Her breath that had been held was let out as he admitted that, yes, Sphinx was alive…relief and worry mixing into her gaze as she thought of this and then everything he’d said before. She had hurt him, despite everything he’d done and despite how much he’d hurt her, that fact rubbed Angelina more than she’d like to admit. She’d never been a vicious person, a giver and not a fighter, though she’d learned to brawl thanks to her line of work…badly as her bruised hand showed. She’d survived, though the woman she’d once been was a ghostly shell of who she’d become now. She wasn’t as optimistic anymore; jaded might be a better word, though she hated to think that true.
His animated counter to her claim caught her attention and she couldn’t deny the fear his voice held. Had he truly surrounded himself with such a gruesome crowd? The idea worried her, for his sanity and her own. He wasn’t weak, but Stanley had always been the soft-spoken one. Freb had been the baby but Stan was green, she’d realized that when she’d finally meet the rest of his group. The memories of sparing verbally with Tumbler and Sphinx or complaining to Toby about him giving a tug and twist to her already pained heart. No, he must have truly worried over her to put himself through that. ”I have a strong core group of friends and workers Stan, they’d not have let anything happen to me, but no…you’re right. I’d have eventually been alone.” She didn’t want to argue over this, not when there was so many other things they could pick to disagree on, but she wanted him to know that she’d have taken that risk if it meant he’d come home. ”I’d have bared it…to have you back, to know you were okay.” Her voice fading and the glass of water clutched for support as he processed all she’d said, letting tempers shimmer, and egos withdrawal.
”I realize that, you did what you thought was right, it was wrong…but the intention was pure.” She knew this now, but it’d take more than a bunch of apologies and reappearance after all these years. Though she didn’t say this, there was no point, not now. ”It was for her own good, she’d have stayed glued to the garage and under foot with Elden and Rob. Even with moving her half way across the country she still managed to fall in love with cars, despite my hope she wouldn’t.” Head shaken as her tone of voice showed this had been a topic of many arguments between them, Angelina had finally given in, knowing to push against it would have only caused the girl to do it more. His compliment was returned with a wish of her own. ”If only she’d picked up some of your mentalities and less of the emotional roller coaster attributes.” Voice breaking into a chuckle as she sighed, their daughter was a handful and then some.
He thanked her for the properties and she shrugged. ”It’s nothing. Its what family does.” They had been her family, she had simply looked out for them as they had tried to do for her and the others by leaving…silly as the idea had been. Then and only then did she talk about Sphinx being alive. ”Sasha is going to freak. Elden might shoot him.” A cringe as the idea came to mind. ”He’s a Marine Sniper.” Yes, their daughter had a crush on a jarhead.
The light tension that had been present since they’d sat down grew like a thunderous storm cloud as he spoke of what she wanted from him. Hazels lowering to the nearly empty glass of water as she contemplated what to say or do. What did she want? For so long she’d simply wished him home, but now that he was here? She wasn’t even sure. She’d cried for months, years, reaching for him in her sleep only to find the bed empty. She’d called Rob his name so many times. She’d dreamed of this day for so long, but now that it was here she didn’t know what to do. She was nearly speechless and it showed. Though as he voiced going back to Chicago she spoke without thought. ”No!” The horror that he’d run away again evident on her face as she shook her head and tried again, this time talking in a more rational voice. ”No, don’t leave. You have reasons to be here besides Desiree or me. If what you said is true, Tumbler will be showing up any day and calling a meeting. I’d prefer you to be here than me having to face all that alone…I don’t think I can be there for all the other ladies if you leave now.” It pained her to say that, but it was true. She needed him, and while she may never be able to have him in the capacity she’d once had him, she couldn’t forgo the fact she’d always desire him.
”I want…I want you to stay. To fight, for us, for this.” Hand waving around them to the bar and theoretically the whole situation, ”I need you to fight for us, because if you don’t? Desiree will never respect you. I need to know you want this as bad as I do Stanley, because god help me I want this to work…despite it all? I want this to work.” She was shaking and upset to realize a tear was falling down her cheek as she spoke this, voice breaking as she turned away thinking of moving back behind the bar, but pausing. Could he fight for them? He’d trained himself to run away to protect them, it wasn’t in his nature to fight for her, but to martyr away the pain…she didn’t need a martyr anymore, she wanted a man…she wanted him.
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Angelina Uris
An Angel In Waiting
Club Alien Owner
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Waiting on an angel.
One to carry me home.
Hope you come to see me soon,
cause I don't want to go alone,
I don't want to go alone.
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