Who: Laura & Caspian What: Changes When: Saturday, April 20, evening Where Laura’s place and beyond Rating: Medium for violence and injury Status: Complete
While Cas and Caitlyn spent the day together, Laura had no problem keeping herself busy. Picking up the third job at the bookstore filled those awkward middle of the day hours, and kept her from brooding and sitting alone, especially on holiday weekends like this. After the coffee shop and the store, she went off to run errands and get a few last minute things for Caitlyn’s easter basket. The girl was beginning to get a little old for these sorts of things, but Laura held on fiercely to these little traditions for as long as her daughter would allow it. Besides, everyone loved a little treat now and then.
Once she returned home, Laura did a little holiday baking, and cleaned the spotless apartment yet again. She was counting the minutes until Cas would return Caitlyn. But this time it wasn’t out of worry or fear. Laura just realized exactly how uncomfortable she was with the person she was becoming, so without a distraction it all started to sink in too much. She’d gotten used to just going through the motions years ago, but now that quiet ache of unhappiness was beginning to get to her. Was this all there was to life? Holding her breath and waiting for a good few moments sprinkled here and there? She supposed that was better than no good moments at all.
Moving to the window, she opened it to let the cool night air in. The winter was gone and it seemed like a nice spring so far. Maybe the fresh air would help. And she wanted to place to feel welcoming to Caitlyn when she returned.
Caspian pulled the black SUV up to the curb of the building where Caitlyn live with her mother. It was Easter weekend. He wouldn’t be keeping his daughter overnight like usual, but the day spent with his daughter was worth returning her home. He had gotten her an Easter basket of her own filled with a few things he knew she liked. A small stuffed penguin wearing bunny ears, some candy, a bit of cash for her allowance. The girl and her puppy were elated and on the way home all of them had sang to a soundtrack or another.
Caitlyn rushed up the stairs. Caspian and the puppy followed close behind. The poor thing was tired from the stairs and so he had swept it up into his arms. Frantic, excited, Caitlyn knocked on the door to the apartment with one hand clasped on her basket of goodies.
Sweeping up to the door, Caspian waited for Laura to answer. As the woman met them at the door he waited for her to get through welcoming their daughter home before he extended the bushel of flowers toward her - similar to the ones he’d brought to her the first time they’d gone out - and then the dog was set upon the floor.
Hearing Caitlyn just seconds before the knock, Laura moved to open it with a smile. She greeted her with a hug and moved out of the way to allow them all inside. As she usually did, Caitlyn chatted excitedly about her day, eager to share the happy times. Laura listened intently with a nod, even though at some points the little girl spoke so quickly Laura knew she missed bits and pieces here and there. She knew she could fill in the blanks later on.
When Cas offered the flowers to her, Laura was taken aback. She remembered the flowers vividly, and she had never expected to see them again, especially not after all this time. Taking them hesitantly, she looked to him with a faint smile. “Thank you. This is unexpected. They’re beautiful.”
It had taken a bit of work to try to replicate that first bouquet, he had gotten as close as the season had allowed. April was not anywhere close to June and so the flowers weren’t exactly the way they had been during that first summer but it was something. Which was better than nothing. “You’re welcome,” he breathed, slipping into her apartment. The dog skittered away to find Caitlyn.
Clearing his throat, Caspian looked at the floor. Studying the wood for a moment he gathered himself, offshouldering the backpack of Caitlyn’s she usually toted to his house. It settled on the floor and he pushed it from the door with a foot gently.
It was then he glanced up at Laura. She hated the flowers, he knew it. Biting at his bottom lip he moved toward the door to leave. “I’ll leave them with you, then. Caitlyn has eaten her weight in chocolate, and the dog, she’s called him Pupperoni for whatever reason, is as tired as she is. Doubt they’ll be awake much longer.”
In his pocket his phone was vibrating. It could wait.
“Is… there a certain occasion?” It was possible that it was just a nice gesture for the holiday, but this specific bouquet and they way he was acting told her that it was something else. Arching a brow, she studied him. “Is something wrong?”
She watched the puppy run off after their daughter and could see that what he said was right. Those two would be out like a light very soon, but it seemed like there would be pleasant dreams and much needed rest for both.
Turning her attention back to him, she motioned to the couch and then went to put the flowers in water to preserve them. “You don’t have to rush off just yet if you don’t want to. But if you need to go, I understand.”
“Just Easter,” he replied casually. It was easier to deflect, habit really. Her motion to the couch was invitation. He paused, studying the area before he nodded and moved further into the apartment. He didn’t want to go, that was the problem. Everything that involved her was a problem, for what it was worth, good or bad, she was a constant staple in his life. “Alright then.” Settling down on the couch, he glanced over toward her, watching her.
“I was thinking about the first time I had taken you out,” he began, clearing his throat again, “Do you remember? You wore that dress...I was so nervous.” He’d taken her for Italian, made small talk. But that was after he’d worked up the courage to ask her to go to dinner with him.
It’d been bothering him lately; the puppy, their conversation about expanding their family had gotten to him and he realized that maybe what he’d been looking for had been right there all along. He liked Nina, but she was so busy with her career and he was busy working the streets. Plus she was with the mob and he knew he’d be in trouble with that group considering they’d gone about courting all wrong.
She was a little surprised that he took up the invitation to stay. But at least then maybe the could talk and she could figure out what had him out of sorts this time around. It didn’t seem to be work related. Carrying the flowers out in a vase, she set it on the coffee table and then looked to him again. “Would you like a drink?”
When he brought up the date, she wasn’t exactly shocked. “I remember. The flowers are almost identical. I still have the first ones, they’re pressed into book pages now.” She glanced over to her bookshelf and then looked back to him.
“Why is this on your mind now?” From their last talk about the past, he had made it seem clear that it was all dead and buried and he’d moved on. It was a hard pill to swallow but she did.
The idea of a drink weighed on him. It brought back memories he chose otherwise to forget but he nodded all the same. She knew him better than anyone, he trusted her. It was that or Divinity and on that people ...well, he would not speak of it there with Caitlyn within range nor would he attempt anything in Laura’s apartment.
Those blue eyes darted away, looking mainly at the wood flooring. The fact that she still had those flowers warmed him. “I don’t know,” he began, shaking his head at her so she wouldn’t jump to conclusions, “But I’ve been thinking about our last conversation.” He’d not been nice to her, he knew that much and she deserved much better than the man he’d become.
Back when they had been younger his options had multiplied, but now that path had lost deviations, he was stuck on the road now. “I love you.”
She returned to the kitchen again. She didn’t keep alcohol in the house, usually, but that had been changing lately. She didn’t know if Cas drank any more now than he did when they first met. But for the sake of sentiment, she made him that same drink she had the first night they met, a mix of seltzer and juices. Returning, she handed it over before sitting beside him on the couch.
She listened to him speak but was unsure what to say. She didn’t know why he was bringing this up again and where it was going. At his last words, she nodded, watching his face. “I love you too.”
That confession felt plain, raw. He was supposed to be this tough character and yet he found himself regretful and moved just then. His eyes lifted, Caspian turned to look at her at the words she had returned. He’d longed to hear them, had been fighting her for eight years and for what? She had known him better than anyone. He felt a measure of shame but it was combated easily.
“I’m not joking, Laura. I love you. I can’t do this anymore. Being away from you. From Caitlyn. We’ve spent the last eight years at war with each other, but for what? Petty things? You were my best friend, the love of my life, I’ll take the blame for this going awry. I never meant to push you away. I can’t promise to be any better to you now, I’ll do my best.”
He didn't want to leave here still fighting a battle of the unknown. He needed common ground if she would give it to him. He didn’t deserve it, he knew, but he wanted to try at least.
Sighing, she was silent as he continued to speak. Her brow furrowed slowly, unsure of what to make of these words. “I’m not joking either. But why are you saying this now? What is different now compared to a few weeks ago when you wanted this all in the past?”
She didn’t expect him to take the blame for everything, she had not been at her best either and she definitely did not help make things any better over the years. Coming to terms had helped, but it left her wanting more. But when she confessed that to him, he seemed pretty steadfast on the fact that door was closed. She wanted to know the cause of his change of heart.
“I don’t want to play games any more, Cas. I don’t want to have to keep guessing what you want from me. You want things on your terms. Tell me the terms.”
“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” he explained, watching her carefully, “the other day about having a family. I still had a chance. I blew it. I’ve been blowing it all of these years. It hit me hard.” He wondered what Chrysalis would think of this conversation, of this display of weakness. A few weeks ago, similar to the years prior, he’d been stubborn, angry, afraid. Now he just felt vulnerable and sick. He ached with this.
Heeding her words he nodded, “Terms are always negotiable, love. Before I was being selfish, I wanted all of the time with our daughter that I could get. But I’ve come to find that time with you is just as valuable a commodity. I’ve come to realize that I cannot live without either of you.” She was so invested in his social circles that he couldn’t avoid her if he had wanted to, and so it only made sense to acclimate, to set his trials aside.
“I’d like it of you and Caitlyn would consider moving in to my place. WIth no obligation of course, but raising our daughter should be equal, and it’s a challenge to do that so far apart.”
Standing again, she returned to the kitchen to pour herself a drink. But she needed something a little stronger than juice. Reaching up to a high hiding spot out of Caitlyn’s sight and reach, Laura pulled out a bottle of bourbon and poured some into a glass. Hiding the bottle once again, she returned to the living room, but stood aside and watched him as he explained.
Folding her arms beneath her chest, she stared at him incredulously when he finished. Glad for the drink, she swallowed down a mouthful of the amber liquid. “Move in with you? Oh, sure, that sounds great. You’ll just have to leave me a schedule so I can slip out when your girlfriend drops by.” Shaking her head, she sat again with a smirk. “You must think I’m really desperate.”
Caspian moved to stand up. “What else do you need from me then?” He snapped, turning away from her. Those words stung but he knew it was true. Things wouldn’t last with Nina regardless of what happened with Laura. His phone buzzed again in his pocket. An eye roll at the inconvenience he plucked it from a pocket and peered at who dared to call.
Ending the call, he stuffed the blasted thing into his pocket and headed for the door. “Forget I said anything, yes? Lets just keep doing this dance. I’ll see you next weekend.”
At the knob he turned it and flung the door open.
Despite how angry he got, Laura didn’t feed into it. Instead, she just sat there calmly watching him have his little hissy fit. But she wasn’t angry, because she was hurt. Taking another sip from her glass, she shrugged and watched him go to storm out. “Forgive me if I actually want someone to want me for me. If that’s even possible. But I don’t want you coming back to me just because better plans fell through. Did you ever really want me? Or was I just the required accessory who happened to get knocked up? Tell me the truth.” Even though her words were sharp, her tone wasn’t. It didn’t matter what his answers were, she’d already convinced herself that it was all true. And it just left her feeling sad, he could hear it in her voice.
It would have been easy to throw work in his face again. That’s who the call was from, she assumed. It was always where he was running off to. She wondered if that’s how it was with the girl too. Running her hands back through her hair, she didn’t try to stop him. “I won’t forget it. I told you I’m not playing games any more, I meant it. I want you to be straightforward with me. I’m not the one fighting right now. I’m being honest with you, even if you think it’s not fair.”
He was angry, always angry. That was the emotion easiest to go to instead of owning up to his part of the problems. It was easier to throw a fit, to demand and expect. But this was different. The door closed as fast as it had opened, and Caspian turned, pressing his back against the door. Those blue eyes looked at her from across the room. “You’re joking, right?” He inquired, shaking his head at her. “How is that even something that would happen?” He had just opened himself up to her and it was as if she hadn’t listened to a word he’d said to her. “Of course I want you for who you are, Laura. Joanna.” One of the few who knew who she really was.
His shoulders slumped. There was no convincing her, but he would try. “No games. I love you, that will never change. I want to be with you, together, with our family. Please. You were never an accessory, never just a past regret. I hated every word I said to you, how you suffered and hurt. That was my doing. How I could ever make up the last eight years I could not even begin to make each day she had spent in turmoil better.
Again his phone rang. Caspian plucked it out of a pocket and tossed it across the room. It slid across the floor and fell silent. No work now.
Caspian got to his knees then, crawling across the floor toward Laura. “I can’t make up to you the years we’ve lost, the times I’ve hurt you, but I’m begging you to please give me another chance.”
Sighing, Laura set her glass aside. She cringed when he used her birth name, but she didn’t question him about it further. Watching the phone slide across the floor, she arched a brow. He was either having a complete breakdown, or he was trying to make a point.
Standing, she moved to him and took his hands, pulling him up to stand. “Stop. Stop it right now. You are not the kind of man to beg, don’t start now. Not when you don’t need to.”
Looking up to him, she put her hand on his cheek, looking into his eyes. “I love you. I never stopped loving you, despite everything. I want to be with you. But things have to be different this time. We have to do better, we both do. It wasn’t just you, it wasn’t just me, we both made mistakes that we have to learn from. Or else it will never work, no matter how strongly we feel.”
He lifted himself up to his feet with her hands, not letting her go. She knew him well enough, begging was the last resort and it seemed to have worked in his favor. A nod would come.
Caspian nodded, winding his arms around her. “For you, change is worth it. I might make mistakes. I’m sorry ahead of time for those, but I shall do my best to do the best that I can for you. For Caitlyn.” For them. For us.
Whatever it took.
Sliding her arms around him, she hugged him tightly with a nod. “I just want you to be honest. Talk to me, tell me what bothers you. Let me help you, don’t shut me out. And I will do the same.” She knew how easily she shut people out and he had not been immune to that.
Letting go, she took a step back with a sigh. “We have to think of all of us. All three of us equally. It can’t just be about you, or just about me, or even just about Caitlyn. If we can’t make it work for all of us, the problems will just keep coming back in.”
She stared up at him thoughtfully, a little worried about what she was getting herself into again. But she had no doubts that she couldn’t pass this up, she might never have the opportunity again. Laura gave Cas a faint smile and then motioned to his phone. “You should get that before the puppy makes a chew toy out of it.”
He breathed out. He held her close, hugging her. “I can manage that,” he replied. He didn’t want to hold anything back. They’d been upfront so far, he had told her about everything - the drugs, the violence, the whole thing.
But she was right. They had to think about all of them. Each of them had a role in this game. A nod would come. “I want it to work.”
And then his eyes cast to his phone. It was vibrating again on the floor. His mind touched Caitlyn. She was sleeping. But Laura was probably right. Hating to part from her Caspian let her go and went to the phone. A crouch and he scooped it up, standing. Work.
A sigh. “It’s work. It’s not important.”
She watched him and held back a frown. Instead, she shook her head. “Three calls in five minutes seems pretty important to me. You should find out what it is.” If they were going to do this, she had to accept that work was always going to be the elephant in the room. Better to acknowledge it from the new start than to try to pretend it could be avoided.
Picking up her glass, she drained it and returned it to the kitchen while giving him privacy to return the call. Quietly, she slipped off into Caitlyn’s room to properly put her to bed since as expected she basically just passed out. Gently peeling off her shoes, she changed her into her pjs and then scooped her up under the covers to be more comfortable. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she stroked back the little girl’s hair and watched her sleep, the puppy curling up at the foot of the bed to drift off as well. Laura waited there for Caspian, he needed these little moments as much as she did. If not despite what else was going on, than because of it.
Work. Always work. There was a drop off needed, a client who was being difficult. He acknowledged the circumstance and agreed to meet up later at a designated rendezvous place. The phone was tucked into a pocket once the call had ended and he trekked to Caitlyn’s room.
The lights were dim. He saw a silhouette - the shadowed figure of Laura and their daughter there. Entering the room quietly he swept over to them. The edge of the bed was taken, he knelt down to their daughter to kiss her goodnight before standing.
A hand would extend to Laura.
She leaned down to kiss Caitlyn’s forehead and then stood as well, taking Cas’s hand. She led him quietly out of the room and closed the door gently behind them. Returning to the living room, she turned back to him. “You have to go.” It was a statement, not a question.
“Will you come back tonight? Or will we see you tomorrow?” She didn’t want him to go, but she wasn’t going to stop him either. She had to adjust and accept this life, and she had to do it now.
He held her hand as they made their way out of Caitlyn’s room. The journey to the living room felt too long and yet too short. He words hit him and he nodded at her. “I would come back if you’d let me. Or you could come with me. Do you know anyone who could sit last minute?”
He couldn’t pass this one off on someone else. Shaking down a bad lead was his job.
Leaning close to him, she put her fingertip to his lips. “Stop it with that, ‘if you’d let me.’ We’re doing this, we’re going to figure this out. There’s no more asking permission. I want you here.”
But she was surprised that he offered for her to go along. Arching a brow, she considered before shrugging. “There’s a college student down the hall, she sits sometimes. Caitlyn likes her. I can see if she’s free. If you really want me to go along.” She couldn’t understand why, but it didn’t seem like something she should question and just find out for herself.
A breath of relief. Caspian wound his arms around Laura and pulled her close. He wanted to figure things out, wanted to make this work with all three of them. This was what they were made for, each other. A kiss would be placed on her temple and then he would pull back only to look down at her as she spoke.
“If you’d like, then sure. I’ve got to go shake down a client,” He explained, though divulging no further information. She had expressed interest before in his work, and together at least he’d have some kind of backup who could defend themselves if need be.
And then Cas let her go so she could go ask her neighbor to sit in. “We won’t be gone long.”
Laura studied him for a moment before nodding. It wasn’t exactly the sort of one-on-one time she’d hoped they’d have if they ever reunited. But some nagging feeling inside told her that if she didn’t go with him, she might regret it later on. She needed to go back to trusting him completely like she did in the beginning, and push away the questions and the doubt.
Stepping away, she found her phone and sent a quick series of texts. The response was surprisingly quick and Laura pocketed her phone. “She’ll be here in a few minutes. Now… what exactly does a ‘shake down’ entail?”
He was grateful for the lack of questions. He could see by the look on her face that she had a few, probably valid ones, but now was probably not the time for a Q and A session. So far he had been honest and upfront with her - he wasn't about to start hiding things from her now. There would be plenty of time for cute rekindling later once all of his business was finished. But right now the focus was shifting from family back to work though the lines had begun to blur somewhere.
“Whatever it takes,” He explained. It was vague, he knew, but not all situations were black and white. The Ruger he carried with him always was in the car downstairs. Otherwise he had his power set.
“The chap owes me quite a bit of money and has decided that it wasn’t in his best interest to pay up. So we have to convince him to change his mind.”
More questions followed but Laura just shook them off with a smirk. “Changing minds is more of your strong suit than mine.”’
As promised, a knock on the door followed shortly thereafter. Answering it, Laura allowed in a mousy, studious looking redhead who was both surprised and distracted by seeing Cas there. It was obvious she’d never seen anyone else at the apartment before.
Laura pressed some money into the girl’s hand then led Cas to the door. “We won’t be long. Just an hour or two, as usual.” Pocketing the money, the girl nodded but said nothing. It seemed like this wasn’t the first time Laura had called on her for last minute services.
He couldn’t help but grin a bit at her. She was funny, the humor was appreciated. “I suppose I can’t argue with that.” He hoped everything would go smoothly but you never could predict who or what would upturn things.
As the knock came he looked at the woman who entered. If Laura trusted her, Caspian wouldn’t ask questions. He offered a nod of greeting to the babysitter before following after Laura.
And then the pair of them slipped into the hallway. The door was sealed behind them and without a shred of hesitation he was leading Laura by the hand down the hallway, to the elevator and then through the lobby to the SUV. He got the door to her side of the car for her, closed it, and then climbed into the drivers side.
Moments later they would pull away from the curb, moving in the direction of the meeting point.
Letting Cas lead the way, Laura followed along without a word. Once in the car, she looked out the window as they drove, wondering what they were about to get into. But she did have one question that she felt was appropriate to ask at the moment. “How much money does this guy owe you?”
“Quarter of a million dollars,” he echoed, keeping his eyes on the road. To someone that might have been a nice chunk of change, for Caspian it was more about the statement and the matter-of-fact. Nobody withheld anything from him that was rightfully his. The money was not what the purpose was, Caspian had plenty to go around for decades. Divinity was a coveted drug, it was pricey because of that fact.
A few roads, a back alleyway or two, and he was sliding into the shadows of a small warehouse district. Rows and rows of garage type facilities lined the streets.
“Keep an eye out for fifteen, would you, love?” They slowed so as not to miss the number on the doors as they passed though the windows were tinted it still offered visibility to see out.
Laura blinked and looked to Cas, but it was clear he was not kidding. She figured it would be more than a couple thousand, but this was more money that she felt like she’d ever seen in her whole life. At least now it made good sense now why he had to go to handle it himself. But something didn’t add up. “How long did it take for him to rack up a bill like that?”
She looked out for the number as directed, and pointed in out up ahead once they were nearby. “What about collateral?”
“Not long,” He sighed, shaking his head. This particular client had a habit of cheating dealers out of product and cash. In this particular business you went hard and fast after anyone who was likely to step out of line lest your reputation and street cred fall victim to softness. There was a possibility that it could be a misunderstanding, but he’d missed the payment meeting and now it was time to collect in person.
“Collateral? In this business?” Caspian shook his head, though he was not opposed to listening to her ideas on it later.
Slowly the SUV edged toward the door she had pointed to. The lights had been off for a while so through the dark they crept silently. “Stay here,” he instructed, putting the car in park and turning off the engine. He took a moment to reach across Laura, into the glove box of the vehicle to pluck the Ruger from inside. He stuck it into a holster for ease of access, pulled up the arm rest between them and slid out another gun. This one he offered to Laura if she wanted it, “This is for you, just in case you get any unwelcome company while I’m in there dealing with business.”
At his questions, she just shrugged, checking out their surroundings. “Houses, cars, friends, family members.” It sounded dark but her tone didn’t show it, she was just being ‘practical.’ “People will make things right if you try to take away what they value most.”
She arched a brow as he got out and intended to go in on his own. What was the point of her going along if he was just going to have her sit in the car and wait. Frowning, more about that than the gun, she took the weapon and nodded.
The point of her staying in the vehicle was to keep her safe - he didn’t want to risk losing her to some rogue scoundrel with an itchy finger and so he preferred to face whatever risk and danger there was alone. He doubted he would be gone long. Her words struck a chord; he had no idea that she would even go to such a place but then they had been at odds for the last eight years and he had missed a lot during that time. “Much more of that and you’re going to be a drug lord or a mobster,” He teased lightly.
“If you hear gunfire, you’ve my permission to drive away and go back home.”
And with that the door to the car closed once he had gotten out. The Ruger added weight and comfort. He paused to check the surroundings with his mental power and when nothing out of sorts came about he made his way into the building.
Laura just shrugged in response. Her darker side had developed long before he met her, not after. But she’d always tried to keep that from him, even when they were at odd. But lately, she was becoming a little more free with herself. And in this case, maybe that sort of mindset wasn’t such a bad thing.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but that isn’t going to happen if it comes down to it.” There was no way in hell she’d leave him behind in a dangerous situation.
She watched him as he left the car and moved into the building. Once he was out of sight, she checked the time and waited. If he was gone too long, or something seemed amiss, she’d go in after him. Otherwise she’d stay there as instructed.
He had been in similar situations before; the softness of the building was alarming already, his mental powers scanned the darkness touching any minds that it could, twisting them as he moved. If he ever could wish for any power it would be infrared vision, seeing in the dark would be lovely. Otherwise it was he and the shadows. Room to room he went, having waited to draw the Ruger and then he finally found the man he had been searching for.
“Ah, Walter,” Caspian breathed, sliding into the lit room. The man he had been looking for, Walter, glanced up from the ledger he had been studiously working on. “Caspian? To what do I owe the pleasure?” Caspian grinned, “It’s time to collect on your debt, old friend.” Walter laughed, waving at a bottle of gin on the desk. “Why don’t you sit? Have a drink!” Caspian shook his head, “I have never been much of a drinker, or have you forgotten?”
Walter sat back in the chair, a grin akin to the Cheshire Cat splitting his lips. “I insist.” Out of the darkness came another man who was holding a very powerful weapon, pointing it at Cas. The blue eyed devil nodded, moving to the bottle. The lid came off, Caspian held it up toward Walter. “And how much do you fancy to drink?” An empty glass was pushed toward Cas, and then another. “As much as you’d please.”
Glasses filled, the bottle was sealed and set aside. With a frown, he pushed the clear glass toward the other man and waited. “About your payment,” Walter began, smugly, “I don’t think I want to settle right now.” A laugh, the man plucked up the glass and sat back, beginning to drink. “What a shame is a man who defaults on their debts,” Caspian retorted. His own glass remained untouched.
The other man with the gun held it up and out in a menacing way. It seemed their new friend toting the semi-automatic weapon was a power negating mutant. He couldn’t feel his own power the way that he was used to, he was at an impasse for now. Picking up the glass of warm gin Caspian took a sip and his face contorted in kind. “Ugh, how the devil do you drink this? It’s disgusting.”
And then the glass was hurled at the man with the gun, who dodged. Using those precious seconds Caspian withdrew Michelle, his Ruger, and began to fire on the gun toting man in hopes of rendering the other man useless.
Laura kept silent but alert in the car, her eyes scanning for anyone who might approach the car or the building. She counted the minutes, waiting for Cas to return, hoping that it would be soon. But when she heard the gunshots, she knew something had not gone as planned. Without hesitation, she jumped out of the car, tucking the gun he’d given her into the back waistband of her pants. She broke into a run, heading into the building as she continued to keep an eye out for danger.
Moving through the building, and to the occupied room, Laura lingered outside the doorway, in the shadows, listening for what was going on inside. Her instinct was to go straight in, but she needed to assess the situation further or else she’d get herself hurt in the process. She’d trained for this for years, she knew better.
The clip was emptied.
Caspian frowned, brow furrowed at the cowering man, Walter. The man scrambled for the semi, and Caspian moved fast to try to stop the other from getting to the weapon. A bit too slow, Walter grabbed up the gun before Caspian could reach him and before any mental powers could be thrust forward. A shot rang out and Cas was knocked off of his feet, the Ruger flying into a dark corner of the room.
A grimace. He pawed at the blood gushing from the shoulder, as he moved to sit up. Blood was running from his nose and Walter began to flop like a fish on the bare floor, the gun in his hands flailing. Lucky for all of them no shots were fired from the weapon.
Hearing more shots, Laura took a breath and slipped into the room, keeping close to the wall. She kept the gun tucked away, there’d been enough gunfire and she wasn’t going to add to it. But when she saw Cas bleeding, Laura did not hesitate. In a matter of seconds, four large fireballs were tossed to the other men, one striking Walter’s wrist that was holding the gun, another striking him in the chest. The remaining two struck the other downed man, making sure both were not getting up quickly.
Moving to Cas, Laura knelt beside him, looking over him to see where the wound was. “What do you need me to do?” Despite the scene, she was strangely calm.
A cry of pain was elicited; the fireball to the wrist had been more than enough to get the downed man to drop the gun. The skin had been singed, burned nearly to the bone. Walter was doing his best to crawl away with what was left of his pride.
Caspian looked up at Laura. It was dangerous to be near him in such a state but he turned to look at her as if she were the only person in the room. There would be no hospital, they would take care of this at either of their places. Remove the bullet, stitches. Time and time again he had done that on his own but with her it would be faster, easier. “Let’s get out of here, shall we?” His skin was pale from the pain but he managed to keep it aside for her.
His hand would rake across the lower half of his face to try to rid it of the blood, only managing to smear it rather than erase it.
Taking charge, Laura ignored the others and got to work. Moving to his good side, Laura took Cas’s uninjured arm and helped him up to stand, letting him lean on her. She hated to see him bleeding, but for now she focused on getting him out of there and back to somewhere safe. She kept an eye on his bleeding shoulder, making sure it didn’t seem like he was losing too much blood from the wound.
Once out of the building, she helped him into the passenger side before getting behind the wheel. “Do you want to go back to your place or mine?” She didn’t mind either way, but she was sure he’d be more comfortable resting in his own bed than on her couch. She could always go back to Caitlyn once she knew he was okay. Starting the car, she pulled off as she waited for him to respond. No need to sit around waiting for anyone else to show up.
He didn’t want to frighten the sitter or their daughter so he breathed softly, “My place, please.” And he had the equipment there for extraction. He could telephone Dorian to have the man come and sit with him while he was healing just in case. Everything was spinning, his head was aching. It was rare he felt such a way after using his ability but perhaps the undue stress from work and life had taken its toll unexpectedly on him.
Caspian couldn’t remember walking to the vehicle, only that he was there and close to Laura.
His eyes closed. An inhale and then an exhale and his eyes opened again. He stared out at the fragments of streetlights, the blurs of color.
Laura drove as quickly as she could to Cas’s place, remaining cautious so as not to attract any undue attention. Her eyes kept flickering from the road to him, concerned. She reached out a hand to take his, her voice soft and calm. “We’ll be there soon and get you all fixed up.”
Taking a deep breath, she focused on the streets and finding the shortest possible route. Once they arrived at the right location, she parked and moved around to help him out of the car. Worried that he was going to pass out, she tried to bear as much of his weight as she could while ushering him inside.
His fingers found hers, squeezing them. He was grateful she was there, and also regretful she had to see him that way. It wasn’t the bullet that hurt so much, he was used to that, it was the grueling headache that was getting him down. When they had gotten to his building he wasn’t sure. He knew only that he was now out and walking toward the building with her, his good arm slumped over her shoulders. The front of his shirt was bloodied, what was from the wound and what was from his nose would not be determined so easily.
The elevator, the pressure on the way up to his floor was excruciating. And then it alleviated some as the car came to a halt at his floor. He walked with Laura down the corridor and then to his place. Keys would fumble from a pocket. He found the correct one for the door after too long of a moment and then the door was flung open.
“Bathroom, if you’d please.” The first aid kit was in there, and he’d patch himself up appropriately. “And feel free to phone Dorian at any time, love. I won’t keep you any longer than you need to be here.”
She tried to help him with the keys, but he got the door open without her assistance. Moving inside, she brought him to the bathroom and helped him to sit down. Looking around for a first aid kit, she frowned at his words. Running the water in the sink, she wet a cloth and used it to clean off his face gently. “Do you want me to be here? Or do you want me to call him for you?” She kept her tone soft, but his words hurt.
Laura went back to looking for the first aid kit as she waited for his response.
“I never want you to leave,” he confessed, easing out of his shirt as best as he was able, to reveal the wound. It gaped, a red, open chasm of flesh and muscle. “I’d prefer if you stayed, always.” He didn’t want to let her go. If he did, he was afraid she would vanish out of his life only there because of their daughter and he didn’t want that anymore. He didn’t want her at the outskirts of his life, nor did he want to be on the edge of hers.
If he had known he had hurt her he never would have made the suggestion.
He sank back against the pristine porcelain in the half bathroom, the one that belonged to Caitlyn when she was there to stay, and he breathed out. “There are a pair of forceps in my bathroom, just down the hallway on the other side. And a first aid kit with needle and thread. I doubt there is anything substantial in here.”
Now was not the time for arguments or hurt over words. She needed to help him, that was more important. Nodding to the directions, she left the room briefly and returned with the necessary items. “Then I’ll stay. You can call Dorian later to clean the mess.” She was kidding, hoping the light joke would help ease the pain and keep him conscious a little longer.
Kneeling beside him, she helped him remove the shirt completely and carefully cleaned the wound. Picking up the forceps, she took a deep breath and looked to him. She didn’t want to do this, to make his pain worse, but she knew it was necessary. “Do you need something before I remove the bullet?” A drink, something to bite on, a sedative? She wasn’t going to make any guesses on what he had available and what he wanted.
He chuckled at her. “I’d rather you stay as long as possible, honestly.” He had put enough on Dorian, and D never meant as much to him as Laura did. Even when they were fighting he never came home in high spirits. He hated the way he’d been to her all of those years, but now hopefully he could make it up to her. Dorian would just worry anyway.
As she cleaned the wound he winced, it stung. He hated this part, loathed it. Another scar for the few he had already marking his body. “No. Just take it out, please.” It was too painful to fret about trying to bite into anything or drink anything. He wished he had some alcohol in the house to put on the wound beforehand but he didn’t. There was Divinity in his pocket but he wasn’t keen on that, it could be hazardous.
Sitting back on her heels, she frowned, hesitating. Not wanting him to be in pain much longer, she leaned in to kiss his lips tenderly, hoping that would help the discomfort. Focusing on his injury again, Laura worked quickly but carefully.
Using the proper tools, she extracted the bullet from the wound, checking to make sure that it was in tact and she’d removed it all. Continuing to clean the injury along the way, she when stitched it up as carefully as possible. She wasn’t a nurse, or had any significant medical training, but she did the best she could for the time being. Staying focused, she wondered if there was someone else she could call on to check the wound later and make sure it would heal properly.
Once the bloody work was done, she cleaned him off more and took a deep breath before standing. “Now it’s off to bed for you.”
As her lips met his Caspian couldn’t help but lean into that kiss. It was the way he had remembered, soft and beautiful. A fitting distraction. But it was short lived and his face contorted with pain. That was inevitable. Gritting his teeth as she extracted the bullet he took a deep breath when it was out. His arm tingled but he knew he would be alright now at least that the bullet was gone. The stitches weren’t nearly as bad as the extraction but it still hurt.
And then it was done.
“Come with me? Please? Just for a while.” His words were soft, he stood up as best he could with the pain, motioning for her to go ahead of him from the bathroom. He would clean the blood in the bathroom up later.
Laura had no plans of leaving him alone any time soon. She wanted to make sure that he was okay. If she had to stay the night with him, she would figure it out. She was already calculating how much cash she had to pay the sitter to stay longer, and if she couldn’t, how long it would take for her to get back to her place and collect Caitlyn and return back to Cas.
“I will stay as long as you need me.” Moving out of the bathroom, she offered to help him walk still, but he seemed slightly more steady now. Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.
“Forever then,” he teased, trying to make light of the way he lingered on the frame of the door. As she offered to help he took her offer trying his best not to lean all of his weight on her. Together they moved down the hallway and then opposite across the floor and it’s open spaces to the other end of the flat.
His own bedroom was dark from the evening though with the light the colors would have been deep gray colors. There was not a lot of decor, he didn’t pay much mind to such things. Caitlyn put things around as she please but overall it was a minimal place.
“Forever it is.” Her tone was soft, but not teasing. Helping him off to his room, she held onto him to support him, whether he needed it or not.
Moving into his room, she helped him to his bed to lay down and rest. She didn’t pay much attention to the decor, but her place was much the same way. Anything warm and comforting had been for Caitlyn’s benefit or at her choosing. Laura’s possessions were limited to books and a small wardrobe of clothes. She hadn’t even had her own bed in years.
Once Cas was comfortable, she sat beside him, holding his hand. “Do you need water or anything?” The fact that she hadn’t had her usual reaction to the substance while helping him, or now while trying to take care of him, was lost on her. She didn’t think about it.
Her agreement to be there forever warmed him. He felt better than he had in years, more complete. She was close, he was glad and he didn’t want to get away from her again. Not if he could help it. The bed was soft, he laid back on the pillows and the nest of sheets and blankets. A sigh escaped him.
Again he took her hand and clutched her fingers. “All I ever need is you, love. Anything else is a dream.” He drew her fingers to his mouth and kissed her skin. His eyes closed then, and he tried to make himself focus on the pain in effort to try to find a mental diversion to it.
Laura squeezed Cas’s hand lightly, watching him with a faint smile. “Just relax and try to get some rest. I will still be here when you wake up. I promise.” She hesitated a moment before moving to lay beside him by his uninjured side. Maybe laying with him would help to lull him into sleep. Then she could tend to other things while he rested.
Her frame against his was warming. He did his best to curl against her, basking in that presence. Eyes still closed Caspian tried his best to relax, to drift into sleep. Perhaps now it wouldn’t be so troubled with her there though the headache was still persistent.
After a bit he drifted into what sleep he could claim, resting there against her. The scent of her hair was like heaven, he had missed it and he found comfort in it.
Laura stay quiet and still, enjoying the closeness to him that she had missed for so long. Once his breathing slowed to a steady pace and she was sure he was asleep, Laura gently slipped out of bed. She lingered in the doorway for a moment, watching him.
Sighing, she moved to the bathroom to clean up the blood and mess they’d left behind, and to try to salvage his bloodied shirt. As she worked, she wiped away a few errant tears, ignoring her emotions for now. There was no time for tears.
Once she’d returned the place to its previous state, she called the sitter to see if she could stay with Caitlyn for the night. Unfortunately the girl was not able to, but agreed to stay until Laura could return. Not wanting to wake Cas, she returned to his room to leave him a note at his bedside. Before leaving, she place a light kiss on his forehead.
Sleep came. It was haggard, light. The pain flooded in and out causing restlessness but overall the curtain of exhaustion had not been drawn back and Caspian was able to get a few hours of rest.
In those precious moments of REM sleep he dreamed; visions of what life would have been like had things not taken the odd turn that they had, how much further along in things he and Laura would have been.
He was glad, now, at least that things seemed to be back on track and moving in a direction he could be proud of. Come what may, he knew deep down that Laura was his life, Caitlyn was his life, and now he finally was beginning to live.