Protection Program • Run or die

chapter 6

Erick and Ana were in the living room. Neither of them had slept that well, even after turning in early. They had woken several times, each time they had gone upstairs to check on Andrew, finding him asleep, but restless. Andrew had been quiet for most of the morning. They didn't like the thought of leaving him alone but they had no choice. They had found a small lead on another case that they had been working on before being called in with Jacob. They needed to track it down and make sure that they were hearing things right as it might mean an innocent man was being framed.

"Andrew," Ana called out to the teen as he sat on a chair looking towards the window, an open book that belonged to Ana sitting on his lap.

Andrew flinched a little, wondering when they were going to try and talk to him about his dream. His friends did that a lot when they were at school but they were never anything that he wanted to talk about, no matter how much they pressured him. Andrew looked at them and asked, "Yes?"

"We need to go out for a little while, we shouldn't be too long, but we need to go and we can't take you with us," Erick said as he looked to the teen. He could see Andrew become tense and uneasy.

"But…" he said as he clenched his fists a little, trying to get control of his emotions.

"It will be fine Andrew, you are safe here at the moment, Mrs Hudson is going to be here as well and don't forget that you have Snuffles as well," Ana reassured him as he went over to him, "We also got you this," she said as he held out a mobile phone to Andrew.

Andrew looked at it and then to Ana, "I've never had a phone how do you…?" he trailed off, embarrassed.

Ana smiled, "I know, I'm still the same with them, half the time I do the wrong thing and Erick has to sort it out," she chuckled as Erick smiled.

"I'll show you quickly before we leave," Erick said as he stepped towards him and knelt down. He showed Andrew how to use the phone, to get in touch with the two of them in case he needed anything. He stood up and said, "Don't worry, we will be back, and you can always send us a text. We will answer it if we are free to do so, a call to us means that you need us right away, understand?"

Andrew nodded his head, he didn't think he would send them a text, or even call them. He didn't like relying on people, adults especially, since they usually didn't care what happened to him. He looked to the two of them and thought for a moment as he watched them leave, reassuring him once more. They had helped, and tried to last night. Mike Stamford had done the same as well as Jacob. Andrew couldn't help but wonder if he had found people that could actually help instead of just ignore him.

XxXxX

It was almost dinner time before the two of them had come back. Andrew hadn't text them at all and he had tried to hand the phone back to them as soon as they settled in the living room.

"No Andrew, we brought it for you to keep. You may need it if we are not here, or you want to go out for a bit on your own. Regents Park isn't far," Ana told him. She had been surprised that the time Andrew had been there he hadn't been tempted to leave the flat at all. He was a little reluctant when it came to shopping as well, constantly looking over his shoulder. Ana didn't think it was just because of what he had seen or what had happened, it looked like a long time habit.

Ana yawned as he said, "Mind if we have take out a little later?" he looked at Erick and Ana.

Erick nodded his head, "Of course, Andrew, choose what you would like from the Chinese menu on the desk and tell me. I'll be ordering in about two hours," he said as he turned to Andrew.

"Oh, did you have lunch?" Ana asked him, she had mentioned to him to make sure he had something to eat if they didn't get back in time.

"Yes," he said with an honest nod. He had some toast, something simple.

"I think I'm going to have a quick kip before you order," Ana yawned again.

Erick nodded his head and got up, letting Ana stretch out on the sofa. Ana smiled his thanks and quickly drifted off. Andrew frowned and then began to read the book Ana had lent him. Erick went to the kitchen and began to work on an experiment that he had planned to do a few days ago. Andrew's curiosity got the better of him as he put the book down and went into the kitchen and watched what Erick was doing.

Erick smiled at him as he began to explain his experiment. Snoop had followed the teen for a moment before seeing Andrew was safe and then went back to the rug to sleep. Andrew watched Erick with fascination, forgetting his wariness and actually asking questions. His curiosity coming out once more after being down trodden for most of his life, from your uncle's and from your chemistry teacher. Erick was impressed with what was being asked, though he could tell that the teen should know a lot of what he was asking him already, if he had been going to school.

Snoop ears picked up as he heard something disturb the background noise of Erick and Andrew quietly talking. He opened his eyes as he heard it again. A small slight whimper came once again as he stood up and looked towards Ana. Erick stopped talking as he heard the restless movements and heavy breathing begin for Ana. He knew what was going to happen and he didn't want to let his girlfriend wake up like that again.

Erick went into the living room, giving Snoop as ruffle on his head as he stood near him and looked at Ana, who was sweating and moving around jerkily, "Ana," he called out, his voice soft and while he wanted to reach for her, he refrained.

Andrew came out of the kitchen and was watching intently as he saw that Ana was having a nightmare, he knew the signs as he had seen them in the others boys on occasions. He looked at Erick who was calling out to Ana, telling her she was safe and that all was fine. Erick's calling didn't work as Ana yelled out, sweating, shaking and shot up on the sofa.

"Ana," Erick called again, his voice gentle as he went a step closer, "it's all right, you're in Bayer Street, I'm right here as well," he said as Ana finally paid attention to him.

"Eri… Erick," she said with a shuddering breath as his eyes calmed and his slouched, still shaking.

Erick seeing that he was now with the present went to the sofa and gathered Ana in his arms. Ana held him back just as tightly. The two of them held each other tightly as Erick whispered to him, saying everything was alright. It took a little while, but Ana calmed down and was finally feeling a little more normal. It was then that the two of them saw Andrew.

"Hey," Ana gave him a smile as he held out a hand, "Come here," he told him.

Andrew walked a little closer as he asked, "Are you alright?"

Ana nodded, "Yeah, nightmares hit me as well," she told him, "I dreamt about the day I was shot when I was in the army. It changed my life, but it did lead me to Erick," she told him, "Erick has helped me with them since we met, first with the violin, then talking to me and now like this," she said as he brought up their joint hands.

"Does it help, having someone there?" Andrew asked softly.

Ana nodded, "it does, but you have to trust them as well."

Andrew nodded his head, he didn't really trust anyone. How could he with all that had happened to him? He sighed as he quickly left the room. Ana and Erick watched him go.

"He can't trust people," Erick said as he observed Andrew's behaviour, "He was abused Ana, before he ran away. We need to find out who they were, we need his last name."

"And he won't give us that if he doesn't trust us to keep it to ourselves," Ana sighed as he leaned against Erick.

The two of them talked a little as Erick the coaxed Andrew back down and to order for dinner. It took a while, but in the end Erick ordered him something. Andrew was quiet during the rest of the night, much to the worry of the two adults that were now responsible for him.