Missy & Wade

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

& More...

"But this isn't your day!" shouted Missy loudly, causing a couple of the children that were playing nearby, to look up at her curiously.

The woman glared at Missy crossly, before folding her arms over her chest.

"We are just not equipped to deal with children like her at our day-care," said the woman, her voice patronising and sharp.

Missy was furious. Livid. And right at that moment, she wanted nothing more than to smack this woman right across her horrible face.

Angry tears threatened to spill over her eyes.

She turned away from the woman, quickly walking over to the corner of the room where Emily was sat quietly, alone and sad, with her coat already on. .

"Hey, baby," said Missy, her voice shaky, as she crouched down before her tiny daughter.

Emily looked up at her with big green eyes and Missy could see that she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy and her nose a little sniffly.

"Shall we go home?" asked Missy, titling her head and stroking back Emily's short brown hair.

The little girl nodded and gave an upset little sniff, getting to her feet and reaching her arms out for Missy.

Missy instantly lifted her daughter, carrying her toward the door on her high-heels, as Emily buried her face in Missy's coat.

"I highly suggest that if she wants to come back tomorrow that she should bring her hearing-aid, maybe then she will learn to behave," said the woman, as Missy approached her.

Missy could have burst into tears right at this second, and so ignored the woman, strutting straight past her. And through the glass doors.

It was no wonder that with staff like that, Emily disliked going to day-care. She knew it was likely that Emily had been shouted at as it definitely took a lot to make Emily cry.

But maybe Missy should do as the woman had said, maybe sending Emily to nursery with her hearing-aid was the right thing to do, but Missy knew that Emily hated it.

She would cry and plead with Missy to take it off until she was red in the face and utterly distressed.

Missy placed a hand to Emily's back comfortingly as the pair of them headed into the large elevator.

Suddenly before the door could close, two of Missy's female colleagues from her office a few floors up, followed them in.

They barely gave Missy even the slightest bit of acknowledgement, but for the slightest of seconds, she saw the two women exchange a glance between each other.

A roll of the eyes and a smirk between her two colleagues was all it took for a single silent tear to roll down Missy's cheek. She bowed her head, until the doors had slid open and the pair walked hurriedly out.

By now, Missy's face was wet with tears, and as they left through the revolving doors, she didn't even notice a familiar face leaning up against the wall of the big office tower beside them…waiting….

"You ignoring me, Yummy-Mommy?" came a sudden voice from their side.

Missy jumped slightly at the voice, before turning to face the figure.

There, of course, was Wade, a smile plastered across his long face. His eye was purple but the swelling had definitely gone down a lot.

He was dressed in a black hoodie and jeans, and in his arms was an enormous cardboard box.

But the merc's grin soon disappeared as he caught sight of Missy's face.

"Hey," he said, pushing himself from the wall and taking a step towards her, his gaze full of concern. "You alright?"

But Missy dragged her eyes from his, keeping her head bowed.

"No…" she said, her voice breaking slightly as she spoke.

She made to turn and walk away, not wanting anyone to see her in this emotional state, but felt Wade's sudden hand at her waist.

"Hey," he uttered once again, stopping her in her tracks and turning her to face him. His chocolate eyes travelled over her face. "Is it Emily?"

He glanced down at the little girl in Missy's arms, her face still buried in Missy's coat in an attempt to block out the world.

Missy shook her head.

"I think we've both just had a bad day…" she murmured, her voice quiet and her eyes dropping down to the sidewalk.

She didn't bother to elaborate. Why would Wade want to hear about her woes?

But she felt Wade's eyes remain on her as the seconds passed, his hand still lingering at her side.

"You wanna come and get a drink with me?" he asked her after a moment or two.

Missy finally looked up at him. His face was warm and soft, and right at that moment all she wanted to was have him tell her that everything was going to be OK.

"I-Ive got Emily," she said giving a gulp.

But Wade gave her an easy grin.

"I meant grab a coffee….but if it's tequila you're thinking about, I have an entire bottle at my apartment we can definitely go at later tonight…" the merc muttered, raising an eyebrow towards her.

Missy gave a small chuckle, wiping at her eyes with her free hand.

"As tempting as that sounds, I think I should take this one home…" said Missy, giving Emily's back a little pat. "She's not had the best of days."

At this, Emily lifted her head and her green eyes suddenly drifted to Wade.

"Waydee," she said with croak. "Laydy showted a me."

Emily made grabby hands for Wade,

The merc placed his box down onto the ground and reached out, plucking Emily from Missy's arms, a frown forming between his brows.

He looked up at Missy questioningly.

The caramel-haired woman gave a sigh.

"The woman from day-care…" she explained, running a hand over her tired face. "She was just an old witch."

"A witsh," repeated Emily with a nod, looking at that second so much liken her Mom.

Wade grinned, bouncing the little girl in his arms.

"Well you know what I think you should do?" he asked, in a playful voice, as Emily reached out and squished his cheeks between her pudgy hands, brightening slightly. "I think you should take out a bounty on her head and I'll deal with that ugly, old Sanderson Sister for you."

Missy smiled, blinking up at him a couple of times.

"But how about for now…" he said pretending to snap at Emily's little fingers with his teeth, as she giggled within his grasp. "...we go back to your place and I can show you what's in this big old box?"

He nodded down to the large cardboard box at his feet.

Missy narrowed her eyes at him slightly, but couldn't help but smirk. She wondered how he always had this ability to do this to them. To help them take their mind off their worries, even if it was only for a short time.

"Alright," she uttered, shooting him a look and bending down to pick up his box for him . "Geez this is heavy, what's even in here?"

But Wade merely grinned, as Emily squished her chubby cheek against his, before resting her head in the crook of his neck.

"You'll see…"

Twenty minutes later and the three of them bustled into Missy's apartment, cold and pink-cheeked.

Emily had cuddled up to Wade's chest as they walked home, but right now was a bundle of energy, so excited by the merc's presence.

He wandered over to Missy's couch and plopped the little girl's down onto it, as she giggled delightedly.

Meanwhile Missy plonked the Wade's cardboard box down onto her dining table, before shrugging off her coat.

Whas in bocs?" said Emily, clambering over the arm of the couch to try and take a peek.

Missy smirked, crossing her arms over her chest before strolling over to Emily and removing the toddler's red coat and booties.

Wade merely flashed them an award-winning smile and patted the box with his large hands.

"This…" he said in a charming voice. "…is me finally keeping my promise to you."

And with that, Wade ripped open the box and plucked out a long string of tinsel, tossing it their way.

Emily gave a shriek of laughter, grasping the silvery strand in her sticky paws.

"Christmas decorations?" said Missy smiling, her eyes roving across the merc before her.

"Yup," replied Wade, holding a large gold Christmas star aloft. "You've just got to sift through the crap to find the true jems, is all…"

He shot her a wink, causing Missy to roll her eyes and take a step forwards, peering into the box.

She pulled out a large bauble, with a pin-up girl holding a Santa hat over her otherwise naked body, and the words "Happy Holiday's from Madame Misty's Burlesque Babes" emblazoned across the top.

She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Ahhh…now that….is one from my….uh…personal collection…" he said as she tossed it his way, shaking her head and giving a laugh.

Behind them, Emily was happy playing with the tinsel, wrapping it around a chair leg at their feet.

"So," said Wade after a second or two, as Missy took a look through his collection of Christmas lights. "you gonna tell me what happened earlier?"

Missy looked up at him instantly, giving a shrug, sighing lightly.

"I don't know…" she murmured. "The nursery seems to think I should have another go with Emily's hearing aid. They said that she's refusing to listen to them. What did that witch say…that's right, that's she's a handful."

Missy shook her head, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I just don't know…" she uttered, giving another sigh. "I feel like the worst Mom in the world, a-and that woman…what she said about me…about Emily…-"

"You realise that you and Emily are pretty much perfect, right?" said Wade, her face and voice suddenly serious.

Missy looked up at him, chewing on her lip.

"You shouldn't even fucking listen to that bitch…" he said in a low voice, making sure Emily couldn't hear him. "She obviously hasn't got a fucking clue about anything. I'm deadly fucking serious about that bounty y'know, just say the words and I'll fuck her up for free."

Missy gave a sniff, smiling, her eyes meeting with his.

"Thanks…" she said quietly, but her voice was slightly distant.

Missy unfortunately knew what all this meant.

The only reason she had taken this job was because there was day-care in the building, and most importantly, it was free. And if Emily was forced to go elsewhere,, it would mean that Missy would never be able to pay for rent, bills, food and nursery bills on her current salary, which either meant she would have to move back to her Aunt's place down in Florida, or, she would need to find another job, which would likely mean longer hours and more time spent away from her daughter.

Right now Missy was stuck between a rock and a hard place…

She was lost…a horrible feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach.

"Hey," came Wade's soft voice suddenly, breaking Missy from her thoughts.

She suddenly felt his hand reach for hers.

His fingers were warm and he squeezed her digits tightly.

"You realise I'm here right…" he said titling his head, his eyes locked onto hers. "…you don't have to deal with all this on your own."

But Missy couldn't smile… she couldn't speak.

As much was Wade was lovely with his offer. She was alone, and she would always be alone.

No one would want them…not really.

It was always going to be just the two of them.

She tugged her hand from Wade's and stalked into her bedroom, giving a hard gulp, knowing she what she was about to do would break her heart….

Two seconds later she came back into the living room carrying a little plastic box.

Emily, who had looked up at Missy, interested in what her Mom was doing, instantly shook her head.

"Noh, noh, pwease," she said, her face looking immediately frightened and becoming panicked.

Wade looked over at them.

Missy's heart thudded in her chest as she kneeled in front of Emily.

The little girl began to cry, shaking her tiny head…

"Noh, pweeease Mommy…" said Emily, trying to back away, getting herself worked up.

Missy reddened, her eyes brimming with tears as she pulled the hearing aid from the little plastic box in her hand.

"Noh, Mommy I don wanna, pwease..." said Emily giving a small wail, and shaking her head. "…pweeeease don make me! Noh…"

The tiny toddler was practically begging. Pleading with her Mom.

Missy wiped away a tear from her own cheek.

"Baby, you need to just try it again," she said gently.

"Pwease, pwease…I will be gud," said Emily, holding her hands over her tiny ears and giving an almost hysterical cry. "Pwease Mommy…"

Missy gave a sob. She was torturing her own daughter. But this was her only choice right now.

"Pweeease Mommy, noh!" said Emily, crying her eyes out, tears pouring down her red cheeks. She looked up and saw Wade. "Waydee, noh…"

And with that she ran over to Wade, coming to hide behind him and clutching at his legs.

Missy lifted her trembling hands to her face, suddenly breaking down into tears, her whole body suddenly racked with sobs.

What had she done?

She felt like the wicked witch. The evil mother who did that two her own daughter. Who frightened her to the point that she would run away…

Maybe that woman had been right all along…

But it wasn't a second before she felt a warm hand at her back.

Wade's.

And a moment later… two tiny arms wrapped themselves around her neck.

"I'm sowwy Mommy…" said Emily in her ear, still crying, she could hear it in her voice. "I'll be gud, I pwomis I wil."

Missy tore her hands away from her face, pulling Emily into her, cradling her tightly.

"Mommy's sorry," she said shaking her head and pressing a kiss into Emily's soft brown hair. "Mommy's so sorry."

She held onto Emily for what felt like an eternity, the hearing aid now lying abandoned on the floor.

She would never, EVER make this mistake again.

It took them both a minute or two to finally calm, Missy pulling away to look at Emily, wiping her little cheeks with her thumb.

"I'm so sorry baby. I won't ever make you wear that thing again, ok?" she said as Emily mimicked her, wiping the tears from Missy's face too.

The little girl pressed a sloppy kiss to Missy's cheek.

It was only then did Missy realise Wade had been crouched beside them this whole time, his hand on Missy's back.

She looked up at him, so embarrassed and ashamed of herself.

But to her surprise Wade's look wasn't accusing….or judging…but it was soft and full of concern.

She wanted to murmur a sorry to him too….an apology for forcing him to witness that.

But as much as she tried, she just couldn't seem to find the words…

But one thing felt more natural than anything else…

Missy knew who initiated it, but before she knew it, she and Wade had pulled each other into a tight, warm hug.

Both knelt on the floor beside each other, Missy for the first time since she could remember, felt warm…and safe…like she had someone else there with her…like she wasn't alone.

Wade held her tightly in his strong arms, his thumb tracing circles over her spine as Missy buried her face in his shoulder. He smelt like musk, and gunpowder and…..cotton-candy. And it took all her strength not to protest when they finally pulled apart.

She looked up into his chocolate eyes, the whole room falling utterly silent. Even Emily who was watching the pair of them in awe…her little mouth agape…was quiet. Before finally Missy managed to mouth a 'Thank you.'

Wade merely smiled back easily, getting to his feet and reaching out a hand for Missy to take, tugging her up onto her high-heels.

She wiped at her eyes and gave a sniff, picking up the hearing aid and flinging back inside the plastic box.

She would donate it to a kids charity or something, but it didn't belong here, with them.

She smiled down at Emily, placing the hearing-aid on the table out of sight of the little girl.

She really did love her with all her heart.

Emily smiled up at Missy, as though forgetting that this whole thing at ever happened.

The caramel-haired woman gave an sharp inward sigh.

"So…" she asked gently. "…you wanna decorate a little before dinner, sweetie?"

Emily gave a nod plucking up her piece of silver tinsel and holding it aloft, beaming.

Two hours later and Missy's living room looking akin to something you'd find at Santa's grotto.

Wade had pulled a tatty little plastic tree from the box which Emily and Missy had got to work decorating, while he put up some lights around their window.

Missy had served up some chicken pasta for the three of them, which Wade had charmingly said was the best thing he's ever eaten in his life. Missy had merely rolled her eyes but given a laugh and had politely told him he needed to get out more.

Emily had of course been so excited. Running around the living room, flitting between Wade and Missy happily.

"So," said Missy, as she placed one of the last few baubles onto the tree, before glancing at Wade. "How did you find out where I worked? You stalking me?"

He looked over at her grinning.

"Maybe…" he said waggling his eyebrows at her. "Or I might have just seen your security pass hangover your coat this morning as I was leaving."

Missy smiled, pursing her lips together.

"Y'know you didn't need to rush off this morning," she said after another second or two, biting at her lip and toying with a strand of tinsel already positioned on the tree. "I could have made you breakfast…"

Wade didn't reply, he merely stared at her, her eyes taking in her every feature.

Missy felt herself immediately redden beneath his gaze.

"Sta!" said Emily suddenly at their feet, breaking through their moment, and clutching a large gold star ornament in her sticky paws.

Missy beamed down at her daughter and lifted her up into her arms.

"You wanna put the star on top, baby?" she asked clearly so that Emily could hear her.

The little girl wriggled in her grip and leaned over, placing the star, a little wonkily on the very top.

"Perfect," exclaimed Wade brightly. "Just like you and your Mommy."

Missy shot him a look, shaking her head, but her eyes lingered on his a little too long. And for the slightest of moments she felt her heart start thud in her chest and butterflies appear in her stomach.

"Right then, sweetie-pie," said Missy, finally tearing her gaze away from the merc. "I think it's bedtime, don't you?"

She gave Emily's sides a little tickle.

As Wade grinned over at the pair of them, he chewed on his lip for a moment.

"I should get going," he said rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "But…um…listen…"

He gave the slightest of gulps, which Missy caught, a bemused frown crossing her face.

"…I'm going to this Christmas party…at my buddy's bar, a couple of blocks from here, on Friday…I know it might be difficult for you to get a sitter this close to Christmas but….if you wanted to come….it would be great to see you there…"

He flashed her a wide smile.

"…we could get wasted on that tequila I sorta promised you…it'll be fun. You can let your hair down and we can compare our slut-drops and do karaoke to a selection of WHAM's greatest hits. I mean there's no karaoke machine, per say, but you'd be surprised how well I know the words to Careless Whisper. . "

Missy smiled at him, giving a chuckle, but her gaze dropped to her feet.

"I'd…uh….love to…." she gulped, her heart plummeting slightly. "…but I don't think I'll be able to, with Emily, y'know…"

She felt so disappointed. Even affording a sitter this close to the holidays would be too much for her already limited bank-balance.

As much as she would have loved to go…

It had been ages since she'd been out…probably before Emily came along, if she was honest… and the idea of spending some time with her neighbour…sounded, well….nice.

Wade nodded.

"Of course," he said, smiling back, but there was a hint of what looked like disappointment in his eyes. "I'll text you the address in case you change your mind. Weasel's parties are always pretty good. At the end of the evening he usually gets so wasted himself, he makes it a free bar. Then the night ends with everyone trashing the place…..ahh, good times."

Wade wiped a faux-tear of fondness from his eye, causing Missy to grin.

Emily who had been watching the pair of them, chewing on a strand of Missy's caramel blonde hair, suddenly reached out a hand for Wade.

Missy laughed.

"You wanna say goodbye to Wade?" she asked the little toddler gently.

Emily smiled and leaned forwards in Missy's arms, pressing a rather wet and squelchy kiss to Wade's stubbly cheek.

Missy beamed, her heart pounding, gazing at the pair of them.

"Wow, now that was amazing," he said cheerily. "Now, you think I can get one from your gorgeous Mom too?"

Emily immediately nodded and looked delightedly at Missy.

"Moomy kish Waydee! Yes, yes!" she said clapping her pudgy little hands together and grabbing for Missy's lips.

Missy wrinkled her nose and gave a laugh, before rolling her eyes.

And before Wade could react, she had pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

That same scent of cotton-candy hit her for the slightest of moments, before she pulled away.

Wade beamed almost instantly.

"Oh….well that was chimichanga-ing amazing!" he said to Emily who giggled back. "I got a kiss from the most gorgeous baby-momma in NYC. Life-made!"

Missy shook her head and gave yet another eye-roll as Wade grabbed his jacket throwing it on and headed out the door, giving Emily a wave as he did so..

"See you Friday Yummy-Mommy…" he called back finally to Missy, as he pulled the door shut behind him with a snap.

He stood, propped up against the wall, beside her door, clutching at his side and breathing hard.

"Hey there, beautiful Mama-bear," he said, flashing her a half smile. But Missy could tell that he was in a lot of pain.

"Wade?" said Missy questioningly, her mouth agape and her eyes widening.

And she barely had a second to react, as Wade stumbled forwards, his body giving way beneath him.

Clutching her hands to his chest, she managed to keep him upright, dragging him hurriedly over to the couch trying not to hurt him in the process.

She had seen him a little bruised in the past…that time when she and Emily had trick or treated at his door, but that was nowhere close to this extent.

She eased him down onto the couch-cushions, hearing him give a groan of pain as he sat, his entire body feeling limp beneath her grasp.

"Sorry I missed you last night…" he murmured. "I got kinda….held up."

Missy's eyes travelled across his bloody face. One of his eyes was swollen and puffy, but there was honesty in his gaze.

"W-What happened Wade?" she asked shaking her head.. "Who did this to you?"

But Wade let out, what sounded like a chuckle, but his voice was too hoarse.

"Perks of the job…" he merely uttered, his brown eyes falling to the floor.

Missy let out a long breath of air.

Maybe Wade was dangerous….maybe he was far too dangerous to be around Missy and her daughter…

Every parental instinct she had, was telling her to throw him out there and then….but Missy remembered how Emily had looked at him….

How his presence in their lives had made the little girl so full of life….happier than Missy had ever seen her.

Missy paused…looking down at him…before making up her mind…

It only took her a few moments to gather everything she needed and she was back, perching before him on the edge of her coffee table.

"I'm gonna need you to sit up, sweetie…" she said before she could stop herself. She noticed Wade let out a smirk.

"I should get myself beaten up more often…" he said pulling himself up with great difficulty, wincing as he did so. "If it means I get an upgrade from 'annoying neighbour' to 'sweetie'.

Missy rolled her eyes.

"I need to get this jacket off you," she said, in a soft tone, ignoring him comment. "See what damage's been done."

And with that, Missy gently pushed his tartan sheepskin coat from his broad shoulders, helping him slip his arms out of the sleeves one by one.

She was relieved to see there was no blood at the side he was clutching, but could already see the enormous purple bruise that had blossomed across his ribs, through his white vest.

"So you gonna tell me who did this to you?" Missy asked, placing his coat, down onto the far end of the couch, leaning in close to him, tilting her head slightly, causing her long caramel hair to trail across his knee. "I have Emily to think about…should I be worried about this neighbourhood?"

Wade opened his mouth to say something but swiftly closed it again, shaking his head. It was a second or two before he finally spoke.

"This happened across town…" he uttered, staring into her eyes. "…you don't need to be worried. I got myself into this fucking mess…"

Missy, looked a little worried. "I-Is it drugs?" she asked, her voice quiet.

But Wade merely shook his head once again, before giving a long sigh, that Missy felt had nothing to do with the pain.

"It's not drugs…Geez…I know you're gonna kick me out when I tell you this and probably never wanna fucking speak to me again….but just know I'd never have put you or Emily in danger. EVER!," he said, before pausing, and running a hand down his bloody face. "I'm a mercenary….in other words…I get paid a lot of money to do a lot of bad things…"

His eyes, once again, drifting downwards, landing on his knees.

"I'm just a bad guy that gets paid to fuck up worse guys…and this time it backfired," he said, slowly. "Epically. So yeah, that's what I do for a living…not a gigolo or a meter maid."

Missy froze, her green eyes on his face, searching his features. Her stomach lurched slightly, a feeling lingering there that she hadn't felt in a long, long time.

"You're not a bad guy…" Missy murmured suddenly, picking a clean white facecloth and dipping it into the bowl of warm water she had brought over, before dabbing it to his temples. "Emily doesn't think so at least."

Almost instantly Wade's eyes drifted up, his gaze meeting with hers.

"And do you think so?" he asked her after a second or two, his voice quiet.

Missy merely blinked, lifting her fingers gently to his chin.

"I don't either…" she uttered softly, her heart thudding within her ribcage, as she wiped the damp cloth down his long cheek.

Neither of them spoke, for what must have been about five minutes….until all the blood was gone, leaving just a puffy eye and a deep gash along his temple. But he looked a lot better to say the least.

Missy gulped, placing the, now red, cloth down into the water.

"We should take a look at your ribs…I think you might need to go to the hospital…" she said, biting on her lip.

But the merc grinned.

"Is this just an excuse for you to get me to take my shirt off?" Wade asked, raising a scarred eyebrow at her.

But Missy shook her head, shooting him a look. "Shirt, now, Wilson."

Wade gave a sigh, eventually doing as he was told, like a scolded child. He tugged his white vest from his head, giving a loud groan of pain as he did so.

"Fuuck me, that hurts!" he said with a groan, tossing his head back against the couch cushions and breathing hard.

Missy felt her breath catch in her throat slightly.

Wade was toned and fit...she had already known that….but his torso was broad and she could see that a hot slick of sweat had beaded at his collarbone.

She gave a gulp, feeling the tops of her cheeks getting warm, as she looked down at the bruise at his side.

It wasn't as bad as she first thought, but definitely looked very painful.

"I really think you should go to the hospital…" she said, a little concernedly, tracing the bruise with a mere whisper of a touch, trying not to hurt him. "They can check you out a-and make sure you're ok…"

But Wade gave a smirk. "Nah….I'll be fine…" he said with a pained shrug. "I've had worse than this, believe me."

Missy didn't want to believe him. She didn't want to imagine worse.

"But if you've got a pack of frozen peas in that freezer of yours I'd sure fucking appreciate it," he said, closing his eyes and giving a gulp of pain.

Missy peered up at him worriedly, before giving a nod and getting to her feet.

But she was just about to turn and walk away when Wade suddenly reached out for her hand.

"Hey…thanks…" he said, his tone different now, gentler almost, their fingertips brushing hers softly.

But Missy merely gave him a smirk.

"Well, you've done enough for us," she said in a half whisper. "I supposed I needed to return the favour."

With that, she dropped her eyes downwards, pulled her hand from his and walked into the kitchen.

At the freezer door, she gave a long sigh, her fingers gripping the handle tightly.

He was probably right…any normal person would have screamed at him and told him to go but here she was looking after him…taking care of the man from across the hall.

But there was no way she could believe that he was the man he described himself as.

With Emily he was so gentle…and with them both….well, he had taken care of them…like their guardian angel…from across the hallway.

Missy bit at her lip before pulling the door open and rummaging around for the pack of peas.

But as she headed back into the living room, less than a minute later, brandishing the freezing cold packet, she stopped abruptly at the sight that met her eyes.

"Baby, what are you doing up at this hour?" said Missy cocking her head slightly at Emily, who was now wriggling her little butt onto the couch beside Wade.

"Waydey…" said Emily in a quiet voice, giving a wide smile, before clambering onto his lap.

Wade gave an 'oof' of pain as her little knees collided with his bruised ribs, but didn't make a big deal of it, instead grabbing the little girl around the middle and tugging her into a more comfortable position.

Emily looked up at him, her little mouth falling open, and her chubby little hands reaching out for his puffy eye, but Wade laughed, holding her at arm's reach.

"Hey there Em-bear…aren't you supposed to be in bed?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows in her direction.

But Emily shook her head, giving a giggle and scrunching the sleeves of her little pyjamas in her hands. "Naww."

She pawed at his bare chest.

Missy smiled, folding her arms over her blouse and strolling towards them.

"Come on young lady," said Missy in a firm voice as Emily glanced up at her. "Wadey's not feeling very well, you need to let him get some rest."

And with that Missy made to lift Emily from his lap, but the little girl gave a pout, her bottom lip jutting out slightly.

Wade grinned.

"Well, you know what would make me feel a lot better?" said Wade in a playful tone, brushing his thumb across Emily's pudgy little cheek. "A cuddle before you say goodnight."

Emily looked at him with wide, green eyes.

"Cwuddle?" she asked, before her eyes drifted up to her Mom. "Mommy cwuddle Waydee too?"

At this, Wade's grin widened as Missy blushed a deep scarlet colour.

"Oh yeah, I would definitely appreciate a nice long cuddle from your Mommy too…" he said raising one single eyebrow in Missy's direction, as she tutted and rolled her eyes. "But just one from you would be awesome for now, and if I'm lucky I might get one from your beautifully-hot Mommy later.…."

"Okway," said Emily happily giving a nod, before wrapping her arms suddenly around Wade's neck.

He smiled, giving her tiny back a little rub, before she finally let go and Missy heaved her from his arms.

"Right then, back to bed, Little Miss Mischief," she said rubbing her nose against Emily's, as the little girl giggled and the pair of them disappeared off into the bedroom.

It only took Missy a few minutes to get Emily tucked into bed, and back off to sleep.

Pulling the little girl's bedroom door shut behind her, she walked back into the living room, to where Wade was still resting on the couch, the pack of frozen peas pressed to his side.

She watched him for a long moment, before walking around him, tucking her long caramel hair behind her ear.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?" she asked, wincing herself, just by the look on his pained face. But he merely shot her an easy smile.

"Nah, why would I do that when I've got my own super-hot nurse right here," he said teasingly.

Missy shook her head.

"But I was sorta after a favour…." he said, looking up at her, her tone changing slightly. "So when I got beaten up they took my cell phone, wallet…and, well, my keys….so I was kinda hoping I might be able to crash here tonight… just until I can get to a locksmith tomorrow morning…"

He raised his hands aloft.

"You can say no…I have a buddy who owns a bar not far from here, so I can always-"

"Of course you can stay…" said Missy cutting across him, her voice serious.

Wade's eyes locked onto hers.

"Are you sure?" he asked gently. "Because I promise I'll be out of your hair before Emily even wakes up…"

But Missy smiled.

"It's fine…" she uttered, shaking her head. "She likes having you here…"

Right at that moment, something inside Missy was rising to the surface. Thoughts and feelings she had pushed away for so long, and yet that moment Wade and Emily had shared mere minutes ago, had brought it all to the surface.

Wade smiled back, plucking a cushion from the far side of the sofa and placing it behind his head.

"No, no…" said Missy suddenly taking a step towards him. "You should take my bed."

Wade looked up at her, the slightest of bemused frowns making its way across his face.

"As much as I would love to be in your bed," he said in throwing her a playful look. "I'd prefer, in both scenarios, for you to be in it. I'm fine with the couch, seriously."

Missy bit her lip gently, staring down at the half naked merc before her.

"Well… you know where I am if you need anything?" she said tearing her eyes away from his, her cheeks flushing once again.

Wade looked skyward.

"As tempting as that sounds…I really think I would pass out before I even got past first base…" he said shaking his head, with a faux-sigh of longing. "But I'd definitely give it my best shot…"

Missy shook her head, smirking and tossing him a fluffy white blanket from her armchair, before heading off towards her bedroom.

"Night, Wade," she uttered, pausing at the door, her hand on the light switch.

"Night, gorgeous baby-momma," he replied, making himself comfortable, and settling down for the night.

Missy rolled her eyes, picking Emily up in her own arms, sitting down onto the arm of the couch and pulling the little girl onto her lap.

"Not. A. Chance," she said in a playful voice, jiggling Emily on her knee and looking directly into her eyes. "Mommy wants some Tiffany earrings and not an annoying neighbor under her tree, isn't that right baby?"

Wade merely chuckled as Emily wriggled from Missy's grasp, dropping to the floor and waddling back over to Wade.

"Waydee play," she said, her tiny hand immediately grasping his for his ear and giving in a small tug.

"Owwwweee," he said in a faux-pained voice, giving her an exaggerated pout.

But Emily merely lifted a bow and stuck it to his lips before giving a quiet giggle and running off to hide behind Missy's slender legs.

Wade suddenly burst into laughter, plucking the crimson bow from his mouth and getting to his feet.

He strolled over towards Missy and Emily, pretending to make a slow grab for the little toddler, who ran from the room shrieking with giggles.

He turned to Missy, who merely looked up at him, one eyebrow raised, but didn't say a word.

"And what's your problem, Miss 'Perfection in Human Form'?" he said, slowly raising an eyebrow of his own. "What's that look for?"

Missy stood, coming to stand extremely close to him, before plucking a, Christmas tree-patterned, ball of sticky tape from his white t-shirt.

"I was just wondering how many kids you have squirreled away in this city?" she asked, slipping past him and strutting into the kitchen, opening the trash can with her foot. "Because you are way too good with her to not have any children of your own."

Wade, who had followed close behind her and now stood, leaning up against the door frame, his arms folded across his broad chest, gave a smirk.

"Nope…I'm child-free and care-free," he said promptly. "But if you're offering. I'd be up for making some beautiful babies with you."

Missy laughed, shaking her head.

"Do you ever get tired of being a flirt?" she asked, titling her head at him.

But Wade sauntered toward her. "Well I only flirt with the women I like…like really like…. Like really, REALLY like."

He stood staring down at her, goadingly.

She flushed quickly, smiling and turning away from him, just as Emily ran into the kitchen.

"Ca I snak?" she asked in a quiet voice, looking up at her Mom.

"Sure you can, sweetie," Missy uttered in clear tone. "But what do we say?"

And to her delight, and for the first time since they had practiced it, Emily signed the word please with her hand.

"Good job!" said Missy loudly, stroking the top of Emily's head. She handed her two small strawberries from a dish on the counter. The little girl bit into them immediately, her mouth covered in red juice, before running back into the living room.

Missy looked back up at Wade, just as his phone beeped loudly in his pocket. Plucking it out, he gave a frown as he stared at the screen.

"Something the matter?" asked Missy, blinking up at him.

Wade paused for a moment.

"It's work," he uttered giving a small groan. "I've got a big job coming up…. and if I don't take it someone else will."

Missy smirked.

"So you ever going to tell me what is it you do?" she asked folding her arms across her chest.

Wade gave a grin. "Nope," he said popping the 'p'. "I guess I'll just have to keep being tall, dark and mysterious for you."

He raised an eyebrow playfully, as Missy smiled back.

"Well my guess is you've either got a god-awful job, you don't want anyone finding out about…..OR you're one of those superheroes you see on TV…with some sort of secret identity."

She shot him a teasing look as Wade stared back at her happily, giving a sigh.

"And what does that make you? The damsel in distress?" he asked taking a step towards her and titling his head.

But Missy merely flashed him a coy smile, strutting past him.

"I don't need rescuing…" she said smoothly, nudging him with her hip as she walked by.

Wade gave another, this time shuddering, sigh, as he watched her go, a wide grin forming across his features.

Missy pursed her lips, bending down to pick up the mass of sticky tape that had been balled on the floor by Emily, as Wade watched her.

She could feel his gaze on her, as she tidied up her tiny living room, placing all the festive bits and pieces back in the box.

"So you a bit of a Christmas Scrooge, huh?" asked her blonde neighbor after a brief moment of two, causally leaning up against the kitchen door frame.

Missy looked up at him questioningly.

"Christmas decorations…." he uttered gazing around. "No tree….and what's it today? December 14th?"

Missy shrugged her shoulders, placing the small box down onto her dining table.

"We don't have any…" she said her eyes suddenly falling to the floor. Her voice was different now. Quieter. She gave a gulp, turning away from him and plucking one of Emily's stuffed animals from the couch and placing it into the toddler's basket of toys in the corner of the room. "We…..er….used to….but…um…."

She scratched her head, placing a hand to her hip and staring up at him. "…I haven't got around to buying any this year…."

Wade stared at her for what felt like the longest of moments, his eyes roving across her delicate features, the smallest hint of a frown between his brows.

A silence pierced the room. A silence where Missy could almost hear her heart plunging into her stomach and that feeling of panic and fear start to rear its ugly head once again.

"Well lucky for you I have a tonne of terribly tacky decorations in my closet you can have..." said Wade suddenly, his face forming into an easy grin once again. "Each one more ugly than the last…"

Missy smiled before she could help herself, and gave a small laugh, relaxing a little, and tucking her long caramel hair behind her ear.

Biting on her lip, she looked up at him, almost shyly.

"That would be great…thank you."

Wade beamed just as Emily ran back in the room, her face covered in strawberry juice.

The toddler waddled up to Wade, pressing two green, gooey strawberry stalks into his palm.

"Wow," said Wade instantly, crouching down before the little girl and holding the stalks aloft. "Jeez, these for me?"

Emily nodded, her little mouth hanging open, staring up at him.

"Well I'm going to treasure them forever," he said giving her cheek a small stroke with his free hand, before getting to his feet once more.

"You got to go?" asked Missy, who had been watching the pair interact, smiling as she did so.

Wade glanced her way.

"'Fraid so…." he said, strolling towards the front door as Emily followed behind him. "But I'll be back later with those Christmas decorations. ….I promise."

Missy chewed on her lip as Wade glanced down at Emily.

"Pwomish?" the toddler repeated, her little words slightly slurred. She had obviously been listening intently to every word he had said.

Wade grinned.

"I promise, Chicken-Little," he said tugging open the front door.

He shot Missy one last look, before leaving and pulling the door closed behind him with a snap, the two strawberry stalks still safe in his hand….

Missy stared at the front door long and hard for what was at least a minute or two after Wade had gone, before Emily ran towards her.

"Waydee gonn?" she asked, staring up at Missy with wide-green eyes.

Missy gazed down at her tiny daughter before giving a laugh and staring at her strawberry-juice covered face.

"Wade's gone, but he promised he'll come back and see us later, OK?" said Missy bending down at lifting Emily into her arms. "But I think you, young lady, need a bath….look at the state of you!"

But Emily shook her head, poking her little tongue out, giving a giggle.

"Noh baff…" she said shaking her head naughtily.

Missy laughed again, balancing Emily on her hip and taking her little chubby hand in hers as they walked towards their bathroom. "Yes you do."

"Noh," said Emily again.

"Yes."

"Noh…"

"Yes."

"Noh, Mommy…"

Missy laughed.

---------------------------------

"What the fuck am I going to do?" she muttered, giving another sniff and shaking her head, before letting out a loud frustrated groan as she lifted her tearful eyes to the cloudy dark sky above. "Dan's still ghosting me. The fucking asshole. And I know that I'm 34 but fuck, I don't think I'm ready for a baby….am I?"

She pursed her lips, her green eyes fluttering down to look at Wade.

Was she ready?

Missy had never really thought of herself as the maternal type, but now stood here thinking about it properly, maybe the idea of a baby honestly wasn't the worst thing in the world.

She had a good job, with good benefits. She was responsible with money and knew how to cook and clean and take care of herself.

Ok she was alone, but her Mom had been too. And she had managed to give Missy a wonderful childhood.

Maybe all this…maybe whatever the outcome, she would be ok. Right?

Wade, who was staring back at her, gave her hand, still clutched in his, a gentle squeeze.

"There's a Rite Aid two blocks from here," he said, giving a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Only one way to find out."

A lump appeared in Missy's throat which she hurriedly swallowed away. She gave a nod, and turned, heading hand-in-hand up the street with Wade in silence.

She was glad for once that Wade was keeping his mouth shut about Dan. The merc, having a pretty low opinion of her, now ex-boyfriend, was usually pretty vocal on the subject. So she appreciated his tact now, especially when she was feeling this low.

Fuck. If she really was pregnant she had no idea how she would tell Dan, seeing as he had now been ignoring her for days.

Ugh, why was it that all the guys she decided to date turned out to be douchebags? What was so wrong with her, huh?

Why could she not just find a guy who was dependable, kind and didn't run a mile at the first sign of commitment?

Approaching the illuminated drug store on the corner, Missy began to slow.

Immediately Wade noticed this, letting go of her hand and instead sliding his arm around her waist, steering her into the pharmacy.

"Come on, quit stalling," he murmured, hovering his lips close to her ear. "We just go in, pick up a test and in twenty minutes you're gonna know either way."

Missy gave a pained groan, allowing Wade to lead her into the brightly lit store.

The place was empty, save for a couple of teenage girls giggling over the lip glosses on one of the far aisles.

Missy browsed the shelves, her high heels click-clacking across the shiny floor as Wade followed her closely, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his sheepskin jacket.

Finally spotting what she had come in for, Missy strutted on over, her eyes landing on the ten or so options of pregnancy tests all laid out in two neat lines.

She felt Wade come to stop easily at her side.

"Ooh," he said, reaching out for the box nearest to him. "This one even comes with a chart to mark your star sign. I'm a Sagittarius with Aries rising if you want to put that one down-"

But Missy instantly snatched the box from his hand.

"That's an ovulation tracker, Wade," she said irritably, her eyes lowering to the box as she looked it over.

"Jeez, six days early; triple check; digital?" he said leaning in to her. "Thought you just had to pee on a stick?"

"I do," Missy replied, sighing, and picking up a second test. "You think I should get two? Just to be sure?"

"Fuck me, eighteen bucks?" commented Wade, making a face, as Missy turned and began to head towards the counter on the far side of the store. "For something you're just gonna whizz on?"

"Hurry up," uttered Missy through gritted teeth, grasping the elbow of his sleeve and gesturing for him to follow her. "I just want to get all this over with."

Wade obediently followed as Missy approached the counter where an older lady, with greying hair in two braids, wearing a white coat, was waiting for them beside the register.

"Just these please," said Missy, placing down the two tests onto the counter and rifling in her purse for her card, as Wade's tall and lean form came to stop at her side.

"You got any of those Flintstones multi-vitamins? I like to chew on a few on my way to a job sometimes. Good for my iron levels," said the merc cheerily to the cashier, before Missy elbowed him in the side.

"Sorry, we're all out," said the lady eyeing the pair of them curiously, as she punched the items into the register. "That'll be $26.50."

Missy took out her credit card, as the lady immediately raised an eyebrow.

"Y'know in my day the baby-daddy paid for this type of thing," she commented, shooting Wade a judgmental look.

At her words Missy immediately reddened.

The idea of having to explain that- no, the guy stood next to her was not the potential father of her child and that the baby daddy- as the lady had so tactfully put it- had instead, been ignoring Missy's texts and calls for coming up to a week -was, well…mortifying.

"Oh…no…he's not-" Missy began. But before she could say anything more, Wade had reached for his wallet and proceeded to hand over 30 dollars in cash.

"Wow…y'know, anyone ever told you you are the spitting image of a young Willie Nelson?" said the merc in a playful tone to the cashier, smiling innocently. "It's actually kinda spooky!"

The woman immediately scowled, shoving the paper bag carrying the two tests and Wade's change towards him irritably.

The merc picked up both and turned to Missy grinning widely.

"Wow. Some people just cannot take a compliment," he whispered in a carrying voice, as Missy tutted, her cheeks still tinged pink as she steered him by the crook of his arm from the counter.

"Let's just get out of here, Wade," Missy huffed, shaking her head.

The blonde felt nauseous again.

An impending dread swirling about above her shoulders.

Ten minutes later they were back at their shared hallway.

She had been mostly silent on the way home, just desperate to get all this over and done with.

The sooner she found out if she was pregnant or not, the better.

Fishing her keys from her purse she paused momentarily.

"I, um…" she said, turning to Wade. "Can you-"

She frowned, staring at her friend. And Wade, who was 6ft2 and always seemed haphazardly thrown together, gazed back at her, his chocolate eyes so warm and familiar.

Fuck, she knew how lucky she was to have him as her someone she could rely on. But there was no way in a hundred years she was going to give him the satisfaction of hearing her say that. Knowing she'd never hear the end of it if she did!

"-can you come wait with me?" she said, feeling a little vulnerable. "I just…I don't want to do this by myself."

"No problemo," the merc replied in a playful tone, approaching her on his long legs and coming to stand just an inch or two away. "Want me to hold the stick while you pee on it, my sweetness?"

But Missy merely scowled, giving him a playfully hard shove away from her.

"I'm good thanks," she muttered scathingly, turning and opening the door with her keys.

She felt Wade immediately press up against her from behind, leaning over her, his hand attempting to snake its way around her waist.

To anyone else this would have been intimidating, but Missy, after two long years, could more than handle the seemingly constant flirtations of Wade Wilson.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a taunting voice, as she quickly moved away, ignoring him.

Wade immediately followed her into her familiar apartment. "Because if I am gonna be mistaken for the baby-daddy maybe I need to step up. Start taking on those intimate duties-"

Missy pursed her lips.

"-especially if Dan the dickwad has vanished into the fucking ether," he finished.

Missy chewed on her bottom lip for a second, before tossing her keys onto the side and slipping out of her coat.

"You think I should try calling him again?" she asked, her voice full of worry.

"And you really think Needle-dick will answer, Moon of my Life?" replied Wade, following Missy as she strutted into her bedroom.

Missy huffed.

Wade was probably right. If he hadn't responded by now what good would one more call do?

Missy just wished she hadn't been so stupid. So irresponsible.

But for a brief moment, while it had all been going so well, Missy had thought that Dan might have been, well….the one.

He had been charming and funny. And ok, they had had very little in common, but Missy had fallen for him. Like she had with every other loser guy just like him over the years. Hook, line and sinker.

More fool her.

But now if the test turned out to be positive and she really was pregnant, then there would be something tying a douchebag like Dan to her for the rest of her days.

Ugh. Missy could have screamed.

Stupid stupid stupid.

"Just hand me the bag," she muttered to the merc, her stomach still doing somersaults.

The tall merc passed over the brown paper bag and Missy took it with her into the bathroom adjoining her bedroom.

Less than a minute later she was out again, holding two tests in one hand and her phone in the other.

"Ok," Missy uttered, letting out a deep calming breath. "Two minutes. I'm timing it."

She tossed her phone down beside Wade, who was now sitting on the edge of her large bed, hands back inside his sheepskin jacket pockets.

"I did two, just to make sure," she said, placing the two sticks down onto her dresser where she wouldn't be able to see them.

She needed a moment to think, realising now that her hands were trembling.

Fuck.

Missy quickly came to sit next to Wade on the edge of the bed, clasping her hands tightly together on her lap, trying as hard as she could to stop them from shaking. But the moment she managed to, the movement just immediately shifted to her knee, which began to bounce impatiently beneath her pencil skirt.

Her heart was in her stomach and she felt like she might just puke again.

Shit. She didn't know another time in her life she had been so nervous.

Not even before her last big job interview, or even when she had been in senior year and had lost her virginity to Jason Sherman.

Not even those moments of pure anxiety could compare to this!

Missy let out another steadying breath of air, just as Wade's hand came to rest of her leg, stopping the jiggling in its tracks.

"Cool it, ok? uttered Wade in a reassuring voice. "You know that either way, you're gonna be fine. If it's negative we still get to go out on a school night and do shots until we both black out. And if it's positive…"

The merc suddenly removed his hand from her knee, instead reaching for Missy's own hand and entwining his long digits firmly with hers.

Missy looked up at him, his long face just a few inches away, and his warm chocolate eyes as serious as she had even seen them.

"...well, I am more than happy to be on diaper duties," he continued, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Missy's heart pounded as her eyes flicked over to the tests sat a few feet away.

"Fuck, Wade," she said in a quiet, pained whisper. "I'm thirty-four, I should be ready to have a baby."

She gave a shake of her head causing her long blonde waved hair to pool over one shoulder.

"Well I'm thirty nine and I still consider myself a baby," uttered Wade, easing out a sigh, and nudging her with his shoulder. "Mhmmm to me its still the veeery late seventies and I'm still right there on, Christmas morning, sitting in my jammies playing with my brand new Gi Joe and eating pizza rolls. Or…wait…maybe that just my Christmas last year-"

Missy gave a hard sigh.

"I think Christmas is the one time that I think I could really be a Mom," she said in a dreamy voice. "Waking up to see my little girl or boy's faces as they open their gifts. Just spending time alone together, all cuddled up in front of the tv, as a little family."

Missy shrugged.

"I always wanted a little girl," she said, allowing herself a smile. "And I always pictured me and her sat on the grass outside on a warm day having a pretend tea party. Like Miss Honey and Matilda at the end of that movie, y'know? Fuck, I know it sounds stupid-"

"It doesn't," cut in Wade gazing at eyes filled with something new, something perhaps the merc himself wasn't fully aware of yet.

"Like maybe I'd have a little girl, or boy, who I could take to the park or on little coffee dates," Missy continued, her smile widening a little as she imagined her life laid out before her. "I would walk them to school, make their little lunches every day. And before bed every night I would just smother them with kisses, so they'd know just how loved they were. Just like my Mom did with me."

Missy looked to Wade, biting down on her lower lip in excitement as she pictured it all.

That life.

Maybe she could do this.

Maybe all this had come at a time in Missy's life where she was, in fact, ready. Ready to be a Mom.

Maybe deep down this was the life she had always wanted.

The tall mercenary was now staring back at her, his dark eyes roving over her face, as though taking her all in.

And it almost looked for a moment as though Wade was about to say something…

But before the merc could utter even a word, a sudden beeping filled the room.

Missy's stomach lurched and she grasped on the bed behind her for her phone.

Their two minutes were up.

Missy swallowed hard, hurriedly switching off her alarm.

Whatever the outcome now…she was ready.

And so giving an nervous yet happy smile, Missy stood and stalked the three paces over to the two tests still sat on her tall dresser.

Her heart thudding in her chest.

But she faltered suddenly…

…her face instantly falling as she took in the words written identically across the two pregnancy tests.

-NEGATIVE-

------------------------------------

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged.

@misscrissfemmefatale

"...Missy?"

Missy looked up from her PC screen.

"Huh?" she said with a blink, looking up at her two colleagues Sarah and Megan who shared the adjoining desks.

Sarah, who was a little older than Missy with a dark sleek bob and a pointed face, shook her head, giving a smirk.

"God, what is with you today?" she tutted. "I SAID what are you and Dan doing this weekend?"

Missy's heart dropped at the mention of her boyfriend who she hadn't spoken to in days.

Missy had thought things were going so well. And then…nothing. No texts, no calls, not even a reply when she had tried to message him. Just two ticks showing that he'd read what Missy had sent.

"I…um…I'm not sure yet," Missy muttered, wanting to save face in front of the two office gossips.

"Well if he takes you out for dinner you have to go to the place I went to last night," said Megan, who was bright blonde and botoxed, and looked to Missy as though she should be staring on reality tv show, not working in the cubicle beside hers. "We had the best lobster bisque for starters. Really thick, just how I like it-"

Missy paled at Megan's words, starting to turn green.

"Please, can we not talk about food right now," she said quickly, with a shake of her head.

Megan stopped talking, but it was Sarah who suddenly narrowed her eyes in Missy's direction.

"What's wrong?" she asked curiously.

But Missy merely gave a sigh, her eyes still focused on the screen ahead of her.

"I'm just feeling kinda…off. I puked up this morning, I think it was something I ate," she said shrugging, clicking onto an email that had popped up on her screen.

"Oooh," said Sarah, drawing both Missy and Megan's eyes to her instantly, as she raised both eyebrows knowingly. "Y'know that's exactly how I felt when I was pregnant with my two boys. I couldn't keep anything down."

Missy gave a hard swallow.

But she wrinkled her nose giving a shake of her caramel blonde head.

"T-That's not what this is…" she said confidently. But inside her mind was already racing through the dates. When the hell had her last period been? Was it six weeks? Or maybe even seven?

Fuck.

"Hmmmm. I wouldn't be so sure," said Sarah fiendishly. "I thought my first was just some bad sushi. Then nine months later-"

"I'm not pregnant," said Missy curtly, ending the conversation dead.

Her eyes moved back to her PC screen, as Megan and Sarah shared a look, but Missy was no longer reading the open email of her screen. Her mind now thoroughly preoccupied.

Fuck fuck fuck.

She couldn't be pregnant. She just couldn't be. Her and Dan had used all the proper precautions.

Although there had been that one time-

Fuck.

She paled. That had to have been almost four weeks ago now.

Missy's phone suddenly pinged from beside her keyboard.

Was it Dan?

Like a flash, Missy snatched up her phone, gazing at the screen with bated breath.

But instead of seeing Dan's name, the name of her neighbour Wade popped up on the screen.

Missy clicked into it seeing that her friend had shared a stupid meme showing two old ladies on a rollercoaster with her along with a message from him that read 'This will be you and me but with less incontinence'.

Missy gave a pained huff and dropped her phone down onto her desk once again.

Fuck. What the fuck was she going to do?

The last hour of the day passed so slowly, with Missy barely able to concentrate on anything other than what Sarah had said.

What if she really was pregnant? Then what?

Dan had ghosted her and unless he had gotten run over by a bus but was somehow still able to read his messages, it was obvious now he no longer wanted anything to do with her.

Missy's heart was broken. What was so bad about her that men never wanted to stick around? Only wanting her for a one night thing, or something casual.

Plenty of her friends were married, or at least had long term partners. And at least half of those had started to have kids, families of their own. Leaving Missy still in the dating pool hoping that one day her knight in shining armour would come along to sweep her off her feet.

But if it hadn't happened by now, Missy began to wonder if it ever would.

"Night, Missy," came Megan's sudden voice from beside her, breaking Missy from her thoughts.

Missy looked up to see Megan and Sarah both with their coats on, heading off for the weekend.

"Oh, yeah…uh…night," she replied, as the two women walked away arm in arm, gossiping between themselves in hushed voices.

And Missy knew exactly who they were likely to be gossiping about too.

Letting out a despondent breath through her nose, Missy slowly logged off of her computer and stood, putting on her long beige wool coat and grasping up her purse and her phone.

She knew what she now had to do this evening. And it certainly couldn't wait.

Missy needed to know tonight.

It looked as though she was one of the last out of the building. And by the time she left the elevator and strutted out into the reception of the large office building on her perilously high heels, she noted that the sky outside had already grown dark.

Pushing through the revolving doors and exiting out onto the bitterly cold street, Missy had barely made it a step before she heard a sudden familiar voice.

"Do you know how hard my nipples are right now, waiting out here for you in the freezing fucking cold?"

Missy swung around with a frown to see Wade stood leaning up against the wall of the building, hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his red and black sheepskin jacket.

"You know I was waiting for a reply to that meme I sent you," he uttered in a goading voice, pushing himself from the wall easily and stalking towards her.

"I was busy, Wade," Missy replied with a tired sigh, her distracted eyes flitting up the long street, trying to decide where she was going to stop off on her way home.

The ex-special forces mercenary came to stop directly in front of her, with Missy noticing he was wearing nothing but a white vest beneath his jacket.

"It's no wonder you're freezing it's like 30 degrees today," she tutted. "Haven't you ever heard of a sweater?"

But Wade gave a shrug. "What and deny you and all the other lovely ladies out there the sight of my bulging pectorals?"

Missy rolled her eyes. "Are you walking me home or not?" she said, jabbing him in his flat abs with one perfectly polished fingernail.

"Ouch, oh someone's tetchy," the merc commented. "Bad day? What was it? Someone microwave tunafish in the break room microwave again?"

He grinned down at her goofily as they began to walk, his hand snaking down and finding hers.

Missy merely let out another sigh but didn't give a reply, as they walked hand in hand down the cold street.

"You still feeling peaky?" he asked, turning his head to glance her way. "Y'know if you're gonna blame those tacos we had from that street food place on Tuesday just know that I felt fine afterwards. And I only saw one roach behind the counter, which is GOOD for that part of town!"

Missy paled again at Wade's words, but she didn't say anything.

Worry flooding her every pore.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her phone and checked it, in one last desperate hope that maybe Dan had texted her.

But still there was nothing.

Missy swallowed hard, not even noticing that Wade's eyes were still on her.

He stopped in his tracks suddenly and pulled her to a halt.

Missy turned to look at him, her friend of two years, staring back at her, a look of concern etched across his long features.

And before Missy could help herself, tears began to brim at her waterline.

Wade immediately frowned, his dark eyes roving over her upset face.

"Fuck," fretted Missy, hitching in a sharp intake of breath. "I've fucked up, Wade."

She worried at her bottom lip with her teeth, giving an exasperated shake of her head.

Wade didn't say anything, just waiting, allowing Missy the space to speak again, confessing exactly what she had been worried about all afternoon.

"Fuck…" she repeated with another pained shake of her blonde head, as she gazed up into his concerned face. "...I think I might be pregnant."

---------------------------

"Are we talking about Dan the asshole, my sugar-dumpling?" Said the merc in a playful voice, walking over towards her. "I told you he was a piece of fucking shit from the beginning. But ohhh no, you didn't want to listen to me. You were all 'l think he seems like a nice guy...it doesn't matter that he spends all his money on eating out in quirky instagrammable restaurants and getting his ballsack waxed'."

Missy stared up at Wade, shooting him a dark look.

"He's not that bad, Wade," she reprimanded.

But Wade merely gave a scoff. Moving over to his tiny kitchenette.

"Y'now if I was your boyfriend, I probably wouldn't text you back either," he said in a light tone, causing Missy to instantly frown in his direction. "We'd be so busy fucking like bunny rabbits I'd never have the fucking time."

Missy rolled her eyes, and looked back towards her phone as Wade from across the room gave a smirk, his eyes lingering on her pouting face for just a moment.

"So is it too early for me to try and get you drunk on beer so I can hopefully put my hand up your sweater?" said Wade pulling open the fridge door. "Or are you trying to keep a clear head in case you need to have it out with Deputy Dan the douchebag later?"

Missy, at his words, gave a grimace.

"Ugh, could i just get a glass of water?" She said shaking her head. "I've been feeling nauseous all day."

Wade pulling out a bottle of beer for himself, grabbed her a clean glass from the side, glancing back at her from over his shoulder.

"Maybe it's a sign," he said in a tone of faux-seriousness, filling the glass with water from the faucet. "Maybe your body's just expressing what your subconscious thinks of Dan..."

But Missy pursed her lips.

Dan didn't make her feel nauseous.

The first few weeks with him had been great. Good sex, really nice dates (even if the locations were sometimes a little pretentious) and he was pretty good looking.

He was medium height, with brown hair and a charming smile. He worked in marketing and he and Missy had met through a mutual friend.

Although she had to admit they really didn't have much in common. He liked to talk about his business- A LOT! And Missy was just admin at the office she worked at. She tended to zone out the moment he began talking about strategy and profit margins.

But his career of course has meant that he owned a swanky apartment across town. It was lovely but Dan always managed to persuade Missy to stay over after a date. And despite Missy asking him over to her place on several occasions, Dan had accused the neighbourhood of being too dangerous. Which meant that Missy was constantly being made to do the walk of shame each time she stayed over.

But that didn't mean he made her nauseous...did it?

She gave an internal sigh, chucking her cell phone down onto the bed beside her.

Perhaps him not calling her was a good thing.

"I don't know," said Missy in a sad voice. "Why can't I just find a guy that isn't a total jackass for once?"

She glanced up at Wade who was now at her side, holding out the glass of water.

He looked for a moment like he was about to say something, but for once, it never came.

She took the glass from his hand, taking a gentle sip.

"Are you working tonight?" she asked after a moment, looking up at the merc as he pulled off the beer bottle cap with his hand, tossing it down, and taking a swig.

"Nuh-uh, said Wade, giving a grin. "I am all yours. We binge watching the rest of Bridgerton?...Unless you wanna give Dan another call, of course?"

But Missy shook her head, getting to her feet.

"Nope. Corsets and sexy love scenes please," she said firmly, flashing Wade a smile and heading over to his squishy leather couch.

She didn't even notice Wade's eyes follow her as she strutted past him, something in them that even he wasn't really aware of yet...

"Corsets and sexy love scenes it is," he uttered happily, grabbing the to remote and following her.

--------------------

Missy shook her head, giving a sigh.

"You must be imagining things…" she said in a high voice, looking away from him, to stop him from seeing her slight smile. "One too many bumps to the head."

She glanced back over towards her neighbour, pushing her long caramel hair back over her shoulder and narrowing her eyes goadingly.

Wade merely locked his chocolate eyes onto hers and for the slightest of seconds Missy felt her stomach lurch with something she hadn't felt in a long, long time…

But the moment quickly passed, as Emily let out a sudden cry.

"Duks!" she said excitedly, pointing over towards the pond, with what was left of her limp, drool-covered croissant.

Missy smiled gently and crouched down beside her tiny daughter, looking into her little face. "And how do we say ducks, baby?"

With that, Missy raised her hand and removed Emily's glove with the other. And together the pair of them signed the word ducks with their hands, pursing together their digits like a duck's beak.

"Good girl!" said Missy happily, giving Emily a squeeze and pressing a kiss to her head.

Missy glanced up at Wade, her face bright, as she replaced Emily's mitten.

"We're leaning sign-language," she explained, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Both of us…it's kinda hard-going…but she's way better at remembering it all than I am."

Wade beamed down at them and looked like he was about to say something, but the words never came…

Missy got to her feet again, teetering slightly on her high heels and pulled the bag of stale bread crusts from her pocket.

"So, shall we go feed the ducks?" Missy asked in a gentle voice as Emily looked up at her shyly.

The toddler lifted her limp croissant, titling her head questioningly.

"Yes, you can feed the ducks your pastry…" said Missy giving a small laugh, as the pair of them walked hand-in-hand down towards the pond.

Missy glanced over her shoulder at Wade.

"You coming?" she asked, gazing up at him.

Wade stood for a second, his face full of something Missy could not quite put her finger on, before he gave a nod and trudged over to them, grinning.

Five minutes later and Missy and Wade were stood on the side of the shallow duck pond watching as Emily tossed a small group of ducks one stale bread crust at a time.

The tall blonde couple were stood side-by-side, hands both stuffed into their pockets.

"So…." said Wade after a minute or two of comfortable silence. "….how has your week been?"

Missy looked up at him, a little taken aback.

No-one ever asked about her, or how she was doing. Apart from an occasional phone call from her aunt…Missy didn't have anyone…no one who cared about her, that was.

"Um…."

Just tell him it was fine…he doesn't want to hear about your crap week, Missy thought to herself.

"It was…okay…" uttered Missy glancing down at her shoes.

"Oh come on..," replied Wade almost instantly, glancing over at her. "Just okay?…I was expecting….spectacular…marvellous….fucking magnificent….…I mean, I could go on…"

"Please don't," said Missy with smirk, rolling her eyes, but she didn't look over at him. After a moment she gave a sigh, her shoulders tense. "I've just started this new job…and the job itself is fine, it's just…."

She paused, her eyes flitting down to her shoes once again.

"I just get the feeling no one really likes me…like they don't think I can work AND be a Mom, y'know?" she said her voice braking slightly. "Sorry I'm just…..venting."

Wade turned to face her.

"No, vent away…" he said, his eyes tracing her worried features. "At least in my line of work I don't have to deal with asshole colleagues…well, not all of the time anyway."

Missy, chewed on her lip, narrowing her eyes at him.

"What is it you say you did again?" she asked, her gaze finally meeting his.

But Wade merely shot her an easy smile.

"Ahhhh, well if I told you…you'd only move and I'd have to go through the whole bother of getting a new neighbour, introducing myself, getting their number, hanging out at the park with them. Not worth it…" he said giving her a faux-serious look.

Missy smiled, pursing her lips slightly.

"Come on…it can't be that bad," she said, turning to face him, keeping half an eye on Emily standing just a couple of feet away from them. "What are you? Meter-Maid, telemarketer ….debt collector?"

Wade merely grinned as she mentioned the latter, but kept quiet.

"Nope sorry….you have to get to Level 21 of the Wade Wilson friendship game to find out that little whammy of a detail…" he muttered, before turning back to where Emily was busy trying to stroke one of the little ducks.

Missy grinned back, staring at Wade's long face for a moment.

He was so so hard to read…but she kind of liked that.

She too, turned back to Emily, just as the toddler glanced up at her.

"I cold," she said, holding a mashed up bread crust out towards Missy.

Missy gave a pout.

"Aw, baby," she uttered, lifting the little girl up into her arms. "Shall we go home and watch a movie, and get warm?"

Emily nodded before looking at Wade, holding the bread crust out towards him now. "An hot chwoclat?"

Missy was about to reply, but glancing up she realised Emily wasn't talking to her…

Wade cocked his head, giving an adoring smile.

"Three of my speciality hot chocolates' coming up," he said rubbing his hands together.

Missy flushed slightly, but Wade looked nonplussed and….happy.

Chewing on her lip once again, Missy dropped Emily gently back down, and took her tiny mittened hand in hers.

"Shall we go, sweetie?" she asked in a clear voice.

Emily nodded and the three of them began to walk around the pond, and towards the park exit. Up ahead were two large trees that had been decorated with twinkling Christmas lights, Missy steering them towards them.

"So…" said Wade, once again breaking the comfortable silence between them.

Missy was also so used to keeping quiet while she and Emily walked, she barely noticed how silent she was.

"…you two got any plans for Christmas?" he asked in a carefree voice.

Missy looked over at him, before glancing away, her face becoming anxious.

"No….I um….we don't this year…." she said, feeling her shoulders start to tense and her heart begin to thud fretfully. "It'll be just the two of us."

Her voice wavered slightly at these words.

Wade was a quiet for a second before speaking.

"Emily not gonna see her Dad at all over the holidays?" he said, in a slow, careful voice, obviously not wanting to pry too much, when Missy gave so little away usually.

She stopped for a second, giving a gulp, clutching Emily's hand tighter in her own.

"It'll be just us…" she reiterated.

And that was the end of that.

Wade looked at her and gave a nod, but didn't push the subject any further.

"Ook Mommy, 'ights!" said Emily suddenly, her voice quiet.

Missy gave the toddler's hand a brief squeeze as Emily pointed over at the lit-up tree, just ahead of them.

"Aren't they pretty?" asked Missy crouching down beside her, and brushing the little girls' rosy cheek with her finger.

"Pwetty ike Mommy," said Emily, rubbing his nose quickly against Missy's.

"I can definitely back-up that statement," said Wade suddenly from behind them.

Missy shot him a look, before turning back to Emily.

"Alright, you two charmers," said Missy loudly, grabbing Emily around the middle and tickling at her sides gently, causing her to squeal in delight. "Home, before we freeze to death out here!"

"'Ome," repeated Emily, as Missy got to her feet and took her daughter's gloved hand.

But much to her surprise hers wasn't the only hand she reached for….

The little toddler turned, clutching at Wade's fingers gently with her tiny mittened paw.

Wade beamed down at her, his fingers closing gently around hers.

Missy stared at them both for a long moment…her breathing shallowing…

From the outside, anyone who'd have seen them, would have thought them the most perfect little family.

Missy flushed.

But they weren't and she knew that.

….she couldn't…

Missy gave an inward sigh before smiling gently and beginning to walk.

The three of them arrived home fifteen minutes later, cold and thoroughly in need of the warmth of one of their apartments.

But as they reached the hallway they shared, they paused a little awkwardly, before Emily broke the silence.

"How chwolcat?" she asked in a quiet voice, looking up at the tall Wade.

Missy faltered before pulling the hat from Emily's head and smoothing down her tuft of brown hair.

"Maybe Wade is busy sweetie…" she said in a gentle voice.

But their neighbour spoke instantly.

"Nope, free as a bird…" he said cocking an eye at her goadingly, before soon changing tac. "But if you didn't want me coming inside and ruining your movie day I can give you the recipe…for a small fee of course…"

He grinned fiendishly as Missy rolled her eyes.

She didn't want to know what that fee would be…. but she could take a guess…

"No, Waydee wach Jugglbuk," said Emily suddenly tugging at Wade's fingers, with her paw.

He gave the slightest of frowns as Missy explained.

"She means The Jungle Book," she said smiling. "It's her favourite. She likes the Tiger."

Wade grinned, before crouching down to Emily's level.

"You like a bad guy huh?" he asked, her face full of mock-surprise, as the little girl nodded, not really sure what she was agreeing to, her mouth hanging open, watching his every move carefully. "Well that is obviously why we get along like a house on fire, isn't that right Em-Bear?"

To Missy's utter surprise, Emily let out a little burst of laughter as she watched him speak.

"Jugglbuk," she repeated, stamping her little feet happily.

Missy let out a small snort of laughter too.

"Alright then, come on baby," she said pulling out her keys and pushing open her front door. "Let get inside and get your coat off."

Five minutes later Emily was snuggled up on the couch, legs tucked up underneath her, The Jungle Book playing on TV.

Missy grinned as the little girl watched, her eyes fixed to the screen. The sounds was turned down pretty low, but Missy knew that Emily just enjoyed the images on screen.

Turning on her heel, Missy headed into the kitchen where Wade was stood leaning up against the counter, arms folded, watching her as she entered the room. A pan of milk was boiling behind him.

"So," asked Missy folding her own arms across herself, smirking slightly , as she took a step towards him. "What makes your hot cholate so special? You got a secret ingredient?"

Wade merely grinned.

"Oh, baby," he uttered, shaking his head, and dipping his finger into the milk. "The secret ingredient is love...Ow hot!"

Missy rolled her eyes before strutting over.

"Here," she said nudging him aside and taking a peek at the milk and turning down the dial slightly.

But Wade stepped closer to her. "Ah, ah, ah….my recipe….my rules…." he uttered, turning the dial back up.

Missy narrowed her eyes at him smirking, but Wade kept his cholate eyes locked onto hers tauntingly.

"My kitchen, my rules," she jabbed back.

"Oh, you wanna go, Hot-Mamma?" he retorted, cocking his head to the side and raising his scarred eyebrows.

Missy laughed, wrinkling her nose slightly as she did so.

Wade gazed at her, tugging on his lip with his teeth.

"You know, I've got a feeling a Emily is gonna grow up and be just as stunning as her Mom…you've both got that cute little nose wrinkle when you laugh…" he said charmingly.

Missy smirked, turning back to the pan…before the look slowly slipped from her face.

Wade gave a slight frown, catching her distant gaze.

"You alright?" he asked quietly, his tone a little more serious. "Sorry….if I've said something….you can just tell me to shut the fuck up."

"No…. its fine," said Missy gently, stirring the milk with a spoon. "I just….."

She sighed…..feeling all her emotions….all her worries, about to come flooding out….to this guy she barely even knew.

"….She's so perfect Wade…..and I'm just worried about her all the time…is she happy, is she safe…I just….I mean looking after any two year old is stressful…. but Emily…..I just always hope that she's happy with me ….I try and do my best…but people just take one look at us and they…." Missy paused taking a breath. "It's like they think 'oh single mom, and her daughter is deaf too' like it was my fault and….I just stress about everything….like I know she hates going to day-care but I don't have any other choice…I have to work…I mean rent alone in this city is crazy…but I was just sick of relying on my aunt, y'know, and-"

Missy stopped, catching herself, her eyes full to the brim with tears.

She gave a steadying breath, letting go of the spoon suddenly and letting it clang back into the saucepan.

"…I-I'm sorry….you didn't need to hear that…I should go check on Emily…I…"

Missy made to turn, her head bowed low, embarrassed by her outburst.

But a sudden hand grasped her forearm firmly.

"Hey," came Wade's voice.

And for the first time in a few moments, Missy looked up into Wade's dark-brown eyes.

His face was soft and all that cockiness, that swagger, seemed to have fallen away from him. The way he was looking at her now…Missy felt the tears begin to spill over her eyes.

"…I know it might not count for much…" came Wade's voice, firm and grounded. "…But I'm here…and I'm always gonna be here…and I'm just across the hallway, you understand?"

Missy stared at him, long and hard for what felt like an eternity, before nodding and wiping at her eyes wide the sleeve of her white blouse.

"…I'm sorry…" she repeated, but Wade frowned immediately.

"Don't apologise ….alright?" he said giving a nod, his thumb tracing gentle circles across her forearm. "And for the record, I think you are a fucking amazing Mom….and if that little girl grows up to be anything like you….jeez, then this whole fucking universe need to watch out. 'Coz that would be perfection right there."

Missy gave a small laugh, as Wade let go of her arm.

"So…" he said eventually, his own face breaking into a wide contagious grin. "Are you ready to try another of Wade Wilson's speciality hot cholate's. So good even Wee Princess Emily wanted another one."

Missy chuckled, wiping away the remains of the mascara from underneath her eyes.

"Oh, so ready…." she said smiling up at him, her gaze never leaving his.

"Check out Mowgli getting some…" said Wade an hour later, one eyebrow cocked at the TV as the credits rolled across the screen.

Missy laughed.

Emily was sat on the couch, curled up into Missy, snoozing, taking her regular afternoon nap. After her hot chocolate, she had barely made it through two-thirds of the movie.

Missy's arms was wrapped lovingly around the little girl, feeling the rise and fall of her tiny chest as she slept.

Wade who was sat in the small armchair to their right shot them a smile.

"Well then…" he said gently, afraid that he would wade up the sleeping toddler. "….I should leave you both to it…"

He got silently to his feet, pulling on his sheepskin jacket as Missy looked at him.

"You off out tonight?" she asked, conversationally, her green eyes looking him up and down.

He stared back.

"Work actually," he said with a nod, before suddenly pointing a finger towards her. "….and hey, no stalking me to find out what I do either."

Missy smirked, as Wade reciprocated.

She bit her lip as he made his way to the door.

"Thanks Wade…" she uttered suddenly, surprising even herself. She didn't elaborate on what she was thanking him for, but he could guess.

He flashed her a smile, tugging open the door.

"No problem…" he said confidently, glancing back at her over his shoulder. "Oh and I'll text you in the morning…about breakfast. Next time its on you."

And with that Wade shot Missy a wink, before closing the door with a snap behind him, leaving Missy laughing.