War Fields: Chapter 2


He was giving her *THAT* look...again. Every time he looked at her lately, it seemed to be with *THAT* look. Granted, they spent a lot of time apart lately too, but not enough that two glances out of every three should be *THAT* look. Annie really HATED *THAT* look. The one that said: "I'm looking at you, but I'm really thinking about her, and deep down, I'm comparing the similarities." Annie really disliked *HER* too. She often wondered what would happen if she and *HER* ever met in person. What would get said or done? Then Annie realized that she really hoped she never met *HER*... *HER* had never really cared about Annie, so why should Annie care about *HER*?

Because he cares about *HER*, replied herself to her own rhetorical question.

Before she could drive herself crazy, or her father drove her crazy with *THAT* look, she reached over and shoved him playfully hard in the shoulder. Brown eyes blinked surprise at her, and before he could ask why she'd done that, the words were out of her mouth.

"You were giving me *THAT* look...again."

Brad's eyes refocused on her and her alone. "*THAT* look?" He paused as realization set in. "Oh." Another pause. "I was just thinking that I really need to stop listening to the Restless Heart CD's I buy for you."

"What does Restless Heart have to do with...." It was Annie's turn to pause. "Oh." Another pause. Then, "Have Larry Stewart and the other guys been putting your life story to music again?"

She was attempting to lighten the mood. It worked as her father flashed her a small smile. "Something like that."

Annie grinned. "You really should make it a point to talk to them about that. They should at least have the courtesy to share the royalties. You can get me my autograph while you're at it." She hopped off the bike and did a full body stretch as she looked around. The last of her sleepiness fell away and her mood darkened a bit. "Why are we here?" she asked, indicating Matt Trakker's mansion with a sweep of her hand.

"Matt's having a barbeque," was the simple reply.

"You didn't tell me."

"I thought I did."

"You didn't."

"I thought I did."

"You DIDN'T," she emphasized. "What's more is, you probably deliberately didn't tell me because you knew I wouldn't want to come. So you took advantage of my exhausted state and drove here anyway."

"Come on, Red," Brad cajoled, knowing she was right. "You can't tell me you haven't missed some of Dusty's cooking. Oh look," he pointed out sweetly, "there he is on the hill, waving at us with a spatula."

"You also knew I wouldn't make a big scene about leaving once somebody noticed we were here."

"Guilty as charged," he admitted, jumping off the bike and slipping his arm around her shoulders, leading her up the hill. "Come on, it won't be that bad."

Annie sighed in defeat. "Okay, fine, I give up. I just really wish you would have told me. You know I get nervous here."

"Relax, the guys and I will be here to protect you," he said with a wink.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, my hero."

They finished the climb up the hill in time to see Dusty rush up to greet them, still holding his barbeque fork.

"Annie!" He pulled her into a strong bear hug. The southern man's bulk could be deceiving to the outer eye, but it was all muscle. "Hoo-wee girl, I ain't seen you in a coon's age!"

"It hasn't been that long, Dusty," commented Brad from behind her.

"That's easy for you to say," Dusty shot back. "You ain't the one that's been stuck in the mountains without real food." To Annie, he said, "You stick with me, girl, an' today we're gonna get you some of the best cookin' this side of the Sierra Nevadas!"

She laughed heartily, returning his hug. She forgot how much she missed the Southern man's humor. "I am pretty hungry."

"Well come on, then, what're we waitin' for?"

Dusty led Annie toward the grill, where they were sidelined by Buddy as he was heading toward the drink cooler. "Hey!" he exclaimed as he saw Annie on Dusty's arm. "Look who's back, our resident mountain goat. Old man finally let you off the mountain, did he?"

"Yeah, he brings me down for the public occasions," Annie quipped, playing along with the mechanic's teasing. "Has to keep that family oriented image for his fans every once in a while."

Buddy laughed, and took his turn for a hug. "Well, its good to have you back, kiddo. Here's hoping it's a little longer this time."

Before Annie could reply, another voice interrupted. "Hello, Annie."

If Buddy's arm hadn't squeezed reassuringly on her shoulder, or Dusty hadn't been shoring up her other side, Annie probably would have bolted right then and there. Instead, she forced herself to look up into Matt Trakker's calm blue eyes and smile. "Uh...Hi...Matt."

"You and Brad must have just arrived, I didn't see you earlier."

"Yeah...we...we, uh, did a few minutes ago." Leave, Annie prayed silently, please leave or I'm going to bolt.

He smiled warmly at her. "Well, I'm glad you could make it. I'm sure Scott will be happy to see you too. I'll let him know you're here when I see him."

"Thanks," she managed to say, before Matt turned back to his other guests.

"Three whole sentences. That's gotta be a new record for ya, Annie," Dusty joked when Matt was out of earshot.

"Not now, Dusty," Buddy said softly, giving Annie's shoulder another reassuring squeeze.

Annie thought she might faint right then and there. Her legs felt like they were going to give out underneath her, and probably would have if she wasn't leaning on Buddy. Three sentences! Three sentences of polite conversation could turn her legs to jelly and make her feel faint! She never felt this nervous around Jesse Hawkes' commanding presence, the man who single handedly built the High Mountain Rangers! How could one man make her feel so freaking nervous!?! But he wasn't just one man...he was one of *THE* most powerful and influential men in the whole country. The man who had created the Mobile Armored Strike Kommand...and had a considerable axe to grind...

"Sit!" commanded a seemingly far away voice she vaguely thought could be Buddy's.

Something cold landed in her lap and she recognized the red, white, and blue of a Pepsi bottle. Annie unscrewed the cap and took a rather large drink before she looked around. Buddy had pulled her into a semi-secluded area that was still in view and earshot of the main happenings. She happened to be leaning against the trunk of a large tree, and he stood against it casually as though things like this happened every day.

"Why?" she asked rhetorically. "Why does the mere sight of the man make me want to run screaming in terror?"

Buddy had an instinctive way of knowing things...it's probably what made him so good in intelligence. He instinctively knew that Annie didn't really want an answer to that question, so he merely said, "I'll steer anymore well-wishers kinda clear of this area. I'm sure you'll come find us when you feel better."

She smiled up at him. "I appreciate that, Buddy, thanks. A lot."

"No problem, Red."

Annie caught the sound of running footsteps from the opposite direction Buddy was walking. "There you are!" yelled a male voice from the direction of the footsteps and Scott Trakker jogged into view. "Brad said you were here and I've been looking all over for you!"

Despite her reservations about his father, something about Scott's enthusiasm always made her smile. "Hello to you too, Scott, I'm fine, thanks for asking." she teased.

"Yeah, hello," he gasped as he quit jogging long enough to grab her wrist and pull her to her feet. "There's someone I want you to meet, come on!"