Disclaimer: I do not own the character of Hoot. He is the fictional combination of several real persons from an actual event, but the character belongs to the story/screenwriter of Black Hawk Down. This is not meant to offend anybody, and if it does, please accept my sincerest apologies. The female character in this, however, is mine. The lyrics are from the song "Pet" by Perfect Circle from the album "Thirteenth Step", though I did change the word "son" to "love" to better fit the needs of my story. Great album.
Author's Note: I live for feedback, please review. Also, (in a moment of shameless self-promotion) I have a few other fanfics going on right now, which I update as often as I can and I am going to resume the one that I have been neglecting, so please, check them out and let me know what you think.
You're Safe With Me: By Breezi
Don't fret precious I'm here
step away from the window
go
back to sleep
Norm "Hoot" Gibson woke up to see his beautiful Lucy sitting on the ledge of the open window. Her knees were pulled to her chest and she seemed to be staring off into nowhere. He sat up in bed and ran a hand through his short brown hair. How long had she been awake? How long had she just been sitting there? He stood up and walked over to her. She didn't seem to notice him until he touched her bare shoulders, then she jumped.
"Sorry." he said quietly; he hadn't meant to startle her.
She relaxed back into his touch and wrapped her tiny little hand around his fingers. Lucy. His Lucy. She was so perfect, so innocent, so untouched by all the horrors that the world had to offer.
Lay your head down child
I won't let the boogeyman come
count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums
He wanted to protect her from the world and he would do anything he could to do just that. She didn't know what he did when he went away for all those months. She didn't know the depths of his violence. But, she was always there waiting for him when he got back, still sweet, still pure, still perfect.
"What are you doing awake?" he asked.
"Thinking." she said with a shrug.
"What are ya thinking about?"
She turned and smiled her big bright smile up at him, "You."
"Oh, really?" Hoot said, twisting a strand of her light blonde hair around his fingers.
"Yeah."
"Why don't you come back to bed and tell me about it?"
Pay no mind to the ravel pay no mind to the ravel
head down go to sleep to the rhythm of the war drums
Her smile almost faltered, but stayed on her face. Her eyes looked sad and that was unsettling to Hoot. He knelt down in front of her and touched her cheek.
"What's wrong, baby?" he asked.
Lucy looked at him, "I love you."
Hoot smiled, "I love you, too."
Pay no mind
what other voices say
they don't care about you
like I do
Hoot cupped Lucy's face in his hands and kissed her mouth. "You know I love you, Luce. You know I love you more that anything in this world, right?"
"I know, Hoot, but..."
Safe from pain
and truth
and choice
and other poison devils
'But.' No. There should be no 'but.' Hoot didn't want her to leave him when she found out how violent his life really was. He would keep her from that. Lucy Hals was his connection to his own humanity and the only person he had ever loved and he couldn't lose her. If she knew everything that he did...he didn't know how she would react.
See they don't give a fuck about you
like I do
"But nothing, Luce." he said, "Come back to bed." He took her hands and pulled her from the windowsill.
Just
stay with me
safe and
ignorant
He tugged her into bed with him and pulled the covers up around them both. She snuggled into his chest, causing him to tighten his arms around her. He felt as the pace of the breathing soon fell into the same rhythm and he contentedly breathed in the lavender scent of her hair.
Go
back to sleep
go
back to sleep
"But, baby?" Lucy said suddenly.
"Hmm?"
"You're never going to let me near that part of you are you?"
At that, Hoot let go of her and sat back up in bed. He gazed down at Lucy, where she remained laying by his side...where she had always been.
Lay your head down child
I won't let the boogeyman come
count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums
"Lucy, try to understand..."
"Hoot, baby, I don't care." she said.
She was looking at him now with the look that told him that she would be there with him, come what may. He loved it when she looked at him like that. But this wasn't him forgetting to buy her flowers on their anniversary or wanting to have poker night with guys, this was him going out and killing people. A lot of people.
"Darlin', I love the way you're looking at me right now." he said.
Lucy's cheeks turned red as she smiled and looked away, embarrassed.
Pay no mind to the ravel pay no mind to the ravel
head down go to sleep to the rhythm of the war drums
"And it's because of that look, that I can't tell you about what I do when I'm not here." he said.
Lucy looked back up at him. "I understand that you've killed people."
"Luce." Hoot said, "can't you just love who I am and not worry about what I do? Can't you just keep smiling at me like that?"
Lucy smiled warmly at him and nodded. She opened her arms to him, and Hoot sank down into her embrace. And as Lucy wrapped her arms around him, all the tension and frustration of everything that had gone on that day just faded away.
I'll be the one to protect you from
your enemies and all your demons
I'll be the one to protect you from
a will to survive and a voice of reason
I'll be the one to protect you from
your enemies and your choices love
one in the same I must isolate you
isolate and save you from yourself
He wouldn't let any part of his tainted life corrupt Lucy. He would save her from all that was bad in the world, even if it meant he had to keep her shut off from parts of it. He never wanted her to feel like he was keeping secrets from her, but he needed her to know that parts of himself he did keep away from her, were all for her protection.
Swinging to the rhythm of the new world order
He closed his eyes and welcomed a night of pleasant sleep next to the only woman for him.
Count the bodies like sheep to the rhythm of the war drums
But, on the night stand beside him, his pager began to shriek violently at him. He reached over and looked at the number and recognized it immediately.
The boogeymen are coming
the boogeymen are coming
He would have be leaving soon for Somalia. They had been talking about it all month and now it was apparently time. Lucy stirred beside him and her eyes fluttered open once again.
"What is it?" she asked, but the only thought that went through Hoot's head in response to her question was 'not yet.'
Keep your head down go to sleep to the rhythm of the war drums
"Nothing." Hoot said, and kissed her forehead. "Nothing. Let's go back to sleep."
Stay with me
He needed her to be peaceful and unworried for tonight. He would tell her he was leaving in the morning, but tonight...
Safe and
ignorant
She could sleep with no thoughts of fear or concern. It was just them. Happy, healthy, in love.
Just
stay with me
He didn't want to leave her. He wasn't ready to leave her. He didn't feel like he had had enough time, yet, not that he ever would. He wanted the night to stretch out and last forever. But, he knew it wouldn't.
I'll do whatever to protect you from the other ones
He knew that morning would come.
The evil ones
And he would have to leave.
Go back to sleep
But not tonight.