Dirty Laundry

Not a word was said as we sat down for dinner. I made steak and baked potatoes. It was tasty. I seasoned the meat just right and it was tender too. I wasn't really that hungy so I nibbled at my food.

''did you really go to tabb?''
''yes'' I nodded lightly.
''..and this bayton guy?''
''he's just a teacher i had the hots for'' I snorted.
''where did you live?''
''runningman''
''oh''

The conversation died down. I did the dishes and went up to my room. I found bags of clothes on my bed. I went over to them and took out clothes from Macys and random stores
like Wetseal Charlotte Russe and Pacsun. One bag in particular made me blush. Victoria secret. I looked through the pink striped bag at the bras and underwear he got me. I was a bit curious how he knew my size..it almost frightened me to the point to where I really didn't want to know.

It creeped me out too much. Shrugging it off I looked through the clothes again. The right
size and style..it was very disconcerting. I had to know. I walked out and down to the living room where he was last.

He sat watching some random show
''..how did you know my size?'' I asked.

He slid those icey blue eyes to me and I meshed my lips to keep them from trembling.
''you left your clothes in the bathroom..I bought larger shirts since i didn't know what size to buy'' he said quietly.
''..ok..just curious'' I nodded.

I guess that was decent enough. Now that I knew it didnt seem so sketchy. He turned his gaze back to the tv and I stood there for a few seconds longer. He was a very stange man.
''why couldnt you tell landon i was your sister or cousin or somthing like that?'' I sighed.
''I'm an orphan he'd never believe it'' He didnt look to me.

I nodded at the one piece of information that he finaly revealed about himself.
''wow you actually told me somthing..I was begining to think you didnt trust me''
''I dont''
''fair enough'' I shrugged.
''your a piece of work you know that?'' he snorted.
''what?'' I looked to him wide eyed.
''you act like your all frightened and hesitant but your not''
''neither are you''
''what am I afraid of?''
''it's not what you fear..it's how you act sweetie..you act hesitant and distant..who knows mabe you are mabe your just paranoid, trust issues run deep thats understandable''
I shrugged. ''well im going to bed..goodnight'' I added awkwardly as I turned and left.

I changed into the night gown he bought me and blushed at it. Geez who wore crap like this?! It was short slinky and pink..pink! I hate pink. The deep V neck line was lined with black lace as well as the hem of the gown. The gown itself went to my mid thigh. The cool satiny silk was smooth. It made me feel feminine. but at the same time it disgusted me. I hated all and anything girly and pink. I was on the verge of wearing my biker shirt instead of the night gown but decided that it was only to sleep, besides it was comfortable. I crawled into bed and yawned.

Cerberus nosed my door open and jumped on the bed beside me. I patted his head and snuggled under the covers completely to keep from the biting chill of the house and drifted off to a light sleep. I dreamed of nothing. I woke to every sound and sighed as I realized it was going to be one of those nights. I had insomnia problems some nights. Tonight would be one of those nights.

After one in the morning I couldn't sleep at all anymore. I went down to the kitchen and out the back door. Cerberus was asleep upstairs in my bed. Even the dog gets better sleep time than me.

I leaned on the railing of the deck looking up at the sky. The trees were in the way but what I could see of the sky was beautiful. star speckled and cloudless it was like magic. I never liked astrology as much as I liked mythology but there was somthing wonderous about looking at the stars. I layed on the deck looking up and pointing out the very few constellations I knew.

I fanned out my hair humming aerosmith's cryin'. It was one of my favorite songs and my sister always sang it to the point where I'd get it stuck in my head.

''what are you doing?'' I heard smith's voice by the door. I looked over and he stood there with a glass of water.
''couldnt sleep'' I shrugged looking back up at the sky. I heard footsteps
come closer and before I could look up he was sitting two feet away from me. He layed back with his hands under his head. He was shirtless wearing nothing but blue and green flannel
pajama pants. I narrowed my eyes curiously on a tattoo that caught my attention. the strange alphabet of Anglo Saxon runes. I read them to say 'hope is for the weak, its an illusion we
tell ourselves to get us through the day'

''runic?'' I asked. he nodded keeping his gaze to the sky.
''so you dont believe in hope..thats funny'' I snorted. That made him look over to me.
''you read runic?''
''mhmm..Anglo Saxon, Short Twig, and Elder Futhark..I'm a history and mythology nut..I love norse and greek mythology..it's why I learned it'' I shrugged looking back up at the sky.
''do you go to college?''
''..no I wanted to but money is pretty tight I wanted to major in ancient history''
''why not get a loan?''
''and owe money to someone for the rest of my life? no way, I may be young but I'm not stupid'' I shook my head.

''scholarship?'' ''I'm not that impressive in school..I'm a B C student not a straight A student who always gets on honoroll..sometimes college just isn't an option for people''
''dont sell yourself short''
''are we really in Yorktown?'' I asked trying to change the subject.
''yeah'' he said after a moment of thaught
''where?'' ''right off Commander Shephard blvd''
''really? close to to Langely?''
''it's a few minute drive..we're pretty deep in the forest''
''I see that'' I snorted.
''does the clothes fit?''
''ya..thanks'' I felt a bit gulty for not thanking him for the clothes earlier. He didn't say anything but he cleared his throat as if he were uncomfortable with my thanks. I smirked looking over to him.

''you're uncomfortable with me thanking you'' I mused on the verge of laughing.
''shut up'' he grumbled. I rolled on my side and smiled at him
''aw come on..its adorable'' I giggled.
''shut up'' he grumbled again.
''smith you so want to laugh'' I smirked. His lip twitched and his eyes were alight with amusement.
''it wouldn't kill you to laugh and smile you know'' I layed back and looked up at the sky.
Before i knew it he was looking at his watch
''i've got to get ready''
''another one bites the dust'' I snorted.
''my job isn't a joke'' he said stoicly
''of course its not..death isn't a joke..but from the look of your house it's definatly a well paying industry..sign me up'' I snorted.
''stop it''
''I see its touchy to you..ok fine I'll stop, I washed your..well I guess i'll call it a uniform..any way it's in your closet and it's all together ready to go, I also polished and sharpend the blades in your boots and vambrace''

he paused to look back at me.
''I know my way around weapons..like I said i'm not book smart but give me a gun or blade and I'm a hazard'' I laughed bitterly. thankyou daddy.
''you should go inside''
''why?''
''there's two mercenaries watching my house..they might hurt you if your left alone''
''really? interesting..Russian? Czech? Italian? where are they from?''
''not too sure but I'm guessing German since i pissed off some people there''
''ok I'll come inside'' I stood up and walked in.
''how do you know they are there?''
''I put trips around my house..they triggered one and I got photos from the cameras''
''this place is wired isn't it?''
''just the surrounding forest and front and back doors'' he shrugged.
''and if they come in?''
''lock yourself in your room''
''bullshit..I won't do that'' I glared.
He ground his teeth.
''fine'' he pulled a .9 handgun and gave it to me.
''don't shoot unless theres a reason..can I even trust you with a gun?''
''would you trust me anyway'' I snorted.
''..no''
''then trust me enough not to kill you'' I smirked.
''go to bed''
''easier said than done but fine''
''close your curtains..''
''ok dad'' I rolled my eyes as I walked passed him to my room and closed the curtains.

I sat in bed still unable to sleep. The sun came over the horizon and Cerberus woke up and ran out of my room downstairs. I followed to let him out. I fed him then started breakfast. The door opend and I raised a brow when I heard a baby crying. I walked over to the garage where Smith walked holding a small baby swaddled in a blue blanket. The baby looked barely a week old.

He handed the baby to me and sat on the couch exhausted. Him and the baby were covered in splattered blood.

''what the hell happend?'' I said wide eyed in fear as the baby screamed and cried. I rocked him quietly humming to him. He settled in my arms. He was so small. Just a few inches bigger than the palm of my hand. His skin was sickly pale and i was worried he was
dehydrated.

''Smith this baby is malnourished..'' I said horrofied as I rushed to the kitchen. I took a bottle of water and soaked the edge of his blanket feeding it to him. I didn't have a bottle
or anything.

''his father killed his mother when I got there..I couldn't just leave him'' Smith shrugged off his jacket.
''you said you could take care of children'' he said.
''yes I can..but he's malnourished..and we don't have baby formula..I cant just give him milk''
''I'll go get some''
''not like that, your covered in blood..your gonna need a list because babies are finicky''
I rocked him in one arm and found a piece of paper and a pen.

I made a list of baby formula, diaper cream, baby water, diapers baby shampoo and baby body wash..ect ect.

''do you know his name?'' I asked. he nodded.
''before the mother died she said his name was Kyle''
''no last name? nothing?''
''no she begged me to take the baby and then she died..I found him in the tub, they didn't have a crib. The man was a drug addict and abusive..if I got there just a little earlier I'd have been able to kill him before he got the mother'' he sighed.
''dont beat yourself up for it'' I put my hand on his shoulder. His face was stone.
''look on the bright side..he may be malnourished but he's alive''
''I cant kill babies..I just cant''
''thats a good thing..'' I smiled lightly. Kyle cooed in my arms and I smiled down at him. He had light brown eyes and soft black hair.
''he's so beautiful'' I smiled as I walked away. I gave him more water. He was so light and thin. Too thin for a baby. I was worried. He was still considered a new born.

Smith changed his clothes and left to get the things I needed. He came back and I handed Kyle to him.
''hold him so I can disinfect the bottles''

I set water to boil and boiled the bottles. I made formula and looked back at Smith who looked at Kyle like he was an alien.
''dont be shy he's just a baby'' I laughed as I shook the bottle and took Kyle from him. I fed him rocking him lightly. I smiled, he was very hungry.