Hey all thank you thank you thank you for all the wonderful reviews and the patients for waitng for chpt 11. I know its been a while since I've updated but real life had caught up with me and my beta reader so sorry you guys. I should have chpt 12 back sooner then I did chpt 11. Chpt 12 was just sent off today so we'll see how long it will take but hopefully not as long as it took for chpt 11 :-)
Disclamer: ok we all know I don't own it cries but the box set with the collectors pin is well a good runner up lol. Also as we all know my names not Tracy Chapman but I do love her song Fast Car :-)
Enjoy !
Witch Hunter Robin
Rebuilding from the rubble
chapter 11
Facing the truth
A FanFic by Prospro53223
Robin needed this weekend to clear her mind, in more ways then one. Between Stephie's 'bull,' and her late father's letter, not to mention the blow out she and Bradley gave father Juliano, Robin just really needed the time to chill out before she set something, or someone, on fire.
Surprisingly, though, when Robin talked to Bradley, she was happy to find out they were real sisters like they had hoped all throughout their childhood. Robin had to admit that she was happy too, and both girls considered the news an early Christmas gift. It was having to face the truth this late in Bradley's life, though, that made the two girls unhappy.
Robin thought of all these things, as she waited for the barracks manager to show up with Senior Hunter John to re-inspect her room. Cathy, Leigh, and Devi waited with her and told the rest of the girls they would all meet up in the galley as soon as possible; of course, minus Stephie. Robin stood in the hallway for another ten minutes in her uniform, waiting for the barracks manager to finally come down the hall.
"Sena, I just got off the phone with John. He trusts you to have the room in immaculate form, as always, so change, and get out of here." Robin smiled, as she thanked the barracks manager, and all four girls ran into her room to wait for Robin to change, so they could head off.
When they finally got to the galley, the whole class was still there and taking their sweet time, eating breakfast and chatting away, including Amon. Robin and the girls got their food and, of course, Robin wouldn't be Robin if she didn't have her morning cup of coffee. They all discussed what everyone was doing that day. Evelyn and Daria were going to the firing range with Gaius, Ron, and Amon. The triplets, like Stephie, went home for the weekend, while Anisa and Blaise were going to spend the day in the library, studying early Tibetan history and how Buddhism shaped that country's culture. Robin, of course, with Leigh and Cathy, were going to the gym, where they would finally put up the gymnastic equipment. Joe and Ian were heading to the mall, the post office, and the base travel agency, so they could get tickets home for Christmas. Devi and Devdas, along with Zena, were going to go around town and do the tourist thing. Mike, Akin, Steven, and Ken were going to stay behind, kick back, and relax, while catching up on their studies. Everyone also planned to meet up at the bowling ally around seven, so they could get a few rounds of darts, and possibly a few games of pool.
"See you at noon, Amon," Robin said, as she left with Cathy and Leigh. All Amon could do was wave his hand good bye, since he had a mouthful of food.
When the girls finally reached the gym, their eyes began to water at the site of the gymnastic equipment, which was only going to be up for a week, before they started close combat training and martial arts for the class's daily PT session. All Robin hoped for was that the instructors didn't pair her with Amon, since it would be no problem for him to kick her skinny ass.
Everything a gymnast could ask for was on display; even and uneven bars, vaults, balance beam, rings, and so on. There was even an open spot of mats so they could do floor exercise; each girl stretching out before using the equipment. When they were done with the warm up Robin, and the others each claimed the piece of equipment they wanted to use for the day.
"Uneven bars," Cathy called.
"Rings," Leigh said, as she walked over to them.
"Balance beam." Robin always loved the balance beam. She was able to use the little bit of ballet she learned when she was younger, and blend it in with the gymnastics that she ended up taking instead.
Amon stayed at the firing range until eleven o'clock. He had to admit that he was impressed with the way Evelyn, Ron, Daria, and Gaius were able to handle their weapons. He had never seen eighteen year-olds, not raised by SOLOMON, with such precise aim. So impressed, in fact, that he told them so; the first time Amon really ever complimented anyone in the class other than Robin.
Amon wanted to change before meeting up with Robin at the gym. He smelled like gunpowder and, in his book, it was never a good idea to go out into town and run errands while smelling like gunpowder. It seemed to bring on too many questions, in his opinion. When he finally arrived at the gym, around eleven forty-five, he stood in the entrance in shock. Did he just really see Robin mount the balance beam with one hand? She soon placed her other hand on the beam, turning her back to Amon, as she went into cartwheel, followed by a back hand spring. Robin then did a back flip, with a fouette, and closed with a full-in, back-out double salto, sticking the dismount.
Amon walked up to Robin and handed her a towel, while Robin, of course, blushed, when she realized he was there.
"You are full of surprises," Amon said, in a bewildered tone.
"So are you," Robin said, with a shy smile on her face.
"I'll tell you all my secrets ... one day," Amon smiled, as he gave Robin a quick kiss, forgetting that Cathy and Leigh were there as well.
The two girls just gawked. Both had a feeling something was up with those two, but they never thought Robin and Amon would be so open. They both figured they would ask Robin about it later, when they could get her away from Amon.
"Ready to go?" Amon asked her, as Robin nodded her head, waving good bye to the girls and telling them that she would see them later.
They drove to the mall in Amon's sleek black Audi. Nagira, with the help of Doujima, was able to get it shipped to him without any questions asked by the STN-J members. For all they knew, SOLOMON wanted the car back. Well, that's what Doujima told them, anyway, so they really didn't ask much after that. Robin's Vespa, though, would have been an entirely different story. Their friends would have definitely put two and two together if that happened, since Robin owned the motor scooter herself.
Robin always enjoyed being in Amon's car. She had always found it as a place of comfort, a place to think and to prepare before a hunt. Now she found it a means of escape.
Amon had even turned on the radio, which was a rare treat indeed. Neither one paid attention to the fact that there was a CD in the CD-player, and were caught off guard when one of Amon's death-metal CD's started blaring with the sound cranked all the way up.
"Nice," Robin stated, as she lowered the volume.
Amon said nothing, but grumbled as Robin stopped the CD and fiddled with the radio tuner until she found a station she liked, which was playing a song by Tracy Chapman.
"You got a fast car, I want a ticket to anywhere. Maybe we make a deal, maybe together we can get somewhere. Anyplace is better, starting from zero got nothing to lose. Maybe we'll make something, but me, myself, I got nothing to prove ..."
Amon took the hint.
"You got a fast car, and I got a plan to get us out of here. I been working at the convenience store Managed to save just a little bit of money. We won't have to drive too far, just 'cross the border and into the city. You and I can both get jobs and finally see what it means to be living ..."
He looked around to make sure there were no cops ...
" You see my old man's got a problem, he live with the bottle, that's the way it is. He says his body's too old for working, I say his body's too young to look like this. My mama went off and left him, she wanted more from life than he could give. I said somebody's got to take care of him, so I quit school and that's what I did ..."
plugged in his radar detector just to be safe ...
"You got a fast car, but is it fast enough so we can fly away? We gotta make a decision, we leave tonight or live and die this way ..."
and then, he floored it.
"I remember we were driving, driving in your car, the speed so fast I felt like I was drunk. City lights lay out before us, and your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder. And I had a feeling that I belonged, and I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone. You got a fast car, and we go cruising to entertain ourselves. You still ain't got a job, and I work in a market as a checkout girl. I know things will get better, you'll find work and I'll get promoted, we'll move out of the shelter, buy a big house and live in the suburbs ..."
Robin tilted her head back a bit as she laughed ...
"I remember we were driving, driving in your car, the speed so fast I felt like I was drunk. City lights lay out before us, and your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder. And I had a feeling that I belonged, and I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone ...,"
as Amon sped through the streets ...
"You got a fast car, and I got a job that pays all our bills. You stay out drinking late at the bar, see more of your friends than you do of your kids. I'd always hoped for better, thought maybe together you and me would find it. I got no plans I ain't going nowhere, so take your fast car and keep on driving ...,"
only slowing down when they reached the main road.
"So remember we were driving, in your car The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk City lights lay out before us And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder And I had a feeling that I belonged And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone. You got a fast car But is it fast enough so you can fly away You gotta make a decision You leave tonight or live and die this way."
"I really hate that song," Amon finally spoke up.
" Really? " The sense of freedom was still surging through Robin's blood. "Then why did you press all the way down on the gas?"
Amon looked over at Robin, as they sat at a red light, "I wanted to see you smile. You really haven't in a long time."
"What? Its only been a little over a month," Robin said, as she stared out the car window.
"A month too long, Robin." Robin smiled shyly as she averted her eyes, "I really haven't had much to smile about lately."
Amon knew what Robin was talking about. With Stephie and Bradley being so sick, not to mention the bombshell she got from beyond the grave, Robin really had too much to face in such a small period of time. It really made him sad. It reminded Amon a lot of himself when he was a child and he didn't want the same for his Robin.
"I was eight when my mother awoke," Amon began to say, as he drove, when the light turned green. Robin turned her head to face him.
"My dad, who I had rarely seen, went to take Nagira home to his mother's house before going away on yet another long business trip. This time for, oh, I believe, about a year in America. He told me I was the man of the house and I was to help my mum out, clean my room, so on and so forth. I also remember, before my dad left, he brought me and Nagira, as he always did, some stupid present to make up for the fact he wasn't going to be there. This time, I remember that I wanted a big boy bike, like Nagira's, but red, because all my friends had red bikes. When I got home, all I wanted to do was ride that bike around as fast as I could, trying to escape all the problems that one has when they're eight. Wanting to ride that ten speed so fast, until I felt as if I were going to fly out of my skin."
Amon paused for a moment, clearing his throat, while Robin noticed him quickly wipe a single tear from his eye.
"Then, one Saturday, my mum had asked me if I had cleaned my room like my father had told me to do before he left on his trip. I told her 'Well, dad's not here,' a stupid kid thing to say, that should have had me grounded for about a week. That didn't happen, though. My mother went to yell at me and, next thing I knew, I was in the living room. The argument had started in the kitchen, and there I was, dazed and confused, scared out of my mind. I just don't know how SOLOMON knew to look out for my mother since she was the only witch in her family. Only thing I can think of, to this day, is that a neighbor called the cops and sent SOLOMON instead. The next thing I remember was not my mother's family, nor even my father's family, looking out for me, taking me in when my mother died. Nagira's mother hated when my dad would even bring me around to visit him. My dad wouldn't even quit his busy job and take one that was closer to home. I lost every thing that day and I forgot how to do a lot of things like laugh and smile. You've been the only person to melt away the ice around my heart, and it hurts not to see you smile. I know I'm some what responsible. That's part of the reason why I promised to be your watch dog, your protector. I didn't want to see you end up like me."
When Amon was done talking about his childhood, Robin did something she normally would never do in Amon's car. Thankfully they were at a another red light, as Robin undid her seat belt, leaning over to give Amon a hug, and thanking him for trusting her enough to tell her of his past.