Burnin' Down The House [Matrim]

[Matrim Gallagher]

She curled up and he felt back, but instinctively it was the best choice he could do to end this quickly. It was sorta like America dropping the bombs. You know, get it done and over with as fast as possible. The only problem is, he would have preferred to have made her tap out with a submission technique. But that didn't give quite the satisfaction of loss as a big hit. A tap out made the loser want to keep fighting, it ended the fight preemptively and he probably would have ended up fighting her again over this. While this.... it was better than fire....

"I can't believe you burned down my apartment... You have a stupid way of showing you like me. Now take me home." She said and he got up, reached down and picked her up in his arms, being careful not to hurt her too much.

"Yeah, sure thing. We'll get you home and Gale can.... she's a nurse. A registered nurse.... and we have... pain killers. They-- I can't take them, so it's best if you make some use of them..." He said, trying not to touch that topic again. He carried her back toward the house, hopefully it wouldn't be too bad on the way there. He went through the front door, bringing her inside. He then asked, "I can take you to a bedroom if you're tired and send Gale up, or if you'd rather I can put you on a couch down here in front of the telly. What would you like more?"

[Sara Gallagher]

Sara winced, sucking in a breath as he picked her up. This was humiliating. Why the hell did she bother calling him. She knew it wasn't going to end well. She could have just gone back to her uncles place and back to 42. No, she had to make the difficult choice and stay. As he walked, he spoke to her.

"Yeah, sure thing. We'll get you home and Gale can.... she's a nurse. A registered nurse.... and we have... pain killers. They-- I can't take them, so it's best if you make some use of them..."

Pain killers... No, she couldn't take them. She would be fine either way, she would just... sleep it off. But she refused to take the chance of taking pain killers. Not after the previous incidents. At least he was being gentle. Since there was really no other option, she let her head fall against his chest as he carried her.

"I can take you to a bedroom if you're tired and send Gale up, or if you'd rather I can put you on a couch down here in front of the telly. What would you like more?"

"To a room... I wanna get a shower, clean up. I left my stuff in the backyard... Just... If you tell me where my room is, I can go ahead, you can bring my stuff up for me...?" She carefully tried to get out of his arms. If he let her down, she would lean against the nearest wall, breathing deeply as she rubbed her hand over her lower back and waited for him to tell her where to go. Once he told her, she would make her way to the room as quickly as she could and walk in.

She paid little attention to what it looked like, instead going right to the washroom and starting the shower. Stripping down she would quickly step in and shower off, trying to clean the cuts and scrapes on her back as best she could. It was just a quick shower, she was more interested in the bed then a long shower. Stepping out and wrapping a towel around herself she went back into the room to find her things and change.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"To a room... I wanna get a shower, clean up. I left my stuff in the backyard... Just... If you tell me where my room is, I can go ahead, you can bring my stuff up for me...?" She asked, and he set her down as she tried to get out of his arms. She leaned against a wall, rubbing her lower back and he immediately felt a sting of guilt. He looked over toward where he would need to go to go grab her stuff.

"Upstairs, to the left, last door on the right," He said, and then went to go get her stuff. He called back, "The room has it's own bathroom, and if you'd rather it has a jacuzzi tub, might make you feel better than a shower would. I'll be up in a moment with your things."

Matrim walked out to the back, grabbing the stuff she had brought with her, and closing the door, the dog outside still. He wondered if the dog had eaten today, and he'd make sure to ask Sara about that, they may have to go shopping for dog food. Either way, he was on his way upstairs, he'd make his way over to her room, and like a smart boy he would knock and wait for a response. If he heard nothing he would knock louder and say, "Sara, I got your stuff, are you decent?"

[Sara Gallagher]

"Sara, I got your stuff, are you decent?"

She was just getting out of the shower when she heard the knock at the door. She paused, looking around. She was... decent enough... It wasn't like she could change quickly or anything because he had her clothes, and she wasn't putting on her dirty ones again. She walked to the door, wincing when she moved to fast, and opened it for him.

Standing just behind the door, she gestured. "Just put it down anywhere. Thanks..." She fidgeted, not really knowing what to say or do. Were they supposed to talk about everything, or just kind of let it go? Should she tell him how she felt? Should she...? She really didn't know. She hadn't really expected any of this. "Ya... Thanks for letting me stay here..."

When he set the things down she would come out from behind the door and walk over to her bags. She really had nothing to hide, and getting her clothes was a little better then standing there in a towel. Pulling out a shirt and track pants out she walked over to the bed and set them down. Then she waited to see what he did or said.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Just put it down anywhere. Thanks... Ya... Thanks for letting me stay here..." Sara said, from behind a door. He did so, and when she walked over and got some stuff out, setting in on her bed, he walked in, shutting the door behind him. He walked over quietly, as if going to say something, in front of her. He found himself slightly ashamed, as if trying to come up with a reason he was the way he was sometimes. As if he himself needed an excuse for his very existence. Hell, she probably would like to hear one. The fact was, there was no excuse, there was no single thing he could say.

Talk is cheap....

"I have... I have feelings for you," He said, "You... you know that, but you haven't..... said.... if..."

He then reached up with his right hand, brushing the side of her face, his thumb brushing her cheek as fingers got hair out of the way. He leaned in to try for a kiss, and if he got the kiss, his left hand would go to pull the towel off of her....

[Sara Gallagher]

Sara froze as he shut the door, watching him closely. Her heart was racing and her mind was blank. She didn't know quite what was happening, or how to react to him walking right up to her. She felt... Shy in her towel now. Out of place in his house.

"I have... I have feelings for you, you... you know that, but you haven't..... said.... if..."

Her mouth opened slightly as she tried to think. He was calling her out on it. If she was going to confess to him, she had planned on doing it on her own terms. But now, he was asking her about it, putting her on the spot. Her mind flashed back to her apartment, when he had first confessed to her, and she realized she couldn't mess this one up. It might be her last chance.

And then his hand was on her face, his fingers in her hair and she melted. She didn't have to answer him, she could simply roll with it, show him how she felt. She couldn't refuse him, not now. Even if this was going to be a mistake, she wouldn't stop him. She never could. That was the problem. Right from the start, he was what she wanted, and here he was, finally, after all this time, after everything that had happened, here he was offering it all to her. Telling her it was finally ok to be with him.

As he leaned down, she slowly reached up, ignoring the pain in her back and gently wrapped her arms around him as he pulled the towel from her...

*Time skip*

[Matrim Gallagher]

She gave up no resistance, and she said nothing, she just went with it...

At least one thing went right today.....

*Time Skipuuu*

.... Matrim was exhausted, and completely out of breath. Mostly because they had fought beforehand so all of his energy was spent. He laid against the bed, staring straight up at the ceiling of the room, breathing heavily as his heart raced. He turned to look at Sara, "We have lasagna downstairs, garlic bread, and pretty much anything you want to drink that... isn't, alcoholic. Though I'm sure Gale has wine stashed away somewhere."

God I am sooo hungry....

"She may have eaten already, but there is probably still plenty and still hot down there...... are you hungry?" He asked, "Because I could eat a horse...."

[Sara Gallagher]

"...... are you hungry? Because I could eat a horse...."

Sara laid on her side, her eyes closed as she breathed deeply, relaxed and absolutely exhausted. Right now, her mind was blissfully blank, but later, she knew, she would have a lot to think about. What had just happened... That... Wasn't supposed to have happened... She shifted on the bed and winced from her injuries. God, he was such an idiot.

She opened her eyes as she pushed herself up, groaning at the movement. "Ya... I guess I'm hungry..." She had no energy left to fight him, or even be sarcastic to him. Although a fleeting dirty thought about what he could eat flitted through her mind, causing her to blush and turn away as she climbed out of the bed looking for her clothes.

Finding them on the floor at the bottom of the bed she would dress quickly. Then it was back to her bags for a brush and a hair tie. She otherwise ignored Matrim, to embarrassed to look at him. This day... It really hadn't gone how she had planned it. She didn't know what to think of him. If he had chosen to stay while she finished changing, she would turn to him. If he had left, she would follow after him and ask him when she finally caught up with him.

"So.. Um... Where's Shayne...?" Yes, it was true, she had been eager to see the baby, not that she would ever admit it, but he hadn't said anything about Shayne yet, and she was curious.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Ya... I guess I'm hungry..." She said, having groaned at movement, which actually made Matrim feel good. The fact that she was having trouble moving, but then again it could have just been from when he Batista Bombed her on the pavement. So he got up, getting dressed when she did. He went into her bathroom as she grabbed a brush and a hair tie, washing his face and hands. He dried it off on a clean towel and walked out, she turned to him and asked, "So.. Um... Where's Shayne...?"

"Well, he was napping," Matrim said, "Then we went and fought, and we came up here... so he is either still napping, or he's with Gale... come on let's go check on his room. He's probably hungry too anyway."

Matrim led the way out of the room and heard crying start up from Shayne's room.

Speak of the devil....

"He's callin' for you Matt, he's saying MAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT, MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT," Gale said while doing an impersonation of Shayne's crying. He didn't do it often, but just waking up, or when he was hungry, or definitely when he needed to change. That baby couldn't go more than twenty seconds wearing a dirty diaper without breaking someones eardrums.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it," He called down, heading toward Shayne's room, "Wanna come check on Shayne with me? Come on, let's go."

He went down the hall to Shayne's room, which was right by Gale's. He opened the door slowly, the light creeping open and onto the crib. Matrim walked in without turning on the light, "Hey buddy, you awake now? Is it time for your bottle? Huh?" Shayne quieted down a little but was still somewhat in cry mode. Matrim reached down, his right hand scooping underneath Shaynes head, his left raising shayne up so that he was up on Matrim's chest, giving him a view of over his right shoulder. Shayne had a little pout on his face, with his confused look, as he looked at Sara, and all around for that matter but always went back to looking at Sara, his hand going into his mouth.

Matrim turned toward Sara slowly, bouncing Shayne a bit as he pulled his hand out of his mouth and laughed a bit at the motion, "Shayne's getting his first incisors, and so he's been teething a bit. His bottom ones are grown in, but the top ones have yet to appear. Yes Shayne, All Shayney wants for Christmas are his two front teeth, his two front teeth, his two front teeth... come on boy, time for your bottle."

Matrim lead the way downstairs to Gale, who had dinner plates set up for the three of them, and Shayne's baby bottle, he was still on formula, though pretty soon he'd be switching to whole milk in his bottle, and start eating baby food. Matrim just wanted to wait awhile and make sure Shayne was fully ready to swallow foods correctly before taking that leap. After all, the six and a half month old was still pretty young. And while the Doctor's said he'd be alright doing it now that he's six months, Matrim wanted to make damn certain.

"Here Sara, did you want to hold Shayne and feed him his bottle for awhile?" Matrim asked, turning toward her, "He's got a baby seat and all but it's easier this way, not to mention he loves the attention."

[Sara Gallagher]

Sara followed Matrim out of the room. Almost immediately crying could be heard from one of the rooms. She paused, second guessing her choice to see the baby, then set off again. She did want to see him. Was excited to see him. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered the last time she had seen Shayne, and wondered if he had gotten any bigger since then.

"He's callin' for you Matt, he's saying MAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT, MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT,"

Sara let out a small chuckle. Gale did a pretty good impression of the baby. What had just happened between Sara and Matrim had at least broken the ice, making her feel less awkward being in this house. But she and Matrim were still going to need to talk about this. She wasn't completely sure what she wanted, and he needed to know that.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it, wanna come check on Shayne with me? Come on, let's go."

Sara followed him to Shayne's room and stood in the doorway as he walked in, talking to the baby, picking him up and holding him. She leaned on the doorjamb as she watched the baby watching her. Or at least it looked like he was watching her. As Matrim turned, catching her up on his teething progress, her eyes remained on Shayne. It was weird knowing that Reira was gone. It hadn't been that long ago that it had happened. Was Matrim really ready for a new relationship? Or was she just a rebound? She followed Matrim and Shayne down to the kitchen, still lost in thought, but the smell of dinner brought her out of it. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten anything really good, and damn, that smelt amazing.

"Here Sara, did you want to hold Shayne and feed him his bottle for awhile? He's got a baby seat and all but it's easier this way, not to mention he loves the attention."

Sara paused. "Um... Are you sure? I guess I could, ya..." She stepped forward, actually quite excited to hold him, but nervous that like last time, he wouldn't eat from her. Holding out her arms, she would take Shayne from him, adjusting him so that she was holding him comfortably and securely, and could still feed him. She took a few moments to coo to him, patting his back and smiling like and idiot because she was holding him, then held out her hand for the bottle.

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Um... Are you sure? I guess I could, ya..." Sara said, stepping up and taking Shayne from Matrim. Matrim smiled as she did the normal baby thing, and smiled because of it. He liked seeing her smile, he didn't see her smile often enough. When she held her hand out for the bottle Matrim handed it to her, and pulled a seat out for her at the table, sitting down at his own and getting started on his lasagna, he started stuffing his face, and father like son, the second Sara would go to feed Shayne, she'd find that he was extremely hungry. Or at least extremely gluttonous.

Matrim burnt his mouth on the cheese though, right about the time Gale said, "Careful, I kept it hot in the oven until you decided to show yourself, been watching my stories on Tivo this whole time so it's still got the just out of the oven taste."

"Ahh shee thuh...." Matrim said with his mouth open trying to cool the contents in his mouth. He got up waving in his mouth, and hopped over to the fridge, taking out a bottle of water, "Dih yuu wuhn anythuh hara? We goh shota...."

"What boy genius is trying to say, Sara, is did you need anything to drink while he's up?" Gale said, walking over to the fridge herself and pouring herself some iced tea while Matrim watered down the contents of his mouth with the cold liquid, gulping some of it before letting out a refreshing 'ahhhh'. It felt good to get the burn off his tongue, but now he wouldn't be able to taste the rest of his dinner since he just about fried his taste buds.

"You're lucky, by the time you're done feeding Shayne, or sick of feeding him in which case we can put him in his high chair, yours will probably cool down to a non fatal level."

"Well maybe if you weren't such a pig, Matrim," Gale said, smacking him upside the head.

"Ow... do I pay you to hit me?"

"No, I do that for free. After all it'd be a shame to get money for something I'd pay to be able to do." The woman said, and Matrim went and sat down next to Sara with his bottle of water.

"He's a cute little guy huh?"

[Sara Gallagher]

Sara took the bottle and dropped slowly into the seat that Matrim offered her. Ignoring Matrim and the rumbling in her stomach at the prospect of dinner, she put the bottle up to Shayne's mouth. Low and behold, the baby began to drink from the bottle. Sara smiled, laughing softly as she watched his little face.

Chuckling at the banter between Gale and Matrim and shaking her head in answer to Matrims question she continued to feed Shayne, smiling and cooing at him. Sara wasn't much for kids, but this wasn't so bad. Kind of sweet. But she also didn't do it everyday. A week of this and she would probably be sick of it and never want to lay eyes on another kid again.

"He's a cute little guy huh?"

"Huh?" His question tore Sara from her thoughts. "Oh. He is. He's so sweet..." She smiled again at Shayne, kissing the top of his head as he ate. "Who knew something so sweet and innocent could come from you," she said, sending him a joking look.

Shifting in her chair to get more comfortable she dropped her gaze from Matrims face. She was really unsure of what to say or do. She no longer felt bad about staying here, knowing it had been his plan all along, but she still felt awkward after everything. They needed to talk, but she didn't even know where to start. "So... What happens now...? With like... everything."

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Who knew something so sweet and innocent could come from you," Sara said, and Matrim already knew what was coming next.

"Heh heh heh heh.... sweet and innocent huh? Don't let that baby fool you, he's every bit of his father... only worse since he's got the cute thing working for him. Try changing him once or twice and you'll see exactly what I mean," Gale spoke up, making Matrim want to chuck something at her. But it was true, sure the child may be cute and innocent when you gave him something he wanted. But he was teething, which meant biting. Not to mention of course the temper tantrums this kid threw while Matrim was gone. And changing him... well Shayne must really want to be a fireman when he grows up...

"So... What happens now...? With like... everything." Sara said, and Matrim leaned back in his chair, thinking about it. He knew what he wanted, but he wasn't sure if that was what Sara wanted.

"Well...." Matrim began to say, "I know what I--"

"Oh, I smell somethin awful comin from that baby," Gale said, walking over to Sara, and motioning to take Shayne from her, "Here Sara, let me take the boy from you before it hits you too hard. Don't want to ruin your appetite. Come on Shay, lets get you away from the dinner table and to a changing table, and if you're already thinking about doing what I know you'll try to do, I will end you."

"Have I ever told you what a bang up job you do, scaring my boy to death," Matrim said sarcastically as she would leave, as long as Sara handed over Shayne. Once they had gone Matrim would finish what he was trying to say, "I know what I want, and what I'd like. I want you to stay regardless, but I want to take you out on a few dates... see how you feel about... maybe me and you getting together."

He'd stop there and see how she reacted to what he wanted.

[Sara Gallagher]

"Oh, I smell somethin awful comin from that baby."

" What? Sara didn't smell anything... Sara looked at Shayne as though waiting for him to confirm or deny what he had done, but he just looked at her.

But she still handed the baby off to Gale when she motioned for her to give him to her. She was kind of sad to let Shayne go. It was the first time she had been able to feed him. She turned to the table and pulled her plate up to her, taking a bite of the lasagna. The moment it touched her tongue, she forgot about Gale and Matrim, ignoring their banter, and wolfed down her food.

She was taking her last fork full when Matrim finished speaking to her. She took the chance to wipe her mouth and set her fork down as she thought about it, buying herself some time. He wanted him and her to... 'get together'. Sara didn't quite know how she felt about that.

"I... um..." She cleared her throat and looked around. "I guess a date... wouldn't hurt..." She spoke quietly, avoiding his eyes and blushing, and stared at the other side of the room. "I'll stay though... I guess... It is a lot nicer here..." She turned to him suddenly, an unsure look on her face. She wasn't happy that she was going to ask him this, but it had been bothering her, and she needed to know. "Are you sure that you're ready for another relationship? This is going to change a lot of things... What about Shayne?"

[Matrim Gallagher]

"Are you sure that you're ready for another relationship? This is going to change a lot of things... What about Shayne?" Sara asked, and Matrim actually felt relief. They were having an honest conversation, and it felt good. They had talked before, they had even gotten pretty serious conversations going when the time called for it. Usually Matrim said something stupid, but now he felt he could be honest and he knew better than to write a fucking college dissertation on how they were friends just after having sex with the girl. Besides, what they had transcended friendship. It was a weird genetic mix between friends, lovers, an old bickering couple, and mortal enemies.

"Before she died...." He began, knowing that it would definitely change the mood. But he had to bring it up, "There wasn't much romance between me and her. Not just because of the pregnancy... I think Shayne's conception was probably the only time... that relationship was over. I hate admitting it since she died and all, but it was heading down fast...." He said, and it was true. It was as if all the spark in that relationship drained up. And that wasn't anyones fault, shit just happened, "As for Shayne, however far you're willing to take your relationship with Shayne is completely up to you, if you want to be close with Shayne, that's alright. If you would rather only even pick Shayne up once a week at most, that's okay too. I trust you with Shayne, and I know you'd protect him if anything happened. I'm around enough, and if I had a relationship with you, it wouldn't take too much time away from him since... well, right now you're here..."

He thought about what else he was going to say before going on, pausing slightly to gather his thoughts, "But I'm glad you decided to stay. And, if something happens, anything happens... between us... know that you're always welcome to live here. And if you want to leave here at any time, just say the word and I can even buy you a place if you want. But I hope you can consider this place home."

It wasn't so much charity, especially with the selfish reasons connected with it. Still, there was a hint of him helping her out. So he did want to add something else, "But... I want you to know, you don't have to feel pressured to go on dates with me and stuff... just because I'm giving you a place.... I guess what I am getting at here is, I've told you how I feel... but you haven't told me, how you feel. I mean, I can feel it, but I do want to hear what it is you feel..."