Thick as Thieves 2: Under Your Command

Chapter 29

"Okay Will, you won't know what an airplane is but...imagine one is flying towards you right now. Nnnneeoooow." Michael made his best plane noise as he flew the spoon of baby food towards Will's lips. The child, who was perched on the kitchen table, refused to open his mouth. Michael sighed. "I don't blame you, kid." He sniffed the unappetising spoonful of mulch and wrinkled his nose in disgust. "This is grim."

He turned around as Alicia came through the door in her old uniform, her hair up high as it used to be. It looked like she'd never been away.

Wash smirked slightly, noticing him staring. "What?" she said self-consciously.

"Nothing. You just look...like yourself." He turned back towards Will and tickled his tummy. Will squealed, causing Michael to laugh. "How was your shift?"

"It was good, actually. A little weird. But good."

Michael stood, holding Will on his hip. He was getting used to carrying the little guy around. "Good. Uh, I've been meaning to talk to you. I volunteered to go on the hunt tomorrow. To kill this dinosaur..." He trailed off when he saw Alicia's expression. She seemed surprised.

"You volunteered?"

"Yeah." He looked confused. "Does that bother you?"

She stared at him. "Don't you think we should have discussed it first? I mean, we're a family now, aren't we?"

Michael readjusted Will on his hip, the baby seemed to be getting heavier and heavier. "Uh. I'm sorry. I didn't think we needed to."

She seemed annoyed. "This is serious, Michael. You could get hurt out there! You need to discuss these things with me first."

Again, Michael struggled to keep hold of Will until Alicia sighed and decided to take the baby from him. Now he was childless, he could let his own frustration out. "You mean the way you discussed it with me before you ran off and sacrificed yourself to let the Shannons escape," he said sarcastically, remembering his confusion as she kissed him goodbye and ran off to get caught by Lucas' men.

She rolled her eyes. "That was different."

"How?"

"We have a baby now for one thing! What if you were killed? You'd deprive William of having a father?"

Her raised voice upset Will, so she took him over to the bedroom and placed him in his crib. Michael watched her close the door so he wouldn't hear their argument.

"Of course I wouldn't want that to happen!" he insisted, trying not to yell. "I just...didn't think."

"You need to start thinking," she said. "I need you, Michael. I need to know we can do this."

He stared at her for a moment, watching her unravel. Her eyes were alight with fear and anger. She was tense. He thought back on all the moments that led them here, all the break ups and make ups, all the fights and one night stands. He loved her, but he remembered never being sure she felt the same, until that night when Lucas had the gun pointed at her forehead. I love you. It was on her lips, before she fell. But now he didn't know if she really meant it.

"Alicia, is this what you want?"

She softened. "What?"

He shrugged. "Do you love me? Now there's not a gun pointed at your head. Did you mean it? Now would be a good time to tell me." He paused, studying her. "I know there's history between you and my father." He watched her gaze drop to the floor, but he continued anyway. "My own brother nearly killed you. Now we have Will. I understand it's complicated. But you need to tell me how you feel."