Free Fall (Give Me Your Hand)

Chapter Six

It was still light out when Pete woke up from his nap. After his adrenaline had worn off, he had needed it. Sitting up in bed, Pete looked around his room as he thought about the little boy. Pete could remember being that young. He could also remember having a terrible father. But that little boy wasn't real. He was a character. Pete had to remember that. Pete just needed to remember where he belonged. He sighed, getting up to stretch, wincing as he pulled his bandage off the edges of his wound. After changing the gauze, Pete was glad to see it didn't look as bad as he expected. He would survive.

He flipped through his manuals without absorbing anything, already too wired to sit down and focus, before opting to explore the compound and the grounds some more.

Grabbing some bread from the kitchen, Pete went to watch the Koi wriggle and flip around in the water to settle his mind. It was oddly soothing and hypnotic.

"Oh!" Khun called from behind him.

Standing up straight, Pete gave a small bow and said, "Khun Nu, I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all! My babies love getting spoiled."

To Pete's surprise, Khun knelt down next to the pond silently to watch the fish like Pete had been. After a moment, Pete rejoined him, enjoying the comfortable companionship. Pete let out a heavy sigh. He missed Jom. He missed having someone he could talk to.

Khun took a chunk of the bread left in Pete's hand and broke it into small pieces, tossing it into the pond for the fish to swarm around.

"Do you," Pete began, swallowing before he began again, "Do you ever feel like you're in the wrong place? Like you've been doing the wrong thing and you're meant to be somewhere else? To be someone else?"

Khun tilted his head to the side, grabbing another chunk of bread and spreading it around before wiping the crumbs from his hands.

"Every day."

Pete turned to look at him, surprised.

"What...what do you do?"

Khun smiled without showing his teeth and turned to meet Pete's eyes. "I just...be someone else."

Without further explanation, Khun stood up and ambled away. Pete turned to see Pol and Arm waiting for him under the shade of a nearby tree. He hadn't even realized they were there.

Turning back to the water, Pete watched the fish for a few more minutes as he contemplated Khun's advice while the sun set.

Pete needed to be Porsche. He sighed, wishing it were that simple. It wasn't as if Porsche had an easier life than Pete, far from it, but Pete felt like Porsche was just better at handling it all than he was. Porsche was creative and rolled with the punches, whereas Pete felt like he wasn't as confident. He didn't actually know what he was doing. He was just good at taking orders because that was all he knew how to do.

Getting up, Pete stretched his legs before walking away. He didn't have a destination in mind, he just didn't have any orders to follow and he didn't know what to do with himself. It was stressful.

"Pete," Big called from down the hallway.

Pete turned, seeing that Big was holding a paper bag in the hand that wasn't still in a sling.

"Yes?"

With a smirk, Big shoved the bag in Pete's direction. "Take this to Kinn's private rooms. He has a guest over."

Pete nodded, unable to stop himself from peering into the bag. Inside was a bottle of wine and a jar of...olive oil? Before Pete could ask, Big was leaning closer.