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Chapter Eight "Brothers Part III"
Steve wished for a split second that he was Morgan O'Brien. It was purely an accident that he looked at the monitor he had set up in his room to watch the whole house. For a moment, he couldn't tear his eyes away as he watched Mia hug her brother. Irrational jealousy welled up inside Steve, and he had to take a step back. Of course Mia would be more comfortable with Morgan than she was with him.
Still, Steve couldn't help but wish he could do that for her. It was all he had wanted to do since he found her, bruised and bleeding on the beach. He had thought it meant something that she called him for help, but now he was beginning to see that he was the only one she could call. Her other choice, Danny, had no concept of personal space. And Mia seemed to need her space like she needed air to breathe.
Steve was beginning to realize what that meant and it scared him. It meant, he couldn't help Mia because she couldn't trust him. She could trust him to keep her safe from any outside physical threat, but she couldn't let him past her barriers. She couldn't let him in.
Steve sighed as he laid back on his bed. He had spent the last two days trying to figure out what he could do for Mia, only to find out he couldn't do a damn thing. Of course he was happy her brother could. But there was that jealousy again. He wished it could have been him.
Steve was brought out of these thoughts when his phone rang. It was Danny, no surprise. Still, Steve was glad of the distraction.
"What's up?" he asked.
"Be more specific," Danny replied.
"How's the case coming?"
"Weirdly."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we've been comparing police reports with crime scene reports, and something doesn't add up."
"With the first or second time?"
"The first. Everything seems cut and dry with the second, but in the first we have blood where there shouldn't be blood and broken furniture and so forth. I'm thinking maybe Mia forgot some things or blacked out. It wouldn't be surprising."
"So, how does this help us?"
"Well, the inconsistencies are significant enough, I think you should ask her about it. I'll e-mail you the reports so you can see what I mean."
"So, if she did forget something, what good would it do?"
"Maybe none for the case, but there may be things she needs to deal with."
"Are you suggesting—"
"I don't know, Steve. I don't want to go there, but something doesn't add up. We just need to know what really happened. It might tell us more about our guy too."
"I know. I just... I don't think I could get any more out of her than the police did back then."
"What? Why not?"
"She's closed off, Danny. I don't know if it's what happened or just the way she is, but she's not very responsive to me."
Danny was silent for a moment. "That's odd. I thought she really liked you."
Steve sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "That's neither here nor there. She doesn't want to tell me anything."
"You gotta try. She could be keeping back a lot more than she thinks."
"I know." Steve rested his head against his free hand. "I'm gonna keep staying with her instead of switching off. It'll be easier that way. So let me know if there are any other developments."
"Yeah, sure. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. And I've got help now. Mia's brother is here. And the other two might show up any minute."
"Wow... Let me know if you need anything. Rachel wants to come over and see Mia. I told her I'd see what you thought."
"I don't know. I'll call her tomorrow."
"Okay. Good luck."
"Yeah, you too."
Steve hung up and tossed his phone on the bedside table as he laid back down. He knew he should check on Mia and Morgan, but he just wanted to close his eyes and never open them. He was not looking forward to tomorrow.
H-5-O
Mia hugged her knees to her chest as she sat facing her oldest brother on Steve's couch. She had told him the short version of the events of the past few days.
"So you two are dating?" he asked.
"Technically... I guess. I hadn't planned on dealing with all this and that at the same time. Right now, he's my fierce protector, and unlike you, he has legal grounds to shoot people."
"You make me feel like chopped liver."
"Sorry. If it makes you feel better, I told Kirk he couldn't kick your ass if you had one arm tied behind your back."
"Not that he doesn't try." Morgan smirked.
"Still wrestling in Mom and Dad's living room?"
"Keeps me in shape. You know, I have to be able to outrun the kids."
"They're five and six."
"And endlessly energetic."
Mia smiled. "It's good to know. Hey, where are you staying?"
"I... don't know. Maybe I'll sleep in my car."
"You can stay here."
Mia and Morgan turned to see Steve on the stairs. Morgan shook his head.
"I couldn't."
"I have another room," Steve argued. "And I think it's better that I keep an eye on both of you."
Morgan looked at Mia who smiled at him. "Okay," he said. "Is it all that dangerous?"
"We don't know. At this point, I'm not taking any chances."
Morgan nodded and stood up. "I guess I'll get my things."
Steve disarmed the alarm once again and let Morgan outside. Across the room, Mia stood and walked over to him. She stopped when she reached bubble distance.
"Thank you," she said, for the first time showing something in her eyes. "It's... really great of you to do this."
"I told you," Steve said. "I want to."
Mia nodded, and the mask went up again. She disappeared up the stairs and Steve hoped that small look was a foreshadowing of things to come.
H-5-O
When Steve came inside from his swim the next morning, Mia and Morgan were already up making breakfast.
"I should have house-guests more often," Steve said and tried to steal a piece of bacon from a plate on the counter. Mia swatted his hand and for a second, Steve didn't register that she had actually touched him of her own free will as he smiled down at her.
"The bacon will be counted," Mia said, waving a finger in his face. "Kirk and Zach will be here soon and they are very particular about that."
"Seriously?" Steve tried not to laugh.
Morgan nodded with a very solemn look in his eyes. "Those two could argue for an hour who had the most while the last piece gets cold."
Mia shook her head. "It never got cold," she said. "You or I ate it by then."
"Remind me never to have your brothers and Danny at the same table," Steve said.
Mia nodded. "Man's serious about his food."
"When are they getting here?" Steve asked.
Morgan checked his watch. "About now," he said, and tossed off the apron he was wearing. Steve noticed that like the night before, Morgan wore slacks and a nice shirt. And here Steve was in his swimming shorts and damp t-shirt.
"Is the alarm on?" Morgan asked.
"No, I turned it off when I went out," Steve said.
Morgan nodded and headed for the door. Steve thought about following him, curious about Mia's other two brothers, but he thought he should stay with her.
"You didn't have to do all this," he said, indicating the food.
Mia cocked her head. "So I should just invite my entire family over and not do anything?" she asked.
"I just didn't want you to feel like you had to."
"You've been more than generous. It's the least I can do."
"That just makes me feel worse about what I have to ask you."
"What do you mean?"
"Danny called last night and sent me the reports from your first attack. There are things that don't match."
"What? What do you mean, 'don't match'? I told the police everything."
"I know. Danny thinks maybe you forgot something, or left something out accidentally. Either way, I have to ask you to tell me what happened."
Steve could see the way Mia's hand clenched around the edge of the counter, though her eyes remained calm.
"We don't have to talk about it now," he went on. "But sometime today."
Then Mia looked confused. "I thought you were going back to work."
Steve shook his head. "I thought it would be better if I stayed with you the whole time. It'll be easier on everyone."
Mia nodded, but forgot what she was nodding about when she heard shouting coming from the living room.