The fire shone bright against the stone wall. The wind outside howled uneasy and untamed. Eyes flickered opened, every so often just too watch.
He lay still though on the cold hard floor, listening as feet shuffled back and forth around him, mumble's coming out of mouth frustrated and frightened. His body fought with all it had to stay in the present, streaks of blond hair, deep blue eyes, kept entering his thoughts helping his struggle for survival.
He had been drifting in and out of consciousness since their arrival to a new unknown. His shirt was wet and there was a stale smell of metal fluttering around nose, he knew it to be blood.
A slight chill running down his back made teeth chatter, his fragile state made his companion turn slightly too stare- eyes darting over body for quick assessment. He watched as a hand ran through shabby blond hair, pulling at strands rough; face screaming 'what next?' That same hand covered over eyes pressing in hard. He was close too leaving, checking out, but he couldn't leave him… wouldn't leave. He turned his face couldn't take the sorrow in eyes the 'I'm so sorry' not right now.
Closing his eyes helped temporally. His companion went back to doing whatever, but the flashes of a smiling face, showing off the row of teeth sharp and perfect, that mop of blond hair bouncing down a hall was too perfectly clear.
He opened his eyes now, wide and determined not to think the worst.
They were together, so they had too be together. He snorted weakly as his eyes focused on what was suppose to keep him sane. That snort quickly turned to a sad groan.
His shirt was ripped at the side, pants frayed at the bottom. The signature blond hair unkempt; in desperate need of a wash. The flashes of the missing were horrible, but this…this up close and personal was a shame.
And again he changed his mind and closed his eyes deciding sleep or whatever he was doing was better.
Was this living?
Dying, he finally thought would be better then watching the sad hunched over shoulders. Watching them tremble, thinking the worst. It was better then seeing the fake smile that appeared every time a question was asked, you just wanted the truth.
Were we screwed?
Did we have a chance?
Did they understand the signal and run like we discussed?
"Two years, three months" he mumbles "two years, three months." He finally falls into a deep sleep while repeating those same words. He fights off the weird dreams that try and invade. That try to tell him nothings alright, they're dead. He knows that can't be true, they'd been together to long, he would know, he'd feel it….he'd feel it.
A tall body leans over a fancy gate waiting; eyes focused on a back door. His hands tremble as they grip onto the thick metal. Occasionally he looks from side to side, he's suspicious, suspicious of everything, everybody. "hurry up…please" he whispers to himself. He can hear crickets and the flutter of leaves whipping around him. He needs sleep…he needs food.
He runs his hand through his dark hair, squeezing his eyes shut as he does it. He starts to move from side to side, his figure stepping into the glow of a street lamp. He jumps back scared the street lamp knows his secrets and is watching.
Knowing that he may be losing it, he shrugs it off and turns his attention back onto the door "please be alright, please. I can't lose you too… I can't…I can't." His long fingers go back too gripping the gate, forehead wrinkled with worry.
His father told him real men don't panic, real men stay strong, even when things look like they're up shits creek without a paddle, you stay calm, cool, collected. You give others the false impression, that things are okay, nothings wrong.
He straightens up. His father's words resonate through him. Good old dad wasn't good for much, but he'd take this advice or at least try. They were minus two and at the moment his half of that four had been gone far too long.
Fuck.
He tosses and turns, his sleep is never peaceful. Maybe ten, fifth teen minutes tops and then yells and gun shots always make their presence known, always remind him that things are different know. That calm he use too feel when staring down at a deep in sleep body, ready to save, ready to repair damage was gone. And all that was left now were bad memories of women and children crying, lifeless bodies scattered around him like pebbles colored in deep red.
A cool rag running over his face startles him, pulling him from restless sleep "Noah, Noah" he murmurs, hands reach out griping at a ripped T-shirt "we're going to be okay."
"Shhh its okay" the voice says soothingly though there's a slight edge to it, that can't be ignored and he knows it's far from okay.
He closes his eyes, sighs as the rag runs over him cooling and cleaning him off "Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think they made it?"
"Go to sleep Reid, you need your rest"
"I"
"Shh" Luke says again, running his hand down Reid's cheek.
He's use to this, the waking up panicked and scared, it doesn't even faze him anymore.
"How long was I out?"
Luke takes his hand, the one still griping tight at shirt and slides the rag between fingers "a half hour, maybe less."
They share a look, they both know it's the dreams- really more like nightmares. Reid tries too smile, it doesn't reach his eyes. He wants too ask Luke what kind of dreams he's having, but he figures he already knows, doesn't need to ask. "They are alright, they have to be" Reid whispers instead, hand going back to gripping at t-shirt as soon as Luke finishes cleaning.
Luke sighs and leans back on his thighs, the t-shirt ripping more, Reid's grip not letting up. "God I hope so" he mummers looking around the cave he and Reid were hold up in. Luke reaches his hand out and runs the rag over Reid's forehead and down to neck getting off the blood and dirt that had collected there.
"Try to get some more sleep"
"No I can't, it's to much" Reid doesn't want to whine but the circumstances call for it
Luke smiles at him trying to hide the pain, he's worried. He knows Reid can see it, yet he chooses to play the part of the strong one for now. They're two men down and at the moment the third is wounded.
Luke runs his hand through Reid's hair massaging at the middle, hoping to lull him. He looks around studying their surroundings, probably thinking what would be best to do next. Looking down Luke notices Reid had fallen back asleep, he's too weak right now to fight it off, it was inevitable.
Luke knew it would be short-lived it always was. Those nightmares now their reality, really were way too vivid.
Luke untangles Reid's fingers from his shirt and stands up. He watches Reid a little while longer making sure he's okay. He made his way to a little stream that flowed heavy far off in a nearby corner, he crouched down and laid the rag in the stream letting the water soak in, he squeezed watching as the blood drained, repeating the action until rag looked decent enough to use again.
He placed the rag by his feet and sat down. He reached into his back pocket pulling out a worn wallet, his fingers twitched slightly as they pressed on the tips of a picture pulling it out.
Holden and Lily stared back at him smile on their faces, love in their eyes. He held back the tears that threatened to burst through, Reid didn't need it- not right now. Instead for the time being he let memories, good memories enter his mind. Snyder Pond, Lucinda, his brother's and sister's, Emma…Emma, Java with…..
Luke shakes his head, he can't go there, not right now. He has to be strong, they're okay…they're okay.
"Luke,come with me or you'll regret it."
"I'll never go anywhere with you Damian… never."
"You're making a big mistake.One that you'll wish for years to come you didn't make."
Luke's body jerks back from the memory. He was just at Snyder Pond, Emma was there and then that small but deadly encounter crept in, distorting. He drops the wallet and picture and pulls his knees up wrapping arms around himself" I should've went, I should've went."
Damian was right, for years to come.
He knew he had been gone far to long, he knew panic had set in and he was pushing it. Still he looked through cabinets, his need to feed him and himself outweighed the panic he knew had started too form, making horrible images swirl around in head.
He was on his third cabinet when he heard the distinctive sound of a gun cocking. He froze, fingers wrapped around a box of Oreo cookies. "Don't move"
He swallowed thick "I won't, don't shoot."
"Turn around slow. Any sudden movements and I'll put a bullet right through your brain. Got it?"
"Yeah…yeah, I got it" he turned around slow, fingers wrapped tighter around the box and hugged it firm to his chest.
The man's gun lowered slightly, the scared eyes and dirty face startling him.
"I wasn't here to hurt you or anything I just…" He trailed off, hands pressing the box tighter into chest "I'm hungry" he finally says.
"What's your name?"
The boy stares at him, cocking his head, face becoming guarded hinted with a touch of anxiousness.
The man finally lowers the gun "what's your name son? I won't hurt you."
Reid told him to never use real names, don't want to leave a trail, but the look in the man's eyes tell him he may be safe, that he won't be a threat. He swallows thick again, eyes looking at the back door.
"There's no need to run, I won't call the cops and I won't hurt you, what's your name? You can tell me."
"I…it's…it's just" his shoulders slump, he's so tired and hungry "it's Casey…my names Casey." His eyes are still focused on door.
"Well Casey, my names Marcus and you're in the wrong neighborhood white boy" Casey's eyes practically bug out of his head "its not a dangerous neighborhood. Relax, but we don't really get a lot of you running around here."
"I…I…I"
"Spit it out boy"
"My friend he's…"
"He's outside?" Casey just nods, eyes never leaving the door.
Marcus sighs and looks towards the door where Casey is still staring. He walks over to it, gun cocked now and turns on the back porch light "you can come in" he yells into the dark backyard, the bright of light to strong too see anything from a far distance. Marcus looks back at Casey "you sure he's out there?"
Casey walks to the door "I'm sure, he probably thinks it's a trap and I'm in trouble. Can I…" Marcus nods "I'm okay, just come, it's okay." Thirty seconds later there's a tall frame standing in front of them, face streaked with dirt, hoodie covering up messy hair.
"Oh Jesus another white boy."
"Marcus this is Noah."
Noah gives Casey a crazy look "don't worry boy, it's cool" Marcus reassures "Just get in here and close the door."
"Noah, watch out run!" Luke doesn't even jump, he was use to it. The outburst, the horrid dreams grabbing Reid from sleep.
Reid had been doing that since they arrived at the cave almost two day's ago. Reid would fall asleep which led to dreams, then call out there names, tell them sorry.
There was nothing to be sorry about, nothing at all.
Luke was the one that was sorry, after all it was his family that was trying to kill them.
Reid's outburst had yet too settle down. Luke hurried over to him falling down on knees, hovering over him "Reid wake up, wake up."
"Casey,Casey, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"Wake up Reid, please…please wake up, you're scaring me" Reid didn't move, eyes just roaming under lids and breath a little ragged. Luke leaned in placing his head on chest heaving hard "please wake up, you have to be alright, you have to be." That tough exterior crumbling.
His body shook uncontrolled and tears soaked into ripped stained shirt. A hand ran through hair scratching at the back "hush, hush. I didn't mean to scare you, I'm sorry." Reid's voice sounded so tired, resigned. That was one of the things that scared Luke. Reid was the reasonable one, the one who thought there was always another way, but for the last forty eight hours he'd been different. They were two men down, hold up in a cave god knows where, Luke thinks Montana, he's not sure though. A week ago they were in Iowa living peaceful, so peaceful. They were starting too let there guard down, starting too enjoy themselves, then wham separation and a cave.
Luke leaned deeper into body, tears still coming like a river. Those tremors he had tried to keep from Reid so pronounced, it shakes him wide awake. "Shh" he says again trying too lift Luke's face. It take's a bit of force, he knows Luke doesn't want him to see him like this, but Reid doesn't care, he forces face up "look at me."
"No"
"Look at me Luke" Reid's voice is stern or as stern as it can be right now. His hand nudges at chin rough- waiting.
Luke pulls away, sits up staring far off into the distance- not able to make eye contact.
Reid sits up also, he winches at the pain that shoots up his chest, that chill now shooting up and down legs.
"What are we going to do?" Luke says, he's not looking at Reid though when he speaks but Reid sense's he expects an answer.
"I don't know" Reid whispers Luke looks at him, the sad face looking at him seems to bring him back, seems too make him realize that one of them has to have hope, faith whatever… something.
He tries too push Reid back down, knows he should rest, he's gonna need it. They can't say here for to long, it's imperative to their survival…to their makeshift family. Luke smiles at him trying to hide the pain, he's worried. He knows Reid can see it, yet he chooses too play the part of the strong one for now.
"Stop Luke" Reid says softly trying too push back. However Luke's not listening, just pushing on shoulders, face set to 'I'm in charge mode.' "Stop" Reid says again Luke's still not listening "Stop!" Reid finally yells grabbing Luke by the wrist squeezing tight, staring hard and determined, yet some how scared and restless "where are they?"
Luke looks everywhere but at Reid, his body shakes from cold. He stares off into the far end of the cave way over where stream is. He doesn't even have a clue of where they might go if…. "I don't know" he whispers still not able to look "I'm not sure" is what he settles with.
Reid seems to shake at that answer, as if he didn't already know the response Luke would give him. The separation had come before they could breathe or blink, certain back packs and tracfones left behind.
He falls down, doesn't need the shove anymore. He goes to the floor with a thud- hopeless. Luke lays next to him, tucks into his side. "This is Casey and Noah we're talking about, they're probably more worried about us."
"What if they're-"
"They're not, I would feel it….you would feel it".
"So what d-"
"Tomorrow at dawn we leave" Reid turns his face to him brow furrowed "do you think you can leave here tomorrow?"
"Luke?"
"You would tell me if it's too much right. The pain."
Reid just nods staring.
Soon it becomes quiet, the sound of crickets and the distance water stream filling up the void.
"Luke-"
"It's a long shot, but if we leave tomorrow we might catch them." Luke says cutting Reid off again. Reid knows what Luke's doing, he can't consider the alternative, they can't be dead.
"You and Noah?" Reid says instead, because really he can't consider that either.
"It was a just in case, they're suppose to leave before the weeks up, but if we're lucky there'll stick around….give us a little more time too reach them."
"Luke-"
"They're not dead Reid, they're not dead…. and they will be waiting."
Reid pulls off a small smile and lets his forehead bump softly into Luke's "dawn" he says. He twists his fingers back into Luke's ripped T-shirt and tries too reach for sleep again.
"They're not dead" Luke repeats again, his own body searching for that same sleep.
"No" Reid murmurs "we'd feel it, we'd feel it."