*Warning! Fluff alert!

Chapter Ten:

Moving On

Moving had been harder on Michael than it had been for Cassidy; he was quick to realize that an old chair and mattress set was not enough to furnish their new home. He and Cassidy butted heads a few times over fabrics, furniture, and paint colors before Fiona intervened and helped decorate. A month after signing the final papers and starting his new job, Michael was satisfied with its readiness.

Cassidy's room was painted soft lavender, and the adjoining bathroom a sky blue. Michael's bedroom was painted last, a pale grey that was both soothing and masculine. It felt strange to him to have actually bedroom furniture after living so long in the loft, but in a way it was also comforting. The spare bedroom became an office at Fiona's insistence; Michael soon found that he had a lot of paper work associated with his new job. The walls they painted a calming mint green before stocking the room with a desk, a laptop, file cabinets, and a biometric lock that bolted into the floor hidden behind a false wall in the closet. Michael and Sam worked hardest in the living room, ripping up the wall-to-wall rug to expose the hardwood floors underneath to finish them to a high shine after painting that room a gleaming white. Fiona and Cassidy's feminine touches could be seen here and there in the window treatments and some of the artwork, but Michael found that he liked it. Having a kitchen he could cook in with ease and a bathroom that didn't have paint flaking off the walls and something growing in the corner were among the other pleasant changes that he enjoyed, as well as being able to work on projects without his mother interfering.

He and Fiona continued their relationship, their passion only tempered by the fact that Cassidy was in the next room. The nights that she had rehearsals late were ones that Michael was particularly thankful. More and more Michael found it hard to watch Fiona leave each night; they had both agreed that it would be better that she didn't spend the night with Cassidy next door.

Months passed, Michael settling into his new job and new house slowly. Cassidy grew more and more anxious as the date drew closer for the curtain to go up for the musical; the two weeks before the show opened Michael hardly saw her at all, and had to check her GPS tracker to make sure she was at the high school.

Three months after they had moved in, Michael, Sam, Fiona, Jesse, and Madeline sat in the hard plastic seats of the auditorium. Michael was considerably uncomfortable to find that he was back in his old high school, wanting to duck or hide his face whenever one of his old teachers walked by him towards their seats.

"Why are you so jumpy?" demanded Fiona in a harsh whisper.

"I used to go to school here. It's just weird being back." He answered.

"Well get used to it, Michael. You'll have to come here and actually talk to people soon." Fiona replied

"Why?"

Fiona sighed and shook her head. "You don't read all those papers Cassidy brings home do you? The newsletters and such?"

"I don't have a lot of time with my new job, Fi. I'm up to my neck in paper work as it is."

Fiona smiled. "Well if you had, you'd know that parent-teacher conferences are in two weeks. You'll have to come and see how Cassidy is doing."

Michael groaned. "No…"

Fiona patted his leg in mock sympathy. "I'm sure you'll do fine, Michael. Maybe you can bring your mother."

Michael looked at her, aghast. "Fi, you didn't tell her, did you?"

"I didn't have to. She gets the newsletter in the mail."

Michael gaped, but Fiona shushed him as the lights went down and the curtain opened.

Michael hadn't really ever been a fan of musicals. For one thing, they really didn't have them in the army or the countries where he'd been a spy. For another, theaters were dark, crowded, and only had a few exits- not the healthiest idea for a spy. Cassidy sang beautifully, which was all Michael really cared about, and she looked beautiful in her costume. He even got through the parts where she had to kiss her co-star with relative ease, although he wasn't crazy about them. When the show ended and the cast had taken their final bows, Madeline went outside to have a cigarette. When she came back, she had a bouquet of roses in her arms. Michael looked at his mother puzzled when she thrust them into his arms. "Mom, why do you have-"

"I bought them on the way here, Michael. Go and give them to your daughter."

Michael smiled at his mother. "Thanks, Mom. I'm sure she'll love them."

The cast walked out into the hall, and a great roaring applause began. The cast, including Cassidy, were dressed in their street clothes again, and were being given flowers from people in the crowd. Michael was profoundly glad that his mother had thought ahead as he handed the roses to Cassidy, who squealed with delight and threw her arms around his neck. Michael pointed out where Sam, Jesse, Madeline, and Fiona stood waiting, and Cassidy ran over to sat hello and thank them for coming, giving them each a hug in turn.

"You were wonderful, Cassie!" crowed Madeline, kissing her granddaughter on the cheek.

"Thanks Grandma!" Cassidy leaned in and whispered in Madeline's ear, "And thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful."

"You know, Cassie, I'm not a fan of musical theater, but for you I think I can make an exception." Sam said teasingly, ruffling her hair.

"Thanks Uncle Sam."

"So who's hungry?" asked Fiona. "I think Miss Cassidy deserves a proper dinner to celebrate a wonderful opening night."

"Where are we going?" asked Cassidy

"Your choice." Replied Michael, hugging her from behind.

Jesse took Cassidy's outstretched hand and hobbled to his feet. "As long as it's got seats and not booths, I could definitely go for some food."

Sam handed Jesse his crutches. "I'm thinking Italian. This kid is too skinny!"

Cassidy giggled. "Mmm pasta… let's go!"

Later that night when Cassidy was fast asleep, Michael dug a yogurt out of the fridge. The TV was quiet in the living room as Fiona flipped through the channels.

"She's completely passed out," said Michael.

"She must have been exhausted. The poor thing's been working very hard the past few weeks." Fiona looked at her watch. "I should be getting home myself. You have work in the morning." She rose to get up, but Michael stopped her.

"Fi… Stay."

"Michael we talked about this."

"I know we did. But Cassidy's old enough to understand." Michael's eyes turned pleading. "Please stay, Fi… I hate watching you go. I want you to stay."

"And what about tomorrow? Or the day after?" Fiona asked.

"Tomorrow I go to work and you go to your apartment and you start packing. And the day after I make the closet in the bedroom bigger."

"Michael…"

"Fi I need you to stay. I need you stay for reasons that I don't even know how to express."

"Michael, do you love me?" Fiona asked.

"I love being with you, and the way you make me feel… if that's love, then yes, I do."

Fiona shook her head. "You can't do this to me, Michael. It's not fair! You want me to move in with you and your daughter, and you can't tell me you love me! I want more than this, Michael. I want a life. A real, solid, settled life. I thought we could have that after your burn notice was lifted, but-"

Michael stood. "Fi… when you leave me here, I miss your perfume and your smile, and in the morning when you're not here I hate it. You're smart and beautiful and no one else could fit with me the way you do. Cassidy loves you, and you love her back, which is important to me. Please stay."

Fiona stood nose to nose with Michael. "Tell me you love me and mean it."

Michael swallowed deeply. "I love you, Fiona Glennanne. I love you for a whole lot of reasons that wouldn't make sense to anyone but you. Stay with me here…please."

Fiona kissed Michael sweetly. "Are you sure Cassidy will be all right with this?"

"She'll love it."

Six Months Later

"Well Michael, I now know what it's like to have a teenage daughter." Said Fiona, walking barefoot into the kitchen.

It was a sunny Saturday morning, and Michael stood shirtless and in sweatpants making breakfast over the stove. He turned and saw Fiona standing in the doorway, looking rumpled and beautiful in the early morning light. "Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Because half of my clothes are missing, and the other half the tops are stretched out because your daughter's boobs are bigger than mine."

Michael cringed. "Fi I can't know that!" he exclaimed.

"Know what?" asked Cassidy, yawning as she shuffled into the kitchen. "Breakfast smells good." She added.

"Cassidy, you cannot keep borrowing my clothes without asking!" exclaimed Fiona.

"I'm sorry, Fi." Cassidy said, pouring herself some juice.

"I expect them back later today- clean." Fiona said severely.

Cassidy nodded and drank her juice. " 'Kay." She murmured.

Michael shook his head at the domesticity that he found himself surrounded by as he cooked breakfast for the girls. Fiona wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his neck. "So when do we tell your mother that I'm living here?"

"Well, she's coming over here in a little bit to take Cassidy to get her hair done. We can tell her then."

"What about what happened last night?" Fiona asked.

Michael looked down at her hands and saw the engagement ring glittering on Fiona's hand. "That I think she'll notice all on her own."

"You guys know I'm still here, right?" asked Cassidy, setting the table.

Michael laughed. "Sorry Cassie."

His daughter shrugged. "It's okay… just wait to get all cuddly until I'm out of the room, okay?" Fiona let go of Michael and grabbed napkins to put next to the plates. Michael had proposed to Fiona after Cassidy had gone to bed, waiting as much privacy as they could get. Her response had been passionate and joyous, as had their actions in bed later. They hadn't told Cassidy yet.

Michael dished eggs and bacon onto the plates and sat down. "So Cassie, we have some news."

"What?" asked Cassidy around a mouthful of food. Fiona extended her hand. Cassidy stared for a minute before looking at her father and Fiona's expectant faces. "No way!" Cassidy shrieked. "Oh my- this is so awesome! I can't believe you didn't tell me! When's the wedding? Do I get to be in it? What kind of dress are you wearing?"

Fiona laughed. "It just happened last night! You were the first one we told."

"You mean Grandma doesn't know yet? Oh she's going to be so psyched! This means I get to meet Uncle Nate and Aunt Ruth and the new baby!"

Michael smiled. "So you're happy about this? About having a step-mother?"

Cassidy looked at her father as if he were mad. "Totally! Fiona is so cool! She's more like a big sister than a step-mom anyways."

Fiona smiled, relieved. "Good. You can help me pick out me colors for the wedding."

The End