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Post by Lovely on Mar 12, 2011 2:39:13 GMT -5
Jan 9, 2011
9:40m
Sunday nights were usually slow, but this one had finally come to an end a couple hours early for Josie. It had been slow enough that she was cut at nine rather than stay till her usual eleven. She'd changed out of her uniform and into a comfy pair of jeans and a long sleeve, light blue v-neck top. Her toes wiggled in her sneakers and she rubbed her arms as she stepped out to the side of the diner where people tended to hang out on their breaks though no one else was out there now. Her fingers worked the buttons on her phone as she turned her back to the lot and leaned a shoulder against the building. She waited for her boyfriend to pick up on the other end so she could ask him to come pick her up. She smiled as she heard his voice come over the line with a 'hey sweetie'. That was just cute and it made her feel good. "Hey.. I heard that you wanted to see me tonight. How does right now sound?"
He'd been trained well to keep to shadows and observe. Tonight wasn't simple surveillance work, but planned as hands-on intervention, plain and simple. As soon as her back was turned to the lot, he'd jogged up, happy to see her out earlier than expected and at a time no one was going to ask questions - except her and her phone friend. He wasn't taking chances on getting kicked and screamed at just yet, either, unless she felt it necessary to fight against the cold nose of his best steel friend he pressed at her ribs. "Now would be a perfect time," he answered with the low, cold voice she knew very well. He pulled the phone and her hand enough to hear the male voice just before ending the call for her. "Miss me?"
Josie wasn't expecting an answer in the familiar voice at her shoulder, she hadn't even heard him come up behind her and went tumbling through a few emotions and reactions before simple shock won and she stood there speechless for a few seconds. Her head turned to stare at her now silent phone and she tried to shift slightly away from what was jabbing into her ribs. Was that what she thought it was? The gasp was soft and she nodded her head a little before she'd fully processed everything. "Biff?" She asked in a whisper, because having a gun pushed into your side either made you want to scream or be very quiet, at least that's what she thought anyway.
"Is that a yes or a no, babe? Looks like you're off work just in time. I almost couldn't wait to see you," he said, not letting her shift too far from the loving embrace. "C'mon, tell me the truth. You missed me."
Her jaw worked over a few things that she'd like to tell him 'the truth' about but he did have a gun and she really didn't know what he intended with that, so she held back some of her comments. "That's a yes and a no. I missed you.. plenty.. until I decided you were a jerk who wasn't worth missing.. I stopped missing you a month.. maybe two months ago."
He grinned. "Get in the car, Josie. We'll talk it out. Plenty of time now to do just that, you and me. C'mon," he said, nudging her away from the building toward the dark part of the lot where he'd been.
"You just want to talk? Then what's with that thing digging into my side?' She asked turning her head to try to glance at him and the spinning her head again to look ahead where he nudged her to walk, her high ponytail swatting him in the face.
"So you don't say no and pull any crap. So what's his name, huh? Didn't bother to wait for the sheets to get cold, did you?" He ignored the swat having expected worse and kept her moving.
He might not catch the offended and hurt expression from the angle he was at but his comment about the sheets really hit her and she thought about just not talking to him at all. It just wasn't in her nature to keep quiet and Josie softly muttered. "If that's what you think of me, then why are you even talking to me?" The movement of her head was deliberate this time, purposely swatting him with her hair. "His name is none of your business." Her phone started to ring, it was her boyfriend calling her back after waiting for her to call him when their last call ended.
"Still talking cuz you're still my girl... emphasis on the 'my'... not his. Don't know what to think right now, seeing you make your booty call. Only call you better make is telling them you're out sick tomorrow," he suggested harshly as they got closer to the car.
She looked down at her phone but didn't answer it, her tongue dragged over her lips and she glared at the car they were approaching. "At least -he- calls me back.. unlike some people." She snapped back, twisting a little as if she didn't want him touching her. "Since when is getting a ride home considered a booty call? It's not even ten, booty calls happen at like one in the morning or that's what the guys say.. Ohh wait, isn't that when -you- used to call me?"
"Probably still when I'll call you. Just like old times, babe, just a few little setbacks. Now just get in the car," he said, trying to take the phone from her completely and get the number.
"So why is it okay for me to be your booty call?" She asked, trying to keep her phone away from him as he reached for it. Getting in the car was actually a good way and she tried to duck inside with the phone before he could get ahold of it.
He gestured widely to an absent gallery with the gun, grinning as she actually did get in the car. He chuckled that she guarded her precious phone so closely. That wasn't going to last long. " Why wouldn't it be okay? You're still my girl. Thought we covered that," he said, closing her in the dark vehicle and locking her in.
"That's what you think.." She murmured to herself after he closed the door and she looked to the window with surprise as she heard the click of the locks. He locked her in the car? She reached for the handle and growled when she tugged on it but nothing happened. Josie glanced down at her phone and then up to watch if Biff was getting into the car or not.
He slipped around to his side quickly, staring her down through the tinted glass. He was between good humor and rage, ready to tip the scales to either side in a breath. His own door was pulled open roughly and slammed shut as he threw himself in beside her. "Give me the phone, Jo," he said, holding his hand out for it.
He was obviously angry and she licked her lips, feeling scared of him for the first time, but she shook her head. "No." She clutched the phone in her hand and brought it up against her chest. "Why do you want my phone?"
He was tipping quickly. "So I can call my mom and we can all meet and have a nice cup of coffee and a freakin' piece of pie! Jesus, Jo, why do you think, huh? Since it's our time together now and I don't want it interrupted... or you calling your friend, or any friends... or the police which really won't do you any good, so save your minutes. If he calls you again, I don't want you to answer it."
She was biting at her lip, leaning away from him toward the door, he didn't shout but she suddenly started to consider that he might really hurt her. She didn't say anything for a minute, trying to figure out the best way to words things so she didn't piss him off more. "If I don't answer... he might call the cops.. or Aless.. I'll shut it off.. but I need to at least text Al to tell her I got a ride." She tried to reason with him and hoped he would be reasonable but the comment he made in regard to her calling the cops and them not doing her any good, had her hands shaking a little. "Why would -I- call the cops? I thought you just wanted to talk?"
His glare could have cut through the glass behind her as he chewed the inside of his cheek and considered her suggestion. "Alright. Text her, but no calls. I do want to talk, but you know me and big discussions. I'm better with show than tell, you know."
She really thought he was going to tell her no and breathed a sigh of relief when he said she could text Al. She flipped the phone open and quickly typed a message. "Can I tell her I'm with you, so she wont freak or worry?" She turned the phone so he could see that she hadn't said anything bad.
"Sure," he relented more, his expression softening a little as he started the car and read her screen. "Thank you. Then, turn it off."
She smiled a little on the inside as he gave in a bit more, maybe he really didn't want to hurt her. She finished the text by telling Al -I'm with Biff- and then sent it. As she was waiting to make sure it went through her phone rang again, it was the boyfriend and she hit the button to ignore. She licked at her lips and shut the phone off, letting it power down fully before dropping it into her lap. "All done." She glanced over at him, seeing him brought back how much she had missed him, though she wasn't about to tell him that.
The phone rang and he glared piercingly, watching her movements. She shut off the call without answering it, but that wouldn't stop the boyfriend - it wouldn't stop him at least. "Good girl. Now give it to me," he said, holding his hand out for the phone. "Only temptation I want you to have involves me."
Her eyebrow arched up as he put his hand out and 'requested' her phone again, she held it in her hand for a moment, running her fingers over it. With a soft sigh she set it into his hand. "I turned it off.."
"I want it to stay off and if it's out of reach so you won't accidentally turn it back on, okay? Time alone with you is all I need. It'll be okay," he said, almost rational and sweet in his desire to sweep her virtually out of known existence for the moment. He grasped the phone and offered a small smile as he pocketed it away. "It's good to see you."
"Accidentally turn it back on?" Josie chuckled and shook her head, rubbing her fingers together and wishing he'd kept her hand instead of her phone. "I would like to say it's good to see you.. but I don't want you to know that I missed you." Her words told him just that in her round about way as she glanced to him and away. "It's been a long while since we've seen each other.. why all of a sudden do you want to see me tonight? Why not call me and ask to see me?"
"Because I shouldn't be here," he said, the corners of his grin turning down as she looked away. He turned to drive them away before anyone came looking for her. "I had to time everything just right to be here at all. I haven't not wanted to see you, I just couldn't get back, Josie."
"Then.. why are you here, now.. if you shouldn't be?" She turned her face away, staring out the window for a minute and blinking away her tears at his admission of wanting to see her. "It's been months.. why now.. when I started dating someone else?"
"Because that's how long...," he started to explain, stopping himself as they came to a light and he looked anywhere but out the windows at other drivers, waiting for the light to change. "It's just how long it's taken. No phone, no contact, not even an email, Jo. It wasn't my choice for any of that."
"You couldn't explain that before you left?" She finally looked back to him, reaching over hesitantly to try to grasp his hand. "I was waiting for you.. all night.. and I didn't hear from you.. do you have any idea how that made me feel?" Her teeth tugged harshly at her lower lip.
"If I'd known that's when I was leaving, I would have," he growled out. "Don't you think I would have? How do you think it made -me- feel not being able to tell you a god damned thing, Jo. Maybe I still can't, but I'm gonna try. Okay? I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."
She turned in her seat, reaching for him now and not being as shy about it, he was upset enough to let it show - a little, anyway. "Okay.. shh.. babe.. shhh.." Her fingers stroked the side of his head, smoothing his hair behind his ear, while her other hand rubbed over his leg. "I'm sorry.. I didn't think at all about how it made you feel. I just thought you ditched me." She blinked at the tears in her eyes, her voice breaking a little but she tried not to let it, wanting to comfort him.
"It's better now, right? It'll be fine," he said, trembling a little under the touch on his hair. A moment down the road he drove past a car repair with the bay open. The pneumatic pulse of a torque wrench made him jump and pull the wheel as he ducked a little. He recovered quickly to keep them in the lane, but he was clearly shaken and distracted. "Geezus. What the..? Okay, we gotta get inside."
Josie jumped when he did and he jerked the wheel, her fingers tightened on his leg and her breath caught. She never known him to be nervous, he was always so confident and tough. "Things are always better when we're together." She murmured softly, sort of snuggling to him to reassure him but not hinder his driving.
"That's what I've been thinkin', babe, just hold on. Mmm... maybe not so tight, though," he said, trying to keep from flooring the gas and getting them off the road. "It's gonna be better after this. How do you like the name Raoul? Think it suits me?"
"Oh.. sorry." She eased off his thigh a bit and chuckled, putting her head on his shoulder for a couple seconds. "Raoul? I don't think you look like a Raoul.. what's wrong with Biff?" She asked, lifting her head to watching him, her fingers brushing at his hair again. "I missed you so much."
"Maybe Paul, then? Ringo?" He glanced over to her and shook his head. "There's a helluva lot wrong with Biff. You're gonna help me to fix him, though, get him back on the right track."
"Maybe George." She chuckled a little and shook her head again, teasing a little but not understanding what he was getting at with needing to change his name or her fixing him. "Sure, right.. I'm just the girl who was left waiting.. naked.. by the way.. I wanted it to be a surprise because I was always so shy.." She shrugged and sighed, starting to shift away from him a little.
"You were not. Were you? And I missed it. Sure I missed a lot of important things," he said, fading to a mumble as she slipped away. "Josie, look, I really am sorry. There's just a lot." He had too much to say and had said so little. He pulled into the side lot of a rusty looking motel. He sighed, looking at the place that seemed to have been through just as much as he had. "Not the homecoming I wanted."
"I was.." She smiled a bit brighter with a slight shake of her head, resting her elbow in the edge of the door, her fingers against her chin. Josie stared out at the motel that they pulled up to, it seemed almost as broken as their relationship. She missed him so much for a long time and she never thought she'd be able to get over him. Now all of a sudden he was here and it brought up her feelings again. She reached over for his hand, slowly bringing her gaze from the building to him.
She grasped his hand and the months he'd been away seemed like a dream. He clasped back, not wanting to let go. Looking into the depth of her eyes again he could get lost and stay lost - and not care. He couldn't afford to become that lost right now. "Let's get inside, and we'll have a drink," he said, telling her more than offering. He took a quick breath and leaned to kiss her gently. "Okay?"
The kiss was brief but it was a rush of everything she'd felt for him, how much she loved him, even if he hadn't known that she'd fallen in love with him before he left. She wanted another kiss and another and another after that, her fingers held his firmly and she didn't even mind that much how he more ordered her than asked about going inside. "Don't you have to get us a room.. or did you have one already?" She wondered if he'd been staying here or set things up before he went to get her.
"I have the room, but not much else beyond some ice and a couple bottles to get me by. I didn't know if I'd find you again, Josie, or how long I'd have to keep looking," he said, pointing to the room ahead of them.
"You make it sound like I'm the one who left.." She sighed, leaning her head against the seat and looking at him, trying hard not to be angry, but she was a little. She also tried not to blame him or make him feel bad with how she expressed her thoughts on the matter. It wasn't easy when part of her wanted to scream at him and shake him and demand to know how he could hurt her the way he did. "The room and the ice will get us started.. which one?" Her free hand gestured to the motel, wondering which room was his.
After another twenty minutes of indecision, he had to trust her to get out of the car and go inside with him or they'd be locked in the car for days. She didn't run though she had every right to and keep him locked out of her life on the side of the door he'd put himself on. He wanted back in and little by little she was letting him, but it was going to take more than an hour and a cup of coffee for her - a lot more. Inside with the door closed behind him instead of in his face, he felt able to breathe more than he had in several months. "All the comforts of home.. kinda," he said, offering the small, ragged couch to sit on instead of the bed while he got glasses for them both.
She'd never been in a hotel room with a couch but looking at this one, she didn't think this room should have one. Josie shook her head at her own thoughts and looked around more, then to him - watching him as he got a couple of glasses. The awkward feeling was creeping back in, the time apart and silence that had followed his leaving, left her unsure how to act around him. It was tempting and almost easy to fall back into things as if he'd never left but at the same time it was hard as heck to forget about how much he'd hurt her. "It's.. nice." She said softly, playing with her ponytail as she took in a deep breath and moved to sit on the couch.
He laughed. "No it isn't. It's probably got springs in all the wrong places. I don't know. I didn't test drive it before I left," he said, offering her a glass along with the warning. "Could sit.. you know... over there, but you're already tense. Didn't want to make it worse. Hopefully this helps."
"Honestly.. I don't think where I'm sitting is going to make a difference in how tense I am at the moment.. though if it did.. over there might be better." Josie bit at her lower lip as she stood and took the glass from him, her voice lowered to a whisper. "At least they're supposed to change the sheets.. who knows how or when they clean the couch." Considering in was a bit ratty, she didn't trust it fully to be.. sanitary.
"I don't even think they know. Please - be my guest," he smiled, stepping aside for her to sit on the bed instead. "Not trying to push... well, not now." He sighed and the smile faded. The contents of his glass were sucked down in a moment and he considered the emptiness and whether he should remedy it. He set the glass aside instead as she made herself more comfortable. "I couldn't take not telling you, Josie. I could hang for what I'm doing right now, but I had to come back to see you."
She didn't know what to say, concern etching into her expression as she watched him drain his glass and start to open up to her again. "Hang?" She echoed softly, her worry going up a few notches as her imagination sped off with that comment. Her glass rose to her lips and she drank it a little faster than normal, it was half gone when she set it down on the stand beside the bed. "Biff.. you're scaring me.. please tell me what's going on?" She stood up again after barely getting herself settled on the bed, but she couldn't stay there once she saw him getting upset again. She reached for him, trying to pull him close and soothe his turmoil if she could.
He willingly let her pull him close to sit. His knees were beginning to shake and he glanced back to the door, his fingers pulling down through his carefully trimmed whiskers. He sat down with her, feeling the need to speak quietly. "It's okay. It'll be okay. It's because of what and who I know. That's why I had to leave. It was a job... a big one. A freakin' big, scary one like the ones you read about in the papers? I couldn't tell you, or you'd have been pulled into it. I don't want you in all that, Jo."
He seemed to want to sit as he came in close and so she sank down again, her hands softly fretting over him, tugging his sleeve straight and brushing against his cheek and back behind his ear as he tried to tell her and not tell her. She wanted to accept it, because she believed him, she had always trusted him but it was still alot to simply swallow without question. Her hand brushed down his arm and she stared at his shoulder. "I can understand you not wanting to get me involved but... you left without a word.. I thought maybe you were dead!" She closed her eyes, teeth holding her lip and she took a few breaths to keep herself from crying. "Do you work.. for the government?"
"I am dead. I don't exist, not really. I don't know how far you looked, but if you did, you won't find much. They made me a ghost and if I'm found out, they could make me a ghost completely. I'm not that important, but important enough to keep me away from everyone I ever loved.. and still do," he added, feeling his chest curl and ache as he looked into her eyes.
That wasn't really a yes and his reply scared her even more, not for herself but for him, she stared into his eyes until her own blurred with the tears she still tried to fight. Blinking most of them away, a few found their way down her cheek. "Then why are you here? I don't want you to end up a ghost for real because of me.. I love you."
"I'm here because I needed to tell you not to give up on me. I understand that you did and you should be able to, but .. I'm not really dead, and I'm gonna come back. Hell if I know how unless I just run," he said, thinking, hoping and shaking all at once. "It's not the government," he shook his head. "It's worse."
"Did you know I had started dating someone? Is that why you chose now to come back?" She asked him, somewhere between hurt and angry, her chest ached and she fought hard against fresh tears - Damn him! She saw that he was shaking and despite half wanting to strangle him, she reached to comfort him again, gently slipping her arms around him. "I don't want you to get hurt because of me." She told him again, her hand coming up to stroke his cheek.
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