Author's Note: No I haven't forgotten this story :) And yes I am still very pissed about the murder of Joss Carter by the creators of POI. No I will not watch until Carter returns. Now on with this story, this is just a small bit, filler that needed to be told, hope it flows well. I hope you enjoy. :)

She walked about the room staring at the different pictures and decorative items as if they were all something new to her, and as if she hadn't handpicked most of it herself.

"I know Taylor's living with his dad now, so how is it so…clean?"

"I stayed here…most nights." Reese confessed as Carter turned to stare at him with stunned eyes. "I hope you don't mind…it…" Reese Paused, took a breath, and recollected himself. "I just felt closer to you here."

"Oh John," Carter sighed out as she moved to him and wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. Reese welcomed her touch and closeness, as he too wrapped his arms securely around her, buried his face in the top of her head, and closed his eyes as he breathed in her scent. He still had a hard time believing that she was really there, and he kept her in eye shot at all times. "I am so sorry, I didn't want what happened to change you, to harden you, or take you back down that path, back to when we first met." She nuzzled her face against his chest a bit. "I wanted to tell you that before that toxin kicked in and paralyzed me."

"You did," He confessed and she pulled back to stare you at him in surprise. "Those were the last words you tried to get out." Carter smiled a bit at that knowledge.

"It didn't work, you killed Simmons and I hear you went after Quinn too, but Finch was able to talk you down." Reese shook his head at her words.

"No,"

"No?" Carter repeated with an arched brow and disbelieving look on her face.

"No, I didn't kill Simmons, and no Finch didn't talk me out of killing Quinn," He stated with a smirk. "I never found Simmons…alive at least, someone got to him first. I think Elias and his henchman liked you a bit more than they let on." Carter's eyes widened at the realization that it had been Elias and not Reese who had taken out Simmons. "As far as Quinn, I found him in protective custody and went to him to find out Simmons whereabouts and I planned to kill him whether he told me or not."

"What stopped you?" Carter asked suddenly very curious but still relieved that Reese hadn't actually killed her two greatest enemies.

"My gun jammed." He said with a slight chuckle as Carter smiled at him warmly and reached up and cupped his face.

"Well at least no lives were lost in your quest to avenge my 'faked' death." She spoke around a broader smile as she then turned and moved closer to the mantle which displayed the most pictures of Taylor as a child. Reese's mind briefly flashed to the one thug he left to burn up in the backseat of the car he had plowed off the road. He figured that was something Carter never needed to know about. "School's almost out," Carter spoke again as she nervously clutched her hands together.

"Would you like me to pick Taylor up from school and bring him here?" Reese offered.

"You think that would be better?" She questioned though the way she had mumbled the words and pulled at her lips as she stared off at nothing, Reese knew she wasn't expecting him to reply. "I guess that is better than me just showing up…but there's Taylor's father he'd be concerned if Taylor's not there when he goes to pick him up?"

"No, Taylor actually introduced us a while ago, not to long after I saved him from Elias," Reese stated and the shock was evident on Carter's face. "More recently Paul and I have made a system where I get Taylor some days. Spending time with him has been…he's really the only reason I'm still here Joss. I promised you I'd look after him."

"Thank you John," She said as tears once again filled her eyes. It warmed her heart to know that this man before her, a man once upon a time she only thought of as some merciless killing vigilante, had her and her son's back and their best interest at heart. "I'm indebted to you forever for saving my boy and always looking out for him." Reese smiled at her briefly before he stepped closer and pulled her into a deep kiss, which spoke volumes to her. She knew that he wouldn't always say 'the words' because it just wasn't in his nature, nor was it really in hers, but he'd always reassure her with his actions and his kisses. When he finally released her lips, she felt herself swoon a bit before she fully recovered her bearings.

"I'll go pick up Taylor, please be here when I get back." Reese said as he cast pleading eyes upon her. Carter wished there was something more that she could do for him that would relieve his fears that she would disappear into thin air.

"I'm not going anywhere John, sorry but you're stuck with me," She said with a charming smile which Reese matched with one of his own. He then gave her a curt nod and then turned and headed out.

"I passed that math test by the way, thanks for your help with that." Taylor spoke out as he and Reese walked along the sidewalk. They had walked several blocks and chatted comfortably about Taylor's school work and sports events as they walked along. "John, why are we at my old house?" Taylor finally questioned as he finally notice that they stood in front of the home he had shared with his mother, the only place he had ever truly called 'home'.

"There is something here that you need to see," Reese cryptically replied as he led the way up the walkway that led up to the two story brownstone. Once Reese realized that Taylor had stopped just at the curb he turned back to face the boy.

"I can't go in there," Taylor spoke in a softer tone and Reese could see the tears already wetting the young man's eyes. "It's all still there…all moms' things…our things, just the way she left it." Taylor shook his head as he bowed it a bit. "My dad tried to get me to come and clear everything out so he could sell it, but I told him mom left the house and everything in it to me and I don't want to sell it. But I can't go in there either it's too painful. I miss her so much John." This time Taylor tears did fall from his pitiful eyes as he looked up at that older man who suddenly stood before him, and then pulled him into an embrace. Reese stood there for a moment just holding Taylor, letting have his grief a moment, before he spoke again.

"I promise you Taylor if you go in there with me this day, you won't find pain inside, only joy…I promise." Reese spoke gently as he still held Taylor close to him. "You trust me right?" He asked and he could feel Taylor pulling away from his hug and so he released him.

"Yeah, mom said that I could, that you'd always have my back and look out for me." Taylor stated with a nod and his words brought a smile to Reese's face.

"Then trust me when I say that once you cross that threshold, these past few weeks, all of it will just be some nightmare." Taylor bunched his brow and his face held a scowl at Reese's words, but he still followed the older man to the door.

Reese turned back to cast an encouraging smile at Taylor before he opened the front door. Reese then stepped back to allow Taylor entrance. After a couple of deep breaths Taylor moved to the doorway and stepped over the threshold. It was then that he noticed the woman standing just by the staircase.

"M…mom?" Taylor gasped out. "MOM!" He yelped as he rushed to her opened arms. The two crumbled to the ground, Carter due to the weight of her son and Taylor due to his legs giving out on him. So they sat on the floor just holding, hugging, and kissing one another. Reese decided that they needed a moment and so he silently moved past them and made his way to the kitchen.

Awhile later

"Wait so you were never really shot?" Taylor questioned as he, his mother, and Reese all huddled up in the kitchen, each sipping on the very hot beverages Reese had made while he waited for mother and child to finish their reunion.

"Oh I was shot and it stung like hell, but I had on a special vest." Carter explained.

"So that's why they wouldn't let me see you, why there was no open casket, you weren't even in the casket, were you?" Taylor spoke around a slight smile.

"No," Carter confirmed. "I am so sorry baby that I had to put you through that. You know I only did it to protect you right?" She asked with pleading eyes and hoped in her heart that he wouldn't hate her.

"I know mom," Taylor said as he nodded his head. "And I'm not mad…how could I be mad, you're alive and you're here."

"Yeah and I'm not going anywhere." Carter added as she grasped his hand in hers and then moved her eyes from her son over to where John stood leaning against the counter, sipping at the coffee he had fixed himself.

"Does dad know?" Taylor questioned further.

"Not yet, he's next on the list." Carter replied as she took a sip from her hot cocoa.

"He's gonna be real happy. You know before all this happened he was planning on asking you out," Taylor said with a teasing smile, and the smile that had been on Carter's face faltered. She briefly cut her eyes to Reese, who stared back at her with an icy gleam from over the rim of his cup, which was pressed against his lips. "He said the only reason your marriage fell apart was because he returned from the war with PTSD, and he wasn't willing to face up to it and deal with it. So you kicked him to the curb until he got his act together."

"Yeah," She nodded at the true statement. "That's true but…"

"Don't worry mom I already told dad that you and John were seeing each other." Taylor threw out with a smirk which turned into a full on smile and a chuckle at the look his mother was giving him, her large eyes had doubled in size. "Well you are, right?" He looked from her to Reese and then back down at his cup of cocoa when neither replied. Reese had been waiting for Carter to speak and she had been waiting for him. "Well if you're not you both wanna be, so I say get on with it already." He added and Carter threw him an 'excuse me' look. "Mom, I'm not a little kid anymore and I can tell when a girl likes a guy and a guy likes a girl, and you two definitely like one another. I guess I just want you both to know that I don't mind."

"Boy I do not need your permission to date." Carter stated as she roll her neck at him a bit and rolled her eyes, all with a smile placed on her lips.

"No but you do want me to like and feel comfortable around any guy you do happen to date, I'm just saying I'm cool with John. I know he's got 'our' best interest at heart and with everything that's happened…" Taylor paused and his face held a frown as he thought on his mother's 'funeral'. "I'm just glad that you've got him to watch your back. I know he won't let anything happen to you." He spoke those words as he looked directly at Reese, who had returned his gaze.

"Never again," Reese spoke out with conviction and Carter also locked her eyes onto him.

"I don't need anybody to look out for me," She said as she looked determinedly at John and then back to her son. "But it's comforting to know that I'm not alone." She threw in with a smile and a wink at Reese. He couldn't stop the smile that played on his own lips so he tried to hide it by taking another sip of his coffee.