Fosters: Blackhawk (22 page)

“Where ever you're goin.”  He
smiles. 

I flip my ear piece on.  “Blackhawk
on.”

“Baxter’s Watcher in Ops Blackhawk.”

“Need the 20 on One.”  I throw my leg over
my bike.

“Surveillance at the Office Blackhawk, he’s
waiting for you.”

“Roger Watcher, Blackhawk out.”  I flip the
switch and ride to the office.

CJ

I open my eyes and smile.  "Love to see
that smile baby."  He says then kisses my head.  

How the hell did he pick me up without me
knowing?  Friggin pain meds. "Glad you're back.  We heard
you earlier.  It gave me comfort knowing you were out there
keeping us safe."  

He smiles, "You're fuckin perfect.  I'll
always work to keep you safe."

"I know."  I rise up and kiss him.
 

"The kids are waiting to eat.  If you're
not ready I'll tell them to go ahead."  He's so damn sweet.
 

"Don't you dare I'm friggin starving.  We
missed lunch then I came to bed."  He stands in one fluid
motion and carries me out of the room.  I hold my chest and
laugh.  "What? You need to eat.  I'm making sure you
eat."  Everyone at the table laughs.  

"Don't even try to fight it, Danny is the same
way.  I speak from experience."  Kate says from the other
side.  Jess agrees then the kids agree.  Danny throws
chin to Cloud.  I just smile.

Looking at the table I moan, "Spaghetti.  I
can eat spaghetti."  

"Cloud left me a list of foods.  This was
the easiest to make for everyone.  The kids did a good job."
 

"Thank you."  I say to him and the
kids.  I kiss Clouds cheek and thank him for being perfect.
 

"Got new job, be home more."  Steve
says. 

I look at him and decipher then smile at Cloud.
 "What are you doing?"  

He gives Steve a look then smiles at me.
 "Same thing but working for both Baxter's and the MC. 
Pres is buying a helicopter; I'll fly like I do now."

"He's buying one!  Nice.  I like the
artillery on it.  Tell me it's loaded?"  Danny says
making Steve and Cloud laugh.  

"Switchin pilot controlled guns to make it the
same."  Steve says. 

He's all excited.  "Fuckin Nice!"
 Kate laughs.  

I look around, "Where's Tess and the twins?"
 I ask Patches.

"Date night.  She's with Rich.  I
think they're doing dinner at home though.  She was tired
too."  

"That's so sweet."  I tell him.  He
smiles. 

Danny laughs.  "Tiny tells me you thought
your meds were really good when you pulled in." Danny says.

I hold my chest and laugh.  "Yeah, seeing
my house on a different street threw me."  

The kids start talking about the house. 
Patches let them walk through earlier.  I'm getting tired and
turning my head back and forth is hurting.  Jeremy comes and
climbs up on my lap.  Shit he's pulling my shirt and it hurts
my neck.  Cloud moves my chair out and repositions
Jeremy.  He holds on to me and takes Clouds hand.  I feel
the heat like last time.  Christian tells Jessie to hold
Jeremy's hand.  I look at him.  "He's stronger."  He
says.  I nod like I know what he means.  I guess I'll
find out.  He friggin laughs.  

Jessie comes over and holds Jeremy's hand. 
Friggin heat is zinging through me.  "Oh."  I take a
breath. 

Steve laughs.  He moves to Jessie's side.
 

Cloud moves Jeremy's hand to Steve.  Then
takes a deep breath.  "Fuckin hell! That messes with your
head."  

Christian laughs, "Little Ben or Brenna would be
better."  

Little Ben nods and moves to Steve.  As
soon as he takes Jeremy's hand the zinging heat spreads through me.
 "Holy shit!"  

Joey laughs.  "Look at her Cloud she's
glowing."  Ally and Alex laugh.  Everyone watches. Jeremy
lets them go after a minute or three and kisses my cheek.
 

Cloud lifts him off me and hugs him.
 "Thank you Jeremy.  Next time not so long."  I look
at him.  He's barely keeping his eyes open.  I put my
hand on his back and thank him.  I have tears running down my
face.  He gave me a piece of him. 

"Little Ben touch him."  Christian
says.  Both Little Ben and Jessie touch his back.  We're
all just watching.  "He says it's enough."  I look at
Christian he's crying.  Kate holds him.  "He loves you
and said whatever it takes."  My eyes snap to Cloud.  He
smiles rubbing Jeremy's back.  

"Feelin better?"  I look up, Steve is
talking to me.  

I turn my head and laugh.  "Much
better.  Thank you, all of you."

"We always take care of our girls.  Jeremy
is right, whatever it takes."  Jessie says.  

Kate and Patches laugh.  Then we all do, it
feels ok, I'm not holding my chest.  "Need to protect him."
 Steve says looking at Cloud.  He nods and looks at
me.  I blink twice.  

Friggin kids.  

Cloud

Fuckin kids.  Kate and CJ get the kids
showering.  My head is clear from whatever Jeremy does. "Need
to be in the wind."  Steve says.  "He touches you, go to
the wind.  Won't fuck your head." 

I nod.  That's where he went in the
hospital.  I'll try it next time.  "Does it hurt him?"
 

"No but drains him, somethin with the
energy.  Little Ben and Jessie gave somethin to him. 
More would drain them, he didn't want that.  He can get it
back.  Like Tess when she sleeps."  He's looking out the
patio windows.  

"He made her better didn't he?  He heals
with that energy, like the doctor said Reiki?"  

"Somethin like that yeah.  I get it from
Christian.  He doesn’t understand but gets enough to help."
 He looks over at me.  "We have warrior.  They have
more.  The kids here all have somethin.  They're
different, better.  We need to guard that so they can do what
they're supposed to.  Old Pres was groomin Ben to be a new
kind of Pres.  Makin it better for the kids.  He knew but
died before he could pass it down."  

"Ben understands about the way it is supposed to
work.  He has a compassion and vision in him that created all
that we are.  He draws men and the special kids in.  We
protect him just like the kids.  Me, Steve, you, Casper, Rich,
Tiny, Driscoll, Bob, Geek, Chet, Sam, Allan we all are
warriors.  Ben, Patches, Dave, Bull, Digs, strong men but with
more compassion, empathy and they're more open to see what we have
to work for.  They need to be protected by the warriors so
they can make it work.  From what I see, it works the same at
the Baxter's, they just don't see it." Danny says from the
couch.  He's looking at the water. 

Steve smiles, "What he said."  I
laugh.  Fuck it feels good to laugh.  

"Jeremy will draw strength from his sleep but
some will come from Jacob.  That's why there are two. 
Jacob will be like Jessie and Little Ben, the warrior but one that
needs to be protected.  Steve's right, they're different,
better, stronger."  

"How the fuck do you know this shit?"  I
ask him smiling I have them aligned different but close. 

"Watching the women, their strength, their
ability to cope and come out stronger from the wars and challenges
the Club has gone through.  Then the kids, how different they
are.  You didn't tell your kids to be good for us.  You
knew they would be.  All of them are like that.  Never a
problem, ever.  They're all beautiful to look at, like the
women, every fuckin one of them is beautiful.  Not an average
looking woman, not an average looking kid.  Not one. 
Even Ally and Alex are beautiful, the Down syndrome is evident but
doesn't take away from that beauty, it enhances it.  It's
fuckin weird for all that to be in one small area and no one
notices.  Do you think you have one single kid in your house
that's not special in some way?" 

"No.  I noticed it too, just thought I was
the only one seeing it."  I laugh.  Fuckin hell.
 "See it at Baxter's too.  They surround themselves with
beautiful people.  Extraordinary kids and Mitch, she's
unfuckinbelievable.  She's guarded by all of us."  

They both nod watching the water.  "I need
to check on the kids.  Christian doesn't sleep much; if his
brain doesn't shut down he won't sleep at all."  I turn to go
in. 

"You belong here Cloud.  You were groomed
to be a warrior.  This is where that happens, the most
important job you'll ever have is starting now with your
family.  Ben has the paper on all the kids.  We need to
do that tomorrow.  We have to avoid the little fights and
concentrate on the bigger picture."  Danny says looking at me.
 

"I'll talk to CJ tonight.  We'll get it
done."  I throw him chin and go in the house looking for my
incredible kids and woman. 

CJ

Air mattresses are on the floor for the
boys.  I crawl from one to the other.  Jacob has his arms
around Jeremy.  They're facing each other.  I lay down
behind Jeremy and hug him and Jacob. "He's ok CJ.  He just
needs to sleep.  I'll take care of him.  Christian said
he'll watch over us." Jacob says so sweet.  

"I know you all look after each other, you're
good brothers."  I touch his sweet little face.  "I love
you my J's." 

"We love you too our CJ."  He says with a
smile.  Too friggin cute.  

I roll off and crawl to Brantley who is right on
the side of them.  "Patches said you were a big help
today.  I'm proud of you Brantley.  You're a great big
brother."  

"I love them CJ.  It's not work when you
love someone, I like doing things with them."  He smiles.

"That's what makes you a great big
brother.  Loving someone's not easy, it takes work and
understanding.  You show them that so they learn how to do
it.  I love you Brantley, you make it easy for me."  I
kiss his head and stand up.  I've kissed everyone in the room.
 

I smile and turn to leave; Cloud has his hands
up on the door frame.  He's smiling. "You’re feeling better."
 

I smile and walk to him.  "I am."  I
put my arms around him and my head on his chest.  "I love you
Cloud.  As crazy as this last couple of weeks has been, it’s
been the best too.  You're always right there when I need
you."  

"Love you too CJ."  He puts his arms around
me. "I need to talk to you but I don't want the boys to fall asleep
before I tell them goodnight."  

I lift up on my toes and kiss his chin because
that's as far as I can reach, he laughs and bends.  I kiss his
lips.  "I need to see Joey and Christian; I'll wait for you in
there."  He nods and lets me go.  

Christian is sitting on Joey's bed.  Ally
is watching them with a smile on.  I thank her for sharing her
room and kiss her goodnight.  Going to Joey I thank her for
helping with the toddlers today. "I like helping.  Patches
says I'm good at it too!"  She's so excited.  

"That's what I saw too.  You looked happy
and made the kids happy.  That's the best kind of help to
give.  I'm proud of you Joey."  I kiss her head. 
She hugs me.  She's so friggin happy telling me she loves me
too.  Christian hugs her then Ally.  

He walks out with me.  "You’re feeling
better already.  Jeremy didn't know if it would work because
you were hurt bad."  

"Has he done that before?"  I'm
shocked.

He looks at me, "Yes with cuts and stuff. 
It always works but you were hurt bad.  You're still hurt, he
said it's better but you still hurt."  

My little man.  "I'll be fine Christian,
don't worry over me, I'm just sore not really pain.  It's so
much better.  Being with you guys today helped and of course
what Jeremy did."  

"Cloud helped keep us safe again.  He was
mad but then he was so happy to see us.  He watched you sleep
then came to see us.  Danny did that too.  Jessie said
you and Cloud are the real deal.  You both love us like a real
mom and dad."

"Of course we do.  You're very easy to
love."  I squeeze him.   

"When you adopt us we'll be a real family with
the same name, do we call you mom and dad?" He's looking
nervous.

"You call us what you feel comfortable with,
you’ve been CJ's forever and now you're mine too." Cloud says from
behind us.  I smile.  "I'll always call you mine."
 He hugs us from behind.  I look up and smile, he always
know just what to say.  

"I want a mom and dad.  CJ and Cloud are
cool but mom and dad is cooler."  He says with a shy
smile.

"We would be honored if you chose to call us mom
and dad.  I know a lot of kids but I don't know any I'm more
proud of than you and your brothers and sister.  You all took
the bad in your life and built good around you and CJ, now
me.  I'm proud to call you my family and I'm proud to give you
my name."  He gives Christian a squeeze.

He looks up at Cloud with the biggest smile.
 "Christian Blackhawk.  That's a cool name thanks dad."
 I feel the tears and I don't friggin care.  Fuckin
kid.  He squeezes us both.  "I love you mom and
dad.  Goodnight."  He goes around us and up the stairs.
 

"Fuckin kids."  I can hear the emotion in
his voice.  

All I can get out is, "Yeah."  

He puts his hand on my back and guides me
downstairs stopping in the living room.  He sits and pulls me
to his lap.  "Ben has the paper for the kids.  Danny
thinks we need to do it tomorrow.  He says we need to deal
with the small stuff so we can focus on the big stuff."  He
watches me.

I'm a little surprised.  "He has adoption
papers for all of them even Taylor?"

"He said kids he didn't say all but
Taylor.  Why would Taylor be excluded?"

"He came from another home but I thought his mom
was working to get him back.  I need his book to be sure."
 I tell him.  "He's new so I haven't read the whole
thing."  

"Last contact was a year and a half ago."
 He says.

I'm surprised he knows this, no I'm not, I'm
happy he knows it.  "Damn, they don't usually come back for
them after a year."