Chapter 4: I better check in

Clay sighs as he sits in the chair beside Ash's bed, watching him sleep. He rubs his head, as the tiredness of the mission starts to catch up with him.

"Here!" Sonny hands him a coffee "It's wet and it's warm is about all you can say!" as he hands the plastic machine cup over "How's he doin?"

"Yeah, they said he gonna be okay" he sighs "He was lucky, it missed anything major. Hit him from the back and caught his shoulder .. The pain reliefs making him sleep"

Sonny nods "any idea what the hell happened?"

"No, not till he wakes up. The police said it happened in the parking garage as he came out of the elevator from the studios … caught him off guard. They think it was an attempted robbery but.. got spooked, didn't get a chance to take anything before they ran away .. they checking if any cctv now!"

"Mmmm!..." Ash groans as he comes around

"Hey! … You awake?... Ash" Clay frowns and calls him again "Dad.. you hear me?"

"Yeah! .. awww!" he grimaces in pain "Where the hell am I?" he rubs his head "What happened?"

"You're at the hospital.. you remember what happened?"

He shakes his head frowning "Vaguely. I don't know exactly. Just felt something from behind, then went down"

"It's okay don't worry about it now .. the police are checking the surveillance cameras" Clay looks at his phone as it vibrates in his hand.
He sighs "Ann Marie again, I need to go tell her what happened. She'll be wondering where I am"

Ash frowns as he looks at his son "What happened to your eye?"

"Oh .. something on spin up I guess. It's nothing …. I'll be right back ..just need to make this call"

Jason comes to the doorway "Everything alright?" he nods at Clay as he's about to leave the room "Sonny let me know what was going on"

"Yeah! .. look I just need to make a call!" he looks back at his Dad then at Jason "I'll be right back"

"Sure. Clay... he'll be okay, you know that!"

"Yeah ...I'm sure he will" Clay feels awkward he spent so long hating on his Dad but now laying here in a hospital bed, he's not sure how he feels. He knows he was worried when Blackburn told him what happened and that takes him by surprise. His phone rings again
"Look sorry Jason, I need to take this!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

He connects the call from Ann Marie "Hey…look I'm sorry!"

"Where the hell have you been?" she snaps down the phone before he has a chance to explain anything "I've been calling and texting and you've not answered"

"I'm at the hospital"

She pauses a moment her annoyance subsides and changes to a feeling of worry "Oh my god, Clay!... Are you alright?.. What's happened? Did you get hurt..at work?... Do you need me to come?"

"Hey, slow down .. No! You don't need to come.. its not me .. it's .. it's Ash… He got stabbed!"

"Stabbed? What do you mean stabbed?.. What the hell…How? .. " She sighs shocked and takes a moment "Is he gonna be alright?"

"Yeah! Someone attacked him when he left the studio today ... I'm still here.. I don't know how long I'll be .. I'm gonna try and speak to the police, see what they can tell me"

"Sure…. ermm .. Do you want me to come? I mean to be with you"

"No!...There' no point.. look I'll .. be back later. Don't wait up"

"Okay… well if you want me just call. Clay.. I…I hope he's gonna be alright"

"Yeah they said he's going to be fine ..Look, I call you later"

He sighs and heads back to the room to find the police there speaking with Ash "Do we know what happened?" Clay frowns as he stands in the doorway

"Sorry, you are?" the police officer wrinkles his head as she stops his questioning of Ash and looks up from the bed towards Clay.

"Clay!.. Clay Spenser" he pauses a moment "his son"

"Oh, right! Well .. the err mm.. surveillance cameras don't give us much to go on .. All we got was a hooded figure in black. Catches him as he comes out of the garage elevator"

"So, you think it's a robbery?" Clay frowns

"Yeah most likely .. probably got disturbed and ran off without taking anything. We checking local cams, see if we can pick them up"

"So, you don't think anything to do with him being on TV or his book then?"

The officer frowns looking back at Ash who's shaking his head
"It's a possibility, we can look into to but my guess just a random .. Could have been anyone not specifically targeting Mr Spenser, unless you can think of anyone you've had a problem or argument with lately?"

Ash shakes his head as looks at Clay "No! No one I can think of"

"You were a Navy seal right?...Oh ... I read your first book.. it was good" The officer smiles as he looks at Clay. He smiles back and rolls his eyes "There nothing in your book that would cause a grievance with someone?"

Jason now sighs and looks away

"No! .. No, it's all above board… Awwww!" Ash moves in the bed, he's in a lot of discomfort as the painkillers start to wear off "Look, could we do this another time ... I don't really have anything else to say … I didn't see anything that would help and really could do with some rest now"

"Yeah …Yeah sure! We got all we need for now .. think of anything else, then just let us know. I'll leave my card with my number" he hands it to Clay "I'll be in touch if we get anything to go on"

Clay nods "Thanks"

Jason moves out of the doorway to allow him to leave

Clay looks at Jason then back at Ash "Look we'll head off .. let you rest.. You want anything you give me a call"

"Yeah sure.. Hey son, you okay? I mean everything with you and Ann Marie, it's alright now?"

Clay frowns wondering why his dad's asking "Yeah! Yeah it's great. She's great!" he smiles "Look…. I know you gave her hard time but you need to give her another chance ..You need to get to know her, properly"

"Yeah sure son…. You're right!" Ash moves again grimacing with the pain in his shoulder "You think you can ask the nurse for some more pain killers as I'd like to get some rest now"

"Yeah sure … I'll catch up tomorrow!"

Sonny gets up and heads to the door with Clay as does Jason

"Hey Jason, errm... could I have a word, before you go?"

"Yeah sure" He frowns wondering why the hell Ash wants to speak with him. He looks at Sonny and Clay who are both frowning as well.

"Everything okay?" Clay wonders what his Dad could want to speak to Jason about

"Yeah fine son, just a word about my book that's all. Don't worry!"

Jason frowns "It's fine ... I'll catch up with you at the bar"

As they walk down the corridor Clay looks back "What's going on there?" he frowns looking to Sonny for answers

Sonny shrugs. He knows nothing more than Clay
"Who knows! He'll tell us if we need to know, I'm sure. Come on let's go get a beer. He can catch us up there"

Clay looks at his phone and the texts from Ann Marie asking what's going on again

"I think I should get back"

Sonny shakes his head and smiles "Hey, what are you Man or a Seal?"

Clay laughs "Yeah well one beer can't hurt I suppose and I did say I'd be late"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"So…." Jason frowns at Ash "..What's this about?"

"You keeping an eye on him?"

Jason's puzzled and he watches Ash face trying to search for his why all the sudden concern

"Who Clay?" he frowns as he answers "Should I be?"

"Yeah!...Yeah you need to!"
He pauses thinking hard about the route he's going down. About opening up with his worries to Jason, someone he doesn't like and who doesn't like him, but he knows he's close to Clay, not only as his Team leader but his friend, and though he hates to admit it, a better father figure than him.

"Did you see that mark on his face? ...Looks like someone hit him"

"Errm..I don't know… " Jason frowns again "..can't say I took too much notice... Something from the spin up, I guess… " he shrugs "I don't know I didn't ask. We all get knocks from time to time that no one notices"

"You sure about that? That it was from the spin up?"

"What the hell is this?...You blaming me for a mark on Clay?... You know I can't keep an eye on him night and day for every little mark he gets!"

"No, but did you ask him how he did it?"

"Ash what the hell are you getting at?" he frowns as Ash stares harder at him "Geez Ash!... If you forgot, he's a Seal .. bumps and scrapes go with the territory!"

"Yeah well that's how she starts… little bumps and marks"

Jason frowns, he's thinking but he's confused by the conversation "You've lost me now!... What the hell are you talking about?...She starts?"

"Did she do it? That mark on his face.. you need to ask him"

"Jesus Ash, is that morphine making you crazy?...You mean Ann Marie, did Ann Marie do it?... Christ, have you seen the size of her? .. I think Clay can handle it. .. He's trained for a lot worse!" Jason laughs, shaking his head

As Ash sighs his infuriation with Jason not listening is now obvious.

Seeing the look that he gives him Jason's not sure if to be puzzled or laugh "You're serious .. you think she hit him?" Jason laughs again "Oh!..Okay ,so maybe they had a fight .. it happens!... but it's none of my damn business .. or yours! .. You got other things to be worrying about by the looks of you laid there!"

Jason shakes his head he laughs again at the thought of Ann Marie hitting Clay
"Look if you want . .. I'll keep an eye on him but if he can't handle a five-foot six blonde then the next Jihadi we meet, they really don't need to worry!"

Ash doesn't stop glaring at Jason who lets out a longer sigh "Look… I'll get him to swing by tomorrow. You can ask him how it happened, perhaps he can put your mind at rest that he's safe!" Jason rolls his eyes as he heads to the doorway.

Ash calls him back before he can leave "Jason!" he hesitates for a moment before he speaks "She did this!"

Jason stops and turns "What?" he frowns "What the hell are you talking about?.. She did what?"

"This to me.. stabbed me, I mean"

Jason laughs "What the hell Ash!...Have you lost your mind?" he watches him as Ash stares at him, his face blank and composed "You're actually serious?... You really think she did it don't you?... Did you see her?"

"No!" he takes a deep intake of breath, as he grimaces again with the pain "No! I didn't actually see her .. she caught me from behind…but I know it was her"

"But you don't know.. not for sure!"

"No!" he pauses, he has to concede that he doesn't know, not for sure and he sure as hell doesn't have proof
"No, not for sure, but I know it was!"

"So what?...You want me to ask Clay if she hit him… based on you having some warped thinking that she stabbed you?" he sighs "Ash do you know what you sound like?"
He thinks for a moment watching Ash who looks deadly serious "So say it was her." He shakes his head "Why?... Why would she do this? What does she get out of it?"

Ash pauses before he answers "I don't know. That's Ann Marie only she knows what goes on in her head" he looks at Jason, he can tell he doesn't believe him
"Look, Jason … I spoke to her while you were on spin up!.. I … I think she was offering to get back with me, leave Clay.. if I'd take her back."

Jason rubs his head the tiredness he feels is overwhelming him now and nothing that's being said makes sense

"Alright!….That's it!" he laughs "I've heard enough now!" he looks angrily at Ash weighing him up. Remembering what an ass he is and that what he just said proves it
" I'm going now… before you say something you can't take back... This is all about ego... Just admit it Ash, she dumped you and moved on to Clay and you don't like it. I gotta agree it's not ideal ..but it is what it is, and you need to keep your mouth shut. He's happy right now.. and hopefully it'll blow over on its own "

"No!.. Not it's not it!….Jason, I'm serious. I'm worried about Clay!" he studies the look on Jason's face "look I know what you think and Okay you don't believe me .. then ask her. Ask her where she was, see what she says!"

"No!... No, I'm not getting involved in your game. If you're so sure it was her .. then tell the police.. let them speak to her"

"I can't do that. Come on Jason!" he frowns "What and have Clay never speak to me again?.. She'd twist it.. No! No, it has to come from you .. you have to make him see what she's like"

Jason bides his time watching Ash "No! I'm not buying it… what I see is someone who got knocked back acting jealous over Clay being happy"

"Jason, open your eyes .. before it's too late, otherwise he's gonna get hurt... I know her.. trust me I know what she does. I know Clay won't ask for help, but believe me he won't be able to deal with her on his own"

"Yeah you might right .. about him getting hurt, but it's you gonna be hurting him if this nonsense gets out!" Jason rubs his head again " Get some rest and think carefully about what you're saying… cos I'm not listening anymore!"

Ash pushes his head back against his pillows and lets out a long sigh as he closes his eyes

Jason walks out the door and stops for a moment in the corridor, looking back at Ash lying in the bed.
He's angry but also confused. Confused at to why Ash would be doing this. Could someone really be that jealous of their son's happiness, an ego so big you would say things, accuse things like this. Jason doesn't know but something in his gut says something is not right.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Jason gets back to the bar and Clay comes straight over

"So, what was that all about?...With Ash ..at the hospital. What did he say to you?"

"Oh nothing, just.. wanting me to keep an extra eye on you .. in case this was anything more than an attempted robbery .. I told him you could handle yourself. He was just worried"

Clay nods "Wow! He's worried about me?... that must be a first!... You know I can't believe this happened. I mean they must have caught him off guard to get him like that"

"Yeah.. I guess these things happen .. you read about it all the time"

Clay looks at his phone again "Oh, look I need to call Ann Marie again. She's called about five times since I left the hospital. I better check in"

"Yeah she'll have you down the aisle soon or under lock and key" Sonny laughs. He shakes his head "I'll get some more beers while we wait"

o-o-o-o-o-o

"Hey.. it's me .. You okay? .. I got your messages"

"Where the Hell are you?... I called the hospital they said you left over an hour ago!"

"Oh, ermm …yeah. We decided to go for a beer..look I'll be back soon"

"Oh GREAT! You went for a beer but didn't bother to tell me! What am I Clay… an idiot? ...Did you even think about me sitting here worrying?"

"Sorry .. I .. didn't think you'd mind.. you knew I was gonna be late"

"Yeah late at the hospital not drinking beer with your friends! I haven't seen you in 2 days.. don't you think you could just come home when I asked"

"Hey! .. I didn't think I'm sorry .. I won't be long"

"So, you're still gonna stay? Despite what I just said.. fine! Well I'm going home .. I'm not staying here on my own if you're not bothered about me!" She sighs trying to calm how angry she is "I told you …..this is why I don't date Seals … it's always like this. Unpredictable! The team always comes first not me.. you can forget it Clay…. you do what you want!"

"Ann Marie, please .. just listen" he looks at the screen on his cell as it goes blank "Oh shit!" he sighs "Great! She hung up"

"Whats that?" Jason frowns as he hands him a beer

"Ann Marie she hung up" he shakes his head "I should have gone back when I left the hospital, she's right I didn't think! Arrrghhh!... Stupid!"
his

"Hey, don't worry she'll come around .. you know what women are like!" Sonny puts the rest of the beers on the table

"No, I'll take a rain check on the beer .. I'm gonna see if I can catch her before she leaves…. Sorry! I'll speak to you tomorrow!"

"Clay! … wait!" Jason shakes his head as he watches him head off

"She got him on a damn short leash there!" Sonny stands at Jason's shoulder and laughs as he sips from his beer

"Yeah .." Jason frowns not worried more concerned "Yeah she has!"

Sonny frowns watching him "Somethin'.. I should know?"

"No. No it's fine"

"Ahhh!...He's young Jace, he'll learn!" Sonny slaps Jason on the back " you want a tequila with that?"

"Yeah .. yeah why not"
Jason stares at the exit as he sees Clay leave through the door

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Clay unlocks the door to find Ann Marie still putting her clothes and makeup in her bag. She glares at him as he comes to the bedroom doorway

"I'm sorry. Okay? .. Please ...please don't go.. stay"

"No Clay .. I don't need this .. you didn't put me first now, then how's it going to be when we've been dating longer?"
She sighs "Look ...this, us,... is headed nowhere .. Your dad is causing trouble for us, your team don't like me and you're still getting texts off your ex! I can't see a future for us like this!"

She continues throwing things in her bag "You know I liked you so much.. I thought maybe.. like you said, you were different, but I guess not!"

"Please. Please don't do this .. don't go! Not like this. Let's talk"

His phone rings and he sighs as he looks at it. He answers reluctantly

"Hey.." he gulps "…...Yeah, yeah. He's okay"

Ann Marie can hear his side of the conversation but she's wondering who's on the other end

" .. on the news?" He frowns "Yeah. That's fine…No. I'm sure he'd be glad to see you"

Ann Marie frowns more she can't work out who's talking to him but she knows it must be about Ash.

"Look" he stutters in the conversation he can see Ann Marie frowning "I've gotta go.. I'm in the middle of something .. I'll speak to you later"

"So, who was that?"

He gulps "Just someone asking about Ash.. said they'd seen it on the news, about him getting stabbed"

"Who?.. Who was it asking?"

"Just a friend that knows him" he swallows hard he doesn't want to lie but he doesn't want to say right at this moment not while things are the way they are

"Who was it?" she frowns watching him, studying the awkward look on his face "Oh!" she laughs "Let me guess .. Stella ? Oh my god .. I don't believe you!" she continues throwing her underwear in the bag

"Look… she just wanted to know how Ash was, she'd seen it on the news. She was worried"

"But did you have to answer?" she stares hard at him she can feel a rage inside her building up watching him acting like he doesn't know what he did "Argggghh! You know what….."

She angrily throws the perfume bottle she has in her hand. It just misses Clay but as it shatters and splinters against the wall a small shard catches his cheek and it starts to bleed.

"Ahh Shit!" He puts his hand to it as he looks round at the broken bottle

She stops and stares at what she just did "Clay!... I'm Sorry .. Oh my god! I'm so sorry!... I didn't mean to do that." she lets out a long sigh " I shouldn't have done that!"
She puts the back of her hand to her mouth, standing there watching him as as he wipes the blood from the cut

"It's okay... It was an accident. I know you didn't mean it!"

She gulps and frowns "Clay…I'm….." she walks around the bed to him and puts her hand on it wiping the small bit of blood off again. She looks him in the eye "I'm so sorry I didn't mean that to happen"

She slumps down on the bed and puts her head in her hands and sighs "I was angry ..I shouldn't have been. I just I hadn't seen you and I was worried about you and what happened to your dad. I shouldn't have let Stella calling get to me" she sighs again "I was being and silly. I just.. I .. I just care about you so much. I'm afraid I'm gonna lose you"

"Hey…you're not.. okay.. you're not going to lose me"
He sighs running his hand down the back of her head while she sits there "You're right it's my fault. I should have come back. I did shut you out. I shouldn't have done"

Now he squats down in front her, brushes her hair back and kisses her. She looks him in the eye and kisses him back, wrapping her arms round his head running her fingers through the back of his curls.

He leans forward kissing her again "Don't leave"

"You really want me to stay…after that?" she smiles running her thumb on the cut on his face.

He nods and kisses her again "Of course I do"

She runs her fingers round his face and watches him as she smiles "Come here!"
Pulling him on top of her, she carries on kissing him. Unbuttoning the fly on his pants as she does. "You gonna help me or what?" she keeps smiling at him.

He smiles "I guess I could" He pushes her T shirt up and kisses her stomach, holding her arms up and then pulling it over her head.

"Mmmmm! You want me?" she continues to smile

"You know I do!"

She leans up and kisses him "Come here then!"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

They're in the shower.
He's pushing her under the water, her back is against the tiles and her leg wrapped around him. They're kissing and she's gripping his back with her nails, scratching at his flesh as the intensity of the sex increases he can feel the pain as she starts to draw blood along the lines of scratches.
He moves trying to un-grip her without losing the rhythm of his movement.

As they both relax in satisfaction he grimaces "ahhhh!"

She leans her head back against the tiles running her hair under the shower water. He puts his hand to his back.
"You okay?" she frowns

"Yeah!" he kisses her "Yeah sure!"

"Let me look" she frowns again "Oh shit!. I'm sorry I didn't realise I'd done that. I blame you this heat of the moment stuff you talked me into." she smiles as she kisses him and runs her hand over his chest, as he leans forward turning the water off.

"Yeah they'll take some explaining"

"You're not going to tell them .. how you got them, are you?" she frowns

" Well I think they might guess" he laughs

"Right" she frowns

he kisses her again "Don't worry about it!"

"I know but…. "

He leans in pushing her against the tiles kissing her "I said don't worry! It's fine"

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Mmmm!" Ash turns over and opens his eyes. As he wakes,he jumps nervously in surprise "Oh shit!... What the hell are you doing here?"

Ann Marie watches him. She studies his expression
"I just came to check on you..is that okay?... Clay said you were here. He told me what happened and I just needed to make sure you were okay" she smiles and puts her hand to his face and brushes his hair back "Just relax, everything's going to be okay now!"