[CLOSED] and aim for my heart.

[deacon reid rudman]

"Uh huh." She told him, curling up against him. She smiled up at him as Deacon left to go downstairs, starting breakfast. She gave him a wet kiss on the cheek, looking up at him with bright blue eyes. "Mkay? Mkay?" She asked, playing with his hair. She laid there, looking up at him in awe until Deacon called that breakfast was done. She gasped, and wiggled off the bed, crawling quickly to the door. She pulled herself to her feet, and walked slowly down the hall, using the wall for support. She stood at the stairs, looking confused.

"Down?" She looked up at Connor.

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor chuckled, just laying with her in silence until Deacon's call brought a gasp to her lips. He sat up, wincing in surprise, and got to his feet. Following her down the hall, ready to help her if need be. When she stopped at the top of the stairs, he took her hand, helping her down a few steps before picking her up against a thin hip, mentally dreading any movements she might make. Why did his stomach hurt so bad? it didn't feel like an attack or seizure coming on He had been taking his medication...sure he was completely starved, but it wouldn't hurt like this.

[deacon reid rudman]

She laid her head down on his shoulder, rubbing his chest gently. She eyed Deacon, smiling as if she had defeated him in something. "That's my man, little girl." He said with a smile, setting her pancakes at her high chair.

"Me." She told him, then picked one up, taking a bite out of it.

"You're such a cheater." He teased Connor, offering him a pancake. "Just half. That's all I ask. That's like, one bite cause they're so damn small." He held one of the teeny tiny pancakes up, then sat it back down.

"You're really pale.. Do you need your pain medicine?"

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor set Bandit in her high chair gently, eyed the pancakes with disinterest. Deacon told him to eat at least half of one and he lowered his gaze, just standing there. "I'm not hungry..." He whispered softly, biting at his lip.

the next question and his fingers twitched, itching to touch at his abdomen. "I'm f-fine..."

[deacon reid rudman]

"Dead guys lie better than you." He said, leaning against the counter. He eyed Connor, biting his lip. Something was wrong, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He could tell he was hurting, but something else..

"Con, why do you have your shirt on?" He asked. "You like, never sleep with your shirt on. And it's two degrees below the surface of the sun in our bedroom." 'Our bedroom.' He stopped for a moment, wondering if he would even be able to go back in there once Connor was gone.

"Are you gonna tell me what's wrong, Connor?" He asked gently.

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor swallowed as each word was spoken. "Nothing's wr-rong..." He insisted again, breathed wavering this time. He worked his jaw, looked up at Deacon brokenly. "A-and maybe I wanted to wear it, s-so what?"

He stared down at the shirt quietly, rubbed at his arms to rid them of goose bumps. He didn't know how to get out of this one, and the more he realized that, the more he panicked.

[deacon reid rudman]

"Connor.." Deacon said sternly, looking over at him. "Connor, you tell me right now or I'm going to find out, and you're really not going to like it. Tell me what you're hiding. Tell me what's wrong. You can't expect me to help you if you keep everything buried." He looked over at him, not willing to show him the hurt in his eyes.

"Connor, don't do this, okay? I'm not your father.. I want to help you.."

[connor crayze sykes]

"I'm not your father. I want to help you."

Connor couldn' hide the tremble of his jaw, the tears that spilled over as he looked at Deacon going untouched, arms wrapped tightly around himself. "I-..." He trailed off, working his jaw, teeth grinding together.

He didn't want to show him..it was nothing rght? They were both just paranoid and he was just being stupid and making Deacon over react... He swallowed, took a silent step back.

[deacon reid rudman]

"Okay, Connor. I give up. You win, okay?" He turned back to the stove, carrying the dirty dishes to the sink. He started to wash them out, wondering why he bothered to cook. Only Bandit ate.

He took the child upstairs, sticking her in the bathtub before walking back downstairs to clean up her mess. "Go get dressed. You promised Christy you were going to the movies with her. And Dallas said something about the park."

'My one fucking day off and Dallas has to take him away.' He thought, washing off Bandit's high chair tray.

[connor crayze sykes]

Connor swallowed as he lowered his gaze. "Only cos I-I didn't know you had the day off..." He whispered brokenly, rubbing at his eyes in agitation. He let out a shaky breath, grabbing his clothes and heading to their bedroom, not really caring what Deacon did to him at this point.

He was too upset with himself to bother with the door, tugged on his jeans then pulled off the dirty shirt, staring down at his darkly bruised stomach with a wavering breath.