InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Eyebrow"

Savannah Monroe (savannah_monroe) wrote in omega_reality,
@ 2013-04-20 17:11:00

Entry tags:

*complete, 2013 04, character: brian kinney, character: derek reese, character: dominic vail, character: douglas hammond, character: john connor, character: marty deeks, character: maura isles, character: nell jones, character: oliver queen, character: robert callen, character: savannah monroe, character: sean hanna, character: thomas hammond, character: tommy merlyn, character: travis marks, character: troy bolton, dead: mike renko

RP: Jamie Ray's Christening
Who: Savannah, Marty, Robert, Mike, Sean, Troy, Dom, Nell, Derek, Brian, John, Doug, Maura, Thomas, Travis, Oliver, Tommy
Where: Savannah's house
When: Saturday, April 20, 2013
Summary: The last of the kids is baptized

They had a simple ceremony. Brian and Maura stood in lieu of Derek and Emily. Brian was even polite to the priest, possibly because he was sixty and Brian wasn't attracted. Either way, Savannah counted her blessings that everything went well.

At home, things were a lot more relaxed. She had made food for everyone, more than enough in fact. There were kids playing in a corner, four dogs running around, and the weirdest guest list. It was her typical party.

(Read comments) - (Post a new comment)

Re: Robert/Thomas

hammond_tj
2013-04-23 11:26 pm UTC (link)

"Right now, I'm doing well enough at hurting myself in my sleep without the help of toddlers." Too many times he'd turn over in his sleep and pull something in his shoulder, or he'd shift and end up putting Travis' arm right over the worst of the bruises on his chest. Or he'd want to get closer and his bruised hip would smack into Travis' hip. "They never tell you in the PSAs that if you really are in a crash, you'll spend the week after wishing the seatbelt hadn't done it's job quite so well."

He wasn't getting tired so much as sore, even when he tried to just play some calming melodies at his piano. Too much reaching or stretching or all of those things he wasn't supposed to do by Maura's orders. "I'm mostly fine, though. Maura's letting me start working out again, carefully, on Monday."

TJ watched Callen with the baby and was surprised when he stopped fussing rather quickly. But, then, from what TJ had seen, the man was a pretty attentive father. At least outwardly. What he was like when the rest of them weren't watching was anybody's guess. But, that was true of most people, TJ assumed. Appearances were usually deceiving. Glancing around, he shrugged...then regretted it, even if he didn't show it. "We can't stay for dinner anyway because we're expected at my mother's for dinner. But, I wouldn't make Travis leave early even if that wasn't the case."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

r_callen
2013-04-24 12:22 am UTC (link)

"Would you? Because you'd be dead if it hadn't." Robert was suddenly thrown back to the Air Force and new pilots complaining about exercises gone wrong, never realizing how different things would be in a war zone. "If it makes you feel better, they are much worse on planes, especial at Mach +2. Ejecting from that cockpit and opening that parachutes will leave you bruised for a while."

He nodded. "That's good." Looking at the way Thomas was moving and listening to what he was saying, Robert thought that it was anything but good if the Doctor was clearing him for training. Then again Robert didn't had much faith on doctors, but this would have gone very differently with G around, but if they had G, the Hammond brothers might still be on vacation. "I'm sure you and Savannah can start training together and ease back into things." Or maybe she might be convinced to go as slow as he went.

Robert grazed the baby's check with a finger, without even thinking, while he watched the younger man, before laughing. "I've seen Travis with the kids. Between him and Savannah, you'll be spending a lot of time with us." He nodded toward the coach. "Why don't we sit down? It's more comfortable," he said, raising the baby a little, although he could have stayed like this for a much longer time. It was probably better if Thomas would sit down, and Robert didn't know him enough to know how well he responded to having his weaknesses pointed out. "Don't worry. There are enough guns and security measures in this house that you're safer than you'd be in the White House. We come out of the Sam and G's school of paranoia." He didn't have to look to know that every point of entrance was secure, no matter how small. Instead, he moved toward the couch. "We're even training the children to recognize friends, so don't be surprised if you see them running to you. We're trying to teach them to match names and faces, so if they hear a name, they are supposed to run to a certain person. We've started with family, but we want to make sure that they know everyone in the team."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

hammond_tj
2013-04-25 07:57 pm UTC (link)

TJ shrugged noncommittally, lacking any eagerness to admit that before all this he very well might not have cared if he was dead. Coming to the realization he didn't actually want to die anymore, that the future might actually hold something worthwhile if he stuck around long enough, was still messing with his head. "It doesn't, really, but thanks for the effort. I think I'll just skip ejecting from a plane if at all possible and leave the heroics to those of you who are good at it."

He shook his head. "I'm sure if Savannah thinks she's going back to training, she's expecting to do more than an hour total between the weights and the pool." The idea of Savannah having an easy switch was amusing. Nothing about what she'd suggested on that mountain had been the easy way. If she had a slow and easy mode, TJ would be greatly surprised. "I'm pretty sure working out with me while the rest of you are training in all the 'fun' things like hand-to-hand is her idea of a punishment."

Following Callen to the couch, he sat down, still carefully considering the bruising was not only on his chest, but spotted all down his right side, particularly the knee and hip, where he and the car door had become more intimately acquainted than he'd ever desired. Clothes were rather uncomfortable, still. "He's pretty much a big kid himself," he said fondly, eyes seeking his lover out almost automatically. "But, it makes him happy. So, I guess I'll have to get used to having kids around. At least I won't care if my clothes get ruined for the most part."

"I wasn't worried," he said simply. There might have been a snort if he'd been talking to anyone he was close to, or even Savannah, since she'd asked for blunt. But, TJ kept the snort, huff, and laugh to himself with Callen when it came to his ideas on worrying about security. It never ceased to amuse him, though, the amount of assumptions people made about what what he thought or liked or wanted solely based on who his father was. As if TJ worried about security. The last thing TJ usually worried about was security. He worried about Travis and Doug being safe, like he had during the earthquake. But, he didn't worry overly much about security beyond doing what he was supposed to in order to keep people here off his back about it.

At least, mostly. Sleeping in clothes really wasn't happening too often.

The rest was...well, not really strange when he stopped to think about it. It sounded fucked up as hell, but he could see the need. He'd been older, just twelve, when his dad took office. But, there'd been efforts made to ensure he knew all the names and faces of the agents assigned to the First Family, not just his own personal agent, any staff that would deal with the family. Easier to know when someone shouldn't be there if you knew those who should. "That makes sense, I suppose, since they're so little I don't imagine they can simply be asked to memorize names and faces at initial introductions."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

r_callen
2013-04-25 08:48 pm UTC (link)

Robert stayed quiet, letting Thomas answer. His mother might not have been the next president of the US, but he knew all about being spoiled and adjusting. "It wasn't much of an effort. Effort would be admitting than more than one person has thought that death might be a better option. The more money and better life before, the more it happens," he said, as if discussing the weather, while looking at Jamie for a moment, giving the other man some sort of privacy, but it was all shuttered when Liam teleported on the couch.

"Hold," he said, stretching his arms.

Robert looked at his son amused. "And some kids are spoiled even here. You don't like me holding other kids, do you?" he asked, laughing, but he didn't expect an answer, instead he got up. "I'll be right back." He walked across the room and handed Deeks the baby. "Liam says it's your turn now." He grabbed two beers on the way back, and handed one to Thomas, before sitting down. Liam crawled over and sat on his lap without a word. "Brat," Robert said affectionately, before looking at Thomas. "Maybe you can help Savannah slow down. She is getting up every two hours and she has another two children If you could maybe mention your injuries and how you're not supposed to put stress on them, and you'd like company... let just say that a few people would appreciate if we don't have to tie her up to prevent her from overdoing it. Again."

He lowered his gaze as Liam reached for his bottle. He helped as his son tried to drink from it, chuckling when Liam choked.

"Yuck!"

"Yes, and I didn't tell you to drink, did I?" Robert answered, refusing to speak to his son like he had forgotten grammar.

"Go play."

Robert laughed. "Sure, now that you got rid of Jamie, you can leave." He kissed Liam's head and let him down. "Go play, but don't hurt the dogs or they will bite you."

"Ouch... danger."

"Yes, they will hurt you if you hurt them," Robert said, because it wasn't like this was the first time that they played rough with the dogs, and it wouldn't be the last time, they'd be warned. He followed Liam with his eyes until he was back with the rest of the kids and Travis, who was sitting on the floor with them and playing. "Sorry about that, and yes, I can see he enjoys it. Not something I enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I love my son, and I love the kids here. They are family. I just don't like kids, even when they don't ruin my clothes."

He took a sip of the beer and relaxed, or as much as he would relax with these many people. "I was joking. The strange and unusual sense of humor that is developed after living here for too long," he said with a smirk, before growing serious. "I didn't really believe that you cared about security. You're used to having it, not being paranoid, and that's how it should be. At least how it was supposed to be until you got here. These children will never have that normality, which is ironic, because I doubt that your life was anything near normal, and yet, it still more normal than they would know, but knowing that they have it worse doesn't really help, not when you're used to partying around the globe, having the finest things in life and suddenly you're here, and people are asking whether you prefer a Glock or a Sig, discussing the merits of a .38 over a .45, or talking about ejecting from a plane. No matter what Savannah says, life sucks here. We've all gone through this, trying to adjust. No hugs or pies from me, but you're not alone and the door is always open if you want to talk to someone who's not family. Of course I also know how likely you are to trust anyone not family, so I don't expect anything. A year down the line, if you still need it, I'm here, and so are a lot of people in this family."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

hammond_tj
2013-04-26 05:33 pm UTC (link)

"That's a relief," TJ muttered. "I was beginning to think I'd wandered into Romper Room naked with the way people react to my lack of interest in children." The timely arrival of Callen's son had given TJ an excuse to avoid the topic of death wishes and how real his had been for so much of his 'better life' with 'more money'. And the beer he'd accepted with a quiet thanks when Callen offered it provided a cover for TJ to process his thoughts watching the other man interact with his son. The hug from his father had thrown him, even though he knew it was probably half for appearances because TJ couldn't remember the last time his father had hugged him like that...or looked at him the way Callen looked at his son. TJ had probably been about Liam's age.

"Does that ever scare the shit out of you?" he asked watching the toddler latch onto Travis' arm as if to drag TJ's lover even further down to his level. He might not like kids, but TJ couldn't help smiling while he watched Travis with them. The smiles and laughter were almost worth dealing with kids just to watch. Almost. "That he can just pop in and out of places anyway he likes?"

Now TJ did snort. "Right. I guess I haven't gotten to the weird sense of humor phase yet. I'm still at the wanting to shoot the next person who wakes me up before nine in the morning phase." Although, the fact he was thinking in terms of shooting them himself instead of sending them out to be shot was probably telling and another one of those things TJ just refused to think about. "I was the one throwing a party for half the campus the day my dad left office and my security detail was reassigned...hopefully to someone who wanted them around. A nice vacation after trying to keep tabs on me while I tried every which way to ditch them for almost a decade."

He stared at Callen for a moment, surprised anyone in their family would dare to contradict Savannah's peaches and sunshine attitude while talking to him. Actually, he was surprised anyone was acknowledging that knowing it was worse for others didn't make it any easier to get used to on his own. "I appreciate the offer, especially the lack of hugs and pies, which are great if in moderation. I do. Maybe sometime down the road I'll need to take you up on it. But, right now...things are actually good." Huffing softly, he smiled a little and took a sip of beer. "Nothing that couldn't be improved by real, quality clothes, a bed with a headboard, a talented stylist, a week's retreat at a spa, a menu that included something more exotic than steak and potatoes, and lazy days spent napping and fucking. But, good."

The self-imposed seven-month benchmark that he'd set before he could truly accept he was really staying clean was fast approaching. And he was still clean. He had his brother at his side in a way they hadn't had each other since TJ was sent away to boarding school. And, he had an insane cop who loved him as much as TJ loved him. Strange as it was, while training and their lifestyle sucked, TJ was still happier than he'd been at home.

"So, suggest to Savannah I'd like company, huh? Any helpful tips on how to do that without getting adopted like a lonely puppy? She seems to have decided I need a caretaker as it is."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

r_callen
2013-04-26 06:22 pm UTC (link)

Robert laughed. "No, not just you. I have no interest in children, but there's Savannah, so we all know better than to express the sentiment around her. It's just easier to avoid an hour long speech that's meant to convince us of the beauty of shitty diapers. We might be headstrong, but we all know when to pick our battles." And he was a pro at ignoring what he didn't want to hear, so it work for him.

He looked at Liam and snorted. "He was a preemie, spent months in the incubator. When we took him out and stored the incubator, he disappeared from his crib and teleported to the incubator that was in a truck under the Arizona sun. It's why we have a GSP on his ankle and one that I pin in his clothes. Once we live here, with no computers, no satellites, and no GPS, now that scares the fuck out of me, but it's not like there's much to be done."

No one got their sense of humor, but Robert knew that, instead he stared at Thomas for a moment. "At least you can shoot them now, and I bet that nine in the morning used to be a much later time." He took another sip. "I got my commission in the Air Force after college, a pilot naturally. I didn't have a security detail, but my adoptive mother trained me since I was not much older than Liam. Turns out she might have been an ex CIA operative, which explains the training, but I like not relying on anyone else."

Robert chuckled again. "What? You think we're all like her? I'll let you in on a secret. None of us are, maybe Sean, at least with the hugs, but it takes all kinds to make a family, and it takes someone like her to bring so many different personalities together, but we're not the Borg." He nodded. "I'm glad, but if you find hat spa and stylist and don't share, I might hurt you, and I know plenty of ways to do it that don't ruin my manicure." He grew serious. "Open ended, Thomas. I can't say I know what you must feel like, but I might get some things better than some of the others. As I said, when you trust me." And Robert wasn't holding his breath, because that took time, a lot more than two months, a few parties and hugs.

"Oh, you're fucked. They pretty much adopted Travis the day he arrived, because he's LAPD, so you'd have no choice eve if she didn't think you were a puppy, but for training, she's technically still on leave. I'll tell her to stick with you, ask you for help with the kids if it becomes too much, and you just mention your injuries once in a while," he said with a smirk. "Seriously, Thomas, you don't think that we all go for honesty and hugs, right? I'm perfectly all right with spinning things if it avoids me a discussion with that girl. I love her, my brother adopted her, but that doesn't mean I enjoy banging my head against a wall when she's decided that she's going to do something." He moved closer and lowered his voice. "You know, it is much easier to nod and go along at the beginning, because then she eases up and you can do whatever you want again. On the other hand, if you ever need anything, she'll help before you even ask, before you even know you need help. She's got a good heart," he said, smiling in Savannah's direction. "She pushes, but that's because she's had to deal with men who put so many walls up that you needed a professional climber to see what was behind them, but if she ever gets too much, no matter what the problem she thinks is, tell her that you're talking to me about it, okay? Just give me the heads up in case she checks with me."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

hammond_tj
2013-04-27 05:53 pm UTC (link)

"You're her family," TJ pointed out, knowing that didn't really mean shit considering his own family held no compunctions against ripping into anything and everything each member held dear. But, it didn't take a genius to see that Savannah's family wasn't like that. It seemed more...normal?...for them to keep silent rather than start World War III. In TJ's family, it seemed there was always a battle, no picking. Or maybe that was just TJ, since he never really had figured out how to fit into the world he'd been born into.

"I'm suddenly very glad you were never on my security detail," he said, laughing. "My parents would have been through the moon at the thought of putting a GPS tracker on me. I wouldn't have minded being able to just pop out of some places, Secret Service none the wiser. Getting laid at boarding school would have been so much easier." So would getting high, but TJ was coming to learn that most people here really didn't understand how far down that road he'd really been. They had Vail's rumors, that first month when TJ and his family had first arrived. But, they'd mostly known the man he was since coming back and while he was still struggling, no one needed to know how close he'd been to not being able to turn himself around.

"Depends on whether that nine in the morning was getting up time or bedtime." He shrugged. "It wasn't much later as often as I'd like. Even the party boy in the family has to be up and presentable for the photo ops, the briefings from aids before appearances, contractors coming to the club with contracts to sign." And it was the best way to hide the extent of the partying. A few pictures from clubs on Page Six, a slew of proper photos with his family, smiling and waving and doing 'good work'. The average person was far too trusting of their media consumption. Show them enough pictures of one version of Thomas Hammond and they considered the rest rare aberrations or symptoms of troubles requiring sympathy. "But, yeah, theoretically, I can shoot them now." Having never had to draw a gun on a person in his life, who knew if he was actually capable of pulling the trigger.

Raising an eyebrow, he still grinned devilishly. "Now that is something they need to start focusing on in the training here. It wouldn't suck half as much if they took manicures into account." Taking a pull from his beer, TJ looked around the room. "Not so much like her, but more not contradicting her to outsiders. United in public, disagree in silence...or private, if necessary." He was tempted to say that he didn't know what he felt like half the time, so it would be hard for Callen to understand. But, again, no point in putting that much of himself out there for the world to see. "Thanks. I told Travis once, not long after we left the school, you were probably one of the few people worth talking to around here for that reason, actually."

TJ sighed. "One family is all I need." And that was the problem, really. Savannah saw family as this great thing to be coveted. TJ spent half his life trying to avoid most of his. Chuckling, he shook his head. "Spin is my brother's department, usually because of me. I've been given to understand Dom's already explained my reputation to everyone when I arrived. So, I'm sure that isn't a new revelation. Now, the banging your head against the wall? That I understand entirely after just one night. I guess if I can survive talking her out of a little nighttime rock climbing of the literal sort, I can manage to play up the fact I look like I went twelve rounds with the Hulk under my clothes. I'm going to remember that offer, though. It's not that I don't appreciate her concern, but sometimes help is better done from a distance. There are a lot of things she can't help with because I have to do them myself or it's just putting a band-aid on an amputated limb."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

r_callen
2013-04-27 08:58 pm UTC (link)

Robert nodded. "I am, but it's more than that and it's not limited to her. We are all thrown here and we come from all walks of life and we need to make it work. Now, I'm not one to socialize with the enlisted men and it's not very different here, but that doesn't mean that I'll antagonize them, unless they piss me off and then all bets are off. I know all about the temptation to make a point, but in the end it's not worth it, and not just because you don't want the aggravation, but because at some point you will fuck up. It's team and it only works if we support each other, and sometimes that means turning a blind eye."

Robert snorted. "It'd be even worse if you were my son. There's a difference between a job and a son, and besides there is no other way to keep him safe at the moment. By the time, he's a teenager, I will expect him to know how to defend himself."

He looked at Thomas, but was thinking about training. "Have you ever shot anything? An animal? Something?" They had done it with Sam, but maybe it might be a good idea to get hunting licenses to give everyone a taste.

"For the important stuff, sure. If we were on the field, or it was something crucial, then you wait until you are in private, but not for personal things. We don't speak for each other and we don't say the same thing. Also, you've made it to a private party. You already see more by virtue of being included here." Robert chuckled. "That's because I'm amazing."

Robert didn't have to ask what he was thinking, because he had gone through this himself. "My mother told me my father was dead and I didn't know about G until I came here. I had a family and this... This was G's family for a long time. Savannah keeps adding people, but they aren't myfamily. That doesn't mean that they are nothing. She used the term family. I used to call it squadron. G called it team. You find the name that makes you comfortable, because sooner or later you will need someone that isn't your family. If you think I'm lying, just look at Jamie Ray." He put his hand on TJ's knee for a moment. "You don't have to say anything. Dom briefed the people that needed to come and get you, the people in charge. Not me. Could I find out? Sure. Do I want to? Not unless it becomes relevant or you feel the need to tell me, because that's how trust is built." Robert had never shared his story. People knew it, but no one had ever asked and he'd never volunteered until now. "You will need to do the work for yourself, but you might need the help when you least expect it."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

hammond_tj
2013-04-28 08:26 pm UTC (link)

TJ shook his head. "Dad did a little hunting. It's what was done, you know. So, he dragged us along, put rifles in our hands. But, while I could fish, hunting was never my thing. Only thing I've ever pointed at a person was a paintball gun when Travis took us out for practice. I can hit him and Doug just fine with paint. I can shoot a paper target to his satisfaction. But, no, nothing alive with live ammo."

"I seem to have antagonized her well enough without even trying." TJ snorted softly. And then he'd been forced to help her deliver her baby, thereby creating the one eighty that had resulted in his even being there that afternoon. Sighing, he finished he beer. "There isn't a word for...this-" he waved his hand absently at the room in general. "Family...that's complicated. Friends? Most people here won't appreciate my definition of friends and the one who would is the one I'm learning to use a different definition with. There's been no team, no squadron, no...anything like this. Even our concepts of 'private party' aren't really the same." A private party for their family just meant one in which it was only family and colleagues. There was no such thing as someplace you could let yourself be seen without the masks.

Not even 'home'.

"It's not about trust." He winced slightly when Callen's hand fell on his bruised knee, then shook his head. "Not that much. The whole country knows almost everything I've done. People whose names and faces I'll never know possess intimate details of everything from my drug habits to the exact day I lost my virginity. Or some version of it. There really isn't any reason not to talk about it. I fucked up. A lot. Doug was the one who fixed the fuck ups with the spin." Not that TJ couldn't lie, cheat, or connive to get what he wanted. He had. Often. But, there was very little worth the effort of such tactics here. What he'd done with his life? The world knew that story. How he felt about it, what he thought of himself? That was his to dole out as it was earned.

Asking for help? That would require trust.

"I might need it," he admitted. "But, I might also need to do some things on my own. Someone wants to come pull me up the mountain, if I get stuck again? Feel free. That kind of help is more than welcome. Some of the rest? Help isn't always as helpful as one might think." And that was the problem in trying to communicate with Savannah. They disagreed on what kind of help he needed.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Robert/Thomas

r_callen
2013-04-28 08:46 pm UTC (link)

"I wasn't here, but Sam took the team out, hunting once. We haven't done it since I've been here, but if we can't do it with the team, ad if you're okay with it, I'd go with you. Or you can tell Travis, although-" Why the fuck had he even started this conversation? Oh yes, this was G's team, and Deeks would need help to cover everything and take care of everyone. "I know it would be easier with him, but you might want to consider stepping out of your comfort zone."

Robert chuckled "She's fine now, and that's all it matters." The rest was even more familiar. He'd had plenty of discussions about 'friends' with Mike. "No on appreciates my definition of friends, which I suspect was much like yours. They are mutual beneficial acquaintances, with only the right people, from the right families and with the right connections, but I was lucky. I had the Air Force. Thing is you don't have to define what this is, just like you don't have to accept the word 'family'. Just accept that it's here. No definition needed."

Wincing in sympathy, he took his hand away. "Sorry, I'll hit the other knee next time," he said teasingly. "The country might know, but we don't, and you fucked up, but that's also a past tense. Your record with us is pretty good, and look, the truth is that every single one of us has had some really fucked up moments since coming here, and it might as well be the whole country knowing it, because anyone who knows us knows what we did. In a way, we're in your situation, and we do understand."

He snorted at the comment. "You will do some things on your own, because we're not that nice. Look, I get what you're saying. I can't say addiction has ever been my problem, because with my job, I'd probably be dead, but sometimes when you need to do something aloe, or you think you do, a supporting word from someone who's not your family can g a long way, because no one wants to disappoint his family, so there's certain barrier there, whether we like to admit it or not, but it's much easier to rely on someone outside your family when you don't are what they'll think. Whether that's Savannah or someone else, that's for you to decide."

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(Read comments) -