It was a long night. After John eavesdropped on her conversation with her son it had taken her a while to fall asleep. There was a part of her that had wanted to get up and head to his room to go make sure he was alright but she didn't want to intrude.
Joss clearly startled or upset him when she told him that he needed a purpose but she wasn't lying. Men like John needed something to consume them. After getting dressed in stretchy black pants and a large shirt she exited her room. Joss had gotten a good night's rest even sleeping in someone else's domain.
She yawned as she followed the alluring scent of coffee. John must be up already. She approached the kitchen and he had his back to her so she swept a sweeping gaze up and down him. "Good morning," he murmured quietly without turning around, scaring her.
She grabbed her chest and glared at his back. "Do you have eyes behind your back?" she demanded. Joss knew she didn't make that much noise for him to possibly know she was in the kitchen with him.
"Years of practice listening to the signs of light footsteps." he answered as he looked over his shoulder at her.
Joss moved closer so that she could take a cup of the freshly brewed pot. Sadly of this whole pot she could only one cup. Taking the morning sickness, fatigue, and back pain was easy compared to having to cut down on her caffeine intake.
"Get some sleep?" she asked quietly. He didn't respond. Joss looked up and saw the tired eyes and knew he didn't. "Do you sleep much at all ever?"
"Some…."
Joss sipped her coffee, savoring every drop as she observed him avidly. He piqued her interest and she wanted to know what made him tick. "When's the last time you had a good night's rest?"
John shot her a look and she didn't let it intimidate her. "Why do you care?" he all but growled the question, like a big surly bear but it didn't put her off in the slightest.
"Why can't you answer a simple question?" she turned it around on him. "Or are you so used to being in disguise you don't even know what the truth is anymore?"
The quick look away was telling enough. "We need to find out where Paul might be hiding. Do you know of anyone who he might turn to?" he asked changing the subject.
Joss shrugged helplessly. "He has a brother, Demarcus, but he cut Paul out of his life after Paul screwed him over. Both of their parents are dead, and as for friends, Paul cut ties with anyone from his previous life before becoming a hired gun."
"Anybody else?—anyone at all?" he demanded.
She glared at him. "No one comes to mind John, I…wait maybe there is someone he might have gone to for help. Someone I think he kept in contact with from his former life before crime."
"Who?"
"His sponsor, Franklin Spencer, Paul had attempted at getting help before he began killing people for a living."
"Do you know where in the city he's located at?" he asked.
"Not really," she admitted.
John nodded. "I'll place a call with Finch to see if he can get us his location, so I can have a talk with him."
Joss shook her head. "You mean so we can have a talk with him. Frank won't talk to you about Paul without me there and using brute force won't work here. Frank is a good man and I don't want him hurt, especially if he doesn't know anything," she stipulated.
"No!" he snapped. "Your pregnant and would be out in the open. It's too risky."
"We'll just have to get creative on masking who I am because I'm going," she argued, her stubborn streak shining through. They glared at each other both unwilling to back down. John might be used to calling the shots and having all the control but she wasn't bending on this. "Leave and I'll follow you there. So either: you can escort me or I'll go on my own, whichever you prefer since it doesn't matter to me one way or another."
John stared at her stonily that was matched by an icy glare of her own. Her pride was going to get herself and her unborn child killed but if he didn't relent she could very well go out on her own without any protection. He didn't know her well enough to know if this was a bluff or not.
"Alright," he agreed begrudgingly. "But we do it my way. I say you stay, you stay."
"And when you say roll over, I just say: yes sir," she snapped fighting the urge to salute him but not in a respective manner. She was not going to let John bulldoze over her. John stepped close and she felt the difference in height and felt the anger rolling off him in waves. Joss lifted her chin defiantly. She ignored the fact that he looked devilishly handsome angry. His oceanic blue eyes were darker than normal either that or the blue shirt he was wearing drew out the blue.
He stared down into her brown eyes and felt his anger dissolve into something altogether worse: desire. He wanted to kiss her to absolve the curiosity to know if she tasted sweet under all that spice.
Joss narrowed her eyes as John jerked away from her and the anger was gone. He looked…shaken. "We should eat or the food will get cold." he said retreating from their confrontation. She felt like she had whiplash from the swift change of subject. She turned to look and realized there sat a feast prepared. Evidently John had been awake much longer than she first figured.
She let him lead her to the table where a plate full of food sat as a sign of mutually calling truce. They sat down together to eat the bacon, sausage, eggs, and hashbrowns with little conversation. Joss watched John's plate get depleted quickly and was pleased.
He pushed the chair back signaling he was done. "I'll call Finch and once he gets us an address for Mr. Spencer we'll go. Figure out how to disguise yourself before then; leave the dishes I'll get them later." he murmured quietly and with that he disappeared from the kitchen, leaving her to watch him as he went.
Joss let him leave, finished eating much slower than him, lost in thought, and didn't heed his request as she loaded the dishwasher with their dirty dishes before following him out. She found him alone in the living room having just hung up the phone. "He's looking into Spencer for us and should have something soon."
Joss nodded as she sat down next to him on the couch. "Thanks," she murmured quietly.
"I wasn't trying to tell you what to do. I want to protect you and bringing you with me isn't what I had in mind," he explained quietly.
She looked at him. "I get it John; just don't dictate to me. I'm not one of your subordinates in the military," she said simply.
He nodded. "So you'll stay home."
"No. I'm still going," she countered, making him frown. "You won't get a word from Frank unless I do."
John eyed her quizzically. "You seem certain of this."
"I am." Joss knew John would get nowhere with Frank because of his own former military background and the fact that Frank and Paul struck quite the friendship up during Paul's time at the VA. No doubt, if Paul needed some help he'd turn to Frank, and Frank would give it with no questions asked.
"Or is it because you think I'm a monster and I'll harm an innocent man?" he asked, voice lacking emotion.
Joss gaped at him. "Do you enjoy picking fights with a pregnant woman?" she demanded angrily. "Because I don't think you're a monster. If I did I wouldn't be sitting in this home with you or stayed the night at a motel alone with you." Joss barely left off 'don't project your feelings of yourself onto me'.
"I'm just trying to understand you."
She stared at him and realized it was the truth. John didn't understand her and that made her sad. The kind of world he used to live in he had to question everything and constantly watch over his shoulder for the blade about to be stabbed into his back. He had done and seen things unimaginable to her, lost someone he cared about, and got a giant 'fuck you' from the country he sold his soul for.
"John, I'll always tell you the truth," she promised quietly as she reached out to rest a hand on his, squeezing gently when he went to recoil. "You won't have to question my legitimacy, you have my word."
"Word means nothing," he rasped.
"I know. Words are pretty but if you don't back it up then they mean nothing. I don't speak, I do. So I will prove to you that I'll always be honest with you. Just give me the same respect as I give you is all I ask in return," Joss stated simply.
After several tense moments of scrutinizing one another with hyper-observant gazes that took decades of perfecting, she felt a tiny squeeze of his fingers in response, and Joss felt as though they just began a tenuous friendship built on their mutual disillusionment.
Not for the first time John debated about turning the car around and take Joss back to Harold and Grace's apartment. He didn't like her out in the open and exposed but she seemed adamant that Spencer wouldn't speak to him without her.
Harold had called about an hour ago and gave him the address, he was following Joss's GPS there. She wore her hair in a bun underneath a ball-cap and used makeup to paint a mole she didn't have onto her face. Joss nixed the idea of wearing sunglasses to make sure that it wasn't overkill. Joss pulled on a very unflattering dress that hid her pregnancy as it made her look like she was wearing a plastic bag but no less beautiful. But he tried to ignore that last fact entirely.
When they reached the destination he cut the engine and turned to look at her. "Stay in the car until I make sure it's clear," he warned. Joss just stared at him. "Please." he amended.
She just nodded curtly. Joss watched as he exited the car and scanned their surroundings but in a way that was inconspicuous so that it wasn't blatant that he was observing people around them. When it was deemed all clear by him he stepped to the passenger side door and opened it for her before reaching in to take her hand which was very gentlemanly and chivalrous, a trait that was lost art, or so she thought.
They walked together up the small sidewalk that lead to a tiny porch that held a two rocking wooden chairs perfect for kicking back with a couple beers, or in her case, glasses of sparkling water. John rapped hard on the door but kept her in front of him in case he had missed something. He took protecting her very seriously and it made her ridiculously happy. Maybe if he was so focused on saving her that she'd save him.
After a couple moments the door to the townhome opened and a mixed race man appeared in the open doorway. "May I help you?" he asked.
John nodded but it was Joss that spoke; "Are you Frank Spencer?"
"I am, and you would be…?"
Joss smiled as she offered a hand out. "Joss Carter," she greeted after Spencer took her hand and she saw the flicker of surprise and the stiffening of his body was noted. So he had heard of her. "Yea, Paul's soon to be ex-wife."
When he went to go slam the door in their faces John moved with lightning speed, honed reflexes, due to years of practice, as he lifted one long lean leg up and kicked the door open wide. Spencer's eyes widened as John moved to advance on him, more than ready to brawl, for personal reasons as much as for her problems, but she grabbed John's forearm to cease his action. John stopped immediately, letting her take the lead but clearly unhappy that he hadn't gotten to kick some ass. She quickly let John go and focused on Frank Spencer.
"We need to talk," she stated simply. Joss pulled her dress taut and showed her round belly and Frank's eyes widened. "Thanks to Paul; not only am I nearly nine months pregnant but I'm also on the run from a guy he pissed off. And I will do anything to protect my son even if that means I have to hunt down my chicken shit husband!" she vowed.
Frank sighed. "Come in, we can't talk out here." he muttered. Joss nodded and moved to enter with John following closely. "Who's he?" Frank asked warily.
John lifted his lip into what could be considered a smile but a very poor one at that. It was more a snarl than a smile. "I'm the anything." he assured lowly, with a hint of danger.
The voice, cold as ice and promised sinister intentions, made Spencer shiver and would have Joss but she knew it was meant to intimidate and it worked. Frank Spencer led them into his living room where the TV was on that he quickly shut off.
"Isabella is at work so we can talk freely," he murmured.
"Your wife, we presume?" John said more than asked as he looked around and then peered out the front window before stalking around the room like a predator sizing up his prey. His restless movements were making Frank Spencer nervous as he kept flicking quick jerky glances at John. John was really skilled at making people sweat.
"Y-Yes…."
Joss decided enough of the mind games and got down to business. "Do you know where Paul is?" she demanded succinctly.
"No."
The answer was quick and sure, so much so that Joss didn't feel as though it was a lie. She shared a quick glance with John who stopped mid-stride to stare unremitting at Spencer as if filtering what he heard through his own internal lie detector. When John resumed pacing he had come to the same conclusion as she had.
"In that case how about telling us something that you do know?" John suggested as he paused to peer out the window again to make sure there was no unwanted parties that had recognized Joss somehow.
Frank abandoned the bravado and sagged onto his couch with his head in his hands. "I don't know much. He came by here a couple days ago and told me he had fucked up. I thought he meant about stopping the VA meetings and therapy. But I didn't realize he had fallen into a life of crime," he admitted as he lifted his head up to look at her apologetically. "Paul told me what he had done in like a confessional."
"And you kept it to yourself. You didn't think to call the police and tell them what he told you?" Joss accused.
Frank sighed. "He's my friend, Joss. All that I know is that he said he messed up when he got some guy killed that was someone noteworthy to someone really bad and he had to get the hell out of town."
"So Paul left his pregnant estranged wife to fend for herself against a mafia boss who can't be identified by a single person?" John growled. Joss winced as Spencer cowered a little from the rage emitting from John.
"I told him that he owed Joss a heads up of the danger licking at her heels. I'm guessing since you're with protection and not in Elias's hands that he listened," Frank said, obviously upset by the turn of events.
Joss made a face as Frank said it as if he had done so much for her. But he was her only lead into her soon-to-be-ex-husband. "Did he say anything you can think of that might help us locate him? Or do you have a contact number, anything?" she asked.
"N-No…."
Joss narrowed her eyes on Frank. The stammer was noted and clearly John noticed it as well as he turned to glare death holes into the back of his head. She sent him a look to signal that she had this and it seemed it translated as John simply folded his arms across his chest in a very standoffish pose and remained eerily silent, which seemed to make Spencer squirm all the more.
"Do you know what aiding and abetting is?" she asked as she leaned forward with a casual smile on her face.
"I know s…"
She cut in. "Good, then you know that by not giving me the information you have on a fugitive is considered aiding and abetting. Now how would Isabella feel if her husband was arrested throwing away his life and hers for a criminal?" she asked, sticking the knife in the wound she knew would hurt. Just from the way he said her name it was clear that his wife was the most important thing to him. Too bad Paul hadn't shared those same feelings or she wouldn't be in this predicament.
His face fell and looked ashamed. "I don't know how to locate him. Paul didn't tell me. But he did give me a contact number. I'm only to call if someone comes asking for him." Frank admitted as he stood moving to the mantle where his cell phone rested.
John nodded. "Then you'll be giving him a call but not yet I need to make one myself first," he instructed, tugging out his burner phone. Frank merely kept quiet as John turned to walk outside to have a little privacy. Joss followed him but he angled himself to stop her from exiting with him.
"Who are you calling?" she asked.
"Finch. He'll be able to do a trace to find out where Paul is," he explained quietly.
Joss stared at him incredulously. "Harold isn't the average person," she murmured, knowing that it was an understatement.
A tiny smile flickered on his lips. "No, he isn't. Keep an eye on Frank while I talk to Finch," he ordered and with that he very firmly shut the door in her face keeping her safe inside while he was outside. Joss turned and walked slowly to where she left Frank. Her back was hurting today and instead of excitedly waiting for her little man to enter her life she had to deal with this.
"I really am sorry, Joss. Paul and I talked a lot about you when he came for his visits," Frank spoke up sincerely.
Joss eyed Frank. "Did he ever love me?" she asked softly.
"Of course, but you held such a high standard…"
Joss cut in angrily. "That's a load of BS! So I'm at fault for his inability to be a good husband?!" she demanded.
"Some men, not all, but some need a woman that doesn't put the pressure of being perfect on them."
"I never asked for perfection!" she argued. "I asked for respect, truth, and honesty, none of which Paul gave me," Joss was so angry she was seeing red. Frank was siding with Paul because of their friendship and resting blame for their failed marriage squarely on her shoulders. Sure, she wasn't perfect but no one was, and was being honest and respectful too much to ask for?
Joss turned when she heard a rustling sound knowing John was back in. And he was but clearly he had heard some of what they talked about because John looked enraged. "Real men wouldn't let women pay for their crimes," John interjected lowly. Joss shifted an eye onto Frank to note the look of relaxation was gone now that John was back. "Call Paul, put it on speakerphone so I can hear the conversation; tell him that Joss came by. Keep him on the line as long as possible until I give you the signal to stop. I don't care if you have to talk about the weather to keep him on it."
"Okay…."
Frank quietly did as John told him, calling Paul and placing it on speakerphone. Paul answered immediately. "Who talked to you?" he asked in way of a greeting.
Joss did an admirable job of not making an audible gasp or any other sound from hearing her estranged husband's voice after so long.
"Your wife, Joss," Frank answered.
Paul was quiet for a moment. "Figured she would think to come to you; at least she's not in Elias's clutches."
"Yea but she's pregnant and has a giant bullseye on her back." Frank commented to keep the conversation going.
"I did the best I could. Better than what she'd do for me," Paul said, sounding uncaring.
"How do you know that?"
"If she's there talking to you that means she's looking for me to hand over to Elias to erase her little problem. She doesn't give a fuck about me anymore; Frank, I gave her a heads up and the rest is up to her."
Joss didn't even feel hurt by the lack of emotion coming from Paul over her. All she felt at the moment was immense disappointment that their marriage had come to this. But John, she felt anger oozing out of his every pore.
"Did you tell her anything?" Paul demanded after a moment.
"No," Frank reassured as he looked to John who motioned to keep him on the line. "Did you know she's pregnant, Paul?" he asked, something he wished Isabella could be.
"Yea, so? Joss has more balls than most men do, she'll be fine even with being fat."
That sealed it for Joss. Any lingering desire to save Paul from the mess he created for himself with Elias was gone; gone with the easiness of disregarding their son, no, her son. She looked to John who went from angry to furious with Paul's flippant attitude and she smiled gently to let him know she was okay.
John jerked his hand in a motion to end the call. Frank nodded. "Okay, if you're certain; I just called as you asked."
"Thanks. Call me if a real threat visits you," and with that Paul hung up.
Frank eyed the phone as he disconnected with Paul. He looked up and to her. "If someone comes I'll call you first. Paul doesn't even care about the child he fathered with you. There are people who would love for a child and can't conceive and he just doesn't care."
John didn't respond as he simply put his burner phone to his ear. "Did you get it Finch?" he asked. He was silent listening to what Finch said. He nodded curtly before looking to her. "Let's go."
Joss didn't say a word as she filed out of Frank Spencer's home letting John lead the way. Once safely tucked into John's car did she speak aloud. "You know I was holding out hope that Paul was able to be helped," she said finally.
"And now?"
"Now, I wonder how I ever thought of him as my soulmate," she admitted with a humorless laugh. "Makes me embarrassed."
"Why? He's the asshole to not realize you're an amazing woman."
Joss looked at him and smiled softly. "Amazing, eh?"
He lifted one side of his mouth up in a sardonic smirk. "Little too stubborn and ballsy but amazing," he assured her, giving her a sideways compliment.
She snorted. "Takes a stubborn mule to know a stubborn mule," she retorted as he started the car with a small chuckle. Joss smiled at the sound, though short and faint, his laugh was like music to the ears. "So could Harold trace the call?"
"Yes. Paul's still in New York. Harold traced the phone call to a cell phone being in use in a Starbucks at the outer fringes of Brighton Beach where the Russians rule the roost. Doubt if we head there now that Paul will still be there. But maybe we can use Frank Spencer to our advantage," he explained as he pulled away from the curb.
Joss nodded. "Have Frank keep Paul on the line long enough for you to find him and forcefully bring him here." she spoke what she was sure was John's plan.
"Yea, only problem is that requires us splitting up. You need to enlist Frank's help in getting Paul on the line, while I head in his general area so that when the trace comes through I can find him quickly," John said, already worrying about his idea.
"No problem there. I'll do anything to end this threat to my life so my son will be safe."
John didn't speak but she could tell it did little to reassure him. Paul wasn't going to show his face anywhere outside of Russian territory since pissing Elias off. And he couldn't rest until Joss was safe. But to ensure her safety required doing something he was steadfastly against: her on the front lines.
AN: I'm not in a very good mood thanks to work but I wanted to come on and post since I'm been MIA the past week.
Thanks for reading!