A/N: That Mia is a handful isn't she? LOL
Chapter 15: Runaway
Getting up, Jamie moves to answer the door. He swings it open and is surprised to see Mia standing on the other side – alone - with her backpack, another bag and Miss Minnie in her arms.
"Mia?" Jamie questions in surprise as he looks at the young girl then down the hall expecting to see Rosa but he doesn't "What are you doing here?"
"Hi Uncle Jamie." Mia greets as she walks past him into the apartment "Hi Aunt Eddie."
"Mia..." Eddie slowly returns wondering if she somehow forgot the young girl was coming over.
Jamie looks out into the hall again "Mia, where's your Mom?"
Mia shrugs, drops her bag and shrugs off her back pack "I dunno. Home I guess."
"You GUESS?!" Eddie states in alarm as she looks up at Jamie.
"Yup. I ran away." Mia announces "I've decided I'm going to live here now." She states as she looks to the kitchen table "Oh pretty candles! That smells good what we are having?" She asks as she walks over and slides into her old seat but only sees two place settings "There's no plate for me." She notes "That's okay. I'll get my own." She decides as she moves to get out of her chair.
"Whoa! Hang on!" Eddie admonishes as she reaches to stop the young girl from moving as Jamie immediately pulls out his cellphone and dials Rosa "What do you mean you ran away?" Eddie questions before turning to look at Jamie to see him gesture to his phone then step out into the hall and shut the door.
He runs his hand through his hair waiting "Come on, come on…" He urgently prompts "Pick up."
"Hello?" Rosa answers with a sigh.
"Rosa, it's Jamie." He immediately greets "Don't panic."
"Panic?" Rosa slowly replies "Why would I panic?"
Jamie takes a deep breath before tentatively inquiring "Where do you think Mia is right now?"
"In her room sulking." Rosa replies "I just grounded her."
Jamie squeezes his eyes shut and slightly cringes "Yeah. She's not there." He tells her.
"What do you mean she's not?" Rosa inquires in confusion.
"Go look for yourself." Jamie prompts "But I can tell you she's not there - because she just showed up on our doorstep."
"WHAT?!" Rosa breathes out in a panic as she races for her daughter's room and whips the door open to indeed see the room empty. "What? How? Oh god!"
"She's fine." Jamie promises as Rosa's eyes land on a note on Mia's bed addressed 'Mommy'
"But um, she's got her backpack, another bag and Miss Minnie." Jamie explains as Rosa grabs for the note and flips it open "She says she's moving in with us."
There on the note Rosa reads 'I moving in with Ant Eddie and Uncle Jamie' before squeezing her eyes shut as she feels a jumble of emotions run through her – regret, fear, panic, sadness but also anger "I'm on my way." She growls.
"Hang on." Jamie tries to calmly soothe "Before you rush over here, you want to walk me through what happened?" He prompts "So we can help sort this out?"
…..
"Mia." Eddie prompts as she looks pointedly at the young girl before here "Why did you run away?"
"Mommy was mean. I got mad. She grounded me. I ran away."
Eddie looks at Mia in shock. "Just like that? Mia! How did you get here?"
Mia shrugs "I took the subway."
Eddie's eyes go wide in a panic "By yourself?!"
Mia nods "Can I eat now?" She asks as she moves to get up again "I'm hungry."
"No." Eddie rejects as she again stops her from leaving the table wanting more of an explanation "No you may not."
Frustrated, Mia yanks herself free from Eddie and exits her seat in the opposite direction from Eddie. She makes a beeline for the punching bag still set up near the bookcase and punches it a few times hard.
Realizing there is much more going on here, Eddie changes course. She gets up and heads to the kitchen to get another plate and cutlery "Mia go wash your hands. I'll dish you out some food." She instructs.
"Thank you." Mia accepts as she moves to her bags and picks them up "I'll just put these in my room on the way." She announces before disappearing through the archway.
Eddie watches her leave then blows out a breath of air. She looks towards the apartment door when it opens and Jamie enters. He looks around.
"Where did she go?"
Eddie sighs as she moves back towards the table. "To put her things in her room." She tells her husband in exasperation "Then wash her hands so she can eat because she's hungry." She informs him in disbelief as she dishes some food out for the young girl "That is of course AFTER she took a few good jabs at the punching bag."
Jamie eyes his wife in thought "Really? That's one of the first things she did huh? Head for the bag?"
Eddie nods "Yup. You get a hold of Rosa?"
"Yeah." Jamie replies "She didn't even realize she was gone. Rosa grounded her when Mia got mad and threw a plate down breaking it."
Eddie looks at her husband in disbelief "What? She broke a plate? On purpose?"
Jamie nods "Looks like. I think she may still need to get her frustrations out in more productive ways." He adds as he points at the punching bag but looks pointedly at his wife.
Eddie sighs in understanding but before they can continue the conversation Mia walks back into the room.
"Okay dropped my bags off, hands washed and ready to eat!" The young girl happily sings as she once again slides into her seat at the table. "Are you coming?"
Jamie and Eddie again exchange a look and move to sit down at the table. Eddie slides Mia's plate in front of her.
"Oh this looks good!" Mia states before picking up her fork and taking a bite.
"Mia…" Jamie slowly begins.
Mia swallows then say "Yes Uncle Jamie?" like everything is perfectly fine before taking another bite.
"While we are happy you feel you can come here…" Jamie slowly continues.
"Which you can – anytime." Eddie quickly tacks on "But you understand that by taking the subway by yourself…" She repeats more for Jamie's benefit who just drops his mouth open slightly in wonderment at the revelation "… you put yourself in danger right?"
"Anything could have happened to you." Jamie adds as he looks at Mia unimpressed and worried.
Mia shakes her head no "Nope. I was aware of my surroundings. I was careful. I stayed with groups of people. Made it look like I belonged. Even stood next to an officer - his badge said Meyers. You know him?"
Eddie and Jamie exchange a look "No can't say we know him." Eddie replies.
Mia shrugs "He had 2-9 pins on his collar. Thought you might know him. I thought about asking him to bring me here but decided against it. I knew I could get here on my own and I was right."
Jamie looks at the young girl before him as she takes another forkful of food to eat and opens his mouth to speak but then just shuts it. As much as he wanted to be angry and frustrated with Mia for doing such a dangerous thing, he couldn't help but also be a bit proud that she at least thought about safety along the way "You know I had to call your Mom and let her know where you are right?" he finally states "Mia you can't just run away."
Mia slows her movements for a moment but then shrugs "I left her a note where I was going."
"Mia." Eddie slowly prompts in concern "You want to tell us what happened?"
"If you called Mommy I'm sure she told you." Mia tosses out.
"Well we want to hear what happened from your point of view." Jamie adds.
Mia eyes Jamie and Eddie.
"We can't help." Eddie gently prompts "Unless you tell us what happened."
"I want to take boxing lessons." Mia informs the couple "Mommy said no so that's why I want to live here now. Here I can box."
Jamie scrunches his face up and scratches his head as he looks at his wife across the table from him "Did your Mom say why she didn't want you taking lessons?" he cautiously inquires.
"Says it's too dangerous." Mia replies "But I like it. It helps me get my frustrations out."
"And what frustrations are you currently trying to get out?" Eddie slowly inquires.
Mia shrugs but doesn't say anything. She just takes another bite of food.
"Come on Mia." Jamie prompts "Talk to us."
Suddenly Mia pushes her plate away "I'm full. Thank you for supper. I'm going to go do my homework now." She adds before getting off her chair and walking away "I can box after I finish my homework right? Good." She adds without waiting for an answer.
Jamie and Eddie silently watch her disappear from view then turn to look at one another. Jamie pulls out his phone and dials a number.
"Well?" Rosa immediately answers.
"Yeah we need to talk." Jamie decides "But not here where Mia can walk in on us."
"I'll be there in another 10 minutes." Rosa states.
"You go." Eddie whispers to her husband "I'll stay here with her."
"Okay meet me at the diner on the corner." Jamie decides.
"Okay." Rosa accepts.
Jamie hangs up his phone and look at his wife then at the table and the food on it "It really does look great." He tells her.
Eddie can't help but let out a little exasperated chuckle "Yeah too bad you won't be eating any of it."
Jamie gets up and moves to kiss his wife's head "Just keep it warm, I'll eat it when I get back." He promises before heading out the door.
…..
"She took the subway." Jamie informs Rosa as they sit across from one another at a table in the cafe.
Rosa's eyes go wide with fear and panic.
"But she says she stayed in crowds and made herself look like she belonged…" Jamie explains "She even stood next to a police officer for a good chunk of the ride."
Rosa shakes her head in disbelief "And that's supposed to make me feel better?"
"She's got a good head on her shoulders." Jamie offers.
"You mean other then deciding it was a good idea to run off all by herself in New York City?" Rosa counters.
Jamie sighs "She says she ran away because she wants to box and you won't let her."
Rosa rolls her eyes "God not this again."
"I think I need to apologize to you." Jamie admits "Looks like this might be my fault."
"You're fault?" Rosa questions in confusion.
Jamie nods "When you were in your coma I introduced her to boxing as a way to let her frustrations out. I mean after she hit that kid in school…"
"I know." Rosa sighs "And while it would not have been my first choice, I understand why you did what you did but we are past that now. It's time to move on."
"But I don't think Mia is past it." Jamie counters "I think she still might need that outlet."
Rosa eyes Jamie "Why do you say that?"
"Mia's been though a lot this past year." Jamie points out "You both got kidnapped. Her Dad went to jail. You and her got into an accident. The bank robbery - then the entire ordeal with Munoz – almost getting kidnapped again and you going into a coma for three weeks – it would be a lot for any adult to deal with never mind a child."
Rosa sighs "I know."
"You know the first thing she did when she got to our apartment was hit the bag a few times." Jamie reveals.
Rosa hangs her head in defeat "So you think I should let her box."
"I think that might help yes…" Jamie admits "…but I think she might need more then that. I think you should consider letting her talk to a therapist."
Rosa slowly lifts her head to look at Jamie.
"We see and deal with all kinds of things on the street everyday as Police Officers." Jamie points out "I've been to a therapist. Eddie's been to a therapist. It does help and I think Mia could benefit from it. Talking to an impartial third person about everything that has happened to her could help her sort out and get a better handle of her emotions but you're her Mother." He insists "It's your decision. I'm just putting it out there."
Rosa sighs "Well you haven't been wrong yet."
"It's not about being right or wrong." Jamie deflects.
Rosa smiles at him "You're going to make a REALLY good Dad."
Jamie shakes his head "No I'm going to be WAY over protective and stifle them until they are 30."
"Hah!" Rosa laughs "You say that but you won't. Besides even if you do go a little over the top Eddie will reign you in."
"Oh that she will." Jamie laughs.
"Thank you." Rosa sincerely states.
Jamie nods "Can I make one other suggestion?" He hopefully prompts.
Rosa eyes him across the table "Okay…" She slowly agrees
"Just come upstairs and watch her hit the bag." Jamie prompts "She's actually really good at it. A quick learner."
Rosa makes an unpleasant face "Great…" she unhappily mumbles "But fine." She relents "Lead the way."
….
Jamie opens the door to his apartment, walks in and then waits for Rosa to enter behind him. The second she enters she stops short at seeing the romantic dinner for two set up however this time the candles are unlit "Oh god." She breathes out in despair "I'm so sorry we interrupted your evening with all this!"
Jamie dismissively waves her off "It's fine."
"No its not fine!" Rosa hisses in rejection.
"It's fine." Eddie agrees as she comes into view from the archway "Hi Rosa."
"Eddie." Rosa greets with a sigh.
"And how is our little runaway?" Jamie inquires "She hasn't snuck out the window again has she?"
"Oh is that how she escaped the first time?" Eddie inquires.
"Down the fire escape." Rosa reveals with a nod "Clearly I'm going to have to get an alarm for that window now…"
"Ah." Eddie accepts "Well I just left her in her room. She had a math problem she needed help with but I think I handled it…" Eddie replies before getting a hesitant look in her eyes "I think…. those trains are tricky business…" she mutters more to herself then anyone else before clearing her throat "So what's the plan now?" She inquires.
"You mean other then it taking me all my strength to not throttle her for running away?" Rosa sarcastically counters.
"Yes besides that." Eddie agrees.
"I agreed to let Jamie show me what she can do on the bag." Rosa states "I'm still not fond of the whole boxing thing but…"
"Well what if she just came here a couple times a week…" Eddie suggests "Or better yet Jamie could set the bag up in your apartment!"
"Um…" Rosa hesitates as Jamie gives his wife a weird look at her offering to just give his stuff away.
"What?" Eddie challenges at seeing his look "It's for a good cause."
Jamie rolls his eyes "You just want it out of OUR living room."
Eddie shrugs "That too."
"Let me just see what she can do first okay?" Rosa interrupts.
Jamie nods "MIA!" He calls "COULD YOU COME OUT HERE PLEASE."
The three adults wait.
"Oh good you're back." Mia states a couple seconds later as she comes into view with her homework "Because Aunt Eddie tried to help me with my math but…" but Mia's voice trails off the second she sees her Mom.
"Guess I didn't help." Eddie mumbles to herself in defeat.
"Mommy." Mia defiantly greets.
"Mia, come sit down." Jamie prompts.
Mia shakes her head "No. I need to finish my math then we can box. That's what we agreed to."
"We will finish your math and we WILL box." Jamie promises as he gestures to the couch "But first come sit please."
At hearing Jamie promise she could still box, Mia felt like she had no other choice but to sit like asked so she silently walks to the couch and tentatively sits down. She watches as Rosa moves to sit beside her while Eddie turns a kitchen chair towards the couch and Jamie moves to sit on the coffee table.
"Your Mom has agreed to let us show her what you can do on the boxing bag." Jamie begins.
Mia's eyes light up.
"BUT…" Jamie continues "Only after you apologize to her for running away. That was not acceptable Mia. You know you are welcome here anytime but you can't just roam the streets by yourself. You're not old enough for that."
"But..." Mia tries to protest
"Mia this is not negotiable." Jamie insists "Do you have any idea how panicked your Mom was when I told her you weren't in your room but here at our apartment?"
Mia turns to her Mother "But I left you a note so you'd know where I was…"
"Not the point Mia." Jamie rejects "What if you didn't make it here safe?"
"But I did!" Mia insists.
"Mia…" Eddie interjects "If you want to come over that's fine but you have to call us first okay? What if we hadn't have been home? Then what would have you done?"
"Oh." Mia realizes "I never thought of that."
"Mia we just want you to be safe so you have to promise all of us that you'll never do anything like that again okay?" Eddie insists "You call us and we talk first okay?"
Mia slowly and reluctantly nods in agreement "Okay." She accepts before looking over at her Mother "Sorry Mommy."
All this time Rosa silently sat there watching in curiosity. For the first time she was getting a glimpse of how Jamie and Eddie must have 'parented' her daughter when she was in her coma and she can't help but smile a little knowing they truly are going to make great parents themselves and how lucky she is to have them in her corner.
Jamie turns to look at Rosa "You satisfied with that?" he questions knowing as Mia's Mother, Rosa makes the final decision.
Rosa nods in approval.
"Alright." Jamie states as he stands "Now let's show your Mom what you can do."
"Okay!" Mia sings as she jumps up from the couch and goes to open a cupboard at the bottom of the bookcase shelving unit. There she pulls out a basket and her pair of kids boxing gloves and holds them out to Jamie.
Rosa watches in surprise as Jamie helps her put them on.
Eddie leans over to Rosa "I know how cute are those gloves right?"
"You bought her, her own gloves?" Rosa questions.
"Well we didn't want her to hurt her hands." Eddie reasons out.
"Okay." Jamie prompts as he moves behind the bag "Now remember your stance." He prompts.
Mia takes her position in front of the bag and focuses all her attention on it.
"One." Jamie instructs.
Mia jabs the bag with her left hand.
"Keep your chin down." Jamie instructs.
Mia adjusts her chin.
"Good." Jamie praises "One, two."
Mia throws a jab with her left and a cross with her right.
"Don't forget to pivot your rear foot." Jamie coaches.
"Right." Mia remembers as she makes the adjustment.
"One, three." Jamie instructs and as Jamie and Mia carry on and on Rosa sits there staring at her daughter in amazement.
Eddie moves to sit on the coffee table "She really is good." Eddie quietly tells her.
"She learnt all that in the four weeks she was here?" Rosa inquires in awe.
"Maybe more like two, two and a half weeks?" Eddie corrects "Time was a bit of blur back then." She laughs "But she's very focused when she gets in the zone. "
"I see that." Rosa admits before letting a little scoff of a laugh escape her lips "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Manny used to box."
Having heard her Mother's words, Mia suddenly breaks her focus, drops her hands and turns to look at her Mother in surprise "Daddy boxes?"
"USED TOO." Rosa emphasizes to her daughter "Before we got married."
"Must have been good." Jamie admits "And explains a lot because she's got a natural talent for this."
Rosa sighs in defeat at hearing Jamie's words "And you're really sure this is something you want to do?" Rosa asks her daughter.
Mia immediately nods her head "Yes."
"Well I can't train you with the 1,2 stuff like that if we move the bag to our apartment…" Rosa points out "…and you are way too young for actual bouts!" She firmly decides.
"I can train her here." Jamie offers.
"Oh yes please!" Mia giddily pleads with her Mother "Please. Please. Please."
"No more running away?" Rosa sternly warns.
"None!" Mia promises "Cross my heart!"
"Fine." Rosa relents.
"YES!" Mia cries in glee and she jumps up and down and hugs Jamie.
"So not getting rid of the bag." Eddie mumbles to herself.
Having heard her, Rosa looks over at Eddie and smiles "Better your apartment then mine!"
Eddie shoots her a mock scowl "Says you!"
"I do!" Rosa counters.
Eddie rolls her eyes then looks to see Mia and Jamie return to training at the bag "Come on." She states to Rosa as she starts to get up "You want to enjoy a romantic dinner with me because somebody is going to eat this food I cooked and its clearly not going to be either of them."
"I'm sorry." Rosa apologizes again as she gets up to follow.
"I'm not." Eddie counters "You're better company then those two anyway."
"HEY!" Jamie and Mia both protest.
"You're supposed to be in the zone!" Eddie sweetly reminds them.
"Focus Mia." Jamie prompts "You're Aunt Eddie is purposefully trying to distract us."
"Just doing my part!" Eddie counters from the table as she moves to pick up a bottle "Some nonalcoholic wine?" She graciously offers Rosa.
Rosa picks up a glass "I would love some, thank you!"
Nodding, Eddie pours wine into Rosa's glass and then her own. She picks up her glass and holds it towards Rosa where she thinks for a moment "To Runaways." She finally decides "May we never have to deal with that again."
"Amen!" Rosa agrees as they clink their glasses.
"I promise!" Mia calls.
"Focus." Jamie sternly instructs "One. Three. Keep your elbow at 90 degrees, don't foreshadow your punches."
"So how's pregnant life?" Rosa asks as she and Eddie settle in and start dishing food out.
"Oh maybe when they're training, I can grill you about pregnant life!" Eddie realizes "This arrangement might just work out nicely!"
…..
"Okay bye!" Eddie calls as she watches Rosa and Mia leave down the hall a moment before shutting the apartment door. She turns around and chuckles at Jamie standing in the kitchen dishing food out directly from the pots and eating it "Hungry?" She jokes.
"Thank you for keeping it warm." Jamie mumbles through the food.
Eddie giggles "Don't talk with your mouth full."
"It's really good." Jamie states "Amazing actually."
"You're pretty amazing yourself." Eddie states as she walks up to him "Spends all day taking a grueling exam, comes home exhausted and hungry but instead of relaxing and eating you focus all your remaining energy on dealing with a runaway and then giving her a boxing lesson to boot!"
"That girl is a handful and a half." Jamie mumbles "We are so screwed if ours is anything like her because if they are, I will be fully grey by the time they are five."
"Oh you're gonna look hot with grey hair." Eddie decides "I'll have my very own silver fox!"
Jamie huffs out a laugh and shakes his head "I can't believe she took the subway by herself." he states in awe before eating more food.
"Can you imagine the absolute panic we all would have felt if Rosa discovered she was gone BEFORE she got here?" Eddie inquires before looking at her husband in thought "Is it legal to chip children yet?"
Jamie laughs while trying not to spit out or choke on his food "Um no… although there is nothing stopping us from giving them something with a tracker in it…" he realizes.
Eddie eyes her husband "You think Rosa would be down with that?"
Jamie looks at his wife in disbelief "You really have to ask me that after today?"
"True." Eddie relents "Oh Jamie I just thought of the perfect gift! We could get her a tracker necklace like the one I had when I did my first undercover job eons ago."
Jamie repeatedly points at his wife waiting while he chews and swallows "That could work." He finally replies "Let's talk to Rosa about that."
Eddie then eyes her husband again "You would have sent out an APB for her wouldn't have you?"
"In a heartbeat." Jamie immediately replies "In. A. Heartbeat."
….
That night Jamie lay awake in bed staring up at the ceiling. He looks over at his wife next to him when she shifts slightly in her sleep to lay facing him and he smiles. At that moment in the low light breaking into their room from the city lights outside around them she looked so peaceful, angelic and glowing to him.
Shifting slightly again, Eddie's hand absently moves around her stomach above the covers and Jamie's eyes drift down to their baby growing there. Suddenly his smile fades and worry crinkles his forehead instead. His eyes drift up to stare at the ceiling once more.
...