CHAPTER 26

THE DEAL

Inquisitive One

CHAPTER 26

MONTH LATER: HOUSE

"Alright. Lex, are you ready to go?" Sydney asks the girl as she picks up Niko.

Alexa nods picking up her backpack and some books.

"Are you going to the Center after school?" Sydney inquires

"Um actually... I was going to ask you if it was alright if I went over to Rath's."

"Did you ask your father?"

"Um"

Sydney sighs "Alright. I like Rath."

"You do?" Alexa says surprised.

"Unlike your father I'm not inclined to believe the worst of people." Sydney says as they walk out of the house. "Is he picking you up from school?"

"Yes."

"Just not the motorcycle... your father would kill me if you were hurt on one." Sydney says as she opens the back passenger door for Niko.

"What are you going to tell Dad?"

"I will deal with your father." Sydney assures as she starts the car. "You and Rath have been spending a lot of time together."

"We're friends." Alexa shrugs

"I know."

3PM: SCHOOL

Alexa stops on the grass at the edge of the school's property to find Rath leaning against his car waiting for her. When she hears the girls whispering behind her she remains still listening to their conversation.

"Mmm he is hot." One remarks with a purr.

"I wouldn't mind crossing the tracks for that one."

"Who do you think is slumming?"

"Probably Georgia. You know she has a thing for bad boys from the other side of the tracks."

"He's hot. I should go talk to him... introduce him to our world."

Alexa makes her way over to the car.

"Hey" Rath greets gruffly. "Ready?"

Alexa nods "Let's get out of here."

Rath opens the car door for her and once she is in the car he closes it going around to the driver's side. He gets in to see Alexa removing a pair of jeans from her backpack. "How was school?" He asks as he starts the car.

"Pretty much the same as always."

"Getting along with the girls?"

"Still the same." She answers as she kicks her shoes off pulling the jeans on under her skirt. "How was your day?"

"Same as always." Rath shrugs

The two are silent the rest of the drive to Rath's apartment.

WHILE LATER: RATH'S APARTMENT

"How'd your Pop take hearing you're here?" Rath asks as they walk into his apartment.

"Well" Alexa hedges as she drops her backpack on the floor.

Rath looks at her, "He does know doesn't he?"

"No... Daddy's out of the country. Sydney knows where I am." Alexa assures

"And what happens when your father finds out you came to my place?"

"Sydney can calm Dad down." Alexa shrugs "Besides she likes you. She thinks you are good for me. Dad knows we spend time together outside of the Center." Alexa shrugs "Besides we're friends." She looks at the engine in the middle of his apartment.

Seeing her curiosity Rath answers, "I've been rebuilding this one since I moved in. It's been taking me a while."

"You really like working on cars."

"It helps me relax."

Alexa nods

"Want to help me?"

"Sure."

HOUR LATER

"OW" Alexa yelps

Rath looks at her, "Cut yourself?"

Alexa nods

"Let's get it cleaned up." Rath leads her into the kitchen turning on the sink he guides her hand under the water. "Don't want you to get an infection... give your Pop a good reason not to like me."

"Dad doesn't not like you" Alexa states "He just... he doesn't like most people." She watches as Rath gently cleans the wound with soap and water.

Rath turns off the water grabbing a paper towel he dries the wound before examining it, "It's not too deep. Don't need stitches." He looks at Alexa who is staring at him. "Are you OK?"

Alexa nods

Rath reaches out gently brushing her hair back silently groaning he leans in kissing her lightly before pulling back. When she smiles at him, Rath kisses her again slowly deepening the kiss. They stand in the middle of his kitchen making out then breaks the kiss when they need to breath. "I think your Pop would probably string me up if he found out about this."

"Think I'm going to tell him?"

Rath chuckles before kissing her again.

LATE EVENING: HOUSE

Sydney notices Alexa pass the kitchen her clothes streaked with dirt and oil, "Helping Rath again?"

"Yeah. I'm going to go shower." Alexa calls hurrying up the stairs not wanting to see Sydney yet. She enters her bedroom dropping her bag as she heads into her bathroom.

WHILE LATER

Sydney looks up as Alexa bounds into the living room, "If you're hungry dinners in the refrigerator."

"I ate at Rath's." Alexa settles on the couch crossing her legs she watches Niko play. "When is Dad going to be back?"

"He should be back late tonight." Sydney answers

"He's not going to be happy about me spending the afternoon at Rath's is he?"

"I think Sark understands that Rath's one of the few people you're comfortable with. Besides he seems like a good guy."

"He is." Alexa assures

"Alexa... what have you told him?" Sydney asks

"I know no telling people what you and Dad do. I didn't and I won't."

Sydney opens her mouth about to say something when her phone rings. She grabs it flipping it open, "Hello? Oh hi." She walks out of the room as Alexa joins Niko on the floor. "I'm surprised you called me."

"Is Sark around?" Irina inquires

"No he won't be until late. Why?"

Irina sighs, "I guess I should warn you."

"Warn me about what?"

"He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what Mom?"

"Tomorrow is their wedding anniversary."

Sydney looks at Alexa, "He never told me the date."

"I'm not entirely surprised. He's always been closed-mouthed about things like that."

"Yeah." Sydney agrees. "Why are you telling me?"

"He tends to be... out of character for himself around the dates involving Eva. Her birthday... their anniversary... the day he lost them... and until this last year Alexa's birthday... he's short tempered... silent."

"Why tell me?"

"He will do anything to push you away Sydney. I know him well enough that he could pick a fight with you. Have fun dealing with him." Irina hangs up.

Sydney sighs closing her phone. After a few minutes of staring at the phone she returns to the living room.

MIDNIGHT

Sydney walks into the living room where she finds Sark sitting on the couch his clothes in disarray. She notices the bottle of vodka beside him as he stares at a photo album open on his lap. She sits on the arm of the couch, "Sark"

"How was Lexa while I was gone?"

"Fine. She slept through the night." Sydney answers. "Mom called"

"I figured she would tell you. Normally she'd show up... keep an eye on me." He laughs "Derevko playing babysitter for her drunk lap dog."

Sydney winces when he uses the term lap dog knowing she has said it to him many times. "She was worried."

"It's different now."

"Because you have Alexa."

Sark nods smiling faintly at the picture of Eva holding baby Alexa both giggling. "I still miss her."

"After last month... I don't expect you not too. Actually if you didn't... I'd probably be pretty upset." Sydney states

"Oh you mean the fact I pulled the plug." Sark says with a laugh.

"You know I don't mean that. I know this has been hard on you."

"She was something else." Sark muses as he takes a drink of vodka. "She'd probably be pretty disappointed in me."

"How so?"

"Going back to this work. She wanted me to retire... never return." He takes a deep breath, "How was everything while I was gone?"

"Niko drew some new pictures... I put them on the refrigerator. He was pretty good while you were gone."

Sark nods "And Lex?"

"She's good."

"No calls from the school?"

"None."

Sark looks at her, "What aren't you telling me Sydney?"

"Well... promise not to have a freak out?"

"Sydney"

"She spent the afternoon with Rath."

"At the Center? The Park?"

"Um... his place."

"WHAT?!" Sark yells

"Shh you'll wake them." Sydney says quickly. "She's fine. Apparently she helped him work on an engine."

"Syd"

"She's fine. He is good for her Sark. After she spends time with him... she's relaxed... sleeps well."

"I guess. But if he breaks her heart... I break his kneecaps."

Sydney kisses his head, "I'm going back to bed."

"Sydney... thank you" he says uncomfortably.

Sydney nods

Sark returns to staring at the photo album, 'God I miss you.'

EARLY NEXT MORNING

Sark opens his eyes as he feels Sydney crawl into bed beside him, "You OK?" Sark asks pulling her close.

"You know you are pretty cuddly when you want to be."

"Just don't ruin my bad ass rep."

"Sark... I think that was ruined at least for me the first time I saw you with Niko." Sydney laughs

Sark smiles as he remembers holding Niko for the first time.

//3 YEARS EARLIER: HOSPITAL

Sark smiles at the baby in his arms, "He's incredible." He says awed watching as his newborn son squeezes his finger.//

"You two were cute together." Sydney sighs. "I just want to see that again."

Sark winces in realization, 'She's not pregnant.' "Syd" he shifts to look at her.

"I'm fine." She gives him a small smile. She leans up kissing him.

LATE NEXT MORNING

Alexa walks into the living room to find her Dad sitting on the couch looking at the photo album. "Dad" she says happily as she drops beside him.

"How did you sleep?"

"Fine. Why are you looking at that?"

"I was just thinking about your Mum."

"Why aren't you at work?"

"They gave me the day off."

"Sydney at work?"

Sark nods "Niko is at daycare. Do you have plans for the day?"

"No."

"No plans with Rath?"

"No." Alexa snuggles against her Dad.

Sark kisses her head, "Your Mum loved you more than anything."

"Do you miss her?"

"Every day." Sark answers as he turns to the next picture. "How did everything go while I was gone?"

"Good. I helped Rath work on an engine." She shows her Dad her hand with the cut along the side.

"How did that happen?"

"I was holding something and my hand slipped." Alexa shrugs

"Just be careful."

"I will. Rath doesn't let me touch anything dangerous or anything I can hurt myself on."

"Good." Sark nods "I'm glad he's looking out for you." They continue through the photo album Sark telling Alexa some stories about her Mother and their relationship.

MIDAFTERNOON: GARAGE

Rath silently groans as he sees the familiar blond man leaning against his car, "What can I do for you Mr. Thompson?"

Sark winces at the alias, "You can call me Sark."

"What do you want... Sark?"

Sark lifts his brow at the younger man's tone, "I wanted to discuss my daughter."

Rath shrugs "We're friends."

"My daughter is a very... sheltered teenager."

"I'm not going to hurt her. We're friends."

"She's comfortable around you... and that doesn't extend to many people. Don't take advantage of that fact." Sark warns

"I'm not going too." Rath assures "I like Alexa."

"Keep in mind she's only 16... and not as social as most of the women you might know."

"I won't."

Sark stares at him then nods "As long as you don't... I won't protest this friendship. But if it becomes more and you hurt her... I will bury you. Men have hurt my daughter enough... and I won't let anyone else hurt her."

"Either would I." Rath assures "And I won't hurt her."

"Good." Sark walks away

Rath sighs

EVENING

"Alexa want are you planning to do for summer vacation?" Sydney asks

Alexa looks up from her book surprised at the question, "I don't know. I have never had a summer vacation. Tutoring was always year round."

"What would you like to do?" Sydney questions

"I don't know." Alexa says thoughtfully.

"Well I do know the school has a summer school program." Sark remarks

"Sark summer is for fun." Sydney sighs "Let her have fun."

"Bristow let me remind you she's half me..."

"Sark she has your brains not your criminal mind."

"Hey" Sark protests

Alexa snickers seeing her father's expression knowing the two are going to bicker.

"Unlike you Sark... she's not going to cause trouble to have fun."

"Fortunately she has her mother's common sense." Sark says relieved.

"Alexa can you go help Niko get cleaned up for dinner?" Sydney asks

Alexa nods walking away from the counter.

Once Alexa's out of distance Sydney speaks, "You still haven't told her."

"Her knowing won't make this date any easier for me." Sark says coolly.

"Don't you think she deserves to know?"

"Sydney don't." Sark warns, "This is my decision."

Sydney nods

"I know you don't agree with my decision... but its mine to make Sydney."

"You said you wanted to know when you make bad decisions... this is one."

"I made my decision."

"Fine. Your choice."

A few minutes later the kids enter the kitchen, "All clean" Niko announces

"Good." Sark nods

LATE THAT NIGHT

Sark looks into Alexa's room relieved to see the teen is fast asleep curled up in a ball. He makes his way to the bedroom where he finds Sydney reading in bed, "Still mad?"

"I wasn't mad. I'm annoyed."

"Why?"

Sydney closes her book, "She is curious about her mother. To keep this information from her... isn't fair." She watches as he unbuttons his dress shirt.

"She was happy today. I didn't want to ruin her good mood." Sark removes his watch setting it on the dresser, "And that would."

"Sark"

"I couldn't Sydney. I can't."

"You need to tell her."

"I will... I just can't right now." He walks into the bathroom closing the door.

NEXT

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