Gillian was pissed. She was so beyond angry as she threw glared at the girl that sat in the cube in front of her. Cal was looking for Eva but Gill was glad she was doing this by herself. He would have felt inclined to protect her, this was her fight.

Still, she tried to remain calm, talking to the girl like she wasn't in trouble, but the denial just kept making her more and more angry. Very rarely did Gillian lose her temper, but it felt like venom was on the tip of her tongue.

"I know you were in my house, Amber," Gillian hissed through gritted teeth. "You and three boys from Covington."

Amber kept her arms protectively in front of her. "You don't know nothing." The grabbed for a chair and pulled it up to sit in.

Gillian watched the entire time, taking mental notes of every action the girl made. "You know what I know? I know the turn of your arm when you pull that chair. It's pretty distinctive." Gillian moved closer and stared down at the girl. "I saw it just now and I saw it at my house."

The girl didn't say anything and it just made Gillian more furious. It would be easier for both of them if she just said she did it, it was the denial that was sending Gillian to the edge. She hated being lied to. "You broke into my house and terrorized my daughter. My five year old was afraid to go down the step of her own home this morning because of you!"

Amber glanced up at her and Gillian felt her anger radiating off of her, but remained silent. Gillian huffed. "Tell me about the egg."

She shrugged, and looked away. "I can see that you want to tell me." Amber kept her eyes down, trying to pretend they weren't having this conversation. "Look at me," Gillian told the girl. Amber still ignored her. "Look at me!" This time is a forceful demand that earned her attention. Amber's eyes dart to Gillian's cheek and there was the smallest flash of guilt. "I think you owe me."

"The crew, okay? The crew made us do it." For a girl who tried to portray a certain amount of strength she looked vulnerable as her voice shook and tears welled in her eyes. "One night, every few weeks, we break into houses, take stuff rich folks spend millions on."

"Who runs this crew?" Gillian asked her. "Somebody's got to get you out of there."

Amber scoffed at her. "I don't know. I ain't upper management."

Gillian inhaled and rolled her eyes. "What do you get in return for your participation?"

"Early release… You can get, like, months off your time."

The deputy warden. She's the only one with that kind of power. No wonder these kids were scared. "I need to know who runs the crew," Gillian told her, kneeling down and finally playing her usual role as friend. Amber turned her back to her, silently telling her there was no possible way she would tell that bit. "I know you're scared, but I can protect you."

Amber turned back to Gillian with disgust. "Look at your face, bitch. You can't even protect yourself."

Those words stuck with her for the rest of the day. Even after the deputy warden was arrested, the words haunted her. She was a psychologist, she knew that she shouldn't be stuck on that stupid comment like she was, but it got to her. She failed couldn't protect herself last night and she definitely couldn't protect Lucy. She fought and she failed. What kind of mother was she?

Cal watched as Gillian worked at her desk as though she was just fine. As though she didn't have a bruise on her face or was glancing at the clock, waiting for five o'clock. She had already done so much for Eva, getting her into a boarding school that would help her turn around her life and listening to her when she wasn't feeling heard. But he could see her distress. Just because Gillian was harder for him to read, didn't mean she was impossible. Plus, Gill usually wore her emotions on her sleeve, even when she didn't want to.

After a few extra moments of watching her, he knocked on her door frame. "I'm fixing to take Emily for her driving test. Care to join us for a 'congratulations/better luck next time' dinner tonight?"

Gillian laughed as she glanced at her clock. "Emily has Lucy, are you going to take her along for the driver's test?"

Cal shrugged. "She can come. Normally she's better behaved than Em." Then he really looked at her. "You can come."

She gave him a thankful smile and stood up. She crossed her desk and ran her hands over his chest. "You know I love you, right?"

His eyes narrowed. "That sounds like a dangerous question." She smirked at him and ran her hands over his shoulders and crossed them behind his neck. She kissed his lips, teasing them as she held her body against his. When she pulled away Cal seemed to think for a bit. "Okay, I suppose I know." Her lips hit his again and he smiled as he felt her tongue flick against his lips and take a bit more control. They broke apart again. "And I suppose I could say I love you too."

"Am I twisting your arm that much?" she teased as his hands held her waist.

"Can't say I don't like it." Then he touched the bruise on her face with a gentle hand and looked into her sad eyes. "Gillian, of course I love you. What's the matter?"

She pulled away a little and rested her head on his shoulder. "Can we, um, stay at your place tonight?" Her words were careful and soft, as though she was waiting on a rejection.

His heart fell. There was definitely fear in her voice and even a bit of shame. He pulled her back and looked at her. The bruise on her cheek killed him. "You can stay at my place however long you'd like, love. You and Lucy. You don't have to butter me up to ask that."

Gillian gave him a guilty smile that said more than he could read on her. "That's one of the reasons I love you."

"You mean there's more?" Cal kissed her one last time and released her so she could grab her coat and purse, but she held his arm. "I'll finish up here then go by the house to get some clothes for Lucy and myself before heading home. To your place I mean."

She blushed at her slip up. Since when was his place her home, but Cal gave her the graces not to say if he noticed. Cal was her best friend and though he loved to tease her, he knew that sometimes she wasn't ready to say what she felt.

"I'll let you know how Emily does. Hopefully no one yells puppy," Cal teased.

Gillian laughed. "You won't be in the car, will you?"

He gave her a smirk and another peck on the lips. "See you tonight, love."

Gillian sat back down at her desk and started to type. She could protect herself and Lucy. She could protect her family with Cal. Gillian was a strong woman, but it wasn't wrong to feel safer with someone sleeping in bed next to her. That's what Cal gave her.

For the rest of her life she would never forget what happened that night. Never, but she knew that it wouldn't always haunt her. It wasn't going to be easy, but she'd manage. She had Cal, Emily, and Lucy. She had a family and she wasn't alone in protecting them.

A knock on the frame of the door pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked up, surprised to see Doctor Burns standing there with a bouquet of flowers and a nervous smile on his face. Immediately a flattered smile appeared on her lips, but so did an apologetic look in her eye. She had enjoyed the man's company, but it a purely innocent way. Apparently he didn't see things the same way.

Gillian stood and welcomed him into her office. Dave could sense the let down before she even uttered a word.

"I thought I'd be chivalrous and bring your flowers and ask you to dinner, but I think you have other plans," Doctor Burns said taking his defeat honorably. Still, he offered her the flowers and she kindly accepted, knowing it would be worse to send him on his way with flowers to remind him.

"I'm sorry, Dave," she said honestly. "I didn't mean to give you the impression-"

He shrugged. "I got the taken vibe from you, but tried to ignore it. Who's the lucky guy?"

Gillian smiled and reached for a picture on her desk. She held the picture out for him and he smirked. Of course. Cal Lightman would hold such a gentle woman's heart. There was a little girl with bright blue eyes and long dark curls between them in the picture.

"That's my daughter, well, foster daughter," Gillian told him, knowing he was trying to place her. "I'm in the process of legally adopting her. She's really come a long way."

Dave Burns handed her the photo back and gave her a smile. "Tell Doctor Lightman he's a lucky man, but he seems like a pretty smart guy so he should know."

Gillian smiled. To be honest, she honestly believed Cal did know. He treated her like she was a queen and he loved her like… like Alec never did. "Thank you, Dave."

The conversation ended with a nod and politely left, leaving Gillian with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and feeling extremely flattered. Cal wouldn't be happy that someone came onto her, but he would quickly forget when she reminded him how happy she was right beside him.

As she gathered her purse and grabbed her car keys, she was happy to finally head home. To Cal's home. For the first time in her life, she understood what it meant when people say "home is where the heart is".

As she unlocked Cal's door, she laid the bags at the door. There were fits of giggles and laughter from the kitchen in which Gillian gladly followed as she kicked off her heels and left them in a path from the door. She dropped her coat on the floor and sighed with content exhaustion as she leaned against the frame of the kitchen door looking at all three of them.

Lucy was happily holding Flowers under her chin, and smiled though her bruises looked tender. She was the first to notice her mother's presence and ran to her. Gillian picked up her daughter and held her close. Cal smiled at her and pecked her lips and put an arm around her waist.

Emily watched and loved the way Gillian smiled at looked at her dad. It was like something in a movie. It was like neither of them could quit looking at each other. Her dad had finally got it right and one day Emily hoped that she would know what that felt like.

"Mommy, Cal said you and me are staying here tonight. Is that true?" Lucy asked as she absently played with the pendant on Gillian's necklace.

"Tonight it is. Maybe tomorrow Cal and Emily will come over and help us clean up after last night," Gillian replied, casting a look at the others. "But right now I'm hungry."

Cal smiled and motioned to the stove. "Already working on it."

"And it's not just beans on toast either, Gill. You should be proud of him," Emily added with a nod of her head.

"Oh, I am, very," Gillian teased back letting Cal lace his fingers through hers. "How did the driver's test go?"

As if waiting for the question to come, Emily pulled a small plastic card out of her back pocket and held it proudly for Gillian to see. "I'm legal! Now I just need wheels." There was a very pointed look at Cal but he pretended not to notice.

Gillian offered to do the dishes since Cal cooked and she sent him into the living room with a kiss. Emily and Lucy stayed behind to help Gillian. Gillian could see there was something Emily wanted to talk about as she stacked the dishes in the dishwasher.

"You're quiet," Gillian mused to Emily as she handed her another plate to stack.

A deep sigh escaped Emily's lips and she looked up at Gillian. "You and Dad are happy right?"

That was quite the question, Gillian thought as she looked back at the disgruntled teenager. "I'd say we are. I sure have a lot to be happy about," she replied thoughtfully. To be honest, she'd never been happier than when she was now.

Emily sighed again kept putting away the dishes. "Can I tell you something? And we keep it a secret like before? Like before you and Dad?"

Gill stopped what she was doing and looked over to Lucy at the table. "Why don't you go in the other room with Cal, sweetie?"

Lucy nodded and carried Flowers into the other room by her paw. Gillian then turned around and sat up on the island in the middle of the kitchen while Emily took a seat on the counter opposite from her.

"Same rules apply as always, Em. That doesn't change," Gillian promised her.

Emily looked almost teary as she looked back at Gillian. "Please don't think I'm a little kid for saying this, but I'm worried."

Gillian felt her heart wrench as she looked back at those big brown eyes. "What about?"

"You and Dad," the teenager replied shyly.

Gillian nodded. "Ah. I thought it might have something to do with that."

Emily rubbed her hands up and down her thighs and kept her eyes down. "It's just, well, I don't want anything to happen. You guys are happy, Dad's happy and he's not, well, whoring around."

Gillian laughed a bit at her choice of words, but she couldn't exactly say it wasn't true.

"And you've been in my life for, like, forever and I don't know what would happen if you guys broke up. I mean… would you leave? Would you? And take Lucy?" Emily sounded hurt by just the idea. Gillian watched her fidget with her confession and she decided it was time to quit the psychologist act and be the friend or whatever Gillian was to her.

Hopping off the island, Gillian pulled Emily off the counter and onto her feet. Gillian hugged her tight and kissed her forehead. "Emily, you are too important to me for me to just leave you or take Lucy away from Cal. I can't promise everything will be perfect, but your dad and I are trying."

Emily held onto her tight. "You've always been like a mom to me, Gill. Lucy's really lucky."

Tears sprung to Gillian's eyes. "Oh, honey, I would definitely say I'm the lucky one."

That night, Gillian kissed Emily goodnight when she headed up to bed and let Cal tuck in Lucy into the guest bedroom. She sipped her wine and let her mind wonder about the future. Their future, the one she wanted to truly to share with Cal.

She refused to let herself dream too deeply, thinking like a foolish teenager would was not her intention, but the ideas kept popping into her mind.

Cal stopped on the steps and watched Gillian smile into her glass of wine. He loved watching her think. Her smile was blissful and wondering. Without even hesitating, he moved toward her, took the wine from her hand and placed a kiss on her lips.

She was surprised at first, as his lips captured her and he pinned her body to the couch. Her lips quickly caught up with her brain. Her hands went into his hair as she deepened the kiss, immediately wanting more than.

Cal pulled away from her, kneeling above her on all fours he gave her a wolfish grin. "Tell me what that smile was about and I may continue."

She grinned and groaned playfully, tightening her fingers in his hair and pulling him down close enough to nibble at his lower lip. "Cal," she hummed teasingly.

But he didn't budge, instead he just kept up his grin, giving her very little in reply. "Tell me what you were thinking about, love." His hands danced just under her shirt on her stomach, blazing a fire in their trail.

Two could play at that game.

Her hands ran down his chest as she smiled. "I was thinking about you, of course," she told him with a purr.

He smiled. "Well, that's half true."

"And the kids and…"

She sat up, her mind suddenly deciding to trail back to where it was minutes before. Cal could see the pleasantry as well as the hint of sadness in her eyes as she thought.

"I don't want to lose you, Cal. I don't was Lucy to lose you and I don't want to lose Emily," Gill told him honestly. "We've already put so much into it- I'm just worried we're going to trip up, or Lucy will have to go through another round of bullying for not having real parents and I'm scared. Cal. I'm scared of being home alone with my daughter-"

"Gillian, what happened was not your fault-" Cal tried but tears were already rolling down Gill's cheeks.

"But it doesn't change the fact it happened and I couldn't protect her. You would've protected her."

"You don't know that. You did your best, just like I would have. Sometimes it's not enough," Cal told her, wiping her eyes as she continued to cry.

"Cal… I just wish you would've been there."

Her eyes were down with shame. She worried he'd think she was blaming him, but she wasn't and he knew that.

"Stay with me, Gill," Cal told her gently, using his index finger to lift her chin and look at her. "Stay here with me. You and Lucy."

"We are-"

"Not just tonight Gill. I mean move in. There's enough room for all of us. Just move in and-" Suddenly he didn't know where he was going with this. Well he did, but he was afraid to stop talking and face the fact her face was already telling him this was way too early to talk about cohabitation. "And I love you, Gillian. Em loves you and Lucy and, God, I can't imagine my life without you. I can't let you go to a place you don't feel-"

"Cal," she said gently, putting her hand on his face. "Shut up."

Suddenly her lips were on his and he was crashing against the couch with her body on top of his. "Are we going to talk about this?" he asked as Gillian grinded her body against his.

"Of course," she mused against his lips. "I'm saying thank you."

That night, Gillian slept snug against Cal's body, her head on his should and her hand over his heart. She didn't have to worry about not being able to protect herself, she had someone that would go to the ends of the earth to keep her safe. Her, and that little girl sleeping down the hall. This is what a family felt like, what sad is it took Gillian so many years to figure that out.

What would you all like to see come from this story? I think a cutsy school play or an art show would be nice for Lucy, but what do you think?