This is for everyone in lockdown - we get by with (more than) a little help from our friends.

I'm still gathering M words, if you have any ;)

Trigger warning: Non-graphic mention of FGM

As always, enjoy x

Wednesday 20th September 2017, 10.47pm, Hudson River Park, New York

John's idea of a summer night was better spent spelling his name with his tongue in places that made his wife sing, or speeding down the highway at 120 blasting Whitesnake, or anywhere doing anything but pacing along the river she saved him from all those years ago. But here they were, feet in sync in an easy rhythm, comforted by the movement of the Hudson. The lady who sang about griiiiiiiiiiiiiiits once extolled the virtues of taking a long walk to meaningful conversation.

"Why, Joss?" He asked. "Why here?"

She took a few deep breaths. "Back to the beginning. You ever think about that day? What would've happened if we never met? Because I do."

He exhaled through his nose. "I don't have a pretty answer to give you, Joss."

She squeezed his hand. "That's not what I asked for."

"I think of toe tags and dental records…military records…and I think of you with Beecher."

She raised her eyebrows. "Beecher? What does Cal have to do with this?"

He laughed to himself. "That's what they want for you, Joss. If Cal Beecher showed up in Summerville even Cammie would approve. And Uncle Sterling."

"Maybe you're right. Not that it matters. I learnt a long time ago not to care about what they think is best for me. They loved Paul, after all." He chuckled again. "I didn't have a future with Cal any more than you had one with…" She hesitated to speak the name.

"Zoe. Does it bother you?"

"The sex? No. The romance? A little. Okay, more than a little."

"It's not romance, if it's Finch's script; it's protocol."

"Well, I could use a little protocol every now and then." She hinted.

John, when are you gonna take my mom out on a real date? "Say no more. I never asked you."

"Asked me what?"

"What you think would've happened if we never met."

She smiled. "I think I'd be slimmer, higher up the food chain, an FBI agent even." He silently agreed with her, their alliance wasn't resume-worthy. "And I'd be empty inside, waiting for someone – anyone – to understand." And just like that John was the deer, she hit him right between the eyes, and he didn't see it coming.

Two weeks later, Thursday 5th October 2017, 12.02pm, Mary Jackson Math and Science Centre, Emory University

Taylor's commitment to living a simpler life was working for him. He was living off campus in North Decatur with Wilson, his Film student roommate from last year, who spent most days waiting for the muse to hit and inspire his Senior year project. He scored 81% on his Anova test. And most importantly, he was minding his own business…until Margot waved him down and cornered him with her floral Doc Martens and long Jagged little pill t-shirt. There were no bullets to drown out her voice and before he knew it, they were in the parking lot standing by his Calculus professor's Qashqai talking about Zahra's summer in detail. Well, she was doing the talking and he was half-listening.

"…her parents…too Western…went to Somalia to visit family…madrassa…to be a better muslim…they call it reorientation…she's not the same, Taylor…no boys…too Western…engaged to a guy she's never been alone with…moved off campus... one of them called me a xenophobe and I'm not. Taylor!"

He got that churning feeling in his stomach at the sound of his name. Trouble was coming. "You're right, you're not xenophobic." She nodded in agreement. "You're naïve."

"What?" She asked in disgust.

"Take it from me, her parents don't have limits. So, whatever's going on, you can't stop it." He spoke to her as much as himself, because he knew Zahra's secret and the lengths they went to control her behaviour.

"You used to be friends. She was your girlfriend."

"Saying stuff like that out loud just makes it worse for her."

"But this is America. They can't just marry her off, Taylor. They can't treat her this way."

The weight of futility and helplessness fell on him. "They can do…a whole lot."

7.05pm, The R.E.M. Group, Glendale, Queens

"…All this grief for 15 grand a piece."

Susan gauged how much Paul was resisting in a session by his body language and how hard he tried to steer the conversation. To her surprise, he opened with an explanation; the $15,000 cheque had arrived over the weekend as compensation from the housing developer in Norfolk.

"What does the money represent to you, Paul?" She asked.

He threw his head back in thought and breathed heavily through his nose. "It's all that's left."

"Left of what?"

"Mom. And Jeremy."

She noted down that he referred to his father by his first name. "Have you thought about what to do with it?"

He rubbed his hands together in preparation to defend himself. "I asked Gina. She wants to go on vacation, somewhere we ride bikes like the Golden Gate Bridge."

Susan suppressed a smile. "What do you want?"

Paul shared something he hadn't told anyone. "I can't ride a bike. Never learned…well, I did but I didn't." He sighed. "Jeremy taught me. You know, his way."

She nodded, deducing that his way involved impatience and shaming. "You can always learn a new way. Your way."

"Well, that's what she wants so I guess I will."

"The last time we spoke you were concerned about Taylor."

"Yeah, every time I call him he's wearing that cap. The purple one with a wolf on it…"

11.39pm, Redgrove Apartments, North Decatur, Georgia

No-one would ever say Joss Carter's son didn't try. He tried to be a good son even when it was corny. He tried to be a good student even though it was hard. He tried to be a good friend even if it got him into trouble. But when he tried not to care, he failed. He couldn't make it through a workout because his stomach was contorting with worry, or concentrate on Wilson's stop motion animation with Lucky Charms cereal, all because Zahra was on his mind.

"They call it Sunna. I don't have…what other girls have 'cause it's gone. So...that's why I never…'cause it freaks guys out."

"Tay, as much as it hurts me to say this to you; sex is normal. It's not something to be scared out of or pressured into or used to control people. Maybe Zahra's parents don't realise that but I think she does."

"You…still flinch, sometimes. So…I should go."

"You gotta break up with Zahra… I don't like what she's bringing out in you. And you don't like it either. Some girls are the wrong kind of trouble, Tay. The kind you lose yourself in."

He couldn't afford to lose himself in anyone or anything again and there was only one person grounded, wise and collected enough to help him get some sleep that night. "I'm sorry it's late."

"It's never too late, youngblood." Gregory's voice was as comforting as hot cocoa. "What's on your mind?"