reviews, like chocolate, are loved lol. On with part two.

The rain had once again come, he was certain simply for his homecoming, and he sighed softly as he turned the key in the lock and opened the door quietly. The hour was late and there was no doubt that Morgan and most likely Giselle too would be long asleep leaving him with a silent home that he was far from used to. He'd missed them so much in the two weeks he had been gone and he'd sworn to himself on the flight home there would be no more acceptances of any cases that required such distance between him and his family. His mind raced and as he shivered he decided he wanted nothing more to curl up with his beautiful Giselle and finally have some true warmth for the first time in a fortnight.

Silence is overrated

Entering further into the apartment he was certain he could hear the sound of the TV, his interest peeked as he tried to recall a moment when Giselle had left the TV on at night in the few months she had been with them. Tiptoeing across the hallway as to ensure not to wake Morgan he pushed the door to their room open and noticed her lain on the bed, her eyes fixed on the TV and it seemed almost as if she has been crying. He hated to see her upset, he had long since settled on that, and his heart broke slightly at the sight of her looking so sad again. He wondered what had transpired that had left her looking so upset, why she seemed so unlike his Giselle, and he sighed heavily as he settled on to the bed and rested his arm over her. The sudden motion shocked her slightly, his presence suddenly apparent to her, but she remained still and did nothing more than lean further back into him as the TV continued to blare a little.

"Giselle, what's wrong?"

"It’s nothing, nothing at all." She whispered, almost not even believing her own words, and she was well aware Robert would not let it rest until he knew the truth. It was a habit of his Morgan had always insisted, his lawyer side kicking in and wanting to always know what was going on, and she could not lie to him of all people she knew that much. "You never told me that people could still be lonely. In a city so full of people, how can anyone ever truly be alone? And why does it have to be Morgan? It's just not fair for her to be so, so alone."

“What do you mean? She has us.”

“No, no I mean at school. She just seems more alone than I think anyone that age should be. I watched her this morning, and she was just standing there on her own. I’d never seen her like that before…you never said that such loneliness extended to children.”

“I know that she’s lonely at school, but I can’t change that Giselle. There are some things in this world I can’t change. I can’t make them play with her.”

“Have you ever tried? Has she ever had friends over?”

“No. No she’s never had friends over.” He stopped speaking suddenly, peaking Giselle’s interest as she turned on her side to face him and caressed his cheek, her attention rapt on him as she waited for the words that would make it all seem alright again. “I never had the time. There’s never been anyone who could be there for her to have friends over. I feel guilty about it sometimes, like I should do more.”

“Well I’m here now, and I would be delighted if you would let me invite some children for her to play with over to our house. If that’s ok? Do people do that in New York?”

“Yes, yes they do that. I just never thought of it.”

“I know you want her to be strong, to be able to erm…’face the world for what it is’, but I think maybe that’s why you’re here too. You can be strong for her until she can.” She said softly, her eyes gentle and yet almost seeming fearful as if she’d once more said the wrong thing, and she smiled at him as he laced his fingers with hers. “Have I said something wrong again? You’re looking at me like…well I don’t know how you’re looking at me. I don’t really understand that look but I feel like I’ve said something wrong.”

“No, no you said just the right thing Giselle. It’s just she has more than just me now, she has you as well.”

“Yes she does have me,” She said softly, so proud of the fact she was such an important part in Morgan’s life, and she knew there was nothing more she could want from life than what she already had. “I’m glad that I could help. And I’m very glad that you’re back, we both missed you terribly while you were gone.”

“I missed you too; it was very boring and far too quiet on that trip. But I’m home now so that’s a good thing.”

“It most certainly is. And you’re wet, so I’m assuming that it’s raining again. It was so lovely this morning as well, such a shame how the weather changes so quickly.”

“Yeah, it is. So how did you two get along without me?” He asked, wanting to know all that he missed in his absence, and he knew Giselle would tell it all in such detail he longed for her to begin.

“Well we had lots of fun, and I really enjoyed walking with Morgan to school. She was a little disappointed today, something about a talk for parents.”

“Oh that was today? I completely forgot. Was she alright?”

“She was fine, a little upset, but fine. She said it would have been nice if I could have done it but I had to decline. I still find some things so complicated, especially about my store, and I didn’t want her teacher to think any less of me. First impressions are such important things, and I know I can be a little strange sometimes, that I really think I’m not ready for that yet.”

“Hey I’ve met some of the other kid’s parents, trust me you’re no stranger than any of them.”

“You promise?” She asked sincerely, wanting nothing more to be like everyone else she’d seen and met in the months since she had been in New York, and she smiled softly at him as he nodded his head.

“I swear. New York is a very unique place, just like you, and I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

She’d quickly discovered that he always knew the right thing to say, the words to assure her that for as lost or as scared as she sometimes felt in a world she was so new to she wasn’t so different from anyone else, and that more than anything he loved everything about her. He’d said so many times that he wouldn’t want her to change, never wanted the magic and the mystery about her to end, and she smiled at the memory of him saying such sweet words to her. There were many sides to Robert, some she had only began to notice in the time she had started living with him and Morgan, and she loved all the little things about him. He had once been jaded, so terrified of opening his heart, but somehow she was certain that was the one side of him that had slowly started to dissipate since they had been together.

“Thank you. I wouldn’t want you any other way either, even if you don’t quite believe in dreams coming true. Although you must admit we are pretty close now, if not there already.”

Yawning widely she sighed as he kicked off his shoes roughly and let them drop to the floor, his attention more on her than anywhere else, and she snuggled into him as he let go of her hand and wrapped both arms around her. She liked the night times, the quiet that came with it, and the feeling of being so close to someone she loved so much. There was so much she had yet to understand but she understood how she felt about him and that was one thing there was no uncertainty about.

“Goodnight Robert, sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight Giselle.” He drawled lazily, his eyes struggling to remain open, and he pressed a gentle kiss on the top of her head before allowing himself to succumb to sleep.