Monday, March 12, 2012

S4: Chapter 01: A Father's Love


– August 12, 1993 –
“Higher Daddy! Higher!” Yvette giggled encouraging Ethan to push her with all his might. “I wanna touch the sky!”
“But Daddy’s little Angel came from Heaven, are you so sure you want to go back already?”
“I just want to fly!” She closed her eyes as she reached the top of the bar and raised her hands towards her side. Ethan smiled watching her soar and every time she came back down to him he aimed to push her higher.
“Ethan? Dinner’s ready. Get Yvie washed and ready please.”
“Aww Daddy do we have to? Can we play the game instead?”
“How about we play after dinner? We don’t want to upset Mommy right?” She shook her head no and he kissed her forehead. “That’s Daddy’s girl. Now come on, I’ll race you to the back door.”
-- Present Day --
Yvette sat staring at the photo album spread open on the coffee table. Like a zombie she had run through the same motions for over a week and showed no signs of improving. She would get up from the bed, flip through a few pages and then proceed to stare unblinking, unmoving. On occasion Brett would gauge the fact that she was still alive and breathing; pinching her and waving a hand in front of her face every so often to draw a reaction.
After she’d left him that night at Scott’s he came back to find her on the floor of Harrison’s cell with her knees pulled into her chest. She was playing with the hammer on her gun; cocking and unlocking it with Harrison’s beaten and bloodied corpse just a foot away.
Brett sat a cup of tea on the coffee table beside the album and knelt in front of her. “Vic called. He wants to know how you’re holding up. Hopes we are still coming by for dinner tonight. Are you hungry now? Can I get you lunch or anything?”
“No Baby,” she smiled. “I’m fine. I was just thinking.” He pulled up and sat beside her on the couch, rubbing her arm so she continued. “I never understood as a child why my Dad left one day and never came back. He and Mom had a fight that afternoon but they seemed to have made up by dinner.  I remember clearly watching him leave the house that night and drive off. We had this thing we would do whenever he left for work.”
“He’d find me from the driveway, look up at me towards my window and give me a salute and a smile. He wouldn’t leave until I’d saluted him in return. He called me his CO, Commanding Officer, because I had him wrapped around my little finger he said. From the moment I was born I became his boss and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t give for one of my smiles. But that night I watched him from my bedroom window and he never turned back around. He never looked up at me; never gave me his salute.”
“I sat there hoping and waiting and wondering why he didn’t. I thought he was playing a trick and that he was coming back to salute me, he liked playing tricks. But Mom came into my room a few minutes later and told me…he was never coming back. I used to think it was my fault; that I didn’t smile enough, didn’t hug him enough or didn’t make him happy anymore. But Mom made sure I knew it had nothing to do with me. She never really spoke about him after that and I just stopped asking one day. And now what I’m trying to understand is why. Why after all that time, over a decade later, did he come after her? Why is he trying to kill me? What possible motive could there be to want to hurt your own wife and child?”
“Well that can be the first thing you ask before we watch him bleed to death.” His response caused her head to snap in his direction and he smiled to draw one from her; a fruitless effort.
She instead inched closer and dropped her head into his lap and he held her, slowly caressing his hand through her hair. “And if I can’t pull the trigger?”
“I’m detached Yvette. I’d be more than happy and willing to snap his neck if you just say the word.”
She looked up at him and he finally got the smile he’d been fishing for. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. Yvette wrapped her arms around his neck before he could draw back and slid on top of his lap. Her fingers curled within the ends of his hair and his arms pulled her closer, gripping the small of her back. Moaning against her lips,  Brett deepened the kiss and spanked her ass. Yvette giggled and pulled her legs around his.
His arms wrapped around her and her fingers worked on undoing the buttons on his pants.  Brett pulled away quickly, breaking their kiss momentarily he looked up into her eyes. “You sure you want this now?”
“I’m positive Baby. Just help me forget, please.” Gripping the bottom of her shirt she pulled it off over her head and tossed it to the floor. Quickly finding his lips again she drowned herself in his taste feeling his cock harden beneath her.
He pressed his lips to hers allowing his tongue to probe her mouth and push through her lips as he shoved his pants down his thighs. Yvette’s body pressed against his and she could feel his heart beating through his chest as he worked on removing the last bit of her clothing. She fell back into his lap and slid his hard cock inside of her. A deep moan filled the room as she began bouncing on top of him, holding on for dear life.
His hands found the firm, round globe of her left breast; pinching and squeezing the hardened nipple against his lips before his mouth consumed her flesh licking and sucking tenderly. Yvette groaned in pleasure as he thrust his hips upwards and brought himself closer to her body.
He squeezed her perfect ass in his hands, lifted her from his lap and pushed her down onto her knees in front of him. His cock pumped slowly into her as he pinned her tightly against the top of the couch, her hands struggling to balance her body as he pushed her deeper into the cushions.
Her body was screaming as he worked her to her first release. Coaxing a reaction from his groin he inhaled deeply to control the urge to cum with her. “God Yvette.” Moving his hand between her thighs to distract himself he slowly stroked her causing her body to twitch and jump in response as she tried to crawl away.
Spilling over the top of the couch, Brett grabbed her by the waist and threw her into the pillows. Her ass pushed against him as his pelvis matched her body stroke for stroke. She turned to look at him, his eyes clenched shut and his hands held her waist firmly. “I…love…you…Brett,” every word was a grunt as her breath panted from her throat. He opened his eyes and met the shimmer in hers as he returned the sentiment and continued rocking her into the sofa.
“I love you too Baby. So…fucking…much…Yvette!” he cried out as the sensations in her body shook through his thighs once again.
He walked her towards the wall. Her mouth hung wide, grasping, pulling and sucking at his tongue as she gasped for breath and struggled to keep his body tight against her own. “Brett!” His fingers teased across her thigh, gripping it firmly in his hands as she climbed the wall with every thrust that pushed her over the edge of orgasmic pleasure. Her head bounced against the wall and he apologized with his eyes as he continued driving himself between her moist thighs.
He pumped her harder, her hands balanced on his shoulders and clawed for control as her head was spinning. She whimpered and looked into his eyes again. The lids hung heavy, hungered for her; the very thought moved her again over the edge. This was what she needed. The sense of comfort and feeling of desire she felt every time with Brett was the medicine she needed for the millions of thoughts swimming through her mind. His lips teased her nipple, kissed at her neck and throat as her head bounced again off the wall.
He moved over towards the desk; she glanced up briefly at the computer equipment and tried pushing the laptop away with the tips of her fingers. He smirked at her, grabbed the electronic pad, placed it in the chair and kicked it away at the same time he opened her legs wider to allow more of his cock to drive deeper inside.
He held her legs against his chest pulling her perfectly into his body meeting with the thrust of his pelvis each time. “Ooh yes,” she cried out as the power in his arms cradled her. His pulsing cock rammed harder into her and pushed her forward against the wooden counter. Her hips pushed out to meet him and he plunged deeper inside of her.
Yvette’s long nails scraped over his naked back as she gripped him inside her, tightening the strong muscles of her thighs around him as he pushed the desk against the wall slamming it harder each time. His aggression deepened with every scratch her nails ripped into his flesh and he pounded her with ravenous desire.
She moved her lips around his face; kissing his hair, forehead, eyes. Her heart pounded in her ears as his moans fanned his warm breath across her neck. He was on the verge and she could feel it in the way his body tightened against her. She held his head and hers fell back. He leaned forward, pushing, pumping, pounding; sweat dripped from his face onto her chest and rolled down her breasts. Her fingers dug into the surface of the counter top as finally he released. A warm wave washed over her and he fell forward, dropping his forehead into her neck. Brett’s body convulsed and he breathed hard drinking in large gulps of air.
He looked up at her and smiled. She gently stroked a few strands of matted hair from his face and he kissed her, nudging her head back softly with his lips. “I feel like I just took advantage of you,” he sighed.
“You didn’t tell me no.”
“Did you really think I would?”
“More like hoping you wouldn’t,” she smiled teasingly.
“Yeah, I figured as much.”
He fell back looking for the computer chair. A horrified expression filled his eyes as he stumbled. She reached for him, gripping his arm to try and keep him up but the slickness from the sweat ensured his ass met the floor. She tumbled with him laughing as she collapsed onto his chest. “You kicked it away remember?”
“Oh yeah, I did,” he panted. “Only trying to help. You looked like you were struggling.”
“I was doing just fine on the long strokes.” She giggled, bit his pec and pulled up from the floor.
He tilted his head and watched her stroll towards the bedroom before hopping up and chasing after her. Gripping her by the waist and catching her by surprise Brett threw their bodies into the bed. “Bullshit. It was distracting you and I needed that attention on me.”
“Well Mr. Knight, now that you have it, what are you going to do with it?”
“Mmm,” he kissed her nose and gave her lips a gentle peck. “Make sure you get a good nights’ sleep.” She looked at him confused and defiantly. “I mean it. I’m not letting you out of my arms until I’m convinced your body has rested enough.”
“But you said Vic’s expecting us for dinner with the family tonight!”
“And we’ll go; after you rest.”
She laughed and struggled a bit in his grip before realizing her efforts were futile. He had a tight hold around her arms and waist and he wasn’t budging. “Fine, you win!” She dropped her head to his chest and listened to his heartbeat. Her fingers danced around the curves in his biceps and over his chest as he watched her. “Brett, you think we’ll be ready for our own family someday?”
“I know we will. And with the deposit I just made, maybe it’ll be soon.” He kissed her forehead as she continued trailing her hand down his body. “I see three, no four Brett juniors and a little Yvette clone.”
“Five children and just one girl? Yeah your Mom will be THRILLED about that. She’s sick already being surrounded by so many dicks. I can only imagine her surprise if we had four more to add to the collection.”
“Well we could blame her genetics for it. I know the man decides gender but she has no sisters just two brothers of her own; though Uncle Sammy is gay and a cross dresser so technically he doesn’t count right? She told me she was ecstatic the day he told her that. She finally had someone to tell all of her secrets to and go shopping with.” He pulled up slightly and looked down at her with a smile. “Do you have any preference?”
“About our child? No. I just hope you know that I’ll…”
“Our baby will want you Yvette. He or she will need you to ensure survival and love you for just being there. You should never let those abandonment issues…”
“I don’t have abandonment issues.”
“You have abandonment issues Yvette. And you shouldn’t let them get in the way of who you are or affect your idea of parenting.”
“Alright fine. But doesn’t the idea scare you at all?”
“Babe, I’ve been shot, thrown from buildings, beat up, survived car crashes, explosions and recently high speed chases. Parenting should be a breeze!”
She giggled at his enthusiasm. “You think so huh?”
“I know so. Hey look at me,” he said drawing her attention. “I’m not going anywhere. Our child will have us both in his or her life for as long as blood pumps through my veins alright? Now get some sleep Baby; we can talk about it after your nap.”
“Shut the light off then.”
He reached over and turned out the bedside lamp as she settled into his shoulder. He watched as her eyes slowly closed and her body drifted away.
-- February 6, 1993 --
“I want that one!” Yvette jumped eagerly at the sight of a large castle dollhouse in the corner of the toy store. She threaded her fingers into Ethan’s large hand and dragged him towards the display. “Please, please, please?!” she bounced excitedly as she looked around every corner of the pink and purple structure. “It’s perfect for Princess Barbie!”
“I tell you what. You win this round and you can have that AND a new dolly to go with it. Deal?”
“Deal! BUT I get to choose the next location for the game AND you have to give me piggyback rides for a week when you lose.”
“‘When’ I lose? Geez, I’m raising a conwoman here, you’re always bargaining,” he said brushing her hair back. “Ok if I agree to your terms, you have to get an A in all of your classes for that same week.”
“Daddy! I always make good grades! The point of a deal is to come out the victor. And any good deal struck is one both parties win something in the end, you taught me that Daddy!”
“You’re right. And I just want to make sure you keep doing your best in school. Alright, close your eyes Angel,” Ethan instructed and watched her eyes shut tight. “No peeking, no cheating.”
“Do your worst!”
He laughed and looked towards the front of the store. “Ok, when we came in here we passed three displays behind the checkout counter. All had toys on them. In alphabetical order tell me the names and colors of the toys on the third display, the one closest to us.”
She kept her eyes closed and Ethan kept her back turned towards the display as she began. “There’s a green alien with a cape next to a brown bear and a car, black with orange flames. By that is a blue and white cow on the bottom shelf. On the next shelf up there’s a dolly in a purple dress, another dolly with pigtails in a blue hat and dress, a helicopter, yellow and um…blue and a green tortoise. And on the top shelf there’s a red fire truck and police car, black and blue.”
“Nice try Yvie, but you missed one. There’s a yellow racecar on the top shelf also.” He smiled smugly as she sighed.
“Correction Daddy, there WAS a yellow racecar on the top shelf. A little boy grabbed it and it’s sitting in his Mommy’s cart 20 feet from the register with a price tag of $30.”
He looked towards the counter and chuckled realizing she was right. “How…?”
“Observation is the key to success. I saw him grab it before I pulled you over here.”
“You know pretty soon you’re gonna be better than your old man at this game!”
“Daddy! I’m already better than you! So now can I have it pretty, pretty please?”
“As promised and a dolly to go with it.”
“YES!” she screeched and threw her arms around his neck. “You’re the best Daddy in the whole world!”
– Present Day –
Victor had spent the day with Aisha doing all of the things she loved doing, coloring, jumping rope, reading and watching her favorite Disney movies. It wasn’t until lunch time she made the request to have her favorite frozen treat as a meal. He took her to the Mr. Frozen Yum ice cream shop and she ordered the biggest sundae he’d ever seen.
After she’d finished, what she could, they drove over to the park and had a tea party. Just him, her and her favorite stuffed animal that she’d renamed Simmy after her mother Simone. When he asked her why she told him it was so she could have her Mommy’s hugs whenever she wanted again.
“Would you like more tea Daddy?”
“Maybe just a half a cup, I’m trying to watch my figure.”
She laughed. “Daddy! You have a lot of muscles, you have no figure! Besides that lady at Mr. Yum’s kept staring at you. I think you’re fine!”
“Really? Was she cute?”
“DADDY ewwwwwwwww!”
“What?”
“I’m a girl! I can’t tell you that another girl is cute!”
“Why not? Didn’t you think your Mom was cute?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re Auntie is cute?”
“Yes.”
“And you’re sister Kiara too?”
“But that’s different! They’re not gross!”
He laughed and watched as she continued playing with her teddy bear, assisting him with taking a sip of his cup before placing him back down by the basket. He’d prepared a picnic for them since she insisted on a tea party and he knew the food would be…less than visible; he didn’t want to starve.
Victor had been a little overwhelmed with the grief and guilt he’d gone through. For weeks he’d thought over ways to make it up to everyone he’d cause to suffer because of it. His eldest child was the first. Seeing her crying because he raised his voice at her caused him sleepless nights and he was determined to make it up to her. “Aisha baby, can we talk?” Victor smiled as he knelt down to gain her eye level.
She fluffed her bear so she was standing upright and brushed a crease from her top as she neared him. “Of course Daddy, what did you want to talk about?”
Rubbing the back of his neck he began slowly unsure of the best approach to the subject. Sierra told him that Aisha had a few nightmares over the events she went through and sometimes she was hard to calm down. Most nights they slept together just so she felt closer to her Mom again, waking up to see her face…or that of her aunt’s was always a quiet comfort. He would hate to bring back those painful memories. “Daddy’s sorry about what he did the day you came to show me your picture. I wasn’t feeling well and…”
“I know Daddy! You were sad because Mommy became an Angel! But Auntie Sierra said that Mommy will always be around and there’s no reason to be sad because she’s watching us from her cloud in heaven. That’s why I made you the picture Daddy. You just needed her to see you better so you weren’t sad anymore so I moved her closer for you.”
Her response warmed his heart and he pulled her into his arms and choked back tears as her little hands squeezed tight around his neck. His little girl forever had the mindset of a growing woman. She had no idea how much her words healed him every day he climbed out of that stupor. Her smiles and laughter kept him fighting to regain his former self and be the man she needed again. And the picture she’d made for him was his saving grace. Sierra was right to want to take them away he was in no way fit to care for his own children. And the thought of losing them was more than enough to sober him up.
She laughed and her tiny body trembled in his grip as she danced around before pulling away. “Your hair is ticklish Daddy!”
“Aww I’m sorry Baby. Maybe Daddy should cut it off? Or…” he pulled her back into his arms and tickled her relentlessly. Her laughs and giggles urged him more and he chuckled himself as she wiggled in his arms to break free.
“Daddy!  Daddy stop!” she begged.
“What’s the magic word?”
“Please Daddy!”
“Alright.” He lowered her back to the ground and kissed her forehead as she looked up at him. “So what are we going to do next?”
“We can buy a boat!”
“A boat? Honey, Daddy doesn’t have that kind of money. Otherwise I’d have sailed away a long time ago!”
“Not uh! You wouldn’t be able to escape me because my boat would have wings.”
“Well my boat would have the fastest motor around so I can steer faster than you can fly.”
“My boat would have a sponge and soak up the water so you couldn’t drive around!”
“My boat would be too big for you to climb into and I’ll stay safe under your princess blanket!”
“My princess blanket is magical and it can make me appear in your boat without stairs so there!” He laughed as she folded her arms into her chest and stomped one foot on the ground.
Like her Mother she was holding steady to that claim and there was no arguing with her logic no matter how hard he’d try. “Alright Princess, you win. But I still can’t buy a boat. How about we go for a pony ride instead?”
Her eyes grew to the size of beach balls and she shook her head vigorously. Lacing her fingers into his she pulled him hard and forcefully towards the car to get to their next destination.
-- August 12, 1993 --
“Think about Yvette, Ethan! You’re forcing her to grow up without a father how is that fair to her?”
“That’s not my problem Katrina! I never wanted children! That was your dream and I supported you because I love you. But there are things that are more important in this life and I have to think about what’s best for this country! I’m sorry, but I have to do this. Yvette will understand.”
“Understand? Understand? She’s just 7 years old Ethan how do you expect her to understand this? Screw your damn job! Your family should always be your first priority!”
“I wouldn’t expect you to understand me Kat! You have never supported me in my career it’s always one thing or another with you and I’m just tired of it!”
“What the hell are you talking about support? I gave up a promotion within the Agency for you! Had I gone forward and accepted the position you wouldn’t be where you are now!” she gasped as she realized what she said. The position awarded to Ethan for his “hard work and dedication” fell to him because his wife declined the promotion, a fact she’d neglected to tell him.
Yvette poked her head out of the door and watched her parents argue. Ethan’s face twisted in shock before anger again washed over his brow. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”
“It means…nothing. Please just think about what that job is doing to us Ethan. You’ve already devoted several hours of your weekend to the Agency. Our marriage is crumbling and what little time you spend with Yvette is just simply not enough! She cries herself to sleep sometimes wondering when her Daddy is coming home!”
“You’re right and I’m sorry. But there are things that are demanded of me that I just simply cannot turn my back to or walk away from.” He threw his hands up in defeat and walked towards the back door. “I…I just don’t know anymore Kat.”
Hearing the door close, Yvette jumped and placed her hands over her ears. Katrina saw her from the bedroom door and called to her. She smiled as her baby girl slowly approached and wrapped her arms around her. “Wanna help Mommy get dinner ready? We’re having your favorite tonight, spaghetti and meatballs.” She nodded and Katrina escorted her into the kitchen.
Ethan watched from the back garden as his wife and daughter hummed and sang merrily with one another preparing their meal. He smiled as his little girl looked up and caught his gaze waving her hand animatedly in his direction. She blew him a kiss and he caught it and stuck it in his pocket. Ethan kicked around a few piles of leaves as he continued listening to them thinking over everything he had made promises to. His work was too important to give up now; he just did not have the strength to throw it all away.
An hour had passed and the back door swung open as Yvette rushed into her Daddy’s arms. He picked her up and swung her around before planting a kiss on her cheek. “I helped Mommy in the kitchen!”
“Oh yeah?” he sniffed her neck and she laughed at the way his lips moved over her skin. “Mmm, spaghetti. Daddy’s gonna gobble you up!” He said and bit her lightly on the arm.
“No Daddy! I’m not dinner!” she jumped from his arms and ran towards the swingset. Ethan gave chase; running with her around the mini playground before finally catching her near the front of the slide. “Don’t eat me Daddy, don’t eat me!” she laughed as he pretended again to snack on her, blowing bubbles against her belly.
“Now would Daddy do a thing like that? I wouldn’t dream of hurting you. Come on, who’s my little Princess?”
“I am!” she said proudly raising her hand. “Will you push me on the swing?”
“Of course I will. There isn’t anything Daddy wouldn’t do for you.”
“When I grow up Daddy, I wanna be just like you and Mommy, a super cop that saves the world!”
-- Present Day --
Yvette began jerking in her sleep, stirring Brett awake. He watched her as her muscles twitched and a low moan croaked from her throat. Holding her tighter, a weak whimper escaped her lips and he gently caressed her neck and spine. Over the last month and a half her dreams moved from violent and scary to sad and depressing and he thought about how he could pop inside there for only a minute and make it all go away. “It’s ok Baby, I got you,” he cooed and lulled her back to calm.
-- August 12, 1993 --
“Yvie! Yvie come back!” Katrina yelled and ran after her daughter. Chasing her farther and farther into the woods she finally came to a stop before a waterfall and a tiny picnic area. She glanced around the path until her eyes fell on the small girl curled up by a tree near the water’s edge. She slowly made her way over, dropping to her knees in front of her daughter she lifted her chin tilting her eyes so that they were leveled with hers. “Baby why did you run off like that?”
“Because you said Daddy wasn’t coming back and he said he didn’t want me! Was I bad Mommy? Did I do something to make him go away?” she sniffled and wiped away her tears as she grasped onto their argument earlier trying to understand what drove the only man she’d ever loved from her life.
“No Baby, I’m sorry you heard that but it had nothing to do with you. Daddy has a really important job saving people from bad men with guns. Remember we talked about this?”
She nodded and looked up at her. “Daddy’s a super cop and he works with other super cops and they battle evil doers from around the world.”
“That’s right Baby and now Daddy’s job is demanding so he has to devote more time to saving people. He had to leave to save everyone. Do you understand?”
“But is he coming back?”
She pulled her daughter closer to her heart and brushed her hair back gently. Rocking her back and forth she chose her words carefully to keep the fragile child in her arms from breaking completely. “He’ll come back when the world doesn’t need him anymore. When he’s done saving people he’ll come back and he’ll save us both.”
-- Present Day --
“I’m sorry about what happened Vette,” Victor said leaning over as Sierra cleared the table of dishes. She looked towards him and he smiled somberly. “Brett told me about your miscarriage.”
“Let me help you with that,” Brett offered, assisting Sierra with getting the kids from the table and the leftover food put away.
Vic nodded at the door and Yvette grabbed her beer and started for the porch with him close on her heels. “Yeah it was painful. It’s crazy; I’d never pictured myself in the Mommy role ya know. But after we lost the baby I don’t know I felt…empty.”
“Yeah I know but it gets better. I’ve always wanted to be a Dad. Simone and I had three miscarriages before we finally had our first miracle; Aisha. Then they started popping out,” he laughed. “She always said we had three Angels born from the spirits of the three we lost.”
He adjusted on the banister as she leaned against the rail beside him. “I’d always believed that to be true also and we’d made it a point to show them every day of their lives just how much they were loved. I dropped the ball on that one.”
“Are you crazy? No you didn’t! You’re still here, still caring and showing them how much you love them! That’s all they need from you Victor!”
“And security! Protection, safety, a mother! I failed them.”
He sighed and rubbed the back of his head dropping onto the bench near the wall. Yvette watched his expression run a gamut of emotion before taking a seat and gently rubbing his shoulders. “You didn’t fail your children Victor they’ve never stopped loving or needing you. You suffered a loss and it was one that was hard to bounce back from but you did it and you’re stronger because of it. Aisha, Chase and Kiara are very fortunate and blessed to have a Daddy like you. Not all parents are what they are cracked up to be, trust me.”
He looked towards her and caught her hand before she pulled it away, rubbing the back absently. “Yve there is no way you could have known your own father wanted you dead or that he was the cause of your mother’s death.”
“No there’s no way I could have known and that’s exactly why I want him dead now. He took her from me and he tried to take so much more. I’m gonna make him pay for every tear I’ve shed and every pain and fear I’ve felt because of his tyranny.”
“And you have us there with you 100% of the way.”
She looked up with sincerity and smiled at him, “Thank you Victor. That means a lot to me.”
“Sure thing. After everything we’ve gone through together? What’s one more near death experience?” He laughed and nudged her arm producing that old familiar sound from her as well.
“You’re right. It’s just time to get on with life and work. Just hope you guys are ready for me to get back on your asses.”
“We’ve been ready for some time now. So that’s why the move?”
“Vic my father has known how to hurt me for all these years. He knew about you, about Brett, about Dustin and Ryan and Scott but never went after them. There has to be a reason why. I figured what’s the use of hiding anymore? I was hiding from a ghost; someone I thought was coming to end me because of some mission a hundred years ago. I never thought it would be my own flesh and blood! I was living in fear, paranoid; looking over my shoulder at every turn. I will not continue living like that. If he wants me he can come and get me; I’ll be waiting. Still I can’t quite make myself go back home. For now I’m set in the little apartment I share with Brett. He’s been hounding me about just moving into his place though.”
“Maybe you should. It’s not exactly a bad idea. It’s pretty damn obvious he’s not going anywhere. Might as well consider yourself married and shack up at his place; you know, no pressure or anything,” he smiled. “I guess this is something huh? You’re screwed up, I’m screwed up.”
“Me? HA! Speak for yourself Rasta!”
“I’m sexy and you know it!” he pushed a braid over his shoulder and winked at her.
She smiled and punched his arm. “You’ve always been sexy and I’m perfectly…wait! Did Brett ask you to talk to me?”
He inched away slowly with an impish smile on his lips. “Uh…Brett who?”
“Victor!”
“Maybe, maybe not. Maybe I just wanted to have a nice quiet evening with an old friend. Come on Vette. Even before you became my boss we were buds first remember? Your Dad knew my Dad…”
“Correction, my Dad threatened your Dad, I threatened your first girlfriend…yeah, real friends I remember.” She looked up and noticed Sierra dancing with Kiara and Chase in the living room and laughed hearing them giggle as she played around with them. “In speaking of which, how have things been for you?”
He followed her gaze and nodded. “I knew we’d find this subject sooner or later. The two of you have always been at odds I know but she’s different Vette she’s lost someone too; probably closer to her than myself as twins go. I don’t think I could have made it back without her. She’s been a big help with the kids and everything.”
“And how are they?”
“Happy. They laugh and smile constantly. I still have some making up to do, slow going but I’m mending my relationships with them. In fact today Aisha and I went all over town from one adventure to the next. Man, they’re growing up so fast.”
“You’re telling me? I still remember the squirmy little Aisha always tugging at my hair until she’d pulled a few handfuls free. My stylist still cringes over that name,” she laughed. “And little baby, Chase, always following Daddy around in his diapers, sorry, big boy pull-ups pretending he was a spy too. Dustin and I still get a kick out of the time he stole your ID and pinned it to his poopy diaper and ran around with it until his poop stained the badge.”
“Yeah I haven’t forgotten that. I still owe you and Dust for letting him do that! I had to smell shit for weeks because of it. You know how hard it is to cover and clean up that smell? And that was a new leather carrying case; that thing held his stench for weeks Vette, weeks!” he shook his head and raised his beer to his lips again. “I still owe him a day out though. He’s becoming like his old man, heavily into cars.” He beat his chest proudly and Yve laughed.
“Good, that’s good. You better make sure you keep them happy. The last thing I need right now is another murder charge.”
“Well…almost. There’s still the issue of your Dad.”
“Yeah,” Yve sighed and lowered her chin slightly as more faded memories of her childhood began to resurface. “There’s still him.”

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