12

"A job using my skills and talents." Ahhh … That's all?" Rhys mocks disappointment, slowly shaking his head and frowning, one hand rubbing down the side of his face.

"I don't think that's what you really want. But you're in luck. The charity I got a job with is looking for an assistant to their chief financial officer. You can give me your résumé, and I'll hand it to them. Where did you say you used to work?" Andy pulls back from his side.

"Actually, I'm not sure I should apply."

"Why not? You're overqualified for the position. I'm sure you'll get it."

Yeah, but Gwen sez…"

Andy's pulse freezes. "So she Who is Queen chooses your destiny? Scared of being smited or smote or whatever? Hmmm? Her fucking flying monkey will descend with that horrible music?"

Rhys blinks, then a chuckle issues forth "You know… she did dress as a witch as Halloween. Never a truer face did I see."

Both men chuckle and then Andy admits "I would rather be on your arm ya know. You are not the Cowardly Lion mate, she sure as fuck is not Dorothy and Jack is not the Tin Man."

"OH? What about the scarecrow?"

"If I only had a brain? Come on mate… that's more Gwen."

They find a comfort in their laughter as they speed along and Rhys glances over at the man who is so different to the one he remembers and yet…. Is exactly the same in how he makes him feel. Only... now he is not in a committed relationship. Nah, that went bye the bye ages ago and he knows it.

And if this is not Kansas anymore… he kinda likes it here.

.

.

"Where the fuck were you?"

Rhys is shocked and suddenly frozen with confusion as he enters the apartment to find Herself waiting.

"And where is our daughter?"

"Asleep at me mam's. I decided it was too late to wake her!" Rhys replies with more calm than he has felt in years. Fucking years. Oh god. This is it, isn't it.

"You know what Gwen? I don't have time for your histrionics, for your… your…. Fake bravado. Fuck off back to the latest lover boy and let me get some fucking sleep" Rhys pushes past her and her mouth falls open with shock at the characteristic backbone on display.

"You will be fucking sorry Rhys Williams! I am telling you now… when I get off shift and am home we are going to have this out and believe me, boyo… you are in for a fucking misery existence!" she snarls before slamming out of the apartment and Rhys stands there wondering why she even bothers coming home at all anymore.

He stares into space for a beat or two and then feels…. Lighter? Sort of… floaty? Fuck is it a stroke? Heart attack? Fuck me… its happiness. Forgot how this feels.

Rhys fumbled in his pockets for his phone. Hits the number on the top of the RECENTS list as this is the only one he seems to ring at all these days.

"Andy? You know what? Fuck it. I'd love to go to dinner with you. Second, I know you're doing fine. Third, I know you're not stalking me, but to be honest, being stalked by you would be fucking flattering. Fourth, it seems like I'm giving you a different impression than the one I want to. I'd like a chance to fix that. Please?"

Rhys listens to soft laughter and agreement for a 'proper' date, closing the call to stand in the apartment he never wanted, in the remains of a life he never chose and sees a future he never thought about before.

Gwen has shackled him, blinkered him and in the most amazingly cruel way… he finally ses that she has owned hi for too lang.

He finds himself starting to pack.

.

.

Andy is helping the final clean up at the Y before settling to sleep. He knows Rhys's mother would like him to move into her spare room and be there all the time and although he likes that idea… family… he does not want to be too pushy. Late like this, he does not want to disrupt anyone's sleep.

When the cell phone goes off in his pocket he is momentarily confused as to why anyone is up this late bar madmen and…. Oh. Rhys!

Andy looks like he is being attacked by bees as he struggles to find it and not appear to breathless as he listens to the man on the other end, managing a squeaked 'Sure' before hanging up and punching the air like he is Muhammad fucking Ali.

Those working with him snigger to themselves and agree it is nice to see the young man happy, so much happier and younger again. He has been like an old man slouching about morosely.

This Andy is definitely preferred.

His thoughts are interrupted by the doors being pounded on and they check to see a badge being presented so they open then to let Gwen the Rampaging Bitchface in and she heads straight for Andy who is still in la-la land as he wipes down tables humming to himself.

"DAVIDSON!" she roars "I WANT A FUCKING WORD WITH YOU!"

Several people suck in their breath with horror as children are sleep nearby and one of the men gets off his cot. Sawyer moves to flank her, a combat move not lost on those watching who now see that this is not an officer of the law… it is a threat to one of their own.

Others move to close in and contain a threat.

Andy replies "Sorry Gwen. This is outside normal business hours. Hows about you come back tomorrow and…"

"Listen here ya fucking homo" she is in his face now, one claw… sorry… hand reaching for him "I am sick up to here… here… with this."

Her hand is chopping the air above her head like she is summoning a demon and Andy is trying not to show his amusement as clearly she has no idea who has the high ground here. Maybe… maybe this is the way to go. He has bowed to her, acquiesced to her long enough and maybe it is time to step out of her shadow and remind her that she is not his partner anymore, not his problem anymore and definitely was never his friend.

"You see, Gwen... You'd already pushed Rhys 90% out the door when I showed up quite by accident. All I had to do was present myself as a better option (which was pathetically easy given how poorly you'd treated him) and sit there like a bump on a log. Rhys completed the other 10% himself. I never even had to entice him." Andy shrugs, waving his on hand over himself like he is trying to wash her off with blessings, he kinda wishes he had a crucifix to hold out "But now that I have him I'll have to up my game to keep him. Why? There're a whole bunch of men walking around this planet who'd love to replace me. And I won't give them the chance. You? Never had one girlfriend. Nope."

Gwen is gaping openly as the doors swung open to reveal a captain in all his Great Coated glory striding towards them, clearly pissed when told the GPS for the SUV was going in the wrong direction to the retrieval he has sent her on.

Andy is on a roll, wanting to get this out before Jack can intervene "But you were oblivious to that, weren't you? You mentioned a few times over the years we were partners how you'd occasionally catch men staring at you & Rhys. You thought it was about you. It wasn't, except tangentially. You see, they saw how unhappy Rhys was, even when doing his best to please you and you were so unappreciative. Those men you noticed were calculating all the ways they could make him happier than you could."

"Gwen. Get in the SUV" Jack's voice is flat, looking between the two of them.

Gwen reaches out her hand and Jack is the one who stops her, placing his on hand over hers and pushing it down to her side, the stun gun barely visible. Then he says something that Andy will cherish forever "Down Gwen. Bad Gwen. Down."

Oh… glorious.

As she storms off Jack gives Andy a cheeky wink and flounces after her, clearly having heard everything and is equally as amused as he is annoyed.

Andy is left standing there in shock at the spine he has just shown.

That was scarier than a Spooky-doo at midnight.

Shit.

Andy calls Rhys who tells him to meet him at Mum's. He is moving out… and moving up! Andy looks at the phone in his hand with open glee, then looks around. Yeah… out and up.

He decides he is too.