A Quiet Presence. Part III

Автор:  Ravenschild

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“But no field work?”

“Depends on the field work.” Connor answered.

“We could use all three of you back there.” Anton looked around the room.

“Not going to happen.” Matt grinned and sat down. “I’ve got a school load of new recruits to debrief in two weeks.”

“What are you doing with your house?” Peter asked already half way through his huge meal as Connor set the second plate on the table in front of Matt.

“Think I’ll rent it out for the moment and then put it on the market. At least it’s a bill I can tell the ex-wives I’ve still got, might help me minimize the alimony payments.” Matt laughed.

“I don’t think anything will help with that, besides you could always let Dana go to school in Boston.”

“Oh great I’m sure Connor would love a love struck teenager mooning around you all the time, no I’m thinking a convent somewhere, maybe the antipodes.”

Connor laughed. “I don’t know if I can put up with the father how bad can the child be?”

“Willful, headstrong, arrogant, opinionated, egotistical, devoted.” Matt filled him in on the details, “And the she wakes up!”

“Sounds like someone I know.” Connor smiled at Peter as he served Anton’s omelet and set about making one for himself.

“Hey I resemble that remark.” Peter pouted.

“Yes actually you do.” Matt chided in, “No wonder you two get on so well.”

“Peter has always been good with small children and animals, it’s just the rest of us humans he has difficulty with.” Connor added. “Anton, would you insist on holding me to my contract with the OSIR?”

“No.”

“I’d never pass the physical.” He added as he sat down aware of all the eyes on him as he reached over and stroked Peter’s thigh. “However,”

“You’ll come back?” Anton nearly choked on his omelet.

“For the short term and no assignments, strictly nine to five and not for another month.” Connor looked at Peter who smiled broadly.

“Yeah make it six weeks.” Peter winked.

Anton for one of the very few times in his life was speechless.

~~~***~~~

EPILOGUE:

Matt stretched his legs as he strode off the plane at Logan airport. Even the air smelled different, cleaner somehow, redolent of home and spring sunshine. He took in a great lungful, snagged his luggage from the baggage carousel and meandered out onto the streets. Six months had elapsed since he was last home, funny how the gypsy in him felt comfortable with this place being the concept of home. If he belonged anywhere he felt it was here and part of the reason greeted him with a broad smile.

Even from the distance Matt could tell that Connor had come a long way since the early days after Area 51. He and Peter had had problems to overcome, but with quiet conviction and absolute faith in each other’s love they’d managed to weather everything that came their way. He seemed taller, perhaps it was an illusion maybe it was the extra weight he carried and the strength in the broad shoulders, it didn’t seem to matter. Peter and Connor, Mrs. Mac, Anton and Lindsey made this place home and he was glad to be back.

“Long flight?” Connor smiled as he took the heavy luggage and swung it easily into the back of the Explorer. The fine linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up showed that most of the extra weight was muscle.

“Only when you’re six three and the seats are so friggin tiny.”

“You didn’t fly coach did you?” Connor asked with barely suppressed laugh and Matt frowned.

“Yes. I thought Peter was coming to get me.”

“It’s early, I left him asleep. Besides I’ve got some errands to run. You don’t mind do you?”

“No not at all. You’ve traded the ‘vette?”

“As if.” Connor snorted and shifted the car easily into the oncoming stream of traffic. “I think Peter would be bereft if we took his toy off him.”

“Some toy. You look good.”

“Thank you. It’s been a long way back.”

“And the knee?” “Responding well to anti-inflammatories and therapy. No permanent damage.”

“Peter said you’re back at MIT?”

“Wasn’t hard, what was difficult were the terms.”

“Terms?”

“Peter and I made a decision that we wouldn’t hide our relationship anymore. We thought it relevant to let the Board of Trustees know about our personal lives before we accepted tenure.”

“I can see that would have gone down a treat.” Matt laughed.

“Well I must admit to being surprised by Peter. You raised him well.” Connor smiled and checked his rear view mirror.

“Hey that’s what parents are for. You ah, wanna tell me precisely what I did?”

“He walked in, dressed in Armani looking very hot and smiled. Put his contract down on the table and pulled out a pen ready to sign. Then he turned to Mike Chambers and said ‘You may wish to consider the offer before I sign.’ They nearly choked.”

“And?”

“After a lot of questions he simply said you need to know, since I’m not embarrassed by it, nor do I intend to hide the fact that I am in a relationship with the Professor of another College.”

“Mike would have loved that.” Matt laughed.

“Oh he did, he said ‘And who Professor Axon might that be?’ and Peter pointed over his shoulder to me and smiled.”

“Oh God to have been a fly on the wall.” Matt grabbed his ribs as he continued to rock with laughter.

“After a lot of blustering they asked us to wait outside and Peter calmly sat his ground and looked at them all in turn. And said ‘I have no intentions of waiting anywhere, you’ve been making me this offer for the last eight years, now I’m prepared to take it and your taking umbrage at my personal life. Since I’m not litigious and have no need of the money I tell you this simply as a matter of note, the decision is whether you can cope with it’.”

“Well he’s learned patience that’s for sure, and his delivery couldn’t have been better. Since he signed I guess all went well?”


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