Dirty Laundry

I spent the morning playing with kyle and Cerberus. I feel like since kyle came into my life I haven't spent a lot of time with Brusy and he's been feeling a little down.

Around lunch time my phone rang. ''Hello?'' I held it in place between my shoulder and ear as I stripped the bed sheets in Matt's room to wash them. ''Shanell?'' ''Daddy?'' I paused.

''What the fuck is going on?'' he asked. ''..How much do you know?'' I said lamely. ''Other than your mother's screaming in my ear about how some guy kidnapped you not much''
''I wasn't kidnapped'' I rolled my eyes. ''Then why is she a nervous wreck?'' ''I've already resolved it with her..'' ''Well mind telling me who he is? I talked to Sasha, she acted clueless but I'm sure she knows more than she wants to''

''He almost killed her..you know Sasha, she probably blocked it from her mind'' I shrugged. ''Who is 'he'?'' ''..Well I don't know his real name but I call him Smith'' ''An alias?..And he almost killed your sister..is he a merc?'' ''Somthing like that'' I shrugged. ''Well?'' he said expectantly. I pursed my lips looking down at Kyle who laid wide awake in his car seat. Cerberus lay beside the car seat rocking it every now and then as he moved.

''He's CIA..'' ''Whats a spook going after your sister for?'' ''..He freelances on the side'' ''So he is an assassin'' he didn't ask, he assumed. ''Yes'' ''Why are you there?'' ''..A bargain..my life for theirs'' ''Theirs?'' ''He was sent to kill everyone except Neil'' ''..So it's because of his job?''

''I guess'' I shrugged. I was a bit worried with the methodical way in which he spoke. ''Has he hurt you?'' I smiled at the worry in his voice. A father will always be a father. ''No..he knows better'' ''Damn right..I trained you, you know what to do'' ''Mhmm'' I rolled my eyes at the fire in his voice. ''Dad..why are you really calling?'' I felt like he was beating around the bush.

He sighed and waited a few seconds. ''Dad?'' I wasn't sure he was still there
''I'm here'' ''Well?'' ''Your mother called me this morning, are you sleeping with him'' he grumbled. My face broke out in a blush. ''No'' I said awkwardly. ''I'm your father I have to know these things'' ''Really?..cuz I thought sex was a private matter'' ''Well you're nineteen and I don't know this guy-''

''Say no more..I understand but it still doesn't make it not awkward'' I grumbled. Kyle snorted getting fussy, he started wailing and I sighed as I walked over to him ''Give me a minute''
I set the phone down. I rocked him in his car seat giving him his pacifier. He calmed down and I grabbed the phone ''Sorry bout that'' ''Was that a baby?'' ''..Yeah'' ''I thought you said-''
''cuz I could have a kid in a week'' I snorted. ''So he has a kid?'' ''..Not exactly'' ''Then what exactly is it?'' ''Well we adopted him'' ''..Adopted him?'' ''Yeah Smith was sent to kill his father
who killed his mother a few minutes before so he was left an orphan, we decided to adopt him'' ''Who's idea was it to adopt him?'' ''..Mostly his'' ''Why?'' ''I don't know dad I'm not in his
mind'' I rolled my eyes as I carried the blankets downstairs. ''Well I'm curious'' ''Well I've got to go'' ''Are you just saying that to avoid confrontation?'' ''Yes love you bye'' I hung up tossing my phone in the dirty laundry basket. I couldn't help but smile at my self for being so..rude.

I knew I'd probably get an ear full of him soon. I went back upstairs and brought Kyle down and set him in the living room. He fell asleep sucking on the pacifier so I turned off the T.V. and cooked dinner. Unfortunately Smith didn't come home yet, so I put his plate in the microwave and took Kyle upstairs. I fed him and rocked him to sleep and took a shower and crawled into bed to get a little shut eye. That's when Cerberus stood up and went running to the bedroom door nosing it open and running down the hall. I heard the front door slam shut and waited for Smith's boot thuds to walk up the stairs. His steps were slow
and methodical, unusual for him. Before I could climb out of bed he hobbled into the room and walked right passed me. Wide eyed I looked at his head, shaved nearly bald there was a giant stitched wound across the side of his head right above his right ear. ''Smith what happened?'' I gasped.

He ignored me walking into the bathroom. The limp in his leg was subtle but noticeable
if you really watched him walk. I climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom but the knob was covered in blood from his gloved hand. Ignoring it I opened the door to find him kicking off his boots and pulling off his shirt to reveal various horrible bruises. Horrified I just stood there. I didn't dare ask if he was OK seeing as he surely wasn't. It'd be just stupid if I did.

With each move he took it seemed as if pain shot through him since he breathed in sharply through his teeth. I took a step towards him to help him but he shook his head ''Just go to bed I'll be fine'' he said raggedly. ''You're hurt..let me help you'' I eyed the bruises on his ribs.

''I just need to take a shower..I'll be fine'' ''..OK'' I said quietly. ''Really..I'm fine'' he assured taking a step towards me. I stepped back shaking my head ''Don't lie to me..It's one thing to not want help it's another to lie'' I grumbled. ''I'm sorry'' he sighed. ''Lets not argue..I'm really not in the mood for arguing'' he unbuckled his pants. ''Smith I think you need a hospital'' ''I already saw a medic..I'll be fine..'' ''Then I'll get you some ice'' ''Really just go to sleep..I'll be fine'' he walked into the shower. I chewed on the inside of my cheek worried for him. He looked so beat up in pain. I went to the sink and looked under it hoping to find tape or bandage wrap. Luckily there was bandage wrap. He stepped out of the shower wrapping the towel around his waist. ''Let me at least wrap up your ribs..I know they're broken'' the whole right side of his torso was purple and blue. I've had broken ribs before, I knew what they looked like more importantly I knew how much it hurt.

''OK'' he nodded. I helped him dry off and then wrapped his ribs. He carefully pulled
on a pair of boxers and limped to bed. I just stood in the bathroom doorway shaking my head. I went back to the bathroom and looked for some kind of pain reliever. ''There's ibuprofen in my office across the hall..could you get it for me?'' he asked. I nodded and went to his office. I looked through the drawers and found it with some antiseptic spray and neosporin. It struck me weird that he'd keep such things in his office. I went back to the room and gave him the bottle then went back into the bathroom to get him some water to drink it down.

''Are you hungry?'' ''A little but I'm good'' ''I left a plate for you in the microwave if you want me to bring it up?'' ''No it's fine I'll go down there'' ''What happened to your leg?'' ''Kicked in the knee but it's not broken I'm good'' he tried to assure me. I nodded snuggling into bed as he sat up. I tried to close my eyes but it was so hard when he limped around like that covered in bruises. And the stitches on his head..it was just too much to look at. It was ghastly. He must have sensed my staring because he turned his head to look at me ''Baby go to sleep I'm fine'' I closed my eyes trying to fall asleep but it was difficult so I just laid there with my eyes shut. After what seemed like forever Smith laid in bed carefully groaning as he settled. He reached to me brushing my hair from my face ''I know you're awake'' he whispered.

I opened my eyes and just looked at him. ''I'm fine shanell..it doesn't hurt as bad as it looks'' ''It's so bad you shaved your hair'' I grumbled. ''That's because they needed to stitch it up'' ''Don't tell me it's not that bad because I've been beat up just as badly and it hurt for weeks'' ''Who hurt you?'' ''Martial arts..it just happens'' I shrugged. ''But this is worse since they actually tried to kill you'' I sighed. ''It's the hazard of my job..believe me when I say that this isn't unusual but it doesn't happen all the time''

''Why now then?'' ''Because I've got some really bad people after me'' ''Those men we killed?'' ''They're friends of the people who got to me tonight'' ''Can I ask who?'' ''No'' ''So I'll be in the dark? And what if they come to the house again? Believe it or not I'm involved now..''

''I know..but trust me when I say the less you know the more they'll let you live if you meet''
''How can I trust you if you don't trust me?'' ''I trust you..'' he said hesitantly ''To an extent'' he added. I frowned and he quirked a smile ''I'm only human'' ''Yeah well trust is a big issue here'' ''I trust you'' he said firmly ''Really?'' I snorted. ''Yeah..'' he nodded. ''Then tell me your real name'' I crossed my arms. His gaze turned calculating ''Why? I don't even use it everything I own or ever signed is under Smith..even my high school records'' ''Then let me be the only one to know, when I think 'Smith' I don't see a face..I have to look at you to see your face. I want a solid person not an alias. I like to put names to faces..I don't like aliases'' I cupped his cheek carefully.

There was a conflict in his eyes as I waited for his reply. ''..Gabriel'' ''That's a handsome name'' I smiled lightly. I could see it made him uncomfortable. He tried to turn away from me but I held him fast. ''Just because I know something about you doesn't mean it's a bad thing..'' I whispered cupping his head. My thumb brushed the stitches on the side of his head. He seemed a bit uncomfortable and that made me a bit sad. I didn't want him to be uncomfortable around me.

''If you didn't want to tell me then you didn't have to'' ''It's fine'' he shrugged. ''Then whats bothering you?'' ''Nothing'' ''Don't lie to me'' I sighed. ''I'm fine'' ''Fine..I'm not even gonna try'' I rolled my eyes turning away from him. ''Shanell I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that'' he sighed. ''You want to be a private personal person..that's fine. Just say it'' ''No I don't'' he grumbled. ''Smith..you don't like to talk about yourself, that's fine just say so'' I shrugged. ''Stop doing that'' he growled. ''What?'' I snorted. ''That..it makes me feel guilty'' ''For what?'' ''I don't know'' he sighed.

I rolled on my side facing him. ''Sweetie just get some sleep-'' ''No..we're talking about this now'' he demanded. ''Fine..'' I sighed. ''I'm not a private person..there are some things that I'm not comfortable with..there are somethings about me that are disturbing'' ''Everyone is like that Smith..you shut everyone out to protect yourself, it's understandable'' ''I'm trying not to''
''Mabe..but a part of you just shuns me..it's fine really'' ''I don't want to be like that'' ''You're not used to me..I'm sure it'll go with time'' I shrugged. ''How can you be like that? it's not normal''
''I'm not normal, besides I have a lot of patients I meditate alot'' I winked. ''Just get some rest you look exhausted'' I whispered closing my eyes. I really hoped he just dropped it. I well
understood the reasons why he was so uncomfortable talking to me about himself, he never really did it before, at least I don't think so. I was somewhat the same way but I was friendly.

He wasn't. He had his moments but other than that he was a growling grizzly. It's a good thing he at least warmed up to me. Enough that he calls me 'baby' in most societies that is an endearment. That's fine by me. I fell asleep shortly.