Chapter Twenty Six
Hey brother! Do you still believe in one another?
Hey sister! Do you still believe in love? I wonder
Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you
There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do
Avicii - Hey Brother Lyrics
Sean's phone was ringing, he could feel it prickling at his subconscious as he buried his face even deeper into the nape of Maddie's slender neck. His muscular arms were wrapped tightly around her as his naked chest pressed against bare back shielding her from the darkness of the night. They had fallen asleep wrapped up in one another after they had made slow leisurely love in between her bedsheets. It had been a long time since Sean had allowed sleep to take him so quickly and waking up to the abrupt vibrating was like being wrenched out of a pleasant dream. His left hand shoot out to the beech coloured night stand, groping for the offending item on his side of the bed. A smile crossed his handsome features as that thought crossed his mind. Possessions didn't mean much to Sean but being part of Maddie's life meant more to him then he dared himself to say. The palm of his hand landed on the phone as he rolled onto his back using his right hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the screen as he studied the caller ID intently.
It was a number he knew all too well, one that he would never dare assign a name to in his phone book but one that he could never deny a call to. He pressed the talk button as he slipped reluctantly from Maddie's serene form and tread softly through the bedroom door and out into the laminate hallway. The wood felt cool underneath this feet as he held the phone up to his ear and ran a hand through his tousled dark hair.
"Mon frere, it has been too long." he murmured in a low tone as not to wake Maddie as he shut the door gently.
"Sean it is good to hear your voice again." Despite himself and the circumstance Sean found a smile creping across his lips, silently returning the sentiment. He missed Henri, he was the only family Sean had had had aside his mother and the years of their childhood stretched like miles before him. They had shared so much over the years, both as children and young men and here they were still together despite the distance that was spread between them. Henri had been more of a brother to him than those he was bound to by blood and he knew no matter what happened the two of them could count on each other. He was the only person in this world that Sean could admit he trusted. They both lived lives of secrecy stemming from the same tragedy that had scarred the other. By rights they should be on opposite sides and the world seemed to think they were, they were the only two that knew the truth and Sean needed to keep things that way. His life was already becoming more complicated and that was without his budding relationship with Maddie.
"To what do I owe this pleasure?" Sean asked feeling the chill of the nightly air begin to tickle at his skin. He longed to climb back into bed along side Maddie and nestle into her welcoming warmth once more. "Not that I don't enjoy our conversations."
"It is late in Portland?" Henri inquired. He had always had an issue with calculating time zones even as kids when they had moved from country to country staying a step ahead of Sean's other family. It was one of the quirks he liked about the other man, it reminded Sean of those days when the two of them hadn't had more than a care in the world. No matter how short lived that might have been.
"Three am." Sean responded allowing the tiredness to seep into his husky voice. Henri as the only one besides Maddie he would allow to see any weakness even something as small as that.
"And you were occupied?" Henri teased lightly. "Usually you snatch the phone right up."
The man he thought of as his brother was perceptive but then again so was Sean, there was a seriousness under the jest, it was mixed with curiosity and Sean knew Henri well enough to know he was fishing. The other man was right, he usually did answer more quickly. Every night he would sleep with his phone on his night stand, ready for him to answer at a seconds notice. Tonight was different, this time because of Maddie and Sean understood that Henri had seen his change in behaviour. Sean was ruled by many routines and Henri had grown up alongside of them.
"Sean, there are risks..." Henri began more seriously.
"I know." Sean said, the emotion draining out of his voice at the other man's words. He knew where this was heading because he had had the same thoughts himself in the beginning. Where Sean was devious and cunning Henri was logical and methodical. He weighted the consequences the same way Sean imagined the scales of justice would and made his choices based on the best outcome. "There will always be risks."
"Then you know even if she is genuine..." Henri persisted as Sean's jaw began to clench at the indication. There was always that possibility and Sean knew it better than anyone after what Mia had done to him but the thought of Maddie using him in that way sent a pulse of rage rattling right through his brain. "...That you could be putting her in danger."
He had thought if that, some days that was the only damn thing he did think about as he sat in his office watching her interact with the other detectives. He remembered what had happened with Billy Capra vividly and that had riled him violently. However his life had had no bearing upon her safety back then, it had been their job that had put her in harms way.
"She is not the reason that you called." Sean stated plaintively, intentionally changing the subject. Henri knew him well enough to understand the topic was not up for discussion any longer.
"No." Henri said resolutely. "She is not."
There was a silence between the two of them, it hung in the air like a chasm and it occurred to Sean this was the first time in a long time that the two of them had fought about anything. Usually the two of them were conspirators, partners in crime but this appeared to be one of the few things the two of them disagreed on.
"You'd like an update." Sean reminded the other man. "You called me to hear more about your daughter."
"How is she?" Henri asked quietly, his tone softening as it always did when he spoke of his flesh and blood.
"She's well." Sean confirmed, setting the other man's mind at ease. " She's going out with a man that fixes watches for a living, they seem happy."
Sean could hear Henri swallowing hard on the other end of the line and his heart went out to the other man. He didn't know what he would have done in Henri's position all those years ago, he understood the choices his brother had made but it took its toll. Sean could feel it in the tone of every phone call they shared regarding his daughter.
"Good." Henri uttered, his voice sounding thick as he spoke. "That is good."
"Henri..." Sean began before stopping himself. He knew the burden weighed heavy on his brother and he did what he could to lessen it but it never seemed to get any lighter. Trying to persuade Henry over the years had proved fruitless and Sean didn't want to get into another argument tonight. "I'll be sending the rest of the pictures next week." he said instead.
"Merci mon frere." Henri responded the same way he always did when he wanted to end the conversation.
"Take care brother." Sean whispered before he terminated the call.
Hey guys, Thank you for all the adds and reviews they have really made my day over the past week! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others.
Raging Raven: Thanks for your kind words, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Vamp: I'm glad this chapter made you so happy :) Thanks for the review.
Random: I just need the time to get back into it. I have been doing lot of artwork recently and I'm enjoying that so far so coming back to writing is a little weird sometimes because you have to get back into another mind set. I also started watching Stargate Atlantis again.
Netflix: I am with certain things that happen but not with everything I intend to throw a lot of my own stuff in as it makes it less predicable I think.
Dark: I'm really glad your enjoying the story, I have out a lot of hard work onto it (and a lot of hours watching Grimm. I think Sean can be really mysterious so I wanted to play a little more with his char and see what he could potentially get in to. There will defo be more Sean/Maddie action soon !