“Sounds good,” she said quietly.
There was her decision. She needed family.
So she’d get it.
“Right,” Silas muttered, taking all that was Faye in carefully as Sondra silently did the same then Silas looked up to Chace. “Liza and Boyd have hit the road. So should we. Meet you there.”
Chace nodded, got a clap on his arm from Silas, a smile from Sondra after she kissed her daughter’s cheek. They followed them to the elevator and walked out to the parking lot together.
Sondra and Silas separated from them to head to the Wrangler and they both did this on waves.
Chace jerked up his chin as Faye waved back and he walked with her to the passenger side of his Yukon.
“Beep, honey,” she muttered, her eyes on the door but Chace used his hand in hers, his other hand going to her waist to assist and he turned her, back to the truck and moved in.
Her surprised eyes lifted to his.
“Assure me you’re all right,” he demanded.
“I –”
“He’s f**ked up, Faye, and that was intense. But he’s nine. He’s got you, he’s got me, your parents, your family, a doctor who I’ve been told is highly skilled and gives a shit and nurses who handle him with care. Once he’s outta there, he’s got everything when he had nothing. He’s young enough that no matter what f**ked up shit he’s endured, he can be guided out of that into trusting something good. It’s new. He freaked. He’s latched onto you. But that will subside, darlin’. We’ll work it and he’ll be okay.”
“Chace, I’m fine. Just hungry.”
He blinked at her words and calm tone after her hand nearly crushed the bones in his then he studied her face in parking lot lights.
After he did this awhile, he told her, “You cannot keep shit buried. We got a long row to hoe with this. You give him strength, you unload on me the shit that causes in you so you can give it to him. Starting now. Deal?”
She leaned into him, got up on her toes and whispered, “Chace. I’m fine.”
“Baby –”
“Except I need a burrito. Stat.”
Chace stared at her.
She lifted her hand and curled it around the side of his neck.
“Two days ago,” she said softly, “not knowing where he was and the state of him, I was not fine. Now, he’s messed up but he’s safe and I know where he is so, I promise, honey, I’m… fine.”
She held his gaze as he tried to read hers.
Then she stopped giving him time and stated, “Feed me. If you don’t, all the way to Rosalinda’s, I’m explaining the entirety of the history of Angel, the vampire with a soul given to him by gypsies as punishment for him killing one of their own. This history will range from Buffy, The Vampire Slayer through to Angel, his own TV show. I’ll also add my opinions on why they should never have cancelled Angel. I’ll tell you now, this is multi-part and doesn’t all have to do with the fact that David Boreanaz is hot. And, if you delay, I might even have time to get into why I think Joss Whedon should be recommended for sainthood.”
She had her moment.
Now she was fine.
So Chace dug into his jeans, pulled out his keys and beeped the locks.
Faye grinned.
Chace bent his head and touched his mouth to hers.
They heard a short honk of a car horn and they both turned their heads to see Sondra and Silas in the Wrangler driving past, Sondra giving them a wave.
Faye waved back as Chace reached around her to open her door.