Kill You

18~ That Makes Three

In the morning I feel more refreshed than ever. When I wake up Noah is beside me, his thumb swirling nonexistent patterns on my bare thigh.

"Hey" he says softly when he sees I'm awake. "Hi" I smile.

"Did you have a dream again?" He asks. I nod and kiss him. "I'll tell you over breakfast" I crawl over him out of bed and pad down the hall and into the kitchen.

After bagels are in the toaster, we sit at the table.

"So this dream was different. I was walking down the dark hall as usual, but this time it was like I knew you were coming. So I turned and wacked the knife out of your hand and kind of um... pinned you down. And then you seemed to realize it was me and relaxed. Then the shadows came and you said it was the Walks" I finish my story the same time as the bagels.

Noah gets up and spreads the cream cheese on them, putting the bagels on a plate and setting them between us.

"So... what does that mean?" Noah asks. I shrug. "Maybe it changed because I confronted you differently. Or maybe it is telling us it's 100% the Walks"

The phone rings so I go to pick it up while Noah ponders my dream. "Hello?" I ask. "Hey Cassidy!" A friendly, familiar voice replies.

"Finn? Is that you?" I ask. "Yep!" Finn Halliday. One of Luke's closest friends. He worked with him in the military and they had grown up together.

"Long time no speak!" I laugh. "Very much. Miss being over there Blonde" Finn tells me. I grin. Even before Luke and I got together, Finn always called me Blonde. It used to bug me because I thought he was calling me dumb. But I soon realized his nickname never meant any harm.

"Well what's with the call? It's 9am." I say. "Oh right. Well we have someone we want you to meet. So we'd like you to come down to base so we can talk"

"Umm" I look behind me at Noah who is staring at me.

"Uh sure but can I being... someone" I ask. "Oh sure who?" Finn asks. "I'll... explain later" I chuckle nervously.

~

Noah keeps his hold on my waist as we walk through the base to meet Finn. I've been here with Luke before and some people recognize me. But I still feel wrong being there. Maybe it's because I have murder looming over my head and Noah's.

We find Finn who seems happy to see me. I hug him tightly, happy to see an old friend. It feels like I had a life before and after Luke.

"Nice to see you again" Finn smiles at me when he sets me down. "It is. Oh this is Noah" I say. Noah and Finn shake hands and Finn turns back to me.

"So Luke was working to keep you safe always. Well in his 'deed' if you will, he requested someone train you a killer. Protection in case what happened well... happened." Finn tells us this while we walk down a hall.

We stop in front of a door. "So what? I have a bodyguard?" I ask confused. "Sort of...." Finn opens the door and steps in, us following.

In the middle of the room a soldier is standing next to a all black German Shepherd. I stop, confused.

"This is Judge"

The dog looks content to sitting there. "We've been working him with your scent. Since Luke died we've been working with him. He can attack on command, and he's very good" Finn is nervous.

"Judge" I repeat. The dog cocks his head at me. "Judge come" Finn called. The dog trotted forward and stood in front of me.

"Tell him to sit" Finn mumbled. "Sit" I command. The dog listens and my heart swells.

This dog makes me feel connected to Luke in some weird way. This dog can keep me safe and Luke provided that for me.

Noah is silent the whole time we figure Judge out. And an hour or so later Judge is sniffing my apartment out, smelling everything.

"I like him" Noah says. I whip my head to you. "Yes. He is very much needed."
He doesn't emphasize what he means but I let I drop.

I have a dog I smile to myself. Judge walks up and sits at my feet, his face expectant.

"Good dog" I say. Judge blinks at me.

~

That night I command Judge to get in his dog bed that sits under the window in the bedroom. He listens of course.

"Luke must have loved you a lot" Noah tells me when he presses his body against mine.

"I think so" I joke. We both stare at the dog who also watches us. This is surreal.

"Does it help lessen your stress a little more about the Walks trying to kill us?" I ask.

"I helps knowing he'd stop me if I ever tried to hurt you"

I sigh and snuggle into the pillow. We all sleep soundly.

~

In the morning I felt the urge to take the dog- Judge for a walk. Noah was skeptical about letting me go on my own but with Judge he complied.

I feel a pep in my step when we start walking. I can feel Judge tense beside me, like he's holding in energy.

"Wanna run boy?" I ask. He looks up at me expectantly. "Okay c'mon"

I start at a job and he keeps his pace with me. But then I start running and he speeds up too. After about 20 minutes or so I slow down, gathering my breath.

Judge looks at me, panting slightly. "Hold on" I gasp. I'm bent over, counting my breathing, when I see a person approach.

"Are you alright?" The man asks. I nod, stepping back and standing up straight. "Yeah, yeah I'm alright. Just needed a break" I say.

"Okay" he eyes the dog who is looking alerted.

He walked away and I breathed a sigh of relief. Having Judge around wouldn't be so bad. He's exactly what I needed. Protection.

"C'mon let's go home" I say. And we jog home.