Learning to Bow

Welcome to Sandstone

"Tim," I said as I entered the kitchen. He seemed to be all cleaned up in borrowed clothes, sitting in the kitchen. How many people were the Willis's going to take in? Or was Tim going to leave soon? He looked up at me, his turquoise eyes meeting mine.

"Ara," he said with a smile. "Seems you've found quite the gracious family." Cassidy set a plate of scrambled eggs, toast and sausage in front of him. I sat beside him and a wolfy Jack who was comfortably propped up on a kitchen chair.

Jaha had wolves stationed outside our house, making use of those who shifted the day prior. Cassidy came by with a plate for me as well. I nodded to her in thanks.

I glanced towards Tim, turning quickly back to my food when he looked my way in response. I wanted to ask him so many questions, but I didn't know where to start.

"I didn't know she had a child," Tim said then. I turned to look at him, noticing that other eyes had turned as well. "I hadn't seen her in a very long time. I assumed she ran off, disappeared like she always did," he said softly. I frowned, letting him continue. "I would have come for you, if I'd known," he added. I just watched him as he frowned in thought.

I didn't say anything. I started to pick at my food, splitting the sausage in half with my fork.

"Are you going to go back to New York?" James asked. I snapped my eyes up suddenly.

"What? You're not going to stay?" I asked quickly. Tim's eyes widdened at my intensity. He couldn't leave. He just got here. Maybe he could move in with the Willis's too.

"They killed Terry..." he trailed, his expression troubled, "My partner. If I don't go back, they'll think I'd died too." I took a deep breath, having finally found a family member and him wanting to leave. I felt spited.

"If you return, won't they wonder why you are unhurt? Won't they want to know what happened?" James asked, glancing my way. I looked to him thankfully and turned to give Tim a hopeful look. Tim returned my expression with a sympathetic one of his own.

"I don't know, but I owe it to Terry to go back," he said. I frowned. Didn't he owe it to me to stay? Cassidy had a concerned look as she sat at the table with us.

"You must have some people back in the state who are worried about you." Cassidy said. I glared down at my food, guilt and vexation swirling in my stomach. I was being childish, clinging to the chance of family I was ever given. The Willis's didn't count. They weren't family. Jack nudged me with his snout. I turned to gaze at him, still feeling bitter. I guess they weren't family yet. But they were well on their way.

"I don't really," he said, "I live alone, but I'm sure the Deputy Chief is rather upset right now," he said, a grim smirk on his face.

"You don't have anybody?" I asked, looking back up at him. He shook his head.

"I like my privacy," he said. I frowned. "Now, don't look at me like that. I chose it that way." I stabbed a piece of sausage and popped it in my mouth. I chewed slowly, my thoughts running wild. He could stay, couldn't he?

"Can't you stay here?" I asked, my voice betraying me, making me sound like a whiny child. I couldn't help it. He was so kind to me, before he even knew me. And now, now he was family.

Tim took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"If," he said, pausing, "And that's a big if, but if I was to stay here, I would need to find an apartment, and a job," he paused again, shaking his head. "I would need an entirely new identity," he seemed to realize. My eyebrows raised and I turned to James.

"We could help him do that?" I asked him, "Can't we?" James seemed surprised but nonetheless nodded. Tim gave out another long sigh and turned to me, his mouth pressed in a hard line.