Stephanie's POV
I awoke a solid batman covered chest and smiled, his fingers barely touching the bruised flesh of my spine. I settled my head onto his outstretched arm and closed my eyes. I pondered on how I would tell him of my own demons that followed me. How would I tell him about what Joe was doing to me? I sighed and bit my lip as the thoughts went round and round inside my head.
"What is going through that pretty head of yours babe? He asked me while running his fingers through my unruly hair.
"Nothing much Batman, nothing much." I said while leaning into his hand.
"You know I can tell when you lie right?' he said, looking me in the eyes.
"Lot of things bouncing around in my head and ill be honest with you not all of them are good.
" I sighed as I said this and sat up.
"But my secrets can wait for a few while we discuss what is going on with you." I urged. He started to object but I placed a small hand over his beautiful mouth.
"Please Carlos, I need the time to gather my courage to tell you about this, and after last night I need to know you aren't in the right headspace to deal with anything else. I will tell you just not right now." I said my voice trailing off.
He was silent for a few minutes before answering me.
"Alright babe but as soon as I'm done with my tale and in a better mental space, I need you to tell me so I know you're alright, but I need to know one thing right now. Does it involve morelli?" He asked while softly gathering me in his arms.
All I could manage was a nod and a small smile. I sighed and extracted myself from his warm embrace.
"What sounds good for breakfast?" I asked with a smile in my voice.
He simply shrugged and I put a pot of life saving coffee and went to search my fridge for something healthy. My smile faded quickly as it had appeared, my fridge was empty as the day was long, all except for rexs box of food. I closed the door and leaned my back against it.
"Well crap on a cracker." I said frustration lacing into my voice. He looked at me over his shoulder in the middle of pulling mismatched mugs from my cabinet.
"No food, I was hoping to bag my easiest skip so I could pay for food for the next week or so." I said as I took a mug from his outstretched hand.
"Lets talk and then if we're up for it we can go have breakfast out and if we're not up for it then we can order in your choice either way. My diet can handle one cheat day." He said with a chuckle.
I laughed as I filled both of our mugs with hot coffee. I took a sip and smiled, I sat down at the warped kitchen table and Carlos sat across from me.
"I'm not gonna jump right into it steph, the reason i had something akin to a mental breakdown was due to the mission, we …. We lost a child." He inhaled sharply before continuing"His name was Mica Lee, his father is a corrupt politician and he beat him to death after putting his wife in a coma. Mica tried to protect her and received a broken arm as a reward," He said all of this not meeting my eyes and i reached across the cracked and discolored table top and gripped his hand as i took another sip of my piping hot coffee, he took a gulp of his and grimaced at the heat of it going down his throat.
"Mrs lee may not survive and her shit head of a husband it still on the loose, we're going to try to locate the bastard and bring him in but I want to give the team a chance to deal with this in whatever way they need to." he finished and looked up at me.
"As to why I ended up here, we all deal with grief in our own way. I need you, you are the reason I always make it back from wherever i am." He stroked his thumb over my fingers.
"Oh carlos.." I said through tears. I felt a sharp pang in my loss of a child is something no one should ever have to go through. I licked my lips and watched him.
He smiled sadly and took a deep breath.
"I don't know if you ever get over something like this but im going to try not only so my guys can have a solid team leader but also for us, I want our someday to be now stephanie. I waited too long to tell you that." He said standing up taking me with him.
"Carlos our someday is now and i'm not gonna let it slip through my fingers like sand any longer." I said looking into his brown eyes.
" I have been hopelessly in love with you since day one,Everyday that went by was worse than the last." I sat the words catching in my throat.
He pulled me closer with a blissful expression on his tanned skin, I grinned and stood on my tip toes and pressed my lips to his. I could have sworn passing of time had slowed to a grinding halt, nothing existed outside of this moment. We stood together like that for a very long time. It was almost painful to let go but my stomach rumbled and we busted out in a fit of giggles.
" let's feed the beast babe go change and well go grab breakfast." He grinned down at me as he spoke. I nodded and scurred down the small hallway toward my bedroom, I pushed my door shut behind me but didn't hear it click shut. I went over to my closet and pulled out a pair of well worn jeans and a stretchy green tank top, I then tossed them both on to the bed and went to my dresser and pulled out a pair of grey boyshorts and a matching silky bra. I stepped into the boyshorts and had collapsed the bra together behind my back. I was just reaching for my tank top when I heard the squeak of my bedroom door.
"Hey steph did you want another cup of…" he trailed off as he looked up at me, i knew what he saw and i lowered my eyes to the floor as i pulled the tank top fully on and was reaching for my jeans when i felt a warm hand on my arm.
"What happened to your back babe?" he asked worry laced his words.
He lifted the back of my tank top and peared at the angry black and blue bruises and the long healed scars that rested there.
Biting my lip I whispered"Morelli happened Carlos, He got really drunk one night and forced his way onto my place when I told him to go home, he busted the old chain and I just had it replaced two days ago. He wanted to know why I didn't want to be with him anymore and I told him I was in love with you, that I always had been. I looked him straight in the eye and told him that I would always choose you, that there would never be another chance for him and i." I blurted this out as tears leaked down my face. I yanked my jeans on and pressed my hands against my eye to try and stop the onslaught of tears that wouldn't stop. I felt his arms around me but he said nothing, just let me finish my rambling story.
"He got so mad and I turned to run when he punched me in the back. I fell and he just started kicking me. One of my neighbors called the cops when they heard me scream and he bolted out of the apartment. I went to the ER but nothing was broken, just really sore. I didn't want to tell you until I was sure you could handle it, I'm so sorry to drop this in your lap. You shouldn't have to deal with my baggage on top of everything else." I finished tembeling.
"Never be afraid to tell me anything babe.. I wish you told me sooner. I'm so sorry you went through that alone, he's never going to tough you again you are mine. I love you Stephanie plum, never doubt that. I will handle the Piece of shit dont worry about that." he growled close to my ear. With a look of anger at Joe and concern for me he kissed me softly and stroked my back. He then turned me around and lifted my top, He softly kissed each angry black and blue bruise. Tears began to flood my eyes once again, On top of everything this man had been through. He still showed me the kindness I desperately needed at that moment and wanted nothing in return. I was the luckiest woman on earth at that very moment.