For Fiona

33. Seeing Double

Lucy gave Fiona an extra peck goodnight when she tucked her in, and when she stepped into the doorway, she pulled Tim close and kissed him gently once and then a second time before turning off the bedroom light in their daughter's room and getting ready for bed.

Tim expected what was going to happen once Lucy crawled onto the mattress and burrowed herself into his side; she broke down crying, staining his t shirt with her tears just like she had every single night for a week. All he could do was wind his arms around her and comfortingly rub her back. "We're not gonna lose her," he whispered into her hair.

"You can't know that," Lucy replied, sniffling.

"We haven't heard anything about this bigger investigation into us for an entire week. Maybe Rachel was lying, or maybe she's got our back and there won't be one."

"She said at our girl's birthday party that Social Services was going to put us under a bigger microscope. Rachel wouldn't have said that if she didn't mean it."

"Maybe that box you gave her changed her mind?" He offered weakly, not exactly believing that to be the case, but he hoped.

Lucy picked her head up to look at him with a furrowed brow. "You and I both know that box isn't going to change anything."

"I don't know. It's nice." He smirked and teased her, "What did you say Tamara called it? Your secret love box?"

She giggled as she blushed. "Don't make me laugh! I'm worried about Fiona."

He pushed her hair out of her face and gingerly tucked a few strands behind her ear. "Fiona is ours. We're going to go to a courthouse some day, and we'll sign a piece of paper that says 'Fiona Chen', and we'll come home and laugh about all of this dumb social worker drama, because none of that matters."

"I don't think her last name should be Chen anymore."

"We agreed while we were planning the wedding that was going to be her last name."

"But we weren't actually together then. Maybe it should be Bradford."

"I love my Chen women, so I like Fiona Chen." He caressed her lips. "Actually, I don't care what her last name is. I'll love her just the same."

"Me, too."

He saw her eyes well up again and cooed softly, "Hey, Luce, hey, our daughter isn't going anywhere. Not even for college. I think she should live at home. I don't want her bringing boys back to a dorm."

"You're being such a dad." She gave him a watery smile.

"I am her dad, and you're her mom, and that's not changing." He wiped at her face. "We'll get through this as a family."

She nuzzled his neck and settled against him again, but instead of crying, she was grinning. "We're a pretty great family."

He smiled humbly, appreciative that he had an exceptional family that he shared with her. "We are."

"I love you," she murmured into his skin and pressed a kiss there.

"I love you, too," he replied. Tim could never take for granted falling asleep with the woman he loves most in his arms regardless of how many nights in a row she molded herself into his side. He thought of her and how he had been doing his best to lift her spirits when she kept crying every night about Fiona, and that was what prompted him to confront Rachel when she stopped by the station the next morning. "Hey," he called after her. "My office," he said firmly and began taking the stairs knowing she would follow.

Rachel crossed her arms once she stepped foot in his office, hating that she felt like she was being summoned. "If this is about the investigation-"

Though Tim was casually leaning against the front of his desk, his jaw was tight when he cut her off, "For some reason, my kid can't wait to drive. She won't be able to for like eleven years, but she can't wait, and I'm gonna teach her. I'm looking forward to it, actually. And some day, she's going to get her heart broken by someone who never deserved her in the first place, and Lucy is going to be there to pick up the pieces like she's done for me a million times. And even though it's going to suck to see my daughter upset, I'll be glad to know she has Lucy to help her through it."