TW – Contains talk about abortion/attempted abortion. Also all dates are roughly worked out so I apologise if I got it wrong.
She never imagined she would be back here; standing in a room with him sitting at a table across from her. She never imagined she'd be able to look him in the eyes again, yet here they are seven months after he stabbed her in the stomach with a table leg.
'She would rather have been dead than to have my baby. What was I supposed to do?' He asks almost as if his actions were the most obvious answer to the issue.
'You cannot just chain someone to a bed for nine months, Ian.' She replies shaking her head as she leans on the table.
'Seven.' He corrects her.
'Seven months, it doesn't matter. Chaining someone to a bed isn't the answer.' She says.
'She received a lot of money for her troubles. That was my child, I wasn't letting her kill him.' He says as she runs her hand over her face.
'Do you have any idea what you put her through Ian? She didn't want to have child. She didn't want to be a mother. She had made her choice.' She replies.
'She didn't have to be a mother. She just had to give me my baby.' He says causing her to sigh.
'You forced her to go through with a pregnancy that she didn't want. You forced her to go through labour and give birth to a child that she knew would likely turn out just like you... Making the choice not to continue with a pregnancy isn't one that someone makes likely but you took away her right to choose what happened with her own body. That was torture, Ian.' She says taking a deep breath.
'What do you know? You loved Declan like he was your own while you were with us. I could see it when you two were together; you can't tell me that was all a lie. Are you telling me you would've rather I let her kill him before he even had a chance to live?' He asks.
'I did, I do love that boy but I wanted him to have a better life than what you could give him, Ian. I wanted him to have a proper education and not to grow up knowing that one day he was going to have to take over your empire. I wanted him to be able to live his life the way that he wanted to and not the way you expected him to. I wanted him to have a life where danger wasn't lurking around every corner.' She replies glancing away from him as she feels the intensity of his stare. The room is filled with silence until he lets out a sigh.
'What are you not telling me? You're hiding something. I know you. As much as you hate to think it, I know you. I know when you're hiding something. What are you hiding?' He asks.
'I wanted the best for Declan and I can make sure that he can still have that but I need a list of everyone who has the kind of money Chloe is looking for and anyone else who wants to hurt you. I know you love Declan so finally be the father that little boy deserves and help me find him.' She replies watching him take a deep breath. She slides the paper and pen across the table to him and watches as him shake his head before grabbing the pen and instantly beginning to write down names.
'I know you're hiding something from me.' He says glancing up at her as she remains silent. Minutes pass before he slides the paper back across the table to her, his fingers lingering on top of hers as she attempts to take the list. She slides the piece of paper out from under his hand.
'Go find our boy, Emily.' He says, desperation clear in his voice.
'He was never our boy, Ian.' She replies lifting the paper into her hand.
'You would've been a great mom, you know.' He says and she shakes her head, she swore she wouldn't let him get inside her head again. She glances down at the list of names ensuring he isn't just playing her before standing up and making her way over towards the door to the room. Her hand hesitates over the door handle as she glances back at him across her shoulder; his head rests in his hands as he leans on the table in front of him.
'14th of January 2004.' She says softly, almost inaudibly but the way his head snaps up to look at her lets her know he heard her.
'What?' He asks and she can see the confusion on his face at her statement. She wants to hurt him; she wants him to even half the pain she felt.
'That was the date I had the abortion. What you forced Chloe to do was torture Ian and you don't think she's spent years trying to work out how to get back at you? If anything, and I mean anything happened to Declan then that is on you.' She says watching the realisation hit him. She opens the door and swiftly exits the room ignoring the sound of him calling out her name as the door closes behind her.
'Emily-' JJ says as the brunette bites her bottom lip and shakes her head. The one part of her time undercover which was never and would never be in her file. Lauren Reynolds was gone and Ian was in prison by the time she discovered she was pregnant. She went in far too deep during her time undercover and as much as it broke her heart, she made what she knew was the right decision and put all her effort into ensuring that Declan had a good life.
'This is a list of Chloe's associates who have money. I just- I need a minute.' Emily replies and JJ nods her head.
'I'll give it to Garcia.' JJ says softly.