Eutopia (Lloyd Hansen AU)

32

Autumn was in a panic when she'd gone into the nursery to find the cot empty, hurrying down the hall to Lloyd's office and bursting in. 

"Lloyd! Margot's..." She stopped, seeing him with his feet propped up on his desk, sucking on a lollipop whilst Margot was laying back against him in his lap snoozing away. "With you..."the relief hit her. 

"Can you please just fucking kill him so I can enjoy my life a little better?" Lloyd said into his earpiece before looking to Autumn. "She wouldn't stop crying, so I brought her in here with me, thought I could show her the family business". He now looked down at his lap. "It doesn't interest her in the slightest". 

Autumn rolled her eyes. "I'm not surprised. Do you want me to take her?" 

"One second Auty...for god's sake just put a bullet in his brain and leave him!" His voice began to rise, impatient with whatever team were undergoing a mission. "Geez, I would've had this shit over with at least ten minutes ago!" He then turned back to her. "May need to take her snickerdoodle, Daddy's gonna be shouting more naughty words". 

Carefully taking Margot, she headed for the door. "Do I need to bring you a new bottle of whiskey?" She asked, noting the empty one along with the glass beside him. 

"Make it two. It looks set to be a long fucking night". 

"Let me put her to bed and I'll be with you, ok?" 

Tucking Margot in, Autumn made for the bar downstairs to retrieve the whiskey and the small pill container that held Lloyd's Vicodin. He was bound to have a migraine come on from this mission that he was watching, and she wasn't taking any chances of an angered outburst. She had dealt with them enough lately. All because there was one Sierra agent on his list who was slipping through the net. 

Autumn had known exactly who he was talking about before he'd even told her. 

Six. 

Taking the pills and whiskey to him, he popped a couple into his mouth and washed them down with the drink. "You know me well Auty". He stated, patting his lap for her to sit. "We're slowly making our way through them one by one, breaking down the CIA piece by piece", now brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. 

"Is this agent you're tracking now dead?" She asked, glancing to the monitor but not really wanting to for fear of recognising who it was. 

There were the sounds of shots. 

"Now he is". Lloyd confirmed, eyes on the screen before they travelled back up to meet his wife's own. "You're a good girl Auty, I don't think I tell you that enough". 

"You do". She ran the back of her hand down his cheek. "Why don't you come to bed? You have your agent to strike from that list of yours, don't give yourself any more of a headache than you need". 

He took her hand and kissed the top of it. "You go, I'll see you in there soon". 

"Ok". 

There was no arguing with him, and she knew that.  

Sliding off his lap, she went to get ready for bed, coming out and then seeing Lloyd on the baby monitor kissing Margot goodnight and talking softly to her. These were rare moments where she could catch his gentle side coming out, although it was when no one could see. 

It was all for his little princess. 

"You're gonna be a knockout, you know that?" He told her. It was quiet, but loud enough for Autumn to make out. "You are my biggest success when it comes down to all this...this project? We'll have no worries about you being in danger, because anyone who tries to take it down? Take you away from me? They're gonna wish they were never born". 

Autumn smiled lightly. When he tried, he could be a good father. Whereas at first, she would've thought he'd take no notice of Margot, that he would become angered at the interruptions of a screaming baby, that the novelty of have a child would wear off within time, he'd surprised her. He did care. Ok he was usually busy or away with his team, but he would always make time for their daughter when he came home. 

Pulling the door ajar, he left the nursery and made for the bedroom, his wife already in bed and waiting for him. 

He got undressed, pulling on some pyjama pants and getting in beside her. Autumn now shifted closer to him and rested her head on his chest. "She really is your whole world, isn't she?" She now said through the darkness. 

Lloyd was silent for a moment. "I had a pathetic excuse for a father growing up. I wanna be sure that my girl gets everything she wants and more, because I never had it, even when I was told I did". There was some bitterness to his tone. "Anyway, get some sleep, I've got an early start". 

Autumn said no more, instead just lying in his arms and savouring a moment of calm between them. 

What was scaring her more was just how normal it now felt.