A/N: Thanks for the reviews.
Clay could taste Jack's blood in his dreams. He enjoyed the horror, slept better than Claire who was being used as a football by the full grown baby inside of her. Jack was never injured in Clay's head, he was sitting, laying on a bed, laughing walking-with blood all over him. Could Clay actually do it? He'd have to test Jack, it was the only way.
"How am I looking?"Daddy asked. "Amazing Daddy, like always" Clay said as he fiddled around with Daddy's tie, but Daddy swatted him off like a fly. "Son has Achkan called you...or her?" Daddy asked, too bored to say Claire's name. She didn't really matter, she never did. "Not that I know" Clay said. "But she'd tell you right?" Daddy asked. Clay shrugged his shoulders. "I'm working all the time, Claire's asleep when I get home. After the baby comes, she'll be happy" "Of course" Daddy said as he went downstairs to get a drink, he felt a shadow looming over him as he got a glass and leaned over the sink.
"Geez Ach get in here" Daddy said as he saw Achkan's reflection through the window. Achkan came in smartly dressed as always dark purple tie a scratch on his face from shaving. Daddy was ready to plead his case for the first time today. Maybe it would be his last. "Lloyd I want you to leave Drew alone, or things could get difficult" Achkan said tapping his fingers on a cereal box. "Pulling a Oliver Twist isn't going to help you OK? Drew doesn't trust you" "Forget Drew, are you coming to the hearing?" Daddy asked trying to restrain himself from pinning Ackhan to the wall and shaking him senseless.
"Maybe/Maybe not" Achkan teased. "Think Lloyd... you can me it worth my while" Achkan stood nodding hoping that Daddy would promise to give Drew over, but he came out with an offer so dirty he felt like gagging over the sink. "I see" Daddy said. "Well, Clay's going to be at my hearing, Drew's at the U.G. So Eric will be here, all alone after school. I could give you a key" Achkan shook his head. It frustrated him that Lloyd thought they were exactly the same, Lloyd hated the fact Ackhan went after guys every now and again but thought he could drag Achkan along by his dick. It wasn't going to happen.
"I'm not into underage scouts Lloyd, Clay on the other hand...we can talk about that later" "have you got anything for me?" Daddy asked. "Yes Lloyd" Achkan said as he put his hand on Lloyd's shoulder. Daddy flinched, he couldn't help it. "There might be a little surprise today, good luck" "A good one?" Daddy asked. Achkan nodded and left. It raised Daddy's spirits a little but without Achkan to withdraw the charges, it was up to the police to charge or dismiss. If DannyV was there, it was going to be a problem. Clay managed to get the morning off work to drive Daddy there.
Daddy got briefed by his court apointed Laywer. He seemed pretty confident that it was going to be a fine. Daddy had a clean sheet, Daddy had hacked into the card of a friend so it could be seen as a prank that went too far. DannyV was watching as the prosecutor for the plantiff [which was Achkan] gave the judge a letter. Daddy looked up as the judge spoke into his microphone. "People of the court I've been given typed letter, by the plantiff Achkan.
"I'll read out as follows" "I have known Lloyd for many many years and I find him to be loyal trustworthy and a honest reliable friend" Daddy nodded. "Until now. Hacking into my card is an inexcuseable action especially as my finances are now sacred. My Daughter is carrying my first grandchild and if anyone knows the value to money to raise children it would be Lloyd. I only hope the judge choses a penalty that he or she sees fit for this devastating betrayal of mine and my unborn grandchild's trust"
DannyV smiled and Daddy shook his head. The battlelines were drawn. Luckily he ended up with a fine, but it was a hefty one. "Don't worry Daddy we can pay it off" Clay said. "Yes son, in ten years" Daddy said bitterly. Clay went back to work and Daddy had taken the day off, but seeing the amount of cash he had to pay Achkan, he had to go back to work as well. Daddy's anger was bubbling, he was barely out of the car shop and into his car before he had Kev on the phone. "Are you tracking him?" Daddy asked. "Yes Wilky, I'm not a rookie" Kev said as he bit on a sandwich. "I take it the hearing bombed" "That's none of your business" Daddy growled. "Just do your job" Daddy put the phone down as Kev started to follow Achkan's car again.
He parked on the other side of the road. Kev watched Achkan get out of the car and knock on the door. A woman opened it, youngish, wipsy dyed hair, heavily pregnant. Achkan's little girl, Claire, the one that Wilky had told him about. Kev laid back in his car and set his stopwatch on. "Sweetheart, how are you?" Achkan asked as he hugged his daughter tightly. "Crappy, I barely see Clay, I'm tired all the time, and I nag him" Claire said. "You? Nag? Never" Achkan said as he helped his daughter sit on a chair. "Clay did call though. Saying you screwed his Daddy over at the hearing" Claire said patting her stomach.
"I had no choice cupcake. Lloyd's got no icing on his batternberg. You will stay away from him won't you?" "No Dad, Lloyd's digs and dirty looks are too sexy for me to resist" Claire said as she reached for another biscuit. "Does Clay know you have those?" Achkan asked as he pointed at the open biscuit tub. "There's plenty off stuff he doesn't know dad, but me and Clay can do this, we can raise it together"
"Have you spoken to the real father?" Achkan asked rubbing his neck. "Dad..no why would I?" Claire asked. "Do you think I should? He's a total loser. What would Clay say?" "Honey calm down" Achkan said. As she went to get up, Achkan saw trickles of liquid running from his daughters legs. "Claire I think you need to sit down" "Dad I need to use the bathroom" Claire whined. "Help" She ordered, but then sat down as the pain was too much.
"Sit on the loo my dear and you'd fart out a kid, We're going the hospital" Ackhan said. Kev saw the ambulances and drove off. Clay came back from work to find the house empty, then checked his phone. A couple of messages from Achkan and he did panic. He called Daddy and Daddy refused to let him take the bus and said he'd pick him up. Clay waited on the doorstep and Daddy pulled up with a sour look on his face. "Get in" he ordered. "Thanks Daddy I knew I could count on you" Clay said as he got in the car.
Daddy couldn't wait to see Achkan's face as they walked into the hospital. Clay followed the nurse down the corridor who pushed a random curtain back to reveal Claire huffing puffing and screaming. Doctors nurses a midwife, and Achkan was there. He was holding her hand and scrapping her hair back. "Clay!" Claire said as she dropped her father's hand as if it was infected and reached out to him. Clay looked at Daddy. "Daddy what I do?" Clay whispered. "Go over to her and act normal, hold her hand" Daddy said as Clay nodded and went over grabbing Claire's hand and telling her what a great mom she was going to be. Ackhan waded through the nurses and met Daddy on the other side of the curtain.
"When am I getting those paychecks Lloyd?" Achkan asked. "Hoped you liked my little surprise" "Fuck you" Daddy said sharply. "You want Drew, you pay your own fine asshole" "Clay's still on the table whether you like it or not" I don't think so" Daddy said shaking his head. "Clay and Drew come at a price and you know it" Achkan gave Lloyd a cold stare before going back into Claire's crippling pain playpen. The nurses were telling her to breathe and Clay looked away as the midwife said they could see the baby's head. A hour and fifty minutes later the herd of doctors were gone and Clay's family was now one little person bigger.
He gazed at the tiny bundle crying in Claire's arms. "Can Daddy come in?" Clay asked Claire. "No" Claire said. "Can you get my Dad in please?" Claire said as she patted Clay's arm. Clay had to do as she asked, Claire had had a weird day. He found Achkan by a vending machine and told him that Claire wanted him. "So...your bouncing baby, what is it?" Achkan asked.
"Well, it's pink right now, but that's because it's just come out" Clay said as Achkan rubbed his own back. "No, Clay is it a girl, boy, both neither...?" Achkan asked. Hoping the kid got his daughter's brains. "Oh...it's a girl" "Great...Clay, do you mind getting that can for me?" Ackhan asked pointing to the bottom of the vending machine. "My back's killing me" Clay bent down to get the can while Achkan took a couple of steps backwards and stared at Clay's ass. "Nice, thank you, let's go" Achkan said as they walked down the corridor back to Claire.
Claire happily gave Clay the baby as Achkan leaned over to give her some reassurance. Clay wondered around with the baby. He could barely see her face under he blanket. With Claire talking to her Daddy it was about his time his baby met his. Clay walked out of the ward and found Daddy reading a magazine down the corridor. "Claire said no, but it's only fair she gets to meet my family" Clay said raising the baby up to Daddy's arms.
Daddy really didn't want to. But Achkan's grandchild was leverage. Daddy held the thing in his arms. It would have been better if Clay had a boy in terms of passing down Daddy's family name, but for Daddy it was great that Claire had popped out a girl. "Does this thing have a name?" Daddy asked. They could name it after one of their hunts, but it would be a fair few years before Daddy could make this pink bullseye a target.
"Not yet, any ideas Daddy?" Clay asked. "No" Daddy said as he gave the thing back. The only thing going through his mind when he held that thing was how Achkan would feel if it went missing. With Kev now checking up on Achkan the baby could be held to ransom, but Daddy would have to handle this carefully. Daddy made his excuses and left hoping to see Achkan on the way out.
Clay walked back with the baby back to Claire. He passed her over and the doctor told her that both she and the baby would stay over night. "You're staying with us right?" Claire asked. "You have to" Claire said as Clay wiped the sweat off her forehead. "Sure, but I'm gonna go back to your place, to get some of your stuff" Clay added. "We'll take my car" Achkan said with a smile as he went to the car park.
"Don't take too long Clay, Nat'll miss you" Clay nodded before realising what she said. "Nat?" He repeated. "Yeah, after mom" Claire said, copying what Clay would say. "Grrrreat" Clay said as he kissed Claire on the forehead and waved "Nat" Goodbye. It wasn't a name he wanted on his lips forever, but if Claire wanted "Nat" he couldn't say no.
He went out of the ward towards the parking lot and reached Achkan's car but Achkan wasn't in the car. "Ackhan?"Clay called out. "Clay over here" Clay walked over to Daddy's voice where he found Ackhan bruised and bloodied at his feet. "I found him like this son, I'll get some help" Clay nodded as Achkan started to stir. "No" Achkan croaked. "Clay help me up" Clay did as he was told and grabbed Achkan by the arm and led him over to his car.
"I'll drive" Clay said as Achkan gave him the keys. "Who did that?" Clay said looking quickly at Achkan's injuries. "I don't know" Achkan answered him honestly. "I was attacked from behind" Clay helped Achkan up to Claire's door and suggested that Achkan stay there for the night while Claire and Nat were at the hospital.
"I'm surprised, you haven't put two and two together...we'll actually I'm not that shocked" Achkan said as Clay got him a glass of water. "Your Daddy is sending me a warning" Achkan said pointing at his face. "`Daddy wouldn't hurt you Achkan, he's nice, he's your friend and he's just come back from your hearing. Daddy doesn't want to do that again"
"Clay for God and Claire's sake wake up. Do you honestly think Lloyd went to get help at the hospital? Earlier on today, I saw Lloyd before the hearing" "Saw? Achkan you should have been there" Clay told Ackhan as he folded Claire's clothes into a rucksack with baby clothes for Nat. "I'm telling you Clay...Lloyd will do anything to pay and get paid. He was even willing to get me Daddy's little Eric"
Clay had had enough, he put the rucksack down and went to the kitchen. He came out with a small steak knife, pinned Ackhan to the sofa and held it to his neck. Achkan squirmed but was enjoying it way more than a sane person would. Clay loosened his grip on Achkan's arm. "Why? Why get Eric involved...are you that desperate?"
"Desperate? Listen Jack the ripper I'm not the one pimping out my kid to pay a debt" "Say it again if it's true" Clay said moving the steak knife against Achkan's Adam's apple. "Lie and regret it" Ackhan leaned back and stood still. He wasn't afraid of Clay, but crazyness did run in that family. He looked Clay straight in the eyes.
"Fuck it. I was at your Daddy's place in the morning. He opened the back door. We were in the kitchen and your Daddy told me that Drew would be out and Eric would be alone after he came back from school" "Why?" Clay asked. "Lloyd wanted the hearing to clear him. Thought if he sweetened the deal, I'd get him off...in the clean way. I said no..."
Clay took his weight off Achkan, but still held the knife still. "Your saying Daddy offered you his son, A child...yeah right" "Clay I swear, I said no. I prefer them older, and then he offered me something else" Clay removed the knife, knowing that there was truth in Achkan's words somewhere, but he wasn't sure which part. "What else?" Clay asked. "Limited Edition Goodfellas DVD" Achkan joked. "I'm not lying, if we can work together Clay we could be very very rich..." Clay put the knife down and picked his rucksack up.
"I've gotta get back. Help yourself to the fridge" Clay said as Clay left to catach the bus back to the hospital. He'd have to call Daddy, but if he did Daddy would think Clay had doubted him. Sitting at the bus stop playing with his phone, Clay didn't notice the figure staring at him on the bench.
"Congratulations" Came an adult voice that still had a teenage echo. Clay didn't even have to look up.
"Leave me alone Kev. I don't wanna see you. Not ever" Clay said as he got up and walked to the other bus stop. Clay left Kev no other option, he'd have to take Clay's eyes away to make Clay see.