Disclaimer: Not mine
Characters: Wesley, Cross, Fox
Fandom: Wanted
A/N: A crazy idea, reaction to the movie… Whatever.
Summary: A bullet does not hit its mark.
The Train Moves
He puts the barrel against Cross' chest. The car jerks suddenly, everything is unbalanced for a second and the bullet goes astray, flying harmlessly over Cross' shoulder.
Cross looks down at Wesley with an expression Wesley can't describe – but is quite sure should not be on the face of an assassin who killed Wesley's father, tried to kill Wesley and was almost killed by Wesley – then heaves Wesley up into the train again. The car they're in falls a couple of meters and screeches to another shuddering stop. Wesley is trying to keep his hold on the bench and aim his gun all at once. He's not succeeding at either, really. He might be trained by the Fraternity to cope in all kind of crazy situations but nothing has prepared him for Cross holding up his hands – his empty hands – and saying: "I'm your father."
What happens next is a little hazy, everything slowing down or speeding up, air feeling solid, floor feeling soft, unreal but still true… But Fox confirming Cross' words and pointing a gun at Cross – no, both of them, she can move quick enough to get both of them in a fraction of a second – is clear enough.
Wesley becomes aware of pointing his gun and pulling the trigger – and why is he aiming down of all possible directions – the window beneath him and Cross exploding into a glittering mass of shards, and then they fall, fall, fall…
Cross drags Wesley out of the river, his hands careful, his eyes full of worry. Wesley is giggling hysterically and can't seem to stop.
Cross pounds him on the back, shakes him, at the same time obviously checking him all over for injuries, his expression such that any doubts Wesley still has fade away. Which makes him laugh even more.
"What, what is it?" Cross is almost screaming at him, face pale, fingers digging into Wesley's arms…
It only sends Wesley into another fit of giggles.
"Really," he finally manages to gasp out, "really, you really said it…," it is funny, it has to be funny, hysterical, idiotic, ironic because some things really have to be, Wesley needs it to be… Cross' eyes widen.
Wesley is wheezing now, but finally gets the giggling under control. He breathes in deeply. Then out. In again. Cross lets go of him and frowns.
"May I point out that I have actually not committed the crimes I am famous for."
"No," says Wesley, serious now, because nothing has changed, really.
"You are only trying to take down the Fraternity." Why? is the unvoiced question. They both hear it.
"Sloane's name came up." And Cross – Wesley's father – doesn't have to explain what he means.
Wesley is cold inside, because really, it explains so much, if not everything. And then Cross is speaking again, hasting to get the words out as if he is afraid that Wesley might not hear him out – which he has a reason to be afraid of, really… They don't have the best track record on talking, after all.
"I did not try to kill you, I was trying to get you away from them, I left to protect you, hoped you had not inherited my talent, not all children do, I hoped they would leave you alone if I left…" Cross stops, breathing heavily and looks at Wesley. Looks like he is trying to take Wesley in with his eyes, trying to remember each and every line of Wesley's face before Wesley goes away, trying to commit Wesley to memory before parting…
Wesley has no intention to leave.
He grasps Cross' hand, fingers curling around the man's – his father's – wrist, looks down at their joined hands and asks:
"What do we do now?"
Because it is we, for Wesley will not allow his father to take on this fight alone. And his father looks at him, like he's not believing, like he's doubting, like he's afraid of losing, but really, there is no choice, the Fraternity will not leave them alone now, it's destroy or die and Wesley knows, has decided, tries to make Cross see, really see, know, understand…that he's not fighting alone anymore. Never again alone.
Cross – his father! – smiles at Wesley and he's got an unbelievably wonderful smile that warms Wesley up inside.
Cross smiles and says: "Now, we take control."