Powerless Chapter 2
The Only Faces He Knew
DivineAngel
__*~*~*~SOME (enough) TIME LATER~*~*~*__
"God damn Layline." He muttered pushing his head into the pillow "I wish we never found the stupid thing." His red hair fell over his eye as it opened slowly looking at the small clock on the end table. His stomach upset, as he listened to her suffering from morning sickness in the bathroom. "So just cause I die and they have to connect my body to someone, they have to connect me to the pregnant one?" He thought almost laughing as he sat up slowly.
"I am sorry Gene." She sighed walking out of the bathroom, in her short light nightgown. "You feel sick?" She asked concerned
"Not as sick as you must feel." He said making his way over to her. For the last few days he had become strangely in touch with the way she had been feeling, and it sucked. She smiled at him. "What's so funny?" He muttered his head in her neck eyes closed as she stood in front of the mirror applying some lip-gloss.
"I am living every woman's dream." She chuckled at him.
"Oh yeah" He mumbled "How's that?"
"I get to get the baby, and you get to know what it's like?" She giggled at him as he slumped off her growling.
"Oh geez Mel, thanks for the compassion." He grumbled chuckling lightly
"Your welcome" She sung heading back to the bathroom. She felt fine now, he could tell, and he opened the hall door. The sounds of his crew now floating to him as he groaned.
"No! That means you can't! Just drop it!" The blonde shot out of his room running down the stairs as he made his way sleepily to the bathroom listening to Aisha's begging.
"Good morning Suzuka." He muttered as she turned to face him brushing her teeth, she didn't answer. "What's their problem?" He said opening his draw and digging through his stuff to the sound of the downstairs coach pillows being thrown around the room. The small voice threatening the Ctarl Ctarl. She shrugged spitting into the sink.
"How is Melfina?" She asked calmly brushing her long black hair, really quiet extraordinary when let down.
"Same ol same ol." He said squirting toothpaste onto his toothbrush.
"Hey Gene!" Jim called from downstairs obviously annoyed, he sighed
"Yeah! What? Why don't you two give it a rest!" He called now brushing his teeth.
"Tell Ais-" The voice was suddenly muffled beyond comprehension, as the red hair spit into the sink. Aisha, god doesn't she ever shut up? He thought looking at himself in the mirror, the assassin leaving the room.
Walking back into the hall, he caught her in his view, slowly making her way down the stairs. Hanging onto the railing with one hand, and holding onto her stomach with the other, he could smell her soft scent from there. Even now with her stomach like that, she was so sexy.
"You look beautiful." He whisphered into her ear from behind her on the stairs, she smiled shaking her head amused as she started for the kitchen slowly.
"Oh don't worry about it Melfina!" Aisha suddenly screeched causing them to look over at her. "Aisha will make breakfast!" She laughed pouncing over to the kitchen, the blonde hair suddenly emerging from under the pillows she was sitting on. He kicked them off immediately looking around before screaming after her to give it back now!
He pulled out her chair for her before sitting down, the coffee pot already at the table; all thought that was probably Jim and not Aisha.
"But Aisha really really needs it." She whined as the kitchen door swung back open slowly allowing them to glimpse into the room momentarily. Catching the blonde attempting to pry something from her hand as she walked past him, not even feeling it, frying pan and eggs in hand.
"No she doesn't!" He yelled sliding along after her only in socks.
"Aisha!" The bioandroid called sweetly causing them to both stop looking at them through the door before it shut blocking their view. It opened suddenly as the two pairs of eyes looked at her, wanting to help her in any way they could. "Please just let him be." she said softly
"Do you have a head ache Melfina?" She frowned concerned. Blue eyes traveling from the raven hair up to the bright eyes as she shook her head no. "K" She smiled turning back around into the kitchen, the door shutting to the sounds of his protests and clanking dishes, as thought nothing had been said.
She shot the laughing outlaw a soft frown. "What?!" He said laughed his words at her. "It's funny Mel, you have to laugh." The outlaw said laughing harder as the blonde came stomping back out of the kitchen and sat down.
"Ruff day?" The raven hair smiled teasing, it was currently seven AM. There was no real reason why every one was up so early, it just seemed there was a domino effect. Usually Aisha was the first, then Jim; they woke Suzuka, Melfina followed with mourning sickness, making the outlaw sick too. He shrugged at her, as the Ctarl Ctarl came walking back into the room smiling.
"Pleeeease" She hissed sitting some eggs down in front of the blonde who pulled his arms from the table looking at them.
"Fine." He muttered picking up his fork as she sat down the platter of toast, plate of eggs, and gave both the outlaw and the bioandroid a plate.
"What is it that you wanted Aisha?" The raven hair spoke softly as the outlaw crammed his face full of food.
"Jim is letting me borrow one of is shirts cause I am going out to night and I need one to be real short and tight." She said placing an egg in between two pieces of toast and propping it up to bite it.
"Hey that is a real neat idea Aisha." The outlaw added before the blue eyes snapped at him with a shut up silent growl. "Or maybe not, you could just buy something." He quickly added
"Yeah I could but I don't really feel like shopping right now, better to be home."
"Yeah I know how you feel." The bioandroid added sweetly spreading jelly onto her piece of toast.
"Huh? Why is that?" The outlaw frowned bewildered
"Yeah I thought shopping is what girls loved to do?" The blonde added eyeing the Ctarl Ctarl eating next to him.
"It is." She smiled before swallowing "But the McDougal brothers are here on Sentinel 3, so-" She stopped as the outlaw choked on his food struggling to swallow.
"The McDougal Brothers!?" He shot at her, but she just sat chewing calmly. "What are they doing on Sentnal!?" He shot at the blue eyes.
"Don't look at me! Why would I know!" The blonde answered baffled
"Hey Suzuka!?" The outlaw called leaning over his chair towards the living room.
"Suzu is the one who told us, but we weren't supposed to mention it." the Ctarl Ctarl added now drinking
"Well why not?" The outlaw spit confused.
"Suzu seemed to think you have enough on your mind so we were just supposed to watch Jim and not tell you."
"Whaaat!" The blonde shot throwing his toast back onto the table and crossing his arms. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!"
"Sure is" The outlaw added disgusted "Listen Aisha" He started, her bright eyes looking back up at him lazily as she ate "Next time Suzuka-"
"Next time Suzuka what?" The assassin spoke calmly from behind him.
"Hey Suzuka." The blue eyes frowned up at her. "What's the big deal of not telling us about the McDougal brothers being here on Sentnal?" The blonde said frowning at her, the outlaw silently waiting for her answer.
"Well they didn't seem to care we were here, so I figured I would wait and see what they did. I warned you didn't I." She repressed her small smile.
"Not us." The outlaw smirked, she simply shrugged as she sat down
"Three out of five isn't bad Gene." She smirked at the outlaw as he ripped some toast with his teeth irritated.
"Oh yeah" The blonde grunted "That's how we're going to get places."
"Don't you worry Jimmy, Aisha was watching you the whole time!" She squeaked smashing his head into the chair with her hand. Blue eyes rolling annoyed as he shoved her off.
"How long have they been here?" The outlaw demanded
"A week" The light head of hair squeaked looking up at him, her mouth full of food.
"A week!" He repeated, I just can't believe this, he thought, if anyone should have known it should have been us. "Geez who is wearing the pants around here." The outlaw said slightly annoyed but almost humored with the thought.
"Well now we know it's not you." The blonde grinned at him chuckling as the outlaw stopped. The toast he was about to put into his mouth dead in mid air before he lowered it slyly.
"Well it's definitely not you." He spoke as the blonde just laughed more.
"Well it can't be Suzu cause she never wears pants!" Aisha shot in, teasing, blonde hair to her side choking on his milk as he started drinking. Small mouth trying hard not to laugh as he pulled back from the cup before spitting it at her with a haha
There was complete silence, bright eyes looking down at the milk trickling off her arm as the outlaw started laughing.
"Sorry Aisha" The blue eyes laughed wiping milk off the small mouth with the back of his hand as he watched her sniff her arm where the milk was running off.
"Smells like you Jimmy." She smiled "But next time you spit at Aisha, she is going to take some of your teeth." She hissed at him suddenly, causing him to stop laughing as they stared at each other before the outlaw broke down harder.
"Well I am going to clear the table." The raven hair sighed, smiling as she rose out of her chair slowly picking up a single cup and making her way to the kitchen.
"I'll help Melfina." He said picking up his plate and the jelly, watching some smear onto his glove as he made a face, the outlaw chuckled slightly at him. "Ha ha, don't forget we have a job in fifteen Gene!" He spit walking towards the kitchen as the assassin got up.
"Well I will meet you there in a half an hour Gene." The white komono said placing her napkin back onto the table and walking towards the hall. He waved bye acknowledging that she had spoke as he chugged his coffee.
"You want Aisha to come by and help too Gene?" He saw her twitching her nose from accost the table looking at him intently from over his mug, before he sat it down completing the rest of her face.
"No. Well yeah…yesI do Aisha. It is only supposed to be a hundred crates but it would be much easier with a Ctarl Ctarl on board." She smiled before jumping up and bouncing towards the front door. Knocking the blonde who came walking out of the kitchen over as she left laughing.
"Bye!" The blue eyes yelled at her, getting up slightly annoyed
"Alright Jim, I am going upstairs to get dressed." The red head said throwing some toast back onto the plate and walking past him.
"Emmhmm." He said as he picked up more dishes and started back to the kitchen. She was still standing at the sink full of bubbles when he came back in and sat the plates next to it. "Here you go." He said cheerfully turning around to get more when she gasped sharply. "Melfina? What's wrong!?" He spun around facing her, standing there looking down at her stomach, her hand pressed to it. Her large chocolate eyes looked up at him smiling. "What is it?" He asked alarmed
"The baby. I felt the baby kick" She gasped, her eyes jumping as she smiled wider looking back down at her stomach. "It did it again!" She exclaimed beaming.
"It's not very nice." He frowned watching her. Why did it make her so happy; he didn't like people kicking him.
"Jim come here!" She stretched her hand out to him as he walked over "Give me your hand!" She smiled as he held it up to her.
"What for Mel? Do you want me to go get Ge-" He stopped as she held his small hand inside hers pressing it to her stomach. He felt the light thump under his palm as she laughed
"It's really in there." He slowly started smiling, giving her a lop sided grin by the time he looked up at her.
"Well of course it is!" She laughed, "I am not carting around watermelons Jim."
"Hey Jim, are we leaving or what?" The outlaw said walking into the kitchen buttoning up a light white shirt. "What are you too doing?" He said slyly pouring himself more coffee, watching them just stand there smiling.
"Gene, the baby's kicking!" She beamed at him as he walked up behind her running his hand over her stomach smelling her hair. "Do you feel it?" She said taking his hand and placing it in one spot, he did.
"Yup! Feels like a boy!" He smiled at her, as she shoved him playfully.
"You want to feel it again Jim?" She beamed down at him. Blue eyes looking back up at her, another smile creeping over his face, she was funny to watch.
"No Mel. We have to go, we're going to be late Jim." The outlaw groaned grabbing his caster off the counter as the blonde hair spun around facing the clock.
"Yeah I got to go Mel! See you later!" He yelled dashing out the kitchen door as the outlaw stuck his head back in tapping the circled date on the calendar
"Two more weeks, two more weeks." He whisphered smiling at her. "Then it will kick me too." He laughed heading back out the door leaving her laughing to herself as she did the dishes. Gee, only two more weeks he thought, I can't leave her alone anymore.
"Jim, how about you go back with Mel in a half an hour?" He asked jumping over the car door into the seat, the blonde leaning into the back digging through papers.
"If you think so, but I am taking your car back." He heard Jim answer before he started the car pulling the blonde back into the front seat. The baggy jacket just turning around and leaning into the door slightly, it was a beautiful day.
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"Hey Melfina Aisha's back!" She screeched into the hall, smiling as she echoed around the vacant building.
"So am I." He muttered shutting the door behind her.
"Jim I know you are home." she laughed at him. He rolled his eyes.
"What are you doing back so soon?" The raven hair appeared in the upstairs hall carrying some laundry heading down the stairs slowly.
"Gene didn't want you to be here all by yourself, isn't that sweet!?" She squeaked hanging onto the banister as she swung from side to side playing.
"Oh, he doesn't have to worry about me Jim." She said as he walked up next to the Ctarl Ctarl.
"I didn't do it Melfina, it was his idea, so what if we don't lift crates all day." He grinned, who wanted to do that.
She shrugged lightly as the Ctarl Ctarl pulled some clothes from her hand.
"Jim can I borrow this too!" Her soft hands shoved the green fabric of his shirt into his face.
"No Aisha!" He yelled snatching it from her. "Come on" he grumbled heading for the living room "Let's play some video games."
"Ohhh ahhh can we play the lucky elf!" She screeched after him, the raven hair smiling as she heard him groan, he hated that game.
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"Well there is no reason for it to be there!" She screeched inches from the tv screen
"Yes there is!" He shot back pressing buttons frantically
"It's a stupid waterfall Jim." She spit.
"Aisha! I said I would get the key hold off the dragon!" He yelled his little elf running frantically on fire.
"I want to get key! You hold off the dragon!" She hissed leaning into the screen.
"I can't see Aisha, I am on fire!" He yelled the raven hair just watching them from where she lay on the couch, she was tired and her feet hurt. She had been feeling sick after breakfast and this was all the excitement she could stand. Yet she smiled watching him shoving Aisha's head with his hand trying to work all the buttons with his other one.
"Jim stop pushing me, I can't play!"
"I can't see!"
"Jim your on fire!" She screeched laughing as she leaned back from the screen hysterical. Silent blonde hair staring intently at the screen as she disappeared pressing buttons frantically as his little elf jumped into the waterfall.
The tires screeching around the end of the street caught her attention as she slowly sat up on the couch. Looking out the window "Hey Aisha?" She spoke quietly, that was their car speeding down the street, or rather Jim's car. He wasn't going to be very happy. She jumped slightly as the caster blasted backwards from the drivers seat taking out the road light. The bullets of the blaster behind whizzing past as the second car screeched around the corner.
"What they heck is going...." The blonde got up, frowning at the noise "...the Ehefrau!" He shot now standing next to her pushing to get closer to the window. "Ohh Gene I am gonna" He growled through clenched teeth before backing away from the window suddenly as if it were hot "Geez it's the McDougals!" He yelled grabbing his laptop from the window sill.
"Jimmy get Melfina to the back room, behind the kitchen now!" The light hair hissed helping the bioandroid up.
"Oh Aisha, what's going on?" Her soft voice was full of concern as the blue eyes shot up at her, wondering the same thing.
"Don't you worry Melfina." She coed "I am going to make sure all three of you are alright." she winked at him as he dropped her from his view taking the hand of the raven haired girl. Pulling her towards the back of the building. The bullets out front growing louder, he could hear Aisha growling fiercely as the front door bust open behind them, he spun around.
Strong assassin in their doorway. "Aisha, go with them, we'll hold them off!" The assassin ordered the Ctarl Ctarl pouncing back at them pushing them both towards the back room.
"Aisha what do they want!" Dhe cried as she slumped against the wall of the empty small room, it wasn't even painted yet, just empty and there.
"Be quiet Melfina, I need to hear." She hissed at the bioandroid, grabbing the boy's loose jacket to stop him from moving.
"Ron McDoUGAAAL!" The outlaw yelled from what sounded to be like right in the front hall, the sound of his blaster firing against the missile that sounded as thought it might have taken part of warehouse with it. He grabbed her arm, and she glanced down at him. He looked concern but hard. He was ready to fight, and she smiled at him, watching him smile back up at her.
"Jim!" The bioandroid cried suddenly from behind them, her face tightened.
"It's going to be ok Melfina." He said rushing over to her as she started sliding down the wall almost crouching before looking back up at him. Her eyes shut as she breathed deeply through her clenched teeth. "Are you hurt?" He asked suddenly before Aisha shhhed them
"Will you two shut up!" She hissed, her eye just making it through the crack in the door.
"Aisha they can't hear us over that!" He yelled at her, but she didn't respond she was listening to what they were saying, not Jim and Melfina. She heard them run back into the street Gene's swearing and then Suzuka shooting something about getting back and behind. She opened her mouth to yell at him. To tell him that she wasn't talking about being heard, when the bioandroid let out a sharp yell.
"What did you do Jim!" She screeched as the raven hair slumped against the wall breathing hard.
"I didn't do it!" He screamed, he was starting to look panicked.
"What's the matter Melfina!" "Are you hur…" Her voice trailed off as she inhaled. "No Melfinaaa, Aisha says you have to wait aaawhile." She whined suddenly
"Ahhh I can't wait Aisha!" The bioandroid nearly screamed at her, pushing her head into the wall she leaned against.
"You can't just have your baby now!" She screeched as thought she were purposely trying to be difficult.
"What!?" The blonde screamed from where he stood over at the side of the door.
"Oh yes I can Aisha!" Sshe screamed breathing hard from the floor.
"Breath Melfina!" He shouted over to them remembering Gene mocking the Lamaze classes they had attended. He had to agree with him, how could the breathing be that important? Yet somehow he found himself yelling at her to breath anyway, imitating them.
"Jim will you shut up! Find out what I should do!" She screeched tossing his laptop at him watching him sit down immediately opening it up.
She almost felt bad for the bioandroid; she had never seen her behave like that before. The way in which she was silent squeezing her arm before screaming like someone was stabbing her. "WHAT DOES IT SAY!" She screeched turning to look at him as he rushed over handing her the laptop as the screen loaded into focus.
"Melfina, you really can't have the baby now!" He yelled at her, his blonde hair rufflign lightly. "The McDougals are right outside!" He protested
"Blast the McDougals!" The raven hair growled at him, and he backed up. That's definitely not the Melfina I know, he thought, watching her as though she were becoming possessed, the tightened features of her face as she heaved in pain, what do I do? What do I do?
"Aisha what should we-"
"EWWWW! Humans have babies like this!" She screeched staring at the monitor. "How unsanitary! You terrenes must be crazy! Melfina you are making a big mistake, Gene should definitely have the next one, don't you think Jim?" She squeaked more calm as he raced around her shoulder looking back down at the monitor.
"Ahhh! No Way!" He yelled looking away from it quickly. Moving back to the side of the bioandroid who grabbed his arm demanding that he get her some kinda of drug he had never heard of.
"Yeah, the Ctarl Ctarl are way better at reproducing then this, you terrenes really should devise a better-Melfina you are hurting him!" She squeaked suddenly aware of the blonde trying to pry himself from her tight grasp.
"Mel let me go!" He demanded the soft hand of the Ctarl Ctarl prying back her fingers as he felt the blood rush back into the lower part of his arm.
"It's ok they are gone now." The assassin stated calmly causing the three of them to snap at her, before her eyes widened. Watchign the blonde hair stumble back slighlty from where Melfina had just let him go to the concerned irritated Ctarl helping them both. "GENE!" HEr focused eyes snapped from where she stood in the small doorway to the empty back room. "The stress has sent Mel into premature labor!" Her loud calm yell ran into the hall, waiting through a small pause before the loud.
"WHAAAAT!" The outlaws cry seemed to bring down the rest of Starwind and Hawking as it echoed through the empty front, past the broken table, shattered glass, and dying fire, to the four panicked people in the back room. Already on there feet and dragging the raven hair with them.
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"Do you see Aisha? Do see her!" He heard her squeak still mashing her face to the glass of the maternity ward viewing room. She had been doing that for the last hour, just crouching there squeaking at the sleeping infants who didn't even have their eyes open. It doesn't make any sense he thought turning his head to look back up at the ceiling from the bench across the hall directly parallel to hers. He had been lying there for who knows how long, just waiting. He heard her saying something to him, but it obviously wasn't important since he heard her face being pushed back up to the glass. Not important enough he thought, his eyes shutting slowly before forcing themselves back open, the numbers of the clock blurring before coming back into focus again, and then blurring. It was 3:47 AM
He heard her laugh lightly seeing the Ctarl Ctarl still humoring herself with the sleeping infants as she walked back in and sat down next to his feet.
"Don't you just want to eat them Suzuka?" She squeaked smiling
"Aisha, you had better rephrase what you say. We don't wan to cause any alarm." She said smiling her eyes closed as she leaned into her chair. Several nurses down the hall gasping as they exchanged worried glances before looking back at the three of them. "Any news Jim?" She looked over to him, nudging his leg.
"No." He grumbled sitting up to keep from falling asleep. They had been waiting for Melfina and Gene for "What is it eighteen hours?" He mumbled rubbing his temples as he sighed deeply exhausted. "What do you think they are doing in there?" He complained as she smiled down at him, the tired blue eyes. She just sipped her soda again before turning back to the Ctarl Ctarl her mouth opening.
"Hey!" The doors along side the bench burst open suddenly, and the outlaw came rushing out in some type of paper gown or something. "It's a girl!"
"Gene that's wonderful!" The assassin exclaimed from behind him
"A girl! How precious!" The Ctarl Ctarl swooned "Can we see?!" She giggled
"Well ahh, hold on." He shot back into the swinging doors.
"Ahhh a girl!" Jim did you hear that!" She screeched at him.
"Yeah." He exhaled smiling, "How cool huh?"
"Yes, very cool." The assassin said chuckling softly to herself as she took another sip of her soda
"Yeah you can come see!" The outlaw beamed rushing back out as the Ctarl Ctarl almost climbed over him to get in, the rest of them following.
"Isn't she beautiful." He heard him whisper looking at his two girls, but he didn't know which one he meant.
"Which one Gene?" The Ctarl Ctarl cooed making her way past the outlaw towards the bed where Melfina lay. She looked almost half asleep, her hair damp, heavy on her head. Her face glimmering as she smiled at them, her cheeks flushed. In her arms, lay a small bundle rapped in a soft pink cloth.
"Both of them." He whisphered, the blue eyes glanced up at him, he just stood there, as if mesmerized by them. Just standing there his body exhausted but his face was so calm, before he looked down smiling at the blonde. The blue eyes switching back to the raven hair.
"She smells so beautiful Melfina!" Aisha whisphered leaning into the small blanket.
"She is beautiful." The assassin added, "You should be very proud."
"I am" She beamed looking down at the bundle and then back at her outlaw. "You can come look too Jim." She almost whisphered at him exhausted.
The baby looked just like the other ones Aisha had been cooing at for the last hour, only now she was making noises at his one. The bright green eyes of the infant shinning up at them.
"I think she looks like you Jim." He heard the outlaw tease nudging him in the back.
"Shut up Gene." He smiled, she really was cute.
"Isn't she so cute Jim?" Aisha squeaked looking up at him.
"Yeah, wow Melfina." He sighed and she laughed slightly.
"Yeah Mel, you should have seen yourself earlier." She snickered "We almost had to bring you here attached to Jim!" She laughed qickly covering her mouth to keep from getting too loud.
"I am so sorry Jim." The raven hair spit immediately remembering how upset she had been in labor.
"It's ok Mel." He mumbled smiling down at the infant.
"Yeah, it's ok now, but he's wearing long sleeves so no one thinks we're beating him." She snickered harder as he looked up at her. The outlaw laughed from behind his blonde hair knocking him in the back before tugging on his coat some in order to see his shirt. He really was wearing long sleeves.
"Oh no no no, you must leave her be now." The nurse ordered as everyone turned to look at her. "You are welcomed to wait in the lobby because it is so late, but you must leave right now." She spoke firmly gripping Aisha's arms as the Ctarl Ctarl stuttered a but but but.
It was amazing how quickly she shoed them out, all at one he was back in the hall with Suzuka and Aisha, her mouth gaping as the doors closed. The assassin sat back down where she had been before, as Aisha fell into her chair pouting, Jim because there was no reason to stand. A still silence seemed to linger in the hall, the assassin perfectly still, as the bright eyes of the Ctarl Ctarl were deep in thought, until he started laughing.
He looked at them, their puzzled expressions starnig as a smile crept over Aisha's face watching him; he had no idea what was so funny.
"Wow a baby!" She squeaked beaming "Hey wait" Her smiled vanished a suddenly. "Aren't we supposed to have victory cigars?"
"HahahaWhat?" He mumbled a baffled look coming over his blue eyes as his laughter faded.
"Yeah I saw it on TV, a human had a baby so everyone smoked cigars!" She squeaked excitedly chewing her lip her eyes darting in thought.
"Aisha I don't think we are supposed to smoke in-" He stopped abruptly as she jumped out of her chair and went racing down the hall, both of them leaning out of their chairs to watch her. There was a long pause before he finally spoke again "Think she is getting cigars?"
"Probably" the assassin answered calmly as she sipped her soda again watching the clock as fifteen minutes past.
"I'm back!" She screeched as they looked up at her, she handed them each a cigar. "Come on let's go!" She squeaked sitting back down biting the end of hers off, they shrugged biting theirs as well. Suzuka took out a lighter and lit them; he watched them both inhale slightly before puffing their cigars more. Imitating them he did the same, feeling the smoke fill his lungs chocking him slightly but he didn't make a sound waiting for his body to adjust as he looked over at Aisha now pulling out three bottles of beer and cracking the tops off.
"Wow Aisha, people must love you at parties." He grinned watching her his eyes watering lightly as he choked on the smoke.
"Shut up and drink your beer Jimmy!" She snapped at him, watching him drink some as he gagged before drinking more. Suzuka laughed slightly from next to him a beer and cigar in hand. All of them grinning at how funny they all looked in the hospital hallway.
The double doors opened again and the red head stopped abruptly taken back by the scene. "Hey what's going on you ...." His voice trailed some as they looked up at him Aisha's sly grin retarded by the huge Cuban sticking out of her mouth. The assassin taking another swing of her beer as the blonde laughed at him, already a little drunk. Maybe they shouldn't.... He thought before shrugging. Now was a good time to celebrate, he grinned walking towards them his eyes straight ahead as he ripped the no smoking sign off the wall and picked up a beer.
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He glanced back at her as he drove towards Starwind and Hawking Enterprises. The sun was just coming up as she lay sleeping gently against the Ctarl Ctarl the pink bundle still tight in her arms. Blond hair slightly visible in the mirror from where he lay resting his head on her leg. The assassin up front with him, the least effected by the beer and cigars. He stopped the car easily. Watching her chocolate eyes open slightly before looking down at the bundle smiling. She didn't have to stay at the hospital. She had a good clean birth the doctor said, and as long as she didn't do any labor or strenuous activity she would be fine.
He helped her out, gently grasping her shoulder as she held his hand the bundle in arm. He watched the Ctarl Ctarl on the other side of the car, grab the small sleeve of the blonde's blue shirt pulling him out. The small figure groaned making a face as she stood it up reaching back in and pulling out the small jacket.
"Aisha I can't believe you let him drink all that beer!" He smiled at her
"He drank it himself!" She spit back at him, as Jim walked unsteadily around the car, small hand sliding over its surface before stepping up onto the curb. "Besides, he looks fine to me." She smiled watching the blonde smile back up at her his eyes closed as he teetered slightly, causing her to frown. "Well anyway, I guess we know what we are going to do with the extra room downstairs" She grinned brightly
"Make a nursery?" The blonde hair mumbled gripping her hair for support
"That's a great idea!" The raven hair exclaimed handing the outlaw the bundle. "That is" She paused again timid "If you all don't mind."
"Are you kidding, what could be better? Unless of course we just make it into a ruckus room for her and Jim." She laughed shaking the blonde hair slightly, stopping as he suddenly pushed her off turning around and throwing up on the curb.
"Aisha you're making him sick." The assassin commented as she studied the broken window almost fully repaired. Men had been there working while they had waited at the hospital.
"Here Mel." The outlaw laughed handing her the bundle and Suzuka the key. He heard the key going into the lock as the door opened and the two girls stepped in behind him as he made his way over to Aisha and Jim. Bright eyes of the Ctarl just sitting on the trunk of the car content watching. Waiting for Jim to finish, the outlaw laughing to himself, who'd a thought he had all that in him. "Hey are you all done?" He laughed down at the blonde who just stood there making a face as it moved its tongue around in the small mouth. The scarred arms reaching down to him, but the blonde shoved him off shaking his head no as it turned around and continued.
"AHahaha don't puke out your brains Jimmy!" Aisha laughed as she hopped off the trunk of the car and walked up the steps to door, leaving Starwind and Hawking in the street. The blonde finally done was breathing heavily as the strong arms of his partner slid around him from behind scooping him into his arms and carrying his half asleep disoriented body through the door.
It seemed to him that Suzuka might have some sort of tea pot stashed in her komono for she already sat with a hot cup next to the bioandroid who rocked her bundle with care, "Jealous?" She teased smiling as she looked at him, holding the blonde.
"Oh yeah, lets see you beat me Mel. I am already eleven years ahead." He teased as the boy struggled in his arms suddenly. He just rolled his eyes "Aww come on Jim I was joking" He groaned letting the boy slide down him to its feet. Watching the blonde hair race to the bathroom and start throwing up some more. "Aisha." He shot her a frown. "How much did he drink?"
"I don't know, three bottles?" She squeaked wrinkling her nose. "He liked it!" She added watching his face give her a hard look. "Maybe he is just trying to make room for more, Hey JIM!" she squeaked getting up and walking to the bathroom, the light sound of the assassin chuckling behind her. "You want some more beer Jimmy?" She smiled at him, from where he sat exhausted on the floor.
"Can I go to bed now?" He asked exhausted, his blue eyes dropping closed while he spoke.
She shrugged "Jim you're a party pooper. Who wants to sleep in the bathroom?" She snorted as he picked himself up and started wavering for the stairs, but no one really noticed.
"Where is she going to sleep?" The assassin asked staring down at the quiet infant.
"In our room." She beamed looking up at the soft Ctarl Ctarl face
"In the little crib?" Her whisphered voice squeaked as the bioandroid nodded, the outlaw leaning into her now looking down at his little girl.
"Lily really is a beautiful name" The assassin spoke from the other side of the room flicking off the kitchen light. "I am going to bed." She said walking to the downstairs windows and doors checking them to make sure they were all locked.
"Us too, right?" The bioandroid asked looking at the outlaw, he nodded
"I will go get her bed ready, so we can just put her in." He said getting up.
"I'll wait with you Mel." The Ctarl Ctarl beamed moving into his spot next to her, both females admiring the bundle.
He sighed heavily heading for the stairs watching Suzuka come from the back door, finished with the rounds? He thought to himself. At least Suzuka never for-he stopped thinking for a moment almost stepping on the small body that had obviously decided to give up half way up the stairs and sleep there. "Hey Jim, you really want to sleep on the stairs?" He whisphered nudging the boy, who only mumbled something about minding his own business. "Alright" He shrugged standing up before Aisha called up to him. His dark eyes turned around looking at the two women staring up at him. "What? He wants to sleep on the stairs."
"No he doesn't" Aisha hissed up at him.
"Yes he does Aisha, he said so." He shot her a frown.
"Gene!" She snapped as the bioandroid laughed rocking her bundle lightly, he sighed.
"Thanks a lot pal, remind me to thank you in the mourning." He mumbled pulling the heavy blonde up by his arms. "Geez Jim you think you would weigh less after you threw all that stuff up." He teased standing the thin body up. Small gloved hands just rubbing their face.
"When did we get home?" The mumbled voice slurred up to him, blue eyes still closed.
"I don't know a minute ago, now go to bed." The outlaw ordered rubbing his shoulder as the blonde turned and started walking to his room
"Where is my laptop?" He mumbled opening his door and flicking on the light. The outlaw following with his jacket.
"I don't know...oh yeah I was meaning to ask you about that. Why did you give it to that nurse at the hospital?" He smiled waiting for the boy to react, and he did.
"What!? What nurse Gene!? Where is it?" He stumbled. The outlaw just laughed, watching the face relax, realizing he had been tricked.
"Downstairs in the living room, or…downstairs." The outlaw shrugged watching him climb up onto this bed exhausted, practically asleep before he made it all the way on.
"You know Gene" He turned to see the Ctarl Ctarl leaning in the doorway smiling at him. "Lily really is-Jim! Put your pj's on right now, right now Jim!" She screeched as he sat up moaning. She distinctly remembered spilling soda on him some hours ago, and him commenting he would be damned if he slept like that.
"Shut up Aisha! I want to go to bed!" The closed blue eyes frowned at her, leaning forward from where they sat.
"Yeah yeah what about her?" The outlaw said making his way over to the blonde and yanking his shirt off over his head, anxious to hear what she had to say.
"Well I was just going to say that...she reminds me of...a little Ctarl Ctarl!" She smiled at him pleased. He sighed as he rolled his eyes, watching his partner kick off his shoes from the corner of his eyes as he drug through the small dresser draws for a t-shirt.
"Here Jim." He handed the half open blue eys a shirt listening to her ramble on about kittens and how much better off terrenes would be if they had Ctarl Ctarl...
"Gene?" Her soft voice seemed to cut through everything grabbing his attention in an instant as he spun around to her.
"Yeah Mel?" But she only smiled at him watching him taking to Aisha and working with Jim at the same time. It made her smile, he would make a great dad and it was good to finally all be back home, they might have been bored out of their minds in the hospital hallway but no one was more grateful to finally get out of there then she was.
"Wow Melfina." Dhe heard him mumble through half open blue eyes as the outlaw pulled the covers off his bed. "Your not so fat anymore." He smiled at her, still drunk.
"I noticed." She smiled at him, watching the outlaw push him into the bed telling him to shut up. Pushing all of his stuff away from the side in case he threw up more before leaving the room and shutting off the light.
"I am so tired." He mumbled his hand resting on her smooth shoulder as they walked to their bedroom. The door to the Ctarl Ctarl's shutting lightly down the hall. He heard her whisper a me too as she climbed into the bed nestling under the sheets. The small crib pulled up to her side, where her hand rested lightly in with the child, as to not leave it for a second. She was so beautiful, all he wanted to do was have her at that very second, but he knew she was exhausted, and really he was too. Sliding in next to her, he felt the warmth of her body, her gentle figure still visible in the dark of the room. I won't disturb her he thought, remembering how tentatively she had been caring for the bundle, her back facing him as she lay on her side, all remaining energy directed at her child. Suddenly he felt her smooth hand lock into his. Her soft humm, again as if she were eating something delicious, and he smiled sliding in next to her, squeezing her shoulders as he kissed her neck softly. Her arm reaching up to him to run her hand through his hair, before he felt it lighten, the sound of her breath faint as she fell into a deep sleep. To exhausted to even tell him how happy she was. How grateful that he had never left her behind, that he had always treated her well, and now. Now he had helped her to create a child of her own, something she would always cherish, something she knew that he would always love. It didn't matter to her now, how much she knew of herself, what plan they had for the future, she had a purpose now. True and more palpable then ever before. This child was everything to her, and she had made a silent promise, to never let her forget it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She is really cute, he thought looking down at the small bundle as it kicked its feet at random intervals, sucking on his finger, it sort of tickled.
"Hey! Your hands better be clean." The outlaw ordered entering the kitchen and walking to the coffee pot. Blonde hair sitting on the table next to the baby in her ready to go seat.
"Hey Gene?" The outlaw glanced at them from over his mug. "It is going to be different for her right? Not like when I was younger?"
He lowered his mug, when I was younger? What is he talking about, he doesn't know a thing, but the dark eyes were soft watching them "Course it is."
"You promise you will never leave her." He snapped suddenly his eyes were hard "Don't ever let her be alone." He demanded, his light face now stern and focused
"Jim" He started, but he was really taken, I didn't think he remembered anything from when he was younger, when did this happen? "What do you remember Jim? I mean I didn't think you could, well that you knew anything."
The boy just shrugged looking back down at the bundle "Mainly the hospital." he answered, but he didn't really contribute any real information. The outlaw smiled
"Hey, hows it feel to be a godfather?" He teased watching the blonde smiled as it shook its head exhaling.
"Well like maybe I should be older or something. It just makes me think of old guys." The outlaw laughed choking slightly on his coffee, before swallowing. His loud voice consuming the room.
"Yeah me too! Wonder why that is? Think it is because you should be old enough to be a father, or well you can't really be a god?" He smiled puzzled as he picked the small pink pacifier out of her blankets and put it in the small baby mouth. "Geez I am glad Mel isn't sick anymore." He heard the blonde laugh at him. "I have so much planned for her you know Jim? She is going to be smart, she is going to know how to do things, going to know the right people. Never going to see the gutter like us. Be something big when she gets older, wonderful, just like her mother.
He kept talking but he was speaking softer now and she couldn't hear him from where she stood outside the doorway. Her soft chocolate eyes proud of them both.
"Of course not too beautiful or else your dad is going to have to carry this big gun, and chase down all the dogs in this town." The small lips spit at him, making bubbles delighted. "Oh you think so.." The outlaw continued watching her. "Hey Jim. Can you do that?" He cocked an eyebrow at the blonde while still watching the bundle.
"I don't know, I never tried." He stated staring down at the infant with the outlaw.
"I don't think I can do that either, who knew she had so much spit her mouth!" He laughed watching the baby blow bubbles content
"Maybe Aisha can do it." The blue eyes smiled down at her, looking up at them both. They already had a whole world planned out for her and she didn't even know it.
The dark eyes flickered; he felt her soft hand on the back of his neck walking up behind him. Staring at him with her gorgeous mocha eyes. Her other hand ruffling his golden hair, he wasn't forgotten.
Even thought no one really knew what her favorite color would be, or if she would be a tomboy. If she would love space or hate it, they had so much planned for her. She was going to be wonderful, because he would give her everything, and he would let her know how much he loved her. From the start how much she was loved. There has got to be at least one beautiful girl in this town with a family alive and kicking he thought to himself. One who will make a real difference in the world, even if it's just in the way she smiles.
The dark eyes watched her continue to spit, this was it, this was his chance to give something really beautiful back to the world. To leave a part of himself, more than he could ever do with Jim. Even though they still had a lot of time left together, he could do this one. He could pull it off, and he planed to.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah this really sucks he thought as he reached down and grabbed another one. They had been hauling these damn crates since mourning! Who the hell needed all this heavy cargo!? And chemical supplies too! Each time he picked one up his eyes instinctively read the warning label, dangerous chemical supplies, handle with care.
"This whole place is busted." He heard the blonde complain walking back into the loading room where his partner worked. "Their vending machines don't work either, they must have had a serious power overload here."
"Yeah yeah." He muttered pushing another crate into the back of the truck, wiping his forehead as he turned around to face his partner, sitting on one of the crates. "Hey start working Jim, move all the crates over there, but don't touch the ones with the red stickers, I'll do em."
"How come?"
"Cause they are too heavy now hurry up I don't want to be here till tomorrow!" He shot picking another one up as the blonde walked over and started moving all the ones to the right of the room.
__*~*~*~FIVE HOURS LATER~*~*~*__
"You sure about that? I could help?" He teased again on top of the back large crate smiling.
"No, but do something blast it. Just sitting there watching me isn't helping." He heard the outlaw sigh exhausted as he hopped down and started filling out the paper work.
The small phone attached to the outlaw's belt making them both look at it as it started beeping. "Yeah what is it Aisha" He barked into the small phone. "Ahhh." He growled "Yeah yeah fine." He hung up. "Hey Jim! Drive home and see what the hell the girls are doing."
"Why? What did they want?" He asked dully still filling out the papers. This stupid pen never worked.
"I don't know Aisha just called and said they could use a little help." His voice was strained as he shoved the crate into the truck before turning around. "Well get going."
"Hey you know if it's Melfina, you could score some major brownie points if you were the one to rescue her." The blonde grinned, the dark eyes blinked thinking this over.
"Good idea. You close up Jim." The outlaw grinned throwing a rag to the ground. He only had three more crates left and he was tired, he would do them in the mourning.
"Ok" He heard Jim call back as he walked out of the garage entrance, getting into the car.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He quickly filled out the paper work, or it seemed like he was moving along, he was a little tired.
"Hey kid we have to lock everything up in half an hour." The employee called from over his shoulder.
"Yeah, don't worry buddy, I'm leaving." He said turning around and shoving the papers into his back pocket. The man simply nodded looking back down at his clipboard before leaving.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What! What do you mean it's stuck!" the outlaw growled, pushing his face closer to the oven door. The oven itself practically yanked from the wall. Evidence that Aisha had obviously been the first to try and fix the problem.
"It just won't open." The raven hair answered him. "There goes the pie." She sighed.
"WHAT! OPEN THAT DOOR NOW!" Aisha screeched. "Aisha wants pie!" She demanded.
"Blast, I knew Jim should have come." The outlaw muttered looking in at the pie, watchign the smooth brown crust become blackened. "Aisha call the loading warehouse, he has to be still there."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The blue button next to the phone on the wall started beeping, he looked up at it. Grabbing the rest of the papers and taping them to the back of the truck before walking over to it.
"Hey Kid!" The man shot from behind him.
"Yeah I am leaving right now!" He yelled turning around.
"Hey." The man said again but softer "I know you. Well well well." He said putting his hands on his hips, his taller buddy hoping onto one of the crates, just sitting there.
"Yeah so what's it to you?" He said dully, bored and tired.
"Don't tell me you don't remember me. Aww you hurt my feelings." The man sneered. "We used to be good friends when you was younger."
When I was younger? Who the hell is this scumbag, and why did I know him when I was younger? He had so few memories of his past, for some reason he had a hard time remembering what exactly happened, but he knew how it felt and who his father was.
"Hey you want to see something?" The man smiled at him
"No." He said firmly, I can take care of myself but I don't have to go looking for trouble his brain spit at him
"What, are you sure kid? Maybe you just don't remember me." The man smiled casually
His voice was starting to sound familiar now. The weird way in which he smiled at him, and he felt his pulse increase slightly. Maybe I do remember him, but from where?
"Hold on a sec, you don't have to come with me or anything, I ain't going to hurt you kid, it would just be like old times." He smiled
"I gotta go." He said finally turning around as he headed for the door, but he stopped suddenly as he caught the man out of the corner of his eye.
"Do you remember this?" The man sneered pulling a small zip lock bag from his pocket. The brilliant green powder inside glistening in the light. He stared at it. "Hold on, maybe you just need to smell it to remember." The man spoke walking towards him. Dirty eyes slowing his pace as the blonde took quick step back.
The zipper seal released and the hard sweet smell shot up at him. Ah I want some, he thought, and his whole body ached for that bag. He wanted it so bad, his eyes glaring at the crystals inside it as the man smiled.
"Yeah I knew you would remember." The man said casually walking away.
"Hey give me that!" He shot shooting after the man grabbing his arm.
"Well well, you want some?" The eyes were silent glaring at him. "Then come with me." He watched the blue eyes, they didn't want to go with him. His hand released the man's arm as he backed up. "Aww come on, I will give you half this bag, you know that's a lot of money. You don't remember how much fun we used to have? Maybe you'll like it now?" He smiled down at nervous boy.
The blue eyes staring into the floor, he was starting to remember slightly, this feeling, the smell. I don't want to go, don't go it's not safe, his mind warned him but his body drowned out the sound. He had to have that bag, he needed it.
"Half the bag for half an hour." He spit finally, looking down. He wasn't exactly sure what the half an hour was for, but somehow, it seemed familiar to make this trade. Have I done it before? Foggy images started to flout back, but he couldn't piece them together right, and he didn't care. The sooner the half an hour began, the sooner he got his half.
The man simply eyed him.
"Kid your not worth that, an hour." He said defiantly, this kid was going to listen to him.
Blast it he thought, an hour? He looked back up, the brilliant crystals consuming his eyes. "Fine! Half the bag for one hour, no more." He said firmly, and he meant it. As soon as he got what he wanted he was leaving.
The man smiled at him. "Hey Joe, you close up and do the paper work, I am going to be a little busy." He sneered; the blue eyes shot down at the floor. The seal of the bag released again. "Here." He looked up the small bright crystals in the man's hand, He snatched it from him. "This is your advance, I don't want you too awake."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
It only took about six minutes to get to the hotel, it was right down the street. The dark man got out leaving him in the car before he pulled the key out and scrambled out after him following him into the lobby. He followed him to the desk as he got his key before following him up the stairs. His eyes glued on the pocket where the bight plastic of the bag could be seen.
53B opened to a cloud of smoke and cheap smells. Three separate sets of music blared as six guys and several prositues looked up as they walked it.
"Hey I didn't agree to this!" He shot turning back to the door from where he was inside.
"Shut up. You want some or not!?" The man answered heading to a back room. Everything he knew told him to leave, and in a way he wanted someone to stop him. To keep his body from wanting those crystals, but he just couldn't help it, he had to have some.
The man locked the door behind him, as he stood looking at the room. It was a dirty small room with one bed apparently already used. A left over bra and condom lay on one of the pillows. A small desk and a window no bigger then the ones in the basement of Starwind and Hawking were the only other assets. The bag dropped onto the table and the man pulled a small vile of pink liquid from his pocket and poured some in.
"All of it!" He felt himself yell suddenly, "All or I am leaving." The man's grim eyes turned to him again, eyeing him before pouring the rest in. He turned suddenly leaning into the desk before walking towards him, he felt his heart racing, but he wanted those crystals. "Give me some now!" He ordered watching as the man picked up a small lump from where the liquid was turning the fine crystals into separated amounts. He felt the small lump fall into his hand as he licked it feeling the bittersweet taste of the crystal fall into a powder as it connected with is tongue, he inhaled deeply. Suddenly the room was much more interesting as it swirled around him, and he smiled. He felt good; he hadn't felt that good in a long time, "More." He demanded almost sleepily.
"Ah huh, now it's my turn." The man answered as he felt himself fall backwards onto the dirty sheets of the bed. His blond hair falling over his eyes resting on the pillows as he smiled, the man tugging on his clothes from above him. In a couple seconds he would get more. He couldn't wait.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Ahhh" He growled opening his eyes slowly, they were swollen and pink. He picked up his head slightly, she was gone, but her smell remained. "Ahh I feel like I was hit by a truck." the outlaw mumbled to no one in particular. He had been up practically all night walking around as the small child screamed in his arms just so Mel could try and get some sleep.
He stood up still exhausted, he was still partially dressed, and he stumbled into the hall exhausted. "9:00, already?" He whisphered
"Get out of my way." Aisha grumbled as she trudged down the hair, her bright eyes pink to the swollen nose under her light head of hair.
"Well well aren't we looking lovely?" He teased as she growled shuffling past him.
"Aisha has a cold, and she demands you SHUT UP!" She screeched slamming the bathroom door in his face.
"Hey wait Aisha! I was going to take a shower!"
"Too bad Terrene, Aisha is taking a bubble bath...SHUT UP!" He heard her shriek from inside as he slumped into the door. Stupid Aisha she would be in there for hours.
"Yeah well can I at least have my toothbrush!" He yelled irritated, there was no answer "Gee I never thought I would see the day when the immortal Ctarl Ctarl would get sick." He teased as the door flung open, his toothbrush smacking him in the face before it slammed again. Her threats drowning out as he walked away from the door. What a great day, he thought miserably.
"Hey Mel." He muttered walking into the kitchen, the dark raven hair taking dishes out of the cabinet.
"Good mourning, problems with Aisha?" She smiled stretching into the cabinet
"How did you guess?" He smirked pouring a cup of coffee, he'd brush his teeth later.
"She has a cold, poor dear."
"What?! How about poor me?! Poor us?! Our kid is a monster, who the hell can scream like that?!" He took a swing of his coffee, remembering last night, walking for hours mainly in circles, trying to get her to go to sleep.
She shook her head laughing slightly as she dug into the refrigerator "Will you get the phone?" She spoke from inside as he headed to the living room again, picking it up.
"Hello?" He didn't even bother to tell them they had reached Starwind and Hawking Enterprises
"Mr. Starwind, most of the repairs have been completed on your ship the Outlaw Star, but the dock manager is holding you responsible for the damages that occurred during the crash, and you will not be allowed to leave port until they are repaid."
"What?!" He shot, the Ctarl Ctarl coming down the stairs behind him, sitting at the table. "That is ridiculous, I have a business to run around here! You tell this dock manager if he wants to hold our ship to come down here and tell it to my face!" He ordered hanging up the phone. "Blast it" He muttered sitting down next to the light head of hair resting on the table.
"Bad news?" She hissed
"Those damn dock people won't let the ship out of port until we pay for everything!' He yelled at both her and the bioandroid now entering the room with a platter of breakfast.
"Oh" She said slightly concerned "Well Gene, I , I made an appointment for the baby this afternoon, it will cost 50 Wong." She paused watching his drained expression "I have to pay upfront, but I still want her to go." She almost begged
"Yeah Yeah don't worry about it Melfina, you take Lily anywhere you two need to go. I am not going to make you think of money, leave us to take care of that, right Jim?" He waited for the response now leaning on to the table next to the sleeping Ctarl Ctarl. "Jim? Ahh no!" He shot racing up the stairs and swinging into the bathroom. "Huh! Beat you today!" He grinned turning on the water. *He* was taking a shower, he walked out of the bathroom back towards his room for some new clothes pausing to look into his partner's room, the door was surprisingly open. "Hey looks like I beat you today, you own me five Wong buddy, pay up." He smirked to the empty room. "Huh? Hey Gilliam where is he?" His baffled expression reflecting from the pink can.
"Jim did not return home last night Gene."
"What!? Why didn't you say something?!" He scowled his pulse increasing, it would have been about thirteen hours since he had last seen him. Anything could have happened from then to now.
"Everyone was sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you or Melfina."
"Gilliam! So help me as soon as I get the money we are doing an upgrade you worthless piece of crap!" He shot slamming the front door to the protests of the most advanced computer system in the galaxy.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
His breaks screeched as he shot into the parking lot of the loading warehouse. "That's right Mel I will be home as soon as I pick him up.....well of course not!" He shot hanging the phone up as he threw it to the other end of the car. "Hey Jim!" He heard his voice echo, as his dark eyes glanced around suddenly calmer. He walked back over to their station, the three crates where there. Their paper work was in order, all there stuff was locked. Where the hell could he possibly be? He thought. He didn't fall asleep here, so where would he have gone?
"Excuse me." The outlaw whirled around his caster in hand, the man stepped back startled.
"Yeah, what do you want?" He shot bitterly
"Well I, are you the one who was here with that kid last night?" He stammered, as the outlaw gripped his collar "Ahh Mister you are cleared to...
"You know where he is?" The outlaw shot
"He left with some guys last night, I don't know where to. I saw them leave when I locked the main doors." He spit suddenly, anxious to be far away from the outlaw.
"Hey, ahh thanks." He said slowly as he released his grip, smoothing the guys collar out slightly before racing back to the car. What the hell?
He turned three corners before the Ehefrau came into view in front of a skuzzy motel.
He knocked on the door of 53B, waiting, but there was no answer. Alright then, he thought pulling out his caster and loading it before kicking in the door. The loud sound was all that was in the abandoned apartment; the dark eyes darted around, catching his surroundings. "Jim?" He yelled, but there was no answer. Well well he thought, this must have been some party. He could smell the cigarettes and beer, the cheap perfume and random forgotten objects scattered around on the stained tattered carpet that covered the floor of the ugly place, the tube of lipstick, a calculator, a watch, sock, cigar, nothing interesting.
The kitchen had just about as much to show as the rest of the place. Dirty and disorganized cluttered with more random objects and personal belongings, a couple of condoms were in the sink, "Great." he said leaning into the refrigerator and pulling out a beer. He popped the top raising the bottle to his lips.
The cool glass bottle slammed onto the counter, the untouched beer spilling as the dark eyes burned into his partner's coat across the kitchen on the floor. "Huh? Jim!" He stormed from his beer towards the back bedrooms. Flinging open the doors. One by one he was greeted with new smells and oddities, the third room had a sleeping prostitute who merely mumbled her price before rolling over going back to sleep. The last room was the smallest, and the darkest, smelling bitterly sweet, "It's empty too." He whisphered to himself as he turned walking from the doorway before the sound of the sheets caught his attention.
He had his caster out in a matter of seconds, storming back into the room, the dark eyes catching nothing as he ripped the cloth from the window placing both hands back on the gun as it fell.
The soft light revealed the dust flouting in the air as the sunlight poured onto the bed. The blue eyes squinted suddenly as the light took him by surprise. "Jim?" The outlaw muttered, but the boy only smiled at him.
"Hey Gene, you are up early, whatcha been doing?" He laughed rolling over slightly, pushing himself up with his arms. The dark eyes watching him expressionless, as the blonde sat up on the bed teetering slightly, the sheets covering his bottom half as he sat rubbing his eyes and forehead, the sun falling over his soft pale skin.
"Jim! What's the big idea of not calling or anything, and why are-" He stopped talking watching the blonde wiggle his fingers amazed, as if they were completely new to him. "Jim! Did you hear one word I have said! You and me are going to have a serious talk when we get home!" He barked at the small boy still watching his fingers move. The moved as if to get up before stopping suddenly almost exhausted small legs kicking under the sheets as if frustrated, but the face only looked drained, before it started laughing. "Jim what is your problem!" He shot looking at him sitting there in the bed dirty. His hair a tangled wreck, his small skin held the glisten of sweat now dried, as he choked with laughter. What the hell is wrong with him? He thought now slightly concerned, he couldn't think of anything that could possibly be funny, but he had a sick feeling it wasn't supposed to be that kind of funny. The dark eyes just blinked slowly waiting for him to finish but he didn't. "Will you shut up already!" He barked suddenly causing the boy to laugh even harder, his body shaking without any sound as humored tears streamed down his cheeks. The outlaw was pissed suddenly for making him worry, for not calling, for dragging him out there, "Shut the hell up Jim!" He shot grabbing the boy's arm shaking him.
"Hey! The blue eyes shot suddenly "You have to give me some first!" shoving his partner's hand's off he offered his own. The dark eyes looked at it, watching the boy smiling now. The small palm of the light hand stained with the powder, a pink, green and orange coloring covering it. His eyes widened watching the blonde lay back down pushing the sheets from its exposed body. "You get ten minutes." It mumbled.
"Jim you idiot!" He shot throwing the sheet back over him, grabbing the blond hair, the face gripping them tightly forcing the eyes up at him. "Just like I thought." The outlaw sneered bitterly at him watching the green pupils of the boy's eyes glare at him.
"Let me go, get off! I am not for free you know!" He shot kicking the outlaw struggling against the scared arms, frozen to him. The dark eyes just staring, before his body gave out, and he passed out cold, falling back into the bed.
He just sat back, onto the old mattress, thinking hard. He remembered that look in his eyes, from when he first met him addicted to that crap. Diamond he thought bitterly, what the hell am I going to do with him like this, we have to run a business now. Goddamnt son of..... His swearing continued as he smashed part of the table to pieces, strengthening his blows with his fiery, the butt of his caster smashing into the wood, before he kicked it. His anger only enraging before he snatched the clothes scattered around the room, and finally the blonde sheets and all. Carrying him under his arm he kicked the bedroom door out to the shriek of the prostitute in the kitchen, finishing his beer. He didn't even look at her, walking right by and down the hall. He didn't look at anyone as he left, walking straight ahead to the car, ripping open the side door and putting Jim in, before getting into the drivers seat. The same disgusted and almost bored expression on his face.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
Slowly the world around him came back into focus, slightly, his head resurfacing to his surroundings. He felt fine, a little sore, but ok recognizing where he was immediately looking at the wall in front of him, before rolling over, the rest of his room falling into view.
"Hey, what's your problem?" He yawned casually to the outlaw sitting at the other side of his room, leaning against the wall. It looked disgusted, almost smirking at him before picking up apiece of toast and tossing it at him.
The blue eyes looked at it, before picking it up looking back at his partner "Hey thanks, how did you know I was hungry? He smiled lightly
"Cause you always were before." The outlaw mumbled, exhaling as though someone had failed him where he thought they would have succeeded.
"Huh? What are you talking abo-" He stopped mid sentence looking at his hand where he held the bread. His palm stained with the colors of the drug. "Uh...what?" He stammered
"Yeah that's right, you starting to remember yet Jim?" The outlaw almost scowled sarcastically at him.
"Ahh get out Gene!" He shot annoyed, sitting up abruptly to get up and make him leave before stopping. Quickly sitting back into the dirty sheets around him as he realized they were all he was wearing. His eyes widened as he grabbed another blanket. "How did I get here!?" He yelled
"How do you think? I brought you here." He answered dully
"Yu...you brought me?" He said as thought he didn't want to believe it.
"Yeah that's right Jim. I carried you. Right through a hotel lobby and into the street. There were a lot of people staring at us alright." He watched him from accost the room wide eyed, the crimson cheeks glaring at him.
"Get out Gene! Get out right now! Now Gene get out of here!" He yelled as the outlaw got up walking to the door and slamming it behind him. He'll get what's coming to him he thought bitterly. Stupid kid I thought he learned better when he was younger; it isn't like Jim to do stupid things more than once. Talking to Aisha is probably the only stupid thing he does now. He always plans ahead much more then even I do. He was slightly baffled, and disgusted. He didn't feel sorry for his younger partner, he should have known better, he did know better. If that was how he wanted to act, then he would suffer the consequences his mind shot at him, but his face didn't mimic it's hard tone. It was soft, almost hurt.
He walked into the kitchen to the sound of the shower starting upstairs; he pulled some roast beef out of the refrigerator and made a sandwich. Sitting down at the table as the water shut off again. Huh, he thought, I knew he would be down soon; he is probably starving to death.
The kitchen door swung open as the blonde hair shot through it. Ripping open the refrigerator and slamming random left overs into its mouth as it pulled out the platter of ham and mash potatoes to heat up. Or maybe just eat it cold, whatever is faster he thought.
"It's useless." The outlaw said causing him to stop as he turned around chewing. "You are only going to throw it all up in fifteen minutes." He said flatly taking another bit of his sandwich.
The blue eyes shot at the clock "I slept that long!"
"You were out cold." He said watching him; the blue eyes were slightly panicked now thinking hard. "Why Jim?" There was silent pause "Why did you do that?" The outlaw looked genuinely upset now staring at him, the frowning blonde. "Did we do something wrong here? Huh?! Don't you have everything you need!" He yelled standing up throwing his sandwich to the ground. The blonde didn't move as the outlaw screamed at him, he didn't have anything to say.
~*~
"Ahh Melfina, why don't they shut up." She whined snuggling her head deeper into the pillow before raising her eyes back to the television.
"Maybe the job didn't go so well." She shrugged sitting next to the Ctarl Ctarl who held a box of tissues on their bed. The small pink bundle in her arms as she fed her, listening to them in the kitchen as they watched tv. "Here Aisha, will you hold Lily for a second?"
"Sure Melfina." She smiled even with her cold she looked genuinely pleased to cradle the small bundle that didn't fight her off in her arms. "Don't worry, she can't catch my cold it's only for Ctarl C...."
"I know." The raven hair sung as she started for the bedroom door, the sound of the doorbell ringing through the building. She hurried through the hall and down the stairs. Ohh I hope they go outside, she thought, they are getting really loud. She hurried to the door opening it swiftly and stepping out onto the steps as she shut it behind her. "May I help you?"
~*~
"...should you care, I am not your responsibility!" He shot into the outlaw's face pressing into his.
"God Damnt yes you are!"
"Your not my father Gene, so just back off!" He shot back, the outlaw standing up no longer in his face.
"Oh so now I am not your father huh? I bet he is really proud of you now Jim."
There was a silence as the pieces of the dish fell to the floor from the wall behind the red head turning to watch it shatter before he stood up straighter. His eyes falling back to the blonde that just threw it at him. His small body heaving, fighting through his glistening tear filled eyes.
"You, you DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE! You never have, and You NEVER WILL GENE! *You* never understand anything! I HAVE to have them! I can't STAND IT! It's the only reason I stayed before!" He shot stomping out of the kitchen, the outlaw motionless before shooting after him, biting his lip. He was burning inside and he threw his caster into the empty sink. He didn't want to accidentally pull it out at him and make a mistake.
The blonde was but a foot in front of him before as grabbed the back of the jacket spinning it around hard and throwing him into the wall. He heard Jim cry out as the blonde hair hit falling to the ground fast as he grabbed the small shirt pulling it up.
His feet scrambling to the floor as he stood almost off it to the hold of the heaving outlaw. I
nsides his mouth he was biting his tongue, just squeezing his shirt in his hands. It was the first time he ever wanted to really yell at him, to really get him for what he was doing. Letting people use him like that, worrying them. The scared blue eyes glaring up him, the only line of defense he had.
"Relax! And shut the hell up! You think I am going to touch you like they did!? Well your wrong, the whole thing makes me sick. I am taking you to get help!" He shot shoving the blonde back into the wall as he let go.
"Well I am not going, you can't make me! For once I am glad you aren't my father!" He sneered up him. Gene couldn't tell him what to do, and he wanted to make sure he made that clear. "Yours must have been a dirt bag if you turned out like-" He stopped talking suddenly on the ground again. The side of his face growing warm, swelling up slightly to where he had just been hit. The room was silent, swirling slightly, maybe from the drugs? Maybe from the blow? He reached up and touched it lightly, the warmth burning into his fingers. The outlaw towering above him staring down from where it had just back handed him good.
"I didn't mean it." He heard him whisper "But you can't do this Jim." The voice was hard. "You have to give up the drugs. You did it once didn't you? You don't have to go back." The outlaw spoke crouching in front of the dazed expression.
It was almost like a small sob, a deep exhale that was the only sound. Catching everyone's eyes. Soft tears streaming down her face. What had they done? Both of them, what had they done?
He turned to her sound, the dark eyes blinking. Who the hell was she? Why did Melfina let her in? But below him, Jim seemed to know. The small hands grabbing his cloak from where they sat on the floor.
"Gene, I promise I will give them up this time for good. I will never go back, just please, don't let her ta..." His voice trailed off as she stood on her cell phone speaking briskly. The small pleas and her talking blending and fading as the outlaw stood up.
"Get away from him!" She shot, marching over and pushing the outlaw away.
"Hey lady! Who the hell do-" He stopped watching the blonde scramble to his feet trying to run before she grabbed his arm. His eyes catching the small pin on her light jacket, and suddenly it all made sense.
So this is it, he thought. Right now. These damn people have to show up right now.
This will give them something to file all right.
He almost smiled now, as if this were some joke, a trap set on him long ago. The mastermind just waiting for him to stumble and fall into it. As it shrieked with laughter and delight at his catch, his long rewarded patience. He was silent as she spoke to him, he wasn't registering a thing, just staring off to her side. To the small blonde struggling to escape her grasp. The weak attempts from his overloaded and exhausted body failing to phase her, before he turned and threw up all over the floor.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"All right Mr. Starwind, the tests have confirmed that none of your blood or seamen were found on the boy." She smiled at him, as he leaned against the small table in the white room.
"So, I told you that before lady!" He shot slightly irritated. These stupid people hadn't listened to one damn word he had said, testing everything.
"Yes well, we have concluded the whole event and your story have fit his physical description even though he refuses to talk."
"Well can I see him?" He said dully watching her write into his file.
"His body is still going into withdrawal from the drug, so he is rather hyperactive. That reminds me Mr. Starwind, I would like to ask your advice." She turned smiling at him again, as he looked at her bored.
"Oh my advice, I see. Now why is it someone as smart as you would want my advice Miss. Medical?" He spit sarcastically.
"Diamond is a very powerful drug Mr. Starwind and it tends to effect everyone differently. It is dependant on age, gender, amount, all sorts of factors play into this. I would like to ask you how your partner experienced this drug before, so I know what to expect. How we can treat him?"
She watched the dark eyes consider this. Looking at her as though she wanted this information for some sort of trap.
"Well I don't know, maybe I remember *something* but, I might remember a little more if I could see him." She frowned
"Very Well." She said displeased as she gathered his file and led him down the hall.
The room was of average size but it was completely empty except for a single twin bed and small table and chair mounted to the ground. He walked in letting the door shut behind him, as the blond looked up disgusted, before realizing who he was.
"Gene!" He yelled running over to outlaw. "Aww Gene, thank goodness, you're going to get me out of here right!? I really want to go; you have got to get me out of here! He shot directly infront of the calm scarred face looking down at him.
"Yeah yeah alright Jim settle down." He said assuring him as he watched the blonde back away slightly eyeing him wide eyed as the outlaw walked to the white table and sat down. His blue eyes quickly rushing after him, sitting across from him fidgeting impatiently.
"Gene, all you have to do is sign me into your custody and I can leave! I just want a little more. I promise after one more hit Gene I will quit for good ok?"
I can't believe this he thought, he wants another hit? I can't get him out of here like this.
"Come on Gene answer me! Why don't you say something huh!?" He yelled at him jumping from his chair and racing over to the outlaw grabbing his cloak furiously. The red hair just sat silent watching him all of his actions enhanced and dramatic. More hyped up then that time he let him drink coffee for an entire day when he was younger. He had never been so alert. Screaming at him, begging and threatening, then promising, this was too much. None of these words seemed to mean a thing to him. I can't take much more of this, he thought dully.
In one swift movement he grabbed him around the waste lifting him off the floor. The small arms beating him, biting him, threatening him to let him go. He walked silent and easy, his mind just as calm as his movements. Throwing the small body onto the bed and pressing it down flat on its back.
The boy flailed on the blanket pinned down at all corners, so no patient could use it as a weapon for themselves or anyone else. His scarred hand gripping the pillowcase tearing it from the small pillow, shredding the lining with his teeth. The blonde fighting harder as he gripped his wrist, almost too hard to hang on to.
"God damnt Jim shut up already! You know I am going to win so just give up!" He shot leaning on top of the small beating chest with his upper body to keep it there. The cloth tying tightly around the smaller wrists as he yanked the blonde upward suddenly. Causing a pause of silence as the light skin gasped to the quick movement, before continuing. I am really going to go deaf, he thought. Remembering how outrageous it seemed that they put him in a sound tight room. I wish we could install one of these at Starwind and Hawking he thought watching the blonde's legs pushing into the bed arching its back and pulling to get away from where it was stuck. Swearing and spitting at the outlaw. But he ignored it, the dark eyes getting up to his apologies and pleas to stay before he started swearing at him again, walking out and letting the door shut behind him.
Her eyes were wide with a lack of opinion and only concern consuming them. Watching the outlaw as he walked out so calm. "This is how we did it before. Just leave him there so he can't hurt himself. Feed him cause he gets really hungry. He will throw up anything you feed him in the most a half an hour? But if you don't feed him, it seems to really hurt him, so you better even thought he can't keep it down." He reported to her, her concerned face absorbing everything he said standing silent next to the bioandroid who looked as though she would faint with stress.
"Well uh, thank your Mr. Starwind..Take this." She handed him a small red card. "It will allow you visitation rights at anytime, but you must understand I could loose my job if you were to try and go against the agency in any way." She looked reluctant to give it to him suddenly, but he smiled reassuringly at her and she let it go.
"Shouldn't we stay with Jim?" She finally asked timidly as they headed towards the car.
"No, I don't want to see him when he is like this, and you shouldn't see him either. He says stuff he doesn't mean Mel; he is way out of control. I don't-" He stopped talking watching a sweet young woman walk up to them.
"Hello, I am so happy to meet you in person Mr. Starwind. My name is Sarah Getter and I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim six months ago. He talked a great deal about you, but that is not why I would like to speak to you." She smiled sweetly
"Then what is it?" He said in his normal sly tone, watching her inhale before continuing.
"I am very concerned because I used to work for the Social Services legally, before I went back to school to get my degrees, I wanted to actually handle clients, not just their paper work you know?" He nodded but honestly he couldn't relate. " I am afraid Jim is going to be faced with being in possession and use of illegal substances.
"What!" He shot at her "Drugs aren't illegal?!"
"Yes I know, but diamond is illegal here on Sentinel when mixed with a solution, because it changes into a very dangerous form."
"So what does that mean?" He sneered at her, annoyed with all of this.
"Well Jim may be put into a correctional facility because of it."
"What?!" He yelled now causing the raven hair to jump letting go of his arm as he shot at her. "He is only eleven!"
"I know Mr. Starwind please! I sympathize with you, that is why I am here."
"Melfina." He shot suddenly "I want you to go home, and don't tell Aisha what's happened or where Jim is no matter what she says or does."
"But I-"
"Do it, I promise I will tell you everything when I get home." His tone was soft now, he wanted her to leave. She seemed on the verge of tears, hardly understanding any of this, but she felt it, the fear, and concern. Her chocolate colored eyes turned suddenly snapping around as she ran to the car. Anxious to get away from this foreign terrain, back to where she felt safe, she cried for having to leave Jim behind, all by himself. She didn't understand how that could have been better, but Gene told her it was, so she started the car. Forcing herself to calm down, she was going to have to deal with Suzuka and Aisha when she got home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Unless you can get some kind of evidence or something that says these drugs where forced into him..."
"That's just the thing lady I know he took them on his own. They didn't force him to go with them. He used to be addicted when he was younger. He will do anything to get them Blast it!" The outlaw shot at her exasperated, leaning forward as he talked frustrated.
"Well we can use that as well. That addiction is enough to block out logic, especially with the form of diamond he is on. It will be a strong case in our defense, as for the injuries..." she trailed lightly
"What injuries?" He didn't seem to injured when he was fighting him minutes ago, he thought
"He had several injuries to his arms, upper back, lower abdomen, his right hand..... Nothing too severe, but I don't think the agency will want to release Jim back into your custody. Especially when you are listed as his watchful guardian and allowed these events to take place."
"What!" He shot at her calm face and voice. "Well what the hell do they plan on doing with him then!?"
"As it stands if he is not sent to a correctional facility, he will fall into the care of foster parents." She frowned slightly, but her voice was calm
"You can't!" He shot at her "We need him lady! He is the engineer to our ship, the other half of my business!" He growled at her, standing up fast.
"I am sorry, there is nothing I can do about that." Her face spoke softly concerned, her eyes calmly fallowing him as he stood.
"Well why the hell not!" He shot again.
"Because you are not his legal guardian, and these charges are being pressed against him!" She frowned at his attitude.
"You mean...I have to be his...adopt him?...I can do *that* right? That can't be against the law?" He almost laughed bitterly.
"No, but it requires a lot of paperwork, proof of a steady job and income, safe home environment. Many things that are not in your profile Mr. Starwind."
"Look lady! I don't plan on loosing my partner because of one damn mistake he makes when he's eleven!" He spit as thought it were the stupidest thing he ever heard. "I can get these papers you need if you want them so badly. And they'll look and prove legit cookie, but I'll tell you to your face they are coming straight from the black market, and you can't quote me on that cause you will never be able to prove it." He shot watching her blink.
She stared at him considering his offer. "Mr. Starwind I must admit that it is quite a lift to my spirits when a child comes into the office and is actually happy and healthy in their home. Last year I met three mistakes and Jim was one of them. I would like it very much for him to return with you. So as long as they appear legit, I will take this case for no cost."
The dark eyes blinked staring at her, did she just say what I think she said? For free? "I have to apologize." He said suddenly relaxing, she blinked confused.
"Why?"
"For everything I said bad against this office, this force. You really are trying to help people in here, aren't you?" She nodded, there was a long pause before he stood up, both of them considering for a few seconds. Getting a small glipse of what each others lives were like. "I'll be in touch." He smiled walking away from her. We can definitely fight this one he smiled. There is no way I am letting some blasted drug get in the way of everything, my childhood was a bust, and I'll be damned to just sit by and watch his go down the tube. Maybe I should just, check one more time, just for a few seconds. He hesitated, before turning and going down the hall.
There weren't any nurses around; he looked down both hallways before he inserted the red card opening the door again.
Jim hardly noticed him now, his body still struggling with the drug. The outlaw walked over to him quietly, is he asleep or what? He thought watching him breath hard soaked with perspiration; he was exhausted from trying to break free. The dark eyes stared at his blonde hair for a few seconds watching him breath, unaware the outlaw was there. His scarred face smiled slightly. He still has so much ahead of him, but it vanished suddenly watching him choke some. That damn drug, he swore in his mind. What kind of people would just give diamond to such a...those men, I wish I knew who they were he thought looking down at the light skin. The bruises on his arms were all he could see now but she had told him where the others where and it made him sick. He reached down slowly to untie the cloth.
"Gene?" The blue eyes whisphered up at him awake. The small thin arms pulling lightly on their restraints before remembering they were tied and relaxing. Blue eyes watching the outlaw simply smile to a small grunt. Gently tugging on the cloth holding him down.
"Hey, if I untie this you aren't going to get all crazy on me right?" He teased, but the eyes just looked at him, watching him untie it, before jumping suddenly aware of thir surroundings.
"Wa, where am I? Wa...wa....what happened to my clothes?" He spoke bewildered looking down at the white cotton shirt and matching loose white cotton pants he now wore. His face seemed confused and worried. How did all this happen with out him knowing?
"Hey don't worry yourself about it Jim, it's the diamond. Your with the social service department now kido."
"The social services! Aww we have got to get out of here Gene!" He shot suddenly alert sitting up.
"Sorry buddy but I can't do that." He said softly placing his hand on the boy's shoulder who pushed it off.
"What? Why!"
"You got yourself into a bit of legal trouble, and I can help you more if I am *not* in jail." the last part of his sentence was almost a tease, but it still registered as the truth. The boy looked down at the bed quietly, before snapping back up.
"But I didn't do anything illegal!"
"Jim! Diamond is illegal when it is mixed with pink, you know that!" He scoweled at him, silencing everything but the small face still tense with worry. "Look Jim, I, I want to say I am sorry for hitting you before."
"What! You hit me!?" He yelled in disbelief shifting positions to look directly at the outlaw.
"Ahh blast it Jim! Look I'll come back tomorrow when I can talk to you." He groweled annoyed standing up; the small hand's grabbing his cloak.
"Huh? Wait no Gene stay, I don't want to be…I don't want to be here all by myself." He shot suddenly embarrassed at how childish he was acting. The strong hands simply slid him off, pushing him back to the bed.
"Look, I will be at home safe and sound, I will come back tomorrow."
"Please Gene! I don't like these people! Last time they-" He stopped suddenly, he didn't want to finish and even now eyeing the outlaw he knew he wasn't going to stay. The sly calm and unconcerned expression written all over the scarred face. He knew Jim would be safe there, and this was just something he was going to have to do. The drug wouldn't be out of his system until tomorrow afternoon and then he would be thinking clearer.
"How much did you have Jim?" He shot suddenly angered again. He watched his partner retaliate from the question sinking into the bed, hoping to escape it. "Well!? Was it more then you used to?" He demanded.
"Maybe a little more." He murmured, there was a long pause before he shot up again to the outlaw's brisk walk towards the door. "What! You are just going to leave me here!?" He shouted.
"Jim, I told you I'll be back tomorrow. Now I have to go home, considering there is a home left, I told Mel not to say anything to Aisha. I'll let you know how much furniture we have tomorrow." He laughed letting the door shut behind him to the click of the electronic lock.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Geeeene." She hissed as he walked in, a couch spring protruding from her mouth as she sat on the rubble of their sofa.
"Aww Mel I told you not to say anything!" He groaned
"I am sorry Gene, she just, just looked so worried." The raven hair sighed lightly
"Hey! Why didn't you bring back Jim with you!" She screeched pouncing in his direction.
"Never mind that now Aisha." He shot " We have work we have to do to pay the dock fees in case we need the Outlaw Star to blast out of here." He paused, there eyes staring at him waiting for an explanation. "Legal charges are being brought up against Jim, if they go through he might be placed into a correctional facility."
"WHAT!!! Ahhh, Not after Aisha get's through with them!" She snarled her claws snapping out of her hands
"Aisha you can't! Jim had illegal drugs all over him, there is no way around this. Don't you think I would have tried! We are just going to have to put our heads together and find a straight way to do things or else this will drag us all down. Speaking of that I need to get in touch with Fred, so I will need you to earn us some money Aisha."
He watched her glare at him, completely silent and disgusted. His strong scarred form stepping t the side lightly as she started forward. Dark eyes watching her growl as she walked out slamming the door.
"Well that went wll." He growled annoyed. "Mel can you-" He stopped hearing the door bell "I got it." He sighed.
"Hello?…You!" The small buzz of his caster ready to fire, aimed right at the man's head. "What do you want here Leilong?" He spit, dark eyes frowning.
"Relax, I am not here to see you Gene, this has absolutely nothing to do with our duel some year ago." The caster lowered slightly to the simple phrase and calm voice. "I am here to see Jim." The dark eyes sparked.
"Well he isn't available." The gun raising, aiming agin. The outlaw's face focused, never blinking
"He isn't, well. I know this might be hard for you hear Gene, but I need to see him. I am his uncle." There was a long pause. Sly dark eyes studying him...this was just great...just great. The scarred face frowning harder before slowly stepping forward slightly and letting the door shut behind him. "I heard of his recent drug incident so to speak, some colleges were boosting about it."
"What the hell, why didn't you say any of this earlier, when we were with you!" The red unruly hair was baffled in the sun light, studying the dark haired man.
"Jim doesn't remember me, and he never knew me as his uncle when I was with his father. Even though I have something to give him from his mother back when I first saw you I couldn't decide whether or not to actually do it. Now I figure you should make the decision."
"What! Why me?!" The outlaw shot, a baffled expression running over his face
"Because you know him best, I think it might be easier for him coming from someone he knows. It would be easier for me that way." The dark eyes stared at him cautiously.
"So can you help with this Social Service problem?"
"That is another thing, I think I can, I am a blood guardian, but I am also here to warn you Gene.
"Oh now what." The outlaw grunted at him. "Look, if it has anything to do with those unten guys it was all in self defense pal." He spit firmly.
"No that isn't it at all." The man shifted " The Kai pirates believe they have found the new location for the Galactic Layline."
"What!?" The outlaw screamed before taking a step from the door. He didn't want Meflina coming out alarmed.
"But in order to reach it they have to bounce a beam of light off the gas of a specific star, this beam is what will supposedly point them to the exact location of entry."
"Yeah so." The sly dark eyes glared at him. This was the least of their problems right now. "What does this have to do with me?" He grunted, his caster sliding back into its hold.
"Sentinel 3 is in the way of that star. They plan on blowing the planet up, in order to clear the path.
"What!? That's impossible! No one is that crazy!" He frowned, clamping his jaw with a skeptical glare at the black hair in front of him. "Listen Leilong-"
"-The Layline will offer them tremendous power, and they don't care what they have to do to obtain it. I understand how you feel; I still can't get over it myself." The deep voice chuckled slightly at the ironic insanity. The outlaw still quiet from where it had been interrupted. "I wish to remain anonymous to Jim; it is better that way for the both of you. People might try to use you or him as leverage to get me, if they know we are connected. I will sign whatever you want to get him out of there because I promised his father I would never let the pirates kill him. Just as I couldn't kill you because of it, but you have to understand they will destroy this planet. You only have a number of days."
"Days!" This was crazy and he felt his head spin slightly. "Well they have to release him if the planet is going to be destroyed."
"Are you crazy, no one is going to believe a story like that." The rough eyes frowned at him. "I don't even believe it! If it doesn't go public everyone will just think you are a mad man." Leilong frowned instantly, glaring at him irritated
"Oh really, well then who is to say it's really true?" The outlaw grinned sarcastic again, watching the back hair just grin back, silently sarcastic in it's own way.
"I guess you are just going to have to take my word for it. Here" an expense silver watch fell from his hand to the blue glove of the outlaw. "She always wore it because he gave it to her as a present. His father that it. I was the one who introduced them if you can believe that." He chuckled softly "She was built like an hour glass. Boy you never saw heaven until you had her, she was a prostitute you know." The outlaw blinked slowly, watching the rougher voice speak in front of him. His partner's life unfolding. "At the time I didn't have any family or relationships and she was one of my favorites. One night I introduced them, my brother needed some action damnt. Always working away with machines. They really hit it off, he was head over heels for her, and he didn't care what anyone thought. Got in more fights then I can count over it. Wasn't anyone who was going to bad mouth her while he was there. He gave her the watch as an engagement ring. She was afraid of what would happen if she actually wore a ring, since things with the pirates were pretty rough and dangerous."
He paused, the dark unruly red hair, covering the piercing eyes as he listened. "He planned on marrying her, at the time she had already had Jim, but that didn't matter, he was his son. Even though he didn't look much like him. My brother had brown hair, dark like me you know? He is almost the splitting image of his mother. Anyway he was supposed to go on this business trip to relocate some high tech computer or something. I went instead because it was the holidays, and I don't know what people on Sentinel do, but at our rig it was much more enjoyable to be with someone. Though I suppose it's like that everywhere...The fact that I went pissed some people off, and someone shot her. She bled to death for over an hour before he found her. She could barely speak but I heard that she gave him the watch and wanted Jim to have it because it was something from both of them. He called me up that night, blew some 9,000 Wong on the video transmission, I had never seen him so mad. I tried to talk some sense into him but he wouldn't listen. He released some computer virus into in to the main net of the pirates and blew up the rig. Then unten were furious and they went after him all right, he ran with Jim. At the time I didn't know who I was picking up, twenty of us were assigned to get them, and when we finally did pick them up I couldn't believe it. We had them hostage for three months, until Hisanko was available to come down and see them face-to- face. It was rough in-between, when he got there he did some sort of spell and killed him. He died an awful death even though I don't know how much of him there was left to kill...that was my brother blast it..." The dark rough eyes looked down slighlty. Still, now remembering witnessing his brothers death, and being powerless to prevent it in the arms of the pirates....."He never gave us orders to what we should do with the kid, at the time I wished we could kill him too, he lost his parents and it didn't help that he had such a mouth on him too. For being so young he sure did get the shit kicked out of him repeatedly because he wouldn't stop mouthing off to the men. In a weird way it was almost like he was provoking them, and I never hung around when they started in at him. A job is a job, but they had no right to beat him like that, it was an unfair fight. After a while things started escalating because we had him onboard the rig for about six or eight months. We couldn't just shoot him into space and there was nothing else we could do with him, so he just stayed."
"He was on the rig for a year!"
"Yeah, just about, he got addicted to the drugs slowly. At first he wouldn't have anything to do with them you know? They beat him because of it, but he wouldn't give in so finally they started making him stay while they used it, and some of it rubbed off on him. Halfway through the parties I used to stomp in there and tear him out. They were all too gone to do more then smile at me, and when things got rough and crazy he was stuck in the middle of it. I kinda got attached to him if you can believe that. But he couldn't hang around me, and I couldn't him. It would have just gotten him killed so every night when they went off with the powder and starting in on him, I would just walk in there shove them off, pick up his clothes and bring him back to my room. I looked a lot different then, and it was hard when we finally pulled in close enough to Sentinel 3 that we came down in a drop ship. We were here for a couple of days, but when we left he didn't come. We left him here on the streets, and I guess that is how he wound up with you? Am I right?
"Yeah that's right." The outlaw sneered, "I found him all drugged up in an alley next to a dumpster." Scarred chest almost heaving at him...disgusting.
"Well I can't stay, you can do what you want with the watch. I will go to the Social Services and take care of everything in my power, but make no mistake Starwind they will blow the planet." He offered a sly grin, but his last words were almost like a threat as he turned and started down the steps leaving him standing there. Everything he had just said forming pictures behind the dark eyes as they glimmered in the warm sunlight. The bright light of the watch shinning up at him, before he headed back inside. I am just going to have to think about this later, his mind grumbled, this was too much.
"Melfina, Suzuka!' He called watching them snap up at him startled. "Start packing we are leaving tomorrow."
"What? Gene what is the meaning of this?" Her calm voice spoke as she rose from the chair.
"I don't want anyone to worry, just do what I say, I promise I will take care of everything." He spoke softer now, watching the concerned bioandroid, as the assassin sensed the danger immediately. "When Aisha gets back tell her to get her things together, I am not sure what we can bring with us, so don't worry about furniture or anything like that, just be ready."
I don't understand her mind whisphered to her as she headed up the stairs quickly picking up her little girl. Somehow having her in her arms made her feel safer, knowing she was safe, but what about Jim? They couldn't just leave him on Sentinel? "Gene?" She started but he had already left, the door swinging in slightly from the breeze. It hadn't shut behind him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Yes I know, but the committee has already decided that if any documents are provided they will have to be held for three months for investigation." She spoke as he watched her again, this time on the other side of her desk from inside her office.
"Three months! What kind of policy is that?!" He shot rubbing his face with his hand quickly frustrated
"In the mean time Jim is to reside with foster parents." She stated calmly, there wasn't anythign she could do.
"Foster Parents!....Would this decision change if I had something really important to tell you?" He grinned slyly leaning closer to the desk.
"Something impor....What?" She frowned lightly, leanign back slightly from the desk
~*~
"You don't understand lady, I already have a home!" He shot at her as she pinned a small card to his shirt.
"Don't worry it will only be for three months, they are really nice." She said standing back up and getting a small light which she shined into his eyes and then his mouth.
"I don't care! And I don't care who they are!" He said shoving her away from him; she frowned at him. A stern tone to her voice now as she spoke.
"This is what is happening Mr. Hawking, now you seem smart enough to understand that such behavior will not change anything. Now please relax while I take a blood sample." She ordered sternly watching him only frown, his eyes darting away as he thought.
Aww I have really done it this time, he thought. How could I have been so stupid, stupid stupid stupid! I don't care who these people are; I am not living with them. I already have some place to be. How come no one lets me decide what's happening around here! This is my life! Why isn't Gene doing anything about this! And where is Aisha!?"
"Just sit right here, and they will be in to see you in one moment." She assured drawing the needle away from him.
"I told you! You are wasting your time! Just call, call the number! I own a business lady, I don't have time for this!" He yelled at her, but she just ignored him, letting the door lock behind her. "Ahh" He scowled slamming back into the chair annoyed. "Guess I really screwed up."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Geez" he whisphered watching them enter.
She was short and very thin, wearing a conservative day dress. Where he was taller and had a nice build wearing some Dockers and a nice shirt. "Hi" She whisphered at him, he shot a look at her.
"Look lady I am really sorry, but this has been a big mistake. In a couple of days I am going home, and you can just adopt someone else or whatever it is you do." He spit at them, standing up as they got closer.
"I am sorry you don't like us James, but we really would like for you to stay with us. My name is Patty." She smiled again sitting down next to him. "This is my husband Ted, we own a small farm on the East side of town. Don't you think that it might be fun to just stay there for a little while?" She smiled at him again as her husband stood with his hand on her shoulder smiling as well.
"Uh, a farm? Look lady animals really aren't my thing." He said, but his voice was shaky, this was starting to creep him out. He didn't want to go live with these people, he wanted to go back and be with Aisha and Melfina, watch TV and play that damn elf game he hated. Yell at Gene about work and all the things he used to do. Stupid elf.
"Well it would be a nice change, you might like it if you give it a try son." The man said now.
"No! Look I am sorry that everything is working out like this, but I can't come and stay with you. Don't touch me!" He shot as she reached over brushing his cheek. I can't live with you, I can't just leave. What about the Outlaw Star!? What about everything!?
"Look, there is no reason to yell son." The man said to him crouching down on the floor next to the chair he sat in. "I know you must be upset right now but-"
"Upset! You have no idea, first I wake up here I don't know where I am! Everyone is making decisions for me! My partner can't help because I messed up and now *YOU* are here!" He watched them stare at him. "I just want to go home!"
"...Where is that James?" she said softly, her face tense and upset.
"A couple blocks away, I own half a business and I engineer our ship! I have to go back, I can't go with you!"
"But you're only eleven." She whisphered, her wide eyes staring at him
"Ahh get out! Just go!" He shot shoving their hands away from him,
"Look, maybe you should just think things over some, try and see it from a new perspective." The man said watching the blue eyes frown at him; The boy didn't look like he had any intent on changing his mind.
~*~
"What if I were to tell you this planet is going to be destroyed in a couple of days." he whispered at her
"Excuse me?" She said, her tone slightly disgusted
"I am telling you, get your family or friends whatever and get the hell out of here!" We only have a number of days!"
"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" She sneered at him, this man was a nut.
"Fine whatever, but if you don't release Jim I am going to tell our friend the Ctarl Ctarl the address and she is not very happy right now."
"Ahhh!" She scowled at him. "Stop threatening my office Mr. Starwind! I am trying to help you so just let me do my job!" She shot pointing towards the door annoyed.
"Hey lady I am telling you the truth!" He shot watching her rub her temples annoyed and exhausted with his antics.
"Alright, get out. Come back when you have something that will help us." She ordered her eyes snapping at him.
"Fine, I have had enough of this." He shot angrily as he walked out of the office slamming the door. "God damn service" He cursed under his breath stomping to the pay phone in the lobby and dialing.
"Hey Mel it's me...yeah sure. Look I want you and the girls to catch a the next cruiser off Sentinel…No Fred has a place you can stay in Heifong....Yeah I know. Sure, it *is* nice of him...No, I am going to have to hang around here a little until these people give in to our demands...Yeah yeah I will. Don't worry about it."
She hung up the phone gently still holding the pink bundle in her arms. Oh Gene, please be careful, I can't lose you now; I can't lose either or you.
"Hey Mel! Where is the box? I can't find it anywhere!" Aisha screeched walking in her hands full of her clothes and accessories.
"Gene says we are to catch the next cruiser off Sentinel." She spoke quietly concerned.
"What! Already! I just go home! What does he think this is!?.....Ahhh now Aisha has to put everything into a suitcase!" She yelled stomping out of the bedroom and back to her own.
"Does he plan on joining us?" Her calm voice spoke
"No he says he has to stay, something about Jim." Her chocolate eyes were sad, falling down to her sleeping infant, the firm assassin thinking in the doorway.
"I will put the cases in the car." She said leaving. The soft raven hair of the girl, picking up her suitcase and dipper bag and walking into the hall after the assassin.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"We would like three tickets to Heigfong, and we would like to be seated together." She heard Suzuka speak to the man as she stood baby in arm watching the Ctarl Ctarl place a quarter into the gum ball machine. Her bright eyes watching it circle down the ramp to the small hole in the bottom delighted. Even though the population of Sentinel had absolutely no idea they were in danger. The port was still jammed packed with people. The large dome letting in the sunlight even thought the ground was completely shadowed by the passing employees and travelers.
"Melfina." She turned "Aisha lets go." she said calmly as they walked to the elevator, their tickets all being pressed with a laser stamp as they passed through the metal detector collecting their bags.
"Are you sure you don't want the window Melfina?" She squeaked smiling at the soft raven hair from where she stood in the isle.
"No, go ahead Aisha, I don't mind at all." She smiled watching her pounce into her seat ripping out a small game boy as she sat down next to her and Suzuka.
"Did he sound serious on the phone?" She asked calmly
"I don't know, I couldn't tell." The assassin nodded, the buckle up light flashing as the lights dimmed to the launch.
"Aisha don't forget to buckle up." She said pulling out the belt for the Ctarl Ctarl who laughed snapping it together. Nearly dropping the small hand held television she was now watching which was currently displaying the news.
"At the current time we are ordering an evacuation for Sentinel 3 due to a bomb threat. It is unlikely that anyone is in real danger so we ask for you not to panic. Please make reservations or obtain tickets for your departure at this time. In coming ships from Sentnal 2 and 5 will be docking to allow passengers to leave quicker."
"What! Did she just say what I think she said?" She squeaked flashing both the soft chocolate eyes and calm assassin a baffled look. "A bomb?"
"It appears Gene was right." She spoke calmly looking down at her wooden sword, which she gripped tightly.
"Guess we are lucky to leave now. I sure wouldn't want to be down there. There is going to be a big panic!" She giggled moving to look out the small window of the ship before her smile faded. Then again, Jim was down there in that panic, and so was Gene. A smooth thin hands slipping into her soft peach fur one. A silently concerned bioandroid sitting on her left.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
The streets were jammed with people screaming as he ran through them. Pushing to make his way through. Along the sides there was rioting and a small building was on fire. His bright yellow cape swirling around him lightly as he jumped onto the top of a parked car. The streets must have jammed way up ahead. The cars that were all backed up; now empty as the population of Sentinel 3 fled on foot.
Inside, the building was also a mess. People were running and pushing, the receptionist seemed to have totally lost touch with the world as she scrambled to reserve her own seat off the planet. He didn't waste anytime with her, running directly to Sarah's office.
"Gene!" She yelled spinning around as her office door spun in. "I am so sorry I didn't listen to you, I should have...."
"There isn't anytime for that, it doesn't matter now. What are you planning to do!" He yelled barging in as he spoke and snapping right at her. Scarred hands grabbing her shoulders aggressively.
"All the children will be transported out with a cruiser or with their foster families."
"Not this time!" He shot slamming his fist onto the table; startled she jumped back from his glaring dark eyes. "I happen to know for a fact someone came down here and signed a lot of papers. Now let me have him!" He demanded watching her eyes widen as she stepped back.
"How?..How did you know that?" She stammered
"Let's just say he came to me first, but we still aren't going to mention this to anyone *else*." He smiled slyly at her winking
"Yes but without the approval of the commit...." She gasped watching the contents of her desk slam to the floor as he slammed them off. His scarred form shoving at her again.
"Look don't you understand. This whole place is going to blow! I have to leave and I am taking him with me." His eyes stung her now, the dark glaring stare. So sure, so firm of what he was saying, that this was what he was doing. She felt powerless in them, there was no way to fight him.
"I.....I will get the necessary papers in order, but he....he must give his consent first! Before I can....." He dropped her from his grasp shooting back out into the crowded hall, pushing past the panicked people until he reached the door inserting his red card.
"Gene! What the heck is going on around here!" He shot jumping off his bed and rushing towards the red head. "They won't let me watch TV or anything!"
"Jim, Sentinel 3 is going to be destroyed." He spoke calmly despite the fact he was breathing hard
"Destroyed! What the heck are you talking about Gene!" He shot frowning.
"I will explain later, first we have got to get you out of here."
"Well it's about time." Small hands running to their hips as they gave the outlaw a sly look. "I told you that a long time ago." The outlaw simply smiled before closing his eyes to a soft sigh..
"Jim, we have to talk. I can't get you out of here unless I sign you out as a legal guardian."
"Well duh, I told you that earlier too Gene! Don't you ever listen!?"
"No, you don't understand, that would mean I would have to adopt you." He watched the blonde back up slightly staring at him.
"Wha? Adopt? Can't you just sign without it?"
"No I can't. These people here are set by doing everything by the book blast it. Look I promise everything will be like before, nothing has to change."
"Sure." He spit turning away from the dark eyes.
"Come on Jim, it will be just like before." He waited, watching the blonde hair thinking before the blue eyes snapped up at him.
"No."
"What! Come on Jim you want to leave or don't you? This is the only way!"
"No." He stared at him now, watching the baffled look come over his partner, his mouth hanging open.
"So what Jim, I don't understand? What's the big deal?! It's not like you have to be my son or anything. All we have to do if sign some stuff and leave."
"No, Gene it's not like that at all." He shook his head, no it was so much more complicated.
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't!"
"Course it is." The outlaw smiled.
"Gene, I can't! It would change everything!" The outlaw was silent staring at him. Why is his being so stubborn!? Why doesn't anyone get that the planet is going to be destroyed and we have to get out while we can.
"Look Jim, this is no time to be like this, the planet is going to be destroyed and we have to get out of here. Just leave your pride, and sign the stup-"
"You just don't get it Gene!" He shot suddenly, his face pained. "I, I can't let you, because...because." He stumbled over his words, trying to phrase what he wanted to say. "It's dangerous."
"Huh? What are you talking about Jim?!" He spit, this was taking to long.
"The pirates hate me Gene. When I was younger..well…look the pirates all know me, I can't tell you why. If I am connected to you, they might try...they could use you, you know!?" The dark eyes blinked watching him, getting more frustrated as he stood silent and still. His face calm, I guess it wouldn't matter if we had one more pirate after us.
"Jim, that doesn't matter, who cares if-"
"Yes it does! Because then it would be my fault! I was so stupid then! And now!...I am still stupid." He spit bitterly thinking out loud. Being in that room again seemed to prove it to him. How could he have let them toy with him again. Just give in so easy, they didn't have to do a thing I just went with them and let them all over again!
"No you aren't." He spoke firm now gripping the small shoulders as he crouched down. "Danger is a price I am willing to pay Jim, you have to come with me because we're a team. I am willing to deal with your problems and your annoying nagging aren't I? What difference does anything from your past make? While you were in here, someone came to see me, and maybe when you're older I will tell you what they said. For now you don't need to worry about it. Having one more pirate after us really won't change all that much, and we really have to leave. So what do you say? Just sign so we can leave, the girls already shot out of here, but this place is going to blow, and I don't want to hang around and catch the fireworks." He winked, watching the face relax as he punched it in the shoulder lightly standing up walking to the door. "I will take full responsibility for anything that happens Ok?" He called over his shoulder.
"That'll be a first." The blonde grinned stepping into the hallway. He would sign. "Woo, they aren't kidding, it really is going to blow." He gapped at all the rushing people. Quickly panicking to get off before all the space was taken up.
"Yeah I know. Ready to go?" He smiled slyly
"You bet! Lets get the heck out of here!"
He smiled up as they pushed through the hall out of her office before reaching the streets, only finding more mess.
"Jim, lets get to the Outlaw Star!" He yelled down at him over the noise. The small hands pushing through the crowd as he heard him shout an ok.
~*~*
"Gene, I can not launch this ship properly without the help of Melfina." Gilliam spoke as they stood inside the cockpit.
"What!" He shot
"With out any navigation in this mess there is only a 40% chance the ship will make a successful launch into orbit.
"Gilliam can't you do anything!" His blonde hair ruffled as he stood next to the silent outlaw.
"I am sorry Jim, I am not equipped to handle navigation." There was a long pause.
"Gilliam, you do it yourself." The outlaw finally spoke firm "I know for a fact you can man yourself, I give you that order."
"What are you doing Gene?" He felt his cloak pull downward
"Until I say otherwise you are now the captain of the Outlaw Star." The red hair spit firmly
"Oh Gene, this is a tremendous joy to myself, though I am not permitted to think of myself. I will fully activate the ship and as you put it, blast out of here."
"No Gilliam!" The blonde shot, his face concerned "Gene, we can't just leave him."
"Jim we may not survive if we launch in the ship, we have to go somewhere else." The blue eyes only sank knowing this was the truth as they raced from the ship again. "We are going to have to catch a flight out of here like everyone else!" He shot down at him, his partner silently looking up at him as they entered the giant dome of the port. "Blast it's packed." He groweled, but no one heard him over the commotion.
The place was overcrowded by people shoving and pushing as they fought to get in line for a ticket, and filed through the metal detectors.
The red unruly hair began fighting his own way through the crowd, pushing a path through as people ran into him making there own way along. The dark eyes glanced down "Huh? Jim?' A second of panic hitting him before the blonde emerged beside him again fighting against the pushing people. "Hey stay close, you want to get lost?"
"That's what I am doing!" He yelled fighting to just stand there, he heard the outlaw growl as it slammed itsblue glove onto the back of his still white cotton shirt pulling him behind him. "Hey!" He shot, but the outlaw couldn't here him, desperately making his way through the crowd.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Hey it's pretty cool how they stamped our tickets like that don't you think?" He grinned slyly down at the blonde hiar, watching it shrug from where it sat next to him waiting for the ship to launch.
"Yeah I guess so." He sighed leaning back into his seat. "I can't believe they are blowing this place up." He said looking longingly out the small window. The outlaw pushing in over his shoulder.
"Yeah, I have lived here almost all my life." The strong voice whisphered
"Hey me too." He smiled. That was one thing they had always had in common, they had both been stranded alone on Sentinel 3, and had lived off the streets before finding each other. "Hey get off me." He grinned shoving the outlaw back into his own chair still smiling.
"Boy I am sure going to miss Clyde's place. Hope they both made it out ok." The outlaw sighed heavily leaning into his seat and closing his eyes.
"Hey Gene." The dark eyes turned to him, but the blue eyes only looked away, giving up on what he was going to mention. The outlaw simply sighed again closing his eyes as the ship shook slightly blasting into space. The light fading away from the window becoming a dark black infinity in a matter of seconds.
His unruyl red hair sighing heavily, what a relief that was, and the girls were ok too. His dark eyes grinning lighlty as he glanced at the blonde next to him before frowning. "Hey what the hell is your problem Jim? This is no different from the Outlaw Star?" He frowned now eyeing his younger partner as it trembled eyes squeezed shut.
"Do you smell that?" It whimpered, breathing sloppily
"Huh? Smell what?" He said as the blonde began squeezing the sides of its chair practically hyperventilating. "Ahh you have got to be kidding me!" He shot sitting up as he looked around the room. Sure enough about five rows up, a scrubby looking man was hitting up with Diamond. "Son of a..." He started under his breath. "Don't think your getting any Jim, you staying right here." He threatened lightly watching the small beating chest whimper. "Look just calm down, try not to think about it." He said gently rubbing the smaller arm as if it hurt.
"I can't! I can't!" It shot gripping the chair harder "Can't I just have a little Gene? Please! Sometimes when I am out like that I remember stuff." He begged, his blue eyes strained under the shaking golden hair, pleading with the outlaw.
"Well now your definitely not getting any." The outlaw spit leaning back into his chair.
"Huh? What the hell does that mean Gene!?" There was a silent pause, blue eyes staring up at him. "I want to know!" He barked at the dark eyes just studying him, trying to decide.
"No you don't Jim." He said softly
"Yes I do!" The light face did a fast blink. Who was Gene to say whether or not he wanted to know.
"Jim, while you were being hospitalized, someone came to see me." He spoke with a tone that said this comment was the end of the story. Not because he wouldn't tell the rest but because there was no more.
"Who Geeeene?" He whined through clenched teeth still trembling
"Your uncle." The blue eyes widened blinking
"My uncle?...I have an uncle?!"
"Yeah, He told me some stuff and asked me to give you something."
"What?" The strong red head slowly pulled out the shining silver watch. "This is it, it was a present from your parents." He watched the small hand take it, looking at it softly, still shaking. "Before they died they wanted to give it to you."
"Both of them?" The blue eyes whisphered staring down at it's brilliant surface.
"First your mother, it was her engagement ring so to speak, from your father. I hear she was really pretty you know?" He smiled as the boy looked back up at him now, saddened. "They say you look a lot like her." He winked trying to raise the small spirits " She gave it to your father and he tried to get it to you Jim." He stopped suddenly, how much do I tell him? He thought. I can't tell how he is taking it if he just sits there like that! He thought bitterly, at least he doesn't want those damn drugs anymore.
"Do you remember your parents?" The question caught him off guard, and he jumped slightly, as though he were being exposed. His younger partner looking at him.
"Well ah, coarse I do." He said firmly again smiling slyly. "My father was a space pilot, and my mother was a house wife."
"I don't remember my mother....Why do you think that is?" The blue eyes spoke soflty, looking away as they next to whispered to him.
"Huh? I don't know Jim!" He shot, the outlaw had never been that good with sentimental issues, and this was too deep for him. His dark eyes flickered under his red unruly hair watching his partner just move the watch in its fingers, as if considering. "Aa" He choked, suddenly realizing for the first time in a long time Jim was trying to involve him in his life, the kid had never wanted the outlaw's help before. He always took care of himself, in fact, he probably spent more of his time taking care of me, he thought. I was such a wreck when I was younger, someone else should have found him, and that was how he used to feel. It was a nuisance to have him around, another mouth to feed, another body to worry about. But he kept me in line, when I came stumbling back drunk, or beat.
He had always worried about him, always helped him, and never asked anything in return. I used to bitch and moan all the time the outlaw thought remembering the time they had both caught the flu. Just lying on the couch sick as dogs, but he never let out a single complaint, never made a sound, and he still helped me. He never wanted my help, never asked me any questions, even when I knew he was scared, or lonely, he wouldn't let me help. Now he was asking him, Why? Why couldn't he remember his mother? Why had these awful things happened to him? Why did life leave him all alone in that alley, to fall into a beat hardened teen who wanted to leave him there but couldn't for some reason. For the sad way he looked at him when they first met, frightened at first, and then dull as if he didn't care if he died, didn't expect to be helped. That is why I took him with me, he thought, because I know, I know what that feels like. I was the same way, maybe I would be like him too if I had suffered what he has. Lost everything so young, instead of staying home and playing when he was probably being beat somewhere in space.
He was mesmerized suddenly, as if for the first time he really understood the boy. Just watching him mumbling something, but he couldn't hear him, he was deaf to everything around him All the motion, all the noise, even Jim's voice. He understood now, he never wanted to give me an excuse to leave him behind, because of the way I turned away from him in the alley, trying to escape his eyes, before I couldn't and came back. If I met him now, I would never have ever turned away. "I never would have turned away now Jim." The blue eyes looked up at him puzzled "That night in the alley, when we first met, I tried to leave you there. I didn't want you." He spoke softly watching the smaller hurt expression become harder, gasping.
"You wanted to leave me?" The blue eyes whimpered, as if his best friend was killing him, his brother was confronting his only problem, his only lie; was he never wanted him to begin with. This was what Gene meant?
"I didn't want you because you were a bother, because I couldn't stand the fact that when I looked at you I only saw myself." The blonde hair choked lightly.
"You wanted to leave me!?" Blue eyes welling up with betrayal, a hate over come with pain and tears.
"I fell to Sentinel all alone, and everywhere I turned I couldn't escape who I was, and then I met you, and you looked just like me." He grinned, but it was pained, saddened because what he said still hurt. "All alone and messed up, only worse. It made me sick to think that as low as I was, someone had it worse."
"Oh god Gene!" The light face choked suddenly. Pulling into itself as it backed into it's seat more, blue eyes closign as they ducked under the blonde hair.
"Just listen to me for a second. That was almost the biggest mistake I ever made. I don't know what that watch means to you, but I don't have anything from my past left. My father died, and so did my mother. I remember them both....Maybe you have it better. I never knew your family Jim, but I know that they loved you when they had you. It is unfair that this happened to you...it is unfair for the both of us, but that is what makes us the same." The blue eyes snapped at him suddenly, cringing as if the outlaw was cutting him. The dark piercing eyes hard and sad, all the pieces of his life falling together, finally making sense. "You don't have to try so hard anymore buddy." The light skin flinched as the strong arm gripped its shoulder. "Cause you have always been the better half, if not just an equal. I understand that you aren't able to do everything yet, but that doesn't matter. You will soon enough, there is no reason to rush it. I love my old memories because I never had to worry, I never had to care. Now, that is all we do, all *you* do. You don't have to carry everything by yourself Jim!" He begged watching the body contract into the loose cotton shirt, trying to get away from him, the blond hair shaking, crying to itself. "This is just what I mean!" He snapped reaching in to find him. The small face emerging to the dark eyes that pulled them out. "It doesn't mean that you are weak if you ask for help."
"But you...but you.." The blue eyes choked, blinking back tears as fast as possible as Gene kept him from hiding.
"I do it all the time, just ask Melfina. If it wasn't for her I would probably freeze to death because I would forget to get dressed." He watched the blue eyes smile at him from where tears ran onto his blue gloves. "Everyone needs help, and if you're lucky you can have someone there to do it. You have taken care of me for long enough Jim, I have a daughter now, and I am going to marry Melfina. I have to learn to step up, to take on my responsibilities, if not for myself then for them. Now you can lean on me. You aren't a bother and you never have been. You keep everything in line, watch my butt day in and day out. But I never watched out for you. I was never there the way you were for me, and I am sorry. But you don't have to worry anymore because I will never leave you, none of us will. Aisha would probably destroy the house and city block." He teased watching the closed blue eyes sob harder, the words stinging the light skin and loose cotton shirt in front of him. How was it Gene knew how he was feeling? He never did before, no matter how much I hurt, or what happened he never noticed. That's the way it's always been. "Do you forgive me?" He smiled now, small eyes looking up at him blinking to push away the pink around them.
"But Gene I...I never thought that you, that you hated me."
"I don't care about that Jim, because I know I was cold to you. All those times that I ignored you, or brushed you off and you never said anything. I just want to know if you'll give me another chance?" The blonde was quiet in front of where he was being held by his left shoulder and right elbow to keep him from turning away. Quietly breathing through his mouth, his eyes and face pink as he sniffled.
"You should know me better then that Gene Starwind." He managed a half smile; the dark eyes smiling back as he ruffled his hair.
"Thanks pal." He said looping his arm around the small neck and pulling him in. He didn't fight back, but his arms stayed at his sides. "Hey Jim." The outlaw released him watching him sit back up, wiping his face as it waited for him to continue talking. "When people hug you buddy, you shoul…its ok to hug back." He winked at him again, reassuring him. The blue eyes thinking for a second before the hands made a small movement, stopping with hesitation, before trying again, as if short circuiting. Only short small withdrawn movements emerging, before they grabbed the cloak again shakily. The outlaw hugging back, rapping his arm around the small body that clung to him. His eyes glancing from the soft hair over the seat to the screen opening to play a movie, most likely to sooth the panicked passengers. His eyes then falling to the scrubby man in the front again, making a mental note to either take the drugs, or beat him up as soon as he made his way towards the back of the ship to use the bathroom.
He glanced down again at the blonde hair. The soft breathing that gripped him, as the small head laid on the side of his arm exhausted. A blue glove rubbing his head softly the way he had years before when he had nightmares to keep him from waking up. He closed his eyes too, for some reason he was just as exhausted as his younger partner now falling asleep on him. Small mouth slightly open as the weight of its head against the outlaw's arm pushed the side of the small face upward some, making one cheek bigger then the other. There was nothing to worry about, all those years with him had finally amounted to a couple minutes when he could finally say all the things he wanted without Jim being able to push him off or fight back. But it was easier then he thought it was going to be. For some reason Jim looked smaller now, somehow less powerful. Always so quick to snap back, to fight him before, like an outer shell always worn, guard always up. Ready to take him on, take the world on, fighting to live. He didn't have to, I should have told him earlier he thought, that I would fight for him, but he didn't feel guilty. Still too relived and relaxed to feel anything upsetting. The girls were ok, he was ok, maybe Heifong would be their new spot, they had done well there before. Why do we always go back to Sentinel 3? He thought. There was nothing to do there, it was really just a low class spot, but somehow he kept returning, and Jim never objected. Almost equally wanting to go back. Like they had left something uncompleted there, or lost something. They had to go, they had to find what they left. But he didn't feel like that now, there was nothing there they needed anymore. That alley was better off destroyed. All Sentinel 3 really held was bad memories washed over by the constant drill of life and their struggle to survive. We don't need you anymore he thought looking out into space, his partner now curled up next to him leaning on his chest. His strong hand resting on the smaller side, feeling the boys rib cage rise and fall. They say that history repeats itself, but not if you learn from it, if I can fix it for him, for all of us. And he could, he knew he could. All he had to do was rely on his intuition and good luck.
Hey please remember to leave a review for me I would luv to know what you think!
The Only Faces He Knew
DivineAngel
__*~*~*~SOME (enough) TIME LATER~*~*~*__
"God damn Layline." He muttered pushing his head into the pillow "I wish we never found the stupid thing." His red hair fell over his eye as it opened slowly looking at the small clock on the end table. His stomach upset, as he listened to her suffering from morning sickness in the bathroom. "So just cause I die and they have to connect my body to someone, they have to connect me to the pregnant one?" He thought almost laughing as he sat up slowly.
"I am sorry Gene." She sighed walking out of the bathroom, in her short light nightgown. "You feel sick?" She asked concerned
"Not as sick as you must feel." He said making his way over to her. For the last few days he had become strangely in touch with the way she had been feeling, and it sucked. She smiled at him. "What's so funny?" He muttered his head in her neck eyes closed as she stood in front of the mirror applying some lip-gloss.
"I am living every woman's dream." She chuckled at him.
"Oh yeah" He mumbled "How's that?"
"I get to get the baby, and you get to know what it's like?" She giggled at him as he slumped off her growling.
"Oh geez Mel, thanks for the compassion." He grumbled chuckling lightly
"Your welcome" She sung heading back to the bathroom. She felt fine now, he could tell, and he opened the hall door. The sounds of his crew now floating to him as he groaned.
"No! That means you can't! Just drop it!" The blonde shot out of his room running down the stairs as he made his way sleepily to the bathroom listening to Aisha's begging.
"Good morning Suzuka." He muttered as she turned to face him brushing her teeth, she didn't answer. "What's their problem?" He said opening his draw and digging through his stuff to the sound of the downstairs coach pillows being thrown around the room. The small voice threatening the Ctarl Ctarl. She shrugged spitting into the sink.
"How is Melfina?" She asked calmly brushing her long black hair, really quiet extraordinary when let down.
"Same ol same ol." He said squirting toothpaste onto his toothbrush.
"Hey Gene!" Jim called from downstairs obviously annoyed, he sighed
"Yeah! What? Why don't you two give it a rest!" He called now brushing his teeth.
"Tell Ais-" The voice was suddenly muffled beyond comprehension, as the red hair spit into the sink. Aisha, god doesn't she ever shut up? He thought looking at himself in the mirror, the assassin leaving the room.
Walking back into the hall, he caught her in his view, slowly making her way down the stairs. Hanging onto the railing with one hand, and holding onto her stomach with the other, he could smell her soft scent from there. Even now with her stomach like that, she was so sexy.
"You look beautiful." He whisphered into her ear from behind her on the stairs, she smiled shaking her head amused as she started for the kitchen slowly.
"Oh don't worry about it Melfina!" Aisha suddenly screeched causing them to look over at her. "Aisha will make breakfast!" She laughed pouncing over to the kitchen, the blonde hair suddenly emerging from under the pillows she was sitting on. He kicked them off immediately looking around before screaming after her to give it back now!
He pulled out her chair for her before sitting down, the coffee pot already at the table; all thought that was probably Jim and not Aisha.
"But Aisha really really needs it." She whined as the kitchen door swung back open slowly allowing them to glimpse into the room momentarily. Catching the blonde attempting to pry something from her hand as she walked past him, not even feeling it, frying pan and eggs in hand.
"No she doesn't!" He yelled sliding along after her only in socks.
"Aisha!" The bioandroid called sweetly causing them to both stop looking at them through the door before it shut blocking their view. It opened suddenly as the two pairs of eyes looked at her, wanting to help her in any way they could. "Please just let him be." she said softly
"Do you have a head ache Melfina?" She frowned concerned. Blue eyes traveling from the raven hair up to the bright eyes as she shook her head no. "K" She smiled turning back around into the kitchen, the door shutting to the sounds of his protests and clanking dishes, as thought nothing had been said.
She shot the laughing outlaw a soft frown. "What?!" He said laughed his words at her. "It's funny Mel, you have to laugh." The outlaw said laughing harder as the blonde came stomping back out of the kitchen and sat down.
"Ruff day?" The raven hair smiled teasing, it was currently seven AM. There was no real reason why every one was up so early, it just seemed there was a domino effect. Usually Aisha was the first, then Jim; they woke Suzuka, Melfina followed with mourning sickness, making the outlaw sick too. He shrugged at her, as the Ctarl Ctarl came walking back into the room smiling.
"Pleeeease" She hissed sitting some eggs down in front of the blonde who pulled his arms from the table looking at them.
"Fine." He muttered picking up his fork as she sat down the platter of toast, plate of eggs, and gave both the outlaw and the bioandroid a plate.
"What is it that you wanted Aisha?" The raven hair spoke softly as the outlaw crammed his face full of food.
"Jim is letting me borrow one of is shirts cause I am going out to night and I need one to be real short and tight." She said placing an egg in between two pieces of toast and propping it up to bite it.
"Hey that is a real neat idea Aisha." The outlaw added before the blue eyes snapped at him with a shut up silent growl. "Or maybe not, you could just buy something." He quickly added
"Yeah I could but I don't really feel like shopping right now, better to be home."
"Yeah I know how you feel." The bioandroid added sweetly spreading jelly onto her piece of toast.
"Huh? Why is that?" The outlaw frowned bewildered
"Yeah I thought shopping is what girls loved to do?" The blonde added eyeing the Ctarl Ctarl eating next to him.
"It is." She smiled before swallowing "But the McDougal brothers are here on Sentinel 3, so-" She stopped as the outlaw choked on his food struggling to swallow.
"The McDougal Brothers!?" He shot at her, but she just sat chewing calmly. "What are they doing on Sentnal!?" He shot at the blue eyes.
"Don't look at me! Why would I know!" The blonde answered baffled
"Hey Suzuka!?" The outlaw called leaning over his chair towards the living room.
"Suzu is the one who told us, but we weren't supposed to mention it." the Ctarl Ctarl added now drinking
"Well why not?" The outlaw spit confused.
"Suzu seemed to think you have enough on your mind so we were just supposed to watch Jim and not tell you."
"Whaaat!" The blonde shot throwing his toast back onto the table and crossing his arms. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!"
"Sure is" The outlaw added disgusted "Listen Aisha" He started, her bright eyes looking back up at him lazily as she ate "Next time Suzuka-"
"Next time Suzuka what?" The assassin spoke calmly from behind him.
"Hey Suzuka." The blue eyes frowned up at her. "What's the big deal of not telling us about the McDougal brothers being here on Sentnal?" The blonde said frowning at her, the outlaw silently waiting for her answer.
"Well they didn't seem to care we were here, so I figured I would wait and see what they did. I warned you didn't I." She repressed her small smile.
"Not us." The outlaw smirked, she simply shrugged as she sat down
"Three out of five isn't bad Gene." She smirked at the outlaw as he ripped some toast with his teeth irritated.
"Oh yeah" The blonde grunted "That's how we're going to get places."
"Don't you worry Jimmy, Aisha was watching you the whole time!" She squeaked smashing his head into the chair with her hand. Blue eyes rolling annoyed as he shoved her off.
"How long have they been here?" The outlaw demanded
"A week" The light head of hair squeaked looking up at him, her mouth full of food.
"A week!" He repeated, I just can't believe this, he thought, if anyone should have known it should have been us. "Geez who is wearing the pants around here." The outlaw said slightly annoyed but almost humored with the thought.
"Well now we know it's not you." The blonde grinned at him chuckling as the outlaw stopped. The toast he was about to put into his mouth dead in mid air before he lowered it slyly.
"Well it's definitely not you." He spoke as the blonde just laughed more.
"Well it can't be Suzu cause she never wears pants!" Aisha shot in, teasing, blonde hair to her side choking on his milk as he started drinking. Small mouth trying hard not to laugh as he pulled back from the cup before spitting it at her with a haha
There was complete silence, bright eyes looking down at the milk trickling off her arm as the outlaw started laughing.
"Sorry Aisha" The blue eyes laughed wiping milk off the small mouth with the back of his hand as he watched her sniff her arm where the milk was running off.
"Smells like you Jimmy." She smiled "But next time you spit at Aisha, she is going to take some of your teeth." She hissed at him suddenly, causing him to stop laughing as they stared at each other before the outlaw broke down harder.
"Well I am going to clear the table." The raven hair sighed, smiling as she rose out of her chair slowly picking up a single cup and making her way to the kitchen.
"I'll help Melfina." He said picking up his plate and the jelly, watching some smear onto his glove as he made a face, the outlaw chuckled slightly at him. "Ha ha, don't forget we have a job in fifteen Gene!" He spit walking towards the kitchen as the assassin got up.
"Well I will meet you there in a half an hour Gene." The white komono said placing her napkin back onto the table and walking towards the hall. He waved bye acknowledging that she had spoke as he chugged his coffee.
"You want Aisha to come by and help too Gene?" He saw her twitching her nose from accost the table looking at him intently from over his mug, before he sat it down completing the rest of her face.
"No. Well yeah…yesI do Aisha. It is only supposed to be a hundred crates but it would be much easier with a Ctarl Ctarl on board." She smiled before jumping up and bouncing towards the front door. Knocking the blonde who came walking out of the kitchen over as she left laughing.
"Bye!" The blue eyes yelled at her, getting up slightly annoyed
"Alright Jim, I am going upstairs to get dressed." The red head said throwing some toast back onto the plate and walking past him.
"Emmhmm." He said as he picked up more dishes and started back to the kitchen. She was still standing at the sink full of bubbles when he came back in and sat the plates next to it. "Here you go." He said cheerfully turning around to get more when she gasped sharply. "Melfina? What's wrong!?" He spun around facing her, standing there looking down at her stomach, her hand pressed to it. Her large chocolate eyes looked up at him smiling. "What is it?" He asked alarmed
"The baby. I felt the baby kick" She gasped, her eyes jumping as she smiled wider looking back down at her stomach. "It did it again!" She exclaimed beaming.
"It's not very nice." He frowned watching her. Why did it make her so happy; he didn't like people kicking him.
"Jim come here!" She stretched her hand out to him as he walked over "Give me your hand!" She smiled as he held it up to her.
"What for Mel? Do you want me to go get Ge-" He stopped as she held his small hand inside hers pressing it to her stomach. He felt the light thump under his palm as she laughed
"It's really in there." He slowly started smiling, giving her a lop sided grin by the time he looked up at her.
"Well of course it is!" She laughed, "I am not carting around watermelons Jim."
"Hey Jim, are we leaving or what?" The outlaw said walking into the kitchen buttoning up a light white shirt. "What are you too doing?" He said slyly pouring himself more coffee, watching them just stand there smiling.
"Gene, the baby's kicking!" She beamed at him as he walked up behind her running his hand over her stomach smelling her hair. "Do you feel it?" She said taking his hand and placing it in one spot, he did.
"Yup! Feels like a boy!" He smiled at her, as she shoved him playfully.
"You want to feel it again Jim?" She beamed down at him. Blue eyes looking back up at her, another smile creeping over his face, she was funny to watch.
"No Mel. We have to go, we're going to be late Jim." The outlaw groaned grabbing his caster off the counter as the blonde hair spun around facing the clock.
"Yeah I got to go Mel! See you later!" He yelled dashing out the kitchen door as the outlaw stuck his head back in tapping the circled date on the calendar
"Two more weeks, two more weeks." He whisphered smiling at her. "Then it will kick me too." He laughed heading back out the door leaving her laughing to herself as she did the dishes. Gee, only two more weeks he thought, I can't leave her alone anymore.
"Jim, how about you go back with Mel in a half an hour?" He asked jumping over the car door into the seat, the blonde leaning into the back digging through papers.
"If you think so, but I am taking your car back." He heard Jim answer before he started the car pulling the blonde back into the front seat. The baggy jacket just turning around and leaning into the door slightly, it was a beautiful day.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey Melfina Aisha's back!" She screeched into the hall, smiling as she echoed around the vacant building.
"So am I." He muttered shutting the door behind her.
"Jim I know you are home." she laughed at him. He rolled his eyes.
"What are you doing back so soon?" The raven hair appeared in the upstairs hall carrying some laundry heading down the stairs slowly.
"Gene didn't want you to be here all by yourself, isn't that sweet!?" She squeaked hanging onto the banister as she swung from side to side playing.
"Oh, he doesn't have to worry about me Jim." She said as he walked up next to the Ctarl Ctarl.
"I didn't do it Melfina, it was his idea, so what if we don't lift crates all day." He grinned, who wanted to do that.
She shrugged lightly as the Ctarl Ctarl pulled some clothes from her hand.
"Jim can I borrow this too!" Her soft hands shoved the green fabric of his shirt into his face.
"No Aisha!" He yelled snatching it from her. "Come on" he grumbled heading for the living room "Let's play some video games."
"Ohhh ahhh can we play the lucky elf!" She screeched after him, the raven hair smiling as she heard him groan, he hated that game.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Well there is no reason for it to be there!" She screeched inches from the tv screen
"Yes there is!" He shot back pressing buttons frantically
"It's a stupid waterfall Jim." She spit.
"Aisha! I said I would get the key hold off the dragon!" He yelled his little elf running frantically on fire.
"I want to get key! You hold off the dragon!" She hissed leaning into the screen.
"I can't see Aisha, I am on fire!" He yelled the raven hair just watching them from where she lay on the couch, she was tired and her feet hurt. She had been feeling sick after breakfast and this was all the excitement she could stand. Yet she smiled watching him shoving Aisha's head with his hand trying to work all the buttons with his other one.
"Jim stop pushing me, I can't play!"
"I can't see!"
"Jim your on fire!" She screeched laughing as she leaned back from the screen hysterical. Silent blonde hair staring intently at the screen as she disappeared pressing buttons frantically as his little elf jumped into the waterfall.
The tires screeching around the end of the street caught her attention as she slowly sat up on the couch. Looking out the window "Hey Aisha?" She spoke quietly, that was their car speeding down the street, or rather Jim's car. He wasn't going to be very happy. She jumped slightly as the caster blasted backwards from the drivers seat taking out the road light. The bullets of the blaster behind whizzing past as the second car screeched around the corner.
"What they heck is going...." The blonde got up, frowning at the noise "...the Ehefrau!" He shot now standing next to her pushing to get closer to the window. "Ohh Gene I am gonna" He growled through clenched teeth before backing away from the window suddenly as if it were hot "Geez it's the McDougals!" He yelled grabbing his laptop from the window sill.
"Jimmy get Melfina to the back room, behind the kitchen now!" The light hair hissed helping the bioandroid up.
"Oh Aisha, what's going on?" Her soft voice was full of concern as the blue eyes shot up at her, wondering the same thing.
"Don't you worry Melfina." She coed "I am going to make sure all three of you are alright." she winked at him as he dropped her from his view taking the hand of the raven haired girl. Pulling her towards the back of the building. The bullets out front growing louder, he could hear Aisha growling fiercely as the front door bust open behind them, he spun around.
Strong assassin in their doorway. "Aisha, go with them, we'll hold them off!" The assassin ordered the Ctarl Ctarl pouncing back at them pushing them both towards the back room.
"Aisha what do they want!" Dhe cried as she slumped against the wall of the empty small room, it wasn't even painted yet, just empty and there.
"Be quiet Melfina, I need to hear." She hissed at the bioandroid, grabbing the boy's loose jacket to stop him from moving.
"Ron McDoUGAAAL!" The outlaw yelled from what sounded to be like right in the front hall, the sound of his blaster firing against the missile that sounded as thought it might have taken part of warehouse with it. He grabbed her arm, and she glanced down at him. He looked concern but hard. He was ready to fight, and she smiled at him, watching him smile back up at her.
"Jim!" The bioandroid cried suddenly from behind them, her face tightened.
"It's going to be ok Melfina." He said rushing over to her as she started sliding down the wall almost crouching before looking back up at him. Her eyes shut as she breathed deeply through her clenched teeth. "Are you hurt?" He asked suddenly before Aisha shhhed them
"Will you two shut up!" She hissed, her eye just making it through the crack in the door.
"Aisha they can't hear us over that!" He yelled at her, but she didn't respond she was listening to what they were saying, not Jim and Melfina. She heard them run back into the street Gene's swearing and then Suzuka shooting something about getting back and behind. She opened her mouth to yell at him. To tell him that she wasn't talking about being heard, when the bioandroid let out a sharp yell.
"What did you do Jim!" She screeched as the raven hair slumped against the wall breathing hard.
"I didn't do it!" He screamed, he was starting to look panicked.
"What's the matter Melfina!" "Are you hur…" Her voice trailed off as she inhaled. "No Melfinaaa, Aisha says you have to wait aaawhile." She whined suddenly
"Ahhh I can't wait Aisha!" The bioandroid nearly screamed at her, pushing her head into the wall she leaned against.
"You can't just have your baby now!" She screeched as thought she were purposely trying to be difficult.
"What!?" The blonde screamed from where he stood over at the side of the door.
"Oh yes I can Aisha!" Sshe screamed breathing hard from the floor.
"Breath Melfina!" He shouted over to them remembering Gene mocking the Lamaze classes they had attended. He had to agree with him, how could the breathing be that important? Yet somehow he found himself yelling at her to breath anyway, imitating them.
"Jim will you shut up! Find out what I should do!" She screeched tossing his laptop at him watching him sit down immediately opening it up.
She almost felt bad for the bioandroid; she had never seen her behave like that before. The way in which she was silent squeezing her arm before screaming like someone was stabbing her. "WHAT DOES IT SAY!" She screeched turning to look at him as he rushed over handing her the laptop as the screen loaded into focus.
"Melfina, you really can't have the baby now!" He yelled at her, his blonde hair rufflign lightly. "The McDougals are right outside!" He protested
"Blast the McDougals!" The raven hair growled at him, and he backed up. That's definitely not the Melfina I know, he thought, watching her as though she were becoming possessed, the tightened features of her face as she heaved in pain, what do I do? What do I do?
"Aisha what should we-"
"EWWWW! Humans have babies like this!" She screeched staring at the monitor. "How unsanitary! You terrenes must be crazy! Melfina you are making a big mistake, Gene should definitely have the next one, don't you think Jim?" She squeaked more calm as he raced around her shoulder looking back down at the monitor.
"Ahhh! No Way!" He yelled looking away from it quickly. Moving back to the side of the bioandroid who grabbed his arm demanding that he get her some kinda of drug he had never heard of.
"Yeah, the Ctarl Ctarl are way better at reproducing then this, you terrenes really should devise a better-Melfina you are hurting him!" She squeaked suddenly aware of the blonde trying to pry himself from her tight grasp.
"Mel let me go!" He demanded the soft hand of the Ctarl Ctarl prying back her fingers as he felt the blood rush back into the lower part of his arm.
"It's ok they are gone now." The assassin stated calmly causing the three of them to snap at her, before her eyes widened. Watchign the blonde hair stumble back slighlty from where Melfina had just let him go to the concerned irritated Ctarl helping them both. "GENE!" HEr focused eyes snapped from where she stood in the small doorway to the empty back room. "The stress has sent Mel into premature labor!" Her loud calm yell ran into the hall, waiting through a small pause before the loud.
"WHAAAAT!" The outlaws cry seemed to bring down the rest of Starwind and Hawking as it echoed through the empty front, past the broken table, shattered glass, and dying fire, to the four panicked people in the back room. Already on there feet and dragging the raven hair with them.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Do you see Aisha? Do see her!" He heard her squeak still mashing her face to the glass of the maternity ward viewing room. She had been doing that for the last hour, just crouching there squeaking at the sleeping infants who didn't even have their eyes open. It doesn't make any sense he thought turning his head to look back up at the ceiling from the bench across the hall directly parallel to hers. He had been lying there for who knows how long, just waiting. He heard her saying something to him, but it obviously wasn't important since he heard her face being pushed back up to the glass. Not important enough he thought, his eyes shutting slowly before forcing themselves back open, the numbers of the clock blurring before coming back into focus again, and then blurring. It was 3:47 AM
He heard her laugh lightly seeing the Ctarl Ctarl still humoring herself with the sleeping infants as she walked back in and sat down next to his feet.
"Don't you just want to eat them Suzuka?" She squeaked smiling
"Aisha, you had better rephrase what you say. We don't wan to cause any alarm." She said smiling her eyes closed as she leaned into her chair. Several nurses down the hall gasping as they exchanged worried glances before looking back at the three of them. "Any news Jim?" She looked over to him, nudging his leg.
"No." He grumbled sitting up to keep from falling asleep. They had been waiting for Melfina and Gene for "What is it eighteen hours?" He mumbled rubbing his temples as he sighed deeply exhausted. "What do you think they are doing in there?" He complained as she smiled down at him, the tired blue eyes. She just sipped her soda again before turning back to the Ctarl Ctarl her mouth opening.
"Hey!" The doors along side the bench burst open suddenly, and the outlaw came rushing out in some type of paper gown or something. "It's a girl!"
"Gene that's wonderful!" The assassin exclaimed from behind him
"A girl! How precious!" The Ctarl Ctarl swooned "Can we see?!" She giggled
"Well ahh, hold on." He shot back into the swinging doors.
"Ahhh a girl!" Jim did you hear that!" She screeched at him.
"Yeah." He exhaled smiling, "How cool huh?"
"Yes, very cool." The assassin said chuckling softly to herself as she took another sip of her soda
"Yeah you can come see!" The outlaw beamed rushing back out as the Ctarl Ctarl almost climbed over him to get in, the rest of them following.
"Isn't she beautiful." He heard him whisper looking at his two girls, but he didn't know which one he meant.
"Which one Gene?" The Ctarl Ctarl cooed making her way past the outlaw towards the bed where Melfina lay. She looked almost half asleep, her hair damp, heavy on her head. Her face glimmering as she smiled at them, her cheeks flushed. In her arms, lay a small bundle rapped in a soft pink cloth.
"Both of them." He whisphered, the blue eyes glanced up at him, he just stood there, as if mesmerized by them. Just standing there his body exhausted but his face was so calm, before he looked down smiling at the blonde. The blue eyes switching back to the raven hair.
"She smells so beautiful Melfina!" Aisha whisphered leaning into the small blanket.
"She is beautiful." The assassin added, "You should be very proud."
"I am" She beamed looking down at the bundle and then back at her outlaw. "You can come look too Jim." She almost whisphered at him exhausted.
The baby looked just like the other ones Aisha had been cooing at for the last hour, only now she was making noises at his one. The bright green eyes of the infant shinning up at them.
"I think she looks like you Jim." He heard the outlaw tease nudging him in the back.
"Shut up Gene." He smiled, she really was cute.
"Isn't she so cute Jim?" Aisha squeaked looking up at him.
"Yeah, wow Melfina." He sighed and she laughed slightly.
"Yeah Mel, you should have seen yourself earlier." She snickered "We almost had to bring you here attached to Jim!" She laughed qickly covering her mouth to keep from getting too loud.
"I am so sorry Jim." The raven hair spit immediately remembering how upset she had been in labor.
"It's ok Mel." He mumbled smiling down at the infant.
"Yeah, it's ok now, but he's wearing long sleeves so no one thinks we're beating him." She snickered harder as he looked up at her. The outlaw laughed from behind his blonde hair knocking him in the back before tugging on his coat some in order to see his shirt. He really was wearing long sleeves.
"Oh no no no, you must leave her be now." The nurse ordered as everyone turned to look at her. "You are welcomed to wait in the lobby because it is so late, but you must leave right now." She spoke firmly gripping Aisha's arms as the Ctarl Ctarl stuttered a but but but.
It was amazing how quickly she shoed them out, all at one he was back in the hall with Suzuka and Aisha, her mouth gaping as the doors closed. The assassin sat back down where she had been before, as Aisha fell into her chair pouting, Jim because there was no reason to stand. A still silence seemed to linger in the hall, the assassin perfectly still, as the bright eyes of the Ctarl Ctarl were deep in thought, until he started laughing.
He looked at them, their puzzled expressions starnig as a smile crept over Aisha's face watching him; he had no idea what was so funny.
"Wow a baby!" She squeaked beaming "Hey wait" Her smiled vanished a suddenly. "Aren't we supposed to have victory cigars?"
"HahahaWhat?" He mumbled a baffled look coming over his blue eyes as his laughter faded.
"Yeah I saw it on TV, a human had a baby so everyone smoked cigars!" She squeaked excitedly chewing her lip her eyes darting in thought.
"Aisha I don't think we are supposed to smoke in-" He stopped abruptly as she jumped out of her chair and went racing down the hall, both of them leaning out of their chairs to watch her. There was a long pause before he finally spoke again "Think she is getting cigars?"
"Probably" the assassin answered calmly as she sipped her soda again watching the clock as fifteen minutes past.
"I'm back!" She screeched as they looked up at her, she handed them each a cigar. "Come on let's go!" She squeaked sitting back down biting the end of hers off, they shrugged biting theirs as well. Suzuka took out a lighter and lit them; he watched them both inhale slightly before puffing their cigars more. Imitating them he did the same, feeling the smoke fill his lungs chocking him slightly but he didn't make a sound waiting for his body to adjust as he looked over at Aisha now pulling out three bottles of beer and cracking the tops off.
"Wow Aisha, people must love you at parties." He grinned watching her his eyes watering lightly as he choked on the smoke.
"Shut up and drink your beer Jimmy!" She snapped at him, watching him drink some as he gagged before drinking more. Suzuka laughed slightly from next to him a beer and cigar in hand. All of them grinning at how funny they all looked in the hospital hallway.
The double doors opened again and the red head stopped abruptly taken back by the scene. "Hey what's going on you ...." His voice trailed some as they looked up at him Aisha's sly grin retarded by the huge Cuban sticking out of her mouth. The assassin taking another swing of her beer as the blonde laughed at him, already a little drunk. Maybe they shouldn't.... He thought before shrugging. Now was a good time to celebrate, he grinned walking towards them his eyes straight ahead as he ripped the no smoking sign off the wall and picked up a beer.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He glanced back at her as he drove towards Starwind and Hawking Enterprises. The sun was just coming up as she lay sleeping gently against the Ctarl Ctarl the pink bundle still tight in her arms. Blond hair slightly visible in the mirror from where he lay resting his head on her leg. The assassin up front with him, the least effected by the beer and cigars. He stopped the car easily. Watching her chocolate eyes open slightly before looking down at the bundle smiling. She didn't have to stay at the hospital. She had a good clean birth the doctor said, and as long as she didn't do any labor or strenuous activity she would be fine.
He helped her out, gently grasping her shoulder as she held his hand the bundle in arm. He watched the Ctarl Ctarl on the other side of the car, grab the small sleeve of the blonde's blue shirt pulling him out. The small figure groaned making a face as she stood it up reaching back in and pulling out the small jacket.
"Aisha I can't believe you let him drink all that beer!" He smiled at her
"He drank it himself!" She spit back at him, as Jim walked unsteadily around the car, small hand sliding over its surface before stepping up onto the curb. "Besides, he looks fine to me." She smiled watching the blonde smile back up at her his eyes closed as he teetered slightly, causing her to frown. "Well anyway, I guess we know what we are going to do with the extra room downstairs" She grinned brightly
"Make a nursery?" The blonde hair mumbled gripping her hair for support
"That's a great idea!" The raven hair exclaimed handing the outlaw the bundle. "That is" She paused again timid "If you all don't mind."
"Are you kidding, what could be better? Unless of course we just make it into a ruckus room for her and Jim." She laughed shaking the blonde hair slightly, stopping as he suddenly pushed her off turning around and throwing up on the curb.
"Aisha you're making him sick." The assassin commented as she studied the broken window almost fully repaired. Men had been there working while they had waited at the hospital.
"Here Mel." The outlaw laughed handing her the bundle and Suzuka the key. He heard the key going into the lock as the door opened and the two girls stepped in behind him as he made his way over to Aisha and Jim. Bright eyes of the Ctarl just sitting on the trunk of the car content watching. Waiting for Jim to finish, the outlaw laughing to himself, who'd a thought he had all that in him. "Hey are you all done?" He laughed down at the blonde who just stood there making a face as it moved its tongue around in the small mouth. The scarred arms reaching down to him, but the blonde shoved him off shaking his head no as it turned around and continued.
"AHahaha don't puke out your brains Jimmy!" Aisha laughed as she hopped off the trunk of the car and walked up the steps to door, leaving Starwind and Hawking in the street. The blonde finally done was breathing heavily as the strong arms of his partner slid around him from behind scooping him into his arms and carrying his half asleep disoriented body through the door.
It seemed to him that Suzuka might have some sort of tea pot stashed in her komono for she already sat with a hot cup next to the bioandroid who rocked her bundle with care, "Jealous?" She teased smiling as she looked at him, holding the blonde.
"Oh yeah, lets see you beat me Mel. I am already eleven years ahead." He teased as the boy struggled in his arms suddenly. He just rolled his eyes "Aww come on Jim I was joking" He groaned letting the boy slide down him to its feet. Watching the blonde hair race to the bathroom and start throwing up some more. "Aisha." He shot her a frown. "How much did he drink?"
"I don't know, three bottles?" She squeaked wrinkling her nose. "He liked it!" She added watching his face give her a hard look. "Maybe he is just trying to make room for more, Hey JIM!" she squeaked getting up and walking to the bathroom, the light sound of the assassin chuckling behind her. "You want some more beer Jimmy?" She smiled at him, from where he sat exhausted on the floor.
"Can I go to bed now?" He asked exhausted, his blue eyes dropping closed while he spoke.
She shrugged "Jim you're a party pooper. Who wants to sleep in the bathroom?" She snorted as he picked himself up and started wavering for the stairs, but no one really noticed.
"Where is she going to sleep?" The assassin asked staring down at the quiet infant.
"In our room." She beamed looking up at the soft Ctarl Ctarl face
"In the little crib?" Her whisphered voice squeaked as the bioandroid nodded, the outlaw leaning into her now looking down at his little girl.
"Lily really is a beautiful name" The assassin spoke from the other side of the room flicking off the kitchen light. "I am going to bed." She said walking to the downstairs windows and doors checking them to make sure they were all locked.
"Us too, right?" The bioandroid asked looking at the outlaw, he nodded
"I will go get her bed ready, so we can just put her in." He said getting up.
"I'll wait with you Mel." The Ctarl Ctarl beamed moving into his spot next to her, both females admiring the bundle.
He sighed heavily heading for the stairs watching Suzuka come from the back door, finished with the rounds? He thought to himself. At least Suzuka never for-he stopped thinking for a moment almost stepping on the small body that had obviously decided to give up half way up the stairs and sleep there. "Hey Jim, you really want to sleep on the stairs?" He whisphered nudging the boy, who only mumbled something about minding his own business. "Alright" He shrugged standing up before Aisha called up to him. His dark eyes turned around looking at the two women staring up at him. "What? He wants to sleep on the stairs."
"No he doesn't" Aisha hissed up at him.
"Yes he does Aisha, he said so." He shot her a frown.
"Gene!" She snapped as the bioandroid laughed rocking her bundle lightly, he sighed.
"Thanks a lot pal, remind me to thank you in the mourning." He mumbled pulling the heavy blonde up by his arms. "Geez Jim you think you would weigh less after you threw all that stuff up." He teased standing the thin body up. Small gloved hands just rubbing their face.
"When did we get home?" The mumbled voice slurred up to him, blue eyes still closed.
"I don't know a minute ago, now go to bed." The outlaw ordered rubbing his shoulder as the blonde turned and started walking to his room
"Where is my laptop?" He mumbled opening his door and flicking on the light. The outlaw following with his jacket.
"I don't know...oh yeah I was meaning to ask you about that. Why did you give it to that nurse at the hospital?" He smiled waiting for the boy to react, and he did.
"What!? What nurse Gene!? Where is it?" He stumbled. The outlaw just laughed, watching the face relax, realizing he had been tricked.
"Downstairs in the living room, or…downstairs." The outlaw shrugged watching him climb up onto this bed exhausted, practically asleep before he made it all the way on.
"You know Gene" He turned to see the Ctarl Ctarl leaning in the doorway smiling at him. "Lily really is-Jim! Put your pj's on right now, right now Jim!" She screeched as he sat up moaning. She distinctly remembered spilling soda on him some hours ago, and him commenting he would be damned if he slept like that.
"Shut up Aisha! I want to go to bed!" The closed blue eyes frowned at her, leaning forward from where they sat.
"Yeah yeah what about her?" The outlaw said making his way over to the blonde and yanking his shirt off over his head, anxious to hear what she had to say.
"Well I was just going to say that...she reminds me of...a little Ctarl Ctarl!" She smiled at him pleased. He sighed as he rolled his eyes, watching his partner kick off his shoes from the corner of his eyes as he drug through the small dresser draws for a t-shirt.
"Here Jim." He handed the half open blue eys a shirt listening to her ramble on about kittens and how much better off terrenes would be if they had Ctarl Ctarl...
"Gene?" Her soft voice seemed to cut through everything grabbing his attention in an instant as he spun around to her.
"Yeah Mel?" But she only smiled at him watching him taking to Aisha and working with Jim at the same time. It made her smile, he would make a great dad and it was good to finally all be back home, they might have been bored out of their minds in the hospital hallway but no one was more grateful to finally get out of there then she was.
"Wow Melfina." Dhe heard him mumble through half open blue eyes as the outlaw pulled the covers off his bed. "Your not so fat anymore." He smiled at her, still drunk.
"I noticed." She smiled at him, watching the outlaw push him into the bed telling him to shut up. Pushing all of his stuff away from the side in case he threw up more before leaving the room and shutting off the light.
"I am so tired." He mumbled his hand resting on her smooth shoulder as they walked to their bedroom. The door to the Ctarl Ctarl's shutting lightly down the hall. He heard her whisper a me too as she climbed into the bed nestling under the sheets. The small crib pulled up to her side, where her hand rested lightly in with the child, as to not leave it for a second. She was so beautiful, all he wanted to do was have her at that very second, but he knew she was exhausted, and really he was too. Sliding in next to her, he felt the warmth of her body, her gentle figure still visible in the dark of the room. I won't disturb her he thought, remembering how tentatively she had been caring for the bundle, her back facing him as she lay on her side, all remaining energy directed at her child. Suddenly he felt her smooth hand lock into his. Her soft humm, again as if she were eating something delicious, and he smiled sliding in next to her, squeezing her shoulders as he kissed her neck softly. Her arm reaching up to him to run her hand through his hair, before he felt it lighten, the sound of her breath faint as she fell into a deep sleep. To exhausted to even tell him how happy she was. How grateful that he had never left her behind, that he had always treated her well, and now. Now he had helped her to create a child of her own, something she would always cherish, something she knew that he would always love. It didn't matter to her now, how much she knew of herself, what plan they had for the future, she had a purpose now. True and more palpable then ever before. This child was everything to her, and she had made a silent promise, to never let her forget it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
She is really cute, he thought looking down at the small bundle as it kicked its feet at random intervals, sucking on his finger, it sort of tickled.
"Hey! Your hands better be clean." The outlaw ordered entering the kitchen and walking to the coffee pot. Blonde hair sitting on the table next to the baby in her ready to go seat.
"Hey Gene?" The outlaw glanced at them from over his mug. "It is going to be different for her right? Not like when I was younger?"
He lowered his mug, when I was younger? What is he talking about, he doesn't know a thing, but the dark eyes were soft watching them "Course it is."
"You promise you will never leave her." He snapped suddenly his eyes were hard "Don't ever let her be alone." He demanded, his light face now stern and focused
"Jim" He started, but he was really taken, I didn't think he remembered anything from when he was younger, when did this happen? "What do you remember Jim? I mean I didn't think you could, well that you knew anything."
The boy just shrugged looking back down at the bundle "Mainly the hospital." he answered, but he didn't really contribute any real information. The outlaw smiled
"Hey, hows it feel to be a godfather?" He teased watching the blonde smiled as it shook its head exhaling.
"Well like maybe I should be older or something. It just makes me think of old guys." The outlaw laughed choking slightly on his coffee, before swallowing. His loud voice consuming the room.
"Yeah me too! Wonder why that is? Think it is because you should be old enough to be a father, or well you can't really be a god?" He smiled puzzled as he picked the small pink pacifier out of her blankets and put it in the small baby mouth. "Geez I am glad Mel isn't sick anymore." He heard the blonde laugh at him. "I have so much planned for her you know Jim? She is going to be smart, she is going to know how to do things, going to know the right people. Never going to see the gutter like us. Be something big when she gets older, wonderful, just like her mother.
He kept talking but he was speaking softer now and she couldn't hear him from where she stood outside the doorway. Her soft chocolate eyes proud of them both.
"Of course not too beautiful or else your dad is going to have to carry this big gun, and chase down all the dogs in this town." The small lips spit at him, making bubbles delighted. "Oh you think so.." The outlaw continued watching her. "Hey Jim. Can you do that?" He cocked an eyebrow at the blonde while still watching the bundle.
"I don't know, I never tried." He stated staring down at the infant with the outlaw.
"I don't think I can do that either, who knew she had so much spit her mouth!" He laughed watching the baby blow bubbles content
"Maybe Aisha can do it." The blue eyes smiled down at her, looking up at them both. They already had a whole world planned out for her and she didn't even know it.
The dark eyes flickered; he felt her soft hand on the back of his neck walking up behind him. Staring at him with her gorgeous mocha eyes. Her other hand ruffling his golden hair, he wasn't forgotten.
Even thought no one really knew what her favorite color would be, or if she would be a tomboy. If she would love space or hate it, they had so much planned for her. She was going to be wonderful, because he would give her everything, and he would let her know how much he loved her. From the start how much she was loved. There has got to be at least one beautiful girl in this town with a family alive and kicking he thought to himself. One who will make a real difference in the world, even if it's just in the way she smiles.
The dark eyes watched her continue to spit, this was it, this was his chance to give something really beautiful back to the world. To leave a part of himself, more than he could ever do with Jim. Even though they still had a lot of time left together, he could do this one. He could pull it off, and he planed to.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ah this really sucks he thought as he reached down and grabbed another one. They had been hauling these damn crates since mourning! Who the hell needed all this heavy cargo!? And chemical supplies too! Each time he picked one up his eyes instinctively read the warning label, dangerous chemical supplies, handle with care.
"This whole place is busted." He heard the blonde complain walking back into the loading room where his partner worked. "Their vending machines don't work either, they must have had a serious power overload here."
"Yeah yeah." He muttered pushing another crate into the back of the truck, wiping his forehead as he turned around to face his partner, sitting on one of the crates. "Hey start working Jim, move all the crates over there, but don't touch the ones with the red stickers, I'll do em."
"How come?"
"Cause they are too heavy now hurry up I don't want to be here till tomorrow!" He shot picking another one up as the blonde walked over and started moving all the ones to the right of the room.
__*~*~*~FIVE HOURS LATER~*~*~*__
"You sure about that? I could help?" He teased again on top of the back large crate smiling.
"No, but do something blast it. Just sitting there watching me isn't helping." He heard the outlaw sigh exhausted as he hopped down and started filling out the paper work.
The small phone attached to the outlaw's belt making them both look at it as it started beeping. "Yeah what is it Aisha" He barked into the small phone. "Ahhh." He growled "Yeah yeah fine." He hung up. "Hey Jim! Drive home and see what the hell the girls are doing."
"Why? What did they want?" He asked dully still filling out the papers. This stupid pen never worked.
"I don't know Aisha just called and said they could use a little help." His voice was strained as he shoved the crate into the truck before turning around. "Well get going."
"Hey you know if it's Melfina, you could score some major brownie points if you were the one to rescue her." The blonde grinned, the dark eyes blinked thinking this over.
"Good idea. You close up Jim." The outlaw grinned throwing a rag to the ground. He only had three more crates left and he was tired, he would do them in the mourning.
"Ok" He heard Jim call back as he walked out of the garage entrance, getting into the car.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He quickly filled out the paper work, or it seemed like he was moving along, he was a little tired.
"Hey kid we have to lock everything up in half an hour." The employee called from over his shoulder.
"Yeah, don't worry buddy, I'm leaving." He said turning around and shoving the papers into his back pocket. The man simply nodded looking back down at his clipboard before leaving.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What! What do you mean it's stuck!" the outlaw growled, pushing his face closer to the oven door. The oven itself practically yanked from the wall. Evidence that Aisha had obviously been the first to try and fix the problem.
"It just won't open." The raven hair answered him. "There goes the pie." She sighed.
"WHAT! OPEN THAT DOOR NOW!" Aisha screeched. "Aisha wants pie!" She demanded.
"Blast, I knew Jim should have come." The outlaw muttered looking in at the pie, watchign the smooth brown crust become blackened. "Aisha call the loading warehouse, he has to be still there."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The blue button next to the phone on the wall started beeping, he looked up at it. Grabbing the rest of the papers and taping them to the back of the truck before walking over to it.
"Hey Kid!" The man shot from behind him.
"Yeah I am leaving right now!" He yelled turning around.
"Hey." The man said again but softer "I know you. Well well well." He said putting his hands on his hips, his taller buddy hoping onto one of the crates, just sitting there.
"Yeah so what's it to you?" He said dully, bored and tired.
"Don't tell me you don't remember me. Aww you hurt my feelings." The man sneered. "We used to be good friends when you was younger."
When I was younger? Who the hell is this scumbag, and why did I know him when I was younger? He had so few memories of his past, for some reason he had a hard time remembering what exactly happened, but he knew how it felt and who his father was.
"Hey you want to see something?" The man smiled at him
"No." He said firmly, I can take care of myself but I don't have to go looking for trouble his brain spit at him
"What, are you sure kid? Maybe you just don't remember me." The man smiled casually
His voice was starting to sound familiar now. The weird way in which he smiled at him, and he felt his pulse increase slightly. Maybe I do remember him, but from where?
"Hold on a sec, you don't have to come with me or anything, I ain't going to hurt you kid, it would just be like old times." He smiled
"I gotta go." He said finally turning around as he headed for the door, but he stopped suddenly as he caught the man out of the corner of his eye.
"Do you remember this?" The man sneered pulling a small zip lock bag from his pocket. The brilliant green powder inside glistening in the light. He stared at it. "Hold on, maybe you just need to smell it to remember." The man spoke walking towards him. Dirty eyes slowing his pace as the blonde took quick step back.
The zipper seal released and the hard sweet smell shot up at him. Ah I want some, he thought, and his whole body ached for that bag. He wanted it so bad, his eyes glaring at the crystals inside it as the man smiled.
"Yeah I knew you would remember." The man said casually walking away.
"Hey give me that!" He shot shooting after the man grabbing his arm.
"Well well, you want some?" The eyes were silent glaring at him. "Then come with me." He watched the blue eyes, they didn't want to go with him. His hand released the man's arm as he backed up. "Aww come on, I will give you half this bag, you know that's a lot of money. You don't remember how much fun we used to have? Maybe you'll like it now?" He smiled down at nervous boy.
The blue eyes staring into the floor, he was starting to remember slightly, this feeling, the smell. I don't want to go, don't go it's not safe, his mind warned him but his body drowned out the sound. He had to have that bag, he needed it.
"Half the bag for half an hour." He spit finally, looking down. He wasn't exactly sure what the half an hour was for, but somehow, it seemed familiar to make this trade. Have I done it before? Foggy images started to flout back, but he couldn't piece them together right, and he didn't care. The sooner the half an hour began, the sooner he got his half.
The man simply eyed him.
"Kid your not worth that, an hour." He said defiantly, this kid was going to listen to him.
Blast it he thought, an hour? He looked back up, the brilliant crystals consuming his eyes. "Fine! Half the bag for one hour, no more." He said firmly, and he meant it. As soon as he got what he wanted he was leaving.
The man smiled at him. "Hey Joe, you close up and do the paper work, I am going to be a little busy." He sneered; the blue eyes shot down at the floor. The seal of the bag released again. "Here." He looked up the small bright crystals in the man's hand, He snatched it from him. "This is your advance, I don't want you too awake."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
It only took about six minutes to get to the hotel, it was right down the street. The dark man got out leaving him in the car before he pulled the key out and scrambled out after him following him into the lobby. He followed him to the desk as he got his key before following him up the stairs. His eyes glued on the pocket where the bight plastic of the bag could be seen.
53B opened to a cloud of smoke and cheap smells. Three separate sets of music blared as six guys and several prositues looked up as they walked it.
"Hey I didn't agree to this!" He shot turning back to the door from where he was inside.
"Shut up. You want some or not!?" The man answered heading to a back room. Everything he knew told him to leave, and in a way he wanted someone to stop him. To keep his body from wanting those crystals, but he just couldn't help it, he had to have some.
The man locked the door behind him, as he stood looking at the room. It was a dirty small room with one bed apparently already used. A left over bra and condom lay on one of the pillows. A small desk and a window no bigger then the ones in the basement of Starwind and Hawking were the only other assets. The bag dropped onto the table and the man pulled a small vile of pink liquid from his pocket and poured some in.
"All of it!" He felt himself yell suddenly, "All or I am leaving." The man's grim eyes turned to him again, eyeing him before pouring the rest in. He turned suddenly leaning into the desk before walking towards him, he felt his heart racing, but he wanted those crystals. "Give me some now!" He ordered watching as the man picked up a small lump from where the liquid was turning the fine crystals into separated amounts. He felt the small lump fall into his hand as he licked it feeling the bittersweet taste of the crystal fall into a powder as it connected with is tongue, he inhaled deeply. Suddenly the room was much more interesting as it swirled around him, and he smiled. He felt good; he hadn't felt that good in a long time, "More." He demanded almost sleepily.
"Ah huh, now it's my turn." The man answered as he felt himself fall backwards onto the dirty sheets of the bed. His blond hair falling over his eyes resting on the pillows as he smiled, the man tugging on his clothes from above him. In a couple seconds he would get more. He couldn't wait.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Ahhh" He growled opening his eyes slowly, they were swollen and pink. He picked up his head slightly, she was gone, but her smell remained. "Ahh I feel like I was hit by a truck." the outlaw mumbled to no one in particular. He had been up practically all night walking around as the small child screamed in his arms just so Mel could try and get some sleep.
He stood up still exhausted, he was still partially dressed, and he stumbled into the hall exhausted. "9:00, already?" He whisphered
"Get out of my way." Aisha grumbled as she trudged down the hair, her bright eyes pink to the swollen nose under her light head of hair.
"Well well aren't we looking lovely?" He teased as she growled shuffling past him.
"Aisha has a cold, and she demands you SHUT UP!" She screeched slamming the bathroom door in his face.
"Hey wait Aisha! I was going to take a shower!"
"Too bad Terrene, Aisha is taking a bubble bath...SHUT UP!" He heard her shriek from inside as he slumped into the door. Stupid Aisha she would be in there for hours.
"Yeah well can I at least have my toothbrush!" He yelled irritated, there was no answer "Gee I never thought I would see the day when the immortal Ctarl Ctarl would get sick." He teased as the door flung open, his toothbrush smacking him in the face before it slammed again. Her threats drowning out as he walked away from the door. What a great day, he thought miserably.
"Hey Mel." He muttered walking into the kitchen, the dark raven hair taking dishes out of the cabinet.
"Good mourning, problems with Aisha?" She smiled stretching into the cabinet
"How did you guess?" He smirked pouring a cup of coffee, he'd brush his teeth later.
"She has a cold, poor dear."
"What?! How about poor me?! Poor us?! Our kid is a monster, who the hell can scream like that?!" He took a swing of his coffee, remembering last night, walking for hours mainly in circles, trying to get her to go to sleep.
She shook her head laughing slightly as she dug into the refrigerator "Will you get the phone?" She spoke from inside as he headed to the living room again, picking it up.
"Hello?" He didn't even bother to tell them they had reached Starwind and Hawking Enterprises
"Mr. Starwind, most of the repairs have been completed on your ship the Outlaw Star, but the dock manager is holding you responsible for the damages that occurred during the crash, and you will not be allowed to leave port until they are repaid."
"What?!" He shot, the Ctarl Ctarl coming down the stairs behind him, sitting at the table. "That is ridiculous, I have a business to run around here! You tell this dock manager if he wants to hold our ship to come down here and tell it to my face!" He ordered hanging up the phone. "Blast it" He muttered sitting down next to the light head of hair resting on the table.
"Bad news?" She hissed
"Those damn dock people won't let the ship out of port until we pay for everything!' He yelled at both her and the bioandroid now entering the room with a platter of breakfast.
"Oh" She said slightly concerned "Well Gene, I , I made an appointment for the baby this afternoon, it will cost 50 Wong." She paused watching his drained expression "I have to pay upfront, but I still want her to go." She almost begged
"Yeah Yeah don't worry about it Melfina, you take Lily anywhere you two need to go. I am not going to make you think of money, leave us to take care of that, right Jim?" He waited for the response now leaning on to the table next to the sleeping Ctarl Ctarl. "Jim? Ahh no!" He shot racing up the stairs and swinging into the bathroom. "Huh! Beat you today!" He grinned turning on the water. *He* was taking a shower, he walked out of the bathroom back towards his room for some new clothes pausing to look into his partner's room, the door was surprisingly open. "Hey looks like I beat you today, you own me five Wong buddy, pay up." He smirked to the empty room. "Huh? Hey Gilliam where is he?" His baffled expression reflecting from the pink can.
"Jim did not return home last night Gene."
"What!? Why didn't you say something?!" He scowled his pulse increasing, it would have been about thirteen hours since he had last seen him. Anything could have happened from then to now.
"Everyone was sleeping and I didn't want to disturb you or Melfina."
"Gilliam! So help me as soon as I get the money we are doing an upgrade you worthless piece of crap!" He shot slamming the front door to the protests of the most advanced computer system in the galaxy.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
His breaks screeched as he shot into the parking lot of the loading warehouse. "That's right Mel I will be home as soon as I pick him up.....well of course not!" He shot hanging the phone up as he threw it to the other end of the car. "Hey Jim!" He heard his voice echo, as his dark eyes glanced around suddenly calmer. He walked back over to their station, the three crates where there. Their paper work was in order, all there stuff was locked. Where the hell could he possibly be? He thought. He didn't fall asleep here, so where would he have gone?
"Excuse me." The outlaw whirled around his caster in hand, the man stepped back startled.
"Yeah, what do you want?" He shot bitterly
"Well I, are you the one who was here with that kid last night?" He stammered, as the outlaw gripped his collar "Ahh Mister you are cleared to...
"You know where he is?" The outlaw shot
"He left with some guys last night, I don't know where to. I saw them leave when I locked the main doors." He spit suddenly, anxious to be far away from the outlaw.
"Hey, ahh thanks." He said slowly as he released his grip, smoothing the guys collar out slightly before racing back to the car. What the hell?
He turned three corners before the Ehefrau came into view in front of a skuzzy motel.
He knocked on the door of 53B, waiting, but there was no answer. Alright then, he thought pulling out his caster and loading it before kicking in the door. The loud sound was all that was in the abandoned apartment; the dark eyes darted around, catching his surroundings. "Jim?" He yelled, but there was no answer. Well well he thought, this must have been some party. He could smell the cigarettes and beer, the cheap perfume and random forgotten objects scattered around on the stained tattered carpet that covered the floor of the ugly place, the tube of lipstick, a calculator, a watch, sock, cigar, nothing interesting.
The kitchen had just about as much to show as the rest of the place. Dirty and disorganized cluttered with more random objects and personal belongings, a couple of condoms were in the sink, "Great." he said leaning into the refrigerator and pulling out a beer. He popped the top raising the bottle to his lips.
The cool glass bottle slammed onto the counter, the untouched beer spilling as the dark eyes burned into his partner's coat across the kitchen on the floor. "Huh? Jim!" He stormed from his beer towards the back bedrooms. Flinging open the doors. One by one he was greeted with new smells and oddities, the third room had a sleeping prostitute who merely mumbled her price before rolling over going back to sleep. The last room was the smallest, and the darkest, smelling bitterly sweet, "It's empty too." He whisphered to himself as he turned walking from the doorway before the sound of the sheets caught his attention.
He had his caster out in a matter of seconds, storming back into the room, the dark eyes catching nothing as he ripped the cloth from the window placing both hands back on the gun as it fell.
The soft light revealed the dust flouting in the air as the sunlight poured onto the bed. The blue eyes squinted suddenly as the light took him by surprise. "Jim?" The outlaw muttered, but the boy only smiled at him.
"Hey Gene, you are up early, whatcha been doing?" He laughed rolling over slightly, pushing himself up with his arms. The dark eyes watching him expressionless, as the blonde sat up on the bed teetering slightly, the sheets covering his bottom half as he sat rubbing his eyes and forehead, the sun falling over his soft pale skin.
"Jim! What's the big idea of not calling or anything, and why are-" He stopped talking watching the blonde wiggle his fingers amazed, as if they were completely new to him. "Jim! Did you hear one word I have said! You and me are going to have a serious talk when we get home!" He barked at the small boy still watching his fingers move. The moved as if to get up before stopping suddenly almost exhausted small legs kicking under the sheets as if frustrated, but the face only looked drained, before it started laughing. "Jim what is your problem!" He shot looking at him sitting there in the bed dirty. His hair a tangled wreck, his small skin held the glisten of sweat now dried, as he choked with laughter. What the hell is wrong with him? He thought now slightly concerned, he couldn't think of anything that could possibly be funny, but he had a sick feeling it wasn't supposed to be that kind of funny. The dark eyes just blinked slowly waiting for him to finish but he didn't. "Will you shut up already!" He barked suddenly causing the boy to laugh even harder, his body shaking without any sound as humored tears streamed down his cheeks. The outlaw was pissed suddenly for making him worry, for not calling, for dragging him out there, "Shut the hell up Jim!" He shot grabbing the boy's arm shaking him.
"Hey! The blue eyes shot suddenly "You have to give me some first!" shoving his partner's hand's off he offered his own. The dark eyes looked at it, watching the boy smiling now. The small palm of the light hand stained with the powder, a pink, green and orange coloring covering it. His eyes widened watching the blonde lay back down pushing the sheets from its exposed body. "You get ten minutes." It mumbled.
"Jim you idiot!" He shot throwing the sheet back over him, grabbing the blond hair, the face gripping them tightly forcing the eyes up at him. "Just like I thought." The outlaw sneered bitterly at him watching the green pupils of the boy's eyes glare at him.
"Let me go, get off! I am not for free you know!" He shot kicking the outlaw struggling against the scared arms, frozen to him. The dark eyes just staring, before his body gave out, and he passed out cold, falling back into the bed.
He just sat back, onto the old mattress, thinking hard. He remembered that look in his eyes, from when he first met him addicted to that crap. Diamond he thought bitterly, what the hell am I going to do with him like this, we have to run a business now. Goddamnt son of..... His swearing continued as he smashed part of the table to pieces, strengthening his blows with his fiery, the butt of his caster smashing into the wood, before he kicked it. His anger only enraging before he snatched the clothes scattered around the room, and finally the blonde sheets and all. Carrying him under his arm he kicked the bedroom door out to the shriek of the prostitute in the kitchen, finishing his beer. He didn't even look at her, walking right by and down the hall. He didn't look at anyone as he left, walking straight ahead to the car, ripping open the side door and putting Jim in, before getting into the drivers seat. The same disgusted and almost bored expression on his face.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
Slowly the world around him came back into focus, slightly, his head resurfacing to his surroundings. He felt fine, a little sore, but ok recognizing where he was immediately looking at the wall in front of him, before rolling over, the rest of his room falling into view.
"Hey, what's your problem?" He yawned casually to the outlaw sitting at the other side of his room, leaning against the wall. It looked disgusted, almost smirking at him before picking up apiece of toast and tossing it at him.
The blue eyes looked at it, before picking it up looking back at his partner "Hey thanks, how did you know I was hungry? He smiled lightly
"Cause you always were before." The outlaw mumbled, exhaling as though someone had failed him where he thought they would have succeeded.
"Huh? What are you talking abo-" He stopped mid sentence looking at his hand where he held the bread. His palm stained with the colors of the drug. "Uh...what?" He stammered
"Yeah that's right, you starting to remember yet Jim?" The outlaw almost scowled sarcastically at him.
"Ahh get out Gene!" He shot annoyed, sitting up abruptly to get up and make him leave before stopping. Quickly sitting back into the dirty sheets around him as he realized they were all he was wearing. His eyes widened as he grabbed another blanket. "How did I get here!?" He yelled
"How do you think? I brought you here." He answered dully
"Yu...you brought me?" He said as thought he didn't want to believe it.
"Yeah that's right Jim. I carried you. Right through a hotel lobby and into the street. There were a lot of people staring at us alright." He watched him from accost the room wide eyed, the crimson cheeks glaring at him.
"Get out Gene! Get out right now! Now Gene get out of here!" He yelled as the outlaw got up walking to the door and slamming it behind him. He'll get what's coming to him he thought bitterly. Stupid kid I thought he learned better when he was younger; it isn't like Jim to do stupid things more than once. Talking to Aisha is probably the only stupid thing he does now. He always plans ahead much more then even I do. He was slightly baffled, and disgusted. He didn't feel sorry for his younger partner, he should have known better, he did know better. If that was how he wanted to act, then he would suffer the consequences his mind shot at him, but his face didn't mimic it's hard tone. It was soft, almost hurt.
He walked into the kitchen to the sound of the shower starting upstairs; he pulled some roast beef out of the refrigerator and made a sandwich. Sitting down at the table as the water shut off again. Huh, he thought, I knew he would be down soon; he is probably starving to death.
The kitchen door swung open as the blonde hair shot through it. Ripping open the refrigerator and slamming random left overs into its mouth as it pulled out the platter of ham and mash potatoes to heat up. Or maybe just eat it cold, whatever is faster he thought.
"It's useless." The outlaw said causing him to stop as he turned around chewing. "You are only going to throw it all up in fifteen minutes." He said flatly taking another bit of his sandwich.
The blue eyes shot at the clock "I slept that long!"
"You were out cold." He said watching him; the blue eyes were slightly panicked now thinking hard. "Why Jim?" There was silent pause "Why did you do that?" The outlaw looked genuinely upset now staring at him, the frowning blonde. "Did we do something wrong here? Huh?! Don't you have everything you need!" He yelled standing up throwing his sandwich to the ground. The blonde didn't move as the outlaw screamed at him, he didn't have anything to say.
~*~
"Ahh Melfina, why don't they shut up." She whined snuggling her head deeper into the pillow before raising her eyes back to the television.
"Maybe the job didn't go so well." She shrugged sitting next to the Ctarl Ctarl who held a box of tissues on their bed. The small pink bundle in her arms as she fed her, listening to them in the kitchen as they watched tv. "Here Aisha, will you hold Lily for a second?"
"Sure Melfina." She smiled even with her cold she looked genuinely pleased to cradle the small bundle that didn't fight her off in her arms. "Don't worry, she can't catch my cold it's only for Ctarl C...."
"I know." The raven hair sung as she started for the bedroom door, the sound of the doorbell ringing through the building. She hurried through the hall and down the stairs. Ohh I hope they go outside, she thought, they are getting really loud. She hurried to the door opening it swiftly and stepping out onto the steps as she shut it behind her. "May I help you?"
~*~
"...should you care, I am not your responsibility!" He shot into the outlaw's face pressing into his.
"God Damnt yes you are!"
"Your not my father Gene, so just back off!" He shot back, the outlaw standing up no longer in his face.
"Oh so now I am not your father huh? I bet he is really proud of you now Jim."
There was a silence as the pieces of the dish fell to the floor from the wall behind the red head turning to watch it shatter before he stood up straighter. His eyes falling back to the blonde that just threw it at him. His small body heaving, fighting through his glistening tear filled eyes.
"You, you DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE! You never have, and You NEVER WILL GENE! *You* never understand anything! I HAVE to have them! I can't STAND IT! It's the only reason I stayed before!" He shot stomping out of the kitchen, the outlaw motionless before shooting after him, biting his lip. He was burning inside and he threw his caster into the empty sink. He didn't want to accidentally pull it out at him and make a mistake.
The blonde was but a foot in front of him before as grabbed the back of the jacket spinning it around hard and throwing him into the wall. He heard Jim cry out as the blonde hair hit falling to the ground fast as he grabbed the small shirt pulling it up.
His feet scrambling to the floor as he stood almost off it to the hold of the heaving outlaw. I
nsides his mouth he was biting his tongue, just squeezing his shirt in his hands. It was the first time he ever wanted to really yell at him, to really get him for what he was doing. Letting people use him like that, worrying them. The scared blue eyes glaring up him, the only line of defense he had.
"Relax! And shut the hell up! You think I am going to touch you like they did!? Well your wrong, the whole thing makes me sick. I am taking you to get help!" He shot shoving the blonde back into the wall as he let go.
"Well I am not going, you can't make me! For once I am glad you aren't my father!" He sneered up him. Gene couldn't tell him what to do, and he wanted to make sure he made that clear. "Yours must have been a dirt bag if you turned out like-" He stopped talking suddenly on the ground again. The side of his face growing warm, swelling up slightly to where he had just been hit. The room was silent, swirling slightly, maybe from the drugs? Maybe from the blow? He reached up and touched it lightly, the warmth burning into his fingers. The outlaw towering above him staring down from where it had just back handed him good.
"I didn't mean it." He heard him whisper "But you can't do this Jim." The voice was hard. "You have to give up the drugs. You did it once didn't you? You don't have to go back." The outlaw spoke crouching in front of the dazed expression.
It was almost like a small sob, a deep exhale that was the only sound. Catching everyone's eyes. Soft tears streaming down her face. What had they done? Both of them, what had they done?
He turned to her sound, the dark eyes blinking. Who the hell was she? Why did Melfina let her in? But below him, Jim seemed to know. The small hands grabbing his cloak from where they sat on the floor.
"Gene, I promise I will give them up this time for good. I will never go back, just please, don't let her ta..." His voice trailed off as she stood on her cell phone speaking briskly. The small pleas and her talking blending and fading as the outlaw stood up.
"Get away from him!" She shot, marching over and pushing the outlaw away.
"Hey lady! Who the hell do-" He stopped watching the blonde scramble to his feet trying to run before she grabbed his arm. His eyes catching the small pin on her light jacket, and suddenly it all made sense.
So this is it, he thought. Right now. These damn people have to show up right now.
This will give them something to file all right.
He almost smiled now, as if this were some joke, a trap set on him long ago. The mastermind just waiting for him to stumble and fall into it. As it shrieked with laughter and delight at his catch, his long rewarded patience. He was silent as she spoke to him, he wasn't registering a thing, just staring off to her side. To the small blonde struggling to escape her grasp. The weak attempts from his overloaded and exhausted body failing to phase her, before he turned and threw up all over the floor.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"All right Mr. Starwind, the tests have confirmed that none of your blood or seamen were found on the boy." She smiled at him, as he leaned against the small table in the white room.
"So, I told you that before lady!" He shot slightly irritated. These stupid people hadn't listened to one damn word he had said, testing everything.
"Yes well, we have concluded the whole event and your story have fit his physical description even though he refuses to talk."
"Well can I see him?" He said dully watching her write into his file.
"His body is still going into withdrawal from the drug, so he is rather hyperactive. That reminds me Mr. Starwind, I would like to ask your advice." She turned smiling at him again, as he looked at her bored.
"Oh my advice, I see. Now why is it someone as smart as you would want my advice Miss. Medical?" He spit sarcastically.
"Diamond is a very powerful drug Mr. Starwind and it tends to effect everyone differently. It is dependant on age, gender, amount, all sorts of factors play into this. I would like to ask you how your partner experienced this drug before, so I know what to expect. How we can treat him?"
She watched the dark eyes consider this. Looking at her as though she wanted this information for some sort of trap.
"Well I don't know, maybe I remember *something* but, I might remember a little more if I could see him." She frowned
"Very Well." She said displeased as she gathered his file and led him down the hall.
The room was of average size but it was completely empty except for a single twin bed and small table and chair mounted to the ground. He walked in letting the door shut behind him, as the blond looked up disgusted, before realizing who he was.
"Gene!" He yelled running over to outlaw. "Aww Gene, thank goodness, you're going to get me out of here right!? I really want to go; you have got to get me out of here! He shot directly infront of the calm scarred face looking down at him.
"Yeah yeah alright Jim settle down." He said assuring him as he watched the blonde back away slightly eyeing him wide eyed as the outlaw walked to the white table and sat down. His blue eyes quickly rushing after him, sitting across from him fidgeting impatiently.
"Gene, all you have to do is sign me into your custody and I can leave! I just want a little more. I promise after one more hit Gene I will quit for good ok?"
I can't believe this he thought, he wants another hit? I can't get him out of here like this.
"Come on Gene answer me! Why don't you say something huh!?" He yelled at him jumping from his chair and racing over to the outlaw grabbing his cloak furiously. The red hair just sat silent watching him all of his actions enhanced and dramatic. More hyped up then that time he let him drink coffee for an entire day when he was younger. He had never been so alert. Screaming at him, begging and threatening, then promising, this was too much. None of these words seemed to mean a thing to him. I can't take much more of this, he thought dully.
In one swift movement he grabbed him around the waste lifting him off the floor. The small arms beating him, biting him, threatening him to let him go. He walked silent and easy, his mind just as calm as his movements. Throwing the small body onto the bed and pressing it down flat on its back.
The boy flailed on the blanket pinned down at all corners, so no patient could use it as a weapon for themselves or anyone else. His scarred hand gripping the pillowcase tearing it from the small pillow, shredding the lining with his teeth. The blonde fighting harder as he gripped his wrist, almost too hard to hang on to.
"God damnt Jim shut up already! You know I am going to win so just give up!" He shot leaning on top of the small beating chest with his upper body to keep it there. The cloth tying tightly around the smaller wrists as he yanked the blonde upward suddenly. Causing a pause of silence as the light skin gasped to the quick movement, before continuing. I am really going to go deaf, he thought. Remembering how outrageous it seemed that they put him in a sound tight room. I wish we could install one of these at Starwind and Hawking he thought watching the blonde's legs pushing into the bed arching its back and pulling to get away from where it was stuck. Swearing and spitting at the outlaw. But he ignored it, the dark eyes getting up to his apologies and pleas to stay before he started swearing at him again, walking out and letting the door shut behind him.
Her eyes were wide with a lack of opinion and only concern consuming them. Watching the outlaw as he walked out so calm. "This is how we did it before. Just leave him there so he can't hurt himself. Feed him cause he gets really hungry. He will throw up anything you feed him in the most a half an hour? But if you don't feed him, it seems to really hurt him, so you better even thought he can't keep it down." He reported to her, her concerned face absorbing everything he said standing silent next to the bioandroid who looked as though she would faint with stress.
"Well uh, thank your Mr. Starwind..Take this." She handed him a small red card. "It will allow you visitation rights at anytime, but you must understand I could loose my job if you were to try and go against the agency in any way." She looked reluctant to give it to him suddenly, but he smiled reassuringly at her and she let it go.
"Shouldn't we stay with Jim?" She finally asked timidly as they headed towards the car.
"No, I don't want to see him when he is like this, and you shouldn't see him either. He says stuff he doesn't mean Mel; he is way out of control. I don't-" He stopped talking watching a sweet young woman walk up to them.
"Hello, I am so happy to meet you in person Mr. Starwind. My name is Sarah Getter and I had the pleasure of interviewing Jim six months ago. He talked a great deal about you, but that is not why I would like to speak to you." She smiled sweetly
"Then what is it?" He said in his normal sly tone, watching her inhale before continuing.
"I am very concerned because I used to work for the Social Services legally, before I went back to school to get my degrees, I wanted to actually handle clients, not just their paper work you know?" He nodded but honestly he couldn't relate. " I am afraid Jim is going to be faced with being in possession and use of illegal substances.
"What!" He shot at her "Drugs aren't illegal?!"
"Yes I know, but diamond is illegal here on Sentinel when mixed with a solution, because it changes into a very dangerous form."
"So what does that mean?" He sneered at her, annoyed with all of this.
"Well Jim may be put into a correctional facility because of it."
"What?!" He yelled now causing the raven hair to jump letting go of his arm as he shot at her. "He is only eleven!"
"I know Mr. Starwind please! I sympathize with you, that is why I am here."
"Melfina." He shot suddenly "I want you to go home, and don't tell Aisha what's happened or where Jim is no matter what she says or does."
"But I-"
"Do it, I promise I will tell you everything when I get home." His tone was soft now, he wanted her to leave. She seemed on the verge of tears, hardly understanding any of this, but she felt it, the fear, and concern. Her chocolate colored eyes turned suddenly snapping around as she ran to the car. Anxious to get away from this foreign terrain, back to where she felt safe, she cried for having to leave Jim behind, all by himself. She didn't understand how that could have been better, but Gene told her it was, so she started the car. Forcing herself to calm down, she was going to have to deal with Suzuka and Aisha when she got home.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Unless you can get some kind of evidence or something that says these drugs where forced into him..."
"That's just the thing lady I know he took them on his own. They didn't force him to go with them. He used to be addicted when he was younger. He will do anything to get them Blast it!" The outlaw shot at her exasperated, leaning forward as he talked frustrated.
"Well we can use that as well. That addiction is enough to block out logic, especially with the form of diamond he is on. It will be a strong case in our defense, as for the injuries..." she trailed lightly
"What injuries?" He didn't seem to injured when he was fighting him minutes ago, he thought
"He had several injuries to his arms, upper back, lower abdomen, his right hand..... Nothing too severe, but I don't think the agency will want to release Jim back into your custody. Especially when you are listed as his watchful guardian and allowed these events to take place."
"What!" He shot at her calm face and voice. "Well what the hell do they plan on doing with him then!?"
"As it stands if he is not sent to a correctional facility, he will fall into the care of foster parents." She frowned slightly, but her voice was calm
"You can't!" He shot at her "We need him lady! He is the engineer to our ship, the other half of my business!" He growled at her, standing up fast.
"I am sorry, there is nothing I can do about that." Her face spoke softly concerned, her eyes calmly fallowing him as he stood.
"Well why the hell not!" He shot again.
"Because you are not his legal guardian, and these charges are being pressed against him!" She frowned at his attitude.
"You mean...I have to be his...adopt him?...I can do *that* right? That can't be against the law?" He almost laughed bitterly.
"No, but it requires a lot of paperwork, proof of a steady job and income, safe home environment. Many things that are not in your profile Mr. Starwind."
"Look lady! I don't plan on loosing my partner because of one damn mistake he makes when he's eleven!" He spit as thought it were the stupidest thing he ever heard. "I can get these papers you need if you want them so badly. And they'll look and prove legit cookie, but I'll tell you to your face they are coming straight from the black market, and you can't quote me on that cause you will never be able to prove it." He shot watching her blink.
She stared at him considering his offer. "Mr. Starwind I must admit that it is quite a lift to my spirits when a child comes into the office and is actually happy and healthy in their home. Last year I met three mistakes and Jim was one of them. I would like it very much for him to return with you. So as long as they appear legit, I will take this case for no cost."
The dark eyes blinked staring at her, did she just say what I think she said? For free? "I have to apologize." He said suddenly relaxing, she blinked confused.
"Why?"
"For everything I said bad against this office, this force. You really are trying to help people in here, aren't you?" She nodded, there was a long pause before he stood up, both of them considering for a few seconds. Getting a small glipse of what each others lives were like. "I'll be in touch." He smiled walking away from her. We can definitely fight this one he smiled. There is no way I am letting some blasted drug get in the way of everything, my childhood was a bust, and I'll be damned to just sit by and watch his go down the tube. Maybe I should just, check one more time, just for a few seconds. He hesitated, before turning and going down the hall.
There weren't any nurses around; he looked down both hallways before he inserted the red card opening the door again.
Jim hardly noticed him now, his body still struggling with the drug. The outlaw walked over to him quietly, is he asleep or what? He thought watching him breath hard soaked with perspiration; he was exhausted from trying to break free. The dark eyes stared at his blonde hair for a few seconds watching him breath, unaware the outlaw was there. His scarred face smiled slightly. He still has so much ahead of him, but it vanished suddenly watching him choke some. That damn drug, he swore in his mind. What kind of people would just give diamond to such a...those men, I wish I knew who they were he thought looking down at the light skin. The bruises on his arms were all he could see now but she had told him where the others where and it made him sick. He reached down slowly to untie the cloth.
"Gene?" The blue eyes whisphered up at him awake. The small thin arms pulling lightly on their restraints before remembering they were tied and relaxing. Blue eyes watching the outlaw simply smile to a small grunt. Gently tugging on the cloth holding him down.
"Hey, if I untie this you aren't going to get all crazy on me right?" He teased, but the eyes just looked at him, watching him untie it, before jumping suddenly aware of thir surroundings.
"Wa, where am I? Wa...wa....what happened to my clothes?" He spoke bewildered looking down at the white cotton shirt and matching loose white cotton pants he now wore. His face seemed confused and worried. How did all this happen with out him knowing?
"Hey don't worry yourself about it Jim, it's the diamond. Your with the social service department now kido."
"The social services! Aww we have got to get out of here Gene!" He shot suddenly alert sitting up.
"Sorry buddy but I can't do that." He said softly placing his hand on the boy's shoulder who pushed it off.
"What? Why!"
"You got yourself into a bit of legal trouble, and I can help you more if I am *not* in jail." the last part of his sentence was almost a tease, but it still registered as the truth. The boy looked down at the bed quietly, before snapping back up.
"But I didn't do anything illegal!"
"Jim! Diamond is illegal when it is mixed with pink, you know that!" He scoweled at him, silencing everything but the small face still tense with worry. "Look Jim, I, I want to say I am sorry for hitting you before."
"What! You hit me!?" He yelled in disbelief shifting positions to look directly at the outlaw.
"Ahh blast it Jim! Look I'll come back tomorrow when I can talk to you." He groweled annoyed standing up; the small hand's grabbing his cloak.
"Huh? Wait no Gene stay, I don't want to be…I don't want to be here all by myself." He shot suddenly embarrassed at how childish he was acting. The strong hands simply slid him off, pushing him back to the bed.
"Look, I will be at home safe and sound, I will come back tomorrow."
"Please Gene! I don't like these people! Last time they-" He stopped suddenly, he didn't want to finish and even now eyeing the outlaw he knew he wasn't going to stay. The sly calm and unconcerned expression written all over the scarred face. He knew Jim would be safe there, and this was just something he was going to have to do. The drug wouldn't be out of his system until tomorrow afternoon and then he would be thinking clearer.
"How much did you have Jim?" He shot suddenly angered again. He watched his partner retaliate from the question sinking into the bed, hoping to escape it. "Well!? Was it more then you used to?" He demanded.
"Maybe a little more." He murmured, there was a long pause before he shot up again to the outlaw's brisk walk towards the door. "What! You are just going to leave me here!?" He shouted.
"Jim, I told you I'll be back tomorrow. Now I have to go home, considering there is a home left, I told Mel not to say anything to Aisha. I'll let you know how much furniture we have tomorrow." He laughed letting the door shut behind him to the click of the electronic lock.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Geeeene." She hissed as he walked in, a couch spring protruding from her mouth as she sat on the rubble of their sofa.
"Aww Mel I told you not to say anything!" He groaned
"I am sorry Gene, she just, just looked so worried." The raven hair sighed lightly
"Hey! Why didn't you bring back Jim with you!" She screeched pouncing in his direction.
"Never mind that now Aisha." He shot " We have work we have to do to pay the dock fees in case we need the Outlaw Star to blast out of here." He paused, there eyes staring at him waiting for an explanation. "Legal charges are being brought up against Jim, if they go through he might be placed into a correctional facility."
"WHAT!!! Ahhh, Not after Aisha get's through with them!" She snarled her claws snapping out of her hands
"Aisha you can't! Jim had illegal drugs all over him, there is no way around this. Don't you think I would have tried! We are just going to have to put our heads together and find a straight way to do things or else this will drag us all down. Speaking of that I need to get in touch with Fred, so I will need you to earn us some money Aisha."
He watched her glare at him, completely silent and disgusted. His strong scarred form stepping t the side lightly as she started forward. Dark eyes watching her growl as she walked out slamming the door.
"Well that went wll." He growled annoyed. "Mel can you-" He stopped hearing the door bell "I got it." He sighed.
"Hello?…You!" The small buzz of his caster ready to fire, aimed right at the man's head. "What do you want here Leilong?" He spit, dark eyes frowning.
"Relax, I am not here to see you Gene, this has absolutely nothing to do with our duel some year ago." The caster lowered slightly to the simple phrase and calm voice. "I am here to see Jim." The dark eyes sparked.
"Well he isn't available." The gun raising, aiming agin. The outlaw's face focused, never blinking
"He isn't, well. I know this might be hard for you hear Gene, but I need to see him. I am his uncle." There was a long pause. Sly dark eyes studying him...this was just great...just great. The scarred face frowning harder before slowly stepping forward slightly and letting the door shut behind him. "I heard of his recent drug incident so to speak, some colleges were boosting about it."
"What the hell, why didn't you say any of this earlier, when we were with you!" The red unruly hair was baffled in the sun light, studying the dark haired man.
"Jim doesn't remember me, and he never knew me as his uncle when I was with his father. Even though I have something to give him from his mother back when I first saw you I couldn't decide whether or not to actually do it. Now I figure you should make the decision."
"What! Why me?!" The outlaw shot, a baffled expression running over his face
"Because you know him best, I think it might be easier for him coming from someone he knows. It would be easier for me that way." The dark eyes stared at him cautiously.
"So can you help with this Social Service problem?"
"That is another thing, I think I can, I am a blood guardian, but I am also here to warn you Gene.
"Oh now what." The outlaw grunted at him. "Look, if it has anything to do with those unten guys it was all in self defense pal." He spit firmly.
"No that isn't it at all." The man shifted " The Kai pirates believe they have found the new location for the Galactic Layline."
"What!?" The outlaw screamed before taking a step from the door. He didn't want Meflina coming out alarmed.
"But in order to reach it they have to bounce a beam of light off the gas of a specific star, this beam is what will supposedly point them to the exact location of entry."
"Yeah so." The sly dark eyes glared at him. This was the least of their problems right now. "What does this have to do with me?" He grunted, his caster sliding back into its hold.
"Sentinel 3 is in the way of that star. They plan on blowing the planet up, in order to clear the path.
"What!? That's impossible! No one is that crazy!" He frowned, clamping his jaw with a skeptical glare at the black hair in front of him. "Listen Leilong-"
"-The Layline will offer them tremendous power, and they don't care what they have to do to obtain it. I understand how you feel; I still can't get over it myself." The deep voice chuckled slightly at the ironic insanity. The outlaw still quiet from where it had been interrupted. "I wish to remain anonymous to Jim; it is better that way for the both of you. People might try to use you or him as leverage to get me, if they know we are connected. I will sign whatever you want to get him out of there because I promised his father I would never let the pirates kill him. Just as I couldn't kill you because of it, but you have to understand they will destroy this planet. You only have a number of days."
"Days!" This was crazy and he felt his head spin slightly. "Well they have to release him if the planet is going to be destroyed."
"Are you crazy, no one is going to believe a story like that." The rough eyes frowned at him. "I don't even believe it! If it doesn't go public everyone will just think you are a mad man." Leilong frowned instantly, glaring at him irritated
"Oh really, well then who is to say it's really true?" The outlaw grinned sarcastic again, watching the back hair just grin back, silently sarcastic in it's own way.
"I guess you are just going to have to take my word for it. Here" an expense silver watch fell from his hand to the blue glove of the outlaw. "She always wore it because he gave it to her as a present. His father that it. I was the one who introduced them if you can believe that." He chuckled softly "She was built like an hour glass. Boy you never saw heaven until you had her, she was a prostitute you know." The outlaw blinked slowly, watching the rougher voice speak in front of him. His partner's life unfolding. "At the time I didn't have any family or relationships and she was one of my favorites. One night I introduced them, my brother needed some action damnt. Always working away with machines. They really hit it off, he was head over heels for her, and he didn't care what anyone thought. Got in more fights then I can count over it. Wasn't anyone who was going to bad mouth her while he was there. He gave her the watch as an engagement ring. She was afraid of what would happen if she actually wore a ring, since things with the pirates were pretty rough and dangerous."
He paused, the dark unruly red hair, covering the piercing eyes as he listened. "He planned on marrying her, at the time she had already had Jim, but that didn't matter, he was his son. Even though he didn't look much like him. My brother had brown hair, dark like me you know? He is almost the splitting image of his mother. Anyway he was supposed to go on this business trip to relocate some high tech computer or something. I went instead because it was the holidays, and I don't know what people on Sentinel do, but at our rig it was much more enjoyable to be with someone. Though I suppose it's like that everywhere...The fact that I went pissed some people off, and someone shot her. She bled to death for over an hour before he found her. She could barely speak but I heard that she gave him the watch and wanted Jim to have it because it was something from both of them. He called me up that night, blew some 9,000 Wong on the video transmission, I had never seen him so mad. I tried to talk some sense into him but he wouldn't listen. He released some computer virus into in to the main net of the pirates and blew up the rig. Then unten were furious and they went after him all right, he ran with Jim. At the time I didn't know who I was picking up, twenty of us were assigned to get them, and when we finally did pick them up I couldn't believe it. We had them hostage for three months, until Hisanko was available to come down and see them face-to- face. It was rough in-between, when he got there he did some sort of spell and killed him. He died an awful death even though I don't know how much of him there was left to kill...that was my brother blast it..." The dark rough eyes looked down slighlty. Still, now remembering witnessing his brothers death, and being powerless to prevent it in the arms of the pirates....."He never gave us orders to what we should do with the kid, at the time I wished we could kill him too, he lost his parents and it didn't help that he had such a mouth on him too. For being so young he sure did get the shit kicked out of him repeatedly because he wouldn't stop mouthing off to the men. In a weird way it was almost like he was provoking them, and I never hung around when they started in at him. A job is a job, but they had no right to beat him like that, it was an unfair fight. After a while things started escalating because we had him onboard the rig for about six or eight months. We couldn't just shoot him into space and there was nothing else we could do with him, so he just stayed."
"He was on the rig for a year!"
"Yeah, just about, he got addicted to the drugs slowly. At first he wouldn't have anything to do with them you know? They beat him because of it, but he wouldn't give in so finally they started making him stay while they used it, and some of it rubbed off on him. Halfway through the parties I used to stomp in there and tear him out. They were all too gone to do more then smile at me, and when things got rough and crazy he was stuck in the middle of it. I kinda got attached to him if you can believe that. But he couldn't hang around me, and I couldn't him. It would have just gotten him killed so every night when they went off with the powder and starting in on him, I would just walk in there shove them off, pick up his clothes and bring him back to my room. I looked a lot different then, and it was hard when we finally pulled in close enough to Sentinel 3 that we came down in a drop ship. We were here for a couple of days, but when we left he didn't come. We left him here on the streets, and I guess that is how he wound up with you? Am I right?
"Yeah that's right." The outlaw sneered, "I found him all drugged up in an alley next to a dumpster." Scarred chest almost heaving at him...disgusting.
"Well I can't stay, you can do what you want with the watch. I will go to the Social Services and take care of everything in my power, but make no mistake Starwind they will blow the planet." He offered a sly grin, but his last words were almost like a threat as he turned and started down the steps leaving him standing there. Everything he had just said forming pictures behind the dark eyes as they glimmered in the warm sunlight. The bright light of the watch shinning up at him, before he headed back inside. I am just going to have to think about this later, his mind grumbled, this was too much.
"Melfina, Suzuka!' He called watching them snap up at him startled. "Start packing we are leaving tomorrow."
"What? Gene what is the meaning of this?" Her calm voice spoke as she rose from the chair.
"I don't want anyone to worry, just do what I say, I promise I will take care of everything." He spoke softer now, watching the concerned bioandroid, as the assassin sensed the danger immediately. "When Aisha gets back tell her to get her things together, I am not sure what we can bring with us, so don't worry about furniture or anything like that, just be ready."
I don't understand her mind whisphered to her as she headed up the stairs quickly picking up her little girl. Somehow having her in her arms made her feel safer, knowing she was safe, but what about Jim? They couldn't just leave him on Sentinel? "Gene?" She started but he had already left, the door swinging in slightly from the breeze. It hadn't shut behind him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Yes I know, but the committee has already decided that if any documents are provided they will have to be held for three months for investigation." She spoke as he watched her again, this time on the other side of her desk from inside her office.
"Three months! What kind of policy is that?!" He shot rubbing his face with his hand quickly frustrated
"In the mean time Jim is to reside with foster parents." She stated calmly, there wasn't anythign she could do.
"Foster Parents!....Would this decision change if I had something really important to tell you?" He grinned slyly leaning closer to the desk.
"Something impor....What?" She frowned lightly, leanign back slightly from the desk
~*~
"You don't understand lady, I already have a home!" He shot at her as she pinned a small card to his shirt.
"Don't worry it will only be for three months, they are really nice." She said standing back up and getting a small light which she shined into his eyes and then his mouth.
"I don't care! And I don't care who they are!" He said shoving her away from him; she frowned at him. A stern tone to her voice now as she spoke.
"This is what is happening Mr. Hawking, now you seem smart enough to understand that such behavior will not change anything. Now please relax while I take a blood sample." She ordered sternly watching him only frown, his eyes darting away as he thought.
Aww I have really done it this time, he thought. How could I have been so stupid, stupid stupid stupid! I don't care who these people are; I am not living with them. I already have some place to be. How come no one lets me decide what's happening around here! This is my life! Why isn't Gene doing anything about this! And where is Aisha!?"
"Just sit right here, and they will be in to see you in one moment." She assured drawing the needle away from him.
"I told you! You are wasting your time! Just call, call the number! I own a business lady, I don't have time for this!" He yelled at her, but she just ignored him, letting the door lock behind her. "Ahh" He scowled slamming back into the chair annoyed. "Guess I really screwed up."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Geez" he whisphered watching them enter.
She was short and very thin, wearing a conservative day dress. Where he was taller and had a nice build wearing some Dockers and a nice shirt. "Hi" She whisphered at him, he shot a look at her.
"Look lady I am really sorry, but this has been a big mistake. In a couple of days I am going home, and you can just adopt someone else or whatever it is you do." He spit at them, standing up as they got closer.
"I am sorry you don't like us James, but we really would like for you to stay with us. My name is Patty." She smiled again sitting down next to him. "This is my husband Ted, we own a small farm on the East side of town. Don't you think that it might be fun to just stay there for a little while?" She smiled at him again as her husband stood with his hand on her shoulder smiling as well.
"Uh, a farm? Look lady animals really aren't my thing." He said, but his voice was shaky, this was starting to creep him out. He didn't want to go live with these people, he wanted to go back and be with Aisha and Melfina, watch TV and play that damn elf game he hated. Yell at Gene about work and all the things he used to do. Stupid elf.
"Well it would be a nice change, you might like it if you give it a try son." The man said now.
"No! Look I am sorry that everything is working out like this, but I can't come and stay with you. Don't touch me!" He shot as she reached over brushing his cheek. I can't live with you, I can't just leave. What about the Outlaw Star!? What about everything!?
"Look, there is no reason to yell son." The man said to him crouching down on the floor next to the chair he sat in. "I know you must be upset right now but-"
"Upset! You have no idea, first I wake up here I don't know where I am! Everyone is making decisions for me! My partner can't help because I messed up and now *YOU* are here!" He watched them stare at him. "I just want to go home!"
"...Where is that James?" she said softly, her face tense and upset.
"A couple blocks away, I own half a business and I engineer our ship! I have to go back, I can't go with you!"
"But you're only eleven." She whisphered, her wide eyes staring at him
"Ahh get out! Just go!" He shot shoving their hands away from him,
"Look, maybe you should just think things over some, try and see it from a new perspective." The man said watching the blue eyes frown at him; The boy didn't look like he had any intent on changing his mind.
~*~
"What if I were to tell you this planet is going to be destroyed in a couple of days." he whispered at her
"Excuse me?" She said, her tone slightly disgusted
"I am telling you, get your family or friends whatever and get the hell out of here!" We only have a number of days!"
"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" She sneered at him, this man was a nut.
"Fine whatever, but if you don't release Jim I am going to tell our friend the Ctarl Ctarl the address and she is not very happy right now."
"Ahhh!" She scowled at him. "Stop threatening my office Mr. Starwind! I am trying to help you so just let me do my job!" She shot pointing towards the door annoyed.
"Hey lady I am telling you the truth!" He shot watching her rub her temples annoyed and exhausted with his antics.
"Alright, get out. Come back when you have something that will help us." She ordered her eyes snapping at him.
"Fine, I have had enough of this." He shot angrily as he walked out of the office slamming the door. "God damn service" He cursed under his breath stomping to the pay phone in the lobby and dialing.
"Hey Mel it's me...yeah sure. Look I want you and the girls to catch a the next cruiser off Sentinel…No Fred has a place you can stay in Heifong....Yeah I know. Sure, it *is* nice of him...No, I am going to have to hang around here a little until these people give in to our demands...Yeah yeah I will. Don't worry about it."
She hung up the phone gently still holding the pink bundle in her arms. Oh Gene, please be careful, I can't lose you now; I can't lose either or you.
"Hey Mel! Where is the box? I can't find it anywhere!" Aisha screeched walking in her hands full of her clothes and accessories.
"Gene says we are to catch the next cruiser off Sentinel." She spoke quietly concerned.
"What! Already! I just go home! What does he think this is!?.....Ahhh now Aisha has to put everything into a suitcase!" She yelled stomping out of the bedroom and back to her own.
"Does he plan on joining us?" Her calm voice spoke
"No he says he has to stay, something about Jim." Her chocolate eyes were sad, falling down to her sleeping infant, the firm assassin thinking in the doorway.
"I will put the cases in the car." She said leaving. The soft raven hair of the girl, picking up her suitcase and dipper bag and walking into the hall after the assassin.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"We would like three tickets to Heigfong, and we would like to be seated together." She heard Suzuka speak to the man as she stood baby in arm watching the Ctarl Ctarl place a quarter into the gum ball machine. Her bright eyes watching it circle down the ramp to the small hole in the bottom delighted. Even though the population of Sentinel had absolutely no idea they were in danger. The port was still jammed packed with people. The large dome letting in the sunlight even thought the ground was completely shadowed by the passing employees and travelers.
"Melfina." She turned "Aisha lets go." she said calmly as they walked to the elevator, their tickets all being pressed with a laser stamp as they passed through the metal detector collecting their bags.
"Are you sure you don't want the window Melfina?" She squeaked smiling at the soft raven hair from where she stood in the isle.
"No, go ahead Aisha, I don't mind at all." She smiled watching her pounce into her seat ripping out a small game boy as she sat down next to her and Suzuka.
"Did he sound serious on the phone?" She asked calmly
"I don't know, I couldn't tell." The assassin nodded, the buckle up light flashing as the lights dimmed to the launch.
"Aisha don't forget to buckle up." She said pulling out the belt for the Ctarl Ctarl who laughed snapping it together. Nearly dropping the small hand held television she was now watching which was currently displaying the news.
"At the current time we are ordering an evacuation for Sentinel 3 due to a bomb threat. It is unlikely that anyone is in real danger so we ask for you not to panic. Please make reservations or obtain tickets for your departure at this time. In coming ships from Sentnal 2 and 5 will be docking to allow passengers to leave quicker."
"What! Did she just say what I think she said?" She squeaked flashing both the soft chocolate eyes and calm assassin a baffled look. "A bomb?"
"It appears Gene was right." She spoke calmly looking down at her wooden sword, which she gripped tightly.
"Guess we are lucky to leave now. I sure wouldn't want to be down there. There is going to be a big panic!" She giggled moving to look out the small window of the ship before her smile faded. Then again, Jim was down there in that panic, and so was Gene. A smooth thin hands slipping into her soft peach fur one. A silently concerned bioandroid sitting on her left.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
The streets were jammed with people screaming as he ran through them. Pushing to make his way through. Along the sides there was rioting and a small building was on fire. His bright yellow cape swirling around him lightly as he jumped onto the top of a parked car. The streets must have jammed way up ahead. The cars that were all backed up; now empty as the population of Sentinel 3 fled on foot.
Inside, the building was also a mess. People were running and pushing, the receptionist seemed to have totally lost touch with the world as she scrambled to reserve her own seat off the planet. He didn't waste anytime with her, running directly to Sarah's office.
"Gene!" She yelled spinning around as her office door spun in. "I am so sorry I didn't listen to you, I should have...."
"There isn't anytime for that, it doesn't matter now. What are you planning to do!" He yelled barging in as he spoke and snapping right at her. Scarred hands grabbing her shoulders aggressively.
"All the children will be transported out with a cruiser or with their foster families."
"Not this time!" He shot slamming his fist onto the table; startled she jumped back from his glaring dark eyes. "I happen to know for a fact someone came down here and signed a lot of papers. Now let me have him!" He demanded watching her eyes widen as she stepped back.
"How?..How did you know that?" She stammered
"Let's just say he came to me first, but we still aren't going to mention this to anyone *else*." He smiled slyly at her winking
"Yes but without the approval of the commit...." She gasped watching the contents of her desk slam to the floor as he slammed them off. His scarred form shoving at her again.
"Look don't you understand. This whole place is going to blow! I have to leave and I am taking him with me." His eyes stung her now, the dark glaring stare. So sure, so firm of what he was saying, that this was what he was doing. She felt powerless in them, there was no way to fight him.
"I.....I will get the necessary papers in order, but he....he must give his consent first! Before I can....." He dropped her from his grasp shooting back out into the crowded hall, pushing past the panicked people until he reached the door inserting his red card.
"Gene! What the heck is going on around here!" He shot jumping off his bed and rushing towards the red head. "They won't let me watch TV or anything!"
"Jim, Sentinel 3 is going to be destroyed." He spoke calmly despite the fact he was breathing hard
"Destroyed! What the heck are you talking about Gene!" He shot frowning.
"I will explain later, first we have got to get you out of here."
"Well it's about time." Small hands running to their hips as they gave the outlaw a sly look. "I told you that a long time ago." The outlaw simply smiled before closing his eyes to a soft sigh..
"Jim, we have to talk. I can't get you out of here unless I sign you out as a legal guardian."
"Well duh, I told you that earlier too Gene! Don't you ever listen!?"
"No, you don't understand, that would mean I would have to adopt you." He watched the blonde back up slightly staring at him.
"Wha? Adopt? Can't you just sign without it?"
"No I can't. These people here are set by doing everything by the book blast it. Look I promise everything will be like before, nothing has to change."
"Sure." He spit turning away from the dark eyes.
"Come on Jim, it will be just like before." He waited, watching the blonde hair thinking before the blue eyes snapped up at him.
"No."
"What! Come on Jim you want to leave or don't you? This is the only way!"
"No." He stared at him now, watching the baffled look come over his partner, his mouth hanging open.
"So what Jim, I don't understand? What's the big deal?! It's not like you have to be my son or anything. All we have to do if sign some stuff and leave."
"No, Gene it's not like that at all." He shook his head, no it was so much more complicated.
"Yes it is."
"No it isn't!"
"Course it is." The outlaw smiled.
"Gene, I can't! It would change everything!" The outlaw was silent staring at him. Why is his being so stubborn!? Why doesn't anyone get that the planet is going to be destroyed and we have to get out while we can.
"Look Jim, this is no time to be like this, the planet is going to be destroyed and we have to get out of here. Just leave your pride, and sign the stup-"
"You just don't get it Gene!" He shot suddenly, his face pained. "I, I can't let you, because...because." He stumbled over his words, trying to phrase what he wanted to say. "It's dangerous."
"Huh? What are you talking about Jim?!" He spit, this was taking to long.
"The pirates hate me Gene. When I was younger..well…look the pirates all know me, I can't tell you why. If I am connected to you, they might try...they could use you, you know!?" The dark eyes blinked watching him, getting more frustrated as he stood silent and still. His face calm, I guess it wouldn't matter if we had one more pirate after us.
"Jim, that doesn't matter, who cares if-"
"Yes it does! Because then it would be my fault! I was so stupid then! And now!...I am still stupid." He spit bitterly thinking out loud. Being in that room again seemed to prove it to him. How could he have let them toy with him again. Just give in so easy, they didn't have to do a thing I just went with them and let them all over again!
"No you aren't." He spoke firm now gripping the small shoulders as he crouched down. "Danger is a price I am willing to pay Jim, you have to come with me because we're a team. I am willing to deal with your problems and your annoying nagging aren't I? What difference does anything from your past make? While you were in here, someone came to see me, and maybe when you're older I will tell you what they said. For now you don't need to worry about it. Having one more pirate after us really won't change all that much, and we really have to leave. So what do you say? Just sign so we can leave, the girls already shot out of here, but this place is going to blow, and I don't want to hang around and catch the fireworks." He winked, watching the face relax as he punched it in the shoulder lightly standing up walking to the door. "I will take full responsibility for anything that happens Ok?" He called over his shoulder.
"That'll be a first." The blonde grinned stepping into the hallway. He would sign. "Woo, they aren't kidding, it really is going to blow." He gapped at all the rushing people. Quickly panicking to get off before all the space was taken up.
"Yeah I know. Ready to go?" He smiled slyly
"You bet! Lets get the heck out of here!"
He smiled up as they pushed through the hall out of her office before reaching the streets, only finding more mess.
"Jim, lets get to the Outlaw Star!" He yelled down at him over the noise. The small hands pushing through the crowd as he heard him shout an ok.
~*~*
"Gene, I can not launch this ship properly without the help of Melfina." Gilliam spoke as they stood inside the cockpit.
"What!" He shot
"With out any navigation in this mess there is only a 40% chance the ship will make a successful launch into orbit.
"Gilliam can't you do anything!" His blonde hair ruffled as he stood next to the silent outlaw.
"I am sorry Jim, I am not equipped to handle navigation." There was a long pause.
"Gilliam, you do it yourself." The outlaw finally spoke firm "I know for a fact you can man yourself, I give you that order."
"What are you doing Gene?" He felt his cloak pull downward
"Until I say otherwise you are now the captain of the Outlaw Star." The red hair spit firmly
"Oh Gene, this is a tremendous joy to myself, though I am not permitted to think of myself. I will fully activate the ship and as you put it, blast out of here."
"No Gilliam!" The blonde shot, his face concerned "Gene, we can't just leave him."
"Jim we may not survive if we launch in the ship, we have to go somewhere else." The blue eyes only sank knowing this was the truth as they raced from the ship again. "We are going to have to catch a flight out of here like everyone else!" He shot down at him, his partner silently looking up at him as they entered the giant dome of the port. "Blast it's packed." He groweled, but no one heard him over the commotion.
The place was overcrowded by people shoving and pushing as they fought to get in line for a ticket, and filed through the metal detectors.
The red unruly hair began fighting his own way through the crowd, pushing a path through as people ran into him making there own way along. The dark eyes glanced down "Huh? Jim?' A second of panic hitting him before the blonde emerged beside him again fighting against the pushing people. "Hey stay close, you want to get lost?"
"That's what I am doing!" He yelled fighting to just stand there, he heard the outlaw growl as it slammed itsblue glove onto the back of his still white cotton shirt pulling him behind him. "Hey!" He shot, but the outlaw couldn't here him, desperately making his way through the crowd.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~
"Hey it's pretty cool how they stamped our tickets like that don't you think?" He grinned slyly down at the blonde hiar, watching it shrug from where it sat next to him waiting for the ship to launch.
"Yeah I guess so." He sighed leaning back into his seat. "I can't believe they are blowing this place up." He said looking longingly out the small window. The outlaw pushing in over his shoulder.
"Yeah, I have lived here almost all my life." The strong voice whisphered
"Hey me too." He smiled. That was one thing they had always had in common, they had both been stranded alone on Sentinel 3, and had lived off the streets before finding each other. "Hey get off me." He grinned shoving the outlaw back into his own chair still smiling.
"Boy I am sure going to miss Clyde's place. Hope they both made it out ok." The outlaw sighed heavily leaning into his seat and closing his eyes.
"Hey Gene." The dark eyes turned to him, but the blue eyes only looked away, giving up on what he was going to mention. The outlaw simply sighed again closing his eyes as the ship shook slightly blasting into space. The light fading away from the window becoming a dark black infinity in a matter of seconds.
His unruyl red hair sighing heavily, what a relief that was, and the girls were ok too. His dark eyes grinning lighlty as he glanced at the blonde next to him before frowning. "Hey what the hell is your problem Jim? This is no different from the Outlaw Star?" He frowned now eyeing his younger partner as it trembled eyes squeezed shut.
"Do you smell that?" It whimpered, breathing sloppily
"Huh? Smell what?" He said as the blonde began squeezing the sides of its chair practically hyperventilating. "Ahh you have got to be kidding me!" He shot sitting up as he looked around the room. Sure enough about five rows up, a scrubby looking man was hitting up with Diamond. "Son of a..." He started under his breath. "Don't think your getting any Jim, you staying right here." He threatened lightly watching the small beating chest whimper. "Look just calm down, try not to think about it." He said gently rubbing the smaller arm as if it hurt.
"I can't! I can't!" It shot gripping the chair harder "Can't I just have a little Gene? Please! Sometimes when I am out like that I remember stuff." He begged, his blue eyes strained under the shaking golden hair, pleading with the outlaw.
"Well now your definitely not getting any." The outlaw spit leaning back into his chair.
"Huh? What the hell does that mean Gene!?" There was a silent pause, blue eyes staring up at him. "I want to know!" He barked at the dark eyes just studying him, trying to decide.
"No you don't Jim." He said softly
"Yes I do!" The light face did a fast blink. Who was Gene to say whether or not he wanted to know.
"Jim, while you were being hospitalized, someone came to see me." He spoke with a tone that said this comment was the end of the story. Not because he wouldn't tell the rest but because there was no more.
"Who Geeeene?" He whined through clenched teeth still trembling
"Your uncle." The blue eyes widened blinking
"My uncle?...I have an uncle?!"
"Yeah, He told me some stuff and asked me to give you something."
"What?" The strong red head slowly pulled out the shining silver watch. "This is it, it was a present from your parents." He watched the small hand take it, looking at it softly, still shaking. "Before they died they wanted to give it to you."
"Both of them?" The blue eyes whisphered staring down at it's brilliant surface.
"First your mother, it was her engagement ring so to speak, from your father. I hear she was really pretty you know?" He smiled as the boy looked back up at him now, saddened. "They say you look a lot like her." He winked trying to raise the small spirits " She gave it to your father and he tried to get it to you Jim." He stopped suddenly, how much do I tell him? He thought. I can't tell how he is taking it if he just sits there like that! He thought bitterly, at least he doesn't want those damn drugs anymore.
"Do you remember your parents?" The question caught him off guard, and he jumped slightly, as though he were being exposed. His younger partner looking at him.
"Well ah, coarse I do." He said firmly again smiling slyly. "My father was a space pilot, and my mother was a house wife."
"I don't remember my mother....Why do you think that is?" The blue eyes spoke soflty, looking away as they next to whispered to him.
"Huh? I don't know Jim!" He shot, the outlaw had never been that good with sentimental issues, and this was too deep for him. His dark eyes flickered under his red unruly hair watching his partner just move the watch in its fingers, as if considering. "Aa" He choked, suddenly realizing for the first time in a long time Jim was trying to involve him in his life, the kid had never wanted the outlaw's help before. He always took care of himself, in fact, he probably spent more of his time taking care of me, he thought. I was such a wreck when I was younger, someone else should have found him, and that was how he used to feel. It was a nuisance to have him around, another mouth to feed, another body to worry about. But he kept me in line, when I came stumbling back drunk, or beat.
He had always worried about him, always helped him, and never asked anything in return. I used to bitch and moan all the time the outlaw thought remembering the time they had both caught the flu. Just lying on the couch sick as dogs, but he never let out a single complaint, never made a sound, and he still helped me. He never wanted my help, never asked me any questions, even when I knew he was scared, or lonely, he wouldn't let me help. Now he was asking him, Why? Why couldn't he remember his mother? Why had these awful things happened to him? Why did life leave him all alone in that alley, to fall into a beat hardened teen who wanted to leave him there but couldn't for some reason. For the sad way he looked at him when they first met, frightened at first, and then dull as if he didn't care if he died, didn't expect to be helped. That is why I took him with me, he thought, because I know, I know what that feels like. I was the same way, maybe I would be like him too if I had suffered what he has. Lost everything so young, instead of staying home and playing when he was probably being beat somewhere in space.
He was mesmerized suddenly, as if for the first time he really understood the boy. Just watching him mumbling something, but he couldn't hear him, he was deaf to everything around him All the motion, all the noise, even Jim's voice. He understood now, he never wanted to give me an excuse to leave him behind, because of the way I turned away from him in the alley, trying to escape his eyes, before I couldn't and came back. If I met him now, I would never have ever turned away. "I never would have turned away now Jim." The blue eyes looked up at him puzzled "That night in the alley, when we first met, I tried to leave you there. I didn't want you." He spoke softly watching the smaller hurt expression become harder, gasping.
"You wanted to leave me?" The blue eyes whimpered, as if his best friend was killing him, his brother was confronting his only problem, his only lie; was he never wanted him to begin with. This was what Gene meant?
"I didn't want you because you were a bother, because I couldn't stand the fact that when I looked at you I only saw myself." The blonde hair choked lightly.
"You wanted to leave me!?" Blue eyes welling up with betrayal, a hate over come with pain and tears.
"I fell to Sentinel all alone, and everywhere I turned I couldn't escape who I was, and then I met you, and you looked just like me." He grinned, but it was pained, saddened because what he said still hurt. "All alone and messed up, only worse. It made me sick to think that as low as I was, someone had it worse."
"Oh god Gene!" The light face choked suddenly. Pulling into itself as it backed into it's seat more, blue eyes closign as they ducked under the blonde hair.
"Just listen to me for a second. That was almost the biggest mistake I ever made. I don't know what that watch means to you, but I don't have anything from my past left. My father died, and so did my mother. I remember them both....Maybe you have it better. I never knew your family Jim, but I know that they loved you when they had you. It is unfair that this happened to you...it is unfair for the both of us, but that is what makes us the same." The blue eyes snapped at him suddenly, cringing as if the outlaw was cutting him. The dark piercing eyes hard and sad, all the pieces of his life falling together, finally making sense. "You don't have to try so hard anymore buddy." The light skin flinched as the strong arm gripped its shoulder. "Cause you have always been the better half, if not just an equal. I understand that you aren't able to do everything yet, but that doesn't matter. You will soon enough, there is no reason to rush it. I love my old memories because I never had to worry, I never had to care. Now, that is all we do, all *you* do. You don't have to carry everything by yourself Jim!" He begged watching the body contract into the loose cotton shirt, trying to get away from him, the blond hair shaking, crying to itself. "This is just what I mean!" He snapped reaching in to find him. The small face emerging to the dark eyes that pulled them out. "It doesn't mean that you are weak if you ask for help."
"But you...but you.." The blue eyes choked, blinking back tears as fast as possible as Gene kept him from hiding.
"I do it all the time, just ask Melfina. If it wasn't for her I would probably freeze to death because I would forget to get dressed." He watched the blue eyes smile at him from where tears ran onto his blue gloves. "Everyone needs help, and if you're lucky you can have someone there to do it. You have taken care of me for long enough Jim, I have a daughter now, and I am going to marry Melfina. I have to learn to step up, to take on my responsibilities, if not for myself then for them. Now you can lean on me. You aren't a bother and you never have been. You keep everything in line, watch my butt day in and day out. But I never watched out for you. I was never there the way you were for me, and I am sorry. But you don't have to worry anymore because I will never leave you, none of us will. Aisha would probably destroy the house and city block." He teased watching the closed blue eyes sob harder, the words stinging the light skin and loose cotton shirt in front of him. How was it Gene knew how he was feeling? He never did before, no matter how much I hurt, or what happened he never noticed. That's the way it's always been. "Do you forgive me?" He smiled now, small eyes looking up at him blinking to push away the pink around them.
"But Gene I...I never thought that you, that you hated me."
"I don't care about that Jim, because I know I was cold to you. All those times that I ignored you, or brushed you off and you never said anything. I just want to know if you'll give me another chance?" The blonde was quiet in front of where he was being held by his left shoulder and right elbow to keep him from turning away. Quietly breathing through his mouth, his eyes and face pink as he sniffled.
"You should know me better then that Gene Starwind." He managed a half smile; the dark eyes smiling back as he ruffled his hair.
"Thanks pal." He said looping his arm around the small neck and pulling him in. He didn't fight back, but his arms stayed at his sides. "Hey Jim." The outlaw released him watching him sit back up, wiping his face as it waited for him to continue talking. "When people hug you buddy, you shoul…its ok to hug back." He winked at him again, reassuring him. The blue eyes thinking for a second before the hands made a small movement, stopping with hesitation, before trying again, as if short circuiting. Only short small withdrawn movements emerging, before they grabbed the cloak again shakily. The outlaw hugging back, rapping his arm around the small body that clung to him. His eyes glancing from the soft hair over the seat to the screen opening to play a movie, most likely to sooth the panicked passengers. His eyes then falling to the scrubby man in the front again, making a mental note to either take the drugs, or beat him up as soon as he made his way towards the back of the ship to use the bathroom.
He glanced down again at the blonde hair. The soft breathing that gripped him, as the small head laid on the side of his arm exhausted. A blue glove rubbing his head softly the way he had years before when he had nightmares to keep him from waking up. He closed his eyes too, for some reason he was just as exhausted as his younger partner now falling asleep on him. Small mouth slightly open as the weight of its head against the outlaw's arm pushed the side of the small face upward some, making one cheek bigger then the other. There was nothing to worry about, all those years with him had finally amounted to a couple minutes when he could finally say all the things he wanted without Jim being able to push him off or fight back. But it was easier then he thought it was going to be. For some reason Jim looked smaller now, somehow less powerful. Always so quick to snap back, to fight him before, like an outer shell always worn, guard always up. Ready to take him on, take the world on, fighting to live. He didn't have to, I should have told him earlier he thought, that I would fight for him, but he didn't feel guilty. Still too relived and relaxed to feel anything upsetting. The girls were ok, he was ok, maybe Heifong would be their new spot, they had done well there before. Why do we always go back to Sentinel 3? He thought. There was nothing to do there, it was really just a low class spot, but somehow he kept returning, and Jim never objected. Almost equally wanting to go back. Like they had left something uncompleted there, or lost something. They had to go, they had to find what they left. But he didn't feel like that now, there was nothing there they needed anymore. That alley was better off destroyed. All Sentinel 3 really held was bad memories washed over by the constant drill of life and their struggle to survive. We don't need you anymore he thought looking out into space, his partner now curled up next to him leaning on his chest. His strong hand resting on the smaller side, feeling the boys rib cage rise and fall. They say that history repeats itself, but not if you learn from it, if I can fix it for him, for all of us. And he could, he knew he could. All he had to do was rely on his intuition and good luck.
Hey please remember to leave a review for me I would luv to know what you think!
