AU:AN Anything you recognize is not owned by me. Thank all of you who have stayed so long with this story. We are coming to the end in a few more chapters. Then I will start part 2 with the new direction their lives take with enemies old and new.
John viewed his new temporary home with satisfaction. He noted Finch had installed a moving chair attached to a railing on the stairs leading up to the second floor. "Finch was quick, I like the moving chair. I'll join you in the dining room when you've set the table with the dinner from the number"
John slowly eases into the crème and tan overstuffed dining room chair. Joss sits next to him during dinner.
"Chiara is a good cook, this is delicious. John, your fingerprints are still in the cake from yesterday."
"I will finish it today, but save a piece for Shaw, she did earn it."
As they lingered over coffee and the chocolate cake, Joss thought of his comment earlier about children.
"John, you mentioned you would like to be a coach after you stop doing the numbers. I agree with you. It would be good to get to help someone before they become a number. You have mentored my son successfully. I know he tells you things he doesn't tell me." She was a tiny bit jealous, but grateful for John.
"I'd always insist he tell you anyway. If he makes mistakes, you are the one to correct him and give him consequences to his actions, before reality gives him much harder ones. He told me you never hit him. It takes more effort, but what you have done has worked." He could see where she was going and thought it would be a while before they had this discussion.
"John have you ever been a father?"
"No, I have no children. It would be an unexpected benefit, if I did have a child of my own."
"I met single men who had their children through adopting or a surrogate. Have you thought of trying this?"
"I think two parents are best, I would only raise a child alone if I had to. I would immediately stop doing the numbers. The child's life would be the littlest number. That had to be the most important. If I did not survive who would protect it, for that matter who would protect the next number?" If she only knew, she was the most important number to him and Finch was already looking for his replacement, he and his machine always knew everything.
"I would be there 100% for any child put in my care." He said but he thought, that includes Taylor who was only 1/4 in his care, after mom, grandma and dad.
"While we're here I thought we could rent a boat so I could teach you and Taylor to sail. The Atlantic ocean is only a half mile away"
"I've never had sea legs, I can get carsick, but Taylor would love it. The number's problems should be over before we leave here."
He felt surprised how Taylor like his mother had influenced him. He enjoyed basketball, video games and other guy stuff that he had not done in years. He taught him chess. Soon he knew he would lose a game to Taylor. He would be proud of him when it happened. He had to pay attention when he was with Taylor. He thought he would never have kids, but he began thinking about what it would be like to be a father during their talks at the pizza buffet after one on one basketball with him. It reminded him of sailing along the northwest coast from Seattle to Vancouver, with his dad. Sometimes on really clear calm days, Mom would come with them. She didn't have very good sea legs. She liked Vancouver and they would all go for lunch and more laughter. They had the best times. Taylor's father had missed so much.
Her questions were more personal, so he knew she was getting very close. In the car he felt that she kept glancing at him. The heat between them, though necessary, was not a substitute for a solid relationship. They were a couple like any other with issues that needed to be addressed. His patience was paying off.
Joss took the the dishes smiling all the way to the kitchen. She knew having a family with him would work. Taylor did not want to be an only child.