Epilogue

So, I've done it again-I've completely neglected to update this story. I can't believe it's been over a year since I posted the final chapter, but here it is, the promised epilogue. It's fairly short to be honest, but just a way of closing out this story for good. I still have hopes of writing a sequel, as I'm still very fond of Nicole as a character, but to be honest, that'll probably be a ways down the line as I'm pretty busy these days. In the meantime, thank you for your reviews and your support of this story and The Statistic. I've loved my trips into the Equalizer fandom.

THE GALLERY EXHIBITION-TWO WEEKS LATER

The crowd wasn't something any of them could have anticipated-the announcement of the previously postponed exhibition had garnered more attention, perhaps, than expected, but Nicole herself was astonished that so many people had turned up. So many people who admired her work, offered incredible sums of money to purchase some of it.

It was beyond her wildest dreams.

But maybe she'd earned it.

On this night, she had decided against her sensible, practical outfit she'd bought before the 'incident'-after what she'd been through, she decided to Hell with sensible and practical, and splashed out on a blue evening gown with matching pumps.

Checking her reflection in the mirror before going out to face the public, she loked like someone else, a woman from another world, a woman who had never known brutality or violence or acute loneliness.

She knew now that while New York might still be a brutal and violent place sometimes, she would never be truly lonely again.

She'd spent 9 days in hospital being patched up, after the shooting. Robert and Mickey had been regular visitors, Melissa had been to see her, and even Rebecca, of all people, who'd had decency to apologise for being so cold towards her before.

She didn't think Amy had ever really left.

She sensed her mentor felt a great deal of guilt for what had happened, but Nicole had been quick to reassure her that it wasn't her fault, David had been completely insane. And Amy had loved him once-you couldn't help who you had feelings for.

And speaking of which...

Scott had visited her twice, and while they'd mostly made small talk-he'd asked about her art, and she'd asked about his music-she had a definite feeling that her attraction to him was mutual.

But she was completely at a loss as to what they were going to do about it-after all, Scott was Robert's son, there was no way he would ever approve of them dating.

Right?

Right.

Absolutely.

So why had Robert told her that Scott would visit? Why had he let Scott visit, when he clearly knew damn well that they liked each other?

It was all very confusing.

But then, Robert McCall was a very confusing person.

/

'I must say,' Nicole jumped slightly at the voice, and turned to see Robert himself standing by her side, looking very dapper in a navy suit, 'This turnout is most impressive.'

Nicole smiled at him. 'I wasn't expecting this.' She admitted. 'Ths is crazy. All of these people...they want to talk to me. They want to buy my art, Robert!'

'Well, of course they do.' McCall replied, smiling himself now, his expression gentle. 'As I told you before, you have an extraordinary gift. I think it's only right that you have the opportunity to share that gift with others.'

Nicole suppressed the urge to hug him. This man had a way of making her feel like she was more significant than she actually was. She didn't believe she would ever be able to thank him enough.

For everything.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Mickey, standing conspicuously close to the exit, also wearing a suit and tugging persistently at the collar of his shirt, clearly very uncomfortable.

Chuckling, she said, 'I don't know what's stranger-Mickey at an art exhibition, or Mickey in a suit. Are you punishing him for something?'

Her laughter was joined by Robert's own, as he replied, 'Actually, he wanted to come-however, his enthusiasm was slightly dampened when I reminded him it would be a formal occasion.' A pause, and then he added, more quietly, almost more somberly, 'I believe that you invited Scott, yes?'

Nicole's heart plummeted at his words. Yes, she had 'casually' invited Scott to tonight's exhibition on a whim; he had told her that if he was free, he'd love to come, but she hadn't known he'd told his dad of the invitation. She was suddenly desperately afraid that Robert would be angry, that he would forbid her in no uncertain terms to see his son again.

'Yes.' The single word emerged from her lips trembling, uncertain; she couldn't look McCall in the eye, and she actually jumped when he laid a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him, and finally, fearfully, she looked up and into his eyes. And saw nothing but kindness and understanding there.

And maybe even a little amusement?

'Good.' He responded. 'He's running a little late because of practise, but he should be here within the next half-hour.' She must have looked completely shellshocked, as he shook his head, chuckling now.

'Nicole,' he said gently. 'My son is old enough to make up his mind as to how he feels about someone. As are you. I think my interfering would only make both of you all the more determined to be together, and so, because I only want both of you to be happy, I shan't interfere. At all.' Suddenly wincing as if in pain, he added, 'I must warn you, however, that Scott's mother probably will not share my opinion on this. But you can cross that bridge if you come to it. Am I right?'

Nicole could barely see through the tears filling her eyes. She couldn't believe that Robert approved, or at least, he was leaving them free to be together, if they wanted to. She felt a tremor of aprehension at the mention of Scott's mother, but Robert was right.

She and Scott would cross that bridge if-when-they came to it.

Together.

But for now, there was something she needed to say. Something she'd become more and more certain of

as time had passed, the more time she'd spent with Robert.

With a deep breath, hoping her next words would not undo everything, she dived in:

'I know why you do it. Why you help people.'

She felt rather than saw Robert stiffen slightly at her words, but he said nothing, so she continued:

'You did something bad, didn't you? A long time ago. And you're trying to make up for it.'

Beside her, Robert mcCall quietly exhaled the breath he'd been holding, unbidden tears pricking at his eyes. She didn't know the truth, but of course she couldn't, how could she?

And yet, she did.

This girl, who never forgot a face.

This girl who had a way of seeing through people, apparently.

This girl, who had no idea who he had once been.

But knew exactly who he was.

He could never tell her the whole truth, but he owed her something here.

'Yes.' He told her simply. 'A long time ago. How did you know?'

'Simple.' She responded. 'You have a great apartment, you drive a Jaguar...a man like you doesn't help people without expecting anything in return, without having something to try to atone for.' Meekly, feeling she'd probably said too much and any minute now, Robert was going to tell her he'd changed his mnd and no way in Hell was she ever dating Scott, it would be over his dead body, she added, 'Right?'

Robert couldn't help it; chuckling, he squeezed her hand. 'Yes.' He affirmed. 'Yes, you are. But please don't go making that public-it would quite efficiently destroy my reputation.'

Nicole grinned up at him, this man, this almost-father figure, to whom she owed more than she could ever repay anyway, and certainly not with money, and replied, 'I promise. Your secret's safe with me.'.

She was about to say something else, when Robert subtly pointed past her, to the left, and she turned, to see him coming towards her, looking impossibly gorgeous in a dark suit and smiling shyly, expectantly at her, and all thoughts of bad things and secrets vanished from her mind as she moved away from Robert and approached him, answering Scott's smile with one of her own.

.

If this was her reward, she was certainly going to take it.

THE END