Chapter Four

She watched as his mood turned sullen, his green eyes growing dark before he turned and silently exited the house. She turned slowly towards Kitty, who now sat forlorn beside her on the couch. "What?" Covergirl asked, with questioning eyes. Kitty gingerly took the photo back from Covergirl, carefully replacing it in the back of the photo album.
"That... that's our father." She told Courtney, her normally bright eyes now more melancholy. She nodded her head slowly, adding softly: "He died a ways back."
"Oh." Was the only thing Courtney could seem to muster. "I'm... I'm sorry." Up until that point, she'd avoided bringing up the subject of Ripcord's dad, unsure of how he fit into the picture. Kitty pursed her lips and shook her head no.
"It's okay. It's just... we don't talk about it much. It hit Wally pretty hard." Covergirl nodded, looking towards the front door.
"Can I ask how it happened?" She said, tentatively.
"He was a fireman." Kitty said, matter-of-fact. "He went out one night, and just didn't come back. Big factory fire over in Columbus, I don't know all the details. Like I said, we don't talk about it much. Wally was 12, I was about 9." She closed the album, slowly standing and turning to put it on the shelf.
"Were they close?" Courtney asked, turning back to the red-haired woman. Kitty nodded in response.
"Very." She responded solemnly. " It hit him hard, really changed him, you know? He stopped coming to church with us after that, and he started getting into skydiving, all kinds of crazy stuff. Always kind of figured he'd end up a fireman like dad, I think that's part of the reason mom's so disappointed." At least that'd explained the tension during dinner, Covergirl thought. She'd noticed his mom seemed almost indifferent to him, but she'd thought it might have been more of a pacifist issue, his mom being a nurse.
"I'm really sorry." She repeated, standing up herself. Kitty shook her head no.
"You didn't know." She said, with a heavyhearted smile. Covergirl nodded in response, then hitched her thumb towards the door.
"I'm just going to go check on Ripcord." The brightness returned to the young redhead's eyes.
"What did you call him?" She asked with a sly grin. Covergirl stopped in her tracks and cursed to herself. His codename. She'd used it more than his real name, just at this point seemed like second nature. She shouldn't have come.
"Just a nickname..." She played it off, hoping it would pass as she opened the front door.

He looked almost lost on the large porch, leaning by the thick corner post, one arm raised so he could rest his forehead against it as he stared up at the bright night sky. The cool night air sent a chill through her, as she wrapped her arms tightly around herself, the same chill not phasing him as he stood bare-armed in his black T-shirt. She closed the door quietly behind her, walking up and leaning her back against the waist high railing to face him. He didn't change expression, didn't glance her way, almost as if he were somewhere else.
"Wally..." She said softly, hoping to break his trance.
"I guess Kitty told you huh." He said flatly, still staring off into the distance, not turning to face her.
"Yeah..." She said dispiritedly, not sure of what else to say. She searched his face with her eyes, trying to read him, not understanding what she saw. “And I’m really sorry, I just…” She let her voice trail off, not sure of how to finish the statement.
"Don't worry about it. You didn't know." He said, quietly. She stood for a moment in silence, wanting to hold him, provide comfort, unsure of what he wanted, what he needed.
"She said you were close... he'd be really proud Wally." She tried.
"Would he?" He asked, slightly raising his voice. "Would I even be here? Or would I be like my family? Still living the perfect life in the prefect neighborhood? In the same department as Dad? Living just down the street? Still have my beliefs? Still know my mother? After he died I became something else. That eats at me. How do I know he'd be proud of me? What if he'd been like Mom?" She stared at him for a second, freezing, not quite knowing what to say, how to fix this, how to make it better. Mechanics were so much easier she rationalized, so much easier.
"I didn't know him." She said softly, taking his free hand in hers. "But I know you. And I know who you turned out to be. I can't tell you what would have happened, no one can, Wally, I can only tell you what I see. And what I see is reason for anyone to be proud. If your mom can't accept that, it's her problem, not yours. I don't want to overstep my bounds here, but honestly..." She raised his hand to rest her cheek against for a brief second before continuing. "I feel sorry for her. She's missing out. I like who you've become, I respect who you've become." For the first time, he turned, facing her, searching her eyes.
"Why do you stick with me Courtney?" She didn't even need to think about it.
"Why?" She asked in disbelief, slightly shaking her head. "Why wouldn't I stick with you, Wally?" She held fast to his free hand, covering it with both of hers, cautiously not touching the bandages that still surrounded his forearm. "You're confident and strong, and you're smart and funny, and you're warm and caring, and don't you get it? Can't you see? I stick with you because to me." She paused a second, biting her bottom lip.”To me you are Superman."
"I know. I jus... I just needed to hear that." He responded, bringing a smile to her lips and causing her eyebrows to rise.
"You KNOW, huh?" She asked with a slight shake of her head. He smiled in return.
"I guess Fastdraw is rubbing off on me." She instantly clenched, gritting her teeth and shuddering, then gave a small smile.
"That's just not funny." He chuckled, leaning forward and softly kissing her forehead.
"Sorry." His smile grew larger, as he took hold of both her hands. "But honestly, thank you. I really needed to hear what you said." She squeezed his warm hands tightly, searching his eyes.
"I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true." She allowed a small smile to creep over her face. "Besides, there is that picture to prove it."
"That's just wrong." He let a slightly embarrassed grin overtake his face as he released her hands and pointed towards the door. "We'd better get back inside, you'll freeze out here." She nodded, running one hand up and down her arm to keep warm.
"Just know if you ever need to talk about it, I'm here, okay, Superman?" He shot her a warm smile as he opened the screen door to let her through.
"I'll keep that in mind Courtney."

His sister was sitting sideways on the couch, her back resting against the armrest, knees bent and feet up on a cushion as she thumbed through the pages of a magazine Covergirl instantly recognized as Vogue. "Thought I was going to have to start flipping the light on and off, 'Ripcord' .” Kitty said playfully, looking up from her magazine. Covergirl squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see the disappointed glance she knew she'd get from him. She should have been more careful, and chastised herself. Great job she'd do if confronted by Cobra for info when an exuberant redheaded kid sister from Columbus probably could have asked anything and she'd have told her.
"Drop it Kitty." He warned. Turning back to Covergirl he whispered quickly "Please tell me that was the only thing that slipped." She cast her eyes downward and nodded.
"Aww, what's the matter? Upset I found out about your pet name, Rip?"
"Keep it up Rollcage." He returned, just as jokingly. His sister quickly blushed, turning serious, causing Ripcord to laugh at her distress.
"I told you not to talk about Phil!" She said, tossing the magazine in his direction.
He one handed caught the magazine, in the same motion placing it down beside him on the coffee table, just as the large Grandfather clock in the corner chimed indicating 23:00.
"Shouldn't you be going to bed?" He asked.
"Why?" She said slyly. "You two want to be alone? I can take a hint." Ripcord shook his head.
"Good night, Kitty" He said, with a small smile. She crossed the room to hug him, planting a kiss on his cheek.
"Night Wally.. It's good to have you home." Turning to Courtney she added: "Don't forget, tomorrow, we talk, right?" She kept her eyes downplayed but nodded slightly in response.
"I'm actually kind of beat myself; long Drive." He added, hearing Kitty's door click shut, causing her to nod.
"Night, Superman" She said, kissing the top of his head, but still not making eye contact.

She'd seen his room when Kitty'd given her the 'royal tour' earlier that evening and knew she'd find her bags in there. She pulled her long, white "Class of '76" sleep shirt over her head, taking a minute to scan the comforts of 'home.' The double bed with its thick blue quilt, the matching dresser with mirror, a few scattered football trophies sitting atop. She paused for a moment to scan the pictures wedged between the mirrored glass, a few of Wally in his football uniform, one of his sister as a cheerleader, and she shook her head- the all American family.

She figured she'd sleep the minute her head hit the pillow, but sleep would not cooperate. She tossed and turned for over an hour, counting the chimes from the clock as it struck twelve. Wally's room was quiet. Eerily quiet. Not even a clock radio to keep her company. She missed Kitty's bright conversations already. From down the hall, she could hear the faint sounds of the television, set to a low volume. Another fifteen minutes of staring up at the shadowed ceiling passed before she pulled on her robe, and slipped down the hallway. At first, she'd thought he was sleeping. He was stretched out on the large sofa, hands behind his head, wearing a pair of cotton PT shorts and another black 82nd Airborne T-shirt, even though there was a chill in the air throughout the house. She crept besides the couch, not wanting to wake or startle him, when from the glow of the television light, she could see he swung his eyes her way, a light smile forming on his lips.

"Hey Courtney." He said, sitting up. "Something you need?"
She smiled in return, shaking her head. "No... I just, I heard the TV on, I couldn't sleep."
"Me either." He scooted over a little and motioned towards the space next to him on the sofa. "Care to join me?" He asked. She nodded sleepily, sitting down next to him, and giving a small stretch. She didn't care what movie was on the Late Late Show, grateful just for the noise, and even more so for the company. Another brief minute or two passed before she rested a weary head against his shoulder and yawned.
"How are you feeling, by the way. Ribs and all?" She asked as he leaned his head down on hers for a brief second, brushing his cheek against the top of her head.
"I'm okay, a little sore but I'll be fine in a few days. What about you? How's the temple?"
She smiled playfully, looking up at him. "I'll live. Make getting another Cosmo cover a little difficult, but I'll live." He raised his hand, sliding it around her back, giving her a one armed hug. She rested her head against his chest, the finding the strong thump-thump sounds comforting.
"That's fine by me." He added in a dry tone. "'Sides, if you went back into modeling who'd watch Superman's back?" She dropped her head from his chest, sitting up herself instead of resting up against him.
"Someone who may remember enough not to use a top secret codename in front of a family member maybe." She muttered, scornfully under her breath.
"Hey," He put his hand under her chin, turning her to face him, leaning his forehead against hers. She kept her eyes downcast. "It was a small, harmless mistake. You played it off well. 'Sides Kitty's not naive. She's an EMT, she knows damn well I didn't burn my arm when I bumped up against the barrels of a hot One-Three-Four on my way out of a helicopter during a training exercise." His voice grew into a whisper, as he lightly brushed her lips, sending a warm flush throughout her. "I don't think less of you because of it." She let her eyes meet his for the first time since her screw up, smiling at the sincerity.
"Thanks, Skyboy. Guess I just needed to hear that."
"I hear there's a lot of that goin' around lately." He said while grinning.
Courtney nodded, cuddling back against his chest. "Yeah...." She agreed, taking a deep breath in. "I'm glad I came, Wally. Really." she added.
"So am I." He said with a warm smile. Hers faded as the clock struck 0100.
"So..." She said warily, with a smirk... "Should we be expecting a visit from Anna? It is the middle of the night and all." He smirked before picking up one of the couch's small throw pillows, and gave her a single, light bat to her stomach before nodding his head at the TV.
"Drop it, Courtney." He kidded. "Just shut up and watch Magnum."

Even with the quick glimpses of the hot red Ferrari, she found her head nodding, sleep overtaking her as she rested against Wally's strong arm and chest. She rubbed her eyes a few time in vain, trying to stay awake for his company. The fight was futile. Her eyes finally slid closed for the final time, her head falling forwards slightly. She felt his hand run through her hair once or twice, too tired to wake up, to even offer the warm smile that she carried inside. By the end of the episode, she felt him stand, then near effortlessly lift her from the couch, cradling her in his arms. Had she been coherent, she would have protested, not willing to risk any damage to his ribs.

He gently placed her down on the left side of the double bed, pausing to brush aside a few the hair from her forehead. This time she mustered enough strength to grasp at his hand and hold it tightly, not wanting him to leave, pressing it to her cheek. "Just for a minute." He whispered, placing a small kiss above her ear. "Just for a minute." She felt the right side of the mattress depress beneath his weight, a content feeling of security washing over her as she fell into deep sleep.

She awoke early, before dawn, his protective arm still wrapped around her, her hand still holding his. She didn't want to move, didn't want to wake him, willing to spend the entire ten day pass locked in his arms, but she knew it wasn't possible. His mom mentioned she'd be up early. She mentioned something about church. She wouldn't understand. She slipped her body out from underneath the safety and warmth of his arm, quickly grabbing her gear and headed for the bathroom to change into a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt. She laced up her tennis shoes and slid out the front door, content to explore his neighborhood on her own. Running helped her relax, collect her thoughts. The sounds of her rubber soled shoes hitting pavement in conjunction with the shallow breathing formed a soothing rhythm, helping to wash away the tension she'd collected in the Weem's house.

She ran a good four miles, letting herself get lost on the similar side streets before finding her way back to Fairfax Road, using parked cars as markers to retrace her steps. She spotted the old Impala on the corner and turned left, smiling as she saw the familiar Red Stingray. Beside it sat the late model Olds. Covergirl quickened her pace when she saw his mother approaching the vehicle.

"Mrs. Weems..." She said, near out of breath, coming up on the car. "Can I talk to you a second?" She put her hand on the open door just as the older woman was about to slide in to the driver's seat. She saw her check her watch.
"I'm a little pressed for time, Courtney, can it wait?" She asked, situating herself on the large bench seat. Covergirl let go of the door frame, starting to shake her head yes, then re-grabbed it, shaking her head no as Mrs. Weems went to shut the door.
"Actually, no, I'm sorry, it can't. I wanted to talk to you about Wally." Mrs. Weems sighed heavily.
"What about Wally?" She asked flatly. Covergirl drew in a sharp breath.
"What you're doing, isn't right. I care about your son a great deal, Mrs. Weems, and it hurts me to see him hurt. What you do... Hurts him. I may be out of line here, but it's not right to just shut off your feelings for someone because you don't like their career choice."
"His career choice?" She said defensively. "I'm sorry, Courtney, but you don't know what you're talking about." She put the key into the ignition, turning the car over. Covergirl could hear the engine running roughly, obviously in sore need of a tune up, but shook her head to keep it focused on the task at hand. Once again, she held fast to the car's doorframe, still not breaking eye contact.
"I'm talking about you, and this cold shoulder attitude you have towards your son. I mean, so what if he didn't follow in his dad's footsteps? He's doing something that he loves, that trust me, I've seen first hand and know he's the best at."
"Not that this is any of your business," his mother challenged, her Irish temper now flared. "But my son completely changed after his father died. It was almost as if he became someone I don't even know, someone I can't know."
"Your son, Mrs. Weems, was twelve. He lost his father. It would make anybody change. How long do you plan on holding that against him?"
"This discussion is over." She said, trying in vain for a third time to pull the vehicle door closed.
"No." Courtney told her shaking her head and holding fast to the door. "I'm sorry, but it's not. Your son loves you, it'd be nice to let him know the same, no matter what. It's called unconditional love. You were supposed to sign on for it when you became a parent. He's a great guy, you owe it to both of you to get to know him."
"Are you through, Miss Krieger?" she asked, in a now more agitated tone. Courtney shook her head.
"Just about. My grandfather has a saying; "Life is funny, here one minute, gone the next. If you don't say what's on your mind when you have the chance, you may never get the chance." Mrs. Weems quickly looked down and away. The realization slowly started to wash over Covergirl, something she hadn't thought of before. "Is that what it is?" She pressed. "You're not disappointed in him... You're afraid of losing him too..." She said it more of a question than a statement, the wind being knocked from her sails, now not knowing how to relate or what to say.
"I really am late, Courtney." She said in a quiet voice. Covergirl released her hold on the driver's door, staring down the road as Mrs. Weems drove away.

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