Okay, first of all, if you haven't seen A Walk to Remember i want you to go and rent/buy/steal it now. Because it's such a cute/brilliant/sweet romantic movie with a slight sad ending and it has Shane West in it so more the reason!
Also, if you haven't read The Green Mile, do the same!

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The Dragon and the Rose

Chapter Fifteen

Rhys

His hair was black, peeking out from under the green beanie hat he'd stuffed on. He was topless, showing a toned torso, jeans baggy and unbuttoned, flashing white Calvin Klein boxers. There was a small red dragon tattoo over his abdomen and a few other's on his forearms. A roll-up was hanging out his mouth, a lazy expression on his face as he sat slumped in the armchair. Pete guessed he was around twenty-three or twenty-four.

'What are you doing here?' Tegan asked, sat on the sofa, staring intently at the younger man. He shrugged.

'That's for me to know and you to hopefully never find out,' he replied brightly in the same Welsh accent as Tegan.

'How did you know where I lived?'

'I asked ma.'

'And… who were they?!' Tegan had pretty much kicked the two women out as soon as they'd popped their heads up. The man shrugged.

'I didn't stop to ask their names,' he said, the grin rising on his lips again. Tegan sighed, and ran a hand through her hair. As the man blew smoke into the air, she tutted and went to open a window.

'Who are you?' Pete asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

'I'm Rhys,' he smiled. 'Tegan's brother.'

'He's been in prison for the last three years,' she added, glaring in Rhys' direction. He raised his hands in surrender.

'It was a matter of misidentification.'

'Bollocks,' she snarled, before looking at Pete. 'He was selling drugs to school kids.'

'Little bit here and there,' he shrugged, stubbing his roll-out on the arm of the chair. 'Just business.' He looked up and met Pete's eyes. 'You gunna introduce us, Tegan?' he asked, cocking his head lightly.

'This is my boyfriend, Pete,' she replied, blushing when Rhys catcalled. He laughed, stretching and getting to his feet.

'Well, if you don't mind, I'm off to bed,' he said. 'Night all.' The two stared at him as he left the front room, going back towards her bedroom.

'The cheeky fucker,' Pete muttered, fists clenched at his sides. 'If you want him to go, I'll make 'im go…' Tegan shook her head, moving over to wrap her arms around him.

'Please don't. He'll hurt you.' Pete scoffed.

'Hurt me?' He leaned forward, kissing Tegan softly. 'I promise you that won't happen…'

--

Lucy's new job could be found at the top of a very high building, where everyone dressed smart and held their noses up high.

Libby frowned as she looked around; all beige and grey clad people walking around a big reception hall. She sighed, and made her way over to the reception desk.

'Hello,' she smiled to the woman behind the desk. 'I'm looking for Mrs. Bovverington.' The woman looked at her, before continuing her conversation on the phone.

Libby paused for a moment, before clearing her throat and saying louder, 'I'm looking for Mrs. Bovverington. Lucy Bovverington. She started a few weeks ago.'

The woman continued to chat as if Libby wasn't there.

'Mrs. Bovverington. I WANT TO TALK TO LUCY BOVVERINGTON!' She yelled. The woman flashed her a look of disdain and turned her back, still chatting. With a growl, Libby leaned over and disconnected the call.

The woman spun around, eyes flashing angrily. 'How dare you!'

'Can you please direct me to Mrs. Bovverington's office, please?' She asked sweetly. With a hard look, the woman folded her arms over her chest.

'Seventh floor, room five. Use the lift.' Libby smiled, turning and walking towards the lift on the opposite wall.

'It's nice,' smiled Libby, looking around. The office was quite big, with a sofa by the wall and a water machine and a desk and a stapler and a few chairs. There was a window that looked out at the traffic below and a filing cabinet beside it.

And Lucy was just a secretary.

'I'm glad you like it,' smiled Lucy, signing a document and slipping it back in the folder.

'They all seemed a little snobby, though,' Libby frowned, sitting on the corner of the desk and picking up the calculator.

'They are,' laughed the blonde. 'I asked the receptionist the way to my office on my first day and she almost had a heart attack when she heard my accent. Like I was just something off the street.'

'Blonde? Pigtails?'

'That exact one,' Lucy smiled, looking up.

'Bitch. She wouldn't get off the phone so I hung up for her.' Lucy laughed, shaking her head.

'You're going to get me in trouble, missus.' Libby laughed, before holding the calculator upside down.

'I spelt boobs,' she giggled.

--

Lucy pulled up in the car, checking her watch before climbing out. She locked the door, before hurrying into school. Charlie was stood by the door, a frown on his face, arms folded.

'Where's daddy?' he asked, stepping forward towards Lucy.

'He had to go out.'

'He was supposed to pick me up,' he sighed, as Lucy picked up him.

'I know, baby boy. He will tomorrow, okay?' Charlie nodded, resting his head against her shoulder.

'Wait!' a voice called behind them. Lucy turned, as Miss Smith hurrying towards her.

'Yeah?' she frowned.

'I just wanted to talk to you about Charlie's behavior today; it's not good. He was fighting again.'

'Was not!' Charlie growled.

'Timmy Butchers went home with a bleeding nose. It must stop, Mrs. Bovverington, or I won't have him in my class anymore.'

Lucy sighed, trying to keep her temper. It wouldn't do any use arguing back.

'I'll talk to him. I'm sorry,' she said through gritted teeth. Miss Smith nodded.

'I expect his homework done as well.'

'Homework? He didn't 'ave any homework,' she frowned, glancing at her son.

'Oh, yes he did. I gave him a piece of Maths work to do on Monday and I've seen hide nor hair of it! I wrote it on his homework sheet.' Lucy sighed, running her hand through her hair.

'It must 'ave gotten mixed up with my paperwork at home. I'll 'ave a look for it.' Miss Smith nodded, before sighing.

'See you tomorrow, Charlie.' The young boy didn't answer, just pushed his head further into the crook of Lucy's neck. The blonde nodded, turning away and walking back towards the car.

'Are you going to tell me what happened to the homework sheet?'

'No.'

'Charlie…' she warned. The boy paused for a moment, before raising her head.

'I burnt it.'

'Burnt it?!' she exclaimed. 'How?'

'I used one of dad's lighters and burnt it in the bath.' Lucy gave a growl of frustration, as she unlocked the car door.

'Charlie; you can't do things like that.'

'Or what?' he challenged.

'You're not getting your ice cream tonight,' Lucy said, tone final.

'Mum!' he wailed, kicking his legs as she put him in his car seat.

'Don't mum me. If you were good, then you'd get ice cream.'

'We always get ice cream on Thursday!' he began to sob. Lucy ignored this.

'Did you get a homework sheet today?' Charlie merely cried louder, kicking his legs and clenching his fists. Sighing, she picked up his backpack and opened it up. Rooting around, she pulled out the homework sheet and put it in the pocket of her jeans.

'Try burning that,' she muttered under her breath, chucking his bag back in the car and shutting the door.

--

Charlie ran ahead into the Abbey, running to clamber onto Bov's knee. 'Tell 'er not to take me ice cream away!' he demanded, hands on Bov's shoulders. Bov frowned, glancing at Lucy looking bad-tempered as she entered behind him.

'What's he done now?'

'He set fire to his homework sheet in the bath with one of your lighters, so I took his ice cream off him.'

'Ah.'

'He could have burnt his fingers!' Lucy growled. 'Or set fire to something.'

'They're just little lighters,' Bov replied.

'That's not the point,' she hissed. 'And he's been fighting again.'

'I 'ave not!' Lucy grabbed her son and pulled him off Bovver's knee.

'Quiet you. You're in enough trouble as it is.' Charlie pulled a face when he was set on the floor, moving to sit under the table in a sulk.

Lucy sighed heavily, sitting on a stool and putting her head on the table. 'I'm a bad mother.'

'You're not a bad mother,' Bov said, rubbing her shoulder.

'Then we're bad parents!' She looked up. 'What mum let's their son play with lighters? He's five and he already has a criminal record!' Bov chuckled.

'He's not got a criminal record. Look, I'll 'ave a word with him and try and stop him fighting. Anyway, what did he do?'

'Punched some boy on the nose.' The two looked at each other before laughing.

'So, he's a little fighter?' said an unfamiliar voice behind them, breaking off the laughter. They looked up to see a dark haired man smirking down at them, hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans.

'Guys, this is Rhys. Tegan's brother,' Pete said, setting down his pint. 'Rhys, these are the guys. Ike, Keith and Libby are at the bar. This is Ned, Dave, Swill, Bov, my sister Lucy and 'er son Charlie.'

'Nice to meet you, little fella,' Rhys said, glancing at the table. Charlie peeped out.

''Ello,' he said, before crawling out and sitting down next to Pete. Rhys paused for a moment, before walking off to the bar.

He smiled as his eyes wandered up the nice arse of a dark haired woman, purse clutched in one hand as she tried to pick up two glasses with the other.

'Can I help you?' he asked, flashing a charming smile.

'Please,' she said, smiling when he picked up one of the glasses. He blocked her way when she tried to move away from the bar.

'So, what's a pretty thing like you doing here in a place like this?' he asked, lips twitching.

'I'm with my friends,' she replied, the smile gone, replaced by a hard expression.

'And 'er husband,' growled a voice behind him. Rhys turned to see Swill. 'So, if I was you, I'd fuck off. Right now.'

He snatched the glass from him, as Libby took his free hand. The two stalked back to the table.

Rhys sighed. 'You're just playing hard to get.'

'Fuck off,' she hissed, flashing him an angry glare. Pete straightened up.

'Is he botherin' you?' Libby sighed, shaking her head as she and Swill sat down.

'Leave it. Swill dealt with it. Who is that anyway?'

'Tegan's brother, Rhys,' Pete replied. 'I wanted to 'ave him, but Tegan was scared because he's done time in prison.'

'How old is he?' frowned Lucy, glancing at the dark haired man. 'Ten?' Pete laughed.

'He was selling drugs to kids.' He shook his head.

'Jesus,' muttered Dave.

'Hardcore,' agreed Libby, deadpan. Then, she giggled and burst into laughter. 'What a twat! I'm glad he got caught.'

'You should 'ave seen him last night,' Pete agreed. 'Walking around like he owned the place. Cunt.'

Charlie laughed. 'That's a bad word.' Pete nodded.

'Don't go repeating it,' he smiled. Lucy shook her head with a grin, as she remembered Charlie's first day at school.

'Are you going to see Tegan later?' asked Rhys, coming up behind them. Pete gave a curt nod. 'Tell her I might be a little late for dinner? I have a few… errands to run.' He smiled coldly at Pete, before turning and walking out.

'I'd like to know what those errands are,' Dave said thoughtfully. 'Think he still does the odd deal?'

Pete shrugged. 'Probably, but don't go saying shit to Tegan; she'll kill me.'

--

Rhys held up the bag of weed, illuminated in the streetlight. 'Have you got the money?' he asked the two teenage boys, hoods over their heads.

'Course we do. Who d'ya think we are?'

'Do you really want me to answer that?' Rhys replied dryly. 'Hand over the money.' The two boys paused, hesitating and suddenly Rhys was alert.

He'd been dealing this shit long enough to know when… The shorter boy shoved him into the wall, while the taller went to grab the weed.

Rhys reacted quickly; throwing the stout boy onto his arse, he swung round and punched the taller one in the face. He stumbled into the wall and Rhys grabbed him by the throat and yanked him closer.

'If you ever try and get one over on me, I'll have your nuts as garden ornaments. Got that?' The boy nodded, face pale and scared. Good.

Rhys smirked, leaning forward to lick his cheek. 'Go home, pretty boy.' He shoved him away and the two scampered off.

Rhys smiled as he watched them go, before stuffing the weed back in his pocket and checking his watch. 'Time for a beer and kebab, I think.'

--

Ooh, so what do you think of our newcoming? (You have to admit, he's sexy!) Reviews are always welcome!!