You Are MINE (Trentham#2) (Completed)

2. Grief

Dallas greets, "Haven't seen you here for a long time, Hanks."

The Jackson gym is packed as usual. Commoners and nobles are boxing without any differences in social status. This is probably the only place in England where your birth status doesn't mean much.

Hanks looks around. He is angry. No, that's understatement.

He is furious!

He has been away for just few years. When he got back to England soil, he learned his older brother has died. Killed in a phaeton crash. As the only son left, It would be his responsibility to take care the estates.

I never asked for this! He is supposed to live longer than me. Taking care everyone. He was born for that role. Not me. I'm the black sheep in the family. Nobody likes me.

He closes his eyes. Another grief washes over him. His big brother was so different from him. He was always so cheerful. So full of life.

How could he die in such young age?

Hanks punches the sand sack with all his might for a while. Punching it never brings any satisfaction.

He stares up and his gaze meets with Dallas.

The owner sneers and mocks, "You wanna challenge me?"

"Punching you would make my day," says Hanks.

"You would get the beating of your life. Don't say I didn't warn you."

The others cheer for them when the boxers enter the ring. They are both good fighters. Hanks manages to punch few jabs to the boxing champion.

Damn!

Only one strong hook to his jaw and his light is out.

Dallas stretches his body. His records still stands. Undefeated.

He almost got it there. Defeated in front of his loyal customers. Hanks is quite good in boxing. Although people said he is better in using a sword.

Thanks to Hook's tip. One night many years ago, he's drunk in a bar. He said Hanks jaw is rather weak compared the other spots.

*****

Hook asks, "Feeling better now?"

He has rights to be worried. Hanks is kinda their informal leader. The one with cool head. It wasn't his style to challenge a boxing champ.

Patch is the glutton and the ammo guy. He prepares guns and foods for them. Hook is the mouth. Hanks is the brain. That has been the arrangements since they first started working as a team in battlefield.

Hook shakes his head.

He comments, "Never see you in this state. Maybe it would be the year you end your life."

Hanks rubs his jaw. It's pretty swollen.

He says, "I'm not pulling the trigger. Don't bury me yet."

Hook chuckles.

He says, "I mean you would fall in love and get married. The end of your free lifestyle."

Hanks laughs dryly.

There is only one woman I love. And she has married another man.

Hook adds, "Stop thinking about her. She belongs to Val. No longer our little princess."

They are the OC crews. Outcasts. Without Nessie, they are no longer needed.

Hook says, "I know it's hard to loose someone you sworn to protect. But she's happily married. Not dead. So we should be cheering for her."