Crazy

It didn't escape Garret's attention that Maggie was sitting like him, which caused a strange feeling he'd never experienced. On one had it almost felt good - she was so sweet and so childlike. On the other hand, it made him leery - Nate and Laura knew what kind of man he was, and surely they would not approve of Maggie trying to imitate him in any way, shape or form.

He subtly tried to shift positions so Maggie's attention wouldn't be so obvious. "I didn't come to keep myself safe," he responded evenly to Nate. He'd come to keep Victoria safe with him. And now that his plan had fallen through, he cared little whether he was a walking target or not.

The offer to stay until the rain stopped did come as appealing though. If he was completely honest...he really didn't want to go back out and walk at all. His feet hurt, he was physically tired, mentally exhausted, and had nowhere safe to land. But then...when had he ever? The feeling was nothing new.

He was about to open his mouth and decline, when Maggie's interruption made his eyebrows shoot up again. If she only knew that his manners were but a front to cover up a lying, heartless assassin. His good manners meant nothing other than the fact he'd been trained to behave in public. And he sighed.

He offered her a bit of a crooked smile and glanced back at his plate of half-eaten food. "Well, I'll at least finish my food." But he wouldn't promise any more.

"There's ice cream in the freezer," Laura added. She might not trust Garret, but she knew how hard her husband was trying to show Garret there was a different way to live. A good way. A loving way. A clean way. And that involved family time.

Garret cocked his head, his eyes squinting as he studied her. "Serious?" He looked back at Nate. "Your family is as crazy as you are, you know that?" He wouldn't answer Laura. He wanted to leave. He wanted to stay. He couldn't decide. His heart wanted to. His logic didn't. His spirit longed for this atmosphere. His mind said it was a mistake. 

No cell for Garret!

Maggie couldn't help but let out a small laugh at Garret. There was just something about him, that to her was comforting, likable, and it made her smile bigger than she had in a while. Looking back at her own food again Maggie sat a little taller, and places her arms on the table like Garret.

   "No one wants to keep you in a cell Garret and being with the Elite, is one of the safest places for you to be so the Agency wont find you. But I understand you dont want to go back. I wont force you."

Nate takes a sip of he water looking around the table at his family. Giving a smile to Laura, and than looking to his son, than his sister. They were his life, his family. Something so special to him. He wished everyone could have them, every one could have the feeling of love. He wished Garret had known this more in his life.

   "You are more than welcome to stay here for a little while till the rain stops if you'd like."

Perking up at the mention of Garret staying Maggie looked to him with big eyes before looking back to Nate. A small smile played at the couner of her mouth as she still tried to mimic Garret's composure.

    "No cell for Garret, he has good manners, He can stay. He says yes! Right Garret?"

Maggie looks to Garret again wondering if he really would stay. Her eyes twinkled as she looked at Garret, hopful that maybe he would.

Done

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Garret quirked an eyebrow at Maggie – certainly not offended in the least, and not even really awkward. Perhaps it was amusement that twinkled in the very corners of his eyes. He’d dared to play with his food once as a child. Maybe twice. And that was it. It was simply not allowed where he’d been raised. Seeing Maggie’s innocence accepted at this dinner table was…different. He didn’t know why it made him want to smile, but it did.

Receiving his own spoonful of macaroni and cheese, he gave Maggie a little grin before taking a proper bite. He couldn’t bring himself to suck the cheese out, but he wouldn’t ignore her. “I like eating mine four noodles at a time. I can’t count any higher than that,” he teased. The simple pasta actually tasted pretty good. Maybe it was just because he was so hungry, but maybe it was because it was home-cooked. And the chicken? It tasted awfully good, too. He didn’t like not fending for himself…but maybe this once it was okay.

Sitting straight and eating with fork and knife, one would never guess his former line of work involved such things as deception and murder. But it was also apparent that relaxing at a family meal was not something he was used to. He had a longing to relax, but his body wouldn’t let him.

Nate’s question went unanswered for a few moments as Garret allowed himself to finish chewing and take a sip of water. His eyes roamed his plate as he tried to formulate an answer. The truth? He didn’t know. And that was not a normal part of his former life. He always had a plan. Until now.

“Anywhere but back to an Elite cell.” He glanced at Maggie again, then Laura, not particularly comfortable talking in front of them. Maggie liked him – what if she knew he belonged behind bars?

“It would probably be best if I disappeared for a while,” he finished with confidence. “I’ll find somewhere to establish a new identity until the Agency finds me and­–” He bit his tongue from finishing his gruesome statement about receiving a bullet to his head. “And I’ll deal with it as it comes.” He took another bite of food before looking back at Nate and catching his eye. “Done with cells,” he concluded.