out of the apartment.

Billy watched her as she ran out the door, sitting on the arm of his couch, resting his hands on his knees and folding his hands together, resting his head against them while he cried.