Danni Pearce jumped at the knock at her hotel room door dropping her freshly folded blouse into the suitcase below. Instinctively she reached for the Sig P229 that sat in its holster on the waistband of her Levis, and manoeuvred her way into the living area over to the door. Looking around and realising that she hadn't allowed housekeeping to clean since her arrival, she guessed it was probably the chambermaid so she loosened the latch and called out to her visitor asking who it was. When she heard Jesses voice on the other side she relaxed, replaced her Sig and opened the door. Danni absorbed the vision in front of her; Jesse had changed from his more casual attire into a pair of dark wash denims and a smart black shirt. She admired the outline of his muscular frame that was highlighted by his shirt that clung in all the right places. When she didn't say anything Jesse cleared his throat to get her attention and with an air of confidence he invited himself him. Danni smiled gleefully taken aback by his presence and stepped aside for him to enter. Danni headed towards back towards the bedroom and Jesse followed.

"If your here for that drink, It'll have to wait" She informed him whilst attempting finish her packing. "I have to be at the airport in an hour. Langley want my report and de-brief ASAP"

With the last of her clothes packed, she pulled the teeth of the zip closed; and stood back to turn and face him. Jesse was stood closer behind her than she realised and as she turned her nipples stood to attention as the fabric of her shirt brushed against his. When Jesse spoke she could feel his breath on her face, sending a surge of desire soaring through her core.

"I uh actually just came to see if you were ok. I mean after, you know the other night. I know you can take of yourself I just"

"Thank you. I'm ok really" she replied dreamily staring into his deep brown eyes.

As Jesse reached to push away her hair from her face Pearce took a step back, the intensity almost too much to bear. When her gaze caught his again she saw him silently questioning her movement.

"I'm sorry it's not you, it's me" she blurted.

Jesse Smirked "Wow, I've heard that before, but never before a date"

Danni smiled, "I realise how that sounded I'm sorry it's just that. Well." Danni Paused constructing the end of her sentence internally, trying to piece it together before laying it all out there for him to hear. Jesse watched her standing silently in front of him like a rabbit in the headlights an aura of apprehension surrounding her. He ached to hold her and tell it was ok but he feared how she would react. Instead he took a few steps towards her and took her hand in his.

"Hey, it's ok, whatever it is you can tell me" He offered with a such an enormous amount of sincerity that she gripped his hand a little tighter and told him

"I haven't been with anyone since Paul"

"Paul your Fiancé Paul?"

Danni Nodded, her gaze stuck towards the floor, somehow embarrassed by her revelation. Jesse instinctively pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her. He then whispered to her with the cheekiest of tones

"Wow I don't know what you had in mind but I was only asking you for a drink"

Danni let out s small giggle, grateful at his reaction to her revelation. With his hand on the splayed on the back of her head he played with her tousled chestnut hair and before she could even open her mouth to speak he followed his joke with a more serious tone.

"Whatever you need Danni. We can take this as slow as want. Like I said I did only ask you for a drink"

Danni averted her gaze away from him again and Jesse automatically brought his hand to her chin raising her head so it tiled just close enough that he could kiss her. As he lips touched hers she felt an electric shock reverberate through her. The friction from the tuft of hair under his bottom lip made her want more, and she hungrily kissed him back, but he resisted. After placing three butterfly kisses in succession upon her swollen lips, he pulled away. Just before he reached the doorway into the living area he turned around to drink in her beautiful appearance once more before he left. As he did so, Pearce ran towards him and threw herself at him with such force that he fell against the wall behind. She kissed him hard enough for him to subconsciously part his lips allowing her to explore and taste him further. Blood surging through him in southerly direction left him wanting nothing more than to throw her on the bed so he could feel her naked body writhing beneath him, but was grateful as his conscience suddenly appeared giving him the strength he needed to pull away. The last thing he wanted was to take advantage of her, leaving her to regret any second of them being together. With his hands both sides of her head he leant forward, placing one last kiss on her forehead, then with a heaving chest he told her;

"Have a safe flight Danielle, when you get back I'll take you for that drink. And if you're lucky I might even throw in dinner"

Walking along the beach, Sandals in hand and sand flowing throw her toes; Fi inhaled the sea breeze, the salt in the air suppressing her queasiness. She looked at the row of beach houses along the coast jangling the keys as she walked, looking for the house to which the keys belonged. When she saw Michael sat on the steps of the porch of one of the houses she stopped and unfolded the piece of paper from her pocket that Sam had given her, handing it over to him.

"Is this?" She asked in anticipation, not really believing that he had actually resigned from the CIA. Michael offered her his cell phone

"If you don't believe me call Langley and confirm it"

Fiona took the paper back of him and looked at it again. She had already read it several times but somehow needed to read it again before she could allow herself to believe that Langley had accepted his resignation and now he was no longer a fully-fledged CIA Agent.

"So that s it? No more self-destructive assignments?"

"No more Fi. I'm out Just like I promised"

Fiona turned around to face the house behind them. She held the keys out to him "So this is ours?"

The entrance to the house had been set up to protect them from potential threats and Fi noticed this. Scouting the porch she surveyed the infra-red cameras as well as the Hi-Spec alarm system that had newly been installed. Never one to reply on cameras and alarms alone , Michael took to disarming the shotgun that has been set up on a trip wire on the inside of the house whilst making a mental note to tell his Mom and close friends to enter with caution. When inside Fiona inhaled a sharp breath still struggling to come to terms with what Michael was proposing; what the house signified; A hint at a normal life. Michael showed her around, purposefully leaving one room unexplored until the rest of the house had been viewed. As he leant to the door handle Fi stopped him, her secret finally too much to bear.

"Michael I uh need to" But Michael, sensing her declaration, silenced her and ushered into the room. When the door opened Fiona was blinded by the sun bouncing off the pale yellow walls. When her eyes adjusted her attention was quickly adverted towards the crib in the centre of the room. Completely captivated by the sight before her she stood silently and absorbed her surroundings. The nursery painted its warm shade of Lemon was adorned with teddies and stuffed animals, trucks and dolls; every possible angle covered. Her heart fluttered at the sight of the mobile that hung over the crib, decorated with Shamrock and rainbows; a testament to her Irish heritage. It was perfect. Her bottom lip quivered at the sudden warmth provided by Michael as he moved behind her. Fiona began to sob "But Michael How did you?"

"I was a spy Fi, I was kinda paid to notice what was going on around me" Michael moved a little closer, turning her to face him and placing his forefinger just underneath her chin, tilting her head so that her gaze met his "You see, it wasn't just you I was trying to protect"

Fiona didn't answer; instead she took his hand and placed it on her stomach laying her hand on top, keeping him in place. As he felt the kick beneath his palm he stifled a sob, completely overwhelmed by the movement of his unborn child.

"That's incredible" He blurted; half crying, half laughing. Fiona smiled and nodded, the emotions that ran through her were so raw she could barely speak. Michael rested his forehead on hers, stroking the side of her face with his thumb. Pressing his lips against her fervently he showered her with more love than she had felt in the last 6 years. She sobbed through the kiss and as soon as she could she pulled away from him causing Michael to pursue her.

"Fi what is it?"

With her chest burning from the tears she had fought so hard to stop falling she rasped "It's not over though is it?"

Michael didn't respond he was somewhat confused and the look he gave her told her he was seeking clarification

"I still have a bounty on my head remember?"

As Michael took her hand his breath caught in his throat at the thought of what he had done. "It's over Fi. Thomas O'Neill had put out a hit on you, but he's retracted it"

"Why?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that it's over"

Fiona saw the pain in his eyes. The blue-grey doors to his soul told her that there was more than he was letting on. Fiona had seen that pain before and she instantly knew what he had done.

"You killed him?"

Michael looked upwards half trying to blink away his tears and half praying to God for forgiveness; silently telling him that there was no other way. Fi stroked the side of his face wanting so badly to ease the pain, to somehow show him that she understood. Her hand trailed from his face down his muscular arm and lingered over his, giving him the opportunity to thread his fingers through hers. She could feel the intensity of his emotion as his hand squeezed hers. Feeling her initiate such intimacy, filled him with a sense of wholeness that had been missing for some time; for the first time in months he felt complete. Fiona remained silent hoping that he would for the first time be honest and open up to her. Bringing his gaze back down to hers he turned to her, cleared his throat and began to argue his case.

"I needed to send a message. That MY Family is off limits"

Fiona nodded agreeing wholeheartedly with his decision. Whilst unwittingly rubbing her growing bump. Michael's hand fell to hers embracing the life within her. As he stared at the plumping of her stomach beneath her blouse he began to trail a line, his fingertips dancing across the flimsy fabric.

"What do I tell him or her about all of this, about who we were, they'll want to know"

"Why don't you start from the beginning, telling them you are Michael Westen and you used to be a spy"