Chapter 9: Getting ready for the date part one
Last time: The group sat and talked for hours hitching out a plan to keep Lauren and Taylor safe on Friday. They wanted to make sure who ever is dumb enough to go after the teens they would know that it was a big mistake. Joss took Taylor to the second bedroom down the hall from. He understood why Lauren had got the 'tree house room.' He also know that no one will touch them. Not if John had anything to say about it. Taylor hasn't met Lauren yet and he's already feeling protective of her. John kissed Joss long and softly. Not giving in to his or her desires John and Joss broke apart. "Not to night. Soon I promise soon very soon." John said kissing her in between. He took the day Bed next to the window turning so he was facing Joss as they drifted in and out of sleep.
Lauren was the first to wake up she decided to not play her music up so loud today. She had checked up on her dad and Joss and looked in the other room to see Taylor sleeping. She scrolled down her Ipod and decided to play Here with Me by Dido
"I didn't hear you leave
I wonder how am I still here
And I don't want to move a thing
It might change my memory
[Chorus:]
Oh I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide
I won't go
I won't sleep
I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
I won't leave
I can't hide
I cannot be
Until you're resting here with me
I don't want to call my friends
They might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed
Risk forgetting all that's been "
Joss herd the song 'At lease its not blasting this time' she thought to her self. She saw John sleeping on the day chair. She goes over to him places a light kiss to his forehead. She headed out of the room after putting her boyfriend sweets and tank top. She went to check on Taylor who was still asleep. She peaked in on Lauren who was just starting to blow dry her hair.
"Hey, I was about to cook some breakfast. Do you want any?" Joss asked the teen.
"Yeah, bacon, eggs, and waffles. Some Lavender tea would be awesome too." Lauren replied. She found the tea stashed that Finch brought for her. He must of done research to know that She loved Lavender tea flavor.
"Hungry much?" Joss joked. She has the same amount of appetite as John and Taylor.
"Hey, I didn't eat much yesterday gotta make up for it. Right?" Lauren said putting on some light make up and not a whole lot of dark eye shadows. Joss think the make up suits her and her mood right now. What ever she was feeling it was rolling off on Joss again.
"Not really but I'll make enough for the you and the boys when they wake up." Joss said leaving Lauren to finish getting ready. Lauren opted for her black Victoria secret boyfriend pants, and a white plane v-neck T-Shirt.
John woke up slowly, he gets up to go take a quick shower and change in his gray sweet pants and white t-shirt. He smells breakfast being made 'Joss' he thinks to himself. He steps out of the bathroom to see Lauren all fresh looking and eating breakfast that can feed an army. Joss fixes him a plate and kisses him on the check.
"You to have some more while I go take a shower." Joss said leaving father and daughter to eat and talk.
"Did you sleep okay?" John was wondering, the day bed that's in his and Joss's bedroom is right under the vent of Lauren room. He herd her cry a few times the night before.
"i did." Lauren lied and John knows she did.
"Lets try that again. Did you sleep okay?" John asked again he wanted to have the type of relationship that he had with his parents. The one where they told everything that they were feeling.
"No, I keep on seeing mum. I keep on hearing the gun shoots. When I sleep its so hard cause I dream of mum." Lauren confessed. She feels bad for hiding and not getting killed to she wishes she can go back to that day a week ago and be with her mum one more time.
John gets up and sits next to Lauren facing her. He wants her to know that she's safe and nothing and he means nothing is going to happen to her.
"Lauren, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you these past 14 years. I promise to be here for you for the rest of your life. Even when I die you're not alone Lauren." John said hoping he gets through his daughter that she's not alone. Not anymore, not ever.
Lauren hugged him for the first time and she started to cry. She hasn't cried for her mum since her murder. John had let her cry, when he felt her body relax; he picked her up and carried her to the couch. He went to the linens closet and grab a blanket for her and covered her up. Joss just got done with the shower and was coming out of the bathroom. She looked at Lauren and John 'something must of happened' she thought to herself.
"Is she ok?" Joss asked while walking towards the duo.
"I think she will be. I want her to open up about her feelings more. I think she'll do it with you." John said barely taking his eyes off of his sleeping daughter.
"Well we could go shopping once she wakes up. I need to buy a few things." Joss replied her heart felt sad for them. To loose Kim the way Lauren did and to hear the gunshots that killed her mum. The teen needs to let it all out.
"Yeah, Finch dropped this off for ya. It has unlimited credit and don't worry about paying it off he has that covered." John said handing the black credit card to American Express.
"Never tell a women that John. I think I'm going to start with Lauren's Quinceanera dress. Ask Finch to his hotel's ball room ready for her in a year." Joss said kissing him on the cheek.
"I will, I want her Quinceanera to be special and I want it close to what her and Kim was planning." John said he wanted his daughter to remember her mother. He thinks the Quinceanera will help with that memory.
"It will be John. I'll make sure it will." Joss said with promise in her voice.
"What will be?" Taylor said walking in seeing John and his mother watching over Lauren.
"Lauren's Quinceanera." John said looking toward Taylor.
"Cool I want to help out." Taylor replied he wanted to be a big brother to Lauren and protect her like John.
"Good, she's not turning 15 for another 9 months. In mean time we can get your birthday party planed out along with some other things." Joss said to her son. She was proud of him being an A+ student and she was glad that he was becoming protective of Lauren already.
"Let me get you breakfast ready." Joss said getting up. John pulled her for a quick kiss to which Taylor said 'Get a room.' Joking around.
Joss made them breakfast while Lauren was still a sleep. The teen was emotionally drained they all knew this. When Taylor's dad died he went through emotions the way Lauren is going through them. The only difference is that Lauren heard her mom being killed, Murdered not in front of her but she heard the shots and she herd her mothers screams.
John took Taylor to a near by Basketball court to play some ball. While John and Taylor was at the courts, Joss stayed at the loft with Lauren. She wanted to take her shopping and she found a dress online from Herberger's for her date with John. She loved it she had called the store and asked them to put it on hold.
"Thank you for calling Herberger's dress department. I'm Evie, How may I Help You?" Evie the sales Associate asked.
"Hi, I'm Joss and I was wondering if you have this dress I found on your online store." Joss asked the sales associate.
"Sure can you describe it?" Evie asked.
Joss thought long and hard how to describe this dress. "Sure it looks like a skin tight sheathe dress, leaving one shoulder bare and one draped with a flowing sleeve. Its Purple burgdagy color. If you have it in a size 10 I would be for ever greatful."
"I think i know what your talking about may I put you on hold while I grab it for ya?" Evie asked.
"Yeah, thanks." Joss said and waited for Evie to return to the the phone. Evie went to grab the dress, she knew excatly where it was at. She came back to the cash wrap area.
"Yeah I have the dress for ya. Do you want me to put it on hold?' Evie asked Joss.
"Yeah, I do the name on the hold sheet should say Joss Carter. Oh one more thing do you have a princes style Royal blue with a baby blue sash dress in a size 13 for a Quinceanera?" Joss asked she wanted Lauren's dress now maybe it will lighten her mood a lot. Joss aslo guess Lauren's dress size form her earlier assessment of the teen.
"Yeah I have it, we just got a whole new shipment in." Evie replied she was wondering who this person is and when they were coming.
"Thanks, we'll be in later today but can you put it on hold for twenty four hours?" Joss asked she wasn't sure when Lauren would wake up from the cry pass out.
"Yeah I can, anything else Joss?" Evie asked.
"No thank you Evie." Joss said hanging up the phone. She didnt care how much the either dresses would cost just as long as Lauren would be ecstatic to see the dress she had picked out for her. Well Joss hoped she would be.
Joss decided to take another shower for the afternoon shopping spree her and Lauren would be going soon as the teen wakes up. Joss heard movements in the living room she thought to herself 'Lauren s awake.' she heard footsteps comming toward the bathroom. She thanked God that she was already dressed again. Lauren knocked on the door and waited for Joss answer.
"Come in Lauren." Joss said as Lauren walked in she looked rested. Lauren waited till Joss was done brushing her teeth. Joss took Lauren's spot on the toilet. Lauren started to wash her face and then brush her teeth.
"So where's dad and Taylor?" Lauren said inbetween spitting out the soap suds.
"At the near by Basketball courts." Joss replied.
"Cool, so whats on the agenda for today?" Lauren was wondering what was going on why Taylor and her dad playing a game at the near by basketball courts. Leaving her and Joss alone.
"Shopping I still need to buy a dress for your dad and mine date for later tonight. I was wondering if you want to come with me?" Joss asked and waited for her answer.
"Yeah I do, I want to get some new Ugg's and a few of the Silver jeans that just came out a few weeks ago." Lauren said she need retail therapy
"Good cause your Godfather Finch just gave me a new credit card." Joss said and Lauren's face lit up like it was Christmas day.
"Sweet when can we go?" Lauren was still dress in her Victoria secret boyfriend pants, and a white plane v-neck T-Shirt.
"Soon as your ready?" Joss said Lauren quickly replied "I'm Ready." With that they head back out the living room grabe there purses, Lauren grabbed her Linkin Park zip up hoodie and Joss grabbed her Coat. Joss wasn't leaving the loft just yet she needed to grab her Nano the one John got her a year ago. Untraceable small gun. Just perfect just in case someone tried to take Lauren again.
Lauren had opted to play her iPod again song that she picked was Britney Spears Stronger
"Stronger than yesterday
Now it's nothing but my way
My loneliness ain't killing me no more
I'm stronger
That I ever thought that I could be, baby
I used to go with the flow
Didn't really care 'bout me
You might think that I can't take it, but you're wrong
'Cause now I'm…"
Joss tapped Lauren s shoulder to let her know its okay to head out to the car. Once in Joss started it and drove off to Herberger's. She had left a note for the boy's when they return from there game.
JR
Went shopping with Lauren, eat a snack when you guys get back. I picked out your cloths for tonight. I know you John so don't argue about it. We'll be back in a few hours.
Love, JC.
It took Joss and Lauren about thirty minutes to reach Herberger's. They had parked in the underground parking lot. Finches Body guards were waiting for them. Joss knew that Finch was listening on the phone calls and surveillance on them.
"Miss Reese, Detective Carter. I'm Joey, your protection for the day. Finch sends his best." Joey the body guard had introduced himself.
Lauren shot Joss a look saying 'Really'. Joss shot back 'yes.'
"We're not going to have this conversation again Lauren. Someone is trying to get to you, to get throuh John. We need all the protection we can get." Joss said spotting Shaw.
"Yeah I know, just hate being protected all the time." Lauren said while they wait for the elevator.
John and Taylor came back home, about a hour later. John found the note that Joss had left and smiled at himself.
"John what does it say?" Taylor asked he as worried about his mum and Lauren.
"Girls went shopping and your mum wants us to eat a snack. Mmm I say would you like pizza Taylor?" John asked the teen.
"Pizza it is." Taylor responded he was craving for pizza the other night instead they had Chinese.
The boys ate pizza and Taylor was engross in some game on his new Xbox 360. John took the time to see the cloths Joss had picked out for him. It was the Armani suite black jacket and black pants with Royal blue button down dress shirt. He was happy with Joss's choice.
OK so chapter 9 is going to be two parter... yeah this bloody little chapter has gotten on my damn nerves for two weeks life oh and er i was in the er for tension migraines bloody little buggers. And i just realized 7 page 2573 word in this chapter...