Protection Program • Run or die

chapter 5

Andrew yawned a little as he walked down the stairs in freshly washed clothes. Someone must have washed them last night after he had gone to bed and put them in his room. He had ended up wearing very large clothes to sleep in. Not that he cared, he was used to clothes never fitting right unless he was at your uncle's house. He walked into the kitchen and looked around. The kitchen was clean, though he knew that it hadn't been when he had gone to bed. He could hear the two peoples moving around and beginning to get up.

Andrew found what he needed and started to cook, he had done it so often that he now did it without the prompt of Aunt Karen screaming at him to do the breakfast. He cooked what was needed for a Full English for two, not even thinking about doing himself a breakfast, since he normally didn't have one with your uncles. He began to dish up as he heard the two peoples coming to the kitchen.

"You didn't have too," Ana smiled and then frowned as he noticed that there were only two plates, "Didn't you make any for yourself?" she asked him as Andrew stood by the table.

He shook his head, "I…" he trailed off, not knowing what he could say.

"Then I'll make you some," Ana said with a shake of his head, she couldn't help but think that this would be normal for the kid, if he did it without even thinking.

"No, he can have mine," Erick said frowning towards Andrew a little and told him, "Sit down Andrew," he then passed the plate towards him as soon as the teen was sitting down.

"Erick you need to eat though," Ana sighed as she went and sat down, "I'll make you something after this."

Erick shook his head, "Don't need to," he said as he took one of the many slices of toast that Andrew had made and began to nibble on it.

There was a clatter of noise on the floor as the dog came in and settled under the table where Andrew was and lay down. Ana looked to him and smiled a little. Erick was doing the same, he had fond memories of his own canine companion when he was a child.

"I'll do you something in a bit," Ana said to the dog as he looked up to him and gave a small woof. Ana then looked to Andrew as he said, "Erick and I had a talk last night about Snuffles," she began.

Andrew looked to him his eyes a little fearful as he said, "Please, please can he stay, I know it's a bit of a bother…" he trailed off as Ana raised a hand to stop him.

"Andrew, we decided that he could stay," Ana said smiling to him, shaking his head a little.

"So far from what we have seen of him, he is intelligence and has done well in protecting you. I believe that it would be best if he were to remaining with you and protect you when we are not here," Erick told him, a small smile on his face as the dog gave a loud bark, making Andrew and Ana both jump at the sudden noise.

Andrew giggled a little as he looked to the two of them "Thank you," he said softly.

The carried on eating as Erick nibbled on the toast, "I believe we need to go shopping and get you some clothes Andrew," he said absently as he looked the child over.

Andrew looked between the two of them as he ate the last of the egg and shook his head, "You don't need to do that," he told them.

Ana looked to him and smiled, "We don't need to , but we should. You don't have anything, and you can't keep wearing the same clothes all the time."

Andrew looked down to his plate and sighed, "I…" he said as he trailed off, he didn't know how he could tell them that he would be able to get his own when he went back to somewhere, or before he went back to.

"Look," Ana said softly, "you are under our care at the moment, that means that we'll be getting you some clothes all right, so no more arguing," she told him, a smile on his face as he tried to reassure him that it was fine.

Erick nodded in agreement, "I believe a couple of suits would do him quite well."

Ana looked over to him and shook his head, "No, Erick," she said, frowning, "it would be better to get him something that he could wear all the time, suits just aren't practical."

"But they would be better for people to take him seriously, I should know," he huffed back.

Andrew looked between the two of them as they argued back and forth about getting him suits or more casual clothing. He was beginning to feel a little nervous as they carried on bickering, their voices never raising over the talking level as they tried to show each other why the other was wrong and their were right. Andrew got up and moved away from the table as he heard someone coming up the stairs.

"You two," came a friendly call as an elderly woman walked in, "Oh you must be Andrew, the two told me about you," she said softly as she walked over to him and then noticed that the two men were arguing with each other.

"They just started when they said about getting me some clothes," he told her soft as he just watched them.

Mrs Hudson could see that they were beginning to scare Andrew with the way they were acting and she put her arms around the young teen and said, "Don't worry Andrew, they are always like this, they are just having a little domestic, don't you worry. It happens," she reassured him.

Andrew nodded, "Okay," he said softly.

"Personal!" she called out loudly. The sharp word got their attention and she shook her head at them, "You should know better than to argue like that in front of a child," she scolded them.

Ana and Erick looked to Andrew and the could see that he had been affected by what they had done. They gave each other a glance as Ana then got up and went over to him.

"It's all right, we do this all the time," she smiled to him as he put his hands on his shoulders.

"Now, you two were arguing over clothes, have you thought to ask Andrew what he would want, since it is him that you will be buying for," Mrs Hudson said as she looked to them.

"Sorry," Ana smiled to her, "Oh, and Andrew, this is Mrs Hudson, she's out landlady, and she will remind you that she is not our housekeeper," she said, as she looked back to Andrew.

Andrew nodded his head, "Hello," he smiled to her a little shyly.

"Right, what type of clothing would you prefer Andrew?" Ana then asked him, Mrs Hudson smiling beside him as Erick walked over to them.

Andrew looked a little nervous about them all being there, "casual," he finally said.

Erick gave a pout at that, but Ana made sure he kept quiet with a look. Ana gave in and said one suit, which made him happy. They were soon cleaned up and ready to go shopping. Andrew was a little unsure of it, but both men took him anyway.

XxXxX

Erick and Ana were sat in the living room that night, Andrew had gone to bed hours ago. Still protesting all the clothes and things they had brought for him. Ana leaned against Erick and yawned. She was tired, she got up as he turned off the TV and went to Erick, when he stopped as he heard a loud scream from upstairs. Both shared a quick look as they ran to Andrew's bedroom and found him on his bed shaking.

Ana sat down and tried to pull him into his arm, wanting to comfort the scared teen, "Andrew," she said gently, "It's all right."

Andrew pushed the arms away as he said, "Sorry, I'm sorry, didn't mean to disturb you. I'm fine," he told them as he pushed Ana's hand away as he tried to put it on his shoulder, "I don't need help. I'm fine," he said once more.

Ana and Erick shared a look, they could see that he didn't want them there, "All right, we'll go, but if you do need us for anything, come and get us," Ana told him as she got up from the edge of the bed and the two went to Erick's room.

"That was unusual most will want comfort after a bad dream," Erick said.

Ana nodded, "I know, I think he is used to doing things alone," she sighed.

"We shall see if we can get through to him," he told her as they got ready for bed and climbed in.

Ana nodded as he gave another yawn. Erick smiled a little as he pulled her close and the two drifted to sleep, hoping that Andrew was doing the same.