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 Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:12 pm
The man tipped his head to the side, but followed him in. Both of them dripped on the floor of the store. He was tall and blonde, greying at the temples, with kind eyes.
"Out of the rain for a minute." He mentioned softly, looking at the displays and picking out a soda. "You want one?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:13 pm
Derek was looking at the man like he had two heads.
No way. This guy was ashes in an urn in the middle of New York.
"Ah...no. Thanks."
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:17 pm
The man just grinned and paid for the soda. "Thank you kindly." He said softly. "Don't find many people willing to help anymor-"
And then there was screaming metal and the sound of something heavy hitting a phone pole. The man's eyes got huge and he looked outside. "Lord-!"
And what had moments ago been a fixed car was now two cars, smooshed together and pushed into a pole, the driver a bloody mess on the road.
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:19 pm
Oh, God. Had someone been crouching to change that tire...and that pole over there...
He motioned for the store owner.
"Call 911," he said nonchalantly. She went to do just that.
Derek stared at the wreck.
"This is gonna seem like a really strange question, sir, but do you have a son?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:20 pm
The man stared out at the wreck, eyes large.
"...He's thirteen." The man said. Holy Jesus.
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:22 pm
No more words. Derek made a break for it, groceries occasionally spilling into the road as he sprinted back to the safehouse.
There was still a chance that this was all coincidence.
When he arrived, he handed the food to Wally and held out his hand.
"You got a picture of your dad on you?"
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:23 pm
Wally nodded, starting to nom. He fumbled with his wallet and offered out an old, folded family picture.
...Well, the man looked familiar, Derek!
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:24 pm
Derek swallowed hard.
"I just saved your father's life."
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:25 pm
Wally dropped the food he'd been eating.
"What."
Erik looked up as well. Derek?!
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:26 pm
"I helped a guy on the side of the road. I wasn't thinking. He had a flat tire," Derek rambled, staring at the picture. No way.
"It was raining, I couldn't see. Wally, it was your dad."
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:27 pm
Wally ignored the food, and moved towards the door with surprising speed. Erik caught him before he got there, holding him back.
"Please, Cap, Please-!"
"Son, I can't let you go out there!"
"PLEASE."
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:29 pm
Derek wandered over and held Wally from behind.
"When we get back, you'll remember all of the time you two missed. You'll have your father at home."
No more dates with mom, though!
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:31 pm
"Please," Wally begged again, knees buckling. "Please-" Please let him see, Derek. Just let him go across town, look in a window, see if Daddy came home that night, see if Mom ever went to sleep. Please. Please let him see if hope was stupid.
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:32 pm
"I don't want to get your hopes up," Derek sighed, holding him tighter, "Just know that your father wasn't killed in a crash."
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Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:33 pm
Wally clung to him and cried until he fell asleep, holding onto his shirt like the last safe thing in the world. Erik sighed and sat by the door. Jeeeze.
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