Sonny'd had a bad feeling before they entered the damn cave network - add in a creepy tunnel that dead ends at some old statue? Asking for trouble. And Spenser just had to go and touch the damn thing.
Rated T. Age regression/de-aging. Kid fic.
Sonny talks to Ash Spenser.
Chapter Eleven
There is a universal truth to four-year-olds: they like to play. Typically, with other four-year-olds who can match their energy level. A bunch of 30+s were not substantial substitutes.
Cerberus was doing his best - boy and dog were playing some variant of chase and fetch merged together. Brock's shoe was cast in the role of ball. But there was only so far the two could run in the barracks with cinderblock walls and metal bunks.
"Can we go outside?" Clay stuck his bottom lip out, looking first to Sonny and then to Ray. Sonny took one look at the two sets of puppy eyes - one from an actual dog - and then looked at Ray.
Ray held up his finger to Sonny's face, "Don't you dare." He shook his head as Sonny widened his eyes. Three sets of puppy dog eyes focused on the man now. "No. Nope. Not falling' for that."
He took two steps back and turned away from them.
"We ain't cleared for free range livin' just yet." Sonny crouched down beside Clay. The kid crossed his arms, huffing his discontent. "I know, high degree of suckage." He ruffled Clay's hair as he stood up, "That's why Davis got us a tv, she doesn't want us making trouble."
Clay huffed again, full on pouty lips and furrowed brow as he pulled Cerberus over to the bunk that was housing his books and the clothes that Davis had bought him. Sonny watched him with squinted eyes - Baby Spenser wasn't all that different than Adult Spenser.
"Don't go trying to sneak out," Sonny threw out two fingers towards the boy, "I can read minds and yours talks awful loud." Clay looked over his shoulder, eyes big and round with faux innocence.
"But…Sonny-" he whined, stressing the end of Sonny's name. Cerberus whined at the pitch, pawing at his ears.
Sonny chuckled, "Try it, Slick." He gave him a narrow look. "I've got backup." He stuck his thumb in the direction of the couch, where Trent and Jason were playing checkers. Ray had taken up residence not too far off in one of the chairs, thumbs jumping around his phone in rapid movements.
"Don't worry, Clay," Brock winked from his bunk, "Cerb can take 'em all." Sonny shushed him and Clay giggled.
"Reynolds," Sonny's arms went wide, "Loyalty?"
Brock pointed to the dog, "I go where he goes."
Sonny rolled his eyes, placing his hands on his hips as the peanut gallery stopped pretending to ignore them. Stifled laughter turned into chuckling.
"Y'all could at least pretend to back me up!" Sonny called over his shoulder.
"Off duty." "Busy." "Sounds lame."
Well.
"Sonny!"
The room all looked towards the door. Davis had a phone in hand that she tossed to the bearded brunet. He caught it, clocked the familiar screensaver as the screen lit up before looking to Davis.
"Thought you might want to make a phone call." Davis winked and then, as soon as she came, she went. Clay running after her to make a request of burgers and shakes for dinner. Because, ya know, four year old.
Sonny looked back at the phone in his hand. Clay's face was looking back at him, Stella's in profile as she kissed his cheek. Her arm was at a weird angle, taking the selfie.
The phone unlocked when he pressed the home button - which, really Spenser, no passcode even? - and Sonny clicked quickly into contacts.
Ash was towards the top, under his given name rather than a familial moniker. Sonny scrolled through the contact info. No photo. Six different numbers - Office, Assistant, Home, Work Cell, Personal, and Pager.
Spensers, couldn't do nothing easy could they.
He took a screenshot and messaged it to his own cell and Jason's, just in case. With one last glance towards Clay, who had since moved on to peppering Brock with more dog-related questions, Sonny clicked the Personal number.
Six rings.
"Clay? Anything wrong?" Ash Spenser had a jovial tone. Voice edged with laughter.
"Depends on your perspective," Sonny responded, "And your clearance level."
Ash's voice dropped to a lower pitch, "Who is this?"
"Sonny Quinn."
"Bravo Team," Ash's voice had flipped. Ray's brisk 'mission voice' was suddenly pouring from a man Sonny'd never met.
Sonny's drawl deepened in response, "Yes'ir."
"What's happened to Clay?" The sound of a door slamming carried over the phone. Then silence.
"Nothing I can disclose," Sonny spoke quickly, "But I can assure: he's in one piece and breathing of his own will." The silence that followed was thick.
Ash Spenser knew more about how SEALs operated than Stella - knew he'd get nothing more. Sonny was pretty grateful for that.
"What do you need from me, Mr. Quinn?"
"Intel." Sonny said. He walked a few paces, then back. Eyes on the blond that was flitting across the room from person to person. Dog on his heels. "What can you tell me about Clay, circa age four?"
To his credit Ash Spenser did not ask questions, "Wanted to be a SEAL, always wanted chapter books, fewer pictures the better, had a bitter rivalry with the family cat." One of those was news to him.
"And your wife?" This time, Spenser paused.
"She checked into rehab for the first time that year," Ash cleared his throat. "Cocaine and Alcohol. I told Clay she was visiting her parents."
Sonny did hate to be right, "Anything else that might be…" Sonny paused, thinking back to the conversations Bravo had been having. "Might cause some sort hang up?"
"Hang up…" Ash groans, "His bear. It's the first time he was away from it. Jeremy said he was pretty frantic and… I think he used the word jittery actually."
The kid hadn't sit still since he'd woken up. It was a stark contrast to his clinginess the days before. In both moods, Clay was constantly seeking contact - physical stabilty.
Sonny had no idea if that counted as jittery, or fell within the normal spectrum of a child's social development. Hell, maybe it was both. Maybe that was why Clay was such a peach to work with sometimes.
"Why's the bear such a big deal?" Sonny lowered his voice as he continued his pacing. He slipped his freehand into his pocket, tapping down on his desire to fidget.
Ash sighed, "I started Green Team fresh off of a 9 month deployment - Clay had just turned three. Billy was...distracted. He was terrified every time I walked out the door that I wouldn't come back."
Ah. Origin of Daddy Issues noted for later use. Thank you, Mr. Spenser.
"I told him I had Master Chiefs keeping me safe."
Sonny obviously remembered Green Team differently than Ash.
"The bear was his, so I would know he was in just as good a hands."
Ash chuckled. Sonny did too, "He bought that?"
"Yes actually," Ash's laughter died off, "Till he went to his grandparents anyway. Six is too old for fantasies, if I recall."
Sonny glanced over at Clay again. He was attempting to ride the dog now - Cerberus was not cooperating.
"Anything else?" Ash's voice was quiet now, whispy. Sonny recognized that voice, that tone. There was definitely alcohol in Ash Spenser's future.
Sonny almost wanted to buy him a case of beer, "That's all, for now. Thanks."
There was a swift click. Sonny stared down at the Call Ended screen for a second. There was a lot more to the story of Master Chief. Either that, or Ash Spenser has just as many 'son issues' as Clay had daddy ones.
"Sonny!" Clay slammed into his legs, Percy Jackson book in hand. Sonny - very gracefully, thank you, Trent - caught himself on the nearest bunk. "Can we read before lunch?"
Sonny chuckled, "Tired yourself out, huh?" Clay pursed his lips. Sonny looked over at Cerberus, lying in Brock's bunk, butt out. "Or is the dog mad at you?"
Clay shrugged, and then dragged Sonny over to a chair. The kid maneuvered himself into Sonny's lap just as he did before, this time dragging a blanket from his bunk with him.
"So cute," Trent smirked as he stood, dead center in front of them, with his phone out. Sonny found it difficult to maintain his glare with Clay curling into his side. The kid ~was~ being damn adorable.
Thanks for reading! Reviews Appreciated!