Eutopia (Lloyd Hansen AU)

40

Four Months Later 

"Autumn...Autumn?"

"Huh? Oh sorry...mind got away with me" Her gaze she'd had fixed out of the window now went back to the therapist waiting on her, on the floor Margot was sat up on a playmat playing with her toys. 

Fitz had arranged for a therapist to come and see her every week since she'd left Eutopia. Currently she was in accommodation provided by the CIA. It was a nice house for sure, but it was not Eutopia. 

"I asked whether you were sleeping ok? Last week you said you were having trouble". 

She nodded. "I had good nights and bad nights..."

The nights were the worst. She would lie there alone, everything spinning around in her head. She no longer cried anymore, so that was an improvement, but the hours she'd lie there staring at the ceiling didn't help. 

"Do you need any sleeping aids?" 

"No" She replied quickly. "No, I'd rather not. I'm worried I wouldn't wake up if Margot cried". 

The therapist nodded and then shifted in her seat. "You're coping well Autumn, really you are - some agents who went through what you did? They're a little more messed up. But you're a strong woman". 

"As opposed to the brainwashed one they thought I was when I first got out of the project..." She half laughed to herself. "It's nice to know that someone thinks I'm sane". 

"You are, and Fitzroy knows that too. He just believes that these sessions will be beneficial to you, sane or not. It'll give you a chance to speak about anything and everything. Good or bad". 

"Does that include Lloyd?" 

She'd refused to talk about him from day one, not wanting her words to be twisted or taken out of context. It was still raw and would be for some time. All she could do was now focus on raising Margot.

"Would you like to talk about Lloyd?"  The therapist now looked interested. "He is Margot's father after all. What was he like with her?" 

Autumn smiled at the memory of him holding her for the very first time, talking to her in such a way that only she was privileged to see. "He loved her so much...he really wanted the best for her. To make up for what he never had when he was growing up". 

"And what about you? Your marriage. What was that like?" 

She immediately shut down. "I don't want to talk about it. Not yet". 

The therapist didn't push her. "That's fine. Baby steps, it's what these sessions are all about. I have some of the other women talk nonstop about the men they were married to, and others not so much. We all have different ways of coping". 

"I have to focus on Margot. I was scared they'd take her from me".

"Autumn, we may be part of the CIA, but we would never take your child from you. Despite the circumstances, she's thriving. You have a wonderful little girl, enjoy her". Closing her notepad, the therapist put it into her bag and stood up. "I'll see you next week, try to put to use those coping mechanisms we discussed earlier, you're doing great"

Seeing her out, Autumn closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief, heading back into the living room and settling down to play with Margot. 

**

That afternoon, the doorbell rang and looking through the peephole, Autumn saw Court standing there. They'd not seen or spoken to one another for a few weeks, so why he was here probably had something to do with Fitzroy. 

It usually was that. 

"Six?" She frowned, opening the door while he stood there.

"Sorry, Donald sent me over - he's arranged for a lawyer to come and see you this afternoon. Standard procedure, the other 'wives' are getting their affairs in order for their kids and stuff, so he wanted me to just oversee it" 

"I see, come in" She smiled lightly and stepped aside. 

Court walked in and looked around. "So...how's everything after..." 

"After Donald killed my husband who was embroiled in a fight with you? Oh yes. I'm doing peachy". The bitterness was there. Sure, she couldn't really blame Donald for his actions, but it still stung, and would do so for a long time. 

He nodded. "Autumn...it was the only way". 

"You could've easily arrested him, overpowered him. Instead, my child now has to grow up along with the others without a father". 

Six sighed. "I'm sorry about what happened. Believe me that if I could change things then I would". 

"And this is Donald's way of protecting my child's future? Getting my affairs together incase something happens to me?" In other words, if she was to be killed on the job. Not that she would return to her former role. Not now. 

"He told me that he'd said you'd have a place waiting for you if you chose to come back". 

"After the shit I've seen? I think a career change is probably best" She replied and offered him a drink, which he accepted. "Especially if I want to see my child grow up without the risk of getting involved in anything else like this". 

Court shrugged and sipped his drink. "Well I don't blame you for that, how is she?" He now asked, watching Margot as she played with some toys on her playmat. 

"Sitting up, trying to crawl. She's well on track so the paediatrician says". 

"Brains of her father or mother?" He now enquired. 

Autumn smiled lightly. "I'd like to think a bit of both, regardless of what you were told about Lloyd". 

"Hey, I met the guy. I know exactly what he was like". 

"Yeah...me more than most". She said to herself. "So, is this guy Donald's got coming to see me any good?" 

Court nodded. "Sure is, works in a DA'S office in Colorado, but he's agreed to come sort this out. He knows his stuff, he's sorted things out for me before, so I thought I'd suggest to Fitz about him sorting this shit out - to be honest he's the only one actually capable of doing so". 

"What's his name?" 

"Andy Barber". 

The doorbell went again, and Court put his glass down. "That'll be him now, I'll go see him in". 

"I'd best make some coffee then". She said, disappearing into the kitchen. 

She heard the two men talking in the hallway and then make their way into the living room. Autumn now coming out to introduce herself. "You must be Andy, I'm..." She stopped, now seeing the well-suited man stood there next to Court. His pair perfectly styled, a neatly trimmed beard, and now Autumn's face fell. 

Court slowly nodded to her with the silent confirmation that she needed, and suddenly, things began to fall into place and make sense.

Andy stood there, hands in his trouser pockets, and smiled warmly at her before he finally spoke. 

"Hey Autumn leaf...you miss me?" 

The End