Authors Note, All right, I some homework to do so naturally I am sitting infront of my computer writing. Haha! If my Algebra Professor could see me now! Bastard. Anywho, I am a fan not only of Black Hawk Down, but Tears of the Sun, and as you will probably be able to tell am a fan of red. So I have decided to update this fic, enjoy and review.
Lt. Waters wished that the ride had been quiet back to the individual apartments that belonged to the three Seals, but it was not going to happen. The Jeep had not even left the taverns parking lot before Red and Lake were verbally abusing one another.
It wasn't long before threats were exchanged. Threats that both men were both armed and physically capable of acting out.
Lt. Waters slowed down enough to turn onto Oak Ave when Lake muttered fighting words, "Don't hold yourself so high on your fucking pedestal."
"Lake," Lt. Waters warned, his warning fell on deaf ears.
Red turned in his seat, "What the hell are you muttering about? I don't date little girls. You must be thinking about those girls you picked up at the mall."
"Red," Lt. Waters warned, for the fourth time.
Had his lieutenant spoken to him at work, training, or during a mission Red would have listened without hesitation. However, they were in neither of the three places.
"No, I'm talking about that piece of college ass you've been seeing for the past year, Red. How the fuck old do you think she is…and think hard!"
Red narrowed his venomous blue eyes at Lake, "She's graduating this year and already owns her own fucking business! She is an established gem cutter. You know what…I'd say she is older then some mallrat in a miniskirt! Unlike you, I have never had to verify with an ID check how old a girl is! I prefer mine over the age of fifteen."
"You obviously don't prefer them old enough to legally drink."
It was half a heartbeat after Lake's remark when Waters saw Red leap into the back, it was faster then he had ever seen the Seal move. A surprised swear came from Silk at the sudden sight.
Waters quickly pulled the Jeep in the parking lot to Burger King.
Silk managed to pull Red off Lake and shove him into the back of the Jeep, using Red's angry momentum, he then pushed Lake off the seat and onto the floor, in a desperate attempt to separate the men.
"All right! This shit isn't funny anymore! You two need to cut it out…now!"
By the time Lake got around the Jeep he had his cell phone out, he opened the back door and ordered both Silk and Lake, "Out! Now! You two are getting a fucking cab!"
"I don't need a fucking cab. I need five minutes alone with Red," Lake spat.
Seeing there was no hope of reasoning with Lake, Waters gave Silk his cell phone and grabbed Lake's shirt, hauling the large man from the floor of his Jeep.
Waters physically pulled Lake away from the Jeep, "Kelly!"
Finally Lake looked at his CO, less then pleased, "What? You want me to fucking apologize to the hypocrite? It's pretty hard to be a Saint when you can't even subscribe to your own morals."
Waters shoved Lake back, hard, almost knocking the man to the concrete ground. Forcing Lake to give Waters his complete attention.
"Lake. Forget about whom Red is screwing for five minutes. You started this the minute you began to date his ex behind his back. May I even ask if you're taking it serious with her? There are children involved. I'm not saying there has never been any switching partners in the military, between two guys, but this better not fuck up the working relationship. I don't want you two shooting at each other when you should be shooting at someone else."
"That's not gonna happen," Lake hissed.
"Well whoop-de-fucking-do I'm not thoroughly convinced at this point in time."
Lake glared and Waters glared back, and then Silk climbed out of the Jeep with Waters cell phone in hand.
Waters poked Lake in his chest, "Go home. I don't give a fuck which home. Hers, yours, or Silks. Tomorrow when you come to work this better be settled. I don't give a fuck in you kiss and make up, or glare at each other all day. But this better not come up once when we work, train, or are in uniform. Do you understand me, Lake?"
"Yes Sir," Lake growled.
"And for future reference, the next time you decide to start a relationship with the ex of someone on our team, tell them, especially if there are children involved."
Lake didn't bother to tell Lt. Waters that there would be no one after MaryAnn, but decided against it, "Yes Sir."
"Once the cab comes and picks you two up, I'm going to knock Red off his pedestal and tell him the exact some thing. So…the next time I get woken up because you two are fighting, your asses better be in jail."
Twenty Minutes Later…
Lt. Waters climbed into the Jeep after Silk and Lake were taken away in a yellow Fiesta Cab. He looked over at Red who had climbed back in the front, and realized that Red looked sick.
Before he could ask Red told him, "Take me over to the development off McMullan Booth."
Lt. Waters started his Jeep and asked, "Your girlfriend lives in suburbia?"
Red heard the disbelief in his lieutenant's voice, "Yeah."
Red waited and refused to look over at Waters, he needed to find out if what Lake had said was true. Inwardly he couldn't believe it, but why would Lake lie about her age? Why would Lake even bring her age up if it wasn't true and he couldn't burn Red with it.
"Red," Waters asked.
With his blue eyes straight ahead he asked, "Can we go now?"
Lt. Waters started the Jeep and pulled out of the parking lot. The two men rode in silence until Waters pulled into a suburban neighborhood that had immaculate houses and pristine lawns. New or expensive import cars filled the driveways that belong to working professionals such as doctors, lawyers, and or well off workers.
Not underage college students as Lake had said.
"She lives here? Alone?"
"Yeah, keep going," Red spoke in a very low tone.
Red watched the houses go past, houses he had long ago memorized. He all but lived in the house at the end of Mermaid Lane.
"Does she have family?"
Red answered in a careful tone, as if the Master Chief himself were in the car with the two men. "Not anymore."
Waters glanced over, "They were killed?"
"Plane Crash," was Red's answer, he pointed to a street ahead, "Turn there."
Since Red didn't volunteer any more information Waters didn't push. He could do his own research later. He spotted the house before Red told him which one it was. A twenty-five and a half foot long Cabin Cruiser on a trailer that belonged to Red sat in a driveway. Lt. Waters sped up to close in the distance to the house.
He brought the Jeep to a stop and watched Red climb out. He looked at the front yard and saw there was a lush garden and fishpond in the front yard. Hand made mosaic pathway steps and a little Troll on the front porch. Among hundreds of unique lawn ornaments.
It screamed artist, professional artist that made a living, not homeless artist that suffered for their work.
With a look at the mailbox Waters memorized the number and street name for further use.
A few minutes later…
Red used his key to get in the dark house.
As uniquely decorated as it was it felt homey. He kicked his sneakers off and padded silently across the tile floor. Down the hall towards the two spare rooms; her workroom and the room she let him fill with his work gear/ computer/ and whatever else he so desired.
Red could see the light coming down the hall from her work room, hear the music from her stereo, and knew she was awake.
He stepped over the sleeping Rottweiler and into the workroom.
Past the tables of equipment, tools, and dirt from the Gems she had been cutting. Olivia heard him come in but was concentrating, she managed a, "Hey baby," while she continued to sketch out a possible cut for a Ruby commission she had been given.
When Red turned the stereo off she finally looked up, half confused and half annoyed, "What? Not now, I'm busy."
Red looked her over with a sudden intensity.
Never before had he looked at her and wondered how old she was, not once. Granted, he knew she was young, but figured she was in her mid twenties. She had knowing rich brown eyes , which looked at him in an annoyed confusion. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled up in a messy bun. She was not twig thin, she had a womanly figure young girls often fought hard not to attain.
Red knew she was mature for her age. She had graduated high school early, began college even earlier, and was a certified gemologist. She cut gems for companies that begged for her original work. Soon she would be a college graduate with a Bachelor degree in Business. But he never once asked how old she was.
"How old are you, Olivia?"
Olivia cocked an eyebrow, "Are you drunk?"
"How old are you," Red repeated.
Olivia set down her sketchpad beside the uncut Ruby. She crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm twenty. Why the sudden interest?"
Red paled and did the math in his head, "You were nineteen when we started dating."
"I was nineteen when you began to all but stalk me for a date, dear. I'll be twenty-one in September if that helps anything." Olivia corrected the man she had fallen head over heels for, she then asked, "Does this have something to do with Mr. Mohawk?"
Red's eyes widened, "Lake?"
"Whatever his name is," Olivia answered, "Was he on your ass about my age? He's the one dating MaryAnn? Isn't he?"
Red sagged against the wall.
"What's the problem, baby? I'm old enough to own a business, work, own a house and drive not to mention vote. Are you going to dump me because I'm a few years younger then you?"
"No…Why didn't you tell me, Liv?"
She shrugged, "I didn't think you cared how old I was. It never bothered you before."
It suddenly didn't really bother him. But, it had surprised him. Lake had known something so personal that he didn't, it had surprised the hell out of him. "How do you know Lake?"
Olivia wiped her dirty hands on her jeans and stood up. "He used to nail the lady across the street…down the street…and three streets over. He used to hit on me when he dated my lab partner last year. Once he figured out we were dating he backed off though."
Red's jaw tightened.
Olivia walked up to him and placed a kiss upon his lips, "You're much cuter. Plus, I don't have to worry about you diving out a window when I'm finished molesting you."