#sir. mr fallon with all due respect. what the fuck.

[kazieka]

sometimes i hear “every night i would race the moon to fall for you” and am reminded that there is Love in the world

[sinsiriuslyemo]

Dearest readers,

Here is episode 25 of the final season. I’m so so so so so so sorry, but we’re going to be having a mid-season one week hiatus. Both of us are getting story fatigue and we’re afraid of it affecting the quality of the episodes. Being that this is the final season, we don’t want that at all. So I hope you guys will understand, there will be no Cuba v DR for one week. But we have decided to hold another contest in that week and will post details very soon (like later today or tomorrow morning). Thank you guys so much for your readership and your understanding! We love you!

Sinceriously,

Amanda

EPISODE 25

Eddies fingers trembled as he held his papers from the clerk's office. He moved into the living room of his place, reading them over and over again. He was actually doing this. He had an official date for his paternity case. He felt a sudden rush of panic, sitting down and trying to calm his rapid breathing. He felt the blood pulsing in his body, the tingles of panic in his fingertips.

“This is my son,” he whispered to himself. “I can do this.”

A knock on his door made him jolt in his seat and he let out a breath as he stood. Looking through the peephole, he opened the door to Rafael.

“Hey, I got your message. Are you okay?” his uncle asked as he stepped inside.

“I’m not sure,” he mumbled. “I got my court date.” He handed the papers over to Rafael, hands still slightly trembling. “Fuck this is really happening.”

Rafael read over the court document, nodding his head. “You know once you establish paternity, Melanie will be entitled to file for child support if she wants to.”

“I’ll drop out of school if I have to. Pay everything they ask. I just want to know him, tio. I want to know my son.”

“I know, I just wanna make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into,” Rafael answered. “I take it the talk with her didn’t go well?”

“She’s furious at me. She doesn’t get it.”

Rafael tipped his head from one side to the other. “She might have her reasons, Eddie.”

“If it was Roxie keeping you from your baby, would you give up?”

“It’s different situation, Eddie,” Rafael answered. “I’m not telling you not to go through with it, I’m just saying that she has her truth, too. Just like you have yours.”

“I don’t want to hurt her or put her through this but she won’t let me do anything with him. I want to know my son. He needs a father.”

“You do whatever you think is best, but just remember--”

A knock on the door cut Rafael off and he furrowed his brows at Eddie as the young man went to answer.

“Can I help you?” Eddie asked.

“Are you Eduardo Cuervos?”

Eddie knitted his brows and nodded. “Yes, I am. Who are you?”

“My name is Captain Leonard Williams, I’m the commanding officer over at the 33rd precinct in Washington Heights. I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time,” Williams said, showing Eddie his badge.

“What’s this about?”

“I’m looking for a woman named Reina Rodriguez?”

Eddie tensed. “Yeah, what about her?”

“I understand you knew her rather well,” Williams said.

“We haven’t spoken in years.”

“When was the last time you spoke with her?” Williams asked.

Eddie thought for a moment. “Shit I dunno, we hooked up a few times since we broke up but not since I was eighteen. Why?”

“She’s missing,” Williams replied, tilting his head. “And we have reason to believe that she’s responsible for the shooting that occured in Highbridge Park, where your sister was shot.”

“What? Reina is a psycho but she wouldn’t be a part of shooting children. And if she ever wanted to run she wouldn’t come to me. Will all due respect sir, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”

“Well, we have solid evidence that she was there, son. The question is whether or not she was running the show and we have evidence that suggests she was in charge,” Williams answered as he took out a business card from his pocket. “So, if you hear from her, I’d appreciate it if you gave me a call.”

Eddie took the car and stared at it before nodding. “Thank you, Captain Williams,” he mumbled.

“Thank you,” Williams replied, glancing at Rafael, who had been completely silent during the entire exchange. “Aren’t you ADA Barba?”

Rafael nodded. “Yes, I am.”

“He’s my uncle,” Eddie offered.

“Oh, I see,” Williams replied, smiling softly before he looked back to Eddie. “I appreciate your help, Eduardo. Thank you for your time. Nice to meet you, Mr. Barba.”

“Likewise, Captain,” Rafael said, giving the larger man a nod as he turned and walked back down the hall.

Eddie looked to his uncle. “What the fuck was that? I’m not involved with Reina.”

“I don’t know…” Rafael mumbled, still looking at the door, which was now shut. After a moment he looked back at his nephew. “Eddie, listen...if the police is looking into what happened at Highbridge Park, it’s only a matter of time before they start closing in on Nevada…”

“I’m not involved,” he whispered.

“I know that,” Rafael replied. “But I also know how highly unusual it is for a captain to leave the precinct in order to question a civilian. Just trust me, I have a bad feeling about this. For Mateo’s sake, just be careful.”

You walked into the diner near Rafael’s old apartment and found Izzy sitting in a booth by the window. Going over you smiled at her and sat down, ordering a coffee for yourself.

“How are you? Nevada told me about Vincent...are you okay?” you asked.

Her bottom lip trembled as she shook her head. “No I’m scared,” she whispered. She switched to sit on the same side of the booth as you so she could hug into you. She seemed to calm the moment you hugged back.

“Why are you scared? Don’t tell me Vincent was stupid enough to come see you,” you replied.

“No, I just…” her heart twisted. “I don’t want him out…”

“Neither do I, but he is...it doesn’t mean you have let it take over your life,” you said.

“I don’t know how to keep it out of my head,” she whispered.

“Focus on things you enjoy doing, things that make you happy,” you said.

“What If I can't focus?”

“Then you close your eyes and picture the love you’re working towards. What does it look like, smell like, what’s the temperature. By the time you’re done describing it, you’ll be a lot calmer.”

“Does that shit actually work?”

“Yes, it does,” you said softly.

“Okay...okay, maybe you’re right. I mean, it’s not like he’s come to see me or anything. By the way, thank Nevada for me,” she said.

You smiled and nodded. “I will pass along the message,” you said softly, stroking her hair. “You know, I used to dream of having a little sister when I was a kid. If carrying around his ugly baby doll and call it my little sister. Rafi would take care of me and I’d take care of her.” You smiled down at Izzy. “I wanted to braid her hair, and we could talk about who we were dating and tell each other secrets that we’d definitely not tell Rafi because he was a boy.”

Izzy laughed at the thought, looking at you. “Did you really want a sister that much? You were so mad when you found out, I just figured…”

“People process in different ways. I was more angry about the lie. I was mad that all of this time I could have spent being your older sister, I felt like it had been taken from me.”

“I was worried you’d be mad, you’d isolate me and hate me.”

“You made the choice for me,” you said, echoing your mother’s words as you looked down and silently cursed at what an asshat you had been. “We’ll never know what choice I would have made but I will tell you one thing, I would have never hated you. You were innocent in all of this. The same way you are now. Bad people have come into your life. Maybe they changed you, that’s okay. As long as they don’t take who you are. And I love who you are, Izzy. My creative and beautiful little sister.”

When you looked back up you saw the shimmer of tears in you sister’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

Izzy sniffed and hugged you tight. “I’ve just always wanted to hear something like that from you.”

You smiled and hugged back. “If you’ve been waiting this long I haven’t don’t my job as a big sister. I love you, Izzy. Nothing you do will ever change that. I know you’re close with Rafi, I get it. But I want us to be closer too. Okay?”

Izzy thought for a moment. “Do you think you could teach me Spanish?” she whispered. “I never learned and I’ve always wanted to.”

You grinned, leaning in to whisper. “I don’t know if anyone has ever told you this, but I am a great teacher.”

Both of you laughed as she wiped her eyes and looked up at you. “Thank you, I needed this.”

“Thank you, I love getting to see you more. And don’t worry about Vincent, you aren’t who you were a few years ago. You are a successful artist, you are making a life and a name for yourself and he is nothing on your path to success. Don’t let him waste any more of your time, entiendes?”

She nodded, leaning her head on your shoulder. “Can we order yet? I’m starving.”

“Me too.”

Rafael started to put his tools away after putting together the baby swing and set his tool box back into the laundry room. He opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water and considered what else he could do to prepare for the baby’s arrival. With Roxie quickly approaching 29 weeks, their time was steadily running out. 

I could deep clean the apartment.

A knock on the door broke him from his thoughts and he took one more swig from his water bottle before he went to answer it, only to find Amber on the other side.

“Roxie’s at work,” he said softly.

Amber nodded. “Yeah, I know. I'm actually here to see you. Your sister said you could help me,” she said nervously.

“Me? Help you with what?”

She tried to compose herself for this. But the longer it hung over her head, the sicker it made her feel. “My mother filed for custody of Fallon. She wants to take my baby away.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he replied with a frown.

“I don't know any other lawyers and your sister said maybe you might know someone. Rafael, please, I'm desperate, she's my baby girl.”

Rafael sighed, looking down at his feet and nodding. Why Amber couldn’t have picked up a phone book herself was beyond him. Still, as much as he preferred to not have to deal with her for the rest of his life, he didn’t wish her any ill will.

“Yeah, let me just change my shirt,” he replied.

She sighed in relief. “Thank you,” she said as she started to come inside.

“No, no...don’t come inside. I’ll only be a minute. Just...wait out here. We’ll go get a coffee or something,” he said, not waiting for a response before he went into the bedroom to change his shirt.

“Seriously?” she asked as he came out and grabbed his keys.

“What?”

She sighed and rolled her eyes as she bit the inside of her lip. “Nevermind, you're helping me. I really don't have room to criticize.”

“Since when has that ever stopped you, Amber?” he replied, locking his front door and walking to the elevator.

She didn't say anything, but still gritted her teeth as she followed him down the corridor. She just needed him to help her keep her daughter, was that such a big thing to ask? She was his little sister’s best friend--couldn’t he get over himself long enough to help her when she really needed it?

“So she filed for custody. On what grounds?” he asked as they took the elevator down to the lobby.

“I don't...um.” She grabbed the paper from her purse and handed it to him. “My father is a sexual predator and she let it happen. I will not let my daughter go to them.”

“Sounds like you have it figured out already. What do you need me for?” he asked as they got out of the elevator.

“I need a lawyer. I can't risk any scenario not being covered. My daughter will not live in that horrible home,” she said.

“Something wrong with google? Weren’t you a reporter?” he asked as they walked to the bodega across the street.

Her jaw clenched, but she managed to keep his voice calm. “I don't trust lawyers. I need the best one and they'll all say they're the best.”

“Again, weren’t you a reporter? Reporters allegedly fact check for a living, don’t they?” he asked before he addressed the guy behind the counter inside the bodega. “Can I get a coffee?”

“Creamer?”

“No, black please.”

The man nodded and got Rafael his coffee before he looked at Amber as Rafael put a dollar on the counter. The man put the dollar in the register, eyes still on Amber as he waited for her order.

She grabbed a bottle of water and placed it on the counter.

“Just this water please,” she said before looking back to Rafael. “I trust your opinion on a lawyer. Only yours.”

Rafael sighed as she paid for her water and bit his bottom lip before he nodded, relenting. “I can give you Rita Calhoun’s number,” he mumbled. “I went to Harvard with her. She’s good at what she does.”

Amber nodded. “Thank you,” she said softly. “Do you think she'll win?”

“She’s good at what she does,” he repeated. “She can help you.”

He asked the man behind the counter for a pen and paper and jotted down Rita’s number, handing it to Amber. He pulled the paper back when she reached for it and waited for her to look at him.

“This is the last time I’ll ever help you. I’m done here, Amber.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just what I said, I’m done,” he said.

She stared at him for a moment, narrowing her eyes. “Are you still harping on something that happened almost ten years ago? I thought we buried our past, Raf--”

“--Just because I forgave you, doesn’t mean what you did was okay. I thought I could handle still having you in my life and be friends with you, but the fact is, Amber, I don’t want you in my life. I don’t want to be friends with you. I don’t think you’re a good person.”

“Excuse me?” she hissed, arching a brow.

“There are certain things that I value in a person and one of them is empathy. My definition of empathy is the ability to understand how someone else feels and I think you lack empathy. Your so-called apology was all about you. It was never about me, it was about you. Your excuses, your attempt at an explanation...so I forgive you, but I don’t forgive you for you but for me. What you did to me...that’s between you and God, but I’m not going to spend another second of my life invested in you. You’re not worth it to me and I’m not gonna do it.”

She gritted her teeth and nodded. “Fine, I'll stay out of your life. But ya know Rafael, what if we had stayed together? We would have hated each other by now.”

He snorted as he rolled his eyes and handed her the strip of paper with Rita’s number on it. “I’m not having this conversation right now--”

“--No, you are having this conversation right now,” she fired back as she moved to block his path.

Rafael bit his top lip and nodded once. “Okay.”

“If we had stayed together--”

“--It has nothing to do with whether we would’ve stayed together or not. It has everything to do with the fact that you’re not a good person and I don’t want you in my life. Period,” he said with a bob of his shoulders. “I don’t hate you. I really do wish you luck on this custody thing. I don’t wish you any harm, but this is where it ends for me.”

“Fine. Thanks for the help, I promise not to ride my broomstick near you anymore.”

“Okay,” he replied, moving past her and leaving the bodega without another word.

“How many guys we looking for?” Omar asked from the backseat.

“Two,” Nevada answered.

The man who’d changed the plates had been able to tell them about the men who’d given him the job. Nevada wanted all the guys that stole their guns, but if he could start with two and work his way to the others that was fine too.

“I’ve been waiting until we got to slit a couple throats as a family again,” OJ said with a grin. “Coño, the kids got me watch Peppa fuckin’ Pig with them so much I gotta crush a couple tracheas to keep my sanity. That little pig bitch is mean, I’m not sure what it’s teaching my kids.”

“You done? With the Pepper pig?” Nevada asked, arching a brow at his brother.

“Peppa,” OJ corrected.

“Whatever,” Nevada replied as Omar laughed from the backseat.

As the men approached the bar in which the men were known to be hanging out, Nevada sat up, trying to see into the window. “Alright, both of those assholes are sitting right there at the bar. Omar, go around back, just in case they try to bolt.”

Omar nodded in understanding. “Right.” He got out of the car and walked towards the corner, going around to the back alley of the bar.

“Let’s go,” Nevada mumbled after OJ had parked.

He and OJ got out, walking into the bar and moving straight for the two near the back. OJ sat on side of the pair, while Nevada sat on the other.

“Gentlemen,” Nevada said, looking right at the two. “You know who I am?”

“Who doesn’t know who you are?” One of the men said a bit nervously. “What can we do for you, Trujillo?”

“Heard you guys took a little ride over the Henry Hudson a few nights ago,” Nevada replied, tilting his head to one side.

“Another job,” the other man said. “If you’re looking for information we don’t know much. We’re low level players in whatever they had planned. They didn’t tell us dick.”

Nevada leaned against the bar to meet eyes with OJ, bobbing his shoulders. “They didn’t tell them dick, he said.”

OJ inhaled deeply through his nose, brows shooting up on his forehead.

“So why don’t you tell me everything you do know, and maybe I won’t let my brother over there take your fingers,” Nevada said.

He held his hands up in surrender. “All we were told was to deliver the guns downtown to a guy who paid us our share. We didn’t get any more info, man. If I had known it involved you, Trujillo, we wouldn’t have done it.”

Nevada nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. Where’d you meet him?”

“He told us to meet him downtown, paid us and told us to lay low for the next few weeks.”

“Yeah, good job doing that, right?” Nevada replied with a smirk. “Where downtown?”

“We met him at the docks, quick and easy.”

“Okay...this guy got a name?” Nevada asked.

“Went by Jason, no last name. Shorter guy, brunette Latino.”

“Okay,” Nevada replied, looking up at OJ for a moment before he looked at the pair sitting between them. “Thanks for your help.” With one more glance at his brother, he gave a nod.

OJ and Omar, who had come in from the back entrance immediately grabbed both men by their shirt collars and yanked them off their seats.

One of the guys spoke up. “Wait a second--”

“Hey, you said if we told you everything you’d let us go!” the other exclaimed.

“No, I didn’t. I told you he wouldn't break your fingers. He won’t,” Nevada replied before he looked up at OJ and Omar. “Break everything else.”

The men struggled against Nevada’s brothers shouting and struggling angrily.

OJ grinned, pinching one man's cheek. “Oye we are gonna have so much fun asere.”

Nevada turned to everyone else in the bar with a friendly smile. “They’re a little drunk,” he said, pointing a thumb towards the men behind him.