Chapter 10

Emma knocked at Jason's door and Mandy shouted to let herself in as she was waking around looking for the keys

Emma looked around "No Dad?"

"He got spun up earlier, no notice, said to say sorry he missed you…" Emma nodded "I think he really enjoyed having you here for breakfast" Mandy added

"I think he enjoyed having you here for breakfast more" Emma grinned

Mandy laughed.

"Sooo…. you going to be staying?" Emma asked, digging for some information

"Yeah I'll be staying… here…" Mandy looked around at the apartment feeling a bit awkward, it felt a bit like she'd been left to tell Jason's daughter that she was moving in, at least that's what she thought she was doing.

"Cool." Emma beamed totally unperturbed and Mandy felt her shoulders relax

"Your Dad left me with the truck to give me something to get around in, since he's not sure how long he'll be gone. And I need to pick up Cerberus from Theo's at some point"

Emma laughed out loud "So this must all be extremely weird for you?"

"You're not the first person to ask that today, and yeah this is all very weird"

"Good weird?" Emma asked

"Good weird. Now let's go buy me some clean underwear" they both laughed as they left the apartment

Emma drove her car into town and suggested they stopped off to pick up Cerberus once they were done.

They picked up some basics. Mandy was pretty easy to buy for, jeans and t-shirts mainly.

"Sure you don't need any more clothes?" Emma was surprised how little Mandy needed but then she was like her dad, used to living out of what she could carry in a duffel bag

"I've got a whole wardrobe of clothes in storage in DC that I'll organise getting at some point" Mandy looked thoughtful "I'll have to work out what I'm doing with all my stuff"

"Now you're moving in with dad?" Emma teased

"Yeah… I suppose I am" Mandy smiled a bit warily "We've kinda skipped a few steps haven't we?"

"Not really. I mean you've been really close for a really long time. You've probably spent more time with my dad over the years than I have. So all those other steps are a little redundant for you two" Emma shrugged

Mandy nodded, Emma had a point. She was a pretty level-headed young woman, she really did just want her dad to be happy.

"Didn't you say you're meeting Aunt Naima and Lisa for drinks tomorrow? Girls night?"

Mandy nodded "mmm-hmm"

"Well you've got to pick yourself up something nice to wear for that!" Emma looked excited as she went off on a mission before Mandy could stop her

To be honest Mandy had just been planning on rocking up in her jeans but Maybe it would be nice to wear something else.

"Little black dress?" Emma held the dress she was holding up to Mandy "this would look perfect on you… and dad would like it too" she grinned

"He's not going to be there" Mandy reminded her

"Yes but when he's back I'm going to remind him that you got a nice dress and therefore he has to actually take you out on a proper date…. somewhere that has actual table cloths"

Mandy couldn't help laugh, Emma knew her dad so well and she had zero doubt that she was going to genuinely have that conversation with him.

"Shoes!" Emma shouted suddenly before disappearing off.

Once they were done and Emma had convinced Mandy to add a dress, a pair of shoes and a bag to her purchases they put the put all the bags in the car and Emma typed Theo's address into the GPS.

Mandy reached into one of her bags for the mirrored powder compact she'd bought and padded a little face power on her right jawline.

Emma looked over, "does it still hurt" she asked as Mandy carefully covered the last remaining bruises to her cheek and bridge of her nose.

"No, no pain." She smiled over at Emma

Emma was silent for a moment before she asked "Did you believe that Dad would come for you?"

The question took Mandy by surprise and she felt her eyes sting.

"Honestly, I didn't think anyone was coming for me. I walked myself into a real mess and I had no reason to believe that anyone even knew I was gone, let alone looking for me… " Mandy blinked back tears "… but I hoped. And I knew that if somehow by some miracle that your dad knew I was in trouble, that he would find me, if anyone could, he could."

Emma grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "He would never have come home without you, he just would not have let that happen."

Mandy squeezed her hand back and smiled "I know"

"You know I overheard uncle Ray say to Aunt Naima that when they were out there looking for you, dad was a crazy person. He was so driven to get to you none of them had ever seen him like that, not even when Uncle Ray was taken…. He loves you so much Mandy, I think he always has..." she paused "even when he maybe wasn't supposed to"

Mandy didn't know what to say to the last part "You know I never would have come between your mom and dad, Emma, I just want you to know that. We were friends for a long time but he would never have disrespected Alana that way. She was the love of his life"

"I know" Emma smiled. "I think in some weird way if it had to be anyone, that my mom would be glad it was you, someone who really gets him finally. Mom always said she knew him better than anyone in the world, and she did. But she didn't know Bravo one, not like you do. He just couldn't seem to let her in to that part of his life and that became such a big part of his life. But you knew him best as bravo one and somehow he also trusted you enough to let you see Jason too. No-one understands him quite like you do."

Before Mandy could work out what to say Emma reached across to pull her into a hug before wiping away a tear and hitting a button on the GPS. "Cerb will be waiting for us" she says cheerily

Mandy put away her compact and subtly wiped a tear from her own eye.