"It's okay..." he scooped the little girl in his arms. "You're safe now."

For James Vasquez, it was a terrifying first case as a lead detective. The children were petrified, frightened. Starved for days and molested for God knows how many times by pedophiles. The innocent smell of their young skin has been tainted with the foul odor of sweat from the old people that disguise themselves as humble and legal workers in the day but are monsters when it gets dark. If it weren't for Scout-- his Labrador retriever-- they wouldn't have found that other dark room where one particular girl was placed in and almost assaulted.

Drea. That little girl would always leave a mark in his heart, especially that she's one of the few lives he's saved in the span of his life. 

When he went to her side after shooting those whose hands are trying to get under her clothes, he noticed one certain thing that has bound him asking forever.

The pendant that she kept holding onto...

...could it be?

----------

"There we go," Jared smiled when he successfully finished putting the last piece of egg inside the tray of Drea's double door refrigerator. Meanwhile, she's polishing the space where she put Jimmy's mini house and bedding. 

Last night, they spent the time chatting about the life of Jared's father and even his mother. They've discussed every single chapter of their life as a married couple and Drea could only stare in awe as Jared gives all his feelings away through saying that he has dreamed of the same love his parents had. They were flawed but that made them even perfect. He said that that was the kind of life he envisioned with Michaela. Spending the rest of his days with the woman he loves the most. But now, he could only dream of that.

Drea would be the best person to tell all of that to. She feels the same. She wants the same love that her adoptive parents share, and she can only see one person to do all of that with. Unfortunately for her, she's now getting married to a person she barely knows. While she wants an other half, an equal to tie the knot with, what will happen will be more like being the shadow of that person. 

But as she said, she can turn the marriage down anytime. Just until she finds herself a four-leaf clover.

Yesterday night, sleeping in her own house was unsuccessful. Jared didn't let her get anywhere because it was too late at night and she's got Jimmy with her, too. It's better to have another set of hands to help with feeding the little one every two hours. She and Jared barely slept because they were too worried with Jimmy. He looked like he's not gonna survive another day so when the morning came, the first thing they did was take him to the vet.

The cet the said he's prematurely born and he's gonna need to be incubated. It's still the middle of winter and his fragile, underdeveloped body won't last a day in the cold. They're lucky to have found him when they did, or else he'll be dead by the next second. And since that's the case, they had to leave him there in the clinic, just until he's okay. While he will be away, the two decided to prepare for hos welcome at Drea's house.

After they've gone from the clinic, they went to the grocery store again. This time, it wasn't Jared's house that needed a little makeover but Drea's. Her dad secured all of the furniture and appliances, however, since she's the one that's gonna live there, she should be responsible of her own necessities. She even got too excited that she bought complete stuff for Jimmy from his food to his toys but she forgot a lot for herself. Jared found this ridiculous but cute at the same time. Drea tends to forget herself a lot when she's thinking about others. It may already be unhealthy to mention that she's selfless but she is. That's one of the many reasons that Jared is so careful with her.

As long as she's protecting anyone and as long as she's capable of making them happy, she will not care whatever happens to her. It's time that someone does the same thing for her, too.

The house she's given is designed like a cottage, a big one at that. It has a wide kitchen, an even wider living room, a restroom, dining area, and a powder room at the first floor. The second floor has four gigantic rooms and another spare room, all with their own shower and toilet rooms. The uppermost area is where the attic's located. And when you go down, beside the house itself is a large garage that could fit four cars. The backyard is also a great place to stay since it has couches that surrounds a swimming pool and a great view of the skies. Right now, Jared sat on one of the swing benches in her porch, looking nowhere. The back and forth swinging reminded him of when he and Michaela would spend time at the park or simply just talk beside each other while swinging.

His hand found its way again to the pocket of his pants, where one thing has always been kept hidden. It's the other half of his heart, or at least used to be. After so many women that has passed his life, he doesn't know where he belongs anymore. He's in love with Michaela. Still in love with Michaela. But at the same time, he's still guilty about Lourdes and he wants to have a closure at least. And even though Tamara was collateral damage to his undercover operation, he admits to still care for her. Actually, he wonders every night, where could these women be? Would one of them cone back to his arms? Because at this point, he would gladly embrace anyone who decides to run to him and be with him for all of eternity.

But no, he'd be a hypocrite to say that he's willing to accept just anyone. Like he promised Drea, he wouldn't go out kissing every pretty lady he bumps onto. And he's unsure, very unsure of what he feels, or who he feels for. There's this void in his heart that only one person in particular could fill. 

Sammy, she's always been his great strength. His sanity. The light in his darkness. If he could only turn back the time when he took things seriously, he will go back to that tower at Manhattan, where he watched the sun go down and the skies get dark right beside her.

Now, someone else took that space beside him.

Drea went out from the main door, wearing a casual attire. The first thing she saw right after walking out is Jared, looking like he's seeing the wind that blows through. Or better yet-- she knows that face-- he's remembering something that hits him so hard to even look like this.

She sat beside him without a warning, and the same shocked gesture was what he did. Drea smiled, checked him out, and realized that no matter how unprepared he is for her arrival, he still looks like the one more composed. 

"Are you ready?" She asked. The day is almost over, and before it does get to an end, she wants to spend it somewhere special. Somewhere unforgettable.

Jared giggled under his breath. "I'm hungry," he replied while he gazed on her. She answers him with a snort and invites him to the car. Today, they will be using his car since he's going back to his house anyway. 

They drove to a Mexican cuisine restaurant per Jared's request. And it's also his treat today so what's not to love? 

While doing these things together, they're practicing for tomorrow night. The bridal shower will be held on an events venue near Rosedale village where Juliet's apartment is located so that they can communicate with Vance and his guys better. Also, they need to act comfortable and unbothered about the fin situation so Kathryn would suspect them. They want her to put eyes on them because after all, she's expecting Drea to lead her to the fin. 

"I'm Jerry Vergara. A photographer. We met at the airport and you saved my luggage and my ass." He repeated after her. 

"That's right. At least you wouldn't lie so much," she smiled. Their encounter at the airport is actually a cute start for a romance novel, so why think of other plots? At least, when she or Jared is already telling the tale, they wouldn't stutter because it's scripted. They could narrate it flawlessly because it really did happen.

"Wouldn't your parents be mad that you're marrying a middle-class photographer?" He asked, taking a bite of his chocolate-glazed churros.

"They don't mind it, really. Actually, they already know that you're a cop, but since no one in their circle of friends knows that I am a cop, they help me lie." She pulled out some tissue paper from the container and gave it to him because the sauce is already sticking on his chin. "No one ever approved of me being a cop, you know? Only my mom and dad supported me. And if anybody asks them what I do, they tell them I'm travelling the world. Not that they aren't proud, they're just trying to protect me."

"Why would anybody care if you chose to be a cop?" He asked.

She finished her taco. "It's family business. Once they know that I'm working for the government and not in the industry, they'll try to get the company from my mom and dad. When you're born in a conglomerate, there's no way for you to not study business because someday, you'll take over."

"And will you?"

"Do I have a choice? My parents aren't that old, they could still wait for a grandchild to continue the legacy."

"You're pressuring me," he said out of the blue.

"What? Why?"

He pouted. "If your parents see me... won't they ask for a grandchild already?"

Drea almost choked. "What the hell are you saying? I told you, they don't know me like that--"

"But you're marrying me anyway."

"Shut up, Vasquez. I'll shove that pastry down your throat." She threatened and he just laughed. "Be quick, we're still gonna go somewhere." 

He bit the last piece of his dessert. "Where? I thought we're done with the tailor?"

They went to the tailor earlier to make him a customized suit for tomorrow evening. But that's not what she has in mind.

"Just get your meal done and I'll drive." She replied.

He finished the last bite after one second and then they went back to his car. Since Drea said she will drive, he let her take his keys. They stopped by a flower shop and she grabbed a bouquet of white roses. Jared asked what it was for, but she was too eager to surprise him to answer that, so instead, she just turned on the audio player. To her surprise, Taylor Swift's 'You Belong With Me' came playing.

Her fingers snapped to the rhythm of the intro right after it bummed in the speakers. This is her jam. The first song she learned to play in the guitar. And although she's well aware that this is Jared's car, he's just gonna play her kind of songs anyway.

"Favorite song?" He asked, almost laughing at the passenger seat.

"Not really, just has a special place in my heart."

He glanced at her. "Why? You were a high school hopeless romantic secretly in love with her best friend?"

She looked straight on the road and turned left while answering. "Nope. Someone sang it for me during high school."

When the car's moving straight again, she looked at Jared. He was pouting. She just giggled.

"What? It was my first time to be the subject of a serenade. And he was my ideal type. He's charming... and a gentleman, knows how to play instruments, has a husky voice, blue eyes--"

"I'm listening to the song, Drea. Not interested in your love story." He crossed his arms and leaned his back on the chair. This made her laugh even more.

"He didn't make it, Jay. As harsh as it sounds, I didn't like him the way he did me." She replied still, even when he doesn't want to listen because she knows he does, he's just being grumpy. "It was sweet... and romantic. I like guys who'd sing for me but he's not... what I'm looking for." She sighed. "Had he been the one, I would've married him right away."

He looked at her with a mix of storm and sunshine in his eyes. "Does it matter now? You're getting married to someone else."

"It always mattered to me," her voice went bitter. "Or at least that's the way it meant to me. But you're right, I should give people a chance."

For the span of her years, it has always been a ridiculous thought of hoping to find him again despite the odds. She kept coming back to the same place where they first met, expecting that he will be there. It's impossible, but impossible was all she ever had against life itself. He was always her anchor to sanity, to light. But maybe he's meant to be just that.

Maybe something else is really out there for her.

About twenty minutes in the drive, they got to the high gates of Green Wood Cemetery. Drea parked under a big tree, just so they won't lose the care somewhere. The whole time, she made Jared feel comfortable, just so he won't suspect her especially that she was blocking his questions all along.

"Why are we here?" He asked when the engine finally stopped noising. 

She reached her hand to the backseat and picked up the bouquet of white roses from there before attending to him. She didn't give him an answer, but she offered him the palm of her right hand. He was refusing to take it so she did the job.

"I thought it would be polite If I meet your parents first before you meet mine." She smiled at him, but no other emotion was shown on his face than disapproval and confusion.

She knows why. And she understands. Jared never talked about it until her, he even mentioned that it was the thing he avoids the most to talk about because it feels like a curse being put to him. He doesn't want his life to end like their, but he also doesn't want a life without a love like theirs. He's stuck in between. The reason why he's like that is because he never asked for anybody's opinion, he doesn't want anyone's help. He would always carry it all by himself and now those parts of him have been so numb to even think of going back to the rough road he walked once.

Drea offered him her hand, and that smile on her face. An assurance that everything will be okay. To her gratitude, he left the car as soon as she did and when they met halfway, she held his hand and decided to not let it go until they reached the twin tombstones of his mom and dad.

She's gonna admit, Jared's hand has never been a stranger to her. Letting him go permanently would have to be the hardest thing she will ever do.

She crouched down, putting the bouquet in between the tombstones. Since she's still holding his hand, he had no choice but to crouch down with her until they found clean spots on the grass to sit on. 

Jared sat in front of her mother's tomb, while Drea is in front of Jimmy's. None of them uttered a single word since they got here. Drea would love to start, but she feels like this man beside him deserves to say the first hello to his parents, because after all, he had been inconsistent with them through these past years. She can explain the bitterness and guilt his eyes reflect and holding his hand is everything she could do now.

"You know, my dad loves mom so much and she is that way to him too," Jared whispered beside her. "I want the same thing for me. Until now, I still want that. Mick... I knew it was her. If only that plane didn't disappear to nowhere, we would have a set of kids now. Five years married and overflowing with love."

He chuckled bitterly and the only thing she's capable to do is listen. 

"I don't know what went wrong, what I'd done to deserve that. I was happy with her, but suddenly the world had to take her away and I was stuck with her memories, loving her the way I always did."

Jared's eyes reflected the same grief that his voice lets out. She intently stared at those brown eyes.

"Maybe I'm right, that I will never be able to love again. My parents fought and went through a lot but they kept coming back to each other the way I always come back to Michaela. But i was the only one coming back. She... she moved forward and found another home. While here I am."

"You're here beside me," she whispered to him softly. Jared looked at her with all those tears that welled up his eyes. "You're moving forward, Jared. You may not see it yourself but the fact that you're here to admit all that in front of your parents' graves is just one of the many proofs that you're getting better each day." 

His hand squeezed hers the moment she said that, it was his gesture of thanking her but she wasn't quite done yet.

"And you know? That heart of yours... it's just resting for now. It's too precious to be broken again, right?" She giggled to make him feel better, putting a hand over his chest where his heart is. "Finding someone new or trying to look for anyone at all might not be the best thing for you right now, because as someone wrote to me, good things find their way to you and they don't need you to be the one finding them."

"You sound like my mom, she always told me that." He exhaled lightly. "Beautiful things aren't supposed to be looked for, instead they come to you in the most unexpected places and time."

Her heart skipped a beat hearing that. Where did he know that? 

"Do you remember when I told you that my dad used to tell me to kiss the most beautiful girl I find? I asked my mom then. I said 'Mom, where can I find beautiful girls like you? Because dad said I should marry one.' Then she just laughed and sat beside me like this, saying that my dad didn't say in particular that I should find one, but if I see one, then that's when."

The memory of his mom is painted beautifully on his face, Drea can't deny how much he loves his mother, and how much he values everything she said to him. 

"And I asked her again, how did you and dad end up? Did he kiss her too? She said no, he didn't. They didn't need to find each other, but what they have always done was wait... and pray desperately, cling onto hope that one day, that person will come face to face to you. Because that's what's written in the stars."

"Love finds its way to you, you don't find love." He adds. Then looks at her. "Are you still looking for him?'" He asked.

A convinced puff of breath escaped her smiling mouth. "Maybe I shouldn't."

She looked at him intently, nothing will ever be better than her smiling at him and him smiling back. Everything is in there right places in this right time so she thought...

Maybe he's here already.