Something Like Home

"You have a wonderful home, Anna."

Short of erecting a circus tent in the garden, Julie sensed it was time to change gears and bring the talk of mutancy to an end. She could hardly blame Anna for being apprehensive, given her position as the household matriarch, so she packed away the doctor and adopted a look of wonderment.

"You're probably tired of hearing this, but what you do here... well, I wish there were more people like you back home."

After all these years, she still considered home a place on the other side of the Atlantic, that was a surprise. She shrugged.

"I couldn't do it."

Anna shrugged a little, finding a bit of plant on her from her time in the garden. Carefully brushing it off, she said, "I wish there were more places like this too. I do what I can, but even for Los Angeles there is so much more..." She gestured widely, helplessly. "It's really just a drop in the bucket."

She played with her glass between her fingers. "I am not that familiar with the situation in England," she added. "Is it worse for mutants there?"

Antonio cleared his throat quietly, catching Jake's eye and giving him an unsubtle let's go somewhere else nod of his head toward the back door. "Uh, I noticed there's something going on with the roof?"

He gulped down the last of his tea, pushing away from the island and edging toward the door hoping Jake would follow.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Anna Fernandez

"I am not that familiar with the situation in England," she added. "Is it worse for mutants there?"

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"No, not worse. Just different."

She recalled a conversation she'd had with her father a couple of weeks ago. He seemed to think himself responsible for keeping her briefed on matters of national importance, internet revolution or not, so she listened patiently and kept her dissenting political views on a leash. Their father-daughter debates were renowned for enduring weeks, so after years of transatlantic phone calls, experience had taught her to listen, but not engage.

"The government is indecisive, keeping its stance on mutancy as vague as possible. People are selfish and scared, afraid to stick their necks out for anybody, it's ugly dog-eat-dog politics."

A sip of tea allowed for a thoughtful pause before she added:

"It makes you appreciate developments like the Mutant Crimes Unit."

Jake rose from his seat and followed Antonio outside, playing strategically on the pretense:

"Oh, yeah. It's about halfway done. Anna's got some floppy-haired douche working on it..."

Once they were outside, the back door secured behind him, Jake grinned.

"That didn't go too bad, did it?" he said with some surprise, and laughed, "I thought she was going to flip her shit when Julie asked how far along she was, though."

Antonio grinned. "Did you see the look on her face? Priceless. I wish I'd had a camera." He walked down the length of the deck, making sure they were out if earshot of the kitchen. "So, we're planning a brothers' night out tomorrow. Dinner, drinks, manly conversation."

He peered up at the roofline, trying to see what was going on up there but couldn't beyond the fact that there was a tarp in place. "Hey, is that over your room?"

"Yes, it is," Jake muttered darkly, "The new guy nearly brought the fucking thing down on top of me."

His arms folded, and he regarded the rooftop with a damning glare, as if privy to some invisible tormentor. Only then did he realise Antonio had said something else before raising the sore issue of the roof, and all the slippery connotations associated with it. He gave him a sideways glance.

"This is Alonso's idea, isn't it?"

He shrugged, "Yeah, but it's a good one. I mean, we don't live too far apart but when do we ever hang out, just us guys?"

Antonio scratched his head, squinting his eyes against the sunlight. "And anyway, you hold the information about this John douchebag. Marcelo doesn't approve - or he won't, he doesn't know yet - but we have to at least talk about it."

"Hey, I think it's a great idea!" Jake said, holding up his hands defensively, "It just sounded like the sort of thing Alonso would suggest, is all."

Perhaps it was all in the delivery, that angry cynical tone of his - half the time he didn't even know he was doing it - but he'd be damned if he'd allow his stupid misguided temper to cause friction between him and Antonio like it had between him and Anna and Aidan lately. A knowing grin crept onto his face at the mention of Marcelo and his notorious morals.

"I'm sure Padre Marcelo will come round to our way of thinking, he just needs a little persuasion from his good friend, Jack."

He clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Speaking of which, are you still a champion lightweight or has college helped you grow a pair?"

Antonio gaped at him, pretending to be astonished. "I'm still underage you corrupter you!" He winked. "If I was drinking then you'd be glad to know I can hold my own. No thanks to you and Joaquin... I'm pretty sure you guys were competing to see who's drinks would be the one to make me puke on my eighteenth birthday."

He shuddered, remembering the epic hangover the next day, and making up a lie for Mama about the flu to try to hide what he'd been up to the night before. He was pretty sure she hadn't bought it.

"A bet I believe I won," he said, nodding sagely.

Growing up, it had never been a great challenge to lead his younger brother astray, Antonio being Antonio not only invited mischief and ridicule, but embraced them with open arms. Marcelo had always been the tough nut to crack, and it was not for a lack of trying. Antonio was the loveable clown who, for better or worse, danced to the beat of his siblings' sadistic drums. Jake considered the proposal of dinner, drinks, and manly conversation, and couldn't help but wonder just how much information his brother's hoped to wheedle from him about the elusive John Doe - he feared they were in for a disappointment.

"So where's this little shindig going down?"

"Orange county, probably one of the restaurants at The Block." Antonio grinned, "Marcelo insisted on making the reservations. I'll have Joaquin text you the place tonight."

He leaned on the deck railing, looking out over the yard. "So... Did she tell you all about this guy, or did you..." Antonio shot Jake a meaningful look. "You know. Read it off her?"

"Man, her lips have been sealed," he said, failing to disguise his disappointment, "He came by only once, and for some stupid reason, I decided to go easy on him. We'd just been through a rough patch, you know with the shootings and shit, so I thought I'd give Anna a break and show a little faith. Nine months later..."

He rapped his knuckles against the wooden railing, beating out his silent frustration, his gaze followed a row of blossoming tomato plants to the back of the garden. He considered his brother's words and finally, conceded:

"Maybe I should do it. I mean, I don't like to, but... it would put my- well, our minds at rest."

Antonio nodded sagely, turning slightly toward Jake as he leaned on the railing. "I know I'm just the kid brother but I really really don't like this, man. Seems like Anna was going to get married and have a bunch of kids, you know? What the fuck is up with this?"

He scrubbed a hand over his hair. "The more we know the better we can protect her from whatever this guy might do. Alonso said there could be a custody battle over the baby. I mean, I don't want some asshole coming back and making trouble for Anna."

"Then it's our job to make sure that doesn't happen."

He gave Antonio a knowing look, knowing because there was no doubt in his mind that if he'd thought about having a tactful word with this John guy, then so had his brothers. A ghost of a smile crept onto his face.

"So, I'll find out everything I can before the strike team assembles. Come on."

Their business done, Jake lead the way back into the kitchen, only to be faced with Anna's suspicious glances. Fortunately for him, he was the psychic of the family. He took a seat and slurped the last dregs from his cup.

"So, you two, arranged your first sleepover yet?"

"Julie was just telling me how you offered to help her fix up her new place." Anna raised an eyebrow at Jake, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Very neighborly of you."

"Really?" Antonio grinned, sliding back into position at the kitchen island. "Well, he's not really the construction genius in the family... but he can get the job done!"

His grin widened. "He's very enthusiastic. But if you take him up on it, Julie, just give me a call if he runs into any trouble. I'll come help him out."

"It's going to take a small army of handymen to get that place in order. If you think it's ugly on the outside, believe me, you ain't seen nothing."

Julie's gaze drifted past Anna, beyond the kitchen window, to her mind's eye view of the decrepit old shack. She gave a small shudder and retreated inside her tea cup. The cup was replaced onto the island with a conclusive thud and she eased herself off her stool.

"And with that gloomy thought, I really should make a move and get myself unpacked."

"I'll see you out."

Jake stood, his face was a patchwork of pink and peach, pulled taught in determined ignorance of his brother and sister. He made a beeline for the hallway.

"Good-bye, Julie, it was very nice to meet you." Anna smiled, standing up as Julie and Jake headed out of the kitchen, and shook her head at her youngest brother. "We need to talk, you and I."

He grinned. "Can't wait. See you around, Jules!" He yelled down the hallway, of course, but then helped her gather up the mugs.