2 Weeks Later
Tara turned the piece of paper with her mother's phone number over and over in her hands. She had picked it up and put it down multiple times in the last two weeks. She wanted to call her, and then she didn't. Bobby had been encouraging and supportive. She couldn't have asked for a better cheerleader. She knew a piece of him wanted to call Amy for her, but he respected her enough to let her make her own decision about it. He was watching her now, tapping his finger on his coffee mug absently and wrinkling his forehead in that way that made Tara want to smooth it out with her hand. A part of her suspected he was in contact with Amy, but he never voiced it. Then she called herself crazy for thinking he would talk to Amy and not tell her. Bobby wasn't like that.
"I'm gonna do it," she said finally after spending what felt like hours thinking about it.
"That's great, love," Bobby smiled. He nudged the phone over to her across the table. She picked it up and took a deep breath. Then she dialed.
Jack
"Only five more weeks eh buddy?" D said, nudging Jack with his elbow. It was after hours, and Jack wanted to finish up some paperwork before going home. D had also stayed to finish some work.
"Yup," Jack grinned.
"You nervous?"
"To spend the rest of my life with the best woman on Earth? No. Not at all," Jack answered.
"That's good," D smiled. "I was so nervous that I dropped Donna's ring during the ceremony. Twice."
"Ohh," Jack winced.
"Yea. The minister made a joke out of it," D chuckled, thinking about it. "That day is still vivid in my mind as though it happened yesterday. I'll never forget feeling so proud that Donna was my wife."
"Were you ever afraid that you'd let her down?" Jack asked. He sometimes felt this way, but he was afraid to voice it.
"All the time," D nodded. "But you know what, you're going to sometimes, intentional or not. That's life. We can't be perfect, and the only way to get past it is to grow together and communicate openly. I was always surprised to hear Donna voice the same fears I had, and now I tell her straight up when something like that crosses my mind, and it gets settled before it becomes something huge."
"That is very good advice," Jack said. "I feel like I should give you something in return."
"Just be a good man," D responded. "That's rewarding enough for me and for everyone else." Jack didn't know what else to say, but D eventually went back to his work, leaving him sitting there and going over their conversation in his mind.
Maddy
Things hadn't exactly been the same since the incident at the safe house, not that Maddy would ever let on to anyone. Her father always kept asking her if she was okay, and she always lied and said yes. Inside, she was not okay. She could still see the eyes of the man she shot. The fear, the pain...all of it. It haunted her dreams. She debated talking to the school counsellor about it, but every time she chickened out. She tried writing about it, but it made it all too real again.
"Hey, Mads," her Dad called as he came in from his evening run. She didn't know how he could run twice a day. It would kill her.
"Hey, Dad," she replied, looking up from her phone.
"Wanna take the ol' automobile for a spin around the block?" he asked. He'd been trying to get her to keep practising driving, but her heart just wasn't into it anymore.
"Not today," Maddy said, looking down so she didn't have to see the disappointment in his eyes.
"Don't stop living, Maddy," he said, making her look up again. "Don't." He held her gaze for a moment, and she felt the tears coming like a dam breaking, but he turned away and was gone before they erupted.
Charlie & Tess
"I can't believe this is our baby," Charlie repeated, turning the sonogram photo this way and that to look at the little peanut. Tess laughed at his facial expression.
"It'll grow," she reassured him.
"I'm well aware of how a baby develops in a womb," he laughed. He kept looking at the photo. This was his baby. This was the little person he was going to love and protect with all his heart and as fiercely as he could.
"Hey, you wanna..." Tess trailed off, gesturing upstairs.
"Really?" he asked.
"Yes," she giggled.
"You can do that still?"
"Charlie! I'm pregnant not broken," she laughed.
"Okay, all right," he nodded. "And I won't hurt it?"
"Not at all," she promised. She took his hand and led the way. He left the photo on the kitchen table.
"You're sure?" he clarified.
"Yes!"
"Got it," he assured her, giving her a cheeky smile when she looked at him.
Amy
When the phone rang, Amy dived on it like it was her life saver. She had been waiting forever, and this was it. Nobody else called her, so she knew it had to be her.
"Hello?" she said breathlessly.
"Amy?" Jonah asked. His voice sounded far away.
"Jonah?" she said, surprised.
"You're still there then," Jonah noted.
"Yes. How did you get this number?"
"From Sal. You had given it to him, remember?"
"Oh, yes," Amy said. She did remember now.
"He mentioned you declined to join the Ghost Program," Jonah went on. "May I ask why?"
"My daughter," Amy answered truthfully. She heard Jonah inhale and exhale slowly.
"I'm proud of you, Amy," Jonah said.
"Thank you, Jonah," she responded. "Where are you now?"
"I'd rather not say. I've been successfully relocated, and things are well," Jonah told her.
"You're safe?"
"I'm safe," he confirmed.
"Okay. Farewell, dear friend," she said.
"Take care, Amy. Don't let her go," Jonah finished. Then there was dead air. Amy hung up slowly and sat back in her chair. She hadn't known she would ever hear from him again, and now that she had, she wished she had had more to say. She hated losing friends.
Tara & Bobby
"Why can't I do this?!" Tara asked, staring at the phone. She had hung up as soon as she had dialed. Now she was staring at the phone as though it was a bomb about to go off. At least she knew how do disarm a bomb. This she had no idea how to do.
"Are you afraid of getting close to her and she ends up leaving again?" Bobby suggested.
"I...I don't know. Maybe that's it. Maybe I'm afraid of her abandoning me again," Tara agreed. She looked at Bobby sadly.
"Sometimes, you just gotta take that leap," Bobby said softly. "I'm here to catch you if you fall." She stood and leaned across the table to kiss him then. He was such a sweet, wonderful man. She truly was lucky to have him at her side.
Sue & Lucy
Sue was finishing up handwriting the place cards when Lucy came in.
"What do you think?" she asked, holding one up. "Will people be able to read my scrawl?" Lucy bent and examined it closely.
"It's beautiful," she said. "I didn't know you could write like that."
"I still have some secrets up my sleeve," Sue winked. "How was work?" John had encouraged Sue to take some time off to prepare for the wedding and for the honeymoon after. She was only working part time until a week before the wedding. She knew her brother was really getting her prepared for when their mother came. She'd need all the resting periods she could get.
"Ugh, it was long," Lucy sighed, falling onto the couch. "I think Myles is seeing someone."
"I'm sorry," Sue said. "Did I read that correctly? Myles is seeing someone?"
"I think so," Lucy nodded. "He was on his phone a lot and smiling at it. I recognized the moony look a guy who's met someone has when they're talking to them."
"I'm sorry," Sue signed. Lucy waved her hand dismissively.
"Don't be," she said. "I really think he was overwhelmed from the whole...experience at that cottage, and he made a decision based on fleeting feelings. It sucks, yes, but I don't know if I was ever going to fully trust him again anyway."
"Trust is important," Sue agreed.
"Yea," Lucy said. It still hurt that Myles had moved on so quickly. It just proved her theory, though.
"I think I've gotten everything pretty much ready aside from these," Sue said, looking at the place cards.
"You are phenomenal," Lucy laughed. "When I get married, can you do everything for me?"
"I'll think about it," Sue teased. "Small is simple, though. That was my advantage."
"Mmm true," Lucy agreed. She was so happy for Sue and Jack. It made her feel guilty for being a tiny bit jealous. She wished she had someone who adored her and loved her the way Jack loved Sue. She sighed. As the saying goes: Maybe one day.
John & Jane
"Maddy seem off to you?" John asked, coming up to Jane, who was cooking. He gave her a big kiss on the cheek as he folded his arms around her from behind.
"She's quieter than normal if that's what you mean," Jane replied. "Why?"
"I think she's still struggling with what happened at the safe house," John explained. "She won't admit it."
"I know her pretty well. She'll still be processing. She'll eventually get to the point where she'll let it go," Jane promised.
"And if she doesn't?" John prompted.
"Then we'll start to worry."
Myles
Jeanine was so fun. She made him laugh, and he didn't feel like he needed to work hard to be someone he wasn't. He felt a twinge of guilt that he had lost the connection with Lucy, but if she couldn't trust him, then there could be no relationship. Jeanine made him forget about the troubles of being an FBI agent. He felt like a normal U.S. citizen who had an ordinary, crime free life. He believed Lucy knew something was up since every time she looked at him today, he was on his phone texting Jeanine. He knew she'd figure it out. Myles sighed as he looked at his watch. Jeanine would be there soon. He didn't want to think about Lucy anymore.
Amy
The phone rang again, and again, Amy lunged for it eagerly. This time, it was her.
"Hi," Tara's voice said. It sounded uncertain.
"Hi yourself," Amy replied.
"I'm sorry I took so long..."
"Don't be! I understand me coming to your door was overwhelming," Amy said.
"So, what now?" Tara asked.
"Lunch?" Amy suggested.
"Okay," Tara agreed. "When?"
"Tomorrow?"
"Sure." They named the location and hung up. Amy felt a sense of relief and joy. Her daughter wanted to see her again after all.
Jack & D
They finally called it a night. Jack was anxious to see Sue. He hadn't seen her yesterday due to a case, and he really missed her. Dimitrius was just as anxious to get home. Donna had called and said the children were asking for him.
"You okay?" Jack asked as they neared the exit. "You look exhausted. Want a ride?"
"Nah," D replied. "I'll be all right." They stepped out into the rain.
"See you tomorrow!" Jack called. "Drive safe!"
"You too!" D shouted over the rain. He got into his car and started it. He said a quick prayer for a safe drive home, and he threw the car into drive.
Bobby
He knew Tara was going to be all right. She couldn't stop smiling after talking to Amy. She had even showered him with some attention he hadn't received in a while.
"Can we tell people?" Bobby asked afterwards. "Jack knows I'm hiding something, and he's gonna ask me eventually, and I'm afraid I'll break."
"Soon," Tara replied. "I promise."
"Okay. Hey, did Sue ask you about being a bridesmaid?" Bobby asked.
"She did," Tara nodded. "I said yes. I also apologized for disappearing off the face of the Earth for a while."
"They understood," Bobby reassured her.
"I know. They are the best of friends," Tara sighed happily. She linked her fingers with his, and he kissed the back of her hand. They were cuddled together on her bed.
"So," Bobby started. "Have you thought about what we had planned a while ago?"
"Us moving in together?" Tara asked.
"Yea. No rush, but I just wondered if you still even wanted to do that," Bobby said.
"Of course! I don't really see why not. I mean, Dad's gone, and you're here 90 percent of the time anyway. I'd like to revisit that again," she smiled.
"Sounds great," Bobby grinned. They kissed for a while before Bobby's phone rang.
"Let it go to voicemail," Tara breathed.
"It looks important," Bobby said. He pulled away from her reluctantly to answer. "Yea?"
"Bobby Manning?" the voice asked.
"This is he," Bobby answered. He listened, and the more he heard, the more his heart sank. Tara was looking at him curiously. When he hung up, he bit his fist. Then he got up and threw his clothes on hurriedly.
"What's wrong?" Tara asked, getting up to follow suit.
"It's D. He's been in an accident."