Marker of Faith

CHAPTER 36

CHAPTER 36

John's house looked abandoned. Mail bulged out of the slot in his front door and newspapers lay in tattered bundles across the front walkway. He kicked a pile out of his way and unlocked the door, letters fluttering around his feet like dry autumn leaves. The air inside the home was warm and stuffy; none of the windows had been opened in five days, and John smiled apologetically as he ushered the weary group into the living room.

"Nice place," Minerva said as she flopped down on the sofa, moving over as Roddy bounced down next to her.

John acknowledged her with a grunt, staring out at the street to make sure they hadn't been followed or weren't being watched. Dawn made the street swim in shadows, but so far they were the harmless kind. Satisfied that they were alone, John closed and locked the door with three dead bolts. As a cop he knew what kind of trouble an unprotected house could invite, but he wouldn't go so far as to have an alarm system. He wasn't paranoid, just careful, and he wasn't around here that much anyway. This place was just where John slept and ate sometimes -- his other home being the station. But even that home was foreign now, uninviting and empty.

"Sorry it's so hot in here," John said, turning on a fan in the corner that just moved the muggy air around. He looked around the sparsely furnished room, his eyes settling briefly on the photographs on the wall, and traced a finger in a thin film of dust on the counter. Home sweet home, he thought bitterly. John glanced over at the phone nook and noticed his answering machine light blinking; thirty-seven messages beckoned.

I bet probably all from Williamson. John grinned as he pushed the erase button. He turned around and there was Rattle standing in the middle of the room with a melancholy look on his old face.

"This is real nice, Five-oh. Ain't been in a real house in forevers."

"Well, make yourself comfy." John pointed to a chair for Rattle to sit down. "We all need showers and I've got some clothes that will probably fit you, mostly." He looked over at Minerva and chewed his lip. She might be a problem.

"Honey," she said with a laugh. "Don't you worry 'bout me none. You're a skinny white boy and I'm a full-figured goddess, you do the math."

"Well at least you can wash up. I'll figure out something for you. I've got a washing machine."

"I should go get some clean clothes at my house, and I can shower there, too," Roddy said, standing up with a stretch.

"Un-uh." John shook his head. "We don't separate yet. I've got some sweats you can borrow. The first shower is yours." John pointed down the hallway towards his bathroom.

"Ah, man! Come on! You're like six-four and I'm five-seven. I'll swim in 'em," Roddy whined. He stalked out of the room like a petulant five-year old.

"So roll them up," John said as he pushed the M.E. towards the shower and then went into his bedroom. "I'll leave the clothes on the back of the toilet for you," he yelled from the other room.

Roddy was pouting as he pulled back the shower curtain and turned on the water. "At least get me a toothbrush."

John came back in smiling. "It's your lucky day, there's extras in the cabinet." He put down a shirt and a rumpled pair of bright purple sweat pants, the gaudiest pair he could find -- a gift from an old girlfriend, and looked into the mirror. Steam started to fog up the image and John's mind wandered, the swirling mist around his face drawing him into the past.

Roddy took off his shirt, hesitating with his pants while he stared at John.

"Hey there. You gonna watch me or something?" Roddy asked sarcastically, staring at John with raised eyebrows. "This ain't no Brokeback Apocalypse, not that there's anything wrong with that kind of thing if it floats your boat, but uh...my oars like a different pond. I know I'm cute and all."

John laughed. "You wish, hombre," he said as he left, pulling the door closed behind him with an emphatic thud. Roddy laughed on the other side.

"Hey," Roddy yelled through the hiss of water, "see if Minerva wants to come wash my back." John ignored him, and still smiling went to get Rattle a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

When he came into the living room, Minerva and Rattle were huddled in a hushed conversation. They looked up quickly, as if they'd been caught cheating on a test, and just stared at John.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Minerva stretched casually and stood up. "Rattle just had questions about some stuff."

"Was it a private conversation?" John asked hotly, instantly regretting it at the forlorn look on the old man's face. Rattle quickly looked away and crossed his arms.

"That's Rattle's call," Minerva said, patting the old man on the shoulder. She brushed by John and stood behind him, looking into the kitchen. "Got anything to eat in there?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure," John answered, but he was fixated on Rattle.

"Let it go for now, John," she whispered in his ear. "He's got some stuff to work out." She started humming and wandered over to the fridge. John stood there staring at Rattle for a minute, and then looked down at the fresh clothes in his hands.

"Hey, old man," John said lightly as he approached him. "These should fit you pretty well. Won't be as bad as Roddy's pants." He snickered. "The washing machine is back there for your jacket." John set the clothes down on Rattle's lap and the old man nodded feebly.

"Part of the Material Witness perks again?" Rattle asked, trying to sound upbeat.

"You bet." John laughed and crouched down next to Rattle, who was staring wistfully at the clean clothes. "You okay?"

Rattle's eyes brimmed with tears and he looked up at John slowly. He nodded, but something was eating at the old man, tearing him up inside.

"Whoa, no. It's gonna be okay." John squeezed Rattle's shoulder. He wished he could send the old man some of his strength, some of his power right now. "We're gonna get through this."

Rattle sniffed and sat up straighter in the chair. "It's all good, Five-oh. Just got some things catching up with me, is all."

The bathroom door opened and Roddy came out looking miserable. The bottom cuffs of the sweat pants were rolled into fat lumps around his ankles. Rattle took one look and started laughing. Roddy glared at him and went back to fussing with the pants and muttering in Spanish.

"Me veo como un puto tween," Roddy said with a scowl. "A fucking Tween, John."

Rattle laughed so hard, tears were rolling down his cheeks. "Oh...and we're supposed to save the world!" His laughter doubled and John started laughing as well.

"John, that's just the ticket. That'll send the Old Ones packing for sure!" Rattle started coughing he was laughing so hard, and finally stood up. "I'm gonna take my shower now before I rupture something...hoo. It's all good, Five-oh."

"You suck," Roddy said darkly to John as he pushed past Rattle, eyeing the pair of jeans in the old man's hands with envy as he headed into the kitchen. Rattle turned away just as Minerva's laughter cut loose in the other room.

"It's all good." John let the laughter take away some of his darkness for a while.