A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANYONE OR ANYTHING IN THIS STORY BESIDES THE OC'S.
Neal's Point of View-
I held onto Olivia's hand as I walked her out of her mom's work heading back to my place.
"I will catch you guys later, I got some business to do." Mozzie said putting quotations around business giving me the hint of what he meant.
"Alright." I said.
"Bye Mozzie!" Olivia said hugging Mozzie barily reaching around his waist.
"Bye Olivia." Mozzie said patting her on her head before she broke from his waist. I grabbed her hand again leading her up to my place and my room.
"Let's see, why don't we go through these clothes?"
"Okay." Olivia said as I carried the box over to the couch where I opened it, she stood on her knees looking into the box, "Oohh!" She said pulling out a dress as she set it aside and pulled out a couple other articles until it was empty.
"See anything you like?" I asked looking at the pile of clothes with some shoes, she sorted through the clothes grabbing what she instantly liked. "Now, go try them on." I said as she carried the pile of clothes she liked over to the bathroom shutting the door behind her as I started to fold and put the other clothes back up when she walked out in the dress she pulled out first.
"I can't zip it up." Olivia said turning around so I could zip it up.
"Well, don't you look absolutely pretty." I said.
"Thank you, I love this dress." Olivia said spinning around a little, "May I wear this for rest of the day?"
"Of course, I have to go do a few errands, and the first one is the book store, you like to read?"
"Yes!" Olivia said excitedly.
"Let's go." I said as we went out of the house, she explained to me all the books she had read, likes to read and the one her teacher is reading to her class. I opened the door letting her walk in first and she ran to the kids section that had toys and most kids books and other kids that were there with their parents, I didn't go too far so I could keep an eye on her as well. I found the book I was looking for plus a couple more, I went back to Olivia seeing her reading a book. "What book you got?" I asked.
"Magic School Bus and I Spy, they are hard." Olivia said.
"You know what I liked to read when I was your age?"
"What?"
"The Bailey School Kids." I said grabbing one off the shelf that I had read the most, "Vampires Don't Wear Polka Dots."
"That's funny." Olivia said reading the title.
"I liked it..."
"Whats it about?" Olivia asked curiously.
"It's a mystery type book." I said as she grabbed another one of the Magic School Bus.
"This one is my favorite."
"That's a good one too." I said flipping through it, "Does your mom read?"
"Not really, she mainly reads with me though, or the newspaper that maybe on the city street or on the bus we occasionally take." Olivia said as she started to put the books up on the shelf.
"I wanted to get those for you, maybe a couple of these for us to read." I said grabbing a couple more of the Bailey School Kids books.
"You sure Neal?" Olivia asked.
"Absolutely, your too much like your mom..." I said as I grabbed the books taking them to the counter paying for them, "Now, let's go grab some groceries for our dinner tonight."
"May we do pizza? I like making homemade pizza." Olivia said.
"Yes, we may." I said we went to the grocery store grabbing all the necessary items for us to make a pizza and I bought her some milk to drink with her dinner later. Olivia carried the bag of books as I carried the groceries back to my place and she helped me put the groceries up.
"What time is it?" She asked.
"4:15." I said.
"Hannah Montana is on!" She exclaimed going to the television, I went over turning it on and changed it to Disney for her. I finished putting the groceries up before carrying the bag of books to the couch pulling out the book I bought myself looking through for a specfic thing having Olivia laugh and singing along. I caught myself watching a few mintues here and there, I laughed mostly at the brother character, and enjoyed watching Olivia singing and dancing around. "I'm getting hungry." Olivia said as the episode ended.
"Why don't you go change out of your dress so it won't get dirty?" I asked as she stood up turning around, I unzipped her as she went to the bathroom changing into the clothes that were still left in there from earlier, I put the books onto the coffee table going to the kitchen pre-heating the stove as I pulled the pan and the crust out. I carried them to the dining room table so she can reach it. "I tried to wash my hands, but I can't reach the soap."
"I'll invest a step stool." I said as I grabbed the Canola Oil spray handing it to Olivia, "You want to spray, it has to be sprayed everywhere on the pan." I said as Olviia grabbed the can spraying the entire pan as I popped open the Pillsbury crust can pulling out the crust.
"You need to wash your hands." Olivia said.
"Thanks for reminding me." I said as I went to the bathroom washing my hands coming back seeing Olivia pulling the crust out onto the pan. "Look at you, Ms. Chef." I said.
"Yep." Olivia said as I joined her by pulling the crust out of the can rest of the way and spreading it out to fill the whole pan before I pulled out the sauce opening the can with the can opener and hand Olivia a spoon scooping the sauce on top of the crust.
"Pepperoni under or on top of thh cheese?"
"On top..." Olivia said as I went to the fridge pulling out the cheese and pepperoni opening the cheese letting her pull out a handful spreading it over the sauce as I did the same, after there was enough cheese we begun spreading the pepperoni hearing he stove beep. "How long does it cook?" Olivia asked.
"30-45 minutes." I said as I put the pan in and set the timer, "You want a pepperoni?" I asked pulling out the remaining pepperoni.
"Please?" She asked as I separated them and we both munched on them. "May I read one of those Bailey School Kids books?" Olivia asked.
"Sure." I said as we went over to the couch, Olivia pulled out one of the books sitting on my lap and started to read it aloud, I helped her with words she didn't know how to pronounce. The timer went off getting Olivia to close her book setting it on the couch beside us, we went to the stove and I grabbed the mits. "Stand back, you don't want to get burnt." I said as Olivia backed out of the kitchen letting me pull out the pan resting it on top of the stove.
"How'd it turn out?" Olivia asked as I shut the stove, she walked over to me when the door had finally shut.
"It looks good." I said turning off the stove before I pulled out the slicer cutting the square pizza into pieces. "How many pieces do you want?" I asked pulling down a couple plates.
"Two." Olivia said as I put down both plates handing her one plate, she carried it over to the table as I poured her a glass of milk and I poured myself some wine. Olivia went to the bathroom trying to wash her hands again as I carried out the drinks to the table and joined her in the bahtroom when she needed helped with the soap and washed my own hands bfore we came back out grabbing my plate off the counter. "We have a lot left over, we should save some for my mom."
"Good idea, your mom doesn't eat on her break?" I asked curiously.
"Mommy, never eats." Olivia said.
"Why?"
"She never has time.." Olivia said taking a bite of the pizza, "We are good cooks." Olivia said as she chewed her food.
"We are, aren't we?" I asked smiling.
"We cook at my school."
"Do you?"
"It's mainly cookies or something like that, for Christimas we make gingerbread." Olivia said.
"I love gingerbread."
"Me too, but we made them into ornaments, I got to paint mine." Oliva said as she started to tell other stories of being in her preschool classes the year prior, she was happy and excited.
"What do you want to do for your birthday?" I asked.
"I don't know, my mom would bake me a cake and that's it." Olivia said sadly.
"Do you want a party?"
"I would love to." Olivia said as I stood up taking care of my dishes, she followed behind me with her dishes, "You need a stool." Olivia said staring at the counter.
"Maybe I'll go buy one tomorrow."
"May I finish the book?" Olivia asked.
"Of course." I said as we went back to the couch where she finished that book and begun another one until she read herself to sleep as she had her head on my lap. When I felt her go dead weight, I slowly slid out from under her and picked her up moving her to my bed. I laid her down siding a pillow under hear head and lifted her legs so I could cover her with the blanket. I slowly pulled the tooth from her pocket and put a coin under her pillow before I leant over kissing the top of her head, "Night Olivia." I whispered as I went over turning the lamp off before grabbing my book going out to the deck sitting on a lawn chair enjoying the night air until Leslie got off. I read my book until I noticed something moving inside, I looked inside seeng Leslie sliding into the door, I waved her out and she walked out
"How was work?" I asked.
"Busy, thanks for watching Olivia."
"No problem, we made you a plate of food, figured you will be hungry."
'Thanks." Leslie said smiling as we quietly went back inside heating up the pizza and poured us both a glass of wine. "You drink wine often?" Leslie asked as I nodded at my collection as she leant back against the counter beside the microwave.
"Occasionally, I have expensive tastes of sorts."
"I woulds say so." Leslie said smiling when the microwave started to chime, she quickly opened it before it could chime anymore, we both looked over at my bed seeing that Olivia didn't even snarl. Leslie pulled out the plate and shut the microwave before I led her back outside.
"Your daughter is quite a cook." I said as I set the two glasses down on the table, Leslie smiled as she set her plate down before she sat in the chair.
"Is she?"
"Yeah, she and I made this pizza from scratch."
"Shall I be scared that this is poisnoned." Leslie asked before she took her first bite.
"It's not poisoned, obviously if I'm still her and I ate it." I said as I swirled my glass getting the wine to splash around.
"I can tell..." Leslie said smiling as she finally took a bite from it.
"I'm glad your eating..." I said leaning forward.
"What?"
"Your eating...Olivia said you never have the time to eat..." I said.
"Sometimes..." Leslie said as she looked the other way.
"Why do you do that?"
"Because sometimes I just don't have time nor the money to splurge on myself..." Leslie said close to tears.
"Leslie, it's okay...I'm here for you, I have been through this same problem before."
"You had a kid?"
"No, but I've been where you've been and I want to help you..."
"Why do you want to help me? We've just met couple days ago..." Leslie said standing up heading to the edge looking over it.
"Leslie...because I've been there and I want to be there to help you through it...sometimes you need help..." I said smiling, she looked over at me making eye contact and she smiled.
"You know Neal, you are one of the nicest New Yorker's I've ever met."
"I'm not a New Yorker..." I said.
"I guess you can't be..."
"Why don't you and Olivia stay the night here? She's already out like a light instead of carrying her all the way back to your place and having to come back in the morning..."
"Why would we come back in the morning?"
"To have breakfast with me of course." I said smiling.
"Really now?"
"Yep..." I said chuckling getting her to laugh a tad.
"Your planning my every waking moment now?"
"Yep...and I'm involved more than you think..."
"Why is that?" Leslie asked as she headed back to the table eating at the pizza.
"Because I'm Neal and I can..." I said sipping at my wine.
"So Neal, besides making dinner, what did you and my daughter do?"
"Well, we went to the bookstore, bought her some new books to read, went grocery shopping, came home to watch Hannah Montana, made dinner, read a book and a half until she fell asleep..." I recapped.
"Thanks again...I have to go do the tooth fairy." Leslie said.
"Already took care of it...and she found some clothes she liked from the box, I put the others back in the box for you to take in case..." I said.
"Thanks...it's nice out here...is this why you like this spot?"
"One of the reasons..."
"So, obviously you were a criminal, do you still do criminal things?" Leslie asked as I looked down at my pant leg that was covering my anklet.
"Not really...describe what your theory of criminal things is?"
"Don't act like a fool, you know what I'm talking about?"
"I do my fair share...but I only do it now for those that I love or like..." I answered.
"How do I fall into this?"
"You, you roped me into it with your passion and your talent at the such things...plus your little girl is too cute not to like..."
"Well, she takes after her dad..." Leslie said turning around to look at the small body that was laying in my bed.
"She looks and acts like you more than you think."
"Really?"
"Yeah...why don't you let me plan her a birthday party? I know someone that does event planning and I can get her to do it for free..."
"I don't know, I don't have the money to go throwing parties..."
"Did you not hear the last part, free?" I asked.
"How?"
"I'll cover it..."
"I can't."
"That little girl wants a party, I would love to be able to throw her one that doesn't entail you baking her a cake and staying in that restaurant."
"I'll think about it." Leslie said as she bit into the pizza again, "If you don't do criminal things anymore, what do you do for a living?" Leslie asked.
"I'm a consultant of sorts."
"For what?"
"You haven't heard of them..."
"How do you know?"
"For the C.P.A."
"What does that stand for?"
"I don't even know and I work with them..." I said chuckling.
"How can you consult for a company if you don't know what the official company name is?"
"Your right...maybe I should find a new job...is your place hiring?"
"You are not going to come work with me..."
"Why not?"
"My employee thinks your hot..." Leslie said blantantly.
"Really? Maybe I should go back and try to work it..."
"No..." She said quickly, "I mean, she isn't your type...she sleeps around and never stays with a guy for more than a week...you don't want that..."
"Right...you want more pizza?" I asked noticing she had finished her pizza.
"No thanks...I'm full..."
"You want to get some sleep?"
"I may stay up a little while if you don't mind..."
"Not at all..."
"You know Neal, I never really had the chance to slow down and look at the night sky and how beautiful it is..." She said standing up grabbing her wine glass as she headed to the railing, I went with her.
"It's beautiful isn't it?"
"Do you ever feel as small as a star trying to shine your brightest but it's hard?" She asked.
"Yep...I had my moments...is that where your at?"
"How did you make your star shine again?" Leslie asked looking over at me.
"I got help and gave help...when you want help, you get it...and without them knowing..." I said looking deep into her eyes, she nodded.
"Did the help you get help you any?"
"Yeah, I mean I'll be honest I still do some criminal activities but nothing too illegal...if it wasn't for the help, I wouldn't be here...I wouldn't be able to offer you help." I said remembering the day that Peter offered me the deal that I gladly accepted.
"How far down did you go before you realized you needed help?" Leslie asked, even though I wanted to tell her the truth about going to jail, the anklet, my real job and everything I didn't want to tell her yet because I think I'm starting to like this communication we are having, she is slowly opening up.
"Rock bottom...I'm lucky I didn't get caught and end up in jail..."
"How did you realize you were at rock bottom if you weren't in jail?"
"I had a good friend that told me that rock bottom isn't necessarily the very bottom but the point you realize your close enough to rock bottom and try to pull yourself out before you get to that point." I said.
"I need to get myself together, but I don't know where to go from here..."
"You want my help? Obviously you want some help if you came to me..."
"Of course I want your help, you know too much..." She said smiling.
"Tomorrow, I'll borrow the newspaper from June and help you go through the classifieds to get you a new job, it'll be a start..."
"I want to change my ways about my criminal activity..."
"That you can never change, once a criminal, always a criminal..." I said pointing at her.
"Depending on the situation." She said as she leant against the railing looking down at the people below walking around. "Why do you still do the things you do if you have such a good job?"
"Because I like it and nothing is ever served to you on a silver platter, you got to work towards it..."
"Too smart you are Neal...what is your latest criminal activity been?"
"Can't share, Mozzie and I are secretly working on it..."
"Okay...well I guess I'm getting tired..." Leslie said yawning and stretching.
"You can share my bed with Olivia, I'll get the couch..."
"You sure?" Leslie asked.
"Yeah...it'll be weird sharing a bed with your daughter and you sleeping on the couch..."
"True, thanks Neal for letting us crash." Leslie said smiling as she went over to the table taking her dish in setting it in the sink.
"Why do I have to lie?" I asked looking up at the moon in hopes I can get answers.
"You coming to bed?" She asked from the door.
"In a few moments..." I said as I looked back at her and she nodded. I stood outside trying to convince myself that it was okay that I didn't tell her the truth and that I will tell her one day soon, until then she must not know. I went inside turning off the porch lights, I quietly walked into my closet and bathroom changing into my pajama bottoms and left my tank top on as I turned lights off on my way to the couch where I dragged a pillow and blanket from the closet to make myself a bed so I could keep an eye on the two girls that were sleeping in my bed and I was closer to the door as well. I now know what Leslie feels every night, I'm trying to stay up and protect them even though I know that nothing will happen but I know how protective Leslie is and I can't let her down. I eventually found myself falling under the spell of sleep, it was a close fight between sleep and the urge of staying up though.