Chapter 11
"Are you ready?" Doctor Carter asked, adding, "This may sting a little."
Seated upright on the old demented dentist's chair, Darien looked to his Keeper for assurance before giving a quick nervous nod. Claire squeezed his hand as he shifted slightly on the chair leaning his forehead in against her shoulder, the nape of his neck exposed and ready for the injection of neutralizing agent.
Hobbes patted Darien's back and folded his arms decisively, throwing a warning scowl in Carter's direction which dared him to even think about hurting his friend. With a wary sideways glance at Hobbes, the doctor began inserting the needle as gently as possible. Darien shut his eyes and tightened his grip on Claire's hand; the only outward sign of any discomfort.
A few moments later the empty syringe was withdrawn.
"Is that it?" Darien asked with an edge of relief and surprise in his voice, fingers tentatively probing the back of his head. Carter nodded, silently letting out the breath he had been holding for the last few minutes.
That was all Darien needed to hear. "Doc, thank you," he said sincerely.
Bobby's attention was still heavily focused on Carter, watching intently as the man busied himself with tidying away the various bits and pieces of medical equipment.
"So, what mischief do you boys have planned for the rest of the afternoon?" Claire's tone was teasing.
A grin spread across Bobby's face as he finally tore his gaze from Carter, turning to the lovely doctor with a warm smile in place.
"The bottomless pit here," he began, jerking a thumb in Darien's direction, "is craving a bacon cheeseburger, so we thought we'd go eat and then catch a movie or something."
"Hey, you try living on rabbit food for months and see how you like it," Darien whined, readying himself for the lecture from his Keeper about his health and making sure he ate the right things blah, blah. It didn't come; instead, Claire just shook her head in feigned disapproval, happy to let him off the hook on this occasion.
"You're welcome to come with us," Bobby offered, his arm draping itself around her shoulders. "Think about it. You, me, the back row of the movie theater…" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and Claire giggled.
"While it's a very tempting offer Bobby, I don't think my delicate disposition would be able to cope with your particular choice of eating establishment." She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the thought. "I'll take a rain check. But maybe Wesley would like to join you…" All three of them turned towards Carter, who froze and gave a strained little smile when he realized they were staring at him expectantly.
"Um, that's very kind, but I have a few bits and pieces to finish up in the lab, and then The Official wants to see me. I assume it's about my Agency contract or something equally mundane. Another time for me too if that's okay?"
"Yeah, no problem, another time," Darien assured easily. "Just make sure you check the small print on that contract Doc, the Fish is one sneaky bastard."
"You got that one right partner," Hobbes exclaimed as he and Darien exchanged a low five. "Okay big guy, you ready to go purge San Diego of its entire supply of fast food?"
Darien rubbed his grumbling stomach, "Well now that you mention it, I am kinda hungry…"
Shaking his head indulgently, Hobbes shoved his lanky friend towards the door with Claire rushing to catch up and then lacing her arms through theirs. "I'll walk upstairs with you two dreamboats."
As the door to the Keep shut with a gentle whoosh behind them, Carter stopped what he was doing; his shoulders finally sagging under his burden of guilt.
"Hey stretch, wait up." As they exited the elevator Bobby planted a soft kiss on Claire's cheek then ran to catch up with his partner, who was already halfway down the hallway.
"I wanna ask you about Sartori. That shot was incredible. Have you been hiding something from me all this time partner?"
"Nah, just lucky I guess. I was actually aiming for his leg."
The response was too flippant and Bobby didn't look that convinced, but decided to let it drop…for the moment.
"Okay then hotshot, tell me how you really got off that plane in LA and away from Cru-Ella?"
"Ah Hobbesy, Hobbesy," Darien uttered with a world-weary sigh. "Let's put that one down to my finely honed CTS skills."
Hobbes stopped dead in his tracks, staring at his friend in wide-eyed disbelief.
"What CTS skills?" he yelped. "You never even sat the exam."
"Okay, so I read the handbook," he threw back, shrugging dismissively.
Hobbes looked smug. "Hey buddy boy let me tell you something', Bobby Hobbes don't need no CTS handbook to help him with theladies. In fact, you could do worse than learn some of the ole Hobbes magic."
"Hmm, Hobbes magic. Is that kinda like black magic, where you have to put someone into a deep trance to get them to go on date with you'?" Darien threw an arm around his friend's shoulders as they continued their easy stroll down the corridor.
"You'd better freakin' believe it pal," Bobby was chuckling now as he suddenly launched into song, his voice surprisingly rich. "That ole black magic gets them in my spell, that ole Hobbes magic that I do so well…"
God she'd missed this. Claire stared after them; reveling in their affectionate banter, until Fawkes and Hobbes exited as one through the double glass doors at the far end of the hallway. Then with a contented sigh she spun on her heels, humming Bobby's song as she went.
TBC
