Warning: Again, there are references to suicide
Nikki had joined Harry in the lab the next day to wait for the arrival of John Rochester. She had dropped Alice off with an old friend and had spent the rest of the time talking to Leo. Leo had been filled in on the plan and wasn't entirely happy about it, but Nikki had managed to talk him round and they were now waiting in his office.
"How do you know he will even come?" Leo asked
"He will," Nikki said resolutely
"You've never even met him Nikki," Harry sighed, "Where's Erin, Leo?" noticing the girl's absence.
"Detention,"
"Again?" Harry said sounding shocked
"This one is for not turning up to the last detention," Leo frowned "I've already had her school on the phone passing on their concerns,"
"Maybe meeting a friend of her fathers will calm her down," Nikki reasoned and Leo shrugged.
Almost on cue Charlie walked into the office followed by a tall man "Mr Rochester," she motioned to the man
"Thanks Charlie," Leo nodded and stood up to greet the man
"Professor Leo Dalton," he smiled "And this is Doctor Harry Cunningham and Doctor Nikki Cunningham,"
"John," the man smiled "You two are married?" he asked Harry and Nikki
"Happily," Nikki smiled
"You were the one I spoke to on the phone," John said recognising Nikki's voice
"I hope you didn't mind," Nikki blushed
John shook his head "To the contrary, I'm glad you did, I've spent years worried about Erin. I'm just glad she's finally found family," his gaze passed back to Leo
"We all are," Leo said offering the man a seat
"May I ask, Nikki was vague on the phone, how did you meet Erin?" John asked cautiously
"We found her sleeping rough in the car park of the lab," Leo said "She was in a bad way and so we got her to hospital. She recovered and was meant to be going into care but she made her way back to us. I couldn't leave her after that and so I took the decision to foster and eventually adopt her,"
John nodded as he took in everything that Leo was saying, "I lost touch with her after her father died. Erin's mother moved them away without a word and she seemed to vanish without a trace,"
"She is rather good at that," Leo nodded
"I saw the police campaign when she ran away," John said "Not that I'm blaming you Professor, But where is she right now?"
"Detention," Leo sighed and John let out a small chuckle
"Just like her father then,"
…
Erin stalked into the lab in a foul mood. Her detention had been doubled and she'd been made to tidy up the art classroom. She looked around for Leo and saw he was sitting in his office with Harry, Nikki and someone Erin didn't recognise. Leo caught her eye and gestured for her to come into his office.
"Erin, this is Mr Rochester,"
She looked up at the man, taking in every detail of his appearance. He was very tall, much taller than she was. Such a figure would seem imposing but he had twinkling blue eyes and smile that relaxed her. He was dressed in a dark suit and shirt, which gave him an air of mystery rather than menace. His sandy hair was cut short meaning Erin could get a good look at his face; it was young but it had the undertones of someone who held the weight of the world on their shoulders, Erin knew that look well, it was one she saw in the mirror every day.
"If you're a social worker…" she began
"He's not a social worker," Leo assured her
"How can you be sure?" she said suspiciously
"Erin, I've not come to break up your family," John said gently "I've come to talk to you,"
"What about?" she said sitting down on a spare chair
"Your father," John said and Erin froze to her seat
"You knew him?"
John nodded "We were old friends, if you want to know about him I'd like to tell you,"
…
John watched Erin carefully as she placed her school bag down and took her hair out of the ponytail. Leo, Nikki and Harry had given them some privacy but Leo assured her he would remain nearby.
"Your name is Mr Rochester then?" she asked and he nodded "Like Jane Eyre's Mr Rochester?"
"Something like that," he nodded "Do you like reading?"
"You're a lot like your father," John smiled
"How so?" Erin frowned "I'm not a man,"
"No you're not," John chuckled "But you've inherited his eyes and his messy hair," he said as she tried to smooth her shoulder length dark locks.
"I know," Erin said and she passed him the photo of her as a baby
"I took this," John told her "This was the first time they let your dad hold you. Up until then you were in a special unit for premature babies,"
"Apparently I was tiny," she said and John nodded
"But Mark thought you were perfect. He always said the best things came in small packages,"
"What was he like?" Erin said taking the photo back and placing it in her shirt pocket, close to her heart.
"Well he was very young as was your mother when they had you. He always seemed troubled. He smiled a lot but there were undertones of angst. I suppose that's natural for an artist though,"
"He was an artist?" Erin said looking shocked
"Oh yes," John said, "He had his work displayed in quite a few galleries. Do you draw Erin?"
She nodded and pulled her sketchpad out of her bag. John took it carefully and flicking through the pages, he shivered as he saw Mark Jones' talent seep through to the next generation. She had imitated his style perfectly to the point where it could have been Mark that drew it.
"Your father would have been proud," he assured her
"You found him didn't you?" she asked gently and John nodded
"I remember coming round to check on him. Your mother was out and he'd been left with you. He hadn't been himself for a few days and I was worried. When I got into your house, it was silent. I found him in the bathroom…" John stuttered over his words
"Was he dead when you found him?" she asked
"Yes," John said quietly "And then I went to find you. Erin, you were wrapped up in your cot. You were awake but silent, almost as if you knew what was going on and that it was a solemn moment,"
"Did the police come?" John nodded
"I tried to get custody of you. Mark had told me how abusive your mother was but the police didn't buy any of that and they thought it was best to stay with your mother and godmother,"
"How wrong they were," Erin sighed
"I can't imagine what she did to you," John said gently
"You don't want to;" Erin said darkly "It'd give you nightmares like it gives me,"
"Erin, I'm so glad you're safe. I always worried about you. I'd like to stay in touch with you if that's alright?"
Erin nodded and scribbled down her contact details for him "What do you do for a living?" she asked
"I'm in the army," he told her "I've just come back from a tour,"
Erin nodded and smiled as they lapsed into gentle conversation. She felt her broken heart finally begin to mend as she fitted in the missing piece of the puzzle. Her heart was nearly complete and she willed her father to find a place there. Yet her sanctuary was not complete as there was still a void between herself and the only other who was on her wavelength. Erin resolved to get Nate back, she needed her best friend by her side and she knew that he needed her as well.
Author's note: It will get happier, I promise, it has to there are only a few more chapters left.
