A/N: Thank you for all of the messages, reviews and favourite story adds. It's very much appreciated.
Apologies for the long delay in posting this chapter. It's a little longer than normal, so I hope that makes up for the wait.
As always, thank you to my two wonderful friends Purdy's Pal and Daisyday
Chapter 10
"Hey Mikey," Sam asked curiously when he picked up a long metal strip and held it up while his eyes scanned the instruction manual. "Where is this supposed to go?"
Stepping away from the almost erected wooden crib, Michael eyed his friend and groaned. The pair of them had spent the last two hours trying to piece the crib together but all they'd managed to do was take it all apart again, twice.
"What is wrong with this thing?" Michael sighed in frustration as he shook the crib to test how sturdy it was before eyeing the mysterious metal strip that his friend was holding. "Fi didn't mention that you need some sort of degree in baby code to put this thing together."
"Ah, well that's parenthood brother," Sam chuckled to himself as he stood up to come and stand beside the younger man.
Michael scowled at his friend when he picked up his half drunk bottle and lifted it to his lips.
"You're enjoying this far too much, Sam," he sighed and turned his attention back towards the wooden crib. Lifting his hands, he ran his fingers over the frame and found his mind wandering off into the not too distant future when his daughter would be lying in this very crib and a sudden wave of emotion washed over him.
Taking his screwdriver out again he started to undo the screws while keeping his eyes fixed onto the instructions beside it.
"Now hold on Mikey," Sam put his bottle back down and placed his hand on the frame to stop him. "What are you doing? We've already put this thing together a million times…it's fine."
Michael shot him a look that told him there would be no arguments as he lifted the front frame away from the base and stood it up next to the wall.
"I am not letting my daughter sleep anywhere that isn't safe," taking the metal strip from Sam's hand he waved it at him with frustration, "and until I get this right and find where this damn piece of metal goes, then it's not safe."
Sam sighed and reached down to pick up the instructions again, turning them upside down and the right way up.
"The kid'll be having its first birthday before we get this thing put up," he grumbled as he scanned the instructions more closely. "And this manual has been written by a chimp!"
"How are you boys getting on?" Madeline breezed into the room with two bottle of beer in her hands and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth.
"Maaa," Michael shook his head and motioned towards her mouth. "Not in the baby's room!"
"Oh stop it," she shushed him as she handed Sam both bottles. "It's not like she's even here yet."
"No, but she'll be sleeping in here if we ever get this damn thing up," he growled in frustration and slammed the screwdriver onto the floor and regarded the wooden bars thoughtfully. He was silent for a few minutes, thinking everything over in his mind before it all became clear. Bending down to retrieve the screwdriver he flashed Sam a grin and started putting all the pieces back together again.
Sam reluctantly handed the bottles back to Madeline and turned to help Michael until they both stood back to admire their handiwork.
Retrieving both bottles of beer from Madeline's hands, Sam handed one to his friend and reached out to clink the glass together.
"Here's to a job well done, Mikey," he grinned before placing the bottle to his lips and taking a long deserved swig.
Michael nodded absently but his eyes were scanning over the now fully erected crib with a new kind of fear. To say he was terrified was an understatement. He'd never had anything to do with babies; he'd never even held one. Fiona was the same, even though she seemed to be taking things in her stride, he knew she was just as scared as he was.
"Michael," Fiona's soft voice found its way into his thoughts and he turned to her when she came to stand by his side. She reached out a hand and ran her fingers over the wooden rail with a delicate stroke as she sighed wistfully.
"It's lovely," Madeline beamed when she came to peer into the empty crib. "All you need now is to get some bedding and crib protectors for the bars…"
Michael and Fiona looked at each other before earning a groan from the older woman who was currently wafting her cigarette smoke out of the room with her hand.
"Protectors?" she asked in exasperation as she eyed the couple with annoyance. "They go around the inside of the crib to protect the baby's head…honestly, how are you going to cope with a baby between the two of you?"
"Relax ma," Michael sighed and glanced at Fiona who was still staring down into the empty crib. "We know what cot protectors are. We're not—"
"We can do this," Fiona's voice broke through his words and she held onto the side of the crib with a death grip. She turned eyes onto Madeline who watched her with a worried gaze. "We can."
"I know you can honey," Madeline told her with a wide smile as she reached out to run her arm. "I just like seeing the scared look on Michael's face!"
Fiona's eyes lit up with amusement and she turned to cast her gaze onto the bewildered man beside her who was still clutching the screwdriver in his hands.
Michael's mouth opened to protest but he knew his mother was right. He was terrified. He was still uncertain of his future and his job. He didn't know which path to choose, but the one thing in his life that had been his constant for the last five years was standing beside him, her eyes casting the doubts away.
When Fiona gasped in a breath and leaned against the bars of the crib for support, Michael reached out and laid his hand over the nape of her neck, spreading his fingers to massage some of the tension away. Throwing the screwdriver onto the floor, he ignored his mother's protests and Sam's worried chatter to lean in close to her side.
"Breathe through it," he told her gently when she leaned into his chest and nodded slowly. He ran his hands over her lower back and let the heat of his fingers soothe away the pain.
Madeline watched on with a certain amount of motherly pride. For all of his tough exterior, her son had proved to her and all of those around him that when it came to his family there wasn't anything he wouldn't do. Watching him now with his gentle voice and tender caresses, she couldn't help but feel a little twinge of envy. She had never had the kind of relationship with Frank where she felt absolutely loved and adored. His idea of gentleness was a slap across the face instead of a punch. Taking a breath she pushed those feelings away. The love she never received from her husband wasn't anything because her son's gave her more than enough.
Fiona unclenched her hands from the crib and turned into him, sliding her palms up his chest to clutch a handful of his shirt in her fingers. Her breath caught in her throat when the ache in her lower back slowly died away and she felt the tightness in her abdomen ease again. The breath she'd been holding escaped from her lips and she unclenched her fingers from his shirt. When his lips touched her hair she suddenly felt herself relax in his arms.
"They're getting stronger," he told her worriedly as he enclosed his arms around her, pulling her as close as he could. Their daughter kicked out her protest and he moved backwards, dropping his eyes down to the obstacle between them. Sliding one of his hands from Fiona's shoulder, he moved to spread his fingers over her stomach and was rewarded by a strong jab to his palm.
"I wish this was all over with already," Fiona groaned as she laid a hand over his on her stomach. "I swear the next person who tells me I'm glowing, I'm going to stick a grenade so far up their a—"
"Okaaaay," Sam's voice echoed throughout the room as he edged towards the door, motioning for Madeline to follow him. "I'm gonna grab another beer, Mike…good luck buddy," he grinned and waved before rushing out of the door.
"I remember how uncomfortable pregnancy is Fi, especially the last few weeks. I know you don't want to hear it, but it doesn't last forever," Madeline told her before she moved towards the door. "I've made lunch, it's in the kitchen when you're both ready."
"Madeline," Fiona called quickly before she left, easing herself out of Michael's embrace. "Thank you, we'll be out in a minute."
When they were alone again, she turned to Michael and offered him a hopeful smile. "Are you okay?"
He let out a breath and leant against the side of the crib. "Aren't I supposed to be asking you that?"
"I'm always okay," she told him with a smile as she held out her hand to press her palm over his chest. "I'm more worried about your mom in our new kitchen!"
Her words seemed to spark a thread of worry in his eyes and he took hold of her hand and lifted her fingers to his lips, placing a kiss onto her knuckles before ushering her out of the door.
000
When they were back at the loft, Michael took some of the files he'd kept from his burn notice and spread them over the workbench while Fiona was in the shower. Over the last few months she had become less aggravated by his obsession of the tattered pieces of paper that still kept his attention, even after all this time. As time wore on and the words in the files left him more confused than before, he had shoved them into the filing cabinet, only bringing them out from time to time.
His work cell phone sprang in to life on the bench beside him and he looked down at it for a few seconds before picking it up. His heart was in his throat when he put it to his ear and listened to the voice at the other end.
"Yeah, I'm here…"
When Fiona came out of the shower towel drying her hair, she knew instantly that the atmosphere in the loft had shifted. Michael was standing on the opposite side of the breakfast bar, his hands on either side of the cell phone with a solemn look in his eyes.
Her eyes sparked with irritation but she quickly swallowed it down when she saw the utter devastation in his eyes.
"You have to leave again?" she told him, keeping her voice even as she spoke. The look in his eyes answered for her and everything she was going to say suddenly died on her lips. Moving closer she went to stand beside him and placed the wet towel onto the counter beside her. "Michael?"
"They want me in DC by tomorrow night," he closed his eyes and sighed, waiting for the explosion, but to his surprise it never came. The woman beside him seemed to take this new information with a quiet calm that caused him to be relieved and terrified at the same time.
"When do you…" Fiona's voice faltered slightly but she pulled herself up to him and laid a hand over his. "How long will you be gone?"
"I don't know," he sighed, turning him hand so they were palm to palm. Threading his fingers through hers he leaned closer to her and rested his chin on her head. "A few days, maybe a week…I have to decide whether I'm in or out…Fi…"
"It's okay, Michael," she told him calmly. "I know this is what you've wanted for a long time. You don't have to explain."
Pulling back slightly Michael looked down into her sorrow filled eyes. He swallowed the burning in his throat when her words forced his brain into meltdown. She didn't think…? How could she ever believe that he'd leave her? Even if she wasn't pregnant, they had come so far in their relationship.
"No," he told her desperately, imploring her to understand. "It's not like that at all. It's not a decision about being a spy and leaving…"
Fiona's eyes sparked with fire when she caught his gaze. She was so confused and her thoughts were swirling inside her mind. "So…you…I'm sorry, you've lost me."
"I'll be in DC to talk about my options and where I want to go from here."
"Isn't that the same thing?" she asked him softly as she unclasped their hands and moved over towards the bed, sitting down on the edge tiredly.
"No, because this time I know where I want my life to be," he told her, coming to sit down beside her and ran his fingers over her bare shoulder. "I only have a few hours before they're sending the car."
Michael watched her when she lifted her eyes to his. She had thundered into his life on more than one occasion. She had taken control of his heart and overpowered his fears casting them aside. Reaching out a hand, he threaded his fingers through hers to bring their joined hands to his lips and placed a kiss on her skin.
"I really do...you know... Fi," he told her sincerely, his voice humming out his endless adoration.
"I do too," she whispered knowing his code word for telling her he loved her. Squeezing his fingers gently, she brought their hands down to her knee. "We should get your bags packed.
"Yeah," he nodded, dragging his eyes away to look down at their joined hands on her knee, before turning back to face her again. "We can do that in the morning."
Leaning into his side, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer. "You know what I think?" she mumbled, planting tiny kisses onto his chest. "I think they purposely call you just to piss me off…"
"You think so?" he laughed, the slow rumble building up inside his chest, bringing an onslaught of love along with it. Leaning down he pressed his lips into her hair, leaving tiny passionate kisses that soaked through to her skin. "We still have a few hours," he smiled, "What do you want to do?"
Fiona's head snapped up and she met his eyes with a mischievous smile. "Well, I know something that I would really like to do."
His lips turned up into a knowing smile. Inching closer, he reached down to pull her arms from around his waist so he could lift her hands to his lips.
"I do too."
Fiona's eyes closed in surrender the second his lips touched her fingers. His warmth spread across her skin like sweet kisses of fire, igniting her instead of soothing her flame. She felt his warm breath travel up her arm, his kisses trailing a path of molten lava in their wake until he found her neck.
"Michael, are you trying to seduce me?" she moaned softly as she moved her head to the side so that his lips could graze her skin.
Lifting his head he looked at her questioningly until he saw the fire burning in her eyes, igniting his own spark into a burning flame, which he tried desperately to control.
"Michael," she whimpered, biting her bottom lip to control the shaking desire coursing through her body, "I.." her words were lost as he silenced her, his lips capturing hers in a kiss so erotically powerful her whole body came alive in his arms.
His hands were everywhere, raking over her body with possessive desire as he pushed her backwards onto the bed, pressing her into the mattress as he leaned into her body, devouring her lips with his own.
Fiona was on fire, her whole body tingling with heat as he once again leaned into her body, pressing her intimately into his own.
His lips broke away from hers suddenly as he opened his eyes, seeking hers desperately. They stared at each other breathlessly, trying to gain some control of their wandering hands, but neither could seem to bare to pull away.
"I want you," she whispered as she gazed up at him. Her eyes focused on his lips, those beautiful lips that could tear her away from reality in a matter of seconds just by their touch. Lips that had become increasingly intoxicating over the years, addicting her to his kisses like a drug.
"You have me," he told her, his voice becoming strained. His words tangled in his throat as she once again turned his whole reasoning upside down. He couldn't deny her anything, and that scared him. This woman was able to scatter his mind into sexual overdrive just by her touch alone, controlling his every action, making his logical thoughts melt into nothing but her.
His last thoughts were of her when they melted into one another, once again pulling earth other over the edge to float back down again. They drifted off into blissful sleep, entwined together as darkness filled the loft.
000
Michael was still dozing when he felt the bed shift beside him. He waited for the mattress to dip when she got out for a bathroom trip, but it didn't. Instead he felt her lean closer when her hands came up to caress his face. He could almost see the knowing smile start to form on his lips just like it always did when she knew he wasn't asleep.
He kept his eyes closed, his heart thudding so loudly it pounded in his ears. He could feel her warm breath on his face, eliciting a wondrous feeling throughout his body. The whole world could end and he couldn't be drawn away from her touch.
Fiona leaned in closer to him, pressing a soft kiss onto one closed eye and then moved to the other, lingering over his skin for what seemed like an eternity, before trailing her lips down his cheek to find his mouth. Her lips touched his, kissing him so soft and so gentle he almost felt his heart jump from his chest.
She smiled when she felt his body shaking beneath hers and started to slowly pull away to sit back on the bed beside him.
"Hey," she whispered, bringing him from his blissful thoughts.
His eyes opened slowly, savouring her soft features. The love that overflowed in his heart for her always caught him by surprise His eyes wandered to hers, dark and warm and so full of love he almost had to catch his breath. She was close enough to touch and it took all of his self-control not to reach out and trace his fingers down her thigh.
"Good morning," she whispered softly, her breath fanning his face as she smiled down at him.
Her voice was like sunshine, warming every part of his body as the growing need to kiss her became almost unbearable.
"Fiona…" his voice sounded so sultry when he spoke, and when she caught his gaze she could see the lust in his dangerous eyes.
"Uh, Michael?" she gasped quickly, her fuzzy brain screaming for her to move as he came towards her, only to be silenced in quiet submission as he descended on her lips, taking her breath from her as he kissed her.
Fiona's hands left her sides to glide up his chest, pulling him to her possessively as they kissed. In the far reaches of her mind she barely acknowledged that this wasn't helping her organize his travel bags, but his kisses were addictive and she just couldn't seem to pull away from him. Her treacherous body only sank into him further, deepening their kiss to plunge her tongue into his mouth, making him groan in response.
Michael was lost in her, he knew he had to stop this and get ready for his meeting, but no matter how much his brain tried to co-operate, his body was unwilling. He pulled her further into him, not caring whether his unofficial bosses arrived right at this moment.
Hands were everywhere, roaming each other's bodies, frantically searching for pent up release that would be so cruelly denied to them while he was away. Fiona was drowning in him, willingly following his lips as she took him into her mouth, tangling with his tongue, causing his whole body to tremble.
As their kiss became more demanding, somewhere in the back of her mind the thoughts broke through the passionate fog that occupied her body, to pull her away from his lips soundly.
He whimpered with her loss before opening his eyes to gaze into her flushed face.
"We have to get up," she whispered, pulling backwards to move off of the bed but still close enough to feel him.
"I know," his eyes closed again, trying to regain some kind of control over the raging desire coursing its way throughout his body. Reaching for her again he pulled her back towards him and eased her back down onto the bed beside him. "Later."
Fiona grinned up at him and opened her mouth to protest but he put a finger to her lips, gently stopping her speech as he moved closer. He trailed a line of kisses over her face, desperately trying to show her with everything he possessed that he would miss her.
000
Five weeks later and Michael still hadn't returned. The brief message that he'd managed to get to her was that he was safe and on a mission out somewhere in Cuba, and that he couldn't give her any other information.
Fiona had practically moved everything into the new house now, as well as her entire snow globe collection. She'd spent her first night here two days ago and found it increasingly difficult to sleep. Everything was getting harder to do the further her pregnancy progressed.
At thirty-six weeks pregnant, her ankles were swollen and her stomach had grown increasingly larger in size. Sam had even joked one afternoon that if she grew any bigger the baby would explode from her stomach like a scene from alien, but he'd quickly skulked back into the kitchen and left Madeline to deal with the acutely irate Irish woman who was ready to take his head off of his shoulders with her bare hands.
"Honey, I think it's time we got you out of this house," Madeline had told her when she'd handed her a glass of iced tea. "We still need to find a stroller for the baby."
"Madeline," Fiona sighed. "I really don't think…"
"Oh nice try honey, I've been through this before," Madeline told her as she lit another cigarette and eyed the cell phone Fiona held in her hand. "You need to get out of this house and get away from that phone. Michael will be home before the baby arrives."
"Yeah," Fiona huffed miserably. "Of course he will!"
"He'll be here Fi," Madeline told her gently as she reached across to pat the younger woman's shoulder. "But you moping around this house isn't good for either of you."
"I'll get my bag," she sighed heavily and shot Sam another glare as she passed him. "If Michael—"
"I'll call you right away," he promised through a mouthful of yogurt and waved the spoon in the air when Madeline held the door open for her. "Try not to scare the natives out there!"
"Why you—" Fiona growled and spun around to head towards him but Madeline caught her arm and marched her out of the door towards her car.
So here they were now, walking through the mall with deliberate slowness. Madeline hooked her arm through Fiona's and tried to distract her from the murderous suggestions she'd spoken of since they'd arrived at the mall. When they walked into the fifth baby boutique in just over an hour, Madeline held on tightly to Fiona's side when a young shop assistant looked up at them when they entered the shop.
"Can I offer you any assistance?" They both turned to the tiny blonde haired woman who was sporting a big toothy grin and coming their way. Fiona was practically grinding her teeth. She was hot and irritable. Her feet hurt, she needed to pee and the baby was bouncing up and down on her bladder. Before she could turn and tell the assistant where she could stick her sickly smile, Madeleine was already pulling her towards the young woman.
"Yes, we're looking for strollers," Madeline told her as she read the woman's name badge. "Nancy."
"Oh my, you look about ready to pop," Nancy beamed a smile at Fiona who was looking like thunder. If she noticed Fiona's aggravation then Nancy didn't respond to it.
"She does doesn't she?" Madeline beamed and pulled Fiona closer to her. She shot the younger woman a glare that told her to follow her lead. "Why don't you sit down honey and rest your feet while I talk to Nancy about what we need."
Fiona watched Madeline work her trademark magic as she steered Nancy over towards the most expensive stroller and accessories that she could find. Sighing heavily she made her way over towards the shop window and sat on the ledge to look at the passing shoppers that walked by, all of them oblivious to her discomfort.
A bang on the window caused her to jump and she looked up to see what had made the noise. The fierce eyes she saw were one's that she would never forget, and as she stood, her hands automatically went to her enlarged stomach.
Matthew Taylor, the young teenager who had robbed from his whole neighbourhood and his own step mother, stood staring at her through the glass. Fiona remembered him with such clarity that the anger she'd felt since being dragged out to the mall resurfaced as she poured every part of her aggravation onto him.
"I did time because of you, BITCH" he growled as he headed towards the open doorway.
Without batting an eye, Fiona reached into her bag and wrapped her hands around the handle of her Taser when he came towards her. He moved quicker than she's anticipated, shoving her backwards. As she stumbled, she pulled the Taser out of the bag and slammed it into the side of his neck, causing him to let off a scream. His hands flew out and knocked Fiona onto the floor with a heavy thump, leaving her stunned as he squirmed before her.
"Oh my god," Madeline yelled frantically and rushed over to Fiona's side, sitting down onto the floor beside her. "Honey, are you okay?"
Fiona tore her eyes away from the unconscious form of Matthew Taylor and nodded. She looked down at the Taser lying next to his body, motioning for Madeline to snatch it up before the security arrived.
"Help me up," she pleaded quietly, holding onto Madeline's arms for support. "I need to go home."
"You need to give a statement," Madeline told her as she helped her to stand. "That little sleeze bag deliberately tried to hurt you."
"No…I need—" gasping in a breath, she gripped Madeline's hands and sank back down onto her knees. "Arghhh…" she hissed through clenched teeth.
"Fi—"
"I need to go home," Fiona's voice came out on a groan as she tried to stand up again. "NOW."
"Okay," Madeline told her urgently and helped her step over the prone body on the floor. Nancy was already on the phone to security when Madeline guided Fiona out towards the door. "I have to get her home," she told the worried woman. "Tell the police his name is Matthew Taylor and he likes robbing old ladies and hurting pregnant women…"
"I am so sorry that this happened to you here," Nancy implored, directing her gaze towards Fiona. "If there's anything you need—"
"I NEED to leave," Fiona gasped in another breath and leant against the window for support. Her hand flew down to her stomach and splayed heat over the tightness that contorted her body. She prayed that these were fake pains, she still had four weeks to go and Michael wasn't here.
"Okay honey," Madeline soothed, gliding a hand over her shoulders. She turned back towards Nancy who was looking paler by the second. "And to think we almost brought a stroller from here."
"Oh…I have your address…I'll talk to my boss…"
"MADELINE," Fiona ground her teeth and pulled the older woman out of the door with urgency. "I NEED to LEAVE."
Madeline shot a discreet nod towards the young blonde assistant before leaving the shop and guiding Fiona to the parking lot as quickly as possible…
tbc