Note: This chapter does have violence, it's not graphic but plays a part.

March 2019

It fascinated Sidney to see the contrast between Angie and Elle's personalities and interests. The eldest Kincaid daughter was an extrovert who shared her mother's interests in the arts. She landed the role of Elsa in her school's production of Frozen and art was her favorite class. Elle was a little bit more reserved than her sister but already displayed a strong love for science. Her face lit up when her class took a field trip to the California Science Center. She was brimming with joy and energy while nearly running from one exhibit to the next with Sidney barely keeping pace with her.

Being a mother was the most exhausting, terrifying, wonderful and rewarding part of her life. Based on the way Mark lovingly gazed at their daughters she knew that he felt the same way. As mundane as it was, they loved their morning and evening routines with their girls. It gave both parents a sense of security, comfort and familiarity to share those precious moments. Angie and Elle inherited their mother's superior storytelling skills and put them to good use during dinnertime when they talked their day. Both Kincaid girls were growing up to be remarkable and compassionate individuals. Their parents couldn't imagine being prouder of them.

As much as they adored their daughters, Mark and Sidney made sure not to neglect their needs as husband and wife. After almost twenty years together, they still considered date night to be one of the highlights of their week. For a few hours, they were able to reconnect and bond without worrying about their responsibilities as parents and breadwinners. This week's date night was entirely in Sidney's hands, she refused to give him any hints which only increased his anticipation.

After Mark sat down on the bench, he unleashed Koa, Poppy and Oreo. They all trotted over to the center joining the other dogs. He couldn't help but laugh when Oreo got into the play bow pose and initiated a spirited romp with a chocolate colored chihuahua. Several minutes later, Koa returned to the bench and rested at Mark's feet.

"Just once, can you be late? Shit, I'm the one who sets up most of these meetups." Jayne sat on the other end of the bench while Remy walked over to Mark.

Stroking the French bulldog's back, he replied, "My parents raised me to have good manners and that includes punctuality. And my older sister made sure that I never forgot what they taught me."

She adjusted her sunglasses, "They seemed to have done a decent job. You're raising your girls the same way?"

His brows furrowed at her comment; he never once told her about his kids.

Her eyes went to Koa, "The charms on your dogs' collars, they're homemade and they're girly. But they have a different style and they were created by kids."

The agent's lips cracked into a grin, "You could have been a detective, Ms. Hill. And you're right, I have two incredible daughters."

Seeing the pride and love coming from caused her mouth to briefly curve before she cleared her throat. "Well then, I won't waste anymore of your time on this sunny Saturday, Kincaid. Timothy is throwing his annual gala at his Beverly Hills mansion next Saturday night. A lot of big players are coming and I heard him tell his assistant to get as many massage therapists and models as she could. I have floor plans to his mansion and the names of the cleaning, maintenance and catering services he uses. He always calls them up whenever he wants to prep his house for a party. Everything else I found is in Remy's right pocket."

Mark subtly removed the USB drive from the Frenchie's saddle bag, "Thanks, I'll contact you again, but not today. I need to get ready for my date." He said with a smirk.

A slow whistle pass through Mark's lips the second Sidney stepped out of their hotel suite's bedroom. A ruby ruched halter top showed off her toned arms and smooth upper back. Her black capri pants and burgundy kitten heels perfectly topped off the vintage outfit. He kissed her supple scarlet lips as his fingers carded through her silky dark locks.

Her hands instinctively rested on his firm chest. Once she reluctantly withdrew her mouth from his, she smiled, "You obviously approve but pace yourself, there's more ahead."

While he helped put on her black leather fitted jacket, he remarked, "I have no doubt that you have planned an amazing day and evening for us."

She whispered into his ear, "You're right and by the time we come back, you'll find me absolutely irresistible."

The feeling of her breath on his ear gave him chills. When he tried to steal a kiss, she pulled her head back, "Tease." He barely held back a smile at her mischievous giggle.

Mark praised her the moment they pulled up to a 1950s style bowling alley and pub. The last time they had gone bowling was before Angie's birth. She could see how excited he was but told him to be patient. In the trunk of their SUV, she had secretly stored their bowling shoes. As they shared a small pepperoni pizza, they played a rousing ten frames that ended with him defeating her by two pins. Being the graceful winner that he is, Mark grabbed Sidney's hand and playfully twirled her before pulling her into a long kiss.

She loved seeing his face shimmer with delight when she brought him to his favorite theater to watch one of their favorite movies, The Princess Bride. It was one of his comfort movies that never failed to entertain him. Watching it on the big screen with his true love made the experience a million times more memorable and meaningful.

Their perfect date concluded with dinner on a gondola at Redondo beach. While the sun began setting bleeding stripes of orange, red and a hint of purple filled the sky. They spoke of how wonderful their day had been while dining on steak, lamb and a bottle of merlot.

After stepping into the hotel's elevator, Mark scanned the lift and spotted the security camera in the front right corner. His fingers interlaced with hers; he whispered into her ear how much he adored her and couldn't wait to show her. Giving him a sultry stare, she told him that she had never wanted him more. Their hotel suite's door was barely closed when they unleashed the love and passion, they had for each other.

Timothy Atwalt, his followers and his fellow elitists were stunned when Mark and over a dozen FBI agents raided his gala. Two current US congressmen and four US senators were in several of the massage rooms. Jayne was in the living room feigning shock as she and other members watched Mark handcuff Atwalt.

Several days later, Jayne walked into Mark's office at the FBI for an update. She remained standing and cut to the chase, "Please tell me that sick prick isn't getting off a technicality?"

With a small shake of his head, Mark assured her, "No, we have plenty of evidence and witnesses. He's gonna die in prison. I called you here because last night, we caught Dani's killer."

Her mouth dropped open, "Who-who was it? Was it one of his followers? Do I know him?"

"No. He's a private investigator for Atwalt. Jimmy Leston, he does all of Atwalt's dirty work. Like Atwalt, he's gonna spend the rest of his life rotting behind bars." He said with a hint of pride in his calm voice.

Tears were in her green eyes, "Good, those fuckers deserve that and so much more. At…at least now I won't have to spend the rest of my life not knowing the truth. And as fucked up as this sounds, at least my dad isn't here. Losing Dani would have crushed him and me, being an idiot by bringing her to Atwalt-…"

He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "This isn't your fault. I've been in this job long enough to see so many smart and good people get conned by the Atwalts of the world. I never met him but-but I know that your father would be proud of you. Not only did you do the right thing but you also brought justice to all of Atwalt's victims. And you stopped him from hurting anyone else."

She placed her hand on top of his and let her lips curve upward, "Thanks, that means a lot…you sound like a good dad."

"Yeah, I'm not too bad." He said with a modest smile and shrug.

"All right, I have to get going or else I'm going to be late for my business meeting. I'll see ya around, Kincaid." She turned toward the open doorway.

With a polite nod, he answered, "Take care of yourself, Jayne."

August 2020

With Greta pregnant with her second child, Sidney decided to make a scrapbook of moments Greta shared with her and Mark when she was a child. It would serve as a personal gift that would complement the toy that she and Mark planned to purchase.

She went into their finished attic to retrieve one of her large plastic storage bins. As she looked through a photo album, she stopped and cupped her heart at the third and fourth pages. She fondly gazed at the photos of the pirate fairy play they had created and performed. A bit of sadness caused her eyes to water when she saw Cherokee and Watson dressed up as a smiling sitting captive princesses with Kayla in between them. She couldn't help but giggle at the how dolled up the two Labradors looked. The beautiful memory sent off a spark in her mind.

Later on, she joined Mark in bed and decided to share her what was on her mind. "So, I was looking through some old things to make a scrapbook for Greta's baby shower and, uh, I found photos of the pirate play we did."

"I remember that day, it was so cute and it was a really good play!" He gave her a quick smile as he bobbed his head.

She grabbed her bottle of lotion off her nightstand and squeezed a small dollop into her palm. While rubbing it into her hands, she told him, "Thanks and yeah, I was thinking that I could turn it into a children's book series where they have all these grand adventures. I love writing but I couldn't really do it when the girls were still home. But now that they're in school, I can get back to it."

"Sid, that sounds great!" He tilted his head, "Wait, do you want to do another book tour?"

Holding up her index finger, she wagged it from left to right, "No, my first and only book tour give me enough excitement for two lifetimes. This time around, I'll use a pen name so that it can be judged separately and fairly from Out of Darkness. I'll call Monique tomorrow and see how she feels about it. Although that's all I have time for because I need to pick up our dry cleaning, get Greta's baby shower gift at the mall, take our dogs to the groomers then-…"

He grasped her hand and touched her wrist with his lips, "I'm gonna have a slow workday tomorrow. Wallace and I are gonna have lunch together. So, I'll pick up our dry cleaning, get Greta's baby shower gift and later on, I'll drop by Cho's to get dinner."

She planted a kiss on his cheek, "You're a great husband."

"Thanks, but you already do so much for our family. And you should be able to get back to doing what makes you happy. As your husband it's my job to be mindful of your needs, Sid." His hand cupped her face.

Sidney turned her head to kiss his fingers, "Again, you're a great husband and I'm gonna keep you around instead of trading you in for a new one." She giggled when he rolled his eyes and covered her lips with his.

During his lunch break, Mark headed over to the dry cleaners. On the way to the mall, he received a text from Melanie telling him that she was already there shopping for Greta's baby shower present. Then she invited herself to lunch with him and Wallace. The longtime friends met in the shopping center's parking lot and decided to get the presents first instead of going to the food court. They were in line at the cash register with three customers ahead of them.

Wallace's lips curled up, "You know what the best part of being a grandpa is?"

"How Avery calls you 'Skinny Santa' because your hair is all white and now you have a beard?" He said with a small scoff.

"No, smartass. You get to play with the kid, spoil them rotten but whenever they have a tantrum, cry, puke or take a shit, you can hand them right back to their parents!" He happily nodded.

Before Mark could respond gunshots rang out. They immediately dropped their gifts, removed their guns from their holsters and ducked.

Wallace kept his voice steady, "Everyone keep calm and go into the back room, now!"

The male worker at the register followed Wallace's lead and opened the backroom's door and gestured for the customers to get inside.

A redheaded teenage employee quickly approached Mark, "Officer, what-what can I do?"

He read her name badge, "Emerson, I need to you pull down the security gate once we leave the store then get into the backroom with everyone else. Lock both doors, make sure that everyone stays silent and mute their phones, OK?"

"Gah-got it!" She nervously kept pace with them as they exited the store.

They heard more gunshots from the east side of the mall and saw an armed security guard step out of the clothing store to their left. He was black, bald and in his late fifties with a medium build.

"I'm Lawson, retired LAPD." He quietly told them.

"I'm Wallace, I'm on the job. Kincaid used to be, he's a Fed now." The lieutenant explained.

Lawson received a call on his two-way shoulder radio, he answered and received vital information from his supervisor. There were two gunmen on the eastside wearing black ski masks, homemade body armor and no helmets. The three of them quickly devised a plan.

Lawson ducked into a nearby baby store while Kincaid and Wallace entered a bath and body electronics shop. The backroom's door began opening until Wallace held up his badge quietly telling the employee to close and lock the door. Once she obeyed, Kincaid checked his phone to see if Lawson texted him. Based on the sound of the blasts, Wallace knew the gunmen were fifty away. It was horrific to hear people begging for their lives and crying before being silenced by gunshots. As disturbing as those sounds were, Kincaid and Wallace remained calm; the former received a text from Lawson.

The retired police officer yelled through a baby monitor's speaker hoping to lure the shooters toward his current location and away from Wallace and Kincaid. Both gunmen fell for the distraction and headed toward the sound of Lawson's voice. The former partners swiftly stepped out of the bath and body shop then dispatched the killers with head shots. Their lifeless bodies landed on the hard grey tile floor.

Mark heard a banging coming from the book store to his right. He cautiously walked toward it and realized that it was coming from behind the register. Several bodies were on the carpeted floor, he carefully stepped over them as he closed in on the banging. When he went behind the register his heart dropped into the pit of his stomach.

"Jayne?! Oh God…stay still. The ambulance is on the way." He got on his knees next to her. "Wallace, I need a medic in here!"

"They just arrived; I'll get 'em here!" His friend called out.

She pointed at the backroom's door speaking with a strained voice, "Kincaid, in…in there."

"I need to help you first, Jay-…"

Her hand weakly pointed again, "Please…"

Mark obeyed her and paused at the sight of a baby stroller. He got back on his feet to look inside and saw an unharmed baby boy curiously looking back at him with green eyes. He then spotted a diaper bag hanging off the stroller handle and reached in pulling out a swaddling blanket. Using the blanket and his hands, he applied pressure to her wounds.

"My son…Beckett, he's eight-weeks-old…" Jayne coughed and groaned in agony.

He barely kept his voice even, "Help is coming. Beckett is beautiful and-and that's a great name. Are you here with his dad?"

"No-no, it's just us. He's not around." She struggled to keep her eyes open.

He pleaded with her, "Jayne, stay with me, OK?"

"Please, ta-take care of my sweet boy…" Her hand loosely latched onto his forearm getting blood on his black blazer's sleeve.

"…Don't talk like that, you're gonna get through this, all right? Just stay with me and you'll be back with your boy before you-you know it." His voice quivered.

"Kincaid! They're here!" Wallace hollered as he trailed after the paramedics.

Mark reluctantly stood up and gave the paramedics space to treat her wounds and lift her onto the stretcher. "Her name is Jayne. She-uh, she has two GSWs to her abdomen and her son is here but he's unharmed. I'll follow you to the hospital and take him with me."

The female paramedic told him which hospital they were going to as they wheeled Jayne away.

Wallace gripped his friend's shoulders, "You OK?"

Nodding, he said, "Yeah, I uh, I need to get Beckett to the car. His carriage comes with his car seat-…"

In a reassuring tone, he said, "Mark, you gotta wash the blood off your hands first, all right? The bathroom is on the right side, two doors down and I'll bring him to you."

"OK, thanks, Josh." He hugged his former partner but then felt his phone vibrate in his blazer's pocket. "Shit, that's probably Sidney or Mel!"

He reached into Mark's pocket and read the phone's screen, "It's Mel, I'll talk to her, go get cleaned up."

With some reluctance he followed his friend's orders. The warm water washed away Jayne's blood but not the worry he had for her. Once he turned off the water, he exhaled and hoped that she would pull through for her and Beckett's sake.

He walked back onto the mall's ground floor where Wallace, Beckett and Mel were waiting for him. Melanie pulled him into a bear hug and thanked god that he was all right. She revealed that she had been on the second floor of Macy's during the shooting. Luckily, the department store was on the westside of shopping center far away from the attack. Since her car was in the shop, she had taken a taxi and insisted that she ride with Mark and Beckett.

Sidney's heart stopped the minute she received a news notification about the mall shooting. She immediately called Mark and was relieved at hearing the sound of his voice. He told her about Jayne, Beckett and Melanie over speaker phone while driving. Melanie was tending to Beckett in the backseat and briefly spoke to her sister-in-law.

She informed Mark and Melanie that she was heading over to the hospital. Angie and Elle were spending the day at Disneyland with their grandparents. Sidney called them to let know about the shooting and asked them to look after girls overnight. They quickly agreed and gave her words of support until they ended the call.

Sidney immediately hugged Mark after entering the hospital's waiting room. The strength of her embrace conveyed how fortunate she felt at that moment. A small part of her feared that he might be killed in the line of duty but this situation was completely unexpected. She was thankful to be able to hold him close to her. Beckett was next to them sleeping in his stroller.

"Jayne's still in surgery." Mark shared as he placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Do you think she'll pull through?" She placed her hand on his.

After lifting then dropping his shoulders, he commented, "She was still talking when the paramedics came but there was a lot of blood."

"Hey Sid!" Melanie walked in and embraced her, "I'm glad that you're here, he needs you."

"Thanks Mel, for being here for him and for this little guy." Sidney briefly touched Beckett's stroller.

"It was nothing! My big sister and mom instincts kicked in. Anyway, I changed and fed Beckett when we got here. I gotta go, Trip just pulled into the parking lot." Melanie hugged both of them and picked up her purse. "Text me with me updates. Love you both."

"We will. Love you too." He nodded at her while she walked away.

Her eyes were on the sleeping infant before returning to her husband, "This is unbelievable…have you been in contact with Jayne since her case was closed?"

Shaking his head, he answered, "There wasn't a reason for me to reach out. She's a working single mom so she had enough on her plate. She-she doesn't deserve this, none of them did!"

With her gentle hand she held the side of his face, "You're right. But things could have been a lot worse if you, Wallace and Lawson weren't there."

Closing his eyes, he savored her touch. "Yeah, I've seen worse…but it doesn't make it any easier."

A brunette olive-skinned woman in her late thirties approached him, "Agent Kincaid, I'm Dr. Valentine."

He and Sidney stood up, "Yes, how is she?"

Gripping his shoulder, she spoke in an understanding tone, "We tried but the bullets severely damaged an artery and her liver. I'm so sorry…"

Hearing her words caused his heart to shatter for Jayne and Beckett, "Um…if I had gotten to her earlier…"

She held up her hand, "Even if we were on scene, we still wouldn't have been able to save her. You did everything you could, okay? I have to get back, take care of yourself."

"Thanks, Doctor." He turned back to Sidney who immediately pulled him into her embrace.

"I'm so sorry, Mark…" She stroked his hair. "At least you were with her and she knew that Beckett was safe."

He turned his face into her neck and breathed in her sweet scent as tears rolled down his cheeks. Sidney's soothing voice and loving touch kept him tethered to his body. Instead of getting lost in despair and darkness, he drew hope from her love and solace.

Mark picked up a fussy Beckett cradling him in his strong arms. With his blond hair and emerald stare, the infant looked so much like his late mother. The newborn seemed to calm down and gazed at the federal agent with his captivating eyes. It had been years since Mark held a baby, he almost forgotten how beautiful and delicate they felt.

Sidney's mouth stretched into a grin at the picturesque scene, she could see and feel the affection he had for Beckett. She reached over and brushed her thumb across the baby's chubby cheek causing his lips to pull into a toothless smile. Seeing his shining face reminded her that there was still good in this world.

When a representative from the department of children and family services arrived; he handed Beckett to Sidney. The black-haired representative introduced herself as Vera Redfield and was in her early thirties. She asked Mark several questions, gave him her business card and took Beckett into her custody.

By the time they came home, Mark was exhausted but the last conversation he had with Jayne was burned into his mind. He spoke after Sidney joined him in bed. "One of the last things she said to me…was to take care of Beckett."

His admission gave her pause. She knew how overwhelming his day had been, "I understand why she said that, she trusted you. Do you think that it was her dying wish?"

"Yes, I didn't want to accept it. But she spoke like it was the end for her…Sid," he held her hands, "Vera needs time to find out if Jayne has any suitable relatives who could take him in. I hope that she can because he deserves to be with family and people who really knew his mother. But if Vera can't find anyone, um-I'm not saying that we have to make a decision tonight, but we should consider …"

Her hands grasped his face, "Mark, if Beckett has no one else to turn to, then we must give him a home where he's happy, safe and loved. Every child deserves to have that."

A radiant smile spread across his face while his blue eyes glistened, "You're truly the world's best wife! I love you!"

She lightly pressed her forehead against his and caressed his jaw, "I love you, so much. You're a phenomenal father, husband and man. And it would be a great privilege to raise another amazing child with you."

"I don't know how I got so damn lucky, but I'm never gonna take it for granted, Sid." He drew her into a lingering and warm kiss.

Note: Thanks jwu for following this story! This story will not include Scream 6, for now. I know they've just started filming but there are rumors so I'm playing it safe.