Author's Note: I have no excuse for not updating. Other than pure laziness. I'm sorry. Please don't throw rotten food stuffs at me! It will be slow going updating for a short while. But I WILL be updating.
Who am I:
Chapter 2
Spike was confused and scared. He knew that he had an important job, He just couldn't remember what it was. He also knew that he had to be somewhere really important in like a week, or so he thought. He sat in bed his brow furrowed in thought. Sitting up suddenly, swinging his legs over the edge. Melanie was startled at the sudden movement and jumped back, bumping into the table.
Spike smiled at her again and apologized to her in the same breath. She was kinda cute, and he didn't want to hurt her feelings. Not that he was looking for someone to love. His last girlfriend had left a hole in his chest. As much as he didn't want to remember that, he did. His cheerful disposition and his heart demanded that he help her and her son with whatever he could to repay their kindness to him for not letting him freeze to death. He got the feeling that they were in this cabin under painful circumstances.
"If I was going on a trip to a cabin, that means I packed a bag, at least I hope I did. Which means that I should have something in that car that might be able to tell me who I am right? Let's go look! Maybe we can clear this up right away." He stood up too quickly and felt light headed. He groaned as his hand bent slightly and sank down onto the bed. Melanie helped him lie back again and covered him back up.
"How about we wait on that one until the morning tiger? First it is the middle of the night and second, it's still snowing out badly. You need more rest and in the morning after I drop my son off at work, we are going to the hospital to get that wrist xrayed and set. I know for a fact that it's broken. It looks it. Unless you would prefer we go to the hospital now." Spike shook his head and closed his eyes.
"No. I am going to rest some more first. Maybe something will come to me while I am sleeping. I'm just scared I guess. It's a bitch not knowing who you are. Will you tell me about yourself? Where are you from? Why are you out here in the middle of nowhere?" Melanie shook her head vehemently. She would NOT tell this man anything until she was sure that it safe. She didn't know all of Winston's associates.
"Well how about this? you go back to sleep, rest some more and I will tell you all about myself in the morning. Ok?" Spike nodded and obediently closed his eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep. Melanie closed her eyes before stifling a quiet sob turning away to grab her coffee. The more time she spent talking to this stranger, the way he carried himself and his enthusiastic nature, screamed COP.
She really hoped that it wasn't true that he was in fact a cop. She would hate to have to throw him out. She had actually started to like him and would even go as far as to say that she cared for him as a really good friend. She didn't want to get too close to him in case it turned sour. Her heart would not be able to take that. Throwing him out would hurt.
She didn't think that she could handle that. All cops were evil. Not knowing what else to do with herself, she put her feet up on the edge of the bed and slept. Granted, Emily's words came back to her before she could stop them. Not all cops were bad, or so Emily had said. To be fair, Eddie was a sweetheart. he was very much against domestic violence and very strong. Melanie knew that he and Emily would be able to protect Jamie should anything happen to her.
The next morning, The first thing that Spike became aware of was that he was still alive. The second was the big, furry, head laying on his chest. He opened his eyes and came face to face with a big german sheperd. It was a cute animal, it seemed to like him a little bit as he moved a hand out for it to sniff. the dog whined and scooted closer. Spike scratched his head while looking around.
He saw no personal touches around the cabin, no knick knacks, no personal books. He saw a couple suitcases open on the floor in the other bedroom, and a couple sacks of groceries on the little makeshift table and very few dishes and silverware. That was it. Everything was ready to be picked up at a moment's notice. These two were on the run from something big. There was no doubt about it.
He didn't know why, and even though he didn't know who he was, he felt a protective nature kick in towards these two people that's he'd never met before. He was pulled from his thoughts when the door opened and Melanie stepped in. She looked at ease. He scooted up in bed and waved at her. She smiled and dropped a couple duffle bags on the other cot. Spike looked at them curiously.
"Jamie picked them up out of the wreck of your car. I thought maybe you might have your insurance information in one of them, I don't know where your wallet is. Maybe it's in one of these. I know you have clothes in here. I peeked. I figured that you might want to get changed and shave or something. I already took Jamie to work. He gets off at 4pm." She quickly made a sandwich for him and poured a glass of milk.
"We need to get going in order to get you to the emergency room and get that wrist checked out after you eat, because it's 11am. I made you an appointment for 11:30am. I hope you don't mind my making the appointment for you. I hate asking but do you remember anything else from what you already knew." Spike shook his head at her question and started to stand up. Melanie smiled and reached to help him up a little bit.
"No. I don't really remember all that much from before my accident. I know I spun out on a sheet of ice. It's all pretty fuzzy though beyond that. Like there are names and faces circling around in my head. People and things I should know but I can't match them up with anything that I know for certain." He shook his head a little and reached for his duffle bags. Melanie took his dishes to the sink to wash them up.
"You look stronger today. More healthy, not very robust right now, but better. But with a quick shower and a shave along with a change of clothes. You will be just fine. I would like to leave in 20 minutes." Spike nodded and opened up the first duffle. He quickly found clean socks, boxers, Jeans and a dark green sweater. He dug through the second one and found his wallet with his insurance information, and his drivers license in it. He also had a name.
He went into the bathroom and got dressed, deciding to forgo the shower and shave. He had only a little stubble. He pulled the sweater and jeans on, leaving them unsnapped. He carried his socks out to the bed and sat down. He dug around a little more in the second duffle bag and found it to contain a gun. He dug around a little more and found some extra ammo. He decided to not say anything about the gun for the time being.
"Well tiger, let me help you with those socks. I forgot that your wrist is bad off. You know, I'm going to need to give you a name so I don't keep calling you tiger. It makes me sound like I am talking to a little child and I doubt you would appreciate it." Spike smiled at her. He had to share the drivers license with her. She quickly buttoned his jeans and put his shoes on for him before tying them out of habit.
"My name is Michaelangelo Scarlatti. At least that's what it says on my drivers license. I found my wallet. Call me Mike if you prefer. I know my full name is a mouthful. Shall we go?" They walked outside to the truck and drove off to the hospital. While they drove, they talked a little bit. Melanie told him that she had grown up in Canada, and was separated from her husband. She figured that he deserved the truth. She just didn't tell him the WHOLE truth.
She still didn't know if she could trust him. She wanted to, but she had to wait it out and see. When they got there, She offered to wait in the waiting room while he went in. But he insisted she come in. After all, she could provide key details if they doctor asked questions about the car accident. He took her hand in his gently and pulled her with him. She smiled and consented to going in with him.
"So Mr. Scarlatti. Let's see your wrist." The doctor was elderly and gentle. He tried flexing his hand into different positions and was met with painful cries. he asked several questions about how it happened and checked him over head to toe. He sent him for xrays of his hand and wrist and told him to bring the films back with him. After getting the xrays done, Spike slowly made his way back to the office.
Without being a doctor, he could tell that it was bad, It looked like he had broken all four fingers and really broke his wrist. It didn't look normal to him. Oh well. He knew his insurance would cover it. When he got there, He sat on the exam table and waited for the doctor. When the doctor came in, he handed him the films and waited for his diagnosis. He didn't have to wait long.
"Well- It's definitely broken. I am going to cast it from the elbow to the tips of the fingers. We will leave it for 4-6 weeks to see if the fingers fix themselves being immobile. After that I will want to see you for followup at which time we will decide if surgery is the next step. I am also going to give you some painkillers to take." He quickly prepped his arm for casting and had a nurse come in to help him. The first thing he got was a shot. He screeched.
"That HURT DAMNIT! The least that you could have done is tell me that you were going to give me a shot. Wow. That feels funny. I think I'm going to lay back now. I think I'm tired now." The doctor smiled, helped him lie back gently and quickly finished casting the wrist. He told them to stay there for 20 minutes to let it dry and he would be back to check on the cast and also release him.
When they were done casting his arm, Spike noticed that it felt better. When he had signed out at the desk afterwards, he slowly made his way to the truck. They decided to do some serious food shopping since Spike was very hungry and had plenty of cash on him for food and necessities. He also bought another cot and blankets to sleep on so he wouldn't take Melanie's bed again.
"Mike, You don't have to do that, I don't mind sleeping in Jamie's bed for a few days. It would really bother me at all." Spike shook his head and bought the stuff anyway. Secretly, Melanie was happy to have her bed back. She really appreciated Mike's thoughtfulness. Winston had never been that thoughtful, come to think of it. He expected her to give and give and take nothing for herself.
After a couple hours Melanie said that she had to pick up Jamie from work and didn't have time to run him back to the cabin beforehand. Spike was ok with that. He want to officially meet Jamie and now seemed as good a time as any. When they got there, Jamie was waiting and hopped in almost immediately. He kissed his mom's cheek and smiled politely at Spike, but didn't shake the offered hand.
When they got back to the cabin, Spike and Melanie carried everything in, while Jamie wandered off to see what work if any could be done on Spike's car. Melanie called him in for dinner and they sat down to Baked Chicken, Green Beans and Rice with Milk to drink. Spike watched Amused at the amount of food that Jamie put away. He could tell that they could do with more food. More Space as well.
"So Jamie, Your mom says that you are pretty handy with Cars." Spike said, trying to draw Jamie out a little bit. Jamie looked at him and nodded silently at him, not speaking. At Melanie's nudge he wiped his mouth before speaking. He was hesitant at first, unsure if he could really trust this guy. He seemed ok. His mom seemed ok with him. He decided to at least try to like the guy. He smiled.
"Yes. I am. I like working on cars in my spare time. It's not much, but it's fun at least. When we get our new place, Mom's going to find me an old junker so I can fix it up from scratch. You ever do something like that? Something completely off the wall?"Spike nodded enthusiastically, an idea forming in his head. He took on a serious look and rummaged around in his wallet before answering Jamie.
"No. I was more into Chemistry. The reason I ask you this is I want to make an offer." Jamie cocked his head to the side. He was intrigued by the idea. and by the thought that Mike Knew something about Chemistry. He liked Chemistry, but his father would never let him do anything with it other than go to school. He waited while Spike laid his wallet on the table. He could hardly contain himself.
"If you were willing to take a look at my truck, and fix it up where it would run again and get me to where I needed to go until I can get a new truck, I would pay you. I'd pay for the parts naturally and I'd pay you the cost of Labor. I would even throw in a junker for free. What do you say?" Jamie nodded again. Melanie Brought a couple cups of coffee to the table. Jamie looked a little confused though.
"I don't know what the cost of Labor is though. How can I be sure that you would pay me what the actual rate is? Not that you would try to cheat me. You seem like a very honest guy. Mom? What's the cost of Labor?" Melanie looked at Spike, who was smiling back to her. Melanie shrugged in response, letting the two guys hash it out among themselves. Cars were beyond her. She could drive, fill fluids, and pump Gas. That was enough for her.
"Jamie. The cost of labor is whatever the parties involved negotiate it-" Spike's face took on a weird look. Melanie jumped up and rounded the table, taking Spike's hand in hers. Jamie handed him a glass of water.
"Mike? Are you alright?" Spike nodded and shook his head faintly.
"I think I have a job that has something to do with Negotiations. But I don't know what. I think it has something to do with Chemistry as well. I think I'm going to take a nap now, We will finish talking later ok Jamie?" Jamie nodded enthusiastically and left to gather his books to work on homework.