The Tears of Number Four
My planet is called Lorien, but Earth is my home now. It's as good a place as any in the universe, and that's how it's going to stay.
Sam sat quietly in the passenger seat of his dad's clunky blue Ford truck, arm lazily hanging out the window as prairie farm fields and wildflowers blooming beside the highway passed by. The air had a light feeling to it today as it twirled around him, refreshing and pungent with the fragrances of an Illinois spring. It was their second day on the road, they had been travelling almost non-stop since leaving Paradise by taking turns driving, even through the night. Six didn't want to rest until she deemed they were far enough away from Ohio and the battle that had just taken place there.
John had just started his driving shift, and Sam was feeling his eyes drooping even under the brilliant afternoon sunlight. In an unusual shift of fate, Four didn't have his white earphones in and instead had the car radio on, humming along to the song and strumming the fingers of his spare hand on the window sill.
To Sam's surprise, his companion started singing some of the lyrics, in a barely audible tone.
"Some days I feel like shit, some days I wanna quit and just be normal for a bit…"
Bernie Kosar tilted his head on the seat between them, staring at John curiously.
The Loric felt the burning glare of two sets of eyes watching him and turned his head momentarily. "What's the name of the band who sings this song again?" he asked Sam, voice deep.
"Fort Minor," the brunette replied with one of his classic grins, eyes bright and beaming as well.
"Oh yeah. I thought it was something along the lines of Linkin Park." John's slightly curly and alluring hair was dancing around a bit from the Mog's knife-blade hole still left in the windshield.
Suddenly the chorus came on and to his disbelief, Sam noticed a wick of moisture gathering in his buddy's eyes. His mouth involuntarily snapped open like a mouse trap. Oh shit, he thought, squirming uncomfortably. Is he…crying?
The teardrop that tumbled down the blond's face provided the answer. John wiped it away harshly with an arm while trying to continue his sing-along, like nothing at all was happening. He instinctively ran his hand along the chain of his necklace.
"Dude, are you okay?"
A glance towards him, eyes darkening. "…I just miss Henri, you know? He was the only family I had and now he's gone. Fucking song, feels like it's trying to rub it in. I mean, I should be relieved right? To be out from under the cloud of his constant worrying and paranoia? Out on my own? But for some reason I just feel like I wish he were here right now, lecturing me like he always did."
Sam contorted his lips in a sign of understanding. "Keep your eyes on the road or you're going to get us killed," he commanded, pointing to the windshield, a hint of mirth in his voice. John immediately snapped his head forwards. "There, how's that for a lecture?"
Four couldn't help but let out a short burst of laughter, in spite of himself. Sam slid closer to his friend on the smooth truck seat, the dog intuitively jumping down to the floor. He placed his slender hand reassuringly on John's sculpted bicep, just below the shoulder. He could feel the muscle tense slightly as the Loric turned to study him for a second, eyes squinted and eyebrows furled before turning back to the road. What was that about? Sam wondered, quickly brushing it off. John then brought his free hand up and rested it on Sam's, completely covering it, just for a brief moment. It felt arcane and hot, but in a good way.
"I know what it feels like, what you're going through John. I can't replace Henri, but I mean, I'll try."
Sam thought about saying more, he tended to ramble on about everything, but the blond was giving him a look that made him feel like he already knew what he would say, about his dad disappearing and how he could relate. Oh great, Sam pondered, genuinely worried for himself. Maybe telepathy is the next Legacy he's going to develop.
"No, no. No need to do that," John replied, smiling his thanks. "But how did you get over your dad disappearing? Did anything help?"
Sam withdrew his hand and slid back over to the passenger side, this time lying against the door with his legs stretched comfortably across the seat between them. "Crying. A lot of it," he simply stated, letting out a noise that sounded like a mix of a chuckle and a tsk. He crossed his arms and stared out the window, putting on his 'serious Sam face'.
Steering with his left hand, John snorted lightly and then rested the other on the human's outstretched leg and squeezed a bit and then just left it there. John had become rather touchy lately, but Goode didn't think much of it, because he knew some guys were just like that. It was nice, his family had never been the touchy-feely kind. He thought back to when he got Four to admit he was an alien - back at the garage - and how the Loric had threatened/manhandled him, and then right after, comforted and confided in him. Bernie Kosar suddenly jumped back up on the seat and curled up on Sam's stomach.
Meanwhile, the blond had brought out his brooding look. "Sam, I don't think you understand how much I appreciate you, and the fact you're here right now." The younger's eyes widened in surprise, realizing this was turning into some real heart-to-heart shit. "I mean, you probably don't understand, but I've been so damn lonely my whole life…whole life. Constantly travelling from town to town, with no place to call home, no chance to make any friends, having to stay distant, endless lying, never fitting in. It makes me so angry sometimes."
With that last note, Sam noticed the hand on the wheel tighten and then start glowing. The enigmatic light quickly vanished though with a loud sigh from its owner. Sam wasn't afraid to admit that seeing John angry scared the shit out of him. All that restless power.
"But Paradise was different for some reason," Four continued, a smirk gently illuminating his chiselled face as he fathomed thoughts into words. "I actually connected with someone, you, and that's never happened before. Do you know what that feels like? And I also finally met a girl, who I get and who gets me. You two are awesome…you're awesome, Sam, and don't ever forget it."
Sam almost felt like he was going to tear up as well. "Wow, someone's emotional today," he retorted, trying to lighten things up. "But, thanks. I...It really means a lot to be appreciated, let me tell you…" he tapered off, thoughts of his neglectful (if not abusive) parents back home halting his speech, while watching some dust fly off the dashboard like dandelion seeds in the peaceful breeze.
"Oh man, sorry man, I don't know what's gotten into me today," John responded as he wiped his beautiful greenish-blue eyes one more time with the sleeve of his favourite grey hoodie. "Henri did once mention about Lorics having more intense emotions than humans – maybe it's just part of my powers developing - I guess that's why we only love once in our lives as well."
Sam couldn't help but immediately think of Sarah. He had to admit that he really liked her, from the little interaction he'd had with her. She seems like a kindred soul, a loner, like him. Beautiful, but humble at the same time. I guess good people attract other good people, he mused, thinking of how coincidental it was that the three of them had all been brought together recently. He did feel kind of pleased that it was he who was here now with John, it made him feel special, not something he much ever felt. Still, he was surprised Sarah had not insisted on coming along. He wondered if that meant anything.
The brunette suddenly shook his head and realized he needed to say something back to Four who was staring at him intensely. "You're a good guy, John. Well we're at it, I might as well say that you are the first person in my life to stand up for me. You selflessly protected 'the nerd' from Mark and his man-tards, you took the time to get to know me, unlike most people. Let me tell you, I am sooo glad to get away from…Ironic? Is that what you called it? Ironic, Ohio?" The blond burst out a huge dumb grin and nodded. "Well, it's my turn to protect you. Henri's gone and I'm going to do my best."
John marvelled at how for a guy so small in stature, Sam sure had a courageous heart.
"Thanks, Sam." He reached his hand out - palm up - to the younger one and they high-fived, bumping fists afterward. The Loric then casually put his hand back down on the other's leg.
"I've always wanted a big brother," Sam added as an afterthought, cursing the fact he was an only child in a harsh town. Tiredness was overtaking him again, so he tried closing his eyes as he leant against the door and absentmindedly brushed a hand across the top of his hair and up the curve he always styled in the front.
John squeezed his leg again. "Ha, so is that what you think of me as? Not anything else?"
Sam crinkled his cute nose in response to this query, only opening one eye to give his friend a bewildered look. "No…what else is there?"
"I'm just joking with you," Four countered, popping out the end of his tongue to give moisture to his lips. "We should be to the next town in about two hours and Six said we can finally rest at a motel there."
Sam opened his other eye and turned to look out the windshield at Six on her flaming red motorcycle ahead of them. He marvelled at her gorgeous blond hair, flipping freely in the wind, and thought back to when she told him in her awesome Australian accent that she would shoot him herself if he slowed them down. There was no denying it, the girl was hot. And feisty. And she actually talked to him, unlike girls back home.
"She's out of your league man…" came the rude awakening from the driver's seat. John winked at him.
Stop with the telepathy already, Sam thought to himself, sleepily sticking out his tongue and filling his cheeks with air. Whatever he had made himself believe before, about friends being no good and getting along just fine by himself and his astronomy stuff (because he had to tell himself that, really), he definitely now liked and could get used to having a friend.
Especially when that friend was Number Four.
At that moment, Six twisted her head around on her bike and stared back at Sam, knowingly. He got a shiver up his spine, along with a feeling that she had heard everything they had just talked about, by the way she was smiling crookedly at him under her signature aviator sunglasses. Who knew what kind of Legacies that girl possessed; Sam could imagine eavesdropping being one of them.
"Keisha's pretty awesome huh? …In a crazy-ass bitch sort of way," John deadpanned, smiling slyly, the only sign he had been crying the infinitesimal traces of salt kissing his ruddy cheeks.
Sam closed his eyes again, shaking his head, determined to have a nap. "You did not just call her Keisha."
"Come on dude, you gotta admit that she looks at least a little like her!"
"I'm sleeping John," was the only reply.
(A/N: After we watched Glee recently, my best friend turned the channel to a station playing I Am Number Four and we caught the last 3/4 of the movie. All the feelings I had had about John and Sam the first time I watched the movie way back when it was in theatres came rushing back and I couldn't stop thinking about it. This story I'm writing now popped in my mind while I was trying to sleep and needed to come out so badly it hurt. So I watched the full movie again by myself yesterday and started writing, the first time I've done writing in many years. It feels so good to be writing again, to have inspiration. I'm trying to make the story as realistic as possible, I hope the stars are in-character. Let me know what you think!)