Disclaimer: I do not own Team Fortress 2 or any of the characters in that universe. They belong to Valve. I only own Robin, my Scout OC and her brothers, and the story, which is not written for any profit. This is purely for fun.
Chapter 1, finally! 'Home Is Where The Heart Is'.
A large hot sardine can, she thought as she slumped even further down into her seat. That was what the bus reminded her of, full of overheated people packed way too closely together and smelling of sweat, metal, and dirt. She sighed loudly, flicking some hair out of her mismatched eyes before resuming her bored stare out the window. The scenary was bland, to be nice; nothing but dusty browns and dull grays as they traveled through the mountains. The stone was all she had been staring at for a good long while and her normally hyperactive mind was feeling very close to exploding.
She turned her green and brown eyes to her mother and younger brother, sitting across the aisle. Her mother, Janice, sat with her back slightly to her daughter, a peaceful smile gracing her round lips as she watched her son draw on a piece of paper. The 16 year old had a very focused look on his face as he sketched with a small pencil. Luka finished his drawing and held it up for his mother. Janice nodded and praised him, ruffling his hair. Luka saw Robin looking and held the paper up higher so she could see.
"It's a robin, like you. You like it?" He asked. Robin couldn't help but let a small grin spread her face and she nodded. Luka was an incredibly talented artist, always painting or drawing small animals or people when the mood struck him.
Her mother looked over at her, still smiling, but more serious look was in her eyes. Robin sighed again and returned her look to the window. They had passed out of the mountains and now she could see the expanse of desert and plains below. The fields were a golden yellow and a wind passed over them, throwing sand into the air and casting it in a small tornado. Robin found herself missing the green hills of Texas where their last home was.
Robin and her family had been traveling for a long time now, 15 years to be precise. They had bounced from the East Coast to the West and back so many times that she wasn't even sure where she was from anymore. They never settled down for too long, either. It was always a year in Chicago, then a week traveling to Kentucky, where they would live on a farm for what felt like 5 minutes before moving on to another, completely different town. The children had asked their mother why they had to leave, but all she would say was 'I just need a change'. When Galen and Robin had gotten older, she had told them that it was because of a much more serious reason.
"Your father is a very bad man. He does not want us to leave, so he is coming after us. We can't let him catch us, so that's why we move, alright?" Was what she had said. Galen had gotten very quiet after that, barely speaking and acting very gruff towards their mother after that. Robin never really understood why; all she knew was that home was here the heart was and she was alright with that. Galen had moved out when he turned 17, going to work on an oil rig in the Atlantic and he very rarely wrote home. Janice had gotten depressed for a long while after that, leaving Robin to care for Luka until she snapped out of it.
The bus drove quickly down the small dirt road that wound around the mountainside, from a distance appearing to be nothing but a silver streak in the sunlight followed by a cloud of dust. Robin felt a trickle of sweat run down her neck and she reached a hand back to wipe it away. Anxiety flooded her limbs at the idea of being stuck on the bus for much longer. Her left foot tapped quickly on the floor, and she could feel the prickle of energy surging through her skin. The young woman glanced back to her mother for a moment before growling lowly under her breath and closing her eyes. Leaning against the not-so-comfy seats, Robin let herself drift into an uncomfortable doze, the heat and cramped space making it too difficult to fully sleep.
Images of previous homes flashed behind Robin's eyelids. A meadow full of sunflowers, bluebirds singing in the trees melted into a gray, cloudy beach with roiling and foaming waves crashing against one another. Then, she was in a washed out shack of a house, the door clanging against the frame and smoke riding the moldy ceiling. Next, she laughed and danced with her mother in a small well-lit kitchen, the two of them singing to 'Twist and Shout' while pancakes sizzled in a pan.
The image changed again to a well worn in home, with a glossy wooden floor and dark blue curtains tied with golden tassles. Light poured in from the large windows, pooling like molten gold on the floorboards. A small table sat in the corner, a table cloth of the same colour as the drapes hanging on it. A set of stairs climbed beckoningly and below them, a small hallway led to a room filled with books and toys, little dolls and fire trucks with large red horses to pull them. Laughter could be heard from a side room, where a family sat, smiling broadly and playing with tiny green soldiers. A light reached the room from outside, but it might as well have been lit from the glow of their smiles.
Suddenly, the room began to dim, the light becoming shadowed and disappearing. The house lost its warm feeling, and now seemed cold and empty. No sounds of happiness could be heard anymore, just quiet. Then, a plate fell from the mantle, crashing loudly to the floor. A woman's cry followed, then another sharp sound. Children cried in the background and the floor seemed to peel away, leaving nothing but a sea of blood. A little girl stood at the edge, two different coloured eyes peering, frightened, below her. Dark maroon coloured tentacles rose from the blood ocean and a strong laugh came forth. The girl screamed and called out for her father as the laugh got louder and louder in her ears. Then, she lost her balance and fell, tumbling towards the red waters without any hope of stopping. She screamed, but the sound was lost in the roar of laughter.
Robin sat up straight with a jolt, eyes trying to fins her mother's. Janice was looking back at her, a worried look on her pretty face.
"Are you alright, Robin? You're pale as a ghost." Her voice was calm and Robin felt herself relaxing from her odd nightmare.
"Yeah, Mama. I'm mint." She replied, leaning back against the seat again. She breathed deeply for a while, thinking about the last part of her dream. The imagery really spooked her and she shivered despite the heat. She noticed, looking out the window, that they had made it to a town, the small gray buildings zipping past. She sat up and pressed her face up against the glass, reading all the signs she could. 'Welcome to Winkelman!' was the first and she winced at the name of the town. The next sign was for a small restaurant called 'Sarspa' Sally's', with a curvy woman in a cowgirl outfit holding a half-full bottle of sarsaparilla. There were signs for 'Taz' Bar' and 'The Ho-Down Lounge' and even one for a small bait and tackle shop. Robin wondered if there were any lakes or rivers near this desert town.
The bus shuddered to a stop in front of a large beige building. Robin almost groaned in relief at the end of their incredibly long trip. The bus driver opened the doors and, while smacking his gum, announced our arrival. 'As if it wasn't obvious, genius.' Robin thought. The young woman slipped out into the aisle, grabbing her shoulder bag from the seat next to her and hauling her large green suitcase from the rack above her head. Her mother and brother did the same and they practically waddled off the bus, behind five other people. Once she set foot on the sidewalk, Robin let go of her bag and stretched, holding her arms above her head and popping her back and yawning.
"Oh my goodness, my ass is so sore!" She spoke through her yawn. Janice walked over and slapped her lightly on the back of her head.
"Watch your mouth, young lady!" She scolded, a stern frown on her face. Robin apologized and grabbed her bag once more.
"Where to now, Mama?"
"Well, we have to catch a taxi to our new house." At that, the younger woman moaned. "Hush, then we will just unpack and I'll order out for dinner. How's that sound?" Luka cheered and started babbling about what he wanted. He couldn't decide between Kentucky Fried Chicken or pizza from the local shop. Robin tapped her mother on the shoulder and spoke in her ear.
"Hey, I really don't want to take another drive. Could I leave my bag with you and walk there? Please, please, please?" She begged, pouting. Janice looked her daughter in the eye before sighing and flicking her hand dismissively.
"Fine, fine. I'll write the address down. Maybe on your way up you could find a job at a local place, huh?"
"Mama, alright! I'll look around for a job, ok?" She griped as Janice wrote down their new address on one of Luka's pieces of paper.
"Now, Robin. Be there before nightfall, alright? It shouldn't be too far, only about 3 miles from here. Don't talk to any creeps or any of those skuzzy types. Be polite when asking for a job, too." As she spoke, she licked her hand and tried to 'fix' her daughter's black hair. It was short, only chin length, so not too unmanagable and Robin tried to back away from her mother's administrations.
"Got it, Mama. Don't have a cow! I'll be home right after!" With that, the young woman turned and jogged off, waving behind her. Janice sighed and turned back to her remaining child, who was still talking about food.
"Come on, Luka. Get your sister's bag and hail us a taxi."
Robin walked quickly down the street, eyes darting from every face to every sign, taking in her surroundings. The town was small and old, the streets still cobbled, and the people were bustling, but friendly. She almost bumbed into one man and she apologized quickly, but he just tipped his hat and went on his way. A grin split her face. She might actually like this town, even though it was a squaresville. The young woman passed by a quaint little diner and stopped, the smell of burgers and fries wafting through the door. She licked her lips and strode in, unable to resist the thought of food after such a long drive.
The diner's interior was just as lovely as its outside. The walls were painted yellow and the little bar chairs where a perplexing shade of turquoise. There weren't many people sitting around, only an old couple in a booth, a biker at the bar and a group of burly men at a table in the back. She inhaled the scent of fryer grease and her mouth watered, so she approached the bar and sat down a few stools from the biker. Robin glanced at him, not wanting to be rude, but painfully curious. He was a large man, maybe twice her size, with a leather jacket that bulged with his muscle. His head was bald and tattooed with an eagle. Robin almost yelped when he made eye contact with her. She froze up and couldn't seem to look away from him.
"Need somethin'?" Came his gruff voice. Robin shook her head vigorously.
"Nope, nope! I got it!" She smiled hugely and dropped her gaze to her hands. She fidgeted, feeling more than slightly nervous, then a deep chuckle came from the biker.
"Don't stress, kid." He said, smiling back at her before turning to the waitress. "Sandra, be a doll and get this chick a burger, on me." Robin's head shot up and she waved her hands quickly.
"No, please! I can't let you do that! I can pay, really. I mean, I have the money, so you don't need to pay for me. I wasn't looking for a handout, honest! I was just coming in for a bite, when I saw you. I mean, you are a BIG guy. Not fat or anything, just really muscled and stuff. And I've never seen someone with a tattoo on their head. I bet it hurt, but that's off topic. Please, don't worry about the burger!" She rambled, earning another laugh from the biker.
"Easy, easy, short stuff. I don't mind. Just bein' neighborly, is all. Don't reject a free burger. It ain't polite." He said the last part with mock seriousness and Robin ended up laughing with him. The waitress, Sandra, returned with a plate stacked with fries and a burger in one hand and a small chocolate milkshake in the other. Robin licked her lips and took a big whiff of the food.
"Thank you so much!" She said to the both of them before digging in. The burger was delicious, cooked with just a little pink in the middle and seasoned with what tasted like cilantro and oregano with a hint lemon pepper. Robin, with her incredibly fast metabolism, downed it quickly and moved on to the fries. They were very fresh and salted perfectly and she dipped them in a strange pink sauce.
"What is this?" She asked, pointed with a fry to the sauce. Sandra walked over and smiled widely.
"Oh, that is our special sauce, dear. Fry sauce, meant for dipping. Good, isn't it?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Robin exclaimed as she finished them off. She sucked down the millkshake in a few large gulps and sighed contentedly.
"So, you new here? Ain't seen ya around before." The biker said, watching her. The young woman turned her chair so she faced him. She explained that was from out of state and that she just moved here with her mother and brother. She left out that they were running from her psychotic father and lied, saying that it was a much needed change of scenery.
"Anyways, thanks for the burger. I gotta split! See you around!" Robin stood and jogged out, grinning widely. So far, the townspeople weren't too lame. She stopped and pulled out the piece of paper with her address on it. '1377 Rosebud Lane- Big Blue House' it read. She almost laughed at the colour of the house. It seemed that all of their houses had something blue in it. She shrugged and walked up the street, towards the hills, every once in a while stopping to ask for directions or pet someone's dog.
After a half an hour walk, she made it to Rosebud Lane. It was a wide street, with a few cars parked on the sides. She could see an old Ford truck parked on the left and a lovely black AC Cobra on the other side. Robin started briskly down the street, admiring the lawns and thinking how green they were regardless of the heat and lack of water. Then, she saw her new house.
The house was indeed big and blue, with a nice picket fence out front. The door was open, so she assumed her mother and sibling were already home. Robin hopped over the fence and flew up the steps to the doorway. The moment she poked her head in she heard her brother talking. Following the sound of his voice, she wandered into a roomy den, where a couch and table were already set up. Luka sat crosslegged on the floor, drawing and talking to their mother over his shoulder.
Janice was laying out plates and things for dinner and she looked up as Robin walked in.
"Hello, dear. Did you have fun in town?" She greeted warmly. Her daughter nodded and leaned on the countertop.
"Sure did! Met some really nice people and had a burger at that little place on the corner. You should try it!"
"Yes dear." Robin looked around at the already furnished house. The drapes were lovely, like they always were and the couch was new. There was even a small television set on a tiny table in the corner of the room. She looked back to her mother.
"Hey, Mama? How do we afford these houses? I mean, they are always so nice, but you always talk about how poor we are." Janice grimaced and her brows pulled together.
"Now, Robin, I've told you this. We always get on, but just barely. We are poor because I try to give you everything you want. This house wasn't cheap, but it is easier than shipping all of our furniture to every place we go."
"Not like we want to move around so much." Robin mumbled.
"What?" Her mother asked, sounding miffed.
"I said, I don't like having to move all the time. Mama, it's been 15 years! I think that he is done coming for us, don't you? Can't we just settle down for once?" Her voice raised a little.
"You listen here. You do not bring him up, you hear me? We move to keep safe. I'm sorry that it doesn't work out for you, but I am not putting this family back in danger! How dare you be ungrateful!" Her mother was yelling now, her hands clenched into fists and her eyes narrowed and icy. Robin stood away from her, just as angry.
"Well, let me tell you something, Janice. I don't think you are moving us to keep us safe. I think you are just afraid! You don't want to face him!"
"You little...take that back, right now, or so help me..."
"What? What? Your going to hit me? Is that it? I know you won't. And, you know what, I'm sick of this! I don't want to move anymore! I'm tired of being poor and worrying about money all the time. It isn't fair to me and it isn't fair to Luka."
The next words were spoken in a tone that could only be described as vindictive.
"Well, if money is such a big issue, did you find a job today?" That stopped Robin in her tracks. She had forgotten to ask around town for jobs. She stayed silent, unable to look her livid mother in the eyes. "I see you didn't. Well, until you get a job and start making your own money, you have no right to complain about the circumstances. Now, I don't want to hear another word out of you. Go get washed up for dinner."
Robin left the room, feeling ashamed and angry. She jogged up the stairs to find the washroom. After a moment of frustrated wandering, she found it. The young woman locked herself inside it and leaned over the sink. She gazed tiredly at her appearence.
Her chin length black hair was tied back in a ponytail, but some strands had some out and hung around her face. Her dirt brown skin was streaked with dirt and she threw water on her face to clean it off and she re-tied her hair. When she looked back up, her appearence was much better looking. She found herself staring at her own mismatched eyes. Her right eye was a pale green, almost sage coloured and her left one was a dark brown. As a kid, she had been teased about the different colours, but she found them rather exotic looking and she thought they were her best feature.
After cleaning up and calming down, Robin trudged back downstairs for dinner. Her mother had set up the table with three spots and Luka was already sitting, being unusually quiet. Robin went and help Janice bring the food to the table. As she passed by her younger sibling, she bumped his chair with her hip.
"Hey, kiddo. Don't frown too hard or your mouth will fall off." This got him to laugh and miraculously, so did their mother. Robin smiled and sat down as well. They munched quietly for a while, then Luka spoke up.
"Mama...what did Robin mean when she said that 'he's not after us'. Who is she talking about?" Robin almost choked and coughed harshly while her mother answered reluctantly.
"Well, Luka, I guess it's time I told you. You were too young to remember, but 15 years ago, we left our home. You, me, Robin and Galen, but not your father. He...he was a very bad person and he was very dangerous. I did not want to put you in danger, so I packed you all up and left. We move all the time so your father does not find us." At this, she looked to Robin, who hung her head. Luka stared at her, trying to process everything.
"So, all this time...we have been running from our father? Is that why Galen left?"
"Yes, sweetie. He was upset about the whole thing."
"Oh...well, thank you, then Mama. I'm sorry about Dad." Janice smiled sadly and grabbed her son's hand.
"I love you. Both of you." She added, holding Robin's hand as well. The family stayed like that for a while before the younger woman's stomach growled noisily. This made everyone break out in laughter and Robin blushed.
"Sorry! I am super hungry!"
"But, sweetie, you just had a burger not too long ago, you said! You are such a child!" Janice giggled. Luka full out guffawed at his sister's face.
"I am not a child! I'm 23 years old, mother!"
"Which is why you should get a job! It isn't natural for someone your age to not be working." Robin gasped and snorted.
"Mama! We just moved here! Can't I get adjusted first?" She questioned, incredulous. Her mother laughed at her and nodded.
"Of course, but don't expect any money to go to the movies with some greaser. You have to earn it."
"Yeah, yeah, Mama. Not there is any greasers in this squaresville."
"Are you calling me a square?"
They laughed all through dinner, joking and teasing the whole time. It felt good to be happy again, at least for a moment.
Well, there it is! The official first chapter of 'Little Bird'. How did you like it? Not too long or too short? Let me know! Reviews are awesome!
So, to be clear, Luka is 16, Robin is 23, Galen is 26. Janice (Mama) is 45. Hope that helps with any confusion.
Next chapter-The Hunt is On