He was just finishing up with a call to Andrews Base when Blake saw Daisy cautiously heading toward his desk. "Something wrong?"
"Uh, is the Secretary still here?" It was late, she was honestly surprised Blake was still there.
"She's up on the roof."
"What?"
He laughed lightly. "It's one of her secret hideaways. Matt and the other agents hate it. She could be a while, is there something I can help with?"
"I, uh, not right now? I kind of need to talk to her before someone else does. But if you're going to be around, I'll come back?"
"I'm here till she leaves tonight." He looked her over. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Fine." He watched her nervously head for the stairwell that accessed the roof. When she came back down half an hour later, he all but rushed to her at the sight of dried tears in her eyes.
"What's going on?" He insisted.
"I-" Daisy looked around. "In here." She pulled him into the conference room and pushed the door shut. "I think you're the last to know, on the team anyway… I'm pregnant."
His face lit up and then realized she didn't look happy. "You're not happy about this?"
"The father was Joseph Garcia."
"Oh, Daisy." He didn't hesitate to hug her. "I'm so sorry. You're not alone though, you still have all of us."
Daisy let out a laugh. "The Secretary just said almost that exact same thing."
"Well, see then, we're all thinking it." He pulled away. "Do you want to talk about anything tonight?"
"Um, I was going to meet up with Nadine. But I'll let you know, okay?"
"Okay." He agreed, watching her leave. Grabbing his coat, he headed for the stairs, quietly stepping out with a nod to Matt. Elizabeth was at the wall, staring out over the city like she did, the cold breeze hit him as he stepped away from the building. "Elizabeth."
He could see her grin as he stepped beside her. "After a day of 'Ma'am's and 'Madam Secretary's, isn't it weird to switch to my first name?"
"No." When she eyed him, he amended. "Not anymore. It helps with compartmentalizing. Daisy told me."
"Yeah. It's exciting and… I can remember each time I found out I was pregnant. Even happily married I was still so scared at first, scared to tell Henry, for whatever reason. The early months, before it was obvious to other people that I was pregnant, they were brutal. With Ali and Jason, I was so sick, and I was still working." She sighed. "Daisy's strong. She'll handle it, I have no doubt. I was just reminiscing I guess about what mine were like. It's weird, I'm sure at the time I was so miserable, but all I can remember now? The joy and love." She turned to face Blake. "Do you think that's all in your plans one day, Blake?"
"I don't know. Kids are great but… I just don't know. Maybe I end up in a relationship where kids aren't in the cards. Who knows?" He knew she was studying him now. "Nadine had been pushing me to talk, but I doubt she meant on the roof in the cold."
"Okay, so give me the highlights."
"I… It's been a few weeks. But I may have mentioned in a larger conversation that I didn't know what the plan was with us. This us. It's still so fresh in my mind, Nadine rushing me off to the White House, Russell telling me that Henry had died and what they needed from me and then…the world falling apart."
"They told you first?"
"Yeah. They made me pick, commit or not, to staying by your side until you healed from losing him." He gave his head a slight shake. "I didn't even hesitate. And I didn't hesitate to offer to move back in once I realized you weren't there yet. Nadine's talked to me a lot, made me talk to her…"
"About?' She finally asked.
"Me, mostly. She'll ask me about me and not let me bury myself in answering about you or the kids." He smiled. "I can't remember if it was her though, someone said that you would need someone who understood you still love Henry and how much you both loved this work. When I… When I started putting that book together, I'd gone to Nadine to see if I could have it shipped to her place so you wouldn't accidentally discover it and… She…" He huffed, turning back to look out over the city. "It sounds crazy. Do you want me to keep living with you? I guess I need a plan or a…discussion at least, on what you expect out of all this." He nervously waited for her to answer and was momentarily terrified as she turned and walked away, only to realize she was asking her detail for some privacy.
When she returned, she faced out over the city as well. "I've talked about you with my therapist. After Henry, I think you're my closest friend, Blake." She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "I am so far from ready to try and date anyone, it still feels like I'm cheating on him. But our friendship? Maybe it's easier because you were friends with Henry too, he knew you. And maybe whoever said it was right, you aren't, I don't know, bothered, by Henry's ghost still being around."
They both went quite for a while. "Okay." She turned to face him eventually, a decision clearly made. "I want you to stay. I want you to be a part of our family, my…friend, companion, whatever name we agree to call it. I trust you. But I know that wanting that means you have to give up on things you might not want to give up on like a real physical relationship, marriage, kids, a life like other people your age."
Her admission stunned him. He'd expected the conversation to be awkward and perhaps end in her being angry or upset, but never this. "Oh. Well… I do have a life kind of like guys my age, maybe not out every night, but I wasn't going out all the time before anyway. If anything, the last year has improved things. As for those other things, I guess I won't know until someone comes along that makes me want them?" He didn't know if it was the feeling of being so alone up on the roof, the night air, the long day, or something else, but he heard himself continuing. "I am thrilled to be part of your family, to be your friend or whatever else you want it to be, for as long as we're happy with it."