groovygamers.com

Chris gets Colin the blanket from his trunk to help the young man stay warm and they head back towards Oak Park.  As they head out of the city Chirs calls Colin's mom on her mobile.

CHRIS: "Yeah, he's with me and he's fine.  The doctor's said that he was fine Alex, you wanna talk to him?"  Chris hands Colin the phone, "Hey guy, your mom wants to talk to you."

Colin takes the phone from Chris. "Thank you."

"Mom? It's all right, I'm drenched but I'm fine."

He is so glad to hear her voice, that it's totally uncool for a 14-years old.

Colin can hear the releif in his mother's voice.  She babbels on a bit incoherently for a little while about how she felt when the police called her, but it's hard for him to make out through her crying.  She does finally manage to calm down though, once she realizes that you're okay.

"I'll see you at home okay, and I love you."

Colin remembers that day, and the people in uniform at their door.

"I know, mom. I love you too. See you later."

He waits for her to hang up, then puts away the phone. He twiddles his fingers nevously for a few moments, trying to muster the courage for what he's about to say.

"Chris, I... There was a moment at the labs today... I was a little scared and, well I realized something. And it's only fair that I tell you... it's just... well, a bit awkward to say..."

"Colin, it's ok to be scared.  I want you to know something."  He pauses for a moment, taking a deep breath, "When your mom called be today it freaked me out some.  It hit me pretty hard, and I wasn't expecting it to bother me so much, but the idea of something happening to you really scared me too."  He seems to shift uncomfortably in the seat as he drives, "I just thought it was fiar for you to know that.  And."  He pauses again, searching for the right thing to say, "I want you to feel that you can say anything to me, anything at all.  If you ever need to talk, or just even just sit quietly, I want you to know I'll be there for that.  No matter what else happens.  Okay?"

"O-Okay." he says, his voice nearly cracking. He turns toward the window just in time as a couple big wet tears fall from his eyes despite his best efforts to keep them in. He takes a few deep breaths, and tries to go on.

"Well I was scared, I had to jump down into the labs, it was high, and I told Sarah that if anything happened to me, she was to tell my mom that I loved her and that... that she..."

Another deep breath.

"I've seen her. She began to smile again. I even caught her singing sometimes, and she hadn't sung for years. And when she told me of you, well I didn't understand, I didn't really understand, maybe I was scared, maybe it just felt wrong, because of my dad, but... You make her smile, Chris. You make her laugh, and she has been so lonely, she deserves to laugh. And I really want you two to be together, I want it to work. And you are so nice to me too, and I think we could get along well, we could make it work. Because I like you, I want to like you. Only... You have to tell me that you love her, you have to tell me that you won't make her suffer, ever, because she's special and she has already suffered enough. Can you?"

Some more tears manage to get through, and it looks like there are many more where they came from, pushing against the dam.

Chris finds a spot to pull off the road and stops the car.  He turns towards Coiln, and his voice is a bit strained by emotion as well.

"Colin, I'd love nothing more then to tell you that I'll never leave her, or hurt her.  But, I'm a cop.  I don't like to think about it, but there is a real chance that something might happen to me.  I can tell you this though, I do love her.  And you kiddo."  He sniffles and wipes his eyes, "Let's get you home before we both get in trouble with your mom."

Colin gestures Chris to stop for a little more. He's trying to say something, but at first he doesn't manage to get the words through sobs.

A navy fireman and a cop. Does she only love men that put their life on the line? Then again what did I do today? I thought of her, but I had to do it all the same.

Those are the boy's thoughts, but then the thought of losing Chris too strikes, and it's so painful it just takes Colin by surprise, and he finds himself grabbing the cop's arm and hugging it, sinking his face in Chris' shoulder. This is the first physical expression of affection between them. After a minute or two, when he finally manages to speak, his voice is hoarse. Some of those tears have been waiting for a long time to come out.

"Then just tell me that you'll be careful. 'Cause you're important to us."

"I'm always careful."  Is all Chris can manage through his own tears.

Colin's memory runs wild, bringing up every sort of things. He hadn't realized he missed his father so much. He wonders how he would feel. He vaguely remembers what his parents did together, but he remembers how they looked each other. He remembers the day he put flowers in her hair. His father would want his mother to be happy, he's sure now. And he's also sure his father is watching upon him, that's why he saw him today. Chris won't change that.

Reluctantly, he lets go the detective's arm.

"Let's go now, mom is waiting for us. Just, please, don't tell her what I told you."

The two men  finish the ride home in silence.

((OOC: I'll close this thread.  I'm thinking that your mom might be a little resistant to the idea of you going to the game tonight, but I also think that you'd be able to convince her.  You want to do the scene or just move on to the game?  There is likely going to be a delay until I can close up the stuff the others are going with Megan.))

OOC: No, it's fine to close it here. In the afternoon, though, Colin would like to do some research on Sarah's journal, the net, and maybe some of his mother's book, if they can help. He wants to be a little more sure of what his talents do before he tells his mom about them, so it won't be today. If this is interesting for you too, that is.

((OOC: I'll try to put some stuff up to kind of show what he's discovered.  Then we can figure out a thread and go with it.))