A/N: This is part three in the Minor Lives series. I was actually quite excited about doing a Dixon fic, he has only such a brief role in the third series and I was so disappointed. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the other two parts!
Setting: Season 3
Description: We see the smile and the face he gives to the world. But what is going on in his life and in his mind? Dixon POV
Disclaimer: I own none of the characters

Moving forward

Marcus Dixon never like peak hour in traffic. The idea of being stuck in a place, unable to move was suffocating to him. Looking at the cars around him, he could see people just like him. They all had places to be, people to see. And he was no exception, for tonight he had a date.

It had been almost three years since Diane had died. Three long, lonely years. He felt as if he was getting used to the small changes which had occurred in the house the last few years. They didn't buy teabags any more. Her toothbrush was missing from the bathroom sink. Her gardening gloves were hidden at the back of the shed. And the half of their huge bed was cold every morning.

It had taken him a long time to even contemplate moving on. He had met Jeanne at a housewarming party his sister had held six months ago. As soon as he met her, he knew there was something about Jeanne which was special. They just seemed to click, on everything. She challenged him, made him think. She also made him smile.

Traffic finally moved enough for Dixon to turn off the freeway. He drove, quicker than he normally would, through the streets and quickly found a park.

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"I am so sorry" he apologized, trying to catch his breath as he made his way to the table where Jeanne was sitting.

"Don't worry, I knew you must have been caught in traffic" Jeanne replied, a smile on her face as Dixon leaned over a placed a simple kiss on her lips.

Dixon quickly settled himself with a menu, taking advantage to look at the woman in front of him without her catching him staring. Her long dark hair sat the way it usually did – cascading down her back and over her shoulder in large curls. Her dark eyes sparkled as she gazed over the menu and the ever present smirk was present on her full lips.

She glanced up. "Have you decided what you want?" she asked with a grin, obviously having just caught him staring.

Dixon felt his cheeks warm slightly. "Yeah, I think I'm going to go with the lasagna"

"I can never eat lasagna in restaurants. My sister-in-law makes the best lasagna on the planet"

"What is so good about it?"

"Where do I begin!" she replied with a laugh.

They ordered their dishes and a bottle of wine, conversation flowing easily. After a long day at the office, this is what Dixon craved. There is only so much intelligent conversation you can have with teenagers and he always felt so comfortable discussing anything with Jeanne.

"I used to know the owner of this restaurant" Dixon commented vaguely

"Really? I heard someone was murdered here!" Jeanne replied incredulously.

"Actually, that was the owner I knew" Dixon replied softly

"Oh Marcus, I'm sorry. That was so crude of me"

"No, don't worry about it. She was a colleague's room mate" he replied reassuringly.

"So how is work?" Jeanne asked.

Dixon could see her obvious attempt to change the topic, but became uncomfortable. He had told her that he worked for the State Department and hated having to make up lies. "It was fine, nothing exciting"

"How is that friend of yours, Sydney was it?"

Dixon smiled. "She is fine, working too hard for my liking"

"Poor woman, to come back from a placement overseas and find her ex married!"

"I'm trying so hard not to pity her in any way, but it is hard"

"Just be her friend, no doubt she could use one of those right now"

"I'm trying"

Jeanne leaned over and placed her hand on one of his. "You know what your problem is? You care too much"

Dixon laughed. "I didn't think there was such a thing"

Jeanne laughed along. "Well if there was, you epitomize it!"

They finished their meals and Dixon walked Jeanne to her car

"I had fun tonight" Jeanne commented, unlocking her car door

"So did I" Dixon began kicking the gravel below them, not wanting to look at Jeanne asked what he was about to ask. "I was wondering if you maybe wanted to come to my house for dinner next week"

Jeanne spun around. "Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I would really like you to see the place... meet the kids... you know"

"I would like that"

Dixon finally raised his eyes from the ground. "Great. Say, Friday night at seven?"

Jeanne grinned. "Sounds wonderful"

Dixon grinned back before wrapping his arms around her and kissing her goodbye.

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"Hey guys" Dixon called as he walked into his house. The sound of music blaring was coming from the direction of the bedrooms and he could faintly hear someone talking in the living room. Choosing to deal with the music last, he headed towards the living room, to find his daughter chatting on the phone.

"Dad! Get out, I'm trying to have a conversation!" Robyn squealed as he entered the room.

Dixon chose the quick retreat as the safest option and quickly left. He headed down the hallway towards the bedrooms and banged on his son's door. Surprisingly, Steven heard the knock and quickly turned down the music.

"Come in!"

Dixon entered his son's room, bumping a pile of clothes which had somehow built up behind the door. The walls were covered with posters and Steven was sitting at his desk, math textbook open and pen poised over a notebook.

"You know, I wouldn't believe that you were actually working in here with that racket if I hadn't seen it for myself before" Dixon teased as he leaned against the large wooden wardrobe.

Steven laughed. "I hate the silence; it is more distracting than a song I know off by heart"

"I guess that kinda makes sense. How was school?"

"Dull. I had to give a speech in history about World War One, but I think it went okay. Everything else was fine. How was dinner?"

"Nice"

"Are we going to meet your mystery woman any time soon?"

"Actually she is coming here on Friday for dinner"

"Cool. I might even clean my room"

"Wow! I should have had her over sooner" Dixon teased, causing Steven to laugh. "Going to bed soon?"

"Yeah, ten more problems"

"Alright then, goodnight" he rubbed his son's short hair

"Night dad"

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Soon silence filled the home as Dixon sat in bed, reading a transcript which would be looked at in the following mornings debrief. He leant back into the comfy pillows and chewed on the end of his pen, occasionally adding his own memos. The silence was disturbed by a gentle knock at the door.

"Come in"

Robyn stuck her head in the door.

"Hey Dad"

Dixon smiled and moved his papers to make room for her on his bed. "Hey baby. Come on in"

Robyn quickly shut the door and climbed into bed with her dad. Dixon extended an arm and she curled under it. This had become common practice with them over the past few years. She had always been a daddy's girl, but ever since Diane's death, they had become closer.

"How was your day?"

Robyn launched into a detailed report of her day, while Dixon gently stroked her hair. His little girl was growing up, and the increased mention of boy's names in her daily report was increasingly worrying for him.

"Did you have a good day Dad?"

"The usual really" was his simple reply.

"How is Jeanne?"

""She is good. She is coming over for dinner on Friday, so you will have to help me cook"

Robyn grinned up at her father. "You are so hopeless!" she giggled.

"Good thing I have you and Steven then, isn't it? Now, off to bed. You have school in the morning"

"Okay, night Dad!"

With a quick kiss on his cheek, Robyn was gone and Dixon found himself alone again. He resettled his work and started reading again.

He glanced over at his bedside cabinet. There was still a picture of the four of them sitting there. It was taken at his birthday five years ago. They were all laughing at the camera, the picture of the perfect family. There were so many lies back then. The best time in their marriage had been after he had told her about his true profession... just before she was killed.

Sitting next to that photo was one of him with his children, taken only months earlier. He had an arm around each one and they all had sweet smiles and glittering eyes. There was this definite happiness about this picture, just as true as the first picture.

Dixon abruptly reached out and moved this second photo to a more prominent position that the first.

"I have to move on Diane" he whispered as he reached for his bedside light.

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"Hello Director. Did you get up to much last night?"

"Just dinner and then some reading. Meeting in ten minutes, okay?"

"I'll be there Sir"

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