November 24th, 1994-Thanksgiving-2332
Maura is awakened, by the sound of her door creaking, open. She lies perfectly still, and just listens. She listens to the tiny bare feet, tiptoe across the hardwood floor. They stop. She feels someone climb into bed with her. A small child burrows under the covers next to her. She carefully settles into her spot. She rolls onto her side, and places her bare feet against the back of Maura's calves.
"Are you asleep?" the little one whispers.
"How could I be asleep, with your cold feet on me?"
"Sorry."
"Why aren't you wearing socks? They would keep your feet from freezing, you know."
"I can't sleep with 'em on. They drive me nuts."
Maura rolls over, to face the little girl.
"Allie-girl, why are you in my bed?"
"Did you know that it's storming?" Allison responds.
"Yes, I can hear the thunder."
"It's too loud in my room."
"It's quieter, in here?"
"There are shadows in my room," she continues.
"Oh? They're aren't any shadows in here?"
"You're in here."
"Allison, if you want to sleep with me, all you have to do is ask."
"They don't let me sleep in their bed. They say that it's not..."
Maura interrupts her, "It doesn't matter what they say. You can sleep in my bed with me. I don't mind."
"They said that I will get too attached, and won't able to sleep in my own bed."
"Allison Paige, if you want to stay in this bed you are going to have to go to sleep."
"Maura?"
"Yes, Allison?" she groans.
"Why can't you be my mommy, all the time?"
Maura stares at Allison's face, or what she can see of it, in the dark. She swallows hard. She doesn't say anything. Allison scoots closer.
"Maur?"
Maura doesn't answer. The four year old touches her cheeks.
"Don't cry," Allison insists wiping away her tears, "Why are you crying?"
"It's complicated, Allison."
"Grown up stuff?" Allison guesses.
"Yep," Maura manages to squeak out.
"Night."
"Good night, Allison, I love you."
"Night, mommy," Allison responds in exhaustion.
Maura rolls back over, to keep Allison from seeing her cry. Allison rolls back onto her side, and closes her eyes. She plants her cold feet on the backs of Maura's legs.
After Allison falls asleep, Maura is still wide awake. She slips out of her bed, and makes a phone call. After a five minute conversation she returns to the room, and carefully sneaks back into bed.
When she wakes up, in the morning Allison is no longer in bed with her. She does a double take, when she notices the time on the clock. She takes a deep breath, and stretches, as she gets out of the bed. When she inhales she catches a whiff of bacon. She makes her way to the kitchen. She finds Allison in the kitchen, with Angela.
"Morning," Maura greets.
"I didn't know that you had company," Angela apologizes.
"It's ok."
"You also didn't tell me that you have a sister."
"Sorry."
"I can forgive you. I made breakfast, would you like some?"
"Please," Maura nods.
She takes a seat next to Allison. Angela excuses herself from the kitchen. She leaves the house, and heads back to the guest house. Maura eats her breakfast in silence. Allison sits next to her, sipping a cup of herbal tea.
Someone knocks on the door, as Allison is setting her empty cup in the sink. She lets Jane in, and heads to the bathroom, for a shower. Jane makes her way into the kitchen, with an armful of papers. Maura places her dishes in the sink, as Jane arranges the papers on the island.
"Any luck?" Maura questions.
"Why did you call me so late?"
"I am sorry. I just didn't know what else to do."
"It's ok."
"Do you realize that it's nearly eleven o'clock in the morning?" Jane questions.
"Yes, why?" Maura responds.
"You are still wearing pajamas."
"Late night," Maura reminds.
"I didn't get to sleep until six o'clock this morning, and yet here I am, fully dressed, and ready to go."
"And, you're cranky this morning," Maura comments.
Jane glares at her.
"Can I get you some coffee?"
"That is the least that you can do."
"Ok. So are you going to tell me what you found?"
"I found him."
"Already?"
"Yep."
"Where is he at?"
"He lives in D.C."
"Is he married?"
"No. He was married from nineteen-ninety-nine, to two thousand and one."
"Any children?"
"No. He's spent some time as a chemical engineer. He is now the president, and founder of a company. He invented some industrial strength solvent. His net worth is 97 million."
"This is going to end well."
"Why do you need to find him, so badly?"
"Allison asked me to."
"She's twenty one, and this is the first time she's asked about her father?"
"Yes."
"Why now?"
"She has A-L-L."
"ALL?"
"Acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is a type of cancer that effects the white blood cells. There are several treatment options, but she is going to require a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately I am not a match. Hopefully he will be."
"And he agrees to donate his marrow?"
"Exactly."
"Maura?"
"Yes?"
"Does he even know that she exists?"
"Not yet."