Savior.

Chapter 6.

"We assume there was a gas leak in the kitchen," The fireman told me. "We couldn't recover anything, I'm sorry."

I didn't have insurance, I had no way to buy a new house, I was screwed. Adam was talking to a fireman, who was down on one knee telling him all about how the firetruck worked. He was smiling, because he wasn't old enough to register in his mind that we were now homeless. Lucy was in the Danny's car so that she wouldn't get in the way, with her paws against the windows looking out at us.

"So that's it?" I said, turning to Danny as the fireman walked away. "I'm out on the streets. I'm gonna get my kid taken away from me!"

I became hysterical, Danny pulled me in his arms and held me as I cried. "No, you aren't," He said. "There's plenty of room at my house for you two."

I shook my head, "I can't expect you to do that."

He leaned over a bit and wiped my tears. "I'm asking you to." He held both of my hands. "And I'll take you and Adam shopping for new clothes."

"Danny, this isn't your responsibility," I said, but he shook his head.

"I'm making it my responsibility."

I wrapped my arms around him and cried some more. Adam came walking over to us and tagged on my jeans. "Mommy, when can we go back inside?"

I refrained from crying and knelt down to his level. "We're gonna stay with Danny for a while. Is that okay with you, buddy?"

"Yes!" Adam said, jumping up and down.

"Alright," Danny smiled, "Then it's settled. Go get yourself in the car then." He gave Adam a gentle push in the right direction and we followed behind.

Adam fell asleep with Lucy in his lap on the way there. By the time we got to Danny's house, the sun was up and Adam was awake in the backseat. We got out of the car and walked inside, where he showed us to the spare room.

"Now, how about we eat some breakfast and then go shopping?"

We sat in the kitchen and Danny turned out to have a bigger selection of cereal than the grocery store. After breakfast, we got back into the car and Danny drove straight to the mall. I begged him to go somewhere cheaper, but he refused. Into Hot Topic we went, where he made sure Adam would look like a little punk-rock kid everyday of the week and refused to let me shop clearance.

I left with jeans, band tees, fancy underwear that he chose while Adam was in the dressing room, and a brand new pair of vans. On the way back to his house, I put my hand on his arm and smiled, "Why are you doing this?"

"Why the fuck wouldn't I?" He chuckled. I gave him a look and he looked out the window, saying, "Because you're worth it, I can tell." Then he looked back to Adam, who was happily playing with his new hand-held game.

When we got home, Danny went upstairs, and came back down in a pair of swim trunks and a towel hanging around his neck. "Would anyone like to join me for a swim?"

"Let me go get my swim trunks on!" Adam smiled, darting up the stairs.

"What about you, my dear?" He smiled.

I shook my head, "You don't want to see me in that bikini you forced me to get."

"What makes you think that?"

"Just believe me," I said. "Plus, I have to work at seven."

"And it's almost three. You have time." Danny grabbed my hand and pulled me up off the couch. Still holding my hand, he smiled, "Please?"

I heard Adam coming down the stairs, so I pulled away. "Fine, if you really want me to."

"Oh," He said, guiding Adam to the pool deck. "I really fucking do."

I went upstairs and brushed out my hair, changing into the bikini Danny had bought. I had looked at it, and Danny had noticed, so he refused to let me put it back on the shelf. It was just a black bikini with little skulls on it, nothing special.

I looked myself over in the mirror, all the attention being brought to the huge fading scar on my belly that was left after I had Adam. I never had any reason to show off my stomach, so it wasn't a big deal to me usually.

I wrapped myself in a towel and went back downstairs. Taking a deep breath, I walked out onto the pool deck, tossed the towel on the table, and stepped out into the water. Danny smiled and made his way over to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and smiling, "You see, love? I still think you're beautiful."