Love Bird. by Emily. Z. (story read aloud TXT) 📕

me of a veteran - at attention, hands behind his back. But he was smiling, so I knew he was at ease...as at ease as he could be, at least.

pulling in next to his car, I threw mine into park, and turned around to look at the two in the back.

"Stay here."

Grinning, I opened the car door. little did they know, I had flipped the child lock on.

Stepping out, I listened as they began to fiddle with the door knobs. They quickly realized what I'd done, and I slammed the door just as their protests started up.

"Well hello there, Darlin!" He greeted warmly, stepping off of his porch with arms outstretched.

I accepted his hug with one of my own. "It's been a minute, Finn. What've you been up to?"

He pulled back, letting out a laugh. "Usual business. Who're your friends in the car there?"

"Overprotective morons," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"Ah," He stared into the car with slightly narrowed eyes.

"And," I sighed, "One of them happens to be a cop."

There was a few seconds of silence, as his eyes narrowed on the car for a little longer, before they widened, and he turned to me. "What?" 

I held up my hands, "Hold on a second, let me explain."

"You brought a cop here? Honey-bun, I'm sorry to ask, but've you gone nuts?" He exclaimed.

It was nice that he wasn't accusing me of selling him out. Even if he thought it was crazy - he knew that I would never do that on purpose. It made me smile.

"He's a friend. A boyfriend, actually," I explained, glancing at the car. Logan was half over the seat, trying to fit his other half through as he tried to get out through the front. Victor had apparently attempted to crawl through the seats with him, and they were both stuck, pushing at each other and arguing. I pressed my palm to my forehead, sighing out, "He insisted on coming along."

"You? Dating a cop?" He set his hand on my shoulder and let out a booming laugh, "How in sam-hell did that come about?"

"Well...long story short, it wasn't my idea," I answered, thinking about how hard I fought my feelings in Florida. Seemed a life-time ago.

"Hmm," He murmured, and we both glanced at the car. Logan and Victor were too large to get out, and they were stuck in between the chairs. "And the other?"

"Logan. The other protective moron. Brother to moron number one," I replied. "He's harmless."

At least, to Finn he was. To me he was anything but.

"Alright. So you can convince the cop to stay silent?"

"Victor?" I scoffed, "Of course I can."

"Well then," He slapped me on the back. "Get 'em out here before they hurt themselves."

I grinned, shooting him a salute, and then walked over to the car. They watched me miserably as I slowly approached, just to piss them off. Victor glared daggers as I pretended to have trouble with the knob, and as soon as I opened the door, they began to complain.

"Are you crazy-?"

"How could you-?"

"Get us out-!"

"Open the doors before I-!"

"Alright!" I yelled, rolling my eyes. "God, Mom and Dad, you're embarrassing me in front of my friends," I complained in a teenager voice.

They both glared, and I grinned. 

"Alright. Hold on."

I reached down, and lifted up the handle for the chair. Without warning, it flew forward, smacking Logan in the face, in the process. I was too pissed off at them not to be amused, as I leaned over, laughing my ass off.

"Are...are you...okay Logan?" I wheezed out.

"I'm fine," He replied, clearly pissed.

I tried to hold it in as I opened the door, but it released in a snort as the image of his dumbfounded face appeared in my mind. Both of them stepped out of the car, ignoring my laughter, and brushed themselves off.

I led them over to Finn, still grinning, and introduced them.

"Victor, Logan, my good friend Finn. Finn, Victor and Logan."

"Nice to meet you boys," he said to them, staring them down with an intimidating gaze. 

Ah geez. Does everyone have to be an overprotective moron? I'm not that frail and weak!

"So," He turned to me, eyes warming as he grinned once again, "You said you needed decoys?"

"I've always wanted to be in two places at once," I told him, nodding.

His smile dimmed slightly. "From what I know of you, you wouldn't call in a favor unless it was serious."

Of course, he was right. I didn't like it when people owed me, especially people I liked. Calling in this favor wasn't exactly something I was doing willingly, but a trip to back Mexico would cost me, and Ike wouldn't fall for it this time. I let out a heavy sigh, slumping my shoulders.

"Yeah. You know the situation with Ike, I presume?" I asked, not caring that my voice sounded as exhausted as I felt.

His hand on my back, he led me up the stairs, and over to the two rocking chairs he usually sat in.

"Your dad stopped by a good while back. Told me to take care of you if I needed to."

I sighed, knowing that questioning Finn about Dad's whereabouts would get me nowhere. Dad only ever revealed his whereabouts in code, and it was only a guess since our code-names translated to here or there. We were over-careful with his location.

But, instead of staying silent, I asked anyway, "He say where he was going?"

"Ah," he said, looking up as he thought, "Somethin' about Phoenix."

Phoenix Arizona - code for either Colorado or Michigan. Hot equals cold.

"Geez," I groaned. "How long ago was that?"

"Least...a month or two ago."

A month or two. He moved around frequently, and never settled down anywhere longer than two to three weeks. Changed his appearance every other week, and never went to the same place twice, unless it was a place of "Business."

Victor and Logan leaned on the railing, a few feet apart, watching my face.

"So, anyway, want to explain?" He asked, the old, rickety rocking chair squeaking as he leaned back in it.

I leaned back in my old chair, letting out a sigh. "Ike's got my location. Probably tracked me down by scouring any and every convenience store, and gas station, and showing my picture around to every local in a ten mile radius. Ike may be stupid, but he's smart," I muttered, causing Victor to raise an eyebrow, "He knew I'd have to stop sometime, and that I wouldn't fly. He tracked me back here by witnesses. He already knew my hometown, so by the time the rabbit trail started to grow cold, he had already guessed where I was going."

"So," Finn began on a sigh, "Why not just skip town?"

I shook my head. "I can't do that. Not yet, at least," I murmured, "I have some business there that I'm not finished with. I'll probably have to dye and cut my hair-," I noticed Victor tense, and Logan straightened up, so I backtracked, "Or wear a wig, but if I just convince him that I have skipped town, I'll at least have enough time to get what I need and then skip."

I didn't look at Victor's expression, nor Logan's. I knew what they were both thinking, and I didn't want to face them right now. I'd discuss my plans with them later. Whether they disagreed or not.

"Well then," Finn said, leaning forward again, "I got three candidates inside. Not many got your hair color so I had 'em die it instead. Long hair, like you asked, and I had 'em get a leather jacket. About the same height, although few were exact."

"Good," I sighed, standing up, "Let's go meet Me."

Finn stood up, stretching before heading for the front door, I followed him halfway, before I was stopped by a hand on my arm.

I looked up to find Victor, and I knew he wanted to talk to me.

"You guys go on ahead," I told Finn and Logan, "We'll be right behind you."

"Sure. Don't be long, now," Finn said, smacking a hand onto Logan's shoulder and dragging him along.

Logan stared at us, at me, until he was out of sight, and I turned to Victor with arms crossed. "Yes, oh Protective One?"

He set his mouth into a thin line at that, but sighed instead of commenting on it. He took a hold of my shoulders and dragged me close, pressing a single kiss to my lips. I responded in kind, despite still being annoyed with him, and opened my eyes when I felt his hands tighten on my shoulders ever so slightly.

"Are you really alright?"

I blinked, not expecting this question. I'd expected him to ask about what I'd said earlier, or to warn me away from Finn. I expected him to try and convince me to go back home, and let him protect me. I didn't expect that he'd be concerned about my well-being.

"What?"

He let out a soft sigh. "I know that the whole thing with Ike hasn't been easy on you. When you were getting dressed, Logan said you weren't yourself on the way back to the hotel. He said that your expression when you ran into him-," I pressed a finger to his lips. 

"I'm fine now," I murmured. His expression turned dubious, and I smiled, "I promise. I just...needed some reassurance." I studied his face for a moment, knowing that the only reason I was fine was because of him. If he hadn't held me in that moment, I would have run around in circles until I broke down. 

I reached up, wondering how I'd stayed away from him for so long, and pressed a palm to his cheek. He had no idea the effect he had on me. Or maybe he did. Either way, I was fine in knowing that he would always be there for me.

"Let's go inside," I said, before I got any more sappy then I was.

Victor, his expression puzzled at what I meant, let me pass him, following me silently into the house. 

"Oh another one!" A voice squealed, and two more heads turned in our direction.

I paused at the scene in front of me. Finn was leaning against the wall behind the couch, with a stoic expression, as he watched Logan stand awkwardly in the middle of the living room, surrounded by girls. I raised my eyebrow at him, and he shrugged.

"I'm more afraid of a bunch'a girls than I am a band of hit men," He told me, "I ain't about to say anythin'."

I shrugged, knowing that his caution was warranted. Girls are scary.

As one of the women approached, Victor inched his way behind me, causing me to grin. "What's the matter, Victor?" I asked him in a low voice, "Afraid of a few women?"

"Deathly. I already have you to contend with." He replied, squeezing my shoulders.

"Hi!" The girl greeted, eyes moving right past me and focusing like an eagle on it's pray - which happened to be Victor. "I'm Johanna."

"Victor," He replied in a blunt voice, "Have you met my girlfriend, Jane?"

Rolling my eyes at his obvious attempt to take the attention off of himself, I stuck out my hand, as she finally set her gaze on my own, which would have pierced my skin had it been a knife. "Jane Harison. You're my decoy," I said, grinning.

Clapping his hands, as Logan tried to inch his way away from the girls, Finn shrugged himself from the wall. "Alright, girls. Let's get down to business."

Johanna put her hand in mine, her mouth set in an unfriendly smile. "Nice to meet you."

Finally, I thought, an annoying woman in my life.