Callen stripped off his soiled clothes checking, as he removed his T-shirt and underwear, again that the door was still locked, he stood under the shower and washed all the sick and stains he could see from him.
At least he tried.
He took the wash cloth he was given and tried to wash the feel of Baker from his skin, he scrubbed as hard as he could until his skin was raw, the water was cold as he knew that using the hot water in a house was a fast way to getting into trouble.
He saw the dried blood from that morning, slowly running in circle's down the shower. His imagination seeing more than just the few streaks of blood, he saw blood and filth and crouched down sobbing hearing all the vile things that Steve Baker had said to him during his stay.
He needed to get himself together; he needed to be able to do whatever this family required of him. Usually he knew how long he had with them or how long he had to tough it out, right now he had nothing and he was afraid.
He knew as soon as he opened that door, that his calm would be gone, they would be mad at him for vomiting on their rug and for causing trouble already.
He climbed out of the shower not feeling clean by a long shot, but knowing that any longer would get him into trouble he quickly dried and dressed his blue t-shirt and jeans making him feel slightly more comfortable. He rinsed out his dirty clothes, not knowing if he would be allowed to wash them. He used the soap on the side of the sink to clean off as much as he could, then he wringed them out and bundled them under the towel he had been given, hopefully he wouldn't be caught and he would be able to sneak them outside to dry in the sun.
He slipped his sneakers back on without socks, but he only had the one pair he would wear now and he opened the door quietly.
The hallway was empty and he looked both ways before taking a few tentative steps out into the hall.
Baxter could see him from his spot in the chair in the lounge room. He opened his mouth to say something and then thought better of it. He figured it would be better if he just watched what his son did.
The house was empty as Gloria had gone to the shops to pick up some saltines and ginger ale to help settle her stepson's stomach and Baxter hoped he would be able to see what had happened to the boy.
Callen did not see anyone, but he did spot the open screen door at the back and he snuck towards it.
For a moment, Baxter's heart jumped into his throat, was he going to run away?
Callen quietly closed the door and then snuck around the side of the house away from any windows.
Baxter moved to where he could not be seen and watched as his son set about his tasks.
He threw his jeans and t-shirt on a lawn chair and proceeded to carefully, hang the Worthington's towel on the line using a couple of clothes pegs that Gloria had forgotten to take down. Making sure it was hung correctly; he turned his attention to his other task.
He took a large stick, ignoring the shovel that was leaning against the house and started to dig a hole.
Five minutes later, he took his soiled underwear and socks and buried them patting the ground down so that no one could see the earth had been disturbed, and then he wiped his hands on his jeans. Not realizing that he was transferring the mud from the hole onto his trousers, then he got as far inside the bush, he was standing near and he stripped the leaves from two branches and hung his clothes on them.
Baxter cleared his throat and Callen jumped.
"That's a good job of hanging your laundry up there son, but maybe it would dry better if we hung it on the line."
Callen sent a guilty glance towards the hole he had dug, but Baxter made no mention of it, instead he took the clothes off the bush and hung them next to the towel on the line, making a mental note to make sure they were washed and properly dried later while Callen was asleep.
G moved out of arm's reach as Baxter took the clothes and hung them up. He sent another look to the hole he had dug and watched the man intently to see if he had noticed the ground being disturbed.
"Gloria should be back in a second, she went to the store to get you some things to help your stomach," he said.
At the realization that he was alone in the house with Baxter, Callen moved further away from him.
Baxter smiled, "It's ok, I need to help with the vegetables or Gloria will get mad, you can play out here till she gets home if you want."
Callen nodded and Baxter walked inside to the kitchen and grabbed the phone off the wall while still keeping an eye on the boy who was sat in the middle of the yard his knees pulled up to his chest staring at the house fearfully.
"Tom?" Baxter asked, as the call was answered the other end, "It's Baxter Worthington, I have a favor to ask."
Tom Morrow stretched at his desk at NIS offices in San Diego, "What's up Bax. Are you fighting with Gloria again?" he asked.
Baxter gave a small laugh, "Like I'd ever do anything to annoy your sister, no…are you on a major case at the moment?" he asked.
Tom shook his head and then realized he was on the phone, "Nope, the boss has us on cold cases; he's gone to Washington, something about kicking his probie's butt."
"I need your help." Baxter said as he watched his son rock gently trying to comfort himself. "Gloria and I have taken in this foster kid, I'm worried he's been sexually assaulted. I read on one of the morning briefs, that you guys have access to this new DNA stuff, is it any good?" he asked.
Tom sat up listening intently.
"We got a DNA sample thingy out here a week ago, our lab techs are going crazy over it, but wouldn't the police be a better bet?"
"I can't go to them, the social worker seemed to want to ignore it….and if it's true I kinda wanna handle it old school, you know what I mean?" Baxter said.
"Yeah…but Bax, you could put your own career down the pan for one foster kid. Is it worth it?"
"Yes." Baxter replied to Tom his tone leaving no room for argument.
"We can take the case on, as Senior Field Agent; I can do that while Jack's away. Will he talk to me?" Tom asked.
"No, he's not said a word since his social worker left, but I have some evidence, he buried his underwear in the backyard."
"God, poor kid." Tom sighed, "I'll head on over."
"Can you wait till about nine, I wanna get him settled and into bed, he doesn't need to know about this, Tom. You need to call in every favor you have to keep this under the radar."
"Will do Bax…you think you and Gloria will adopt this kid?" Tom asked.
"I love him as if he were my own." Baxter said.
"Ok, I got it, family business, see you later then." Tom said and put the phone down, if it turned out this kid had been assaulted God help the person that did it, because Baxter would not be alone getting retribution for him.
Baxter watched, as Callen did not move from the spot he had picked and he knew it was because he was watching for Gloria's car to come home.
"I am sorry Clara," he sighed as he reached for the peeler to do the vegetables that he had promised to peel. "I had no idea this would happen to our boy."