First Date

These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.

"Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass." Paul Meyer.

Chapter 14

He sat on the couch and watched her smiling and talking to the child. Reaching back she took a rubber band she found from the kitchen and pulled her long dark hair into a ponytail. He watched it fall across her back onto the red and black stripped shirt she wore. As his eyes traced down her shapely and curvy body to see her well fitting blue jeans he shook his head at the sight of her cast. That was a shame. Not only did he not mean for her to get hurt but it would be in the way tonight. He actually contemplated cutting it off but then she would only complain about the pain. He frowned. For months he had thought about being with her even if for just one night but she had not made anything easy for him. Then the fireman came into the picture.

At first he was just an occasional name she mentioned, associated to conversations that included her brother. Partners at work he remembered. Then it was more and more often. The more she smiled at his name or giggled with the other women in the department about him the more he despised the man he had never even met. He had tried to disclose subtle clues of his affection to her but they had glanced off her and into never, never land. Except for an instructor she had not paid any attention to him but that would change in the next couple of hours. He shifted positions as his body reacted to the thought. He saw her pick up Jenny and put her back down on the floor as they walked to the table to sit and eat. First the child then the brother. This had become much more complicated than he wanted it to be. He really didn't want to harm them but he could not let them interfere with what he wanted, what he needed. Instead they would just be modified for this one night. After tonight they wouldn't matter because he and Kanda would be gone where no one would find them.

Johnny could hear feet moving up above him and knew that at least for the moment they were well enough to get around but he knew it was getting late. Jenny would soon get tired and need to go to sleep which would leave him alone with Kanda. Just the thought of him having the opportunity to have his way with his sister brought out a fiery determination to get them out of this house at all costs and as soon as possible.

He knew that Roy and Chris had gotten back to the house by now and found them gone. He also knew his friends soul and how distraught he would be. Then his thoughts turned to Paul. The ranch manager had been with Kanda for years and when he saw him go down he was keenly aware of the bullet impacting him in the chest. Even if Paul managed to hang on long enough for Roy to find him did he even know who Adler was? Kanda talked about her time at work very very little. She considered the separation of work and home life sacred to keeping one's sanity in the long run. Johnny now realized that no one from the ranch even knew who Adler was which meant no one had a clue where to start looking for them, including Roy. They were on their own.

The sounds got quiet upstairs and he worried about what was going on. There was no sense of time in the dark basement but he knew it was growing short for his sister. Reaching into the dryer he hoped to find something to wrap around his head to stop the bleeding but it was empty. Boxes. He worked his way back to the stack of cardboard boxes and began opening each one hoping to find something that would work.

Kanda watched Jenny finish up her dinner of macaroni and cheese and some cut up oranges. It wasn't much for the little girl but she was so hungry by then she didn't complain at all. Reaching up she rubbed the back of Jenny's head and leaned over to kiss her on the forehead. With blonde hair and crystal blue eyes she looked so much like her father which only made her love her more.

"Kanda?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Can we go home now?" She was finished eating now and her eyelids were heavy with exhaustion from the busy day. She deeply yawned.

"Soon babe, soon," she said as she picked up the dishes and took them to the sink. When she turned around Adler was right behind her. Kanda reflexively gasped with surprise as he pressed up against her.

"Looks like it's almost bedtime for our little Jenny."

Kanda didn't even like him using that casual family name for her. It was too personal, too close. Even though she knew she couldn't do a damn thing about it. His closeness was threatening to her and her well being but for some reason this time it stirred up a fire deep down that told her he might have his way with her but she would never let anything happen to those with her. He had picked the wrong family to play games with.

Johnny pulled the tape off the top box but only found it full of items like candles, potpourri and little crystal dishes for decoration. The next box was much of the same type of house decoration items and not what he was looking for. After a couple of more boxes he found some clothes. Taking one of the shirts he ripped it into a couple of strips and tied them around his head. Gritting his teeth he pulled as tight as possible to stop the bleeding. Much more blood loss and he wouldn't have a chance of being strong enough get to the others. After managing to tie off the bandage he decided to check the remainder of the boxes thinking that he might find something helpful.

Adler saw the flash of defiance in her eyes and took a step backwards. Feisty as usual, one of her most enduring traits to him. She had proved a long time ago to him that she was not one to trifle with when she had something set in her mind. That was what made her excel in her field and she would be graduating at the top of her class. Too bad she would miss that.

Jenny climbed down out of the chair. She didn't like that man being so close to her Kanda so she wiggled her way between them putting her arms around Kanda's waist. Adler stepped back and simply smiled. Smart child. He waved his hand towards the living room, "After you my dear."

Kanda took her by the hand and walked over to the rocking chair that was situated between the couch and the TV. Her foot was throbbing and she was in a moderate amount of discomfort but the only place to put her foot up would have her sitting on the couch with him. Choosing the rocking chair Jenny climbed up facing her and rested her head on Kanda's chest.

Quietly they rocked and Kanda closed her eyes as she felt the steady breathing of Jenny on her chest. Feeling her nuzzle closer she wrapped her arms tighter around her and for a moment it was only the two of them, alone and cuddling in peace. Reaching down she gently kissed her on the top of her head. Family. Yes, all of them were her family now. This little one, Chris, Johnny and Roy were now all a part of who she was. What Adler didn't realize, she thought with a little smile, is how fiercly some families will protect themselves. She knew that Johnny was hurt but something in her gut told her he was alive and strong down there, waiting. Waiting for the right time. Kanda could feel the small body finally go limp in her arms indicating that she was now fast asleep.

It was a moment that fear tried to creep its way back into her heart knowing that Jenny, for the moment, was her protection from the man that had other plans for her evening. It startled her when she felt his hand on her shoulder. She didn't want to look up and a little tiny part of her wanted to wake the precious sleeping child awake again, to save her from him. Instead she stood up, gathering Jenny into her arms, and walked down the hallway as he directed her to do so.

Johnny stopped and listened to the sound of Kanda's heavy cast hobbling down the hallway past his door. Closing his eyes he could distinguish between two sets of footsteps which could only mean one thing in his mind. Jenny was being carried and most likely was asleep by this time of night. He felt the need to quicken his pace. Turning his attention to the boxes he gathered some specific items and moved them over to the bookshelf. Glancing up the stairs he heard the footsteps moving back down the hardwood floors of the hallway back toward him. He quickly reached to gently close the dryer door and laid back down on the ground in an attempt to simulate where he landed. The quick movements made his head swim so closing his eyes was not a hard thing to fake when the door opened up. The footsteps were still for a moment, the door was closed and locked back up. He listened as Adler move back to the left, towards the kitchen. That meant that for the moment they were not together. As he made his way back to his feet he reached for his ribs feeling the ache of overdone muscles but knew there was no time to worry about himself. Re-opening the dryer door he began working once again as his plan was slowly coming together.

Before they had left the ranch for the police station Roy had called Joanne. He knew she would be extremely upset over what had happened but he had to be honest with her knowing she loved them as much as he did. It was the least he owed her. He and Hank made their way down the hallway following Carter.

Hank knew their history down to the very ugly details and even more than ever he was grateful to be here for support of his friend. As they went down the staircase Joanne stood at the bottom waiting on them. Roy saw her shaking, tears running down her face as she struggled to keep from becoming completely hysterical. He stepped off the bottom step and met her eyes. She shook her head and started crying again as he moved towards her. Reaching out his hands to take her into his arms and console her he stepped right up to her.

She could see the exhaustion on his features, the deep pain in his blue eyes and it only made her cry harder as he approached her. His arms stretched out to hold her as Hank walked behind him.

With a resounding slap her hand impacted Roy right across the face.