The new case would turn out to be rather straight forward. The victim had been picked up at a gay bar and what started as sexual attraction ended with accidental death. Nick and Liv worked the case on their own while Fin and Amanda took the next case that came in. There was clearly some tension in the squad even if both Liv and Nick tried to treat Amanda as regular. Amanda tried to keep up appearance that everything was normal but was trying so hard she unintentionally became withdrawn. Fin tried to act as normal but became a bit of a bridge between Amanda and the rest in the squad room. Both Amanda and Fin was silently apprehensive to her fast approaching court appearance. Even though they didn't talk about it Fin was happy that at least she let him be around. They spent most of the weekend together, they took Fay to an indoor playground where Fin jumped in to help her down slides and climb up again only to slide down again. Fay slept very well that night and so did Fin. He fell asleep on the couch with Fay in his arms and Amanda watched them for a long time before she finally carried Fay to her crib and then, after had placed a blanket over Fin, crawled down in her own bed.
They hadn't been intimate for some time now. It didn't bother Fin that much but he was worried about when they would be again and whether or not he'd be able to put all this new information about her past in the back of his mind. She on the other hand hadn't really thought about it since her thoughts had been so occupied with the upcoming trial. But since they'd spent so much time together this weekend and Fin going against his nature and not once initializing sex she started to worry and by Tuesday all she could think about was just that. Fin had done the dishes that night while Amanda read to Fay. When he was done he peeked inside her bedroom only to find her still reading. He let them be and went to sit in front of the television. It took a while but then she emerged.
"Finally asleep?" he asked as he saw her close the bedroom door behind her. She rarely shut it entirely and he kept watching her out of the corner of his eye.
"Yeah," she said and went out in the kitchen. He noticed the lights going out and turned his focus entirely on her as she came back into the living room. He watched her walk up to the window and after she had a look down on the street she pulled the curtains shut. Next he watched her pass the television to the lamp in the corner and soon that light was off too. He got a faint smile on his face as she shut the lamp by the couch off. The only light in the room now came from the television and faint light in the bookshelves. He watched her as she approached him. She was wearing black sweatpants and a white tee. Her hair was up in a sloppy bun, some strands had gotten loose and framed her face. As on so many other occasions she took his breath away even in this casual attire.
"Are we going to sleep?" he asked with an amused voice as she came so close to him their legs touched. He watched the smile on her face widen as she slowly shook her head. But then something seemed to change suddenly. Doubt. He'd seen it on her face before. He reached out and touched her leg gently. He was holding on to the remote control in his other hand and she reached over and took it from him. She shut the TV off and put the remote down on the table behind her. The faint light from the wall lit up only one side of her face and he had a hard time reading her. He let his hand move up and down her leg a little. He didn't want to push her, in fact he'd settle on just having her in his arms right now. She seemed determined to finish what she'd started though as she put her knee down on the couch next to him and then straddled him. She put her hands on his chest and he placed his on the side of her thighs. He could feel she was tense and he feared she was taking on too much right now. He put one hand up to her face and stroked the loose strands behind her ear.
He was just about to say they didn't have to do anything when she leaned in and kissed him. He welcomed her lips but let his hands settled down on her thighs again. She intensified the kiss by slipping her tongue inside his mouth and she snaked one hand around his neck as the put her other hand on his chest. He tried to keep his hands at bay but as always she had the ability to drive him eager and soon his hands travelled up her legs and landed on her behind. His fingers dug into her ass and he pulled her into him a little harder. Her hands went down to the bottom of his tee and she started to pull it up over his head. He let go of her, raised his arms so she could pull it off him and their lips parted only for a second as the fabric went passed them. His hands landed on her thighs again as she tossed his tee on the floor.
She dug her nails into his chest and her sharp touch sent shivers through his body. His hands travelled up to her head and he released her hair so it fell softly down over her shoulders. He let his one hand run through it as his other found its way up underneath her tee and he swiped his hand up over her back, feeling her warm skin underneath his fingertips. Her hands came down in-between them and she started with his belt buckle. He did feel excitement and he knew he already had a hard-on but something in the back of his mind held him back. Warning lights were flashing. She seemed sure enough though as she pulled the belt out of his hoops and got his fly down. She got her arms around him and started to move down to the side, wanting him to get on top of her on the couch. But he resisted some and snaked both arms around her so he could keep her in his lap. She let go off his lips momentarily, he caught the reflection in her eyes as their eyes met briefly. He still had trouble reading her in the gloomy light. Her lips came crashing down over his again and she put her foot down on the couch so she could use it to force him back down on top of her. He followed her willingly to the side but then tried to stay upright with her. She felt too eager, something told him to hold back. He wanted to take his time, make sure she was ready for this right now.
She could feel his resistance and sucked on to his tongue the way she knew usually got him going. He still felt hesitant though and it got her frustrated. The last thing she needed right now was hesitant. She grabbed one of his hands and pushed it down her own pants. All the way down and close to her core. She wanted him to feel what she wanted. That she was ready. But the contact only made him hesitate more. Words from her statement came popping up in front of his closed eyes. Words of violence and infringement. Words associated with something bad happening to her. This gorgeous, magnificent woman in his arms. She felt him slipping away even though it was mostly in his head. She let him go with a whining sigh. He caught his breath as he watched her face that was only a few inches away. He saw the tears forming in her eyes but she grabbed his face before he was able to say anything. She held on to his face hard. Her fingers digging in, relaying the intensity she felt.
"Don't you fucking dare start to handle me with care," she pushed out harsh and frank but not without giving away the sobs that lured down her throat. Trusting him to understand what she meant. He could feel her hard breathing against his own body, her intensity throughout her entire being. He held her eyes with his. A tear slipped out of her left eye and she let go off his face so she could wipe it away, obviously bothered having that tear interrupt this moment. He searched her eyes as he tried to get his own feelings and thoughts in check. There was only one thing he wanted to say right now. One thing. Three little words that wanted to be spoken. I. Love. You. He wanted her to know that. Needed her to know that but he feared this wasn't the right time. That it would only put more pressure on her during this trying passage in her life. Their life. That's how entangled they were by now.
His eyes went quickly over every little part of her face. Her hand with the wiped away tear waited on his chest for him to do something, to say something. Her eyes begged him to act. No he couldn't tell her this momentous thing right now. He couldn't tell her but he could show her. He raised his hand, watched as his finger swiped away a strand of hair on her forehead. His finger went down by her eye, felt the stickiness on her skin that the tear had left and then continued down to the side of her mouth. He kept his eyes open as he leaned in. Tasted her lip carefully. Felt the shiver that ran through it as she opened her mouth. He put his palm against the side of her face and kissed her again. And then again a little deeper. He moved up on the couch. Guided her down on her back. Her face relaxed as he got going but her body still felt tense. He needed to show her how much he loved her.
She helped raise her hips as he started to pull down her pants. He brought down her panties at the same time. Left her lower body exposed as she laid back down on the couch. His hand ran up her leg as he lay down beside her. His hand grazed by her pubic hair but continued up over her stomach pulling her tee up. He cupped her breast, let his hand rest there as he trailed kisses up her arm. He jumped from her arm to her face. Placed a few kisses on her jaw line before he caught her mouth with his again. He felt her one arm snake around his neck as the other one came up on his face, her fingers caressing him slightly. Their tongues played around each others as he moved his thumb over her harden nipple. He carefully moved up over her, placed his leg in-between hers and let the rough denim fabric rub up against her as he started to move his hips up and down over her. She snaked her outer leg up and around his so it intensified her sensation.
They stayed like that for a while, her breath slowly starting to pick up. When she showed him, by moving her hand down and tugging at the rim of his jeans, he rose up slightly so he could pull down his pants just a bit. He let them stay on his thighs as he moved up over her and she spread her legs to give him space enough to lie down. He let her mouth go and watched her as he slowly guided himself inside of her. She let out a gasp of warm air as he reached, and passed, her g-spot. By now he knew exactly where to locate it and which finger reached it the best but tonight he wanted to prove more than just that he could get her to orgasm. Tonight he wanted to show her how much he loved her if she didn't already know that. He held on to her eyes as his hands found their way up into her hair and he let his fingers entangle there. Grabbing on as gently as he could. He kissed her briefly as he slowly pulled out of her.
He let her go so he could watch her as he slid back in again. Her cheeks had a darker shade than her face and he placed a kiss on both of them as he slowly continued to pull out only to push back inside her again. Out and in. Slowly. He knew exactly how to last, how to wait for her. Most of the time he actually didn't bother to wait for her, knew she didn't mind since he would take care of her as he waited for himself to get ready for a second round. Knew she needed time and that there were other things that would set her in the mood, get her there quicker than penetration. But then there were times when he felt like waiting, times like this when climaxing together meant so much more than just that. He wanted that now, in this moment he wanted to reach that high together with her.
Her hands moved up and down his back, every now and then her nails paid his skin a visit. He soon figured out the rhythm, every time he hit her g-spot straight on her nails dug into his skin. She soon wrapped her legs up and around his, making her hip tilt so that her nails paid more frequent visits into his skin. He picked up the speed a little, making sure he stayed slow enough to not get carried away. He kept watching her intensely. So much so that her eyes soon teared up. Those tears that had been burning behind her eyes for so long now came dwelling out. She couldn't stop them. Hoped she didn't have to. That he wouldn't stop. That it wouldn't freak him out. He wasn't sure what these tears meant. But there were too many to just be her regular close to release ones. He tried to kiss some away. The salt filling his mouth.
Her arms snaked harder around him and her feet interlocked around him almost taking her off the couch. He could feel the sweat starting to form on her body as she pressed herself harder to him. Both of them were absorbed with each other but they were aware they had a tiny little person in the next room and had to stay in control of how loud they would get. He'd picked up some more speed now as he saw and felt he had her going the right way. She bit down on her lip and he leaned down to kiss her to make her let go. He soon left her lips go though, wanting to be able to look at her. Her face was crumbling and she tried to hide herself by nestling into his neck. But with the grip he had in her hair he could easily force her back down again. He wanted to look at her as she came, wanted to see it happen so he could let go in that same exact moment. Wanted her to see the love he felt for her in his eyes as he showed her with his body just how much.
She let out an prolonged groan and he felt her feet slip off his back. She pressed her eyes together hard as she gasped for air after that long groan. He could still feel she wasn't there yet. She planted her feet on the couch and it felt as though she tried to push herself away from him. He knew this meant she was getting very close and he put his arm up around the top of her head as he pushed his hip harder down into her, boxing her in completely. He felt her body go stiff as her toes flexed down into the couch and her fingers curved over his back, nails digging in hard into his flesh. He let out a growl as her nails hurt delightfully. Her back arched the moment just before release and the second he saw it on her face he pounded himself harder inside of her. He felt her tighten around him in uncontrollable waves and it only helped him with his own release.
He buried his mouth by her neck to silent the loud grunts that threaten to slip out. Their muffled groans merged like their bodies and it lasted for two long minutes before they both crumbled on the couch panting excessively. He slipped out of her and rolled off her to let her get her breath back. His hand found its way down to her thigh, gently stroking the inside of it as she was coming back down, hoping it would prolong the good feeling. Her skin was damp with sweat and other bodily fluids. He leaned in and caught her mouth with his, feeling the need to taste her. She accepted his tongue into her mouth and rolled over towards him. He put his arm around her and held her tight as they kissed. A deep and intimate kiss. Once they finally let each other's mouths go they stayed like that for a while before they had to let the surroundings in. This was no position to be caught in by a one year old. She let him stay the night though, in her bed.
And he was there the next one too. Her flight would be early Thursday morning and he would drive her to the airport.
He could tell she was nervous. She became forgetful when she was nervous and he caught her many times on her way to fetch something only to forget what she was fetching half way there. He tried to help out as much as possible but he also knew she liked to keep herself busy when nervous so he let her see to the dishes and all that household bound. He dealt with Fay meanwhile and he'd played with her while Amanda went out for a run. After Fay had crashed they watched some TV but she had a hard time remaining seated for longer period of times. Once it was time for bed he could tell she had a hard time relaxing and he wasn't sure how to help her out. At any other time he could have used sex but not tonight. He just let her be and then fell asleep before her and had no idea when she finally managed to sleep.
She wouldn't look rested once he first laid eyes on her in the morning. He woke up by her shaking him a little. He heard her voice but couldn't really make out what she was saying. He rubbed his face and tried to focus his eyes on her. He could smell her before he saw her. She'd showered and her hair was still somewhat wet. She was already dressed.
"Huh?" he yawned and she squatted by his side so not to wake up Fay.
"I can take a cab," she repeated.
"No, I'm driving you," he said.
"Are you sure? Isn't it easier if I just take a cab?" She stood back up as he sat up in bed.
"No. Just give me a minute," he said and rubbed his eyes a little as another yawn came over him.
"But Fay and all, it's just a bother," she sighed and gestured her daughter's way.
"It's not. We both want to see you off," he said and got his feet down on the floor. She shook her head but then headed over to the crib. He heard her softly talk to Fay as he got up and stretched out a little. He made his way into the bathroom and got an eye of Amanda gently rubbing her daughter's sleeping back. He used the can quickly and then squirted some water on his face. Once he got back out Amanda had carried the still sleeping Fay over to the bed. She shook her head at him a little to try and prove this was a bad idea.
"I got her, go get yourself ready," he said.
"I'm done already," she sighed.
"Okay then let's get this one done then, grab some clothes," he said and almost pushed her away so he could get Fay out of her pajama. Amanda walked over to the drawers huffing a little. Once she came back he had her completely stripped.
"She needs to shower, and a new diaper," Amanda complained when Fin started to get the underwear on Fay. Of course Fin knew this but he was still not fully awake. He got the underwear off and carried Fay into the bathroom. Amanda joined and with joint effort they managed to wash the still sleeping Fay off. Amanda got a towel and then took Fay over from Fin. She dried her off quickly and then got a new diaper on her before she started to dress her. Fin meanwhile got himself dressed in yesterday's clothes that lay by the bed.
"You know what you two are doing today?" Amanda asked. She knew Fin wasn't planning on taking her to daycare. Fin just shrugged his shoulders as he came back over to them.
"Well if you're planning to be outside she needs thicker pants, it's still not that warm outside," she said as she'd only gotten a pair of tights on Fay. She pulled a t-shirt dress over her head and then a warmer sweater above it.
"I got it, don't worry," he said and touched her arm briefly before he lifted Fay off the bed to take her out.
"I packed a snack for her, you want anything?" he heard her say behind his back as she followed them out.
"Yeah, you have a bagel or something, I'm hungry," he said and she made a detour to the kitchen. He saw her small bag by the door as he got Fay's shoes on. They managed to get themselves and the light luggage down to the garage. Fin strapped Fay in her car seat while Amanda got her bag in the seat next to her. Amanda got around to the passenger seat and climbed in.
"Shot," he heard her say and asked what was up. She held up a folder so he could see.
"I must have accidentally taken this home with me yesterday. Amaro might need it," she sighed.
"I'll go by the station after we've dropped you off, don't worry," he said and closed Fay's door. She seemed to settle with that and he soon drove them out of there in her car. It would be a silent ride. Fay slept the entire way, Amanda kept looking out her window and Fin kept his newly awoken eyes on the road ahead. He could feel her tension though.
"You hanging in there?" he asked as he had the airport in sight. She moved her head slightly but not all the way over towards him.
"Yeah," she managed to say. He drove into the garage so he could go with her inside. He got her bag as she got Fay that sat behind her. She woke up slightly as they started walking over to the airport. Even though she wasn't a morning person thankfully though she wasn't a cranky one. She liked to cuddle in the morning and Amanda enjoyed feeling her arms around her neck tighten as she woke up more and more. Since she didn't have any luggage they went through the automatic check-in. Fin took Fay so she could pick her seat. Fay was awake by now and was curious on her surroundings. Fin tried putting her down but she wasn't keen to stand on her own just yet and whined so he would pick her up again.
"My gate's that way," Amanda said when she joined them again and pointed towards one end. They started walking over there.
"You have time for a coffee?" he asked. She looked up at the watch in the ceiling. He knew she had time but the question was if she wanted to be alone or not before her flight took off. She seemed to think about it but then nodded. They walked over to Starbucks and Fin handed Fay over to her as he told her to have a seat. He came with two coffees and a cup of milk for Fay. She seemed uninterested though. Amanda made her have at least a zip before she let her down on the floor as she'd seemed interested to explore a little. Amanda's trained eye had already scanned the floor for anything she could stuff in her mouth but thankfully it looked very clean. Fay was still a little tired and didn't wander far off. She hung out by a decorative iron fence around the cafeteria and had fun waving at people rushing by. Most of them not even noticing the little one though. Amanda kept her eye on her while Fin let his eyes go back and forth between the two.
"You'll call once you arrive in Atlanta?" he asked and she nodded.
"Or text," she added after she had another zip of her coffee.
"Have they set you up in case you need to stay?" she shook her head at his question.
"I'm not staying," she said and sent him a quick look. Fay had enough of being ignored and came tumbling back to them. Amanda helped her back up in her lap again and got a quick hug before Fay sat down facing Fin. He pushed over the milk at her and he gave her a smile as she grabbed it. She leaned back against her mother with the cup in both hands and she put the straw in her mouth and sucked a little. He watched Amanda as her finger went through Fay's hair. Fay had a tiny, tight braid running right by her forehead to keep the hair off her face. The rest of the hair stuck out in lovely blonde afro curls. It was not even two inches long but if you stretched it out it was double the length. Amanda called it her halo but Fin called it weed.
It didn't take long until Fay got restless and Amanda said it was best she went through security anyway. He grabbed her bag and got the now empty cups to the trash while she took care of Fay. They walked over to the entrance and switched cargo once Amanda had given Fay a big hug. Fay demanded another hug once she was in Fin's arms and Amanda leaned in to give her daughter another kiss and a hug. Fin took the opportunity to give her a light kiss on her cheek. A woman that passed them sent the three a quick look and thought 'what a cute family'. Sometimes it wouldn't be so bad if you could hear what other people thought of you but most of the time you're probably better off not knowing.
"You behave now," Amanda whispered to Fay. "That goes for you too," she said and shot Fin a look. They both smiled. He touched her arm briefly and then let her go. Fin helped Fay get the 'blowing kisses' right and Amanda smiled as she waved to them. There was only a short queue and soon enough she was out of sight.
"Okay it's just you and me kid," Fin said as he turned. He could see Fay turn her head and try to spot her mom over his shoulder.
"You hungry yet? I'm starving you see, I could eat you," he got her up so he could dig into her stomach with his mouth and it immediately distracted the girl. She chuckled heartfelt and wiggled in his arm to get away from the tickling even though she loved it.
After two hours they stepped into the station. They had stopped at a diner on the way back and Fay had a waffle with fruit, mom would have been proud of both of them, while Fin got a large breakfast meal. Fay tried some of his food too but then headed over to the little play area they had. It kept Fay distracted as he finished his breakfast which he appreciated. As they were heading out though Fay started fussing and he could smell why.
"You couldn't have done that while your mom was still around?" he asked but of course with a smile on his face. They got out to the car to find her a fresh diaper and then headed back inside. It took Fin a good half an hour to sort the mess out.
"Do you do this a lot? Just so I know to be prepared?" he asked while they were stuck in the bathroom. It didn't help that Fay got restless and Fin cursed himself for not bringing a toy for her like he'd seen Amanda do so many times. He was relieved once they could finally get out of that claustrophobic room and Fay seemed just as happy.
With Fay in his arms Fin had a hard time even getting through the reception area with all the curious eyes and questions who the adorable little girl was. Someone suggested his granddaughter and Fin huffed at the person. Fay charmed them all of course and didn't seem bothered with all the patting and probing. Fin finally had to say enough so he could get up to his floor. He had to fend through another lot in the elevator and then in the hallway before he could step into the squad room. He gave a sigh of relief once he finally got in there.
"Oh," Olivia immediately squealed as she laid eyes on them and quickly got up from behind her desk. Amaro got up too as soon as he spotted what his partner saw and a wide smile spread over his face once he saw the little one.
"My goodness you truly are the most precious child," Olivia said with her eyes glued on Fay. It had been months since she saw her in person last.
"Can I?" she asked and Fin just tipped the girl over into Olivia's arms. The girl had no problem swopping arms and gave Olivia a hug once she landed there. Olivia squealed again.
"Good riddens. The kid's getting heavy," Fin smiled as he pretended his arm was hurting. He tossed Fay's jacket on Nick's visitors chair.
"This is for you my man. Amanda apologizes, she accidently brought it home with her," Fin handed over the folder to Nick. He accepted it with a nod and that was that.
"Are you in a hurry?" Olivia asked and when Fin shook his head she set her aim for the interview room where she knew there were toys.
"Just be careful, she stuffs anything into her mouth," Fin shouted after them. Cragen had noticed the newcomers and Olivia stopped so he could give the girl's cheek a squeeze as he came out of his office.
"She got on the plane okay?" Cragen asked once he'd joined Fin and Amaro. Fin nodded.
"How is she holding up?" Nick asked. Fin shrugged his shoulders.
"It's Rollins. She says she's okay but who knows," he said just so he wouldn't have to take it any further. Nick nodded. He knew what was going on. Of course he hadn't settled with not getting any more than the cryptic intel Cragen had given them. Later that day as he was done with the paper job and the squad room lay pretty empty except for Liv, he went out on the net and used a search engine. He'd easily come across a few newspaper headlines from news desks in and around Georgia. He called Liv over as he'd open up an article about 'the scandal in the Atlanta PD'. She read the ingress but then shook her head a little at him.
"She'd tell us if she wanted us to know," she just said and went back to her desk. This of course hadn't stopped either of them. Nick had kept digging and Liv had gone online once she got back home that night. It was one thing to gang up and talk behind someone's back but Liv figured it was just to get a better grasp on Amanda. She was still such a sketchy person for Liv and they'd gone through a birth together after all. Amanda had opened up to her once about this, even if it was perhaps in a weak moment. But Liv figured that gave her some permission to dig just a little.
It wasn't a pleasant read for any fellow police. Everyone knew they had bad eggs in the police department but this rotten? Liv cringed as she read the charges against this scumbag. And apparently they were looking into his father too, a former chief of police. He seemed to have known some of his son's wrongdoings and covered them up one way or another. An online forum speculated about a former prostitute that now lived in a fancy house outside Atlanta with a kid apparently fathered by Hall junior. And his father was a shareholder in the production company that owned her building. There were plenty of speculations and discussions online about other nasty indiscretions by Hall junior and whether or not Hall senior could be implicated.
Six women in the Atlanta PD had been brave enough to put charges up. Only one was named but both Liv and Nick could rather easily figure out which one was Amanda. The named one was a woman that let herself be interviewed by a newspaper. She left the APD back in 2006 and now worked as a shopping mall cop to make a living for herself and her two children. It was hinted in the article that she felt forced out and her allegation told of months of harassment until it escalated in a physical assault that got unreported after threats. It sounded like Halls alcohol consumption that night made it possible for her to fight him off thankfully but it was disgraceful that he never got charged for it.
Liv wondered how the assault on Amanda had ended. There was a front page that read "Sex scandal escalates in the APD" and inside a headline that read "Vicious assault made female detective transfer". There wasn't much details other than that the now NY based detective was left bloody and scared for life after a rape attempt during a social gathering. It made Liv's head spin. Of course she knew papers liked to exaggerate to up sales but it sounded like it hadn't been 'something not worth pursuing' as Amanda had put it during their brief talk. Only slight positive conclusion both Liv and Nick came to after a bit of reading was that Hall never, at least in these six cases, managed to complete a rape. But both knew, perhaps Liv a little more, that a rape attempt could be damaging enough. Liv hadn't discussed what she knew with anyone but Nick now let Fin and Cragen knew he had a bit of insight. Fin didn't seem that keen on giving much about Amanda's resilience though. Instead Cragen asked Fin if he had time to step into his office for a while and Nick felt left out as usual.
Cragen walked over to the window instead of his desk just to throw a glance at Liv and Fay through it. Fin walked over there too and they got stuck there. Probably since it made both feel just a little bit better about what they were about to discuss when they could see that little bundle of joy in the next room.
"Have you talked to Sam today?" Fin asked.
"Yeah. He called this morning. He was driving out to fetch her himself once she arrives," Cragen let him know and even though Fin had a bit of a grudge towards her former captain he still felt he was the best choice as he knew Amanda trusted him.
"Do you have a hunch about how long her testimony will run? She was eager to get back tonight," Fin knew it was an impossible question to answer but he felt the need to air it anyways. Cragen shrugged his shoulders a little, his hands pushed down into his pants pockets. Fin thought he looked a little sad, he figured he probably was just as concern about Amanda as he was.
"If she wants to and there's a flight available Sam will make sure she's on it the minute she steps down from the stand," Cragen said and watched as Fay tumbled after a ball that she managed to toss away from Liv instead of to her. Cragen smiled and Fin did too as he saw what he was looking at. Fay got the ball and then walked over to Liv and just handed the ball to her instead. Liv's face was the brightest Fin had seen since, well Elliot left the squad perhaps. No she'd looked just as bright after playing mid-wife at Fay's delivery. It made him think she should have a little one of her own around all the time, it would be good for her. He got pulled away from his thoughts as Cragen spoke again.
"You got her for the night if Amanda's not back?"
"Fay? Yeah," Fin said as he pulled his eyes from the other side of the mirror.
"You okay with that? I mean I know you have a son but it's been a few years since you took care of a toddler," Cragen smiled. He was probably one of the few in the squad room that never ever even consider for a second that Fin and Amanda might be more than partners. They never been anything but professional around the office and Cragen were just so relieved that their partnership had worked so smoothly from the get-go since Liv and Nick had a bit of a rocky start.
"I think I can handle one night," Fin said with not much worry in his voice. Cragen shot him a smile and then looked back through the mirror.
"Whattcha got there?" Liv asked with much excitement in her voice as she crawled a little closer to Fay and the toy bin she was rumbling through. Fay held up a little action hero figure by his head.
"Is that Batman?" Liv asked but Fay just smiled at her and handed her the figure so she could continue rumbling through it. She found a plastic horse and seemed to have a close look at its head.
"Is that a horse? You like horses Fay?" Liv asked but again all she got was a smile. It was such an adorable smile though Liv forgot the question whenever she saw it. Fay held up the horse to Liv and she made it move in the air.
"Oh is the horse riding? You're so clever," Liv mused, "and what does Batman do then? He flies right?" Liv started moving the figure in the air above Fay's horse.
"And he swops down," Liv made the figure swop down over Fay's horse. She kept moving him up and down and Fay giggled.
"Can the horse catch Batman Fay?" she asked, "or maybe Batman catches the horse?" Fay giggled even more as Liv kept circling the horse with the figure. Fay seemed to get the hang of it but she giggled so much she forgot to move the horse most of the time Liv's Batman swooped down to catch the horse. And then as she took a step back she almost fell backwards but Liv managed to catch her before she fell. Fay kept giggling but stepped into Liv for backsupport as her horse attacked Batman. At that time Fin stepped in through the door from Cragen's office. Liv shot him a quick smile.
"Well you two seem to get along," Fin said as he closed the door behind him. Fay held up the horse towards him and he gave her a smile.
"She's adorable," Liv said as Fay seemed to have enough of the Batman and horse game and went back to the toy bin.
"Yeah nothing like her mom," Fin joked but Liv didn't bite.
"I love what she's wearing," Liv said and reached out and touched the hem of Fay's dress that was sticking out underneath her sweater.
"Yeah that's one colorful little lady."
"Fits her personality I bet," Liv smiled and Fin could only agree. They watched her rumbled through the toy bin for a while, every now and then holding up something she found to get Liv's response to it.
"When's her testimony?" Liv then asked and sent him a brief look to see how he responded to her question. He kept his cool demeanor as usual.
"Right after lunch," he let her know.
"Do you know how the trial is going?" Liv sent him another quick look but got interrupted as Fay turned a small basked upside down and its contents, blocks and some figures, scattered all over the floor. She made a shocked face at Fay that made her laugh and then they helped to collect the stuff off the floor. Once they were done though Fay picked up the basket only to tip it back over again and smiling as the things spread out. Fin sighed and got down on the floor with them.
"She can go on all day," he tried sounding annoyed but no one was fooled. He loved it. This time they just collected the things in a pile on the floor.
"The trial?" Liv tried again as they both just sat there watching Fay picking up one toy after another and putting them in the small basket.
"Haven't read the other's statements but hers will bury him. But you never know who they decide to trust," he said without letting his eyes stray from Fay. He knew Liv probably knew more of what was going on than she'd let on, she usually did.
"Could she handle an acquittal?" Liv asked spontaneous as she could only imagine how disheartening such a result most feel like after gathering the guts to actually file charges. Fin wasn't sure how to answer that, he didn't even want to think about it and felt relieved as he got saved when Fay for a third time tipped the basket over.
"Okay that's it, time for us to get out of here," Fin said and quickly gathered the things and put them back in the toy bin. Liv got up on her feet to get a toy that found its way in underneath the interview table. Fin picked Fay up and she squirmed a bit, giving a noise that told them she wasn't all that satisfied being pulled from the still not fully explored toy bin. Liv tossed the wandering toy in the bin and gladly took Fay over as she reached for her. Fay locked her arms around Liv's neck and Liv took the opportunity to give the girl a hug.
"She'd sell me for a Twinkie," Fin complained and walked towards the door. Liv chuckled as she followed.
"No you wouldn't would you?" she said and put a finger in Fay's stomach to make her giggle again.
"But maybe for a Ding dong?" Liv said and got rewarded a disturbed look Fin shot her over his shoulder. Nick was back at his desk but looked up as they approached.
"Off to resume your play date?" Nick asked as Fin grabbed Fay's jacket off his visitor's chair.
"Yeah, time to find another place she can trash," Fin smiled as he tried to get the jacket on Fay. She'd found Liv's necklace and wasn't keen to cooperate but Fin was used to it and just took one arm at the time and soon it was on her. Liv chuckled a little as the necklace went inside Fay's mouth and she tried as gently as possible to pull it back out.
"I wish you could stay all day," she whispered as she swiped her hand back over Fay's head to pull her in for a kiss on her forehead.
"You say that now," Fin said and let the rest of that sentence hang in the air. Nick was rather sure Liv wouldn't mind though as he watched how much her face was shining right now.
"Give her a kiss goodbye Fay," Fin ordered and Liv got a smack right on her lips by the little toddler. Nick ah'ed. Fin grabbed the girl from behind, she seemed fine with it but Liv looked sad.
"Someone's jealous," Fin said and held Fay down so she could give Nick a kiss on his cheek. Liv's time to ah as Nick smiled as he felt the kid's lips on his smooth cheek.
"Say bye bye," Fin said as he pulled her back and her hand came up in the air.
"Bye Fay," Liv smiled and waved back. She truly wished they could stick around a while longer but it was time to get back to the grim work they had at hand.
Fin had been a little worried about how he'd managed to keep Fay's spirit up all day all on his own but he didn't need to. She started to get fuzzy around lunch but just like himself food took away any sign of grumpiness. The weather got a little better as the day went on and they headed to the playground. Fin got a text from Cragen on their way there. "Just got word. She's been called to the stand." It was the first Fin had heard from across the country. Amanda hadn't called or texted when she landed but he wasn't surprised. She had enough on her mind. He thought of Amanda on the stand as he followed Fay as she tumble straight into the playground. He'd seen Amanda in court a few times now but there was one thing to be on the stand as a witness and one to be the victim. She'd probably kill him if she knew he thought of her as victim. But she had been. No point denying it. Fay demanded his attention as she raised her hands to be picked up in the swing that had been her first choice.
"As the lady orders," Fin smiled and picked her up only to put her down into the swing, "your wish is my command." He got the swing going by pulling it up with him as he took a few steps and then he let it go. Fay's face told of the nice feeling she had as she soared through the air. Fin couldn't help but smile just as wide. She stayed up there for a long time, Fin had to swop arms as he grew tired of pushing her. Then of course she wanted to climb the play set with the different slides. He knew Amanda used to go up there with her but he wasn't really that limber. There weren't that many kids around so he couldn't ask one to go with her. He still helped her up and then spun around on the ground to make sure he was right below her at any time.
Thankfully she didn't run around like a mad one but just explored the play set and every now and then wanted Fin to reach up to touch her. Fin could relax a little as he figured she wouldn't drop but he still kept a good eye on her though. She went down the little slide and then wanted back up again to try the big slide. Not much scared this kid and it made him somewhat proud. All he had to do now was getting her to stop fearing the bathtub drain and she would be perfect he thought as he watched her go down the bigger slide for a second time.
A group of moms and their kids had entered the park. They had kids around Fay's age and she'd soon found her way over to them in the sandbox. The moms were all propped up on a bench with their trendy buggies by their side, coffee mugs in their hands and they all seemed to be color coordinated, as did their kids. He kind of hung around the side of the sandbox but soon found himself wheeled in by the moms as they started to chat him up. He wasn't sure how it happen but he ended up on the bench in the middle of the four of them and comments and questions showered him.
"Cute kid," one said.
"Adorable. I love what she's wearing," said the next one.
"Love her hair. Is it her natural color?" the third one asked and Fin was so stunned by the question all he could do was nod.
"Really adorable," one of the closest to him said and continued; "How old is she?"
"Eh seventeen month," Fin managed to say.
"Oh, tiny then. I could see she was quick on her feet though. My Sasha is just fourteen month," she pointed to the girl Fay sat next too, they looked to be the same size. "Barely walking though," she added and sounded less than thrilled about it as she eyed her own daughter.
"Fay was a preemie," Fin said quickly to hide the face he'd made.
"Fay?" one of the other moms asked.
"Yeah. Faith but we all call her Fay."
"Faith is a beautiful name," one of the moms on the end said and the other moms agreed making Fin understand they didn't like the nickname. Like he cared.
They kept complementing her appearance and then moved on to asking him about her development. He answered the best he could but soon realized the moms kept talking even if he didn't answer. Fin found himself thinking he was either in a twilight zone or on candid camera. It amused him though. And it was fun and refreshing in a way to be able to actually be the dad. He didn't have to hide the reality from these women. It quickly got weird though. He felt some relief when Fay seemed to have enough of the sandbox and came walking over to him with raised arms to get picked up. The women ah'ed as she gave him a quick hug once up in his lap.
"She's adorable," a mom on the end said.
"Yes. I could totally see her in a GAP ad," the woman closest to him said as she put her hand on Fay's leg. Fay watched her hand and then looked up at her with an ambivalent face. She looked up at Fin who had the same face but then he winked at her and she smiled. When she turned and gave the woman a smile too she made another 'ah' and the rest of them joined in.
"Okay, I think that's our queue," Fin smiled as he had enough of these mommy dearest. He got up with Fay in his arms and Fay started waving goodbye to the women.
"We're here every day around this time," one of them yelled after them.
"Good to know," Fin said to Fay, "then we know when to not be here."
Once back in the car Fin drove them over to Ken's work for a surprise visit. Ken, and Alejandro, saw Fay at least once a month but Fin knew Ken wouldn't mind seeing her more often. Ken was very happy, and surprised, to see them. He didn't know of the ordeal Amanda was going through right now and when he asked why Fin had the kid Fin just said they were playing hooky from the daycare. Ken knew by now when not to probe and just let it be. Ken got Fay a snack in the lunchroom and they sat down for a while. Fay managed to rest in Ken's lap for at least the duration it took to finish the snack but then she was down and went around the room exploring. One of Ken's co-workers couldn't help but ask who the adorable girl was and after just a slight hesitation Ken let her know it was his kid sister. Once she left there was an awkward silence between Fin and Ken for a while. Ken wondered how this would play out once Fay was older. For all he knew Fin still wasn't officially her dad and it did anger Ken some. Not enough though that he wanted it to come between them and he decided to let it go for now.
Fin wasn't unaware of Ken's feelings but right now though his mind was in Atlanta. It was 3 pm and still nothing on his phone. Ken needed to go back to work and once in the car Fin sent a text to Cragen asking him if he'd heard anything. It didn't take long until his phone beeped. 'No word yet. Probably still on the stand. Sam promised to text once she was down.' Fin sighed. He was afraid of this. Shane's defense attorney probably put her through hell, trying to twist her testimony and might even drag up her personal business to discredit her. Fay interrupted his thoughts as she dropped the book she was looking through on the car floor and whined. He pulled over to the curb and leaned back to fish it up for her.
"Hey, you wanna hit the arcade?" he asked and the tone of his voice made her light up. He needed distraction and he drove to this arcade he liked. He wasn't sure Fay was old enough but it had machines ringing and lights blinking so he figured it would keep her interest for at least a few minutes. As always though she had great fun exploring a new site. He loaded a card with 20 dollars in case they found anything she could play. It mostly had games and machines for kids a little older and the air hockey table was too high for Fay to reach. They did play a game of skee ball though. Fay didn't really get the hang of it but it was okay. Fay then got stuck watching a couple of kids on a dance machine and it gave Fin time to throw glances on the Street fighter machine. One of the older girls on the dance machine let Fay come up with her and she tried to teach Fay the game. Fin stepped in and paid a round for all the three girls. Once they walked off he paid for another round but it left Fay just sitting on the floor watching the different plates light up. Once in a while she managed to smack her hand on the uplit plate before it went dark and that got her laughing. Fin paid for another round just to hear her laugh.
He managed to lure her away after a while, he'd spotted a photo booth and got her to pose with him for a picture strip. He smiled when he saw the result. Amanda would love them he thought. They then tried the crane game. Fin was the most excited as they managed to grab a furry little thing and it dropped down the dispensary. Fay had probably been more impressed had it been a unicorn. They went on to a crane that snagged you candy and again Fin was more excited once they managed to grab something since he was in need of a snack.
Fay's interest seemed to wear off quickly after that and once he picked her up she almost immediately fell asleep against his shoulder. He'd forgotten about her nap and he got her out to the car to put her down in her car seat so she would be a little more comfortable. He propped her head up with a small pillow Amanda kept in her car and then he drove off. He drove by a drive-through and got himself a coffee and a donut. He bought one for Fay too in case she would wake up and then drove into a lot so he could snack while checking his phone. No text from Cragen. It was past 4:30 by now and Fin started to worry about her chances to fly home tonight. He figured there must be night flights though but what if they wanted to recall her tomorrow? Something Hall surely would set up just to torment her even more. Fin's thoughts started to pull him towards a place where he didn't want to be right now, not when he had Fay as his responsibility.
He shot her a look through the back mirror. She was still sound asleep. Just a look at her made him leave that dark place and he smiled as he finished his donut. He started to think about what else he'd like to do with her. Go swimming would have been fun seeing how fond she was of water but he hadn't brought a bathing suit for either of them. And it was probably more convenient once the weather had picked up, all indoor swimming pools he knew about demanded membership which he had none. He ended up just driving around for a while and then parked along the river down by Amanda's neighborhood. He sat there just watching the water as his phone finally beeped.
'She's done. Nothing about being recalled.' The text from Cragen read. Fin checked the watch. 5:17. She should be able to make it home tonight he thought to himself. 'You know how she held up?' he texted and soon got back 'No. Sure she did excellent though.' He jumped a bit as Fay suddenly started whimpering in the back seat.
"Hey there," he said as he turned back to face her. Her eyes were glossy and she rubbed her nose with her fists in that familiar way she did when recently awaken.
"You slept well?" he asked but she started crying again and reached for him.
"Hold on," he said as he not so limber moved so he could reach back to unbuckle her. She kept whining as he struggled a bit to reach but finally she was free and he brought her back in the front seat. She cuddled up to him as she kept whining just slightly. He rubbed her back gently.
"Mama," she whined and he patted her back a little before his hand went up to stroke her hair.
"I know, I miss her too," he said. Once she had enough cuddle, the whining stopped and she was back to being herself, she sat up a little and had a look at him.
"What you staring at?" he smiled. She had the same intense stare as her mom. Like she could see right through you. But that stare on a toddler was somewhat creepier. She quickly smiled though and pointed at him like she got exactly what he'd asked her. He grabbed her wrist and gently bit her hand as she tried to save her finger from his mouth. She giggled hard and soon had Fin chuckling too.
"You contagious you know that?" he smiled as he let her go and started to poke her in the belly. She tried to do the same at him but had a hard time seeing how ticklish she was and every poke he made had her retreating. After a while she launched at him and hugged him tight so he couldn't poke her.
"Smart move. Hugging as a defense. You should teach that to our forces," he smiled as he wrapped his big arms around her. She was restless after her nap though and soon started squirming on his lap. He let her play with the wheel and buttons around it for a while. He let her honk once. Okay twice but then he did say no. They got out and had a stroll down by the water. It was a familiar sight to Fay, Amanda brought her hear often in the running buggy. This visit though they had a different pace. Fin let her explore the sidewalk but made sure nothing funny went into her mouth. He lifted her up on the railing so they could watch the water as a boat went by. It was a party onboard and they all cheered and waved at the two on land. Fay waved back with a big smile as Fin's hands were busy holding a firm grip on the little one. No involuntary swimming tonight. They kept walking for a bit but then Fin decided it was time to head back home. He got Fay up on his shoulders on their way back to the car and she had fun alternating smashing his bald head with her palms and trying to cover his eyes with her tiny hands. Once he had enough of her blindfolds he brought her back down in his arms and tickled her until happy tears were pouring out her eyes.
"You cheeky cheeky girl," he chuckled as he strapped her into her car seat again. They were only a few blocks away from Amanda's but as he didn't feel like cooking he took a detour to a restaurant to pick something up. He thought about eating there but he feared Fay would fuzz, not that she usually did, but Amanda was so good at averting any major tantrums and he feared he wouldn't be. So they ended up getting two take-aways, one from the children's menu and one from the regular. Back at home he quickly checked her diaper as he took her sweater off and when she passed the check he got her situated at the table. She seemed hungry as she slammed her spork on the table.
"Hey keep the lid on will ya. You're dealing with the substitute here," he said as he got her bib on. She was only interested in food though and kept slamming the utensil with a big smile on her face. He cut her food up in small pieces and slid the plate over. When he came back over with her water she was already stuffing food in her mouth. He shot her a smile as he went back to get his own food ready. He was hungry but as he sat down opposite Fay he checked his phone first. Almost seven he determined and sighed.
"So Fay, you think mama is on her way home?" he said and shot her a look as he put his fork in his food. She just gave him a smile and repeated 'mama' with a mouth full of food.
"Yes, I hope she's on her way home too. We should try and call her but let's eat first okay?" Even though he wasn't so pleased with his food selection it went down rather easily anyway. Fay had started out a fast eater but now was mostly playing with her food it seemed. Amanda would probably not let her but Fin just smiled as he could clearly see how she was making roads in the left over and her spork was clearly the vehicle going through them.
"I'm imaging a new Aston Vanquish, what do you see Fay?" he asked as he leaned his head in his hand on the table. She gave him a quick look and then a smile before she went back to running her spork across the plate. He checked his phone again. He wished she would call, or at least text. He kept watching Fay for a bit but then decided he couldn't wait any longer. He got Fay cleaned off and put her down on the floor so he could clear the table. Once he was done he checked what Fay was up to and found her by her unicorn collection in the bedroom. He stayed in the door between the bedroom and living room and speed dialed Amanda. The call seemed to get disconnected and he tried again. Four rings, five, he started to think it would go to voicemail but then she suddenly answered.
"Amanda?"
"Yeah, hi," she sounded distant but Fin figured it was his conception. He could hear people around her.
"You at the airport?" he asked with a bit of excitement.
"Yes. I missed a flight but I'm on stand-by for the nine o'clock," she let him know. It sounded as she managed to go somewhere a little quieter as the background noise faded slightly.
"You want me to come get you?"
"No, no. I might not even get on it. I don't get it, it's Thursday, it shouldn't be full but apparently it is. Just my luck," she sounded bummed.
"Let's hope you get on it," Fin said. It sounded rather lame but he just felt like she was in need of a glimmer of hope.
"How's Fay?" she asked and Fin turned and looked at the kid.
"Fine. She's fed, playing with her unicorns right now," he let her know. Amanda remained quiet on the other side so he continued.
"We paid a visit to Ken, we went to this playground and I got quizzed by some Stepford moms. Totally bizarre. And we went to an arcade, she's not that skilled in skee ball just yet but she got a furry thing with the claw," he thought he heard Amanda chuckle once but he wasn't sure. It could have been something else. There was a silent pause.
"How was your day?" he asked a little hesitant. There was another pause and he could hear a couple talking in the background. The voices soon disappeared though and were replaced by Amanda's weak one.
"Okay." It wasn't that informative at all and Fin couldn't settle with it. He gave it a thought and then;
"You were up on the stand for a long time?" He had to wait for the answer but then he got a 'yeah' and the tone of her voice and the tiny crack in just that tiny word told him she was still shaken up by today's event.
"You stood your ground?" he knew he didn't have to ask.
"Yeah. Yeah" her voice sounded a little more secure the second time around.
"Are you sure you don't want me to come pick you up?" he asked again to make sure.
"Yeah, just get Fay to bed. I'll make my way home."
"We'll be here waiting," he felt like he wanted to say more. Make her understand just how much he'd been thinking about her today and how much he wanted her back home.
"Okay, I'm gonna go get something to eat," she said and sounded like she wanted to get offline in a hurry.
"Okay. You do that. Fay sends her love, she misses you," he said quickly.
"Okay, bye," she'd hung up before he could say anything more. He listen to the dialtone for a while but then put his phone down. He walked in to the bedroom and like Fay sensed it she got up and folded her arms around his legs in a hug.
"Precious," he whispered and got her up in his arms to give her a proper hug. She let him go after a while and planted her palms on his cheeks and pushed them together a little.
"My precious," he said and tried to do his Gollum voice. She just smiled though.
"You wanna take your bath?" Fin asked with his cheeks still pushed in. Fay nodded but didn't let go off his cheeks until they were in the bathroom. He let her struggle to get her jumper off for a while and then lend her a hand once she got stuck on her own ears.
"You're doing much better with that though," he said and gave her a nod, "racing towards independence right?" She was really becoming a big girl. Eating on her own, starting to undress herself and Amanda had told him the pediatrician had said she might be ready for toilet training already. Fay was soon in the tub and they made a whole mess in there, splashing water everywhere. Fin wished afterwards he'd gotten undressed too cause his jeans was soaked. Fay fuzzed a bit when it was time to get out, she had too much fun in there but he easily distracted her and soon she was dried and in her pajama. She wasn't ready for bed just yet though and they started with a floor puzzle in the living room. That way Fin could watch some TV on the side which he thought was a sweet deal. Fay didn't mind because she wanted to control the pieces anyway.
Luckily there was no problem putting Fay to bed like usual. She did repeat 'mama' a few times as they were brushing her teeth and Fin thought she wanted to know where she was and he tried to explain it in words that a seventeen month would understand. He did the airplane with his arms but that only made Fay giggle. And the being in Atlanta part just seemed to confuse her. He finally settled with 'she'll be home when you wake up' and then let her flush before she sprinted to her mom's bed. She chose what book she wanted to listen to and then they settled in next to each other. She clearly forgot at times her mom wasn't by her side. He caught her wanting to twist her finger in her hair a few times but Fin couldn't offer her that even if he wanted to. Once she poked him in the eye as her finger sneaked up and it made them both giggle and lose focus on the story for a second.
As he flipped the last page of the book for a second time around she was fast asleep. Fin stayed there for a while just enjoying her peaceful snooze and having her near. It was rare he spent time alone with her so it felt special. When he felt himself close to falling asleep himself he decided it was time to get her into her own bed. He carried her over and made sure she was properly tucked in before he tip toed out of there. He shut the door just a bit, took a stroll through the kitchen to get a snack and then sat down in front of the TV. It had been a good day with Fay. It was just why he was alone with her that troubled him. He felt like calling her again. He figured she was still nervously waiting for word if she would get on the plane or not. To distract himself he used her laptop to get online to play some computer games before he tucked himself in. He got down in her bed after he'd made sure Fay was doing fine in her crib.
He would be sound asleep once she came home some time after midnight and he didn't hear anything until she turned on the shower. He looked up to find her bag by the door and settled back down knowing it was her and not a burglar. He tried to keep his eyes open wanting to see her but the shower seem to run forever and his eyes fell shut after a while even though he fought hard. The next time he woke up it would be as the bed shifted slightly as she lay down on the other side of it. She'd turned off most of the lights so he could only see her silhouette. She seemed to be facing away from him, towards Fay's crib.
"Hey," he whispered as he reached for her. His hand landed in still wet hair.
"Hi," she whispered, keeping her back to him.
"Flight go okay?"
"Yeah." He kept his hand still in her hair. He could smell her fresh scent. He was tired but wanted to talk to her, make sure she was okay.
"You okay?" he asked.
"Tired," she answered.
"You wanna go to sleep?" he asked but knew it was stupid question.
"Yeah."
"Okay, we'll talk tomorrow," he said hoping they would. He saw her pull the covers up over her a little more and he slowly pulled his hand back. He wanted to hold her. Hug her. Tell her he loved her and everything would be okay. That it was over and she was safe. But for some reason he just couldn't.
Just an hour later they would both be woken by Fay that woke up from a nightmare and started crying loudly. Amanda was used to her nightmares but because of her exhaustion she was slow to respond this particular night.
"I got her," Fin said quickly and saw his chance to be of some relief. He was quite surprised himself that he managed to get up out of bed so quickly. Fay had her arms out and howling by the time Fin reached her. She usually made her way over to Amanda herself but this particular dream had monsters under the bed so of course she didn't move. She quiet down quickly as Fin picked her up and she buried her tear drenched face in his protective shoulder. Even though she settled down nicely in his arms as he hushed her gently and rocked her a little he got swapped the second Fay noticed her mom in bed.
She started whining and reaching for Amanda and Fin knew it was no point. Amanda was half awake anyway and reached out to take her as Fin sat Fay down on the bed. Fay quickly disappeared down below the covers next to her mom and in her safe embrace. Fin made his way around the bed and laid back down. Fay seemed to fall right back to sleep once in her mom's arms. Now that Fin's eyes adjusted to the dark he could clearly see her face. He reached out and put his hand on her arm that was stroking Fay's head. He didn't hinder her from doing that though but traced his fingers up her arm and to her face. She hadn't met his eyes with hers until now. As he put his hand on the side of her face, gently swiping one of his fingers down below her eye only to confirm what he thought he'd seen, her eyes came up to meet his. Her eyes and cheeks were puffy. She'd obviously been crying. She felt damp under his touch, the hair still not completely dried and then the tears.
"You okay?" he asked with a whisper. She seemed to give it a thought but then just a hint of a cheerier disposition came upon her face as she hugged her daughter a little tighter.
"I will be," she let him know.
XXX
The next chapter will be a flashback to what happen in Atlanta between Amanda and Shane. I apologize in advance for the language in that chapter. Shane is not a likeable fellow as you've probably already figured out.