Cub showed up about a week later. Wolf hadn't been told when he'd get there when he'd spoken to Jones. The MI6 woman had said very little, though that was hardly surprising. She reiterated that Cub didn't need much looking after and that all potential threats were being watched closely. This did nothing to calm Wolf's nerves and as the week progressed he started to have second thoughts.
Maria had been pleased when he'd told her about accepting and then proceeded to lecture him for a solid three hours when he'd voiced his thoughts of backing out. Wolf had eventually tuned her out, opting to watch the football game instead, but from what he did listen to, she was very upset about, "the poor boy having no place to else to go, and you're his last option James, so you better straighten up." She hung up only when it was time to go to work. Her spiel had kept him from picking up the phone and calling Jones back though. He'd already made the commitment, the least he could do was follow through.
He had yet to inform the rest of K-Unit about the Cub situation. He didn't know how to bring it up; blurting it out to Maria was one thing, she didn't know this kid or their rather uncomfortable history together. K-Unit on the other hand, did know that history, and Wolf couldn't bring himself to just tell them. Fox, newly returned from MI6, wouldn't have a problem with it; Snake would ask all sorts of questions about how he was going to take care of a child, much less Cub; Eagle would die of a mix of his own laughter and Wolf's blown up temper. No, best to wait or, if luck was on his side, not tell them at all.
The doorbell to his small home rang and Wolf got off the couch he'd been more or less planted to for the last week. Walking down the hall, he wondered how this was going to go; it would be interesting to see.
The doorbell rang a couple more times as if the person on the other side was impatient and already tired of standing on his stoop. Knowing it was probably Cub being his annoying, teenage self Wolf wrenched open the door prepared to snap at the kid. His jaw shut audibly when he caught sight of the boy for the first time in over half a year.
Bruised. That was how Wolf would describe him; completely and utterly bruised. His face was more purple than any other shade and Wolf was certain that he would have bruises or possibly worse injuries else where.
"Damn, Cub," he exclaimed. "What happened to you?" Cub looked at him blankly, a spark of confusion in his eyes before he remembered how he must look to other people.
"Got in a fight," he replied vaguely.
"With who? A high speed train?" Wolf asked gruffly, referring to their last meeting when Cub had literally been hit by a train. Cub gave a small smile before he answered.
"A high speed train isn't a person, Wolf," he said. Wolf rolled his eyes at him but stayed silent. Cub asked his next question uncertainly, "Are you my temporary guardian?"
"Yeah, didn't MI6 tell you?" he asked and moved aside so that Cub could enter the house. The blond boy moved past Wolf into the entryway but didn't go far into the house as if waiting to be invited in further.
"They only told me your real name," Cub said and Wolf watched his eyes dart around taking in everything. "I didn't recognize it."
"Why didn't you just ask who it was if you didn't recognize it?" Wolf asked him. Cub looked thoughtful at the question but only shrugged in the end.
"I guess I could have," he said. "If I was going to find out anyway there's no use in lying to me." Wolf, not knowing how to respond to that comment changed the subject.
"C'mon," he said. "I'll show you to your room." He walked down the hallway with Cub following him. He pushed open the door to the rather bare, white spare bedroom and entered. Wolf never really went in there much, because he had no need to. The walls were white, the bed was small, but would fit Cub fine, and the desk and chair were old. There was a small closet next to the desk and the room had only one window.
Cub dumped his duffel bag and backpack on the bed and crossed to the window. He stared out for several moments in silence before Wolf felt the need to break it.
"Where do you go to school?" he asked for lack of anything else to say. He leaned against the door frame in preparation for a quick exit.
"Brookland," Cub said simply turning to look at him. "Why?" Wolf shrugged at the question.
"Just curious," he said. "How you been Cub?"
"I'm fine," he replied. Wolf eyed the bruises on his face as if that was sufficient evidence that, no, Cub was not completely fine.
"You sure about that?" he asked his tone taking a mocking sound to it.
"Yes," the boy said looking a little confused.
"How'd you get the bruises?" Wolf asked bluntly hoping to catch the boy off guard. He was curious as to what Cub had been up to; it wasn't usual to use a fifteen year old as a spy so he wanted to know what they used him for. Who wouldn't be curious?
"In a fight," Cub reiterated, just as bluntly.
"With who?" Wolf asked
"A very big man," Cub said.
"And that would be?"
"Classified," was the reply. Not the answer he was looking for. Not really knowing where to continue with the conversation he changed the subject yet again.
"I was planning on ordering a pizza," he said. "You want anything specific on it?"
"Not really," Cub said.
"Alright then, I'll leave you to it," Wolf told him and left. He heard the door close softly, almost silently, behind him.
Cub didn't talk much; Wolf found that out quickly. He would answer generic questions, but never in detail and never with more words than he needed. Wolf found it frustrating.
They'd eaten on the couch in front of the TV, because Wolf didn't have a kitchen table. His brother had taken it when he'd moved out and Wolf hadn't seen the need to replace it.
The two of them had made small talk and Wolf, figuring Cub wouldn't say much about his job, steered clear of that line of conversation for now. He figured Cub just didn't trust him enough to say anything; he understood that easily. But Cub wouldn't say much about anything else either and after a while the two just fell silent.
"Do you know my name?" Cub asked suddenly. Wolf looked at him a little startled by the sudden and random question.
"Yes," Wolf replied.
"How?" Cub asked him. "Did MI6 tell you?"
"They did," Wolf confirmed and Cub looked back at the comedy show they were watching.
"What is it?" Cub asked.
"Huh?" Wolf grunted a little confused.
"What's my name?"
"It's Alex," Wolf said wondering why the boy felt the need to quiz him on names.
"Yours is James," Cub said as if confirming, for Wolf's benefit, that he knew his name as well.
"Yes, it is," Wolf told him. He knew he was giving the kid an odd look but he couldn't help it. He'd never had a conversation this weird before. Normally, someone said a name and moved on in life; Cub seemed to be dwelling on it. He was surprised when the next words out of Cub's mouth came in rapid fire Spanish.
"I figured you're Spanish because of your last name. Were you born in Spain?" he asked. Wolf easily made the transition from English to Spanish without missing a beat.
"No, but my parents were. I was born in London. How do you know Spanish?" he said and Cub smiled.
"My uncle made sure I could speak it. It was part of my training," he said.
"Uncle?" Wolf asked confused. Cub wasn't supposed to have any family left.
"Yeah, he raised me but he died a year ago. That's why Jack takes care me," Cub told him and Wolf couldn't help but feel a little sorry him. If his uncle died a year ago that would have been around the same time Cub had been sent to Brecon Beacons. It was a little cruel to make a fourteen-year-old go through that type of hell in the first place, but on top of a family death? Wolf once again felt bad for the part he'd played in torturing the boy. Since Wolf didn't answer, Cub said, "My friend asked me if I could go to a movie tonight. Can I?"
"I don't care," Wolf said instantly. He really didn't care what Cub's social calendar looked like. It was a bit of a shock to be asked though; he really was supposed to take care of the kid, including the permission to go out part. It was unnerving. Cub stood up from the couch and went to his room to get his jacket, wallet, and mobile. Wolf heard the front door click behind him as he left.
"So, what's he like?" Maria asked. Wolf rolled his eyes at what he considered to be her over-interest in the subject. He'd called her about five minutes after Cub had left to tell her the boy had finally gotten there. She'd been waiting more anxiously than he had but for entirely different reasons.
"Quiet," he said.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"He doesn't like to talk a lot," he explained.
"Maybe he's shy," she suggested.
"No, I don't think that's it," he said. "I think he's just been through a lot."
"Oh, that poor sweetheart," she cooed and again Wolf rolled his eyes.
"He's not a baby, Maria."
"He's still a child, Jamie," she snapped. "And don't even think of telling me that he doesn't like it. A child is a child no matter how mature."
"That's the strangest perspective on that subject I've ever heard," he told her truthfully. She laughed at him then changed the subject.
"Have you talked to mama?" she asked.
"Yes, I have," he said gruffly. "And thank you, for telling her about everything I told you. She called to ask how I was going to take care of a child when I didn't even have a wife." Maria's laughter was loud and full of amusement at his expense.
"Oh, you know mama, so caught up in the old ways," she said. "You did remember to feed him right?"
"He's not a dog, Maria," Wolf said.
"I'm aware, but teenage boys eat a lot," she said.
"We had pizza."
"Jamie," she practically moaned. "That's not a healthy meal."
"I don't cook," he said.
"I'll bring you some food tomorrow," she said. Wolf instantly thought of Cub's bruises and how Maria would probably not take the sight of the boy that well.
"Um, I don't know if that's a good idea Maria," he said quickly. "He just got here. Give him a little space."
"It's just food Jamie," she admonished.
"Well, I just don't think you should meet just yet," he said then mentally scolded himself. He'd just put himself into a trap.
"Why shouldn't we meet?" she asked curiously. "Is something wrong with him?"
"Um, no, not really," Wolf said trying his hardest to come up with a valid reason for why she shouldn't come.
"Is he skittish?" she asked drawing her own conclusions.
"No," Wolf said instantly, not really wanting to make Cub seem any weirder than he already was.
"Then I'll be over tomorrow afternoon," she said. "It's a Saturday so there shouldn't be any problem."
"Okay," he agreed slowly. She hung up a few moments later and Wolf turned back to the TV. Shit, just what he needed. Maria would undoubtedly tell the entire family about Cub and his condition and the next thing he knew his mother would be in his house. Then there was his brother's wife, who might as well have been a second sister she was so involved. Wolf loved his family but he was a private person and he knew for a fact that Cub was as well.
He wondered how the boy would take to having his loud, overly nosy family around. If nothing else, it would funny to watch.
Cub came back around eleven-thirty, taking a seat next to Wolf on the couch.
"Have you moved at all?" he asked.
"Yes," Wolf said roughly. "What did you see?"
"I don't know," Cub said. "I fell asleep."
"You should still know to what you were supposed to be watching," Wolf said with a small smile.
"Tom bought my ticket because I was late," Cub said. "I didn't really pay attention."
"That boring, huh?" Wolf said.
"I guess," he replied. Wolf turned to look at him only now seeing the new injury to Cub's face as this was the first time he'd looked at him head on since sitting down.
"Why is your lip bleeding?" Wolf asked casually. Cub did not need anymore injuries to his face. He already looked terrible. The boy brought a hand to his lip and wiped some of the blood away.
"Oh, I got in a fight," he said and Wolf rolled his eyes.
"Do you just attract violent people?" he asked.
"Like a magnet," Cub quipped but at Wolf's raised eyebrow explained a little further. "There's a kid from school who doesn't like me. I was talking with his girlfriend and he got pissed. No big deal."
"So, what, he just hit you?" Wolf asked.
"Yeah, then management kicked him out. Permanently," Cub said looking a little too happy.
"You didn't get a shot in?" Cub's smile faltered at the question and he shook his head.
"I didn't want to hurt him," he said. They fell silent again and, once again, Cub broke it with a random statement.
"I don't have a key," he said.
"There's a spare one in dish on the table by the door," Wolf told him without looking away from the screen.
"Oh," was all the kid said.
"My sister's coming over tomorrow," Wolf said bluntly. He figured the kid deserved a heads up.
"You have a sister?" Cub asked sounding a little shocked. Wolf nodded trying to fight the smile that threatened to break out.
"She doesn't think I eat properly so she's bringing food over tomorrow afternoon."
"Okay," Cub said. He left after that and Wolf heard him go to the small table by the door and grab his key. About twenty minutes after Cub's door closed, Wolf went to bed.