"Wait, a crime syndicate? The mob's a part of this?" Maggie kept an arm around Bianca while directing her question at Luke.
"That's not important. What is important is Mrs. Williams staying cool and not exposing us."
"No, you know something and you're not telling us. You know who did this, don't you? You know who shot Frankie."
"This is an open investigation, and therefore I am not at liberty to discuss that."
"Bullshit. You're open enough to get my sister shot and have Bianca live with someone who is involved, but you can't tell us anything?" Anger flashed in the doctor's brown eyes.
Bianca's quiet voice interrupted the two before a full-fledged argument could break out, "If I do this, my children will be safe?"
"Yes," Luke tried to reassure her, "their safety is one of our top priorities."
"And Frankie, she'll be ok?"
"Agent Stone will receive the best medical treatment we can provide."
"But you can't tell us where she is." Maggie scoffed.
Luke frowned at her, "You have already been told a lot more than what most families would learn about an agent who is undercover. Technically, I shouldn't even be talking to you."
Maggie turned her head away at that comment, shaking it slightly. Bianca sniffled, the back of her fingers coming to rest on her forehead, "If I do this, you'll catch who did this? You'll stop them?"
Luke gazed down at her, "Yes, I personally guarantee we will catch them. Make no mistake, Agent Stone is one of us. We don't take too kindly to someone hurting one of us."
Bianca nodded her head and wiped a hand across her eyes, moisture clinging to her skin. She slowly stood up, Maggie's arm falling as she got to her feet. "I'll do it."
"Good."
"Bianca, you can't be serious. This is the mafia. You'll be in danger." Maggie stood up next to her, concern tinging her words.
"You promise my children will be safe." Bianca kept her gaze on the director, ignoring the doctor's insistent demeanor.
Luke paused for a moment before responding, "You have my word."
Bianca blinked and bit her lip, "You know where Frankie is? You can contact her?"
Luke nodded warily.
Bianca's calmness started to crumble, her eyes darting between Luke and the door her children were behind. Her face fell, and she swallowed hard against the oncoming emotions. Her breath hitched as she spoke, "Can...can you give her a message for me? Can you tell her that we miss her. That we need her to get better, so she can come back to us. That...that we love her. Can you do that?"
Luke blinked at the sorrowful words. He pursed his lips and nodded, a contemplative look on his face.
Bianca took a shuddering breath and fought to regain her composure. She stepped around the man, her head down as she walked to the door.
"Bianca, think about this. Is this really smart? You're putting yourself in danger for what?" Maggie sped after the woman, a skilled hand catching her shoulder and stopping her from moving.
"I need to do this for Frankie. She's lying in a hospital bed somewhere because of this. I want to find out who did it, and I want them to pay."
"I get that you want to help, but this is way over your head. This is the mafia, Bianca. They kill people. They kill a lot of people."
"And they almost killed Frankie. I'm not going to let them finish the job."
"Bianca..."
"Don't you want them to pay for this? Don't you want justice for what they did?"
"Let the FBI handle it."
"The FBI got her shot."
Maggie sighed at the determined tone. She reached a hand into the pocket of her white coat and pulled out a pen and scrap of paper. She began to scribble on it, "Here. This is my address and new number. Call me if something happens." She handed the paper to the tall brunette, "I'm worried about you. I don't know what's going on."
Bianca took the paper and shoved it in her purse. Maggie opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, her pager went off. She unclipped it and quickly read the message.
"Go." Bianca ordered, seeing the hesitation on Maggie's face.
"Call me." Maggie replied with a purposeful look before clipping the pager back on her belt and walking out of the room.
Bianca crossed her arms and turned to leave, but Luke's deep voice stopped her. "Mrs. Williams."
She turned her head to look at him, and his eyes softened at the distraught posture. "She'll be ok. She waited this long. A bullet or two ain't gonna stop her."
Bianca stared at him for a second, her gaze hard. Then, wordlessly she walked away.
Outside the room, Gabrielle was sleeping in Jones' arms, the young man awkwardly trying not to move. Seeing the mother, the strain dropped from his face and he hopped over to her, holding out the infant. Bianca gently took her, making sure not to wake her as she cradled the child in her arms. Miranda slid off her chair and slumped over to them.
"Where's Frankie?"
"She...she's sleeping, honey." Bianca answered.
"I wanna go see Frankie."
"We can't. She needs her rest."
Miranda stuck her bottom lip out, "I promise not to wake her."
Bianca pulled the little girl against her, wrapping an arm around her in a hug, "I know, sweetie. But we have to wait until she feels a little better. Then, you can see her all you want." Because Frankie was going to heal, and she was going to return. She had to.
Miranda crossed her arms, not happy with what she was being told. Bianca took her hand and began to usher her away from the room, Stuart following. However, Miranda kept glancing back, seeing Maggie a little ways down the hall talking with another doctor. Her eyes squinted as she studied the other woman.
Munchie?
Stuart drove the family to the Cambias offices. Once there, the family went inside, the building almost empty in the early evening hour. Bianca headed straight for her office, giving a cursory nod and a tight smile to the few people she did pass. The CEO stopped for a moment outside her office door, chatting amicably with her surprised secretary. She informed the woman that they would be in there for a while catching up on things, and she was free to go if she wanted. The woman thanked her for the offer and grinned at the little girl in her arms. Remembering the bassinet in the closet, she ran to get it and placed it in the room, carefully taking the baby from the tired mother and putting her in the seat. Bianca gave her a tiny smile of gratitude before waving her off, telling her to go home to her family.
Entering the safety of her office, Bianca closed the door, the faint click the only sound in the space. With one hand on the door handle and a palm flat against the heavy wood, the brunette rested her head on the cool surface. She closed her eyes, needing to process everything that had happened within the past few hours. Reese might be involved in something illegal. Maggie was back in their lives. She had to pretend she didn't know anything. Frankie, well Frankie was still shot and possibly somewhere safe, if she trusted this Director Michaels.
Did she trust him? He said Frankie would be ok. Her children would be safe. He said he was Frankie's boss, but the shorter woman had never mentioned him. Of course, the agent had never really talked about her job. She never said anything about the mafia or an international criminal syndicate or whatever the hell they called it. But, she never really said why she was there or what she was doing, especially after Halloween. She was there to investigate and protect, that's it.
"God Frankie, why didn't you talk to me about this?" Bianca whispered, the hand against the door coming up to curve around her cheek. "What is going on? Where are you?"
Releasing a shuddering gasp, she pushed her body away from the door, turning to take in the room. Gabrielle was where the secretary had left her, happily cooing to herself. Miranda had climbed up onto her mother's office chair and was concentrating on something, a pencil clutched in her hand as she moved the tip rapidly across a piece of paper. These were her children, her family, her future. The only thing she had to do, in this life, was make sure they were happy and healthy. As long as they were happy and healthy, everything would be ok.
"What are you doing, honey?" Bianca walked over to her desk, perching on the corner as she gazed down at her child's creation.
"Making a picture." Miranda mumbled, her mind on the drawing.
"A picture? It's wonderful, Miranda." Bianca leaned forward to get a better look.
It was a six year old's masterpiece. There was a tree and a bush. The sun was high in the sky, it's rays slightly uneven and protruding everywhere. A crude box with legs sat off near the tree. A little group of stick figures stood in a line. There were four of them, each figure getting shorter down the line. There were big smiles on their faces. Miranda drew a wobbly line underneath the feet of the people and the other objects, indicating the ground.
"Where is this?" Bianca asked, watching as the little girl put the pencil down.
"The park. There's the tree and the bench." she pointed at the box with legs. "And there's us. Gabby, me, Frankie, and you." She pointed from the smallest stick figure to the tallest. "I'm gonna give it to Frankie, so when she wakes up, she can see us, even when we're not there. Do you think she'll like it?"
Bianca nodded, placing a kiss on the top of her daughter's head. "She'll love it." Bianca breathed against soft brown hair. Without warning, she wrapped both her arms around the girl, squeezing her to her. Her eyes slammed shut as she held the innocent in her arms. "I love you, Miranda. So much."
"I love you too, Mommy." Miranda's voice was muffled in the strong embrace.
Bianca held her for a few more minutes before her eyes opened, landing on a clock. She sighed at the time, and reluctantly released her daughter, "We should be getting home. It's dinner time."
Entering the apartment, Bianca closed the door behind the trio. Miranda plopped down on the floor and tugged off her shoes while Gabrielle rested her head against her mother's chest.
"Just in time! I made veal picatta." Reese walked out of the kitchen, a beaming smile on her face. Bianca almost tripped over the nearby stroller at the voice. Reese pecked her wife on the cheek and took Gabrielle out of her arms. "Hi there beautiful, how are you?" she cooed at the infant, making a funny face at her.
Miranda rolled her eyes at the look and threw her shoes at the wall. She pushed herself to her feet, her picture firmly in her hands.
"Hi Miranda, how was your day?" Reese glanced down at the girl.
Miranda shrugged, pulling the picture closer to her chest.
"It must have been a busy day. You were off in such a rush you forgot the stroller." Reese turned back to Bianca, pointing at the contraption the brunette had nearly run into a moment before.
"Yes...yes it was very busy. I almost forgot about the Cambias meeting. I was late, so we ran there." Bianca got out.
"A meeting? I thought you had to hand in a memo." Reese frowned.
"Oh, I did. There was a meeting too. I forgot about it, like I said." Bianca covered.
Reese nodded, "Well, next time remember to bring the stroller. I'm sure it gets tiring carrying this little angel around all day." She nuzzled her nose against the baby's cheek.
Bianca watched her walk back into the kitchen, fighting down the feelings of fear. Reese wouldn't do anything to Gabrielle. She loved her. She loved all of them.
Miranda stared at her mother before running off, wanting to put the drawing in a safe place.
Bianca looked after her departing daughter, kicking off her heels. With a sigh, she made her way into the kitchen, seeing the table set with steaming plates of chicken and vegetables.
"Take a seat. I'll get the wine." Reese placed Gabby in her seat and walked to the refrigerator.
Bianca carefully sat down, her eyes on the blonde as she returned to the table with a half-full bottle in her hands. Reese poured them both a glass before setting the bottle down in the middle of the table. Miranda slunk in as the architect sat down and crawled into the empty chair. She picked up her fork and poked at the yellow blob of food.
"How was work?" Reese stabbed a green bean.
"Fine. Busy, like usual." Bianca replied, her fingers running over the silverware before wrapping around the fork.
"Isn't is always?" Reese chuckled, "Work has been so busy for me lately."
"Oh?" Bianca began to push her vegetables into a pile.
"It's difficult finding competent help. This project, the Lyon one I've been working on for so long, has had some setbacks. People can't do what they're supposed to."
"Is everything ok?"
"Oh, don't worry. Everything will work out." Reese popped another bean into her mouth.
Bianca swallowed hard at that and reached out for her glass. She took a healthy sip, praying that what she was thinking was wrong.
"Oh, I made some calls today." Reese waved her fork in the air, "I got a hold of Joan. She'll be able to return soon. She's excited to come back." The blonde's eyebrows furrowed as she jabbed at a piece of chicken, "It was weird. When I told her about what happened to Ms. Moore, she said she didn't know anyone named Moore. Ms. Moore had said she was a friend of Joan, that's how she knew about the job."
Bianca froze. Her hand began to tremble, causing the wine to slosh in the glass.
"We should have checked into that woman's background more. Just think what kind of person has been alone with our children. Some person who is involved with people with guns. I'm so glad our children got away from that before they got hurt." Reese noticed the shaking hand, "Are you ok, darling?"
Bianca blinked, "What? Oh...yes, I'm fine. Just, just surprised is all."
Reese reached out a hand across the table, grasping Bianca's "Don't worry, she's away from our children. She can't hurt them."
"Frankie won't hurt us!" Miranda piped up in defense of her friend.
Reese gave the girl an impatient look, "Miranda, Frankie was in trouble. She could have gotten you hurt that day."
"Frankie saved me! She'd never hurt me." Miranda slammed her fork on her plate, fire in her eyes.
"You're young, Miranda. You don't understand. There are bad people out there who want to hurt little girls like you."
"No! Frankie was good." Miranda pressed her palms against the table, pushing her tiny body up.
"Miranda, don't talk to Reese that way." Bianca cut in before her daughter revealed something she shouldn't.
Miranda gave her mother an incredulous look, "She said..."
"Sit down, Miranda. Finish your dinner that Reese made for you."
Miranda huffed, "I'm not hungry."
Reese rolled her eyes as Bianca sent her daughter a pleading look, "Miranda, please eat something. For me?"
The small brunette grumbled as she picked up her fork and poked at the yucky food again.
"We clearly need to work on this attitude she's developing." Reese glanced at Miranda.
"She's upset about what's been happening. She'll grow out of it." Bianca squeezed the hand in her own, drawing the woman's attention away from the girl.
"I hope so." Reese turned back to her food. As she placed a bite of chicken and sauce in her mouth, she noticed Bianca hadn't eaten any. "Do you not like it?" she asked, indicating the food.
Bianca took another sip of wine, "No, I do. I'm just not feeling well."
"Are you ok?" Reese asked worriedly.
"I think I might go to bed early, actually. It's been a long day, and I'm tired."
Reese studied her for a minute before her face broke out in a smile, "Ok, I might go to bed early too."
Bianca moved to stand up, when Reese's hand stopped her, "I love you."
Bianca gulped and forced out a shaky smile, "I love you, too."
She could feel Miranda's glare as the girl jumped from her chair and stomped out of the room. Bianca followed after her, receiving a door slammed in her face for her efforts.
"Miranda." Bianca opened the door, finding her child slouched on the bed.
The six year old turned away from her mother, "I'm gonna sleep."
"Miranda, what's wrong? Is this about not being able to see Frankie? We talked about that, honey. She needs to rest."
Miranda frowned and narrowed her eyes, "You lied."
"What? Miranda?" Bianca's breath hitched. What had she heard?
Miranda twisted her body so she could glare at her mother, "You said you love Frankie."
Bianca released a breath, her hand rubbing at her eyes, "I do, honey. I do."
"But you said..."
"I know. It's complicated, Miranda. Trust me. I love Frankie, I do. I love you, too. More than anything. You and your sister." Bianca spoke quietly, mindful of the open door.
Miranda looked at the woman for a few seconds. Then, she dropped the frown, "You promise?"
"I promise, sweetie."
Miranda accepted the answer and leaped off the bed. Thankful for the respite, Bianca helped the girl get ready for bed. She tucked her in, reading her Sleeping Beauty before turning off the light.
She walked into her bedroom. Her eyes landed on Reese, the blonde perched on the bed. She smirked as Bianca entered the room and stood up. "I put Gabrielle down. She's out like a light."
Bianca inhaled sharply at her wife's predatory gaze. She tensed as hands griped her face, smashing their lips together. She struggled not to choke as Reese deepened the kiss. She gasped for air as Reese finally broke away, moving her lips down to the brunette's jaw. Hands slipped up and over supple curves, subtly squeeze on their journey.
"Reese, stop." Bianca grimaced at the now foreign touch.
Reese didn't hear her, her hands moving to cup her breasts through her shirt as her teeth scraped against her jaw.
"Stop. Please, stop." Bianca begged, her hands pushing at the warm body against hers. This wasn't right. This wasn't what she wanted, who she wanted.
Feeling the shoving hands, Reese took a half step back, "What? What's wrong?"
Bianca lowered her head, hiding her eyes, "I'm not feeling well. I just want to go to bed."
Reese blinked in confusion. "You're serious? I thought you meant..."
Bianca shook her head, "Please, let's just go to bed."
Reese let out a frustrated sigh as the brunette walked around her and grabbed her pajamas, choosing to change in the bathroom. When Bianca reentered the room, Reese was already in bed, turned on her side with her bedside lamp turned off. Bianca carefully made her way over and slipped under the covers. She pulled the sheets up to her chest, eyes wide open. She wasn't tired at all.
Looking over at her bedside table, she discovered the book of poems she had bought earlier. Reese must have gone through the bag and placed the book on her table. Gently, so as not to rouse her bedmate, Bianca picked up the book and flipped to the first poem.