Long Road Ahead - Deckard Shaw Fanfic

8- Hattie

Stepping off the train with Conner, a swarm of French conversation swirls around me. I took a few years of it in high school, but I feel extremely overwhelmed nonetheless.

"Hello? Over here!" I hear someone call out, and looking in the direction of the voice I see a tall, slender blonde haired woman in dark sunglasses. I walk over to here, relieved that she was even able to pick me out in a crowd. "Hello, love, I'm Hattie Shaw, but I'm sure you figured that out." She says with a thick British accent that makes me thing of Deck. Even though we dated, I never met Hattie and only saw Owen on a few rare occasions.

"Sophia, and this is"-- and I'm cut off but her shush.

"How about we go to my flat and discuss this in a more private manner?" She asks, looking around inconspicuously. I nod, and she plasters  that million dollar smile on once more and grabs one of my bags. We walk a few blocked to her apartment.

Once we get into the building and she whips out a way more technologically advanced security mechanism than the building should have been able to support. She winks at me before I hear a buzz and the door unlocks with a thud that I can only assume to be a lock sliding open. I expect to see a small, sort of dingy and simplistic loft, but instead a full, clean and modern apartment faces me. She walks in and leads me to a  guest room which already had a crib of sorts in it.

"You can change anything you like, I don't know if the boy sleeps in one of these, but please let me know if there is anything else I can do." She says kindly before showing me the bathroom that is attached to my room and promising me answers after we've both had a chance to clean up. I change the baby's diaper and clothes and set him in the crib with some toys before washing my face and changing my own clothes. Grabbing Conner, I take him out of the room and find Hattie making us both a cup of tea. I welcome it's warmth and aroma.

"So tell me everything, get me all caught up." Hattie says, taking Conner from me and bouncing him on her lap.

"Well, it's a little complicated..." I start and begin.

After explaining everything I could, she leaned back in her chair.

"Gosh, I remember Deckard being head over heels for a girl in school but I never really knew who it was. I can see why he'd like you, though."

"Yeah, I knew about Owen, but Deckard never really talked about you." I realize the connotation of what I said, and start apologizing profusely.

"Love, I get it. He may be a great man now, but without a dad around growing up, he to become a man much sooner than he should have. It made him cold in a way none of us really expected. But I remember you. He was different when he was with you. He was carefree, he helped me with his homework and he took me out for ice cream. You make him a better man." I smile to myself, feeling my face get hot. "Even when I got the call from him telling me about you, he sounded different. Happier. He sounded like he did when he was 17. I want the best for my brother. You have to understand that he loved you then and I don't think he ever stopped. Sure, he's had his fair share of flings, but none of them were you. You're a special one."

I sit for a moment, pondering everything she had just said. Just as I'm about to respond, my phone rings. I pick it up to see that it's an unknown caller. Hattie nods at me, eyes wide.

"Hello?" I say, my voice shaking slightly.

"You'd better drink that tea, it's getting cold." A chilling female voice says through the other end. I stand up and drop the phone and my cup, both crashing to the ground. From out the window on the street, a tall women with buzzed hair and sunglasses looks up and smirks, putting her own phone into her coat pocket. Still looking through the window, I can hear Hattie say something, but I'm thinking too hard to even register what she says. I'm missing something, damn, what is it.

Something catches my eye. A little red dot, blinking on and off. It's a reflection coming from under the table in front of us.

Finally understanding what's happening, I can only think to yell "bomb" before throwing myself towards Hattie and Conner. I grab both of them and start running towards the door. We get out of the apartment and Hattie and I both throw our bodies against to door. The blast goes off the second we slam the door shut, and it's unlike anything I've ever experienced. My head pounds as I hold Conner close against my body, trying to cover his ear and protect his head and cover any exposed skin at the same time.

My ears are ringing, and my body feels hot and cold at the same time.

"Sophia, SOPHIA!" Hattie is hopelessly yelling, and she grabs Conner from my arms. Slowly, her shouting gets louder and louder as my hearing starts to back and the ringing subsides. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" She asks frantically, but as I'm trying to find the words to answer, we hear pounding and shouting.

"It's the lady, get out of here." I say to Hattie, taking her face in my hands. "Please, I am begging you, she doesn't know who you are, just leave, please, take the baby, get him to Deck." I feel a lump form in my throat as she slowly nods. I know she wants to refuse, but even she knows that this option give Conner his best chance. I kiss his forehead as he wails, terrified.

She and Conner round the corner just as the lady comes into view.

"Well, now. Look what we've got, boys."
She kneels down in front of me as I try to move, muscles aching.

"My name is Cypher. I think we're gonna become friends."

Gang, this took forever, and for that I apologize. I plan to post more frequently no that my life isn't as hectic as it's been the past few months. Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions on the story or this chapter, please let me know! I love your feedback and appreciate it all! :)

Thank you all, truely, for bringing Conner and Sophie to life in a way I never thought possible.
xoxo,
writergirl3791