Forging New Paths

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Safe. Anthony felt safe now, and for a long moment Luca was lost in wondering. Did he have a part in that? He'd stopped the car that was going to hurt everyone, and Anthony had been there. Did they help him feel safe? Luca hoped so. It would have been the first time he did something that didn't hurt, terrify, or frustrate someone that wasn't Evelyn or Garrett.

"Mm, might be a little too exciting, I think," Evelyn said gently, almost thoughtfully, as if she were even for a moment considering taking Luca somewhere so crowded so soon. Perhaps, she thought, if they tried going to somewhere crowded but more controlled, like a shopping mall. If he did well then, perhaps she would consider it. "I'm sure you and Garrett would have a lot of fun."
 
"Fair enough," Anthony said with a gentle chuckle. "Garrett and I will have to plan a day there sometime later." He took another tiny sandwich to eat and popped it into his mouth. "So, um . . . do you two maybe want to hang out with us another time? We could do something quieter. Another picnic, maybe, or a pontoon ride or something. Or an aquarium? Whatever you both want," he added with a shy smile.

Garrett smiled gently and took a sip of his drink. He didn't reply since he didn't want to barge in on Evelyn and Luca's plans, but he thought a day out together would be a great idea. And he appreciated that Anthony had thought to include him.
 
Luca made a confused sort of face, turning away from the Ferris wheel to look at Evelyn. "What's a . . . pontoon?" That wasn't a word he'd ever heard before, he thought. It sounded strange.

"A special kind of boat," she answered, automatically. "Flat, so it's easy to walk on." She paused then, looking thoughtfully back at him. "Luca, do you know how to swim?"

It made him pause, frowning a little, and he fidgeted with the end of his sleeve as he tried to remember. ". . . I think so." He hadn't touched water deep enough to swim in since he was little. He had always been nervous around deep water, so maybe he didn't actually know how.
 
Anthony blinked. "Oh. That's okay! You don't need to swim to ride a pontoon. And they give you life jackets that make you float, in case you accidentally fall in. Although, if you want to be even safer . . . how about we visit a pool or something and teach you how to swim?" he offered.

Garrett nodded. "I could use a few lessons myself, actually. I can swim functionally, but it's not the best. But Evelyn and Luca - Anthony can swim like nobody's business. Fastest swimmer I know."

"Aw, gee. Thanks," Anthony said, chuckling.
 
Evelyn was entirely unconvinced about the safety of boats, even with life jackets, but kept that thought to herself for now. "I'm not sure where we would find something quiet enough. . . I'll do some digging and get back to you." She needed to look into the nearest aquariums least busy times, as well, among other things. Looking for Luca's therapist had taken over most of her time lately. It would probably be good to know if he could swim or not, in case of emergency.

Luca was still looking thoughtfully at his own hands, trying to remember for a while if he had ever swam before, but that, like seemingly everything else, only reminded him of who had taught him to swim. The strange ache it put in his chest was almost starting to become familiar, and he only blinked out of it when Evelyn set more food in his hands and urged him silently to eat. He frowned at it, but after a moment refocused and quietly took a bite.

"An aquarium might be okay, some day." She said to Anthony once she was sure Luca was distracted, Insight and intuition both telling her his thoughts had drifted to somewhere unpleasant. "Garrett mentioned it before, but I'd like to try somewhere that's less of an endless maze first. A mall, maybe." She was starting to think a shopping mall would be the best place to test how Luca did in crowds. Multiple exits, open walkways, and quiet hallways to hide in if they were too far from any outside doors. She would have to ask him how he felt about it.
 
"Yeah, no worries," Anthony said with a nod. He wondered whether Evelyn was just trying to find a polite way to turn down the offer to hang out more together. That was okay, though. As much as he wanted to make friends with her and Luca, he had Garrett, and he was bound to make another friend or two once he started exploring the city again.

Eventually the group finished their picnic. Anthony yawned and stretched before helping to put dishes and plates away. "I don't know about you all, but I'm ready for a good nap."

Garrett nodded and staggered to his feet. "Me, too." If Anthony had been elsewhere, he would have suggested a nap in the grass. But as it was he stretched his arms over his head and cracked his back. "Suppose we drop Anthony off and then head back to your house, Evelyn?"
 
Luca had gone thoughtful, but did at least respond to inquiries a few times and, much to Evelyn's pleasant surprise, even asked Anthony a question of his own. He hadn't had a chance to nap in the sun like he liked, so she was sure the ever so slight frown on his face was because he was disappointed, but as usual he made no complaints.

"All right," she said softly, shifting forward to help straighten up with her free hand, parasol angled carefully to where it didn't tap Luca as she did so. "I'm sure Watson is getting lonely, after all."

She was sure enough that she had picked the right therapist, so it was as good a time as any to bring it up. If Garrett was ready, perhaps it was time they talked a little more in depth about what that would mean for Luca, and for the two of them. It would be easy enough to settle Luca with a book he liked or the tv on - or both, if she felt more concerned about his overhearing once they were home - and talk quietly with Garrett in her bedroom, or Luca's. His had overtaken her office, after all, so she had no better neutral space behind a door to speak to Garrett in.
 
The car ride home was quieter than normal. Between a restless night and the excitement of the picnic, Anthony fell asleep five minutes after the car started. Garrett even had to carry him into the office. There he gently put him to bed and set up his nightlight with the soft music playing, so it would be on when Anthony woke up.

Then it was off to Evelyn's house. "Well! I think that went rather well, all things considered," Garrett announced cheerfully. He set Watson's carrier down and released the cat, who made a beeline for Luca and crawled up onto his shoulder to get petted. "What are the plans for the rest of the day? I forgot to ask."

Watson purred and gently licked Luca's cheek, closing his eyes blissfully. His favorite person was home.
 
It was sweet, really, how much trust Anthony put in Garrett, falling asleep so easily even after being betrayed by his own family. Evelyn considered it quietly during the ride, thinking it was a habit of the detective's, gaining people's trust. She couldn't help thinking that she owed him a little of her own.

When they got back to her home, Luca was all too eager to crouch down and let Watson climb him more easily, nuzzling back into the way the cat rubbed against his head. He had missed his furry friend, too, as he did every time they were apart - though Evelyn couldn't help thinking those times were becoming fewer and fewer.

"Watson missed you, Luca," she said softly, a hand on his back leading him gently to the living room. "Do you want to sit with him and watch tv for a while?"

It was easy to convince him, and when he had sat and she'd put on a lighthearted enough tv show for him, she sat next to him and ran her fingers back through his hair. "I have something I need to talk to Garret about," she said when her touch had drawn Luca's eyes to her. "We'll be just down the hall, and I'll keep the door cracked open in case you need us, all right?"

He looked confused, but they were home and wouldn't be far so he only nodded. "Okay."

"Remember to come knock if you need anything, okay?" When she had recieved another nod to convince her he knew she meant it, she stood and turned to look at Garrett, questioning and almost apologetic at presuming on his agreement. "If you don't mind, for a few minutes?" They needed to talk with Luca distracted. She didn't want to discuss the therapist, or other things in their future, with him until she'd talked to Garrett first.
 
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Once Luca had sat down on the couch, Watson took his chance to hop delicately into his lap and curl up there. He purred a bit louder and closed his eyes. By this point, Watson considered his family have two properties that they lived at, though they spent more time lately at Evelyn's property.

"Of course I don't mind," Garrett replied, smiling gently. He followed Evelyn off into the other room, where he relaxed a bit and let out a breath. "It's not often just the two of us get to chat," he said with a smile. "I hope some of it's good news this time?" It was mostly a tease, but part of him was worried he'd messed something else up or there was something Evelyn was worried about.

The detective decided he ought to make an effort to have more positive one on one talks with Evelyn, if that wasn't already her plan as well. The young woman always seemed to be a step or two ahead of Garrett, and he appreciated it to no end.
 
Evelyn gave a very small grimace when Garrett asked if there was good news. "Of a sort, I suppose." Was all she said in way of explanation, leading him back down the hall to her bedroom. She left the door only a little cracked, and pulled out her desk chair for him, sitting on the foot of her bed and gesturing for him to sit there, should he feel like sitting.

"I've decided on a final candidate for Luca's therapist." She said when he had settled, sitting or standing, hands folded neatly in her lap with her posture carefully straight as it always was. Still, the weight of the impending discussion weighed on the set of her brow, in the slight downward pull at the corners of her mouth. "I wanted to discuss it with you now that I am . . . feeling better." She did not want to think about the fit of temper she'd given him while heavily sleep deprived, and quickly moved on. "I need to know if you want to look into her on your own before I contact her. And I have to ask again. Eventually, there are going to be things from Luca's past she unearths that are . . . heavily unpleasant."

She paused then, took a slow, careful breath and did her best not to think about those things too early, in case it wasn't time for it and she was working herself up for nothing. "The burden of knowledge is one I am intimately familiar with, but I won't hurt you with it if you would rather not know the details. The choice is entirely yours. . . If you would rather not know, I wouldn't hold it against you."

Luca was, she imagined, as precious to Garrett as he was to her. She wouldn't force him to think of just how the younger man had suffered if he didn't think he could take it. But if he wanted to know, she would tell him, no matter how much thinking of it for too long made her want to cry.
 
Garrett nodded and gingerly sat down, folding his hands in his lap. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief when Evelyn mentioned choosing a therapist at long last. "I'll be Frank with you, Evelyn. When it comes to Luca, I trust your experience and your insight far more than my own intuition. And I trust you. If you've settled on a therapist, then I don't need to look into her unless you'd like me to. I'm sure she'll be wonderful."

He leaned forward a bit and nodded. "And I very much appreciate you giving me a choice in how much knowledge I receive. Of course there will be things that are heavily unpleasant. But I am willing and able to handle them. It'll hurt more since this is personal now, but - I feel in the long run, it'll be more helpful for both you and Luca if I'm in the loop on certain things." He took a deep breath. "I've got quite a sordid knowledge of things from past cases. So at the very least, I'll be somewhat prepared at least."

The detective glanced up to meet Evelyn's eyes. "Speaking of which, if there's ever anything you need help or support with, don't hesitate to ask. I'm here for you."
 
It wasn't the first time he had said it, but the fact that he trusted her so implicitly to make the right choice was equal amounts reassuring and terrifying. She had been living independently for years now, conducting her at times dangerous work on her own with little support. This choice had so many more consequences, when she thought that it could make all the difference in Luca's health and happiness.

"It will be different," she said, when he implied he had seen things just as bad, or worse, as anything she could tell him. "It's personal, this time." Learning horrible things that had happened to strangers was bad enough, but when it was their friend, and one that was so dependent on them to take care of him, it felt much worse. She was sure he was aware of that, and let it go without any further pressing.

When he looked her in the eye she did the cowardly thing and looked down at her lap instead, as if she were suddenly very shy. "I know," she said very softly. "Thank you." He had always done his best to support them, even when he fumbled at it, or when he got in the way of her own plans with the best of intentions. It was difficult for her, asking for help, but she was going to have to admit to herself some day that she did trust him.

When she could, she made herself look at him again, one hand curled a bit tighter atop the other. "Would you rather I write it down for you, so you can take it in on your own time, or would you rather speak about it in person?" Now, or later. She thought perhaps writing it on paper or in a shared online document would make it easier not only for her to organize her thoughts but for him to read it in whatever increments he could handle, without having to look her in the eye as he did. Perhaps that was just her projecting, though. She had always been uncomfortable being observed at the times she felt her most vulnerable.
 
The detective paused to consider the options. Finally he stroked his beard and nodded slightly. ". . . I think I'd prefer reading through it. Both because then I can deal with the emotional repercussions when I'm ready, and so I have written documentation to reference later," he decided at last.

He leaned back in the chair, took another deep breath, and let himself relax a bit. "I appreciate you taking the time to speak about this privately. Oh! That reminds me - I've never thought about it until now. But do we have a plan in case both of us need to do things at the same time? For example, say a case comes up for me and something else comes up for you. We'd be able to leave Luca at your home alone safely, correct? Not that I would want to."
 
Not having to speak about it immediately lessened the burden of sharing what she knew, and the tight knot in her stomach was able to unfurl at least a little. She would assemble the document online, she thought, and if he preferred paper he could print it out himself.

When questioned she stared at him for a few seconds too long, then past him at her own desk with something thoughtful and almost embarrassed in her expression. "Truthfully . . . I hadn't ever considered there being somewhere I wouldn't take him with me." She hadn't given that a whole lot of thought when she'd decided to get him free, had accepted the reality of his physical presence as something akin to a parent who must always have their child at their side. Everything she did, she would adjust for him. But she supposed it was probably best to think of something, on the off chance she was ever sick or hurt and had to go to the hospital, or some such thing.

"I'm sure he would be all right to be alone for a little while," she said finally, though clearly she wasn't happy with the idea. "If I leave something ready for him, he can heat his own food, and he knows how to work the tv and has books and other things to entertain himself with." She didn't like thinking of it. He had been alone and unable to leave a house for so long, she didn't want to force him to do it again, no matter how it burdened her.
 
In some ways, Garrett was relieved she felt the same way he did about leaving Luca alone. "I understand. I don't like thinking about it. But all things considered, the more possibilities we can plan for, the better." He closed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. "This one is a bit more serious." But then a smile immediately played at his lips. "If for some reason someone planned a day for you to relax, what would that day look like for you?"

After everything the group had been through, Evelyn deserved a day to herself. Garrett had in mind things like a trip to the spa, or even just a day for her to have the house to herself while he spent time with Luca.
 
It wasn't a question she had anticipated. If she was honest with herself, it wasn't even something she had thought about in a while. Longer, even, than the day Luca had found her. That probably said a lot about her, she thought, but she was trying not to think about it too hard.

"I'm . . . not so sure anymore," she admitted finally, clearly hesitant to talk about things of a more personal nature. It was just what she'd gotten used to, always hiding behind a mask of calm or indifference. It was strange, spending so much time around someone that actually thought of her, and not just what she meant for them. "If I had a whole day to myself, I might just sit around the house and read, or go for a long drive to somewhere I haven't seen in a while." Somewhere pretty, she thought. A beach. A forest. "But now?" She gave her head a little shake, a small, hesitant little smile on her face. "I think I would only worry about what he was getting up to while I was gone."

Now that Luca was with her, and now that she was taking care of whatever he needed, relaxation meant sitting with him somewhere peaceful, knowing there wasn't anything he needed or worried about. Somewhere in the sun with the breeze in her hair, where she knew he felt peaceful and happy. Maybe, some day, she would simply take him with her to the places he'd never seen before.
 
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Garrett smiled gently. "You've got a point. But you know, I do have a phone, and we've both got FaceTime." He held up a hand and nodded. "I don't want to force you into anything. But if you want a day to yourself sometime, I'd be more than happy to spend the day with Luca, and you could check in with us at a moment's notice with the phone. I think you more than deserve a day to yourself to relax, Evelyn. You've spent who knows how long taking care of everybody else. Myself included," he added with a chuckle.

He wasn't worried about Anthony, especially now that the young man seemed relaxed around Evelyn and Luca. Once Anthony had a few days to rest he would be far more self sufficient. And with his new nightlight, Garrett was hopeful he'd actually be able to.
 
In some ways, the offer was very tempting. She was sure, some day soon, the tedium of never being able to be alone would wear on her, but for now she hadn't been taking care of Luca for so very long. Adding on unconsciously trying to take care of Garrett in turn had only made it feel longer, but she didn't hold it against him. It wasn't as if he'd asked her to, and at times she did wonder if he resented any of the things she did to try and help him. He was a grown adult and could take care of himself.

Finally, she shook her head a little, almost shyly tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "Thank you, Garrett. . . That's very sweet of you. For now, I think I'll wait a while. Once he gets used to talking to the therapist, and once he's a little more stable. . . maybe I'll think about it then." He was going to need her, she thought. He was going to need them both. She just wouldn't be sure how much until it started.
 
"The offer's always open if you need it," Garrett decided softly. Then he chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Speaking of space - I can't thank you enough for letting me stay over so often. I know it must be wearing on you, but I do appreciate it. And Watson appreciates it more. He loves staying with Luca."

His phone buzzed in his pocket silently, and he pulled it out to read the text with a raised eyebrow. "Mm. Well, here's something. Anthony said I've got a new client in my office. Sounds like it's not a dangerous case at all, though."
 
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