Under My Protection

Chapter 9

For somaj_ptx

"Okay." I put the watch on David's wrist. He smiled at me. This was the first time that Mitch left the house and let me watch over David. "You click this button twice if you're in danger, okay?"

"Mm-hmm." David nodded frantically. "Can I have a cookie now?"

"Would your dad let you have a cookie?"

"Yes." He answered quickly. I knew he was lying but what the hell. He's a skinny kid.

"Go." He ran out of the room with a big smile. To be that innocent again. If I were a kid again, I don't know what I would do. I would probably eat a lot of food since you don't really gain weight when you're little. "Hey. Take it easy." He was shoving pieces of the cookie down in big chunks. He began taking little bites. I didn't know what to do afterwards so we were watching tv.

"Can I sit on your lap?" David was awkwardly sitting next to me.

"I guess." He plopped down on my lap and after readjusting so he wasn't crushing anything, I was comfortable.

"Do you like my daddy?" I didn't say anything. If I said yes, he would probably ask me to marry him again. If I said no, he would take offense and ask why. "Do you think he's cute?"

"Tell me what you think about him?"

"My daddy is the best friend I could ever ask for. He let's me eat cookies and he reads to me and he was even going to buy me a pet. But we moved." He had such a child voice. It was because he was only three but I think it was the cutest thing.

"How about we convince your dad when he gets back to get you a pet? What do you want?"

"Can I get a spider?!" I laughed awkwardly.

"Uh, no." I don't know when we fell asleep but I was startled awake by David being taken out of my arms. Mitch put a finger to his lips to signal me to be quiet.

"You guys are adorable." He whispered. I watched him slowly make his way up the stairs with a sleeping David in his arms. It was amazing how much David looked like Mitch.

"I think we should get a pet." I sort of blurted it out when Mitch came back downstairs. "David was telling me how you were going to get one before you moved." He sat down on the couch with me. He seemed to think about the situation.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt."

"He wants a spider."

"No way in hell." He shuddered. His head fell against my shoulder. We just sat there in a comfortable silence. I smiled at him lacing his fingers through mine. I jumped at my phone going off. It was a nine-one-one from David. Mitch and I both ran up the stairs to the bedroom.

"What happened?" I ran over to David's bed, grabbing his shoulders. Mitch looked around for any sign of danger. When nothing was found, I let out a sigh of relief. David's wide eyes followed my every movement. "David....I told you to only use this when you're in danger." He played with his small fingers nervously.

"I was in danger. I was scared and you weren't here." I pushed his hair back from his forehead. I kissed the area lightly.

"David-"

"That is serious danger." Mitch interrupted me. "That's why if there is ever a problem you come to Scott and me. If there's someone in the house and you call out and we don't answer, hide. Anywhere. Just be safe. Do you understand?"

"I understand Daddy." He came to sit by David.

"My brave little boy."

"Am I pretty too?" David giggled when Mitch tickled him.

"Very handsome." David hugged Mitch.

"I love you Daddy."

"I love you too baby boy." Mitch pulled away, glancing over at me. "Scott has brought to my attention that we need to get a pet. But it has to be one that we don't need a cage for." David stuck out his bottom lip in a adorable pout. He wasn't going to get a spider. "Get dressed."

"Yay!" He scrambled out of his bed. Mitch and I laughed. It was kind of nice. Mitch wanted to walk since this was a small town and everything was clumped together. David was holding my hand as well as Mitch and he was gripping on tightly so we could swing him back and forth. The little boy was giggling happily. I let my eyes drift to Mitch.

He looked so happy. I don't ever think I've seen him smile so big. Not even in pictures with Chris. Only now with his little boy by his side. Mitch was gorgeous with the smile gracing his face. He's beautiful.

"What are you looking at?" Mitch asked as David was looking in the pet shop window.

"You're beautiful." I saw the red tint come to his cheeks.

"Uh...." I think that's the first time he's been speechless. "Let's go inside." Mitch had a hand on David's shoulder when we went inside. Then the little boy ran away from him to go to the cages.

"Daddy look!" Mitch hummed acknowledgement. I reached a hand out to hold his hand. He looked down at our hands before smiling up at me. We watched David run around the whole store. Then at one of the cages, he stopped and tilted his head to the side with a small frown. He went to one of the employes and tugged on their pants. "Why is that kitty all alone?"

"He's the runt of the family. I guess nobody wanted him." David looked back at the cat with a concentrated look. It was a grey hairless cat with wide green eyes. It was a small kitten. Not even the mother was in the cage so it was small enough to be taken away. It looked so lonely. It was curled up into a ball, staring at David. They both tilted their heads to the side at the same time.

"I want this one Daddy." David pointed at the cat but didn't tap on the glass.

"You're not going to get tired of him?" He shook his head frantically. Mitch pursed his lips in thought. I think we were both thinking that we would get something to protect the house like a dog. But David's eyes were wide and his bottom lip was jutted out. Mitch looked towards me for second approval.

"What are you going to name him?" David's mood grew ecstatic. He came to hug my legs.

"You're the best papa!" I was caught off guard. I had heard Mitch's gasp but when I looked over to where he had been, he was gone. I paid for the cat that David decided to name Wyatt then it was outside to find Mitch. He was leaning against the building. Mitch wiped the tears off his face before smiling at his son with the tiny kitten on a leash.

"Why is he on a leash sweetie?"

"I wanted him to walk. He's not in a cage no more." Mitch kissed David's forehead. We were back at the house when Mitch decided to talk to me.

"I can pay you back."

"No. It's fine."

"No really. You bought the cat and all the stuff-"

"Mitch. I'm serious. It's fine." He was quietly watching David put a sweater on Wyatt. It was too big for the kitten. He was tripping on the sleeves. "Are you okay?"

"He's getting use to you and you're going to leave." His voice cracked slightly.

"I don't have to leave. I can always visit."

"Let's be realistic Scott." He was trying to blink away tears. "You have the same job as my husband and I barely see him. Why would you be any different?"

"Because I don't break my promises." I could see Mitch trying to calm himself down. He was almost in tears. He finally broke and I held him to my chest. I kissed his temple. "Please don't cry Mitch. I hate seeing you sad." I lifted his chin up so he was looking at me. He stood on his toes to kiss me. It took me a couple seconds to relax.

"Scotty?" Mitch slowly broke the kiss. He turned away with his hand on his mouth. David was staring up at me, holding Wyatt in his arms. "Wyatt's hungry." I ruffled David's hair.

"Let's feed him then." As I lead David into the kitchen, I noticed Mitch disappearing up the stairs.

Mitch didn't talk to me for the rest of the night.