Dane's body moved before he was completely awake, his right hand coming up to hold down his assailant, knife in other hand pressing against their throat.
He pushed his knife farther against his assailant's throat, breaking skin.
"Is this how you greet your wife?" It took a moment for Dane to realize who was in his hold. When he did he smiled, amused with her.
"Is this how you greet your husband?" He shot back, moving his neck so her knife dug into his own throat. "Hi Thea."
Dane quickly place a kiss on her lips, rolling back over to his side of the bed, throwing his knife to god knows where.
He watched the beautiful woman next to him with curiosity, and adoration. "You're back early? Done already?"
"Finished quickly. I missed you too much. Plus the baby wanted to see her daddy." Thea pulled him closer towards herself, holding him close as if she was going to lose him. Her grip firm, giving him no way to escape.
It's not like he wanted to anyway. He craved her touch. Her attention. He craved everything about her.
"I missed you too." Dane moved lower down the bed until his head was by her round stomach. "I missed her more."
Thea laughed, combing her hands through his hair. "Want to feel her? She was kicking moments ago. Unhappy her daddy wielded a knife against her mommy."
Dane kissed Thea's round stomach that was still covered by her uniform showing that she immediately came home without changing. "Daddy's sorry. Don't be angry. It was all mommy's fault for startling me."
He rubbed her stomach as if to placate the baby, watching with wonder as he felt her kick against his hand.
"My fault? You had your knife out first? Why was you even sleeping with a knife to begin with when you're at home? You're safe." She said the last part as reassurance. A reminder that he wasn't out there in danger.
He knew that of course. It was just a habit to always sleep with a knife since most thought it was funny in the beginning to wake him up with a knife to his throat, or a gun to his head. They didn't find it so funny when he killed them.
"At home for three weeks to be exact. I always have to be on guard against enemies." Dane corrects, sitting up when he saw the frown on Thea's face at his words.
"You're leaving now? I just got back."
They was bound to have this conversation. They had it many times before when one just got back, and the other was leaving. It didn't use to be like this. Now it was their reality.
Still it was better than nothing. Their time off did overlap with each other sometimes. Those days they treasured the most.
"Yeah. In a few hours actually." Dane confesses, placing kisses all over Thea's face who was now crying. "It'll be soon."
It wouldn't be a promise he could keep. Just empty words. Soon could be a few weeks to a few months.
She knew that. Yet, she cried. At the end of the day one of them could end up dead. Something Dane always knew. Something Thea always knew.
"Hormones." She choked out, wiping her tears as she sat up in a rush, a smile coming to her face. "You're not tired are you?"
Dane was unsurprised by her mood change. It was something that happened a lot both before and during pregnancy.
"No. Why?" He questioned, eyeing her with suspicion.
"Good. We're going baby shopping. This might be the only time we have to do it." Thea stood holding her stomach. A habit she had ever since she found out she was pregnant.
Dane followed her lead, mock bowing when he got out of bed. "Lead the way your highness."
Dane woke up with a gasp, his heart hammering against his chest. Fuck. Why would he dream of this? Of her.
He hadn't dreamt of her for a long time. When he did it always left a bad taste in his mouth.
Dane scrubbed a hand over his face as if erasing the memory altogether. What a way to start his day.
He took a moment to gather himself before he got out of bed to begin his day. Going through the process of cooking breakfast.
Without even realizing it he made Thea's favorite. Enough food for two people. He's definitely going to need to make a phone call soon except they haven't spoke in years. Why would he call now just to lay out his problems?
Just like everything else in his life Dane shoved everything back down, never to be thought of again.
After eating he wasted no time showering and getting dressed in all black turtle neck and chinos.
Soon he would be meeting Rue once again in person. He wondered how he would react. Would he even remember him from three weeks ago?
On his way out the door he remembered to grab his work bag containing his new letter and laptop. He had a hunch Rue didn't get his last letter from the remembrance ceremony.
If someone took it…well that would be a problem. At least for Rue.
Like a cliche Dane was the last to arrive for his first day on his new job. He was one to pride himself on his ability to be on time. Today was an exception.
He just had to stop for coffee and breakfast deliberately making himself late all because he wanted to hold a conversation with an old co-worker.
It was worth it to say the least.
Dane opened his classroom door unhurriedly, taking the time to look around at the faces of those taking his class. As expected Rue was in his class.
He could see the way Rue watch him. The way recognition fell over him. Dane was the first to look away focusing on setting up his computer.
He could still feel Rue's eyes on him. Staring with such an intensity it felt like a brand. It was easy to ignore Rue's probing stare.
Dane powered up the projector still ignoring Rue. Once more he faced the class. "Hello. I'll be your psychology professor. I'm Mr. Phoenix . You can either address me as such, or call me professor."
At the opening of the class door Dane stopped talking, staring at the new arrival. "You're late Mr-" He let the kid fill in the blank.
"Maxwell. Liam Maxwell."
Liam was a tall guy roughly six feet if he stood up straight from his hunched position. His gaze was focus on the ground until he looked up his gaze moving from Dane to over the class.
Dane followed his gaze until it stopped on Rue who stared back at the boy with a playful smile, and mischief in his eyes. With a raise of his hand Rue brought the boy's attention to him who smile, making his way towards the front of the class where an empty seat remained by Rue.
Dane could guess that they were acquaintances. The question was how?
He did through research on everyone in Rue's life, and came up with nothing. It looks like he'll have more research to do tonight.
Dane pulling up a the first slide on the projector that only said nature, or nurture. He walked around the room too hyper to sit still.
"For this semester we will be getting into nature, and nurture of serial killers. We will also get into human nature itself. One of the first things we will talk about is the misconception people have about what is considered "good" and what is considered "bad". As you all know everyone has different perceptions on what is good, and what is bad."
Dane paused his steps moving to look every one of his student in the eyes. Without his permission his eyes moved to look at the interlock hands of Rue and Liam before he looked away continuing his pacing.
"Answer me this: can good people do bad things?" Dane looked at the students waiting for a raised hand. "No one?"
Dane watched as Rue's hand shot up. "Yes, Mr. Lyarsian?"
Rue smiled unlocking his hand from Liam as he leaned on his forearms, eyes holding secrets waiting to be unlocked. Secrets that Dane already knew of.
It was amusing that a killer was taking his course. He wondered what Rue would get out of it.
"They can. Good people can do bad things." Rue didn't move on to elaborate, and Dane didn't ask him to.
"I want you all to think about this question this week. There will be an assignment best of it. Truly considered what is good and bad to you. Do you think of yourself as what could be considered a good person?"
There was so much Dane wanted to get into today, but now wasn't the time. He spent the rest of the class talking about what the class would be about and what is expected of them.
"That'll be all. On the forum I will be posting what time and days I will be in the office. Come by if you have any questions."
Dane closed down his computer, dismissing the class. Rue and Liam was the first one out as Rue dragged Liam behind him.
'Those two was definitely close. Possibly more than an acquaintance.'
Dane finally sat down in his chair for the first time since he arrived, answering questions of student that wanted to know more things.
It wasn't until the last student left that he got to relax. He didn't have long until his next class, giving him plenty to organize more than a few things.
All that do now was find away to give Rue his letter without getting caught or raising suspicions.
In the end this semester was bound to be interesting to him and Rue alike. Dane couldn't wait to see how Rue would react to unsolicited advice on how to get away with murder better.