Andi laughed, turning her face into Hector's throat.
"Mm." She finally managed. "And maybe the sun won't rise tomorrow either." She couldn't blame Paige for her fixation.
Not in the least. And the girl was straight forward about it to. But she doubted dropping a car on her would shift the
girl's focus from Hector. Since she was no threat, Andi could afford to feel sympathy for her. If Hector had wanted any
of the other women he would have had them already. Long before Andi had come along. But he hadn't. He'd been
waiting for her...
The thought made her smile and she pressed a kiss against his jaw before shifting away enough to move on to the
next display, all blown glass and color. Gentle she ran her fingers over one of the graceful surfaces.
"In our tribe, her name's Nili. She's older than old with deep laughing wrinkles and she knows women are pregnant
even before they do." She chuckled. "Everything that's happening finds its way back to Nili. And she remembers
everything. Any situation from any year. She keeps better records than Da and he writes it all down." She slid a look
at him. "She'll like you. She always said no man is worth having if he doesn't laugh."
"A bit better than my grandmother's theory." Hector said with a chuckle. "Hers went for both sexes. Never trust a man
with soft, smooth hands." Come to think of it, Robert's hands had been pretty smooth, so had Cole's (so much for the
weekend adventurer!). He'd noticed that when they'd shaken hands, his grandmother's words so ingrained into his
brain.
And his grandmother had yet to be wrong, really.
"Mm." Andi hummed her comment. Pausing in front of a jewelry display a local craftsman had created. Fingers gently
moving over one of Hector's palms to slide to his fingertips. Hector's hands weren't soft. But they were gentle enough
to take her breath away at times. Strong, competent hands and though he'd like to think she forgot, she remembered
what they could do to a man. But they were also strong enough to hold her when her world fell apart and to drive
away the waking nightmares. She leaned back against his chest with a sigh and rested his hand over her stomach,
her hand over his.
"All the men in my life that have ever meant anything to me have had callouses on their hands." She commented.
"And they've always been the men capable of the greatest gentleness too. Your grandmother sounds like she knew
what she was talking about."
"My grandmother was just entrenched in the working class, couldn't imagine what someone with smooth hands did all
day." He said with a chuckle. "Heck, she was a piano player and even she had callouses." All the repetitive movement
on the fingertips after all. "She was also a big believer that idle time left you vulnerable to all sorts of bad influences."
"Mm." Andi gave it some thought with the edges of her lips fighting to curve upward. "Bad influences..." she nodded
against him. Tilting her head to look up at him with laughing eyes. Shop perusal complete so now she only had him to
focus on. Not ever a bad thing. "What would she say about idle time in the dark corner of a night club then?" She
teased.
"Well..." he drawled out, thinking about that. "It's got live music, I think, due to her appreciation for music, she'd
consider it time well spent. More or less. I think she'd turn a blind eye to the dark corner part. She was also well aware
of what music can do to people, 'snagged' my grandfather that way at least. So I don't think she'd consider that idle
time."
"Mm" Andi gave it some thought with the edges of her lips fighting to curve upward. "Bad influences..." she nodded
against him. Tilting her head to look up at him with laughing eyes. Shop perusal complete so now she only had him to
focus on. Not ever a bad thing. "What would she say about idle time in the dark corner of a night club than?" She
teased.
"Well..." he drawled out, thinking about that. "It's got live music, I think, due to her appreciation for music, she'd
consider it time well spent. More or less. I think she'd turn a blind eye to the dark corner part. She was also well aware
of what music can do to people, 'snagged' my grandfather that way at least. So I don't think she'd consider that idle
time."
She grinned wide at that, eyebrows going up.
"Really?" She asked, delighted by the concept. Always hungry for stories. "How did her music 'snag' your grandda?"
"His sister dragged him to a recital where she was playing, then he stalked her until he got the courage to ask her
out." Hector said with a laugh. "You know, showing up at her recitals and shows, where she gave lessons...I think she
was on the verge of calling the police on him actually..."
She laughed at that, a quiet bubbly sound.
"Poor man." She shook her head. "And then she rounds him out on their first date for almost getting into a fight." She
tipped her head back to give him a smile. "It’s a good thing the Garrett men are persistent." She remarked.
"Yeah we are." Hector said. "At least for things and people that are worth it, and we're good judged on that besides."
He said and kissed her. "Come on, let's go find our dark corner to be productive and non idle in."
"Promises, promises." She laughed quietly, still smiling as they exited the little shop and rounded the corner to the
small night club. Music was already drifting out of the open doors and the band was enjoying themselves as they
warmed up. There were people at the iron cast tables outside the club but not too many and the club wasn't full yet
since it was still early. Several waitresses circled the room, stopping off at tables as they went and the man behind the
bar looked up from the beers he was filling as they came in and gave them a welcoming smile. Since Hector was
steering it gave Andi the opportunity to look around and enjoy the atmosphere that had been subtly created with the
lighting and the arrangement of the tables and booths. The band on the stage looked eccentric enough to be
authentic instead of something the tourist board might promote.
It was a lively jazz club, which was good. Sometimes blues music could be just that, blue and depressing. Jazz was a
creature all its own though, and completely original to Louisiana, and the musicians treated it just as reverently.
He guided her over to the bar, to get their drinks before everything got crowded, still not sure how she'd be with
crowds, so he wanted to avoid that if he could.
"Hey." He said, and Jeff, the bartender grinned.
"You were just out to eat, weren't ya?" He said with a laugh. "Jenny done called me already and told me to be on the
look out for, how'd she put it? Ah, 'unbearably cute couple.' Think that's you. So what can I get for you?"
"Soda for me would be fine." Hector said, chuckling over the description and ducking his head a bit at that.
Andi's skin was pale enough that it didn't take much to change the color of it and her face absolutely washed with light
now as her quiet smile bloomed into a full grin.
"Oh." She laughed. A real, full laugh, leaning into Hector's side, fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt. "Whatever we
tipped her it truly wasn't enough. I've never been 'unbearably cute' before." Though Hector, embarrassed by the
phrase and the attention, surely was working on it at the moment. Jeff got the full impact of her bright smile just for
being the one to tell them so.
"Please. A soda for me too. Coke if you have it?"
Hector paid for the drinks as Jeff poured them, anxious to get 'out of the spotlight' or whatever it was that he was in.
"Thanks." He said and looked for a table, finding a booth in the back. "Dark and shady, just like you ordered."
Cute? maybe her.
"Mm." It was a pleased sound and she shifted to snuggle close to his side as he slid onto the bench next to her.
Feeling - better. It was a build, a step at a time back to where she had been. But it helped. Hector set everything right
inside her. Let her breath. And - 'unbearably cute' as a couple? It was surprising how nice that was to hear.
Not that Hector couldn't have gotten away from that kind of attention as quickly as possible, she thought with a quiet
laugh. And she knew it wasn't the fact they were a couple, but the fact that he'd been pegged as 'cute' that had him
squirming.
"I should tell Jo about this." She commented with a smile. Raising her head to look up at him. "She'll never let you
forget the fact you're 'cute'."
"I'll deny it." Hector said with a chuckle. "Until I'm blue in the face. That rates just below Swanson saying he's
'emotionally aware' or whatever he said in things no man likes to hear, or say for that matter. I'll tell Jo you misheard,
with all the music, and his accent, and he said that YOU were cute. Cause, well, you are."
She laughed contentedly against him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"You know you have friends that delight in making you fidget." She chuckled. "Even if he did say I was cute - which he
didn't - she'd still jump all over my 'mishearing' and use it as ammunition." She sighed, relaxing into his warm and the
familiar feel of him. "So I won't tell." She gave him a soft smile, face softening as well. "Though, for the record,
sometimes you are cute. But I'll keep that my secret."
"Yeah, I know." Hector said. "But you're still delusional. Maybe I should have you drug tested...mighta gotten a hold of
some of that stuff they were putting into me back in the infirmary, that stuff is seriously mind blowing."
She chuckled, curling her fingers lightly in the fabric of his shirt against his chest. Lifted her face to brush the tip of
her nose lightly against his, lips smiling.
"I certainly found it quite educational." She quipped. "But the only way I could have ended up infused with it was if you
somehow passed it on to me through contact of some kind." Her eyes were laughing in the dim light. Making it up as
she went along. "Can't imagine what kind of contact though.”
The music was nice background music, but that's really all it was at this moment, background music. Certainly nothing
in the forefront of their minds or their attention, and he didn't overly mind.
"Oh I bet I can think of some examples." He said with a chuckle. "Might even know the big old medical words for them
as well, certainly spent enough time with them being thrown at me after all."
"Yeah?" She smiled. Loving that look on his face, in his dark eyes. Today had been hard on him too. And long before
it had turned that way for her. This was good for both of them, though she knew he was doing it with only her in mind.
And the thought that he was only worrying about her filled her with a warmth and comfort she couldn't begin to
measure. Gentle she brushed a kiss against his lips. "I suppose that's what happens when you spend enough time
with medical people. I've heard they're a bad influence."
"Oh completely." Hector said. "Course I'm still not going to go to physicals, or anything of that nature, and the
infirmary is a little too clean and shiny for my tastes..."
The bar wasn't the flashy type, Jeff wasn't doing weird tricks with bottles while pouring drinks, there were no girls
dancing on either tables or the bar itself. There was a good deal of smoke, but not over-bearingly so, and the only
direct lights were on the small stage where the band switched to pure New Orleans jazz, with a cover of a Louis
Armstrong tune.
She chuckled against him and snuggled in to rest her head against his shoulder. Fingertips light over the steady beat
of his heart. The band was enjoying itself on the stage and the customers were carrying on their conversations in
pleasant murmurs. She was sure on a weekend the place would be much more boisterous but for now it was early
enough in the evening that things were simply friendly. The corner Hector had picked out for them was private and
dim, just as he'd promised. She exhaled softly and it moved down her back, relaxing her a bit more.
"Well." She murmured, shutting her eyes for a moment. "I suppose I can live with you not enjoying military infirmaries.
I've been told heath care professionals enjoy tormenting you. Can't remember where I heard that rumor at the
moment..." the edges of her lips curved. "And I would hate to think anyone was tormenting. Outside of me of course."
Hector chuckled and stroked her hair as she rested on his shoulder, drinking his soda with his free hand. "Never know
how rumors start. I'm after money and you're after a green card, remember? But I can tell you, the one about health
care, completely true. Down to the letter. Maybe even with some nefarious plans I don't know about yet."
She laughed at that, opening her eyes but careful not to move her head too much. She loved the feel of his hands in
her hair. Though half lidded eyes she watched the band on stage.
"If they are planning 'nefarious' they'll need to clear it with me first." She smiled, lifting her head just enough to press a
kiss to his jaw without dislodging his hand. "I have my own plans. Everyone else has to wait."
She gave a pleased smile and tipped her head to look up at him.
"We do make good plans." She agreed. "But we do good at not following them too. That usually turns out quite well."
Her smile softened and she reached up to gently brush the curling hair back from his forehead. "Tonight has turned
out quite well despite itself. Thank you for that."
"You're welcome." He said. "I'm having a great time too. Nothing like great food, good music, friendly people and the
one you love right there to make the whole messiness of the day disappear for a bit."
"It was a messy day." She agreed, lowering her face again to close her eyes. "I suppose we should be glad. I think we
got as much of it over with in as little time as humanely possible." Her lips curved slightly. "After all, I've heard
someone's motto is something along the lines of 'not doing anything half way'."
"Damn straight. That way you don't have to do it again." He said. Then he sighed. "I have no idea what Cassie said to
you, but I knew she'd go on the attack sooner or later, so yeah, I stuck you with it. Because it was going to happen
sooner or later. Just...sooner I'd know about."
She shut her eyes tighter and offered him a weak smile he couldn't see anyway.
"I just don't think your family is going to be too thrilled with me for a while yet." She didn't like not being liked. She
could handle it and often, in the grand view of things it was easy to brush off. What did someone's opinion matter if
they didn't know you? But - it got - wearing. The constant rub of it. After a while - it started to - wear at you. Inside.
And it was always worse when you were actually trying to please someone. Her ratio of women that liked her to women
that hated her on sight was woefully unbalanced in this country. She exhaled. "Don't worry. I'll make them love me.
How can they not come around when I'm so cute?"
"Let them not be thrilled with you. I'm thrilled with you." He said. "Its been a long time since I've really cared what
they've thought. If I put too much stock in that, I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now in life." Probably never
would have left home for his grandparents, probably working in a factory somewhere, maybe even a drunk like his
father. The twists and turns of life.
"Well, for the record, I think you're amazing." She lifted her face to look up at him. "You've done a wonderful thing with
your life and its something you can be proud of. You're a good man." Serious, eyes on his, she told him: "And I'm so
very proud of you."
"I try." He said. "But thanks. It...means a lot to me." Last person to tell him they were proud of him, without strings,
were his grandparents, when he graduated basic. And went on to become a Delta. They died shortly thereafter
though.
Gentle she slipped fingers along his cheek. Eyes soft for his. There was nothing else in the world at the moment. Just
him... and that look in his dark, dark eyes... Tender she brushed his waving hair back from his ear. He was amazing.
And someone very worth being proud of. It meant something precious to her that he let her say that.
He kissed her forehead. They'd both been through the ringer, put there by people who had no business trying to
interfere in the first place. Hiding away from it all was starting to sound like a good idea, it was never a bad idea to get
out of crossfire, after all. Usually that was pretty damn smart.
Andi smiled as his lips touched her forehead. There was such a tenderness laced through the way they loved each
other. It always whispered something so warm and soothing to her soul. With a soft, humming sound she shifted
around to slip into his lap. Tucking both legs up on one side of him and wrapping her arms around him, she settled in
with a content smile.
It had been a rough day. But that was all right. Because she had this at the end.
She'd never had someone to wrap her arms around who returned the favor and could make the rest of the world
disappear at the end of hard days before. Now she wondered how she'd managed without for so long.
It was definitely nice background music, as the band went into full gear and blasted out some covers of Louis
Armstrong.
No one had ever wanted to walk through the fires with him, certainly not his family, w ho tried to stand around looking
like innocent bystanders, or just leave like Pete and Sara did. Pete and Sara might be the smart ones in the family,
come to think of it. They were all willing to let him fight the monster, but not willing to back him up on any of it. Made
for a lonely road, that was for sure.
Much in the same way she faced her family, having done it on her own for so long, had tried to talk him out of going
along with her.
It felt good not to be that alone anymore when it counted.
Hector wasn't the non-talker everyone assumed he was. At least not around her. And she knew it was a blessing. But
that didn't mean they always needed to talk either. Sometimes it was a good thing to just be. And there was a comfort
and a peace and a melting together that went on than too.
Andi sighed out again. Last knotted muscles in her back slipping free as she closed her eyes. The music played
somewhere on the edge of her world and she listened to it. And the rhythm of Hector's slow breathing and the steady
reassuring beat of his heart. The ice melted slowly in her drink, watering down the soda she'd only taken a few sips
out of. Andi was finally contentedly warm again, the last of the ice melting out of her bones too.
This was the way it should be. To always - always - have someone who loved you and refused to leave you alone in
the dark and cold. To have a place of peace to come back to no matter what happened outside that would be waiting
to wrap you in his arms. To have someone to sooth the raw tears on your soul. And to come to you for the same
reason. Because it was healing to be trusted to heal too.
The bar got a bit fuller but still not badly so. It was a lazy night outside and the atmosphere carried into the shops and
clubs as well. The band took a break and than took requests. And Andi simply soaked it all in, drowsy with
contentment but not tired. Strangely, she would still mark this day up as a wonderful one if asked.
After a long, calming, relieving time, he finally spoke, softly, as if the very timbre of his voice would startle the moment.
"Come on, let's get out of here before last call." He said. Practical, as he was down to his bones. Less chances of
meeting a drunk driver if they were all still drinking after all.
She sighed out softly but it was in contentment, not in protest. Lifted her head from where it had come to rest on his
shoulder and pressed a soft line of kisses along his cheek before pulling away a bit. Eyes warm and relaxed and
content as they met his. Tender, she brushed her fingers down his face.
"All right." She agreed, voice just as low and soft as his. Smile the same way. Smooth she slipped out of his lap and
stood up. Offering her hand and it was less to help him up than to simply link with him again as soon as possible. She
felt - peaceful. Deep in the soul of her. And - free again. Not tied up and knotted but as if she were breathing fully
again.
And when he stood up it struck her again how tall he was. And what a wonderfully handsome man he was. The edges
of her lips curved even more and she leaned up to kiss him again. Lips brushing his. Against those lips, still smiling,
she whispered:
"And you didn't even have to dance."