Finding innocence (Completed)

Chapter 22

"Morning" Jocelyn said when she opened her eyes and saw him out of bed and getting dressed.

He turned around as he buckled his belt. His jeans showed him, it made Jocelyn sit up and bite her bottom lip a little bit. He chuckled as he crawled to her from the end of the bed. 

When he was close enough she grasped his hair, pulled him closer to her as she kissed him softly. He smelled of Irish mint vanilla, his hair was damp from the night before. Jocelyn hardly noticed that it was raining, she even failed to think about it when she looked out the window and she had no idea how that was possible.

"I woke up this morning and both my arms were asleep" he said with a teasing smile.

She paused to look at him "sorry, if it makes you feel any better, I can't feel my legs" she winked.

"Ooh Jocelyn Green you are teasing me, I haven't shown you yet about what happens when you tease the beast" he said which made her laugh.

"Fuck with the bull you get the back track".

"What?"

She shook her head "nothing, I'm a dork" she replied.

"Yes but a very cute dork" he laughed and she stuck her tongue out at him but before she could pull it back in, his mouth was on hers.

"I'm your cute dork" she heard him chuckle under his breath.

"Never said you weren't" he helped her out of bed.

Jocelyn started with a daily routine of feeding Tulip in the morning, getting ready for the day, then playing wither her little girl.

"Any news from the brothers?" She asked.

Francis turned to face her, then shook his head. "Even if I had heard it, I don't believe a damn word they say, but I'm still taking it into consideration of killing them and become the three brothers myself" he said. 

"That'll get you nowhere, you know that" Jocelyn gave him the death stare and he retreated to looking on the bookshelves in the bedroom. Michael and his girlfriend sat on the couch still asleep, Jocelyn couldn't believe she was living with Francis's brother. It seemed kinda awkward at first but the last few days hadn't been entirely horrible. 

The night they had arrived Adriana had gotten Tulip out of the car, but Jocelyn didn't remember much else since she was exhausted and her eyes forced themselves shut after her silent crying.

Francis came down the stairs looking like he was leaving, he went for the door but Jocelyn grabbed his arm which made him jerk to the side "where are you going?" she asked.

"I've been gone long enough, I'm going back to help Crawford and the others" he replied.

"The hell you are" she repeated to him from a few nights before.

"Like you said Jocelyn, they need all the help they can get".

"I won't let you, don't think I won't stop you either. I don't understand why you're acting this way. You get so defensive about everything and it's kind of pissing me off!" she exclaimed and let go of his arm when he jerked to force her to let go.

"Both my girls are safe and that's all I'm worried about right now, not even death scares me" he said softly as he pushed her against the wall next to the main door.

"So you're not worried about ever seeing me again? You know what'll happen if I lose you Francis. You know that I'll most likely kill myself and leave Tulip with Michael if I-" Francis cut her off with a kiss, a soft but eager to make her stop talking.

"You won't lose me" he said.

"Bullshit! If you go to battle now then I'd be on your mind and distracting you".

"Never had that problem before, I'll never stop thinking about you. About your beautiful hair, your soft cheeks" he stroked one "you baby blue eyes. I'll never stop thinking about the permanent bond, your stomach" he moved his other hand down which started at the bottom of her breast and slid it down on her bare stomach. His touch made her gasp. "You don't get it do you? Everything that's happened is because I love you, because we love each other. I'd kill for you, I'd murder the entire race of humans for you if that was what you desired. Think of me as a soldier going to Iraq, then think of me coming home. I'll be gone for a while, but when I get back, when we're together again-" he took out a black box.

Jocelyn's eyes went wide as he opened it and slid the ring on her finger "when we're together again, I'm going to marry you, I'm going to dedicate my life to you, would you do the same?" 

"Of course I would-!"

"Then we've got nothing to worry about. I love you Jocelyn Green, I love our beautiful daughter and trust me when I tell you that I promise I will come home to you both and live the life ahead of us" he wiped tears on her face and she hadn't noticed that she was crying.

She felt speechless "I-I love you too Francis" she replied. He took her hand and led her out the door, closing it silently behind her. He opened the driver's door to the car he drove them here.

He held her close as he kissed her like he never has before. He looked deeply into her eyes "I love you" he whispered.

She gave him a depressing smile "I love you too" she whispered back. He got into the car, turned it over and drove away, further and further away from her as she watched him disappear into the darkness of the streets. She knew now that'd come back, he had to.