A second chance

Chapter 3

                  Remy and the others had tried to reason Kristin that she have to leave the prison compound with Maggie, because a woman in this kind of situation is in danger... And she had just been there before, but the brunette wouldn't listen. She wanted more than anything the information about her friend's death. They had to use cunning to get there, but not only was the witness alive, and the real culprit arrested. Kristin had handcuffed him herself. She joined the team in a bar with her little Alexa. They celebrate their success before discussing a light subject, the little one eventually falling asleep on her mother's legs.

"You never told us about her before. We knew about Ingrid and Jack but not about her." Ray started.

"Hmmmm... because I didn't know... One day the hospital called me and said my daughter was in a bus crash. I thought it was Ingrid, so I went there right away. It was actually Alexa. I told the doctors that it was a mistake, that it wasn't my daughter. They retested DNA tests that came back positive. They... they'd assume I was pregnant when I was in Miami and.... And with what happened with that boat investigation... the trauma, I forgot... and that she's been living with her father so far. But he died at the time of the accident." 

"The boat?" repeated Ray lost.

The other two girls didn't say anything, they knew, having done research on Kristin when she arrived in the unit. It was Remy Scott who came to the rescue of his agent, explaining in outline what had happened, avoiding Kristin having to relive it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"I felt guilty about not remembering her, or who her father might be... I really have no memory... but it was obvious that I wasn't going to let the girl down."

" She looks like you, she's beautiful" Sheryll smiles.

" She's an angel, and very smart. I should take her back home, it's late. See you tomorrow."

 Kristin tucked her daughter in, spending a few minutes with her stroking her hair. But the federal agent was thoughtful, bringing up this subject with Ray brought back memories, and questions about his detention, but especially about Alexa. Even in the deplorable state she was in at the time, she would have known that she was pregnant. She would have suspected... Even though Kristin is drifting into alcohol and dark thoughts, a pregnancy doesn't go unnoticed, and childbirth...

Kristin couldn't sleep that night, something wasn't right. And then, Alexa had make strange remarks at times, remarks that made no sense. On the spot Kristin had put it on the stroke of her young age but to better think about it... " I didn't like it when you had to raise your arm and snap your feet and say hello or goodbye." " They were scared with their grey or black uniforms" "They spoke a strange language sometimes" "Daddy pretended to agree with them, but he was nice to you."

Kristin had asked her to describe her father, and although Alexa was picky, her mother had absolutely no recollection of him. Kristin was making breakfast when Alexa emerged into the dazzled kitchen with her doudou in her hand.

"Hello my angel"

"Hello Mommy"

"Did you sleep well?" asked Kristin, hugging her tenderly.

Alexa placed her head on her mother's shoulder, her little arms around her neck.

"A little bit because at some point the bad nightmare came."

"And what did he say?"

" He was putting you back in that prison and the prisoners were hurting you, and your team couldn't save you. And then the nightmare took you to another room, you had a gray prisoner's uniform, and the bad guys would put something in your mouth and stickers on your temples and then you'd hurt when one of the monsieurs was playing with the machine."

Kristin didn't understand, the beginning of the dream had a match but the rest... Yet Alexa told the story as if she had really experienced it. Kristin lulled her down, reassuring her that she was there, that she was fine and not going anywhere. 

" I love you my baby girl"

" I love you too mommy, I don't want to lose you." 

" You never gonna lose me, I promise. We should eat the breakfast if we don't want to be late you at school and me at work." 

"Auntie Isobel won't be happy" smile Alexa. 

" You're right, and the team will punish me by bring back coffee all week !"