As an apology for such a long gap between updates, here's an extra one for you. Enjoy.
XOXOXOX
As Brody approached, she could see Lasalle was trembling. His knuckles were white he had his fists clenched so tight. Once she was by his side she could see his eyes shone with unshed tears as they bored through the glass window into the private hospital room which held his daughter.
"Hey," she whispered, reaching out to place an arm on her shoulder. "How are you?"
"That maniac shot my daughter, Brody, how d'you think I'm doing?" Lasalle spat. Instantly he hung his head. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
"It's okay," she replied.
Lasalle sighed, unfolding his arms and leaning against the base of the window, staring at Morena. Brody followed his gaze. She remembered the first time she'd arrived at the room, just days ago although it felt like weeks, staring in shock at the unconscious teenager with tubes coming out of every surface. Until that moment, neither she nor Pride had truly believed Morena had been shot, despite arriving at the office to be greeted by an inconsolable Lasalle who had walked in and found his daughter bleeding to death. Now it lightened the load in her heart to see Morena awake and laughing – albeit gingerly – with Cade.
But Chris, all Chris could see was her lying on the floor, blood pouring out of the hole in her stomach.
"I don't know how she's gonna get through this," he choked. "That fire three years ago nearly broke her, and she wasn't even the target there. She just happened to be there at the time. She was shot, point blank, what's that gonna do to her?"
"She is going to get through this," Brody replied. "She is strong and brave. She's has beaten this once and if she has to, she will beat it again."
"How can you know that?"
"Because I know her, and because I know she'll have you right by her side, holding her hand." Brody slipped her hand into his, entwining their fingers. "And I'm going to be right here too."
Lasalle stared at her, at the strength of loyalty in her voice. It was the way he and Pride spoke to each other, the way they spoke to her. But to have Brody reciprocate, it meant a lot. He knew what she'd been though; with the Moultrie, and her sister dying. Knew how long she'd been running too. He was pleased to see that it looked like she'd decided to put down some roots, especially here with them. Smiling for the first time in days, he pulled her into his arms, and pressed a kiss to her temple.
XOXOXOX
"Hey dad?" Morena began. "I know it's a school night, but can I go out? I think there's somewhere I should be tonight."
Chris looked up from cooking, gazing at his daughter as she leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen. He was struck suddenly by how grown up she looked. The fear which had underpinned all other emotions over the past few years was all but gone. He smiled proudly.
"I reckon there might be," he replied. "How 'bout I throw some of this in a box for you then give you a ride?"
"Sounds good."
Morena turned as she reached the porch to throw her dad a final wave, before jumping up the two steps and knocking on the door. She waited patiently, box of stir-fry in hand, hearing footsteps approach and a silhouette appear on the other side of the glass panel.
"Morena?" Brody said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I brought stir-fry," Morena grinned.
"Thank you," Brody replied. She accepted the box with a puzzled look. "Come in."
Morena climbed onto the couch, curling up like a cat in the corner. Brody quickly re-heated the stir-fry, dividing it between two plates, then carried it through to the living room, She handed a plate and fork to Morena, joining the teenager on the couch.
"So, you wanna tell me why you're here?" Brody asked.
"Thought you could use some company," Morena shrugged, shovelling a lump of stir-fry into her mouth.
Brody smiled. Although Morena didn't know the details of what had happened on the Moultrie or the new investigation, she couldn't fail to notice what had been going on the past few days. Brody was touched at the girl's concern. She sat back, finishing her dinner, watching Morena. She didn't push Brody for more information; just accepted without question that the older woman needed some comfort, and provided it willingly.
"You remind me of someone I used to care about," Brody said. "She loved her food too. And she had a really big heart."
"She? So not your ex-fiancé?"
"My ex-fiancé could've been a she," Brody pointed out.
"No way," Morena replied. Her face turned doubtful. "Really?"
"No, I'm kidding," Brody grinned. "No. You remind me of my sister."
"I didn't know you had a sister."
"I don't. Not anymore."
Realisation dawned across Morena's face. She didn't push any further. And Brody didn't share. Instead they turned on the TV, finding some trashy comedy to distract them, and settled down for the night as though nothing was wrong. Although as the show continued, Morena did shuffle round until she was leaning against Brody. Brody smiled, wrapping her arm around Morena's shoulders. Dropping her face against Morena's caramel hair, she inhaled the familiar smell of shampoo shared by father and daughter, and thanked whatever deity that was looking out for her for sending her the Lasalle family.
XOXOXOX
Chris lowered himself into the chair by Morena's bedside. Brody had dragged him to the hospital cafeteria before she left, insisting he ate something and refusing to go home until she'd watched him finish the whole thing. But now he had returned to his daughter's bedside. He dragged his hands down his face, shifting in a vain attempt to find some comfort in the too upright chair. Ashlyn and Tom had returned to their hotel room earlier, Ashlyn somewhat reluctantly, with their kids. He'd promised his ex that he wouldn't leave their little girl's side.
He leaned forward, brushing a few strands of hair off Morena's face as she slept. Her hair still had the faintest traces of the purple streaks from Mardi Gras a little under two months ago. Chris glanced to the pinboard by her bedside, already decked out with photos and cards. Amongst them was a photo from the Mardi Gras parade, a selfie Morena had taken on her phone: Morena's purple-striped head stuck up in the right hand corner, Lasalle and Patton to her left while Loretta, Brody and Sebastian's face grinned from behind them. By this point Morena had attacked Brody with half a dozen strand of beads – much to Lasalle's delight.
"Daddy?"
"Yeah princess?" Chris said. "What's wrong? You hurting?"
"Shut up."
Chris frowned.
"I didn't say anything."
"You were thinking," Morena replied. "Loudly. Please shut up and let me get some sleep."
"Sorry darling," he whispered. "I love you."
"Love you too daddy."
Chris watched her fall asleep, keeping his eyes fixed on the rise and fall of her diaphragm. On the proof that his baby girl was still here, still breathing, still fighting. Staring until his eyes burned with tears and he couldn't look any longer. Dropping Morena's hand as though it burned him, Chris jumped to his feet and marched out of the room, hot tears of pain and anger threatening to overflow. He didn't know where he was going, he just knew he couldn't sit there and see his daughter's broken body for a moment longer. He had to get away. Only, he didn't know where to go.
He came to a halt in the deserted corridor, his hands fisting tightly in his hair, gulping air into his lungs like a drowning man, letting the tears he'd been fighting for days roll down his cheeks. He scrunched up his eyes in a futile attempt to halt them.
When he re-opened his eyes, to his disbelief, Brody was standing in front of him. She gave him a gentle half smile.
"What are you doing here?" he croaked.
"Had a hunch you might need a shoulder to lean on," she replied.
Chris gave a bitter laugh.
"You have no idea."
Brody quickly crossed the distance between them, letting him cling to her.
"I've got you," she whispered. "I've got you."
"I'm sorry," he murmured.
"You have got nothing to be sorry for," Brody insisted softly, running her hand through his hair.
"I was so scared, seeing her lying there in a pool of her own blood. I can't lose her. She's my world, my beautiful baby girl, I cannot lose her."
"You won't," Brody promised. "She'll come through Chris. She's fighter. Just like her daddy."
XOXOXOX
The sound of piano music floated through the office, a comforting reminder that their youngest family member was still with them. Pride smiled softly, glancing up from chopping green pepper. It was wonderful to see Morena's familiar figure sitting – albeit rather gingerly – at the piano, her long caramel hair hanging down her back. She'd been released from hospital that morning, and Pride had invited the whole family to the office for homemade gumbo. Brody had dragged Lasalle into the garden after Morena had berated him for hovering around her; Sebastian had joined them when he arrived and was no doubt regaling them with his latest conspiracy theory.
Morena wasn't a musician like Laurel or Pride himself, but she enjoyed messing around with music. She knew the basics – there was no way she could've known Pride for as long as she had without him sitting her down, and teaching her. But she had no desire to pursue music. For her it was all just good fun. She had the talent, but she was happy. Nothing Pride liked more than hearing music played by someone who loved it.
The familiar squeal of a young child rang out from the office, and sure enough, a few seconds later CJ bounded into the kitchen.
"Hey uncle Dwayne!" he called.
"Hey there young man," Pride replied, opening his arms to receive a hug from him.
"Morena, I am so glad to see you upright again," Loretta smiled, leaning down to embrace the teenager carefully.
"Glad to be upright," Morena replied.
Pride watched the third new arrival, Danny. Loretta may have put Danny's past firmly in the past, but Pride couldn't help being more suspicious. He liked the boy, liked him a lot, he just worried. Especially about Morena. Her words, the first time she'd met Danny, echoed in his mind: "He's kinda cute." He didn't want her getting hurt again. He already had enough guilt over her shooting. Baitfish was coming after him, and Morena was simply in the worng place at the wrong time. It could've been anyone: Brody, Lasalle, Sebastian, Patton, Loretta, Laurel, any of them. It was simply bad luck that Morena was the only one in the office when Baitfish showed up. But that did nothing to assuage his guilt.
"Hey," Morena smiled at Danny.
"Hey," he replied. "You look like crap."
"Danny!" Loretta scolded.
"Yeah, cause you looked so good after you had a bullet pulled out of your stomach," Morena retorted.
Pride bit back a grin. It warmed his heart to see some of that Alabama fire return to her eyes, and comforted him to see her stand up to Danny.
"You can't let anyone do anything, can you?" Danny teased.
"You know what they say, anything you can do, I can do better. Or maybe I just wanted a scar as pretty as yours."
Danny grinned, then joined Morena on the piano stool, allowing her to show him the basics Pride had once taught her, on that very same piano when it sat in his home, not his office.
Throughout the evening, Pride kept a watchful eye on the two teenagers. He was sure Christopher would've been too, if Brody hadn't been keeping him distracted. Part of Pride thought it was unintentional, until he caught Brody glancing towards Morena and Danny with a small smile. She'd been a teenage girl once; she would know the conflict between being daddy's little girl, and liking someone for the first time. So she gave Morena a little time, distracting Chris as she played with CJ. Pride figured she was right. But he kept an eye on Danny, just in case.
Just in case he wasn't good enough for her.
