"What's he doing?" asked Hobbes standing at the sliding door looking out through it.
"Sitting in the rain?" shrugged Mike. Bobby threw him a dirty look before turning back to the glass.
"How long has he been out there?" Hobbes had stopped by the house after work to find Darien sitting alone in the rain.
"Most of the day. I tried to get him to come in for lunch but he wouldn't budge. He did eat the sandwich I brought him so I left him alone."
"He's been out there since before lunch! He's going to get sick!" Hobbes glared at Smith then carefully controlled his flare of anger. Sliding open the door , he stepped out into the rain.
Cool, wet drops thumped lightly onto Darien's head rolling down his face to drip off of his nose and his saturated clothes. The feeling was amazing. In a way, the water running across his skin reminded him of quicksilver. He missed being able to go invisible. He did not miss the madness or the gland but he missed the act of being invisible. He had posses a freedom unlike any other in the world. Freedom. That was the root of his problems. No matter what he did he could not gain his freedom. Consciously, he forced himself to relax. Closing his eyes he focused on the feel of the rain on his skin and tried to pretend for that moment that he was invisible. It was the old child's trick of if I can't see you then you can't see me. He was jarred back to reality by the sound of the door opening. Listening, he counted the steps. 4-5-6 `Must be Hobbes,' he decided.`Mike would have spoken by now.'
"Hey, buddy," said Hobbes taking a seat on the step beside Darien. Darien turned towards him slightly. He nodded in reply. "How are you doing?"
"I don't know."
"Mike tells me that you're eating again. That's good."
"We had a talk last night. Made me think about a few things."
"That's why you've been sitting in the rain."
"Yeah. That and I like the rain. It feels good."
"Well, I won't lecture you about it. Spending the day in the rain won't hurt you if you just do it once in a while and that's about as often as it rains here anyway."
"I am a grown man, you know."
"Yeah but I worry. I can't help it. Remember paranoia, pills, ect. Don't tell me they forgot to mention that to you."
"Sorry," he said smiling at Bobby's comments. "I just feel smothered sometimes but it's not just by you. That's part of what I've been thinking about."
"Care to share?"
"I've been floating biding my time for a while now. Definitely since the gland came out. Maybe before then. Hell, I might have been floating since I got out of jail. I just don't know. I think maybe that it is time for me to stop floating but I don't know how." Frustrated, Darien ran his fingers threw his hair. "All I know is that I'm still trapped and I'm still not happy."
"Do you mean trapped by the Agency or by your limitations?"
"Yes. I'm stuck here in an Agency house. The Fatman tells me to jump and I still have to jump even if it is just to go in and play lab rat. The only thing that has changed is that I'm 100% expendable and I'm not a danger to anyone. As for the other, I depended on Mike for everything and I hate it."
"I don't know what to say," sighed Hobbes sadly. "I wish that I could make you happy. I'd like to free you. I would do anything to help there just doesn't seem to be any answers to your problems."
"Do you remember Leila?" asked Darien suddenly.
"Beautiful blind chick?"
"Yeah, that's her. I really envy her right now. Being blind didn't stop her from doing anything."
"Well except driving."
"You know what I mean."
"So don't let it stop you either."
"It's a little more complicated for me," answered Darien. "She had someone to teach her and she wasn't crippled."
"So we find you a teacher."
"Yeah, like the Agency is going to let me go. Face it. I'll never be free."
"Don't say that partner. You will be free. I'll make sure of it. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make you happy."
"Thanks, Bobby. Just the fact that you feel that way means a lot to me."
"Fawkes, you're my best frien. I would do anything for you," said Hobbes seriously. He gently touched Darien's shoulder for emphasis.
"Like wise."
"Now, what do you say we go inside and get dry?"
"Sounds good to me," replied Darien standing. Hobbes had to catch is shoulder as he swayed briefly. They made their way inside where they dried off and changed. Hobbes had to borrow some clothes from Mike and Darien. Eventually the three men sat down to eat dinner.
"Do you know of any blind schools?" asked Hobbes taking a bit of spagetti. "Mmm, this is good."
"Thanks. I know of several schools. Why?"
"Ask Fawkes."
"Darien?"
"I told him that I wished I had someone to teach me how to be blind," replied Darien quietly.
"Oh, I thought you meant a school school. There are a couple of places in California for people who were blinded as adults. Unfortunately, none of them are here in San Diego. I mention sending you to one before but they said it was too far away."
"See? I told you they'd never let me go," said Darien hopelessly.
"We'll see about that. I will get you to one of these schools one way or another. I promise and when Bobby Hobbes makes a promise he keeps it."
"It's not going to happen so just drop it!" yelled Darien jerking up from his chair. The jerk turned into a flop and he ended up in a heap on the floor. Hobbes knelt down beside him and brushed his hand across his face gently.
"I WILL get you into one of these schools."
"Don't say that. Please don't say that. Don't give me hope when it's just going to vanish again."
"Fawkes, have I ever lied to you?" asked Hobbes taking the younger man into his arms.
"No," whispered Darien unwillingly.
"Then trust me. I'll take care of things."
"I trust you, Hobbes," whispered Fawkes. He relaxed and put his arms around Bobby and returned the hug. For better or worse, for the first time in a long time Darien had hope.