by Rue Volley
I closed the door behind me quietly and crossed my arms on my chest. I stood there for a moment and wondered how I would find him and then it hit me. I can track anyone, especially those closest to me. Duh. It had just been so long since I’d had to use anything that reminded me of the fact that I was a protector that I didn’t think about it, not much anyway. I looked at the floor and felt a slight vibration and then the color started to appear to me… bright red, Johnathan’s color. I grinned and watched it mist on the floor at my feet, like the fog that rolled into and out of Calvary in the morning. I watched it wrap itself around my ankle and it tickled a little. I grinned and shook my foot, causing it to leave me and stop harassing my toes. I watched it roll out in front of me and decided to follow it.
I walked slowly at first and then the confidence of who I was kicked in and I walked with a purpose. I watched the color swirl around and could almost hear a whispering, a residual of each of us as our energy trails behind us and whispers on the wind. The color swirled by the door to the rogue’s cabin for a moment and I hoped like hell that he wasn’t in there. She gave me the creeps kinda, even though I knew that I could kill her if needed. I just didn’t really want to talk to her again, especially now that I knew that she sold herself to the highest human bidder. Gross.
The red color continued to inch on and I was relieved. Maybe Johnathan stopped off to visit her and that was totally on him. I was not in ‘judgmental’ mode, more like the ‘come back to the room and just be my friend’ one. I watched the color continue to snake along the floor until it inched under the door to the bar and grinned. Of course he went back to the bar; he seemed to like it there. He probably went back and got more to drink and ended up falling asleep in a booth. I pushed the door open and looked in. The bar had less light than before, but still just enough to light the room, like candle light more than artificial light. I looked around to see if anyone lingered and then I saw his color snake along the floor towards a large booth by the window. I grinned, knowing that I had guessed it right. Maybe I wasn’t as rusty as I thought. I mean this wasn’t so hard.
I walked towards the booth and the faint light played off the chandelier above me, I looked up and it sparkled on my face. I could almost feel the light, dancing on my skin. I looked ahead of me when I heard a small noise and decided to go ahead and get it over with. I walked towards the booth and then peeked over the back of it and expected to see Johnathan all curled up like a baby, pulling at my heartstrings. I peeked over, and then my jaw dropped. Johnathan was on top of a girl, in the booth… moving like… well, you know. I didn’t know why I didn’t immediately move away, but instead got stuck there like a deer in headlights as Johnathan moaned and grabbed the girls neck and then turned her head to the side. He bit into her neck and the girl’s legs pulled up and Johnathan made a noise that I do remember from way back… during another life when he and I were ah, you know, all about being all over each other. I sucked in my breath and Johnathan looked back at me with blood all over his mouth and I looked at him for a moment and felt my heart jump at the smell of blood. The girl looked at me and I stumbled. She looked just like me and I fell on the floor and then pushed myself up and tried to run, but I tripped up on my robe again and hit the floor, smacking my knee super hard and I hissed. I sat up and rubbed it, forgetting why I fell in the first place. I heard them move quickly behind me and the girl ran out of the room and Johnathan stepped up behind me and I saw his hand as I glanced to the side.
“I’m good.” I said as my voice cracked a little.
He tapped me on the shoulder and then I let him pull me up as I looked everywhere but him. He had dressed himself, but his shirt was still open and I could still smell the blood on him. He cleared his throat and I glanced at his face. He looked like he was sorry but I didn’t care… in fact it has just hit me that I should have stayed in bed and let this just pass, it would pass as most things do. But no, I had to be all Rue about it and go searching; now making the situation a thousand times shittier than it had to be. Awesomeness.
Johnathan tried to touch my face and I backed up and looked at him.
“Yea… umm, I ah.” I started to say.
“Rue, don’t,” he said, like he had the right to direct me at this point.
“I’m gonna…” I said as I pointed behind me. Johnathan shook his head and I dare him to stop me, I really do. I turned and started to walk and he called out to me.
“I glamoured her, to look like you… it wasn’t right and I apologize.” He said.
I stopped and held up my hand.
“I am so not even interested right now.” I said.
“Rue.” He whispered as I felt him flash up behind me. I turned and stepped back from him as I looked at his face.
“Do you have any idea how ‘f’d’ up this is?” I asked him.
He grinned and wiped the blood from his lip.
“Yeah… yeah I do.” He said as he looked at me.
“I mean…you had he r, and she looked like…” I started to say. I turned and threw my hands up in the air.
“I actually wanted to apologize to you and tell you to come back to the room.” I said as I walked away from him shaking my head.
He flashed in front of me and I stopped and tilted my head.
“Umm, move.” I said to him as I placed my hand on my hip.
He held up his hands like a truce.
“I have glamoured every girl I have been with.” He said.
I pushed past him and plugged my ears.
“Nanananananananananana” I yelled out to drown him out.
He grabbed my hands and pulled them down in a flash.
“You need to hear me, Rue.” He said.
I looked at him and then punched him in the face as hard as I could; he flew back from me and hit the floor, sliding across it until he came to a stop.
I pointed my finger at him.
“Here you are, acting like everything was cool and you lied, you lied all this time!” I yelled at him.
The girl peeked back in and grinned. I looked at her and she looked at me, still looking like me and I placed my hands up and looked at Johnathan. He waved his hand and the image of me over her faded and it returned to who she really was… the bartender from earlier.
“Nice.” I said as I looked at him and frowned. He shrugged his shoulders and she kept herself covered as she ran to the booth and grabbed her clothes and ran back out. I watched the door swing behind her and then looked at Johnathan.
“You are an ass.” I said.
“So I’ve been told.” He said.
“No, really… an asshole of great proportion.” I said.
“You don’t have to be all “Josh” about it.” He added.
I looked at him and tilted my head.
“All “Josh” about it? He is going to beat the shit out of you.”
Johnathan stood up rubbing his jaw and grinned. That alone pissed me off even more.
“I...” I stopped and walked. Sometimes you have too. Walk, I mean. Sometimes situations warrant it. This one totally warrants me searching this airship for a parachute and jumping off. What the hell was I thinking? Why did I come with him? I should have let Josh accompany him to London, but no. I had to come, had to be all excited about it, although the premise was so daunting, with the whole “Brooke is dead” thingy looming over the situation. I stopped and looked back at him as he stood there, not really looking so much upset as just relieved to let me know. That alone is beyond crap. I had no idea that he felt this strongly about us, I had no idea that he spent all this time pretending like he had come to the understanding that I had… the one that is the only understanding that there is… the fact that we will never be together, not that way. The possibility came and went, but the moment that my mind accepted Josh as who he was to be in my life, all other possibilities went out the proverbial window. Josh was my mate, soul mate for the lack of a better word. That phrase alone should make it crystal clear and yet I stand here with
a boy that I have known forever and once again we are faced with a crossroads. I don’t like it… nope, not one bit… and I am so pissed that he did this because now I feel like we never made any strides at all, and it is totally his fault…100%.
“I so hate you right now.” I said.
“Please don’t.” Johnathan said as he took one step towards me.
“Ah, no closer.” I said to him as I stared him down.
“I am not going to attack you.” He said.
“Like you could.”
Johnathan grinned, the grin that I know all too well.
“This is so not the ‘grinning’ moment.” I said to him.
“I don’t know what else to do.” He added.
“How about… ‘I am sorry Rue, for being a freak.’?” I said sounding a little more venomous then I wanted too.
“Oh Okay, I am the freak.” He said.
“Well… not ‘freak’ so much as… Oh you know what? It’s freaky, and I’m not going to apologize, I’m not.” I said.
“Listen to me… you do not choose love…” he started to say.
“Oh for craps sake, don’t pull that with me.” I said.
“What?”
“The whole psychology crap thingy, I don’t buy it. You should have left and never came back.” I said before I realized how final that really sounded.
“Fine.” He said as he walked past me and left the room.
Awesome… just fantastic. How the hell did I become the bad guy? How exactly did that work? I mean I wasn’t the one pretending for years, he was… and not to mention how uncomfortable it makes me feel that Josh was so not going to accept this to any degree. I mean if you think that I have anger issues, well then you have not seen Josh full throttle on someone, he has a natural talent for beating people down to the core and Johnathan should be aware of it. I mean he is the one who has sparred with him forever. Geezus…what a freakin’ mess. Thanks Johnathan, thanks a lot.
Theodore stood there and rubbed his chin. He lifted his finger like he was going to say something and then didn’t. I guess looking at a bed full of six children when you fell asleep with two, would do that to somebody. Gracie yawned and stretched her arms out and peeked at Theo, who tilted his head and waved his hand at her. She crinkled her eyebrows and sat up, glancing at the new people she had collected in the night. Theo crossed his arms and she sighed, the one that reminds everybody of her mom. She slowly let her feet drop over the side of the bed and lowered herself until she looked at the bed and then grinned at Theo, like she knew there was no way he would just kick them out… because he won’t. It wasn’t in his nature, or any of ours to be truthful. They were true protectors, even when it may cause harm. He held his hand out to her and she took it, peeking back at all the sleeping children as he led her to the door and closed it behind them. He said nothing as he led her out to the living room. He stopped and pointed at the couch and she walked to it and climbed up and then turned, settling her back against the oversized cushion, making the couch look even bigger than it really was. Theo paced for a moment and looked at her as he stopped, then he paced again. Gracie watched him and fought back the urge to giggle, knowing that it was probably not the best time to do it. Theo stopped again and then looked at her.
“How long have you been able to undo my protection spell on the house, love?” he asked her.
Gracie hunched her shoulders, reminding Theo that she truly was only five.
“Okay... okay. So, who are the new children in my bed?” he asked her.
Gracie played with her fingers and then looked up at him with her puppy dog eyes.
“They need help.” She said, forgoing trying to sound cute.
Theo tilted his head and then looked towards the room.
“Sara Grace Barrington, I am entrusted with your safety and have every intention of doing an excellent job of it while your parents are gone. We cannot have you running around at night inviting just anybody into our home.” He said.
Gracie looked at him and let her eyes get all glossy with tears. Theo crinkled his eyebrows and quickly sat down next to her on the couch, taking her little hand in his and kissing it.
“No… do not...”
Gracie started to cry. This was her last defense when she knew she is in the wrong… but her most powerful one. Her crying was an awful sight; she got all dramatic about it and acted like she had been abused forever. She dropped to the couch and buried her face in the cushion. Theo rubbed her back and then looked up when the front door opened and Sam came in with Kai right behind her. They both stopped and Sam flashed to Gracie and picked her up as she cried and Kai stood there and stared at Theo, like the explanation better come fast.
“Oh dear.” Theo said as he stood up and crossed his arms on his chest.
“What the hell dude?” Kai asked as Sam consoled her.
“There is no “what the hell?” on my side; you should be asking your niece that question.” Theo said.
“Gracie…what did Uncle Theo do?” Kai asked her.
Theo laughed and threw his hands up in the air.
Gracie peeked at him and grinned.
“He got mad… I got some kitties.” Gracie said.
Sam looked at Theo and shook her head.
“Really?... you are disturbed over cats?” she asked him.
“Oh yes... five of them, look for yourself, she put them in the bed.” Theo said as he waved his arm at the bedroom.
Kai rolled his eyes and shook his head. He walked up to Gracie and took her from Sam.
“Let’s see.” He said.
He walked to the door and Gracie wrapped her little arms around his neck, Sam followed and gave a look of ‘wtf’ at Theo as she followed them. Theo grinned as he watched Kai open the door and just stand there, not saying a word. Sam looked at him and Gracie giggled. She stopped dead when she saw what Kai was staring at; five children snuggled down in the oversized bed. Sam shut the door and looked back at Theo and marched towards him. She stopped in his face and raised her hand up.
“Not cats Theo,” she said.
“It would appear not.” Theo said as he walked towards the kitchen and started to pull out food for breakfast.
“Umm, Theo.” Sam said as she followed him in.
“Yes love.” Theo said.
“What the hell happened?” she asked him.
Theo grinned and turned to her.
“That is what I was trying to find out when you stormed in and took her side.” Theo said.
“Okay… sorry, now what the hell?” Sam asked.
Theo looked at Kai as he walked in slowly with Gracie in his arms and looked at the two of them.
“Ask the little one, I was asleep.” Theo said.
“She is five dude, you are like seven-thousand or something.”
“Oh!” Theo said as he turned and started working on breakfast.
“Sam?” Kai asked as he stood there confused and Gracie played with his hair.
Sam glanced at him and then back at Theo.
“Where is Josh?” Sam asked.
“Oh, Johnathan came by and Rue and Josh left with him, a trip overseas. Seems that there has been an accident.”
Sam grabbed his hand and stopped him from messing with the food.
Theo sighed and looked at her.
“Brooke has died love.” He said quietly.
“Oh.” Sam said as she looked down and then back at Kai, holding Gracie.
“That sucks ass.” Kai said.
Gracie giggled as she touched Kais mouth and he grinned at her.
“Sucks ass.” She said as she laughed.
“No.” Sam said as she took her from him.
“No cussing, you will have plenty of time for that, trust me.” Sam looked at Kai and raised her eyebrows. Sam took Gracie from Kai and jiggled her in her arms.
“Why didn’t you call us home?” Sam said.
“I am more than capable of taking care of Gracie.” Theo said.
“O
h yeah… looks that way.” Kai said as he laughed and headed towards the couch. He dropped down on it and picked up his controller.
“Nope.” Sam said as she looked at Kai and he dropped it like a child being grounded.
“What?” Kai asked her.
“No time for that, we have a problem in that room.” Sam said as she glanced towards the hallway.
“I don’t see it as a ‘problem’ really, they are just kids.” Kai said as he leaned back on the couch and crossed his arms like he was pissed that she thwarted his gaming.
“I doubt they are just ‘kids’” Sam said as she looked at Gracie and Gracie touched her face and smiled. Sam grabbed her hand and kissed it.
“You should have called Josh.” Sam said as she looked in the kitchen and watched Theo place plates on the table.
“As I said before, I am very capable of taking care of the situation.” Theo said.
Sam walked towards him with Gracie on her hip.
“This is a cluster...”
“Ah.” Theo said as he raised his eyebrow to her.
Gracie giggled again.
“Mess.” Sam said as she glanced at Gracie and bounced her a couple of times.
“I do agree, but we will handle it. Josh and Rue should be able to accompany their friend on this difficult venture without emergency phone calls from home.” Theo said.
Sam smiled and placed Gracie in a chair at the table and pushed her up to it. She lifted a fork and placed it in her hand.