47. I want in

The room was quiet, except for sounds of shots coming from the TV. It was not loud, Link had lowered the volume enough to let his Princess and the children sleep, he frowned as he lost again, and handed the controller to Lee. Robert played the mission masterfully, learning from previous attempts and from watching Link play, it appears he would finally complete mission, but was spotted and received a bullet to the head at the end.

LINK POV

"I say fuck it, let's go to sleep" Link says tired

"Good idea, you… are not going to ask me about what happened after you left?" Lee asks

"What for? They seem good, you are good" looks at Lee's damaged hand "Kind of… it appears that dealing with them was harder than expected" Link says half smiling

"It wasn't a joy ride at, but they both are good kids, needless to say you OWE me"

Link stares and laughs at that, but Robert was not laughing

Wait, he is serious about this? COME ON

"I thought you were doing this philanthropically" Link states.

"I always seek to gain something for anything I do… anyway, I want you to go to sleep knowing that YOU OWE ME"

He WANTS something, cut the crap and just tell me what you want… or is he trying to manipulate me? I never thought he was THAT kind of guy. No, I STILL THINK he is not that kind of guy, so what is wrong? Is it shame? Or does he believe it's too much to ask of me?

Link looks up at the ceiling and sighs "let's say I do owe you, when you owe someone, you are supposed to pay, and I WILL pay, just please don't ask for something outlandish"

Robert just smiles at Link and nods satisfied, then turns to choose a spot in the middle of the room to sleep, no pillows, no extra sheets, he just dropped to the floor. Link also chooses a spot near Lee to fall asleep, the beds where currently being used by Children and Zelda.

A few hours later Link suddenly wakes up feeling movement around him. He slowly turns to see what is happening and finds Ben trying to accommodate himself between Robert and him, once he does, he falls asleep really fast.

What the fuck? Why? Was the bed uncomfortable?
*dude, I think he had a nightmare, his eyes were teary, he just wanted to feel safe… he is giving the BOTH of you a compliment, he feels safe in your presence.

Link decided to smile about it and went back to sleep. By morning he opened his eyes to see Lee sitting with a puzzled look on his face, next to him and hugging Ben was Millie, and behind Link himself was Zelda.

"Did something happened while I was sleeping?" Lee asks shocked and curious

"Not that I know off, don't question it. Do me a favor, would you call the Hotel's kitchen and order 4 breakfast?" Link asks

Lee negates shaking his head "We are not 4, we are 5… are you ok? Yesterday you only ate 2 slices"

*Tell him, he will understand

"I actively try to remain hungry while on duty, I don't think or move as efficiently on a full stomach" Link bluntly states.

Lee widens his eyes once he understands what Link said, he has questions but chooses to leave it for a later time, he heads for the drawer to use the land line. Link starts moving Zelda to wake her. She sits up yawning

"What are you doing sleeping on the floor Princess?" Link asks genuinely curios

"I don't know, I woke up in the middle of the night and all of you appeared to be having a pajama party, I just decided to join uninvited"

"Eggs for breakfast is good right?" Lee asks the pair

"NO, I want French toast" Ben answers, his face buried on his pillow making them all wonder how does he manages to breathe.

"Well too bad, if you are not paying you don't get to choose" Lee answers mocking him, Ben begins to mimic a baby crying waking Millie up.

Zelda turns to Link "But YOU ARE the one paying, so let's start the negotiations. Kids need a healthy breakfast but LOVE sweets, can we get some scrambled eggs an anything sweet they offer for dessert?" Link nods at her as she claps her hands happily

The Princess has taken it to herself to mediate, find a grey area she could use to keep everyone happy; she has been doing a great job. And yesterday I don't think she noticed, but her being able to quiet the room and order us was… very regal of her. Daphnes would have been impressed and very proud.

"4 Scrambled eggs with 3 coffees and 2 orange juice drinks, with the addition of 4 cinnamon rolls. I am not asking, I am just letting you know what you are going to eat" Lee said with a little exasperation as he started ordering.

"Excuse me, Link is your name, right?" Millie asks

Link looks at her and nods trying to recall if Zelda or Robert used his name in front of her or how does she know, not that it bothered him.

"Her name is Zelda then… but what is HIS name?" Millie asks pointing at Lee who was ending the call.

Link grins a little "why don't you ask him? he barks a lot but won't bite, I promise" looking at Lee he starts waving a hand "HEY THERE, Millie wants to ask you something" Millie opens her eyes wide throwing daggers at Link, he just chuckles.

"Do you now missy? shoot" Lee tells Millie

Millie looks down at the floor from side to side before arming herself with bravery "You told me both their names" pointing at Link and Zelda "but you didn't tell me yours… how should I call you?"

Lifting an eyebrow "Thought it was obvious by now, refer to me as excellence, OUCH!" Lee whines when a shoe was expertly thrown at his face by Link "ROBERT… Robert is the name" Lee answers massaging his forehead.

"Robert, can I call you Bobby?" Lee starts growling at that "Rob… I will call you Rob, its sorter and I like it" Millie says smiling, hoping to have been able to appease him.

Rolling his eyes "I am supposed to be the one to like it, not you… but Rob is good" Millie smiles at that

"So… when is social services picking them up?" Lee suddenly asks

"Don't know, I think it may be around 10 or 11 am. They said in the morning and its already 8… lest finish the breakfast so we get one last chance to completely destroy Ben before he leaves" Link says showing a murderous grin, Robert approves of the message lifting his thumb.

Millie rolls on the floor laughing, yesterday had been epic. Ben beat them all by far in ¨the game of life 2¨ The boy is a living lucky charm.

"If we get a chance to play again YOU are playing this time" Zelda point at Millie "I am not willing to go through THAT again" Zelda exclaims pointing at Ben.

They all were laughing as they sat at the table to wait for breakfast, Link was shuffling the channels on the TV, but he turned it off after a news channel started covering a storage where multiple bodies were found. Right at that moment a knock on the door announced the breakfast. The children helped setting everything on the table.

"It smells DARN GOOD, are you sure you don't want any-" Lee begins to ask already knowing the answer

"The coffee is fine, thanks for that… I think is too much of a serving for Ben, if he finishes it good for him, but if he doesn't, I will. Don't worry papa bear"

Lee growls at Link for being called that. Everyone started eating, as they did, they were discussing forming an alliance, they were planning on helping and favoring Millie so she could overcome Ben's lucky dice roll and win. Ben was laughing at them.

After a while, Ben can't smile anymore, he is full but he doesn't really feel confident enough to tell them he is done, Zelda notices Ben is just moving his food around the plate.

"Are you full already Ben?"

Ben nods at her and was about to say he is sorry for not being able to finish, but Zelda just took his plate and smiled at him winking an eye.

"Link, Ben is done… he didn't finish is food though"

Link raises his head and extends his arm to reach for the plate, he finishes it in 3 spoonful's. Once he is done, he puts on the game in the console, but right in that moment there is knocking on the door. Link sighs as he tells Ben and Millie to please help putting the console back on the bag it came with. He approaches to open the door for social services.

We had a plan… shame.

Once the kids notice they get scared, but the social service ladies were very friendly and soon relaxed them. Ben approaches Link, Zelda and Robert for a goodbye hug, but Millie is unable to follow the example, her eyes were tearing up. Lee looks at her sternly, silently demanding her to stop being weak. After that, she manages to shake hands with the three of them, all the while expressing her gratitude for everything. She starts following Ben and the ladies outside, but she halts and rushes back inside to hug Lee crying.

"Thank you, Robert. I won't forget any of this, I am a survivor, and stronger than most, I will live by that from now on, I promise." She lets go and runs behind Ben, not glancing back even once.

Link shows half a smile at Lee "THAT was intense, but it was also a compliment to a job well done on your part… you should call SWORD to accept the program you know… I am not sure how much time they gave you to make the call"

Rob sighs deeply as he closes the door "Link, I don't want to be part of the donor program"

DON'T FUCK WITH ME, YOU PROMISED, I ALLOWED YOU HERE BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WOULD ACCEPT THE PROGRAM IF I DID
*HEAR HIM OUT, he is not done yet

"Why?" Zelda hears and turns to walk away and sits on one of the beds, Lee squints his eyes a little, not sure if he imagined or if he just made Link THAT angry.

"I DO want to help you if you ever need me to donate anything, but what I really want is to be a SWORD agent, wont being a part of the donor program interfere with that?"

DAMN. This changes everything. I want to hug him. A manly hug of course, but I have to let him know he can't join… yet.

"You just love complicating things for me, don't you?" Link states

"I heard that is what brothers do" he winks at Link "And as your brother, your words not mine, I expect your full support me on my desire… besides, you OWE me"

There it is, the OWE card, I feared how he was going to use it, but he just wasted it. I intended to helped him anyway. I would even move a mountain if it meant I could get him to be part of SWORD's ranks… I failed him once; I want his life to be EXACTLY how he wants it this time.

Link chuckles and raises a had "no need for that, I am part of SWORD because I am legally an adult in Hyrule, but you live in this side of the world, you need to be at least 18… let me make a call and see what I can do"

Link retreats into the bathroom, Zelda quickly stands and rushes to where Robert is giggling and slaps him, not hard but still a good slap.

"What the fuck are you doing? you already had your life sorted out and handed to you on a silver plate, why would you want to be in the line of fire? This IS dangerous, something terrible could have happened to you and Link yesterday."

Lee rubs his check and calmly grabs both her shoulders "I am broken… my involvement on this helped piece a part of me together, besides you saw me in there… I THRIVE in these types of scenarios, just let me be happy"

Link's yells are heard inside the bathroom making Robert half smile. Zelda's eyes fill with tears that want to be shed, but manages to contain them.

"You have to promise you are going to be safe, even if it means someone else dies. Link explained to me once that SWORD agents are not heroes, they are just the executioner… so don't play hero and remain safe please" Zelda begs him

"I will need to hear that explanation myself, but I hear you, I will be safe" Lee says hugging her.

Link comes out of the bathroom cracking in laughter, then points at Lee "You are underage, you have to accept the donor program, that will ensure you will live healthy life style until you reach 18, THEN you can request admission as an agent, you will be submitted to evaluation for that… and you will pass with flying colors, I will make sure of that" Link says with conviction

"For starters, I requested a complete shift to your particular donor program, you won't have a house anymore, you will be somewhat of a nomad, since I requested for your exercise regime to be shadowing a SWORD agent, that means you will be following an agent around learning firsthand how we do things and what it involves… sustaining a high protein diet and an exercise routine is a must. You won't partake on the missions since you are underage, but you will see and hear about every aspect of it" Link stares at Robert's puzzled yet gleeful face" Is it giving you an advantage? Yes. Could it be considered cheating? Absolutely. Do I care? NO, I want you in there, we need you and you need this." Link states with finality

"Sounds good to me, so where to now boss?"

Link looks at Lee perplexed

"You said I will be allowed to shadow an agent; YOU are an agent; I am shadowing you…" Robert answers rolling his eyes.

I did say that, in theory he can do this, and there is nothing to stop him… William is going hang me for this. But in reality, it doesn't hurt to take him, it's just a search and find mission like it was with him, we should be safe… with luck he can help me find the pirate faster.

"Australia, we have a possible brother to find there"