Bed of Wild Roses

Sean sighed as he wached the police car back off the driveway. Why had he ever thought that this might get any less complicated?

"Are you angry?" Karl's voice suddenly interrupted him. "I am sorry that they could not help."

"It's not your fault." Sean glared at the retreating car. "They said the only thing they could do was send you to a shelter for homeless peope."

"But why?" Karl's frown was confused. "I don't understand."

"Because nobody reported you, or someone who looks like you, missing and you are mentally sane, so you can't be an escaped ward of the state."

"What's a ward of the state?"

"Nevermind." Sean waved absentmindedly at Karl. "We'll just have to figure out something to do with you."

"Dad?" Evie peeked in through the door. "Can't he stay with us? He's my friend."

"Evie." Sean tried to look stern. "Have you been listening at the door again?"

A soft pink tainted the girl's cheeks as she nodded. "But you left the door open dad, really. I just stood in the corridor."

"Evie...." Sean sighed. "How often do I have to tell you that you're not supposed to eavesdrop?" He frowned briefly at Karl's uncomfortable cough. "And I really think that Karl," he glared at the other man. "Karl would be better of with his family."

"But his family's in the fairy realm!" Evie protested, tears swimming in her eyes. "You can't just throw him out!"

"Evie..." Sean took a hesitant step towards his daughter.

"You can't throw him out!" Evie's cheeks were completely suffused with heat now. "He's my wish, the fairies granted it! You can't just throw him out!"

Sean stared dumbstruck at the door his daughter had just slammed shut in his face. Slowly he turned to Karl, scrutinizing the man from head to toe. Dammit. His body still liked what he saw. Especially a certain part of his anatomy.
"Would you care to explain this?" He asked coldly, crossing his arms in front of his chest and effectively blocking the way from the room.

Karl sighed, staring at the floor. His left index finger drummed nervously on the back of his right hand. "I could try to," he said finally, smiling sheepishly. "But I doubt you'd be willing to believe me."

"You can always try me." Sean said grimly. "After all it's not as though one of us will be going anywhere soon."


~***~


"So...." Sean said slowly, his voice even chillier than his ice-cold stare. "You are a fairy."

Karl nodded, offering a tentative smile.

"And you were turned human, because my daughter asked the fairies to keep an eye on me and grant me a wish."

Karl nodded again.

"And you will stay human till the second part of Evie's wish, which you will not tell me," Karl nodded again. "Has become true and I have made my wish or Evie and I are both dead."

Karl smiled again, nodding once more. Sean had not laughed yet, maybe that was a good sign? "You have one wish," he confirmed. "The second part of Evie's wish is something I cannot tell you."

"So you said already." Sean picked disinterstedly at the threads of the sofa. "What if I would like to make my wish now? Would that be acceptable?"

This time Karl grinned as he nodded.

"And you would leave us then?"

"Yes." Karl said solemnly. "If your wish is on accordance with Evie's."

"Fine." Sean crossed his arms in front of his chest once more. "In that case I wish for you to leave and never ever bother me and my daughter again."

Karl's shoulders sagged visibly. "I'm sorry, Sean." He shook his head. "I cannot grant that wish. It has to be your deepest, true wish, your heart's desire."

"Of course." Sean snorted. "And you would just happen to know that wish, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," Karl said after a while and added at once. "But I am not at liberty to tell you."

"Of course not." Sean glared daggers at the other man. "What do I have to do to get rid of you?"

"I already told you." Karl's voice was taking on a desperate note. "You have to wish for the one thing you truly long for."

"And if I decide to throw you out? Where will you go then?"

"I canot return to the fairy realm," Karl explained once more. "If you throw me out I will have to find somewhere to live."

"Which means you'll be on the streets, if I throw you out."

"Yes." Karl was almost deadly quiet now.

"If you are a fairy, then where are your wings?"

Karl sighed. "I still have them, but most people can't see them."

"Why don't you show them to me then?"

"I can't. You either can see them or you can't. There's nothing I can do about it."

Sean snorted. "Of course not. That's rather convenient, don't you think?"

"Please Sean," Kalr leaned forward, resting his hand on Sean's. "I can't tell you any more than I already did. If you wish for your heart's truest and deepest desire, then I can leave, but no earlier than that."

Sean raised his eyebrows. "And what am I do to with you in the meantime?"

"Would you let me stay?" Karl was definitely pleading now. "I have nowhere to go and I promise not to be a burden. I can help around the house, babysit Evie if you like or just do the cooking so you can concentrate on your work."

Sean's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. "Babysit Evie?" He repeated. "Why should I trust you with her?"

"Because she trusts me. And I can cook."

"Yeah." Sean grimaced. "Rabbit fodder."

"Please?"

Sean sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he got up. "I won't be able to get rid off you, will I?"

"I'm afraid not, no." Karl grinned. "Will you let me stay?"

"If I do, and I'm not making any promises," Sean added quickly, trying to stare the other man down. "Will you agree to see a counselor about this idea of you being a fairy?"

Karl blinked. "What is a counselor?"

"Well," Sean sighed, rubbing his neck tiredly, "A counselor is someone wha talks to people and helps them see things in a new light."

"But why should I see one?"

"Because I won't let you stay if you don't." Sean said resolutely, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Okay." Karl agreed reluctantly. "I will see one of those counselors."

"You can have the guest room." Sean stalked into the kitchen, counting on Karl to follow him. "Just don't cook too much rabbit fodder."

"So you'll really let me cook?"

"Yes." With a heart-felt sigh Sean put the kettle onto the stove. He desperately needed some tea. Which was why he always kept a kettle filled. "Would you like some tea, too?" He asked, remembering his manners. Something about Karl was distracting him. Immensely.

"Do you have chamomile?"

"I think so." Somehow Sean had the feeling that he had just made the probably worst mistake of his life.