For starters, I would like to apologize for taking so long to update. Had so much going on, and then getting to actually go to Miami to meet the cast and crew of Burn Notice. Not too mention getting to watch them film and other goodies. It's been a lil crazy. Anyway on with the story. As always, I DO NOT own any part of Burn Notice.
Fiona was now in her 26 week of pregnancy, Michael and anyone else around her knew to watch what they say or did. Actually almost everyone was just staying away. This has not gone unnoticed by Fiona. Even though the bed had been delivered to the new house they still stayed at the loft until all the fumes were out of the new house. Michael was sitting at the counter at the loft while Fiona was napping on the bed. As Michael was reading the newest case file from Pearce he noticed Fiona start to toss and turn a little. Michael could tell she was having a bad dream and got up and walked over to the bed and gently sat down next to her. He gently put his hand on her shoulder. Fiona eyes snapped open and she immediately swung her fist at Michaels face. She made contact with his left eye so fast he never saw it coming. Michael quickly moved his hand from her shoulder and jumped off the bed before she could swing again. There was no second swing though. Fiona realized that it had been Michael who had touched her and tried to sit up but was unable.
"Oh my God, Michael are you ok?" She tried to sit up again this time able to do so.
Michael had his hand covering his eye knowing that she had just given him a black eye. "Yeah Fi I'm ok." Michael sat on the corner of the bed gently probing his face to be sure nothing was broken.
Fiona slowly made her way over to Michael who still had his back to her. "Michael you know I didn't do it on purpose right? You startled me." Fiona put her hand on his shoulder.
"I know Fi, next time I'll just be sure to be out of your fist reach." Michael turned towards Fiona and she gasped when she was able to see his face. "Is it that bad?"
"Well do you remember a month ago when you were proud I was still able to throw a descent punch?" Fiona paused while Michael nodded yes. "Well how do you feel about it now?"
Michael thought for a moment, "I guess still proud, just wish I wasn't on the receiving end of it." Fiona wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind and gently kissed his already bruising eye. Michael sat there and let Fiona kiss his eye knowing that she didn't hit him on purpose. After a few minutes of Fiona trying to make him feel better, Michael started to stand up. "You know Fi I really should get some ice on this." Michael pointed to his eye.
When Fiona saw Michaels whole face she got up and followed him to the freezer. She was standing right behind him when he started to turn around after getting the icepack; he bumped into her not knowing she would be right there. Fiona took the ice out of his hand, then took his hand and led him back to the bed and made him sit. "Fi, what are you doing?" Fiona had put the ice pack gently on his eye.
"I am holding an icepack on your face." Fiona innocently told him.
Michael chuckled a little, "Yeah I got that but why are you doing it? I can hold it there myself."
Fiona took the icepack off his face and threw it at his chest. "Fine Michael I was just trying to help." Fiona stood up and went out to the balcony.
Michael shook his head knowing he should have just kept his mouth shut and let her hold the ice pack if that's what she wanted to do. Michael debated following her outside but decided to give her a couple of minutes. He put the ice pack back on his eye and lay down on the bed so he wouldn't have to hold it with his hand.
Fiona was sitting outside halfway expecting Michael to come outside and apologize. After twenty minutes of waiting, Fiona got tired of waiting and poked her head into the loft to see what Michael was doing. All she could see was that he was lying on the bed. From the angle that Fiona was looking in at she couldn't tell if Michael was just laying there or if he had fallen asleep with the ice on his face. She slowly and quietly walked over to the bed. Once she was close enough she saw that Michael had fallen asleep. Fiona walked around to Michael's side of the bed and carefully removed the ice from Michael's face. Just as the ice was off his face Michael's hand shot up and grabbed Fiona's wrist, and his eyes popped open.
"Whatcha doin Fi?" Michael asked as he sat up.
"I was taking the ice off your face so you didn't get frost bite. I'm guessing that's something you would want to avoid." Fiona pulled her hand from Michaels grasp and stood up to walk away.
Michael grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him, she ended up sitting on his lap. Not how Michael expected things to turn out but neither was complaining. "Fi are you mad about something?" Michael asked as he moved a strand of hair out of her eyes.
"I don't know Michael, I hate feeling like this. One minute I'm fine the next I'm crying or so angry I could shoot someone. I know everyone is avoiding me, I'm surprised your still here."
She went to continue on but Michael stopped her before she could by placing his finger over her mouth. "Your right Fi some people have been avoiding you. And yes, your moods have changed a lot lately. But I will never leave you. You're stuck with me." Michael smiled at her and then winced as the smile made his eye hurt.
Fiona noticed the face he made and tried to stand up, but Michael wouldn't let her. "Michael what are you doing? Let me up."
Michael thought for a moment before shaking his head no. "Nope, you're not going anywhere." Michael then wrapped his arms around her so she couldn't try and get up again.
Michael I suggest you let me go now, or at least loosen your grip or you're going to have a wet lap." Fiona smiled and remembered how Michael said something similar not long ago.
Michael smiled and let her up. "Hey on your way out of the bathroom can you grab me some Tylenol?" Michael shouted after her. She gave him a thumbs up as she walked into the bathroom.
Later that day Fiona was getting ready to go to the doctor while Michael was reading over a file. Fiona stood up and walked over to Michael who was sitting at the counter. "Michael are you ready to go?"
Michael looked up at Fiona his face still a little swollen and really bruised from earlier. "I think I may have to skip today's appointment Fi." Michael stood up and got a water from the fridge.
"What do you mean skip today's appointment? Earlier you said I was stuck with you." Fiona crossed her arms on her chest.
"Fi look at me, how can I go to a doctors office where you know they are going to ask what happened? Do I tell them that the mother of my child punched me when I touched her? May not be the best thing to do." Michael looked back to the file.
Fiona closed the file, "Michael you said you would be there every step of the way. Now get up and let's go. If and when they ask what happened I'm sure you can make something up. You're a spy you lie all the time."
Michael put his head down for a moment and picked it back up to look at Fiona, "Ok Fi, I'll go. But if they give me the third degree about this," he points to his face "I'm telling them the truth." Michael got up, grabbed his keys, and walked to the door.
Fiona followed him, "Michael the only way they will give you the third degree is if you don't tell them a convincing story. How hard is it to say you got into a fight?"
They were now in the car Michael was thinking about his story, "Ok Fi who did I get into a fight with?"
"Michael you are making this more complicated than it has to be. You work for the CIA and you got into a fight with a bad guy," she paused for a moment. "The rest is classified. Problem solved."
They got to the appointment with out another word spoken, while they were sitting in the examining room Michael turned to watch Fiona. "Fi you ok, you've been pretty quiet since the car?"
Fiona stood up and walked over to the wall to look at one of the posters. "I'm fine Michael." She stayed facing the wall pretending to be looking at the poster.
Michael knew from her tone that she was mad about something. Before he spoke again he tried to think of what she could be upset about. Not being able to come up with anything he stood up and walked over to her slowly wrapping his arms around her from behind, not sure how she would react. Oddly, she didn't react all. She did not move. Michael definitely knew something was bothering her now.
"Fi, I know something is bothering you." Michael turned her so she was facing him in his arms, "Talk to me Fi."
Fiona gently pushed him away and walked back over to the examining table to sit down again. "Why didn't you want to come with me today?"
Michael stood in front of her with his hands resting on her legs. "I told you Fi I didn't want the doctor to see my face like this. I never liked lying to doctors its like they can tell what really happened before you tell them anything."
Fiona looked at him with a doubtful look on her face, "C'mon Michael you could easily tell the doctor any lie and I'm sure he would believe you. He has no reason not too."
Michael looked around the room at anything but Fiona because he knew if she saw his face, she would know there was another reason why he didn't want to be there. Finally, he looked at her and just as he thought she saw something in his eyes and knew.
"Michael is this about when you were a child? I know we don't really talk about it but it's obvious that you didn't have the best childhood." She was going to continue when the doctor walked in.
"Good afternoon Michael, Wendy and how are we doing today?" the doctor barely looked at either of them until he was settled in. Once settled he looked at Wendy first then Michael, he actually did a double take with Michael but then looked back at Wendy's chart. After looking over the chart for a moment, he looked at Wendy, "So how are we feeling today? Any cramping or pain?"
Fiona shook her head no and looked quickly at Michael who was now standing next to her, then back to the doctor. "Nope no pain or cramps, just have to pee a lot."
Dr. Damon lowered the tabled a little so he could start the exam. "That's good." the doctor got an image on the screen and once again Michael focused on only that. Fiona looked at the image and then Michaels face, then to the doctor.
"So is everything ok?" Fiona asked as she took Michaels hand to try and get him to focus on what the doctor had to say. It worked for a minute but his eyes went right back to the monitor.
"Everything is fine. The baby looks to be about 13 inches long; of course that is just an estimation. I see ten fingers and ten toes." The doctor noticed that Michael was not paying attention so he shut off the monitor after he printed a picture of what was on the screen.
Michael snapped out of his trance and looked to Fiona to see what was going on. Fiona just smiled at him and held his hand. "So is everything ok?" Michael asked looking to the doctor.
"Yes like I was just telling Wendy everything is fine with the baby, but how about you? Its obvious you were in some kind of altercation. Looks fresh maybe happened this morning or last night."
Michael just gave Fiona an I told you so look. "It's nothing I just got in the way of someone's fist and would rather not discuss it." Michael gave the doctor a look that said just drop it.
The doctor took the hint and looked back to his notes before raising his head again to ask, "So are there any questions or concerns?"
Fiona spoke up after a moment and asked, "As we mentioned at other visits we just bought a house and are fixing it up, Michael had painted the whole house and had done other work, how long should we wait before actually moving in?"
"Well, how long ago did you finish painting Michael?" Dr. Damon quickly looked at Michael then back down not wanting to make much eye contact.
"I finished painting about two weeks ago and have been using fans since to get the fumes out. The other work I've been doing there really haven't been fumes." Michael looked at the Doctor then Fiona.
"I think after two weeks it should be fine to move in. As long as you are not the one doing the moving Wendy." Dr. Damon looked directly at Fiona when he finished speaking.
Michael muttered, "Yeah like she would help anyway."
Fiona with out thinking smacked his arm. "Michael you know that's not true when I moved into the loft who did most of the work?" Michael thought for a second but before he could respond Fiona said, "I did, and why did I, because you were away on," Fiona paused knowing she shouldn't say where he was and why, "Business."
Before Michael could respond the Doctor stood up, "Ok if there are no other questions I will be on my way and let you kids continue your 'conversation'."
Fiona looked at Michael who seemed like he was about to explode. "Sorry Dr. Damon, I don't think we have any other questions. Michael do you have anything to ask?"
Michael thought for a second, "Nope, I'm good."
Dr. Damon collected his things and gave Michael the picture from the ultra sound and a tissue to 'Wendy' so she could clean her stomach of the goo from the ultrasound, then left the room.
Not a word was spoken until Fiona was dressed and they were walking out to the car. "Fi did you really have to smack me in front of the doctor and right after he asked about my eye. He is probably thinking we fight all the time now." Michael got into the car and started the engine leaving Fiona to open her own door.
"Michael I tapped you on the arm and only because you were being a smart ass. You know I would help you with the move if I could. Do you think I like sitting on the sidelines? Not doing anything useful, it's driving me crazy. And don't think I forgot about what we were talking about before the Doctor walked in. Why didn't you want the Doctor to see your eye?"
Michael starred straight out to the road as he drove, "In my experience when people have black eyes or other bruises it's a sign of abuse. I don't want people thinking that is the kind of people we are. Then you go and smack me in front of the Doctor. I can only imagine what he thinks of us now."
Fiona put her hand on Michaels thigh and moved a little closer to him. "Michael I am sure the Doctor doesn't think we are abusing each other. He seemed fine with you not wanting to talk about it, and the fact that I tapped your arm, c'mon you deserved it after what you said."
Michael looked at Fiona, "Ok but what about the fact that he knew we were having an argument?" Michael looked back to the road in front of him.
"Michael I am just about seven months pregnant, call it a mood swing and it will be fine."
"If you say so Fi, but please for now on no more fighting in front of other people." Michael pulled up to the loft and got out to open the gate, he noticed the lock was facing the wrong way. He causally opened the gate as if nothing was wrong and walked back to the car. "Fi, stay here in the car. I think someone may be in the loft." Michael walked away before Fiona could say anything.
Michael quietly walked over to a crate where he kept a spare gun then went up the stairs to the door. He listened and her someone moving around inside the loft. It actually sounded like someone was running through the loft. Michael carefully opened the door but didn't see anyone. He pushed the door open quickly and heard someone say "Ow." Michael walked in and closed the door to find his brother holding his nose. "Nate what the hell are you doing here? How did you get in?"
"Geeze Bro I didn't think you were still that paranoid, I think you broke my nose." Nate stopped for a moment and looked around the loft.
Michael noticed Nate looking around for something, "Nate what are you looking for?"
Nate started to walk around the loft and Michael kept his gun out just in case. "First off put the gun away, second I'm looking for Charlie, we were playing hide and seek. Do you know how places there are to hide in this place if you're small enough?"
Michael put the gun away, "Nate do you realize how many guns and explosives there are hidden in here, what if he finds one?" Michael started looking for Charlie too. As Michael walked towards the balcony doors he heard a little giggle and saw Charlie looking at him from under the table. "Found him Nate." Michael walked towards the door to the loft.
"Hey where you going Bro you just got here?" Nate asked as he collected Charlie from under the table.
"I left Fiona down in the car; I didn't know it was you who broke in." As Michael opened the door he saw Fiona getting out of the drivers seat after had moved the Charger into its parking spot. "Fi I told you to wait in the car not move the car, what if it was someone who wanted to kill us?"
Fiona walked up the stairs, "I'm assuming since you just walked out of here it wasn't someone who wanted to kill us." Fiona walked passed Michael and into the loft. She spotted Nate holding Charlie near the counter. "Nate, what are you doing here?"
"Other then getting my nose broken by my brother I figured I'd stop by for a visit. I guess Michael still doesn't like drop by visits."
"How did you guess?" Fiona walked closer to Nate to say hello to him and Charlie.
Michael walked to the fridge after he locked the door and grabbed two waters for Fiona and himself. Handing one to Fiona he turned to Nate, "So Nate what are you really doing here? And where is Ruth?"
Nate put Charlie down on the floor and went to get his own water, "I heard that Fi was pregnant and wanted to come see how things were going. Congrats by the way Bro." Nate noticed Charlie was trying to climb the stairs and turned him the other way. "And Ruth is out shopping."
Michael looked at Fiona who was watching Nate with Charlie. Michael walked behind Fiona and wrapped his arms around her, their previous argument forgotten while watching Nate play with Charlie. Nate's phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket to answer. When he looked at the caller ID he got up from the floor and pointed to Charlie and asked Michael and Fiona to watch him for a minute. Fiona quickly went over to Charlie to see what he was playing with. Turns out it was one of his little toys. Fiona sat on the floor and Charlie sat in her lap and continued to play. Michael was watching from the counter. After a few minutes Nate came back into the main part of the loft and walked over to Michael.
"She looks like a natural playing with him." Nate leaned to tell Michael.
Michael never took her eyes off of her. "She does, doesn't she?" Michael paused a moment. "How do you do it Nate? How did you know you would be like Dad and treat your son like Dad treated us?"
"Honestly Bro, I didn't know. I still don't know what will happen. I do know that I love my son and will do anything to protect him. I am sure you will do the same for your child. Do you know what you're having?"
"We decided not to find out, Fi would rather be surprised." So you aren't worried about turning into Dad?" Michael looked at Nate.
"Not really, I was at first but now I know I am not him and neither are you. You're a good man Mike. Plus I don't think Fiona would let you harm your child." Nate was watching Fiona and Charlie play. "Listen Bro that was Ruth on the phone her car broke down and I need to go pick her up. Do you think I can leave Charlie here for about an hour?"
Michael walked over to Fiona who was still playing with Charlie, "Hey Fi, Nate needs to go pick up Ruth. You think we can handle Charlie for a while?"
Fiona looked up to Michael, "Michael if we can't handle a one year old for a little while we are in trouble." Fiona looked passed Michael to Nate, "Go ahead Nate Charlie will be fine."
"Thanks Fi." Nate went over to his son and gave him a kiss goodbye. "Later Buddy, be good for Uncle Mike and Aunt Fi." As Nate stood up he looked to his brother. "He shouldn't get hungry for about two hours and I should be back by then. If he does get hungry there are some snacks in his diaper bag along with juice and diapers obviously." Nate handed Michael the bag and walked out of the loft.
Michael looked at Fiona the same time Fiona looked to Michael, "Well now what do we do?" Michael asked.
"Simple Michael you get down here and play with your nephew, he won't bite and if he does it shouldn't hurt. He doesn't have all his teeth yet." Fiona got up and smiled at Michael as she walked to the bathroom.
Michael walked over to where Charlie was playing with a few of his toys on the floor. As Michael was about to sit he caught of whiff of something nasty. "Oh your dad left when he did just so he wouldn't have to deal with this." Charlie looked to his Uncle and bounced a little on his butt. That only made the smell worse. Michael didn't know what to do. He knew that Charlie needed a diaper change but he had never done that before. Michael wondered how long Fiona would be in the bathroom. With that the bathroom door opened and Fiona came out, "Hey Fi we have a little problem."
Fiona walked over to where Michael was sitting with Charlie. When she got close to them she learned what the problem was and stopped walking. "Wow, that's coming from him?" Fiona pointed to Charlie.
"Well it's not coming from me Fi, yes its coming from him. Please tell me you know how to change a diaper." Michael got up and picked up Charlie and walked closer to Fiona who backed up away from him. "Fi what are you doing?"
Fiona kept backing away she covered her mouth with her hand and turned and ran to the bathroom.
"Crap, I guess we are on our own Charlie." Michael heard the familiar sounds of Fiona throwing up in the bathroom. He walked over to the bed picking up the diaper bag on the way. He laid Charlie down and opened the bag pulling out everything he thought he would need. Diaper, wipes and powder. "Ok Charlie lets see if Uncle Michael can change a diaper." Michael took off Charlie's shorts and loosened diaper, getting a wipe prepared. He took a deep breath and removed Charlie's diaper. "Damn kid what are they feeding you?" Michael cleaned off Charlie and disposed of the diaper in the garbage. Leaving Charlie on the bed. Immediately Charlie rolled over and started to move towards the edge of the bed. Michael caught him just as he was about to fall over the edge. Michael put him back on the bed to get the new diaper ready. Michael was about to cover him when he realized he forgot the powder, as he reached for it Charlie started to pee which hit Michaels shirt. Michael covered Charlie who was smiling. "You little…"
"Michael what are you doing?" Fiona came walking up next to Michael and saw the wet spot on his shirt. She laughed a little. "I guess no one ever told you never leave a little boy uncovered."
"No Fi, no one ever told me that. Do you think you can finish this so I can change my shirt?"
Fiona pushed Michael out of the way, "Go I got this Michael." Fiona grabbed a new diaper and put it on Charlie, then redressed him.
Michael came back from changing his shirt and was watching Fiona play on the floor with Charlie. "So what do we do with him now?"
"I don't know, I don't exactly have a lot of experience with babies Michael. I guess we just keep him happy."
Michael ended up playing hide and seek while Fiona did some light packing so they could try and move that weekend. Every once in a while she would watch Michael playing with his nephew and she felt more at ease, he seemed to be enjoying himself as much as Charlie was. Before they knew it two hours had passed and Charlie was starting to get cranky.
"I guess he's getting hungry, have you tried calling Nate to see where he is?" Fiona asked.
"He just sent a text saying he is on his way back now. Maybe we should give him a snack. Nate said that there was some in the diaper bag." Michael sat at the table with Charlie on his lap while Fiona looked through the bag for a snack.
"Ah here we go looks like Cheerios." Fiona set a pile of Cheerios on the table and Charlie dug into them.
Just as Charlie was finishing Nate walked in. He saw Michael sitting with Charlie on his lap. "Wow, didn't think you would be the one sitting with Charlie." Nate walked over to his son and brother and took Charlie from Michael. "Thanks guys it was just easier to pick up Ruth and get the car back home with out Charlie." Nate packed up the diaper bag and started walking towards the door with Michael. "Hey Mike meant to ask you before but what happened to your eye?"
"It was nothing, Fi was having a bad dream I tried to wake her and she punched me. It was an accident." Michael shrugged it off.
Nate said his goodbyes and left. Michael walked over to the kitchen to where Fiona was sitting. "Hey Fi, what do you want to do about dinner?"
"I dunno Michael what would you like to do?" She paused, "How come you can tell your brother what happened to your eye but not a doctor?"
"He's my brother Fi; he knows what your like and what our childhood was like."
"Well at least one good thing came of Nate and Charlie being here." Fiona said standing up.
"What's that Charlie peeing on me?"
"No, although I wish I could have seen that, but I saw you with Charlie It was obvious that you were having fun with him." Fiona walked up to Michael and put her arms around his neck. "I don't think you have to worry about being anything like your father."
"I'm glad you think so Fi, I'm still not sure. How's about we go out to dinner tonight?"
"Sounds good Michael." she leaned up to kiss his lips. "Let me just grab my bag."
Michael and Fiona went out to a nice dinner then came home to pack so they can move.
This chapter was a little longer then anticipated I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you thought of it.