I'm really not sure if more than a handful of people are even reading this anymore, so I'm not entirely sure if it would be worth my time to continue. I love it, but if people prefer other types of fics, I can focus my attention elsewhere. Anywho, here's my next installment. Hope you enjoy it and review, letting me know if you like where this is headed (or if it should just be done)

Laying back on the couch/bed thing with his arm over his face in his older brother's living room, he felt like he was in therapy. Even as a teenager with Harold being ten years older than him, he always felt as if his brother had this knowledge that John himself never seemed able to obtain. He always went to his brother when there was something on his mind, but today he had tried to back out of the room and claim he had to work at nine when he really didn't start until ten. That little white lie that he had to start earlier to both Harold and Carter was just to make sure he'd be able to leave if he needed too, because once they started talking, he knew he wasn't getting away anytime soon. Groaning and turning his face into the couch cushions, John tried to drown out his daughter's shriek at the new toys Uncle Harold bought her, and the way his bother just kept staring at him in an invasive way he always had.

"Really Harold, you're spoiling her" he mumbled into a pillow, keeping his back to his brother as he heard a slight sigh escape him. He knew Harold knew that he'd tell him what was wrong with him, but it was never easy.

"Despite what you may think John, I'm allowed" he waited a beat, but when John continued to stay turned away from him, he continued, "I'm her godfather, who else is going to do it?" he let the question hang, a smug smirk on his face when John turned over, looking at him flatly.

"Right, and the fact that you make a couple million a year has nothing to do with it" he retorted sarcastically, watching as his brother's gaze remained steady, just watching him until he cracked. It was a game they always played, and he usually won.

"Look Finch" John began, calling Harold by his nickname he'd given him, "I just don't know what to do about her" he rushed out, sounding more like a whoosh of air rather than words. Harold was well versed in nervous-John speak and understood nonetheless.

"Well, I got the idea that Mia was relatively well behaved…" he trailed off purposely; earning him a frustrated groan from his little brother.

"Finch, work with me here. It's Carter"

Harold continued to look at him, his gaze never wavering as he watched John squirm. It had always been like this, ever since John was a kid. He'd come to his brother for help, and he'd sit there until he started to work the problem out himself. It annoyed him and felt as if he weren't helping at all before, but after having a child he was beginning to understand the point.

"Harold, I like this woman. She's sharp, intelligent, absolutely beautiful, and Amelia loves her already. It's been three fucking days Finch, it feels right but it also feels like I don't know what I'm doing" he admitted, kicking at an imaginary ball on the living room floor. It had always been something John did, if he hated all of the attention, he'd pretend he wasn't as worried as he was.

"John, you are allowed to be concerned, but you are concerned for the wrong reasons. Be worried if Mia hated her, if she wasn't nearly as intelligent as she is, or was selfish and cruel"

"That's just it! She's a goddamn Detective Finch, and in the rare spare time she has she watched her neighbor's kid so their mother can work. What is there about her that I don't like? The fact that I want to almost crawl into her skin when she's around me" he whispered, his voice sounding much like a teenager than the 38 year old man he was. Harold had only had to deal with that voice one before as an adult, and it was with Jessica. His brother had never really been in love with anyone else before, and this wasn't nearly as impossible as John made it seem.

"Reese" Harold started, drawling a reluctant smile from his brother. They tended to revert back to childhood nicknames when it was just them and they were trying to figure out what to do with their life.

"This woman sounds like she's almost too good to be true" he stated, earning himself a fierce glare in return. Harold held his hands up in a sign of surrender as he got up from his desk and sat in the armchair to the right of the couch, both of them now facing the doorway.

"I said almost, but I don't know her, so I can't really give my opinion either way" he said pointedly, and John dropped his eyes in embarrassment. He was talking about Carter like she was his girlfriend, and his brother hasn't even seen her yet! He sighed and looked back up at him, leaning against the back of the couch as he stared at the ceiling for a minute. His brother waited patiently until he spoke, Harold always winning the battle of patience.

"Finch, Mia asked if Jocelyn could come live with us because she said Jocelyn already loved us"

"John, are you afraid of a woman because Amelia is attached to her?" he asked worried, questioning John's sanity.

"NO. I just…I tried to kiss her Harold. She turned away from me at the last second and it hurt. But she ended up coming back and just kissed me right next to my lips, and said that she just wasn't ready yet. This morning, there was an ADA that seemed to know her really well and…I don't want to have to fight for her attention"

Harold just looked at John, who still refused to meet his eyes and instead keep staring at the ceiling again. He was beginning to think his brother was developing an anxiety disorder or something of the sort, at least with the way he was stressing over this detective. From what he'd heard so far, she seemed like the kind of woman John should want around himself and Amelia, but instead he's running in circles scared.

"John, you know I love you but there's nothing I can do to help" he stated simply, finally getting a reaction from him as his head snapped to meet Harold's apologetic gaze. Harold averted his eyes and went back to his desk and computer, feeling John tracking him with his eyes the entire time. The silence was tense until John finally snapped, pacing the length of the couch like a caged tiger.

"Harold, I need your help here dammit! I want her so badly it hurts and this is when you decide you can't be of any help?" he asked flabbergasted as he stopped and stared at the back of his brother's head. Trust Harold to be indifferent and unattached when it mattered. Wait, it mattered. He just shook his head and dragged his hands over his face, trying not to laugh. It was just like Harold to wait until he worked out his problems on his own, and this was no different. He smiled and walked over to him, standing directly behind him and his computer.

"You knew I'd figure it out eventually didn't you?" he asked rhetorically, bracing his hands on the top of the back of the chair. Harold just sighed and continued typing, shaking his head before he spoke.

"I don't know what you're talking about John. You're going to be late for work if you don't leave soon" John sighed and laughed softly, making his way to the door as he heard the quick pitter patter of little feet before Amelia launched herself at him like she always did when he had to leave. He swung her up and into his arms, her resting on his left hip as her little arms strangled him in a fierce hug.

"Please don't go Daddy…" she whimpered in his neck, and it broke his heart to hear the tears in her voice. She hadn't been this bad in a while, and he couldn't understand what brought on the waterworks this time. He saw Harold get up and come over to them, looking concerned. John motioned with his eyes that he'd take care of it, but Harold still stayed watching only a few feet away. As he felt hot wet tears on his neck, he began to rub her back and mumble things in Spanish in her ear, but even that didn't calm her. He was used to the sobbing that she did when she cried, but these were silent tears that sliced at his insides as he stood in the doorway. He remembered Jocelyn telling him about her mother, her tears silent as they fell down her cheeks and he tried to get Amelia to look at him. She just shook her head and buried her face deeper into his neck as she continued to cry. His eyes were glassy with emotion as he looked at his brother helplessly, trying to rock his daughter as she kept crying silently.

Harold grabbed John's phone from his pocket and began looking through it, and John just looked on like he'd gown a second head, unable to understand just what it was that he was doing. Harold kept searching until his eyebrow rose, turning the phone towards John so he could see the display, Carter's cellphone number blinking across the screen.

"Is this the person you were talking about?" Harold inquired, and John nodded confused as he dialed the number and watched John and Amelia while it rang.

"Carter"

"Hello, this is Harold…" his voice trailed off as he rounded the corner into the dining room, John just standing there staring stupidly after him. His brother always seemed to amaze him, and this was one of those times he'd thank him for later. A few minutes later he came out, handing John his phone as he reached out for Amelia, whispering in her ear before he picked her up. Her head shot up as Harold pulled away, her eyes wide with excitement as she reached for Harold, jumping out of her father's arms as she clung to him, this time happy instead of in tears. John just kept staring at him until he met his eyes knowingly.

"Your friend Detective Carter said she was able to spare a half hour to come and see Mia at lunch. Go to work John, she'll be just fine" Harold assured him, putting Amelia down as she ran out of the room, her "Bye Daddy!" barely able to be made out as her feet slapped against the hardwood floors back to "her" room. He smiled and shook his head again, his daughter just as infatuated with Jocelyn as he was.

"Thanks Harold, I don't-"

"John, it's nothing. It was selfish really, because now I get Detective Carter to myself for a half hour at the very least" he said, his eyes indicating that there was something he was up to. He was mischievous when he wanted to be, and it was a scary thing to be the subject of it. Not many saw that side of him, but there was a devious side to Harold.

"Harold…" he warned, his eyes, darting back and forth before setting over his brother's shoulder.

"You act as if I'm going to say something embarrassing about you in your absence. I'm just glad I now get to meet the woman that's captured my brother and nieces heart"

John had nothing to say to that, but he kept opening and closing his mouth in an attempt to say something, anything. When nothing came out, he picked up his keys and started to walk out as he waved goodbye.

"Don't worry John, your girls are safe with me" Harold called after him, and his steps faltered as he thought about what his brother had said. He smiled to himself, starting to think that they were both his girls. Whether or not Jocelyn was actually his, she was still someone he cared about deeply. He turned back to Harold briefly and smirked, raising an eyebrow in a silent question as his brother answered him aloud.

"As if you weren't thinking the same thing John"

John turned away and kept walking to his truck, unable to say anything back because his brother had been right; his girls are safe with Harold.

My dear reader, I hope this was something you liked. If not, let me know. I welcome feedback of all kinds.