"And she said that. In front of the whole audience Dad. That Reagan won the cold war? Are you joking? Reagan? I'd like to see the files where Reagan infiltrated the intelligence community in Communist Russia."

"Well you know that's how it works Baby Girl." Michael sighed, looking longingly at the fuzzy projection of his little girl on the screen. "The president gets the credit."

"Go get your drawing to show Daddy." Fiona said softly waiting until Claire ran off. He watched her hand move forward, he knew what she was doing and he smiled and let her trace his face on her computer screen.

"You have to tell Sam to stick with actual children's stories when he's reading to her at night."

"She likes it!" Axe yelled from somewhere in the background.

"Children's stories bore her Michael." Fiona whispered. "She likes cold war intelligence files from the 1980's. He only reads her declassified stuff."

"Mostly." Sam muttered, Fiona cast a irritated glance at him.

"She's getting so big."

"She's 6 going on 26." Fiona huffed. "How are you?"

"Fine Fi."

"I don't like that you're in the middle of all this Michael."

"I'm trying to get to the end of it Fiona."

"You're always trying to get to the end of it." She huffed.

"Mommy! You're breaking the rules." Claire reported taking her seat back in front of the webcam. "No fighting over video conference." She looked at Fiona sharply.

"You're right McBride, I'm sorry." She breathed. Michael smiled, it had annoyed him at first, both when Fiona had used his old cover ID as a middle name for Claire, and when she'd started calling her by it. Now he had to admit it was cute.

"Look." Claire held up the drawing. A family portrait complete with the Charger as the back drop. "I even left a spot. For my baby brother." A slim finger smacked at the blank space next to Sam.

"Claire!" Fiona inhaled sharply. Michael froze.

"Your brother." He said flatly, trying insanely to see around the picture as Claire started to let it go. Fiona grabbed it and continued blocking their faces.

"Mommy told you not to-." He couldn't make out the rest of the garbled conversation.

"I'm sorry I forgot!" Whispered Claire.

"Guys?" Michael called impatiently. Fiona and Claire dropped the picture.

"Um.. just.. you know in case I.. " She looked at her mother. "..ever got one..?"

Fiona's wide eyes looked from Claire to the screen.

"Fi."

"I'm not even 100% sure yet.." She shook her head back and fourth.

"Fiona!'

"What ? You were there too you know!"

"We said we'd wait until I was stateside."

"I'm getting old Michael! Besides it wasn't totally on purpose this time. It just happened!"

"You do know how it happens right?" He asked sharply. She opened her mouth to reply.

"Dad.. the rules." Claire huffed.

"Sorry Baby Girl." Michael grumbled. "Where's grandma?"

"Lying down." Fiona rolled her eyes. "She's still got that damn respiratory thing that she got from Claire this summer. Jesse finally convinced her she needs to see a doctor."

"First I couldn't get her to stop going to doctors when she wasn't sick. Now she won't go when she is." Michael made a face before looking at his watch. "I've got to go." He whispered.

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you Claire." He said dreamily.

"Mom." Claire nudged her mother.

"Oh.. yeah.. I.. love you too. Daddy."

"Love you Fi." He breathed, watching the sides of her mouth twitch up.

"I couldn't hear you." Claire complained.

"You weren't supposed to McBride, he was talking to me." Fiona muttered indignantly. Michael watched her finger approach the termination key with a quick look back. He smiled at her before the screen blinked off.

He rubbed his face a few times. She wasn't 100% sure his ass. He'd been home nearly three months ago. She knew damn well...

"Kam'sa'hap'nida." Michael bowed slightly to the man standing outside the office cube he'd just been in. It was a rare treat that he found a facility secure enough for video transmission to his family's living room.

The South Korean diplomat smiled before breaking into scattered English.

"Family.. very.. beauty like."

Michael bowed again with a short smile before making his way back down to the lobby.

…...

He had tried to get out. Even Fiona would give him that. He'd done more stateside. He'd even taken them abroad once or twice, but when things started to really amp up in Korea. Michael Westen's visits home and family vacations came to an end.

He'd married Fiona, finally, kissed a four year old Claire good bye and gotten on a plane for the Orient. He'd been home twice since then. Most recently a two month stint recovering from a botched attempt at liberating some double agents being held in Pyongyang.

Truth be told he was lucky not to have been shipped back home in a box. He didn't tell Fiona, but judging by both the way she'd ended up pregnant again and how it had taken him two months to work up the nerve to leave, he guessed she'd figured it out.

They had talked about more children. Claire was.. well Claire was Claire. They had also not used birth control the two months he was home. Secretly, he probably was trying just as hard as Fiona.

Fiona had somehow known almost seven years ago that a baby was what she needed and she'd been right. Michael just didn't think he would need it as much as she did. But he did.

He had been waiting for six years for Claire to confront him with the theory that the job was more important to him than she was. She had not. She loved his stories. She loved his encrypted messages and the surprise clue like gifts he sent from time to time. She was happy to see him coming and sad to see him go. No matter what.

Claire was clearly the best thing that had happened in the life of Michael Westen. His wife too for that matter. Fiona had worried that when she started school other kids would effect the ease at which she accepted her fathers nearly year long absences. They didn't.

"My dad's military." Sam had heard her tell a preschool classmate who inquired why her Uncle and not her Father had accompanied her to Father-Daughter night."Overseas."

Sam had been so proud of her. Fiona had cried in the shower. Claire McBride Westen was the picture of her father and yet oddly well adjusted.

"Fiona.. where did you put Mike's" Jesse looked at the then three year old before spelling. " S-I-G-S-A-."

"It's in the trunk of the Charger." The little girl informed him never looking up from her baby animals coloring book. "Next to my roller skates and Mommy's C4."

…...

"Monica?" He looked at the Military Commander whose phone he was using. They guy looked annoyed.

"Michael. Good they found you." He looked back at the jeep that had brought him here.

"Yeah. Nooot the greatest timing. What?"

"You need to get to a secure line so I can send you a wire."

"That'll take days." He snorted, running through the last two meetings he'd had in his head. "What is it?"

"It's personal." She said flatly. Michael rolled his eyes. Fiona would send a wire to announce her pregnancy that Claire had already announced four weeks before.

"Then just read it." He smiled, checking his watch.

"Michael I think you should read this yourself-."

"Who's it from?" He checked his watch again.

"Jesse Porter." Great, it was probably something stupid. He probably wanted a contact or something.

"Then read it." He huffed, rubbing his head. "Monica.."

"We lost your mom." She evenly he felt his body go hot, then cold.

"What?" His hand dropped away. "When?"

"That's all it says Michael, I'm sorry." She didn't sound sorry. "We lost your mom."

…...

"Anything?" Fiona whispered looking up from the couch where Claire was asleep wrapped tightly in her arms.

"I'm sorry Fi. He's off the grid.'"Jesse mumbled, sliding through the door. She rolled her eyes. "All Monica said was that he got the message and he was working on getting home."

"How hard can it be to get from Korea to Miami?"

"You'd be surprised." Jesse grinned sadly. "He'll get here."

Sam was still moving around flower arrangements. He didn't seem capable of doing anything else. He moved the roses to the left and the carnations to the right before picking up a giant potted mum and moving it to the kitchen.

Fiona followed him with her eyes before looking away.

"I'm gonna go get Nate, Ruth and the kids from the airport." Jesse called to him. "Sam? Wanna come?"

Sam looked at Fiona who was starring back towards Madelyn's bedroom. He shook his head at Jesse.

"K. We'll be back soon."

"Jesse?" Fiona looked towards him absently. "Thank you."

"Sure Fi." He gave her a long look. "I just can't believe she's gone."

Her eyes narrowed before he closed the door. She's gone.

Gone.

"Sam?" Fiona whispered.

Sam swallowed hard before moving back into the room carrying a bunch of tulips.

"Sam." It was a little more urgent this time.

"Yeah?" His voice sounded as lost as her own.

"Can you take her?" Her voice shook a little. "I need.." Her breath quickened. "Can you..?" He dropped the tulips and hurried over. She flapped her hands like she was fanning herself, large tears slid shamelessly down her face as Sam lifted the sleeping child off of her and she darted into Madelyn's bedroom.

He swallowed with a slow shake of his head, backing up and sitting on Claire's bed with the child settled against his shoulder. He pressed his ear against her silky dark hair. Wincing at the sound of Fiona's muffled sobs before covering Claire's ears.

…...

You missed your fathers funeral.. by eight years!

Michael stared out the window of the plane smoothing his hands one over the other before repeating the action.

"Business?" The woman next to him asked softly, turning her face towards his own. He blinked.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm sorry I haven't talked to another American in.." She looked sheepish before taking a deep breath. "Are you traveling on business? You seem nervous." She smiled, and he almost said yes, but for what ever reason he didn't. "Big business deal?"

"No. Um.." He looked back out the window. "My mother just died."

"Oh my God I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed, dropping her hand softly on his arm.

"Me too." He chuckled.

"Was she sick?" She was looking at him so sympathetically. So sweetly.

"Apparently." He knew better than to talk to someone who strikes up a random conversation on public transportation, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. He wanted to talk to someone. Needed too.

He checked his watch again. He could call Fiona, risk the chance that she'd be asleep at 3am. Risk the chance of not knowing what to say and weeping like a baby on an airplane while forcing her to listen. For what ever reason he felt the need to say that part out loud. "I'm trying to decide if it's too late to call my wife." He muttered, looking at the phone.

"It's not." The woman said softly. Michael wanted to blurt out that she was pregnant and she needed sleep. Especially since she was under stress.. cause his mother died, but he couldn't because he was a covert agent and she was a lady on a plane. She could be anyone, and that thought which usually was as normal to him as oxygen, suddenly made him very lonely. "I'm going to.." She gathered her things around her. ".. move up there and give you some.. privacy."

"You don't have to." He shook his head.

"No.. it's okay.. call her." She pointed to the phone before touching his arm. "I'm sorry. About your mother."

Michael nodded, before taking the phone in his hand. He looked at the numbers halfheartedly before pressing it back on the base and swallowing painfully and trying to remember the last thing he had said to his mom.

Last time I saw him he said 'see ya in hell boy' so I figured we had something on the books.

…...

"Morning." Nate Westen took a long look at his sister in law before she almost reluctantly hugged him.

"Fiona." Ruth called softly setting down the pan of scrambled eggs and wiping her hands on Madelyn's apron before enveloping her in a too tight, too intimate hug. "How are you holding up? Poor thing. He just always leaves you to deal with all the dirty work doesn't he?"

Fiona said nothing, her eyes fell on Claire, sitting silently between Francie and Lily at the table. Nate and Ruth's children were fat and foul tempered. Nothing like their cousin. Fiona thought proudly as little Mikey slammed his cup down on the edge of the antique high chair she'd had her mother send from Ireland when Claire first learned to sit up. She winced at the sour faced baby before scanning the room.

"Where's Sam?"

"Oh. He and some guy named Virgil insisted on gathering up all those beautiful flowers and taking them to some community center down town." She shook her head. "Pity. They really made it almost nice in here."

Fiona looked at Nate. He didn't seem to notice her disgust.

"He is coming right Fi?" He asked softly. "I mean he's not going to stick me with all this is he."

"All what?" Fiona finally said bluntly, her lips slipping apart in irritation.

"You know.. all the stuff.. that you have to do when someone.. you know."

"Sam and I'll take care of it Nate." She barked, her eyes never leaving his.

"No! No!" Ruth said sweetly . "We will not leave you with this burden. We're not just going to dump all our family baggage on you the way Michael does."

"Claire go into Uncle Sam's room and find Mommy the keys to the Charger." She waited for her daughter to close the door before turning to Nate and pulling him into the living room.

"I'd appreciate it if your wife would refrain from the shit talking about my husband until his little girl is out of the room." She turned towards the other woman. "This is my damn house and she can either show some respect or she can stay someplace else." He gave her a wounded look, but she was too busy squinting at the table to see it. "Your big fat baby's eating Sam's cover ID." She hissed before stomping to the garage while Nate pulled a soggy cornered file from his son's mouth.

…...

"What do you say we get out of here McBride?" Fiona sang. "Take Daddy's car and go to the beach until it's time for Grandma's funeral?"

"He is coming, isn't he Mommy?" Claire asked softly from her spot on the chair. Fiona examined her daughter's straight spine and the way her index fingers were pressed together perfectly with all the rest of her fingers folded neatly behind. Her dress was a wine colored smock dress that Madelyn had picked out for her for Christmas. Fiona had put it next to her bed with black Patton leathers for today instead.

"Claire?" She whispered airily, the little girl's face rose to hers. "He's going to find a way." Her lips parted in a lovely smile and she continued. "I promise you? Right now, he's trying his best to get here as fast as he can." The little girl nodded. "So." Fiona straightened up, slapping her knees as she did. "How about that drive McBride?"

Claire stood up slowly, dangling a set of Charger keys off the tip of her finger. Her mother snatched them up dramatically, running her hand down the side of her face. The little girl fingered the slight bulge in her mother's black jersey dress.

"He won't be fat will he?"

"Daddy?" Fiona asked in confusion.

"No." Claire giggled at the possibility. "My brother!"

"You know McBride it might be a sister." Fi warned.

"I don't think so, Mom." The first grader said like her mother was nuts.

…...

He watched them from the row of trees at the base of the hill. Not really able to stay or go. Nate's hideous children sprawled out behind him and Ruth, draped over the chairs like disregarded winter coats. Virgil was there for God's sake. Jesse, with his hands neatly behind his back. Sam looking more worn than Michael had ever seen him, holding Claire against his chest like a shield. And then there was her.

If Michael Westen had ever needed Fiona Glenanne more than he did now, he couldn't remember when. He ached to touch her, but at the same time seemed as rooted as the trees. She kept skimming her stomach with her fingertips, and he could squint and make out the soft roundness there. He'd never seen her 'a little bit' pregnant. It made her look younger somehow. At some point, she turned her head towards him, he wondered if he'd willed her to do it or if it was just years of watching her own back.

He watched her face, heard her voice catch as she broke away from Sam and started towards him before nearly breaking into a run. He stepped forward then, the wind blowing at his unbuttoned suit jacket as she launched herself at him.

And all he could do was hold onto her while everything else fell apart around him.

…...