Hi readers! Thanks for reading this far! Thank you new favouriters and followers and LilMisfit5290, Violet, CSI Encyclopedia, Eyesdown104 and Bluestarshine for your reviews of chapter 20! I loved writing Quinn meeting John... hope you like this chapter too...

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THE DATE

CHAPTER 21

Peter Quinn knew that when he returned to the hotel, after seeing his son John at the park, that he was supposed to check-out and drive back to Langley. However, he couldn't resist extending his stay in Philadelphia for a third night and making plans to get one more glimpse of John the following day.

He spent a lazy afternoon in the Penthouse, daydreaming about his son, before devouring his room service dinner of trout, bok choy and potatoes from under the silver cloche.

Early in the evening, Quinn collapsed into the four-poster bed and dreamt about riding a blue scooter through the clouds.

...

The next morning, Quinn returned to East Fairmount Park. He got there earlier than the day before and chose a different bench, slightly further away from the children's playground and not on the same route that was taken by Rosa Diaz yesterday, so not to arouse her suspicions.

He was horrified to see that instead of Rosa Diaz, her daughter Julia was striding along, trying to keep up with John who was riding a small bike and making an observant beeline towards Quinn. Shit, he thought. It must be Julia's day off work. I've got to get out of here.

Quinn stood up and started walking in the opposite direction, but he became aware of heavy running footsteps catching up behind him. He kept walking briskly until he heard Julia's panting voice, "Peter?" This was echoed by an excited little boy's voice, "Peter!"

Quinn stiffened, before turning around, terrified. He guessed that her mother, Rosa, had somehow guessed who he was and she had warned Julia. Now she would never let him near his son, John, again. I should never have tried to come a second time, he thought sadly. I should have rolled out of town on a high, yesterday.

"Julia...?" Quinn felt sick to his stomach, but was amazed when Julia strained a smile and for a fraction of a second he could almost imagine what had drawn them together, when they had been two bitter, miserable strangers in the bar. The same night that John was conceived.

"Hi..." Julia looked down awkwardly. "My Mom told me that John was quite taken with a handsome man called Peter here, yesterday..." She shyly looked him in the eyes, "I hoped that you might be back again today."

"I'm sorry," Quinn stuttered, before earnestly holding her dark gaze with his blue eyes "I had no right to go against your wishes."

"You had every right," Julia muttered sadly, before squaring her shoulders. "You are John's Daddy after all..."

Quinn felt his heart squeeze and he looked down at John who was chomping on a banana retrieved from the little basket on the front of his bike. "He's such a beautiful boy," he gasped, awestruck, as John wandered off to look at a dead mouse.

"You wanna come and help me push John on the swings?" Julia smiled, nervously and offered Quinn the handlebars of John's bike to push.

"Thank you," Quinn had a lump in his throat as he manoeuvred the bicycle through the playground gate and John skipped in behind them.

…

Quinn felt like he was in a dream whilst playing with John in the park. His son squealed with delight and particularly enjoyed being chased around in circles, followed by a long game of hide-and-seek.

When John got distracted and started racing around with a little boy his own age, who also had a bike, Quinn and Julia chatted awkwardly.

"What made you come today?" asked Quinn. He was nervous and intrigued. The Julia who had demonised him at the Thirteenth District Police Headquarters only a few days ago, had been replaced with someone who seemed eager to make amends.

"I've been thinking of nothing else since I showed you the door." Julia sighed, "I've been so miserable. I knew my fears, or should I say my mother's fears of losing John were influencing everything about the situation."

Quinn nodded, "It's understandable."

Julia sighed, "My mother is very controlling. Ever since I was a little girl she wrapped me up in cotton wool and never let me out of her sight. She was afraid that my father would abduct me, like he abducted my brother." Tears welled in her eyes.

Quinn was overwhelmed by the urge to reach out and comfort her, but he didn't. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at the ground.

"When I got pregnant, my mother cried for weeks. She felt it was her fault. Like she hadn't looked after me well enough or something. She wouldn't accept that I was in my twenties and stupidly had a drunken, one night stand!"

Quinn cringed, "I'm sorry if I ruined your life."

Julia laughed. "Ruin it?" She looked at John, lovingly. "John is my life! He's the best thing to ever happen to me. I wouldn't change anything."

"He's perfect isn't he?!" smiled Quinn.

Julia frowned, "That's why I came today. I want John to know his father. It's something that I never had and..." She paused, "I don't how to go about it, but you were right when you said that we need to maintain respect for John's sake. I spoke to my Therapist about everything yesterday."

Quinn raised his eyebrows. This was sounding promising.

"You had this pained look in your eyes the other day when I asked you to leave the Police Station. It was the same look you had when I forced you to leave the hospital after John was born." Julia sounded guilty. "The same pained look when I was pregnant and I told you to forget any medieval bullshit about sticking by me."

Quinn bit his lip in the hope of stopping any tears. She had just reeled off his three most agonising memories.

Julia reached out tentatively and touched his arm. "I'm sorry for what I've put you through. I don't know what else to say, but for John's sake, I'm asking you to play a role in his life, in some shape or form."

"Thank you," Quinn nodded, slowly, "I won't let John down."

Julia smiled, before she swallowed and looked tearful herself.

Quinn reached out to give her an awkward hug, but pulled away quickly. "What about your mother? Does she know about this?"

"It's John's life, not hers," Julia swallowed a sob and then laughed hard. A few strands of hair came loose and she pulled her elastic hair band down her ponytail and onto her wrist. Her silky dark hair cascaded around her shoulders. "Screw my mother. She'll just have to get used to it!"

Quinn smiled. He understood that particular sentiment very well. He was just thinking about how Julia was quite pretty when she laughed with her hair down, then John appeared at his side and tugged his hand for another game of hide-and-seek.

"I like playing with you, Peter," John shrieked as he finally found Quinn hiding behind a bench. "You're my new best friend."

...

As Quinn walked back to the hotel to pick up his car for the drive back to Langley, he reflected happily upon the life-changing encounter that had just occurred. He was delighted that he was no longer just an anonymous source of finance for John's future. No promises or arrangements had been made with Julia, regarding visits or access, but Quinn knew in his heart that a quantum leap of progress had just been made and that he was going to get to know his son. He almost felt it was a miracle, like he hadn't prayed consciously, but his unconscious supplications had been answered regardless.

Quinn's ringing cell-phone rudely interrupted his metaphysical thoughts as he entered the hotel's private elevator to go up to the Penthouse. He saw that it was Rudy McCoy's number and he smiled as he answered it. "Hey buddy, how's things?"

"Where the fuck are you, Quinn?" McCoy demanded, angrily.

"Nice to hear your voice too," Quinn stepped out of the elevator into the hotel suite. "I'm right here... exactly where you left me!"

"I thought you'd be back yesterday," grumbled McCoy.

"Well... I wasn't," Quinn sat on the sofa and removed his boots.

McCoy huffed at him, clearly annoyed, "Why not?"

Quinn opened a bottle of mineral water and took a swig, "I'm on holiday, having a good time!"

"When are you coming back?" McCoy sounded slightly lonely.

Quinn was secretly looking forward to seeing his friend and telling him everything about playing with John in the park. "This afternoon, I promise," he laughed.

McCoy was obviously satisfied with that response and he started chuckling, "You're like a fucking rock star staying on your own in that damn Penthouse!"

"Who says I've been alone?" teased Quinn.

"Peter Quinn, you filthy pervert..." McCoy whispered, "tell me more!"

"Maybe I'm with a couple of Playboy Bunnies right now?!" Quinn couldn't resist winding McCoy up.

McCoy burst out laughing, "Playboy Bunnies? Save one for me... I'll be there before lunch!"

In the handset, Quinn could hear a muffled female voice admonishing McCoy for going off on a tangent and then there was the sound of a scuffle.

"Quinn?" Carrie was now on the end line. There was some angry, indistinguishable whispering between her and McCoy, before Carrie obviously won the battle over control of the cell-phone. "Quinn, get your sorry ass back to Langley this minute."

Quinn was taken aback to hear her voice and he gasped, audibly, before replying as coolly as he could, "I'll be back later this afternoon."

"Later is not good enough!" Carrie started shouting, obviously highly agitated about something. "Saul told me you were having a couple of days in Philadelphia, but you've been away for three nights! We're all up to our eyeballs in work and you're living it up at The Ritz-Carlton according to McCoy!"

"I'm sorry Carrie," Quinn spat, sarcastically, "I didn't realise that you'd moved to the Human Resources department and you're responsible for keeping track of personnel and their holidays."

Quinn heard Carrie take a sharp intake of breath and then she snarled, "Here!" He heard footsteps departing rapidly and a door slamming in the background.

McCoy was back on the line, "Hey, what did you say to Carrie? She's just stormed out of the office!"

"What are you actually ringing me for?" Quinn frowned. "Why is Carrie so irritable?"

"Carrie is pissed off because Saul is holding Brody in a cell and wants him thoroughly debriefed to tie up any loose ends," McCoy's lowered his voice. "Maybe jog his memory for any intelligence as to who may have helped Estes with the CIA bombing at Walden's Memorial. Make sure Brody hasn't conveniently forgotten to report any details from his time with Nazir and his accomplices."

Quinn swallowed, disbelievingly. "The CIA are subjecting Brody to another interrogation?!"

"No, not yet," McCoy whispered, confidentially. "Saul specifically wants you to interrogate Brody again."