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Once again as Maggie touched his face, Garret's instincts wanted him to recoil. But he didn't. He couldn't. He couldn't break the heart of this girl in front of him with those sorrowful eyes. It was a similar feeling to what he'd experienced when looking down the barrel of his gun at Cassandra. Every man had a breaking point...and he'd found his.

Left with the colored picture, his eyes roamed the page. Some might say it really was childish...but Garret saw her artistic ability, even in this. It was not the coloring job of a child. It was a masterpiece of a young woman trapped inside a world too small for her spirit.

He heard Nate, but kept his back to the three men. He'd go...but only because he'd promised Maggie he would. If it weren't for her, he'd just walk away and force them to take drastic measures.

Reese ran a tired hand over his face and sighed deeply. He glanced at Nate, then held up his hand to stop him, approaching Garret himself first.

Sensing a presence behind him, Garret's reflexes finally broke through. Whipping around, he moved so quickly that Reese didn't even have time to react before he was suddenly in a headlock from behind. Reese's eyes went wide and he took hold of Garret's arm, remembering how Aaron had passed out from the same maneuver. "Garret," he wheezed, "let me go."

Garret's eyes were glaring as he held on to Reese in such a way that the other man simply couldn't free himself. He looked to Nate, then Rick, who, wisely, was not going to interfere. He could choke out Reese right here, then walk away and go his own route. All this...this mess...this chaos...this feeling lost...it would be over.

"Garret..." Reese was running out of breath. "Victoria... Maggie... don't do this." 

Maggie's picture was still in Garret's hand. Was she watching from the house? What if she was? What if she saw Garret take Reese down? What would that do to her? Would she hate him? Be scared of him? And why did he even care? 

Slowly, slowly, he loosened his grip.

As soon as the grip was loose enough, Reese slipped out from his hold. But instead of creating distance, without any warning at all, he spun around to send a swift punch straight to Garret’s mouth.

It was totally unexpected. So much so that it even threw Garret off balance and he stumbled back a step, dropping the picture on the ground. His eyes immediately darkened with a more intense anger as he touched his mouth to find his lip was bleeding.

Reese stepped back into a stance, hands up. “Come on,” he taunted. “You wanna play this game? Let’s go. Come on.”

Garret couldn’t believe Reese would actually challenge him. He was sure he’d sensed fear before, but at the moment, Reese was not only unafraid, he was actually asking for a fight.

Rick tried to intervene. “Reese, what are you-”

“Stay out of this,” Reese barked. He also threw a look at Nate, warning him not to interfere.

That’s all Garret needed. In the split second of Reese’s distraction, he spun around. All Reese saw was a boot, and he was on the ground. Kicked to the head – hard – he was stunned for a moment, wobbling on his hands and knees in the grass.

Garret stood back, hands ready for more. “I’d advise you to stay down,” he warned.

Reese grunted and picked himself up before hurling himself at Garret. All it earned him was an elbow to the face, a knee to the gut, and a swift uppercut that sent him reeling back to the ground. Garret was still standing. Even when Reese tried to kick his feet out from under him, he was fast enough to dodge. “Stay down,” he hissed.

Reese shook his head. “Uh-uh.” Catching his breath, he got up again, and again charged. And again, he was put on the ground. Garret did catch a punch to the ribs, but that was it, compared to all he dished out.

It took all Rick had not to try and break up the fight, and he kept looking at Nate with disgust and irritation for this whole thing. Not to mention, he had a very real fear that Garret would seriously hurt Reese…or worse.

On the ground again, Reese could feel blood running down the side of his face, and his one eye was already swelling. To get up, he grabbed Garret’s leg, trying to pull himself up.

“Do you have a death wish?” Garret snapped, giving him another kick. “You can’t win!”

“I don’t have to,” Reese panted. “I won’t stop.”

“I will kill you!”

“Then so be it. I won’t quit.” Reese finally got himself to his feet again, barely able to stand. “I’m done playing games.” He spit some blood. “Either you kill me, or we go back to the Elite like men and start working together.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” Reese took another swing and was blocked before his arm was wrenched around and twisted behind his back. “Go ahead.” He tried to catch his breath, but it wasn’t easy at this point. “Break it. Break my neck, too. Do it. Be the big man we’re all so scared of.”

Garret yanked him closer and returned to his original headlock position. “You know dang well I could kill you right here,” he growled. “Give it up.”

“I told you I wouldn’t.” Reese hung from Garret’s arm, unable to keep himself upright. “Get it through your thick skull…we’re on the same side now.” He wheezed as he got closer to passing out. “I know you’re tough…you’re bad…you could kill any of us… but… I refuse… I refuse to stop. You’re too important.”

Garret loosened his grip just a little. “What are you talking about?” he asked angrily.

“Stop trying to be a one-man show.” Reese coughed and winced, as his ribs protested. His hands groped at Garret’s arm, but there was no way he could break his grip. “I will…will fight you… I will do whatever it takes…to bring you back.”

“Why?!” Garret gave him a jolt. “Why aren’t you giving up? Why would you rather die here, now, than just walk away?”

“Because you’re worth it.” All of a sudden, Reese was dropped, and he fell to his knees. Turning, he looked up at Garret. “Is that all you got?” He wiped his lip. “I’m not even unconscious yet.”

Garret set his hands on his hips and shook his head. “You are…the dang stubbornnest man I have ever met.”

Reese grinned. “Could be. I know you don’t understand the way we work around here. And I don’t understand the way you work. But if we’re gonna both survive, we’re gonna have to start working on the same page at least.” He eased back to sit, and groaned. Angelica was going to have a heart attack when she saw him, he just knew. Reaching to the side, he picked up Maggie’s picture and held it up to Garret. “I think you dropped this.”

Garret hesitated, then took it from him. His knuckles hurt. His knee hurt a little. But his heart hurt the most. He looked at the picture, then looked back down at Reese. “Some people create beauty…some create war.”

Reese shrugged. “And sometimes beauty can come from war.” He just sat for a few extra moments, finally catching his breath. “Nate?” he called, waving him over. “Two things.” He wiped the side of his face, getting even more blood on his shirt sleeve. “First…help me up. And second, get this guy back to the Elite, and put him in the room next to the infirmary instead of downstairs.” It was still a small room, but at least it was a real bed with a real nightstand and lamp, and a small dresser.

Garret blinked. He’d just beat the tar out of Reese, and he was giving him a better place to sleep? When would this craziness end?

Bad

Looking up at Garret the tears were still in Maggie's eye but the panic was less now that he had agreed to go back with Nate. She didn't want anything bad to happen to Garret, and the mention of death had sent her head reeling. Garret had become important to her quickly, a close friend, someone who treated her normal, someone she loved dearly like she loved her brother.

   "Promise? I don't want you to get hurt, and...I don't want you to run away anymore. I would miss you if you were gone."

Maggie continue to look up at Garret bring her small hand to his face. Sometimes she was slower, and sometimes she didn't quite know how to word things but she understood more than people expected of her, and she new what her emotions told her.

   "You are not bad. No matter what people say, no matter what you have done. You are not bad anymore."

Leaning in Maggie places a small kiss on Garret's cheek before handing him the coloring she had finished. Turning she started to walk back twords the house before stopping in front of Reese and looking up at him.

   "You have to treat Garret good, no more cells. He's a person too you know."

Continuing back to the house Maggie disappears inside. 

Watching his sister go Nate was quiet for a long time. She really did amaze him sometimes. The way she saw the world, the way she saw people, he wished he could see it all like that too. Maggie new what it was like to be different, to not being given a chance, and though it was different in this situation the compassion she had was amazing. 

Glancing at Reese and Rick Nate turned back to Garret and let out a small sigh. Everything had gotten so messy. This is not how he wanted things, this is not what he was fighting for in the Elite. They were the good guys and slowly...the more the FBI choked them he felt like that was bbeing lost.

   "Come on Garret, lets get you back before everyone changed there mind."

Crack

Nate’s words cut to the quick. ReeseNate’se was right. He knew this had to stop. He knew they couldn’t let the FBI tell them how to run. So very much was at risk, though, and at the moment, it was all revolving around this extremely dangerous assassin whom he could not control.

As Maggie burst out of the house, he immediately retracted his hand from his gun, not about to put anyone else in danger, let alone Nate’s sister. All he could do was helplessly watch the pitiful scene unfold. 

Garret took another step back as Maggie ran up to him. Taken completely off guard, he had no idea how to react. He wanted to be angry and tell her to leave – to shove her out of the way and just walk away from this mess. But those tears… her pleading… It felt as if his heart had been stabbed. He didn’t like that feeling at all. And yet he couldn’t shut it off. 

Staring down at her and hearing her words, his facial expression slowly lost its anger. Never had he ever felt quiet like this. She was killing him inside, and he couldn’t fight it. 

Reese took a step forward. Catching the movement, Garret, without even thinking, swiftly took Maggie’s shoulder and stepped in front of her to stand between her and the others like a shield. “Back off,” he growled. “You say one harsh word to her and you’ll forever regret it.”

Reese stopped and swallowed hard. He believed it. Why Garret was defending Maggie so viciously, he didn’t know. But he was not about to argue. He held up his hands instead. “Fine. But make up your mind what you’re going to do. And do it fast.”

Off to the side, Rick was tense with concern. “Garret…send Maggie back inside before she gets hurt.”

“She’s not getting hurt by me or anyone else,” Garret snapped. A long pause followed, the air still thick with tension. He finally let his muscles relax, and turned to Maggie, his hand still on her shoulder. “Go back in the house,” he prompted gently. His hand rose to wipe a tear off her cheek and his heart cracked a little more. “I’ll go with Nate, okay? I’ll be fine. But go back in the house. I don’t want you getting yourself hurt out here.”




Promise

Starting to follow everyone outside Nate looks back to Laura with an apologue. He didn’t know this was going to happen. Once outside he looked between Reese and Garret. He didn’t know what to do anymore. He had a friend, he had a job, he had a boss, and he had another friend. Everything had gotten into a mess faster than he thought it would.

    “This has GOT to stop from the both of you. Since when did we stop treating people like humans? The FBI is hounding us, threating to shut us down, but that doesn’t mean we don’t treat everyone the same.”

No one had been perfect when they came to the elite and somewhere along the line that had been lost. Pulled from his own thoughts as Rick came out a new sense of fear flowed through Nate. This was like a caged animal at the zoo and it could not end well for anyone.

Having followed everyone to the door Maggie peeked out from behind it watching everyone. Garret looks so scared, just like she had when the people had bullied her today. She didn’t understand any of this. Why were they being so mean to Garret.

Slipping out from behind the door with her picture in hand Maggie ran down the step, and to Garret standing in front of him, tears filled her eye.

   “STOP IT!!!! Stop it…please…stop being a bully to my friend. You can’t force him, or hurt him…you just cant.”

Maggie turned to Garret and looked up to him tears still rolled down her cheek. She didn’t like that any of them were making him do anything.

   “You are not bad, you are my friend. Please don’t let them hurt you. Please let Nate drive you so I can see you again. I don’t want to lose the only friend I have. Please Garret…please if they promise to leave you be.”

Looking back to Reese, Nate and Rick pain, hurt, and anger was in her eyes as her voice rose a little bit, tears choked in her throat.

   “Promise, Promise you will leave him alone if he goes back. He was only trying to help. No body is perfect so you shouldn’t act like that. Garret…has…has a lot of po…potential”




Pleading

Reese blinked. Garret had been here? The entire evening? Why? That seemed…odd, to say the least. Following Nate inside, sure enough, there was Garret at the table, just like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Reese’s surprised expression turned to one less than happy. 

Having been paying attention to who was arriving, Maggie’s touch to his hand sent Garret’s reflexes reeling. His gaze whipped her direction, and he flinched – the slightest movement he could manage, when all of his muscles wanted to retract and lash out from being taken off guard. Staring at her worried expression, it was perhaps the first time he realized how easily he could harm someone who deserved nothing but mercy. 

Without time to dwell on it though, he turned his attention back to Reese, and just left his hand be in Maggie’s care. 

Reese sighed. “Nothing has happened – other than this guy’s going AWOL and our dear Agent Young reporting it to his superiors. We’ve got a…” His sentence drifted off as he realized he probably shouldn’t be saying these things in front of Maggie, so he rephrased. “A man who needs to come back to headquarters. Because if he doesn’t, the Elite is as good as done.” 

Garret bristled. “I’m not coming back,” he stated calmly. 

Reese pursed his lips. “I’m afraid you don’t have much of a choice.”

Slipping from Maggie, Garret stood and came to stand in front of Reese, staring him in the eye. “I said I’m not coming back.” 

Reese swallowed hard, trying not to believe he should be afraid at this point. “You are coming back.”

Very calmly, Garret turned, picked up his backpack, put his cap on and aimed for the door without looking back at Laura or Maggie. Only after he’d stepped outside and off the porch did Reese come after him. “You stop right there,” Reese ordered. 

Garret stopped and spun on his heel to glare at him. “This is the second time today you’ve tried that tactic. How’d it turn out the first time? Gonna draw a gun again?” He spread open his arms. “Go for it.”

Reese’s hand was on his holster already, but he didn’t draw. Yet. “You’re as good as dead if you keep this up,” he warned. “With the FBI on your tail, you won’t get far. They know who you are and what kind of a man you are, and they will not allow you to roam the streets free to kill whoever you please. You’ll end up dead, either by the Agency’s hand or the FBI’s.”

“And you care because…?” Garret shook his head. “No. I already told Nate I’m not going back. You can’t force me unless you shoot me and you don’t have the guts.”

“Don’t push me, Garret!”

“Don’t you push me!” Garret’s voice rose to match Reese’s tone. “I’ve had enough of this!” 

“Hey!” A new voice suddenly joined in. No one had noticed Rick come out his own door, after hearing the commotion from the joined house. “What is going on?!” 

Garret backed up a step. Nate, Reese, Rick…he was already calculating his moves. Just like a cornered animal, they were triggering his fight instincts, and his whole body was ready to defend himself. He pointed a warning finger at Reese. “Draw that gun or let me go. Your pick.” 

Reese’s grip on his holster tightened. What good would it do? He couldn’t pull the trigger. Or could he? 

Garret backed up another step but refused to turn just yet. His eyes ricocheted between the three men until landing on Nate. There was more than anger. There was fear. There was pleading to end this. 




It Wasn’t Him!

Answering the door Nate couldn’t help that his heart started to race. He wasn’t sure who would be here at this hour, or what they would want. Opening the door and seeing Reese Nate’s heart slowed but still the look that was in his eye made him worried on what was going on.

   “Reese! Garret is here with us. Maggie was working on a picture for him, and he had dinner with us. Come in.”

Having Reese step inside and follow him to the dining room Nate was only a little worried on how Garret would react. He didn’t think he would do anything to hurt anyone but he also new that Garret didn’t want to go back to the Elite. I really was a shot in the dark on what would happen next.

   “Reese says the FBI is looking for you Garret. What’s going on Reese? Garret has been here most of the night so if anything happened it wasn’t him.”

Maggie peeked around Garrets arm from where she was sitting. Something in the room has shifted and she could feel it. The air had gotten thick. Laying her hand on top of Garret’s she kept it there in a comforting manor, her thumb gently ran over the scar that had not gone unnoticed.




Manhunt

Garret did like ice cream. He couldn’t deny that. But to stay? Really? How could he? If he was going to get away, he should go now, right? Make some distance before dark? Despite the strange pang in the very bottom of his heart, he knew he would decline. It was just better that way. 

Opening his mouth to reply, he stopped when Maggie asked to be excused. Remaining quiet, he listened to Nate again. Maggie…such a sweet, gentle woman with a child’s heart…being made fun of? It made him mad. He didn’t know why. But it did. All she wanted to do was be nice to others…even him…the worst of the worst. 

He finished up the last bite of his chicken and took a sip of water before finally, he gave a reluctant nod. “Okay. I’ll stick around…for a little while, at least until the rain stops.” 

He’d barely agreed, when Maggie returned to show him her picture. And he once again wore a look of surprise. “Wow…you’re doing a good job there.” The compliment rolled off his tongue as easy as anything. A brief memory flashed in his mind...one that still struck a chord deep down. One that reminded him of all the things he had not been allowed to do as a child. Now an adult, it felt quite silly, but he couldn’t deny that thinking of childhood activities – whether baseball or having a puppy or coloring a picture – just brought pain. He’d never say it out loud, though. 

“I don’t think you want these clumsy hands trying to help you,” he carefully declined. He was anything but clumsy, but it was the only excuse he had. “I wouldn’t want to ruin such a pretty picture.” He gave her a smile as he continued to think on Nate’s words. “But I don’t mind if you keep working on it so I can see it when you’re done…since…I’m staying for ice cream…

…It was an hour later. Laura was clearing off the empty ice cream bowls from the table where Garret still sat, watching Maggie finish up her coloring page. Every once in a while he would glance out a nearby window, finding it was still raining. Maybe it was a legit reason to stay a little longer. Or maybe it was just an excuse. Either way, it worked. 

He was just ready to comment on Maggie’s artwork, when the doorbell rang. Immediately, he tensed, the peacefulness shattering. Someone was here. Who was it? He shouldn’t be here. He was endangering this family. He’d been stupid. 

All of that went through his mind, even though he sat very still, not letting on that he was concerned. He did listen intently though, as Nate went to answer the door. 

Out on the porch, Reese waited until Nate appeared. And he wasted no time. “Do you know where Garret is?” he asked evenly, without so much as a greeting. “Because if you do, please tell me now. The FBI is ready to start a manhunt.” 




Coloring Book

   “Don’t worry Garret we will keep you safe.”

Maggie’s response was so matter of fact even if she didn’t know what they were talking about. She went back to eating such seriousness had been in her voice. To her it was just that simple and how things really worked.

As Laura offered ice cream Nate looked to his wife and smiled. He could tell she was leery but he was so thankful she was trying. It meant the world to him and any help he could get was welcomed.

   “I bet with the ice cream we will have some good toppings and some of Laura’s strawberry jam on top. It’s some of the best around, not to mention Maggie is pretty determined to have you stay too. You can’t have two lady’s mad at you.”

Nate hopped that Garret would stay He really did. Maybe he needed this, this time with people in a loving environment. No judgement just being.

   “May I be excused?”

Maggie looked at Nate and than Laura. She was done eating not wanting to leave room for the mention of ice cream. She wanted to show Garret something she had been working on.

Giving a smile to his sister once again Nate nods. Maggie didn’t often eat much but she did always eat till she was full. He wouldn’t make her sit there any longer. Watching her leave Nate shook his head. His sister always amazed him with the things she would do or say.

   “She’s quite taken with you Garret. I’m not sure I can explain why, but she is. Wont you stay? At least to just make her happy? Today was a rough day for her at school as a group of kids through it would be fun to make fun of her. She hadn’t smiled since she got home, but she did when you were here.”

Coming back into the room Maggie was holding her coloring book. Putting it on the table she opens it to a half colored picture of a tiger, with a sun set in the background.

   “Look what I am coloring. Do you want to help me?”