Chapter 27
Cameron and Kay opened the door to Marigold's Cafe. The place was slightly empty with only a few people but they saw the old woman behind the counter, pouring coffee for customers. The two of them walked over and Marigold immediately recognized them, "Oh! Hello you two." She noticed Kay's arm, "Oh my dear, what happened to you?"
Kay smiled at Marigold's concern, "Just an occupational hazard."
"Are you sure?" Kay nodded to ease the older woman's concerns, "Well, if you're sure. What can I do for you two today?"
"Well..." Cameron began, "We... we found who did it."
Marigold's eyes widened, "You did?" Cameron nodded somberly, "What happened to the... the monsters that did it?"
"They've been put behind bars and I doubt they will be seeing the light of day for a while."
"Well, thank goodness." Just then Jonathan walked in with Farrah in her stroller gurgling as she played with the pink dolphin in her hands. The old woman gave a soft gasp when she saw the child, "Oh-oh my goodness..."
Cameron smiled, "We thought you'd like to see Farrah now that things have settle down a little."
She looked to the man who looked exactly like Cameron, "A-are you-"
Jonathan gave a small smile, "I-I'm Fiona's other brother, Jonathan."
"It's nice to meet you," Marigold walked over from the counter and knelt down in front of the crib. Farrah blinked her big brown eyes at the old woman for a few moments before her tiny face broke out into a huge smile and she giggled at Marigold. Farrah held out her arms wanting to be taken out of the stroller. Marigold looked to Jonathan, "Is it alright if I take her?"
Jonathan nodded, "Of course it is."
Marigold lifted Farrah out of the stroller as Cameron and Kay gave each other a quick smile at the scene before them. He helped Kay onto a stool despite her silent objections that she could handle it herself. Marigold smiled as the child waved her arms in delight, happy to see a familiar face. Kay noticed the old woman's eyes tearing up, "Are you okay?"
Marigold nodded as Farrah rested her curly-haired head on the woman's shoulder, "Yes, yes of course. I'm just so glad that Farrah's okay... Shawn and Fiona loved her so much. They had all sorts of plans."
"Would you mind telling us a little bit about her?" Jonathan asked. He still felt responsible for not having been part of her life.
Marigold smiled at the young man, "Of course. I remember when Farrah had just been born and Fiona had brought Farrah to the cafe for the first time since the birth."
Ten months ago...
The cafe door open and Marigold saw a young woman covered in a large coat, scarves and a wool hat bring a stroller in with her. She smiled at her, "It's about time you brought your daughter here."
The young woman rolled her blue eyes as she took off her hat and scarves, "I couldn't take staying at home all day." She smiled as she hung her coat on the coat rack, "Besides it was high time Farrah saw one of my favourite places in the world." She bent down and the cover off the stroller and cooed at the little girl inside, "Yes it was. Yes it was."
"How's motherhood treating you Fiona?"
Fiona sighed as she walked over to the counter, "Other than the long nights, excess weight, and the fact that every part of my body hurts like hell..." She gave another sigh but a happy one, "It's been wonderful." Farrah's eyes slowly opened and she made a slight whining noise, wanting to be picked up, "Hey Azizam, you want Mama to pick you up?"
Marigold smiled, "Azizam? What does that mean?"
Fiona chuckled as she picked up Farrah who was so tiny, she could have been mistaken for a marshmallow, "It's just a term of endearment in Persian. My... my mother used to call me that."
"Your mother?"
"She died when I was four but... it's one of the few things I remember about her."
Marigold gave a sad smile, "Farrah's beautiful. She looks just like you."
"Really? I mean I love her more than anything but she still looks like a very pale raisin." She chuckled, "A cute pale raisin with Shawn's eyes."
"How's Shawn doing?"
"Being a little overprotective but that's to be expected. You know how he is." She grinned, "He's an incredible father, maybe I should get ourselves Incredibles costumes for Halloween."
The old woman chuckled, "That would be interesting to see."
"I still can't believe how much these two have changed my life...and so have you Marigold."
"Fiona..."
"I'm serious, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't taken me in, you've become a second mother to me."
Marigold smiled, "And you're like the daughter I never had." Fiona gave a content smile, "What?"
"Nothing... I'm just happy."
"She sounds like she was happy." Jonathan said with a sad smile.
"She was... I could see it in her eyes. There had been pain in them for so long and she always felt like she wasn't worthy of love." Marigold said as she stroked Farrah's back, thinking to herself how big she had gotten since she last saw her, "Thank God Shawn was one of the good ones." Farrah let out a little giggle. "She's so big now."
"Really?" Cameron asked.
Marigold chuckled, "You might not notice it when you spend every day with them but children grow up really fast. Especially babies, you blink and all of a sudden they're running around with their little legs."
"Well, Farrah has started taking steps."
"She has?"
Cameron smiled, getting up from his seat when Farrah pointed at him and reached her little arms out to him, "Yeah. Maybe she'll take a few now." He went over to place Farrah on the counter where she stood for a moment before sitting. He chuckled, picking her up and placing her on his lap as he sat back down, "I guess she doesn't feel like it now."
Marigold waved her hand, "Oh, it's fine." She clapped her hands together, "Now, I'm guessing you guys have also come here for a bite to eat."
Jonathan nodded taking a seat next to Cameron, "Oh yeah. I've heard good things about your cheesecake."
"I'll get you each a nice slice of cheesecake."
Jonathan was about to respond when Kay let out a yelp, "Ow!" Farrah had grabbed onto a piece of Kay's hair and was keeping an iron grip on it.
Kay chuckled as Cameron tried to get the baby to release her grip, "Come on Farrah. I know Kay has pretty hair but we don't pull on other people's hair." Farrah giggled but didn't let go, "Please let go of Kay's hair."
"Kay." She squeaked out.
Everyone's eyes widened as she giggled and let go of Kay's hair and faced Cameron. Cam looked his niece in the eyes, "Farrah, what did you just say?" She just giggled. He turned her around and pointed at Kay, "Farrah, who's that?"
She pointed to Kay as well and peeped, "Kay."
Kay grinned as she stroked the child's cheek making the little girl giggle, "That's right baby girl, that's my name."
Cameron playfully pouted, "So she's going to say everyone's name before she says mine?"
Kay shook her head and kissed his cheek, "Don't be a big baby, she'll say eventually." Cameron smiled as Farrah leaned back against her uncle.
Marigold chuckled as she placed the cakes on the counter, "Before you know it, she might be talking your ear off soon."
Jonathan laughed, "I don't know, she doesn't seem like the type" He then nudged his brother, motioning to Marigold with his head.
"Right." Cameron nodded, "Marigold, there was also another we came here other than a nice breakfast." Marigold gave a concerned look, "Well, now that the case is over, w-we were going to be giving Shawn and Fiona a funeral and wake. It's what they deserve a-and we were wondering if you would like to attend." He stammered.
Marigold's eyes glazed over, "I wouldn't miss it."
"We were also wondering if you'd want to..." Cameron was unsure of how to ask this, "Would you be willing to give the eulogy? It-it's just you knew Shawn and Fiona better than any of us-"
"I would be honoured." The old woman gave a sad smile. She quickly shook off her pained expression and gave a smile, "Let me get you all some coffees."
"Oh, none for me thank you." Kay said, "Doctor said I can't have caffeine while taking my painkillers."
"Well, how about some lemonade then?"
Kay smiled, "That sounds great."
Later in the evening, Jonathan had gone out to get some groceries. Kay and Cameron stayed in the apartment with Farrah and Cameron was getting him and Kay something to drink. Farrah was busy playing with her stuffed animals in her playpen as Cameron walked over and handed Kay a glass.
"Now I know you can't have caffeine or alcohol so I hope you like apple cider." He smiled as he sat down next to her.
She smiled, "Thank you." She took a sip and chuckled, "Did you add-"
"A sprinkle of cinnamon? Yeah."
Kay smirked, "You know me so well."
"I'm a good boyfriend." He smirked back before realizing something, "I mean, I am, right? We just never really got around to talking about... where we stand... officially."
Kay chuckled as she took another sip of her cider, "Cameron. We've kissed quite a few times, told each other we love each other and we've even taken bullets for each other, I think it's safe to say that we are not just friends anymore."
Cameron chuckled as he took a sip of his own drink, "I guess you're right... and I guess that means you're my girlfriend."
"I guess it does." She said, putting her drink down as Cameron did the same.
Cameron rested his elbow on the back of the couch as Kay leaned back and turned her head to him, "I love you... and not in the professional sense at all."
Kay grinned as she rested her head on the back of the couch, "I love you too... strictly non-professionally." She gave a little laugh, "You know. If someone had told me the day we met that I would be with you today and telling you that I love you... I would have said that that would be impossible."
"Hey, nothing's impossible." He smirked taking her hand and intertwining their fingers.
"I know."
"And hey, it did take a while for you to warm up to me, I mean by the time you started opening up to me, your bangs had grown out." Kay gave him a bemused look, "That's right, I remember you had bangs when we met. They were cute."
She laughed, "So what, I should get bangs again?"
He shrugged, "If that's what you want but I gotta say that I do like your hair like this. I get to see your whole face."
She felt her cheeks heat up, "Shut up."
"Wait, are you blushing?"
"Shut up."
"You are!" He grinned, "Oh. My. God. Have I actually made the badass Agent Kay Daniels blush?"
She scooted closer, placed her good hand on his knee and leaned in until their noses touched, "If I kiss you, will you shut up?"
Cameron's face turned a light pink, "I-I don't know, maybe you should check and see." Kay grinned as she pressed her lips against his in sweet and tender kiss as she moved her hand to cup his neck. Cameron gently wrapped an arm around her and he was careful not to apply to much pressure to her injured arm as the other arm rest on her back, pulling her closer to him.
They pulled away a few moments later and rested their foreheads against each other. They were about to kiss again when Jonathan opened the door. He raised an eyebrow and smirked when he saw them, "Really guys? There's a baby in the room. Keep it G-rated."
What's this? A new chapter has been written? When I really should be studying for my finals? Why yes it is! I hope this was worth the wait. I hope it made you smile... because we're dipping back into the angst next chapter then we'll get some fluff after that and we will be slowly making our way to the sequel. Stay tuned!