Taylor
Taylor heard his family making his way downstairs for dinner, but as he'd just told his father he wasn't all that hungry.
He had more important things on his mind.
Hoping not to catch her in the middle of dinner, he lifted the cordless phone and dialled Mouse's number.
Mouse.
"Myello?" Mouse said, picking up the phone.
She petted Fafnir's head softly.
Taylor
"Happy anniversary," Taylor smiled.
He was glad he was feeling somewhat himself.
Mouse.
"Oh my god! You remembered! You called!"
Mouse was nearly bouncing with happiness, when she'd been very depressed before he spoke.
"Happy anniversary."
Taylor
"Of course I remembered," Taylor grinned, hearing the tone of her voice.
"Got a present for you too... for whenever I see you."
Mouse.
"You can drop by the house anytime," Mouse said.
"Not very big on going outside at the moment. Clarissa says that there have been people watching it. Bad people."
Taylor
"I'm not sure that Fafnir for one would be willing to see me," he shrugged.
Then he frowned.
"Be careful. Ok?"
Mouse.
"I have been. Very."
Fafnir growled almost too soft for it to be heard by Taylor.
"And the Pack will play nice. Otherwise there will be words."
Taylor
Taylor licked his dry lips.
"What kind of bad people?" he asked suddenly.
Mouse.
"She's not sure. They've either had telepath blocks or been telepaths themselves," Mouse said.
"But they've been watching the house. They could have been hired by Blakesley."
Taylor
Taylor gulped, and covered his eyes with his other hand.
"God, I..."
He hesitated, then scratched his chin.
"Please, be careful. And keep the kids around Riss and Bee all the time. I know they're both shielded, but... you know. You and Keltie aren't."
Mouse.
"Sabre wouldn't have sent her if he thought she couldn't take care of herself," Mouse said.
"And me and the babies. I'll be careful, I promise. That's why I haven't really had a chance to go out on my Christmas present yet."
Taylor
Taylor hesitated, then chuckled.
"Well I don't blame you," he said, "but ,aybe one day... we can leave the triplets in Keltie's hands and take off on the bikes. Not for too long, just... you know."
Mouse.
"I'd like that," Mouse said softly.
"So, what have you been doing lately?"
Taylor
"Not much," Taylor sat back, "basically... predicting my actions."
He looked across at where Flavian was cleaning Mya.
"If I know something's coming I just leave the house."
Mouse.
"Makes sense," Mouse said.
"But they're your family...they'd understand. They probably want to help you."
Taylor
"Ike and Zac are really the only ones that know. Mom and Dad just kinda... know I'm having problems and respect my privacy."
He shook the hair out of his eyes.
"And as far as I know, Jess hasn't been in my dreams. If she has, she's in trouble."
Mouse.
"I don't like having people in my mind," Mouse said flatly.
"It doesn't work out well for either person involved."
Taylor
"No one likes having someone in their mind," Taylor frowned.
He hesitated again, voice going solemn.
"Did you hear about Craig?"
Mouse.
"Clarissa said he was dead," Mouse said slowly.
"She didn't say how."
Please let it have been painful, since she hadn't been able to do it herself.
Taylor
Taylor took a deep breath, hoping Avery had her block up.
"Avery killed him," he said softly, running his fingers through his hair.
"She's taken it so hard. She hasn't left her room for three days. I... I want to go in there, but I don't know if she'll... you know. See stuff."
Mouse.
"Yeah..."
Mouse sighed slightly.
"Would've been her that'd do it in the end. I wish..."
Wish that she hadn't had to do it, and I could have instead.
Taylor
"Ike isn't really taking it easy either, but don't let him know I told you," Taylor insisted.
"He keeps saying he should have lied to her. Told her that he'd killed him. But... yeah. The things you think of when it's too late."
Mouse.
"I know that feeling..."
She thought back on what had happened the first time she;d thought she'd killed Craig. The fire. Afterwards, she wished she hadn't lit it. But at the time, she hadn't cared if she lived or died as long as she took him down with her.
Taylor
Taylor sighed.
"One of the Ka'Millens say Jess cooked us dinner," he almost chuckled, "let's hope it isn't poisoned."
He rolled his eyes.
Mouse.
"Meh, Jess."
Mouse was silent for a few moments.
"I tried so hard to be her friend...I'm too tired and have too many more pressing problems of my own to try anymore. It probably isn't. Can she cook? I don't know if she can cook. I know Ike can cook, it might be bad if Jess has done it."
Taylor
"She's not that bad of a cook," Taylor amended, "but I'll be content with leftovers tonight. I'm not hungry."
He tapped his fingers against the phone.
"Did I ask how the triplets were yet?"
Mouse.
"No, but they're fine. They're asleep. I just fed them," Mouse said.
"Usually they go straight down after that. Good thing, really."
Taylor
Taylor chuckled.
"At least you're on some kind of schedule with them."
Mouse.
"They're good babies," Mouse said softly.
"Least, most of the time."
Taylor
"You know..." Taylor began, trying to calm her imagination.
"When Blakesley called you that day and I got into an argument with him about the babies... he gave the example of a wolf. That their instinct was to kill and nothing would change that."
He swapped hands holding the phone.
"But even wolves can be tamed. Domesticated. I of all people should know."
Mouse.
"Yeah..." Mouse said.
She rubbed Fafnir's ears, frowning slightly. The wolf yawned and settled his head more comfortably in her lap. If Taylor thought like that...that a wolf could be tamed, domesticated and made into a housepet, did he really understand her at all? Understand the Pack? She somehow didn't think so.
"Blakesley is someone who should be shut up. Permanently. Connard."
Taylor
Taylor dropped his head, then looked up again with wet eyes.
"I know he's coming back," he said quietly, "I just really hope it isn't you he's coming for."
Mouse.
"Or you, mon coeur," Mouse said.
If he comes after me and my babies, one of will be dead because I'll be dead before I see him take my children.
Her face set in resolve and Fafnir snarled a quiet agreement.
Taylor
"I don't know," Taylor began, leaning his elbow on his knee and looking toward the window.
"At the moment I'm not really caring."
He hesitated, realizing what he'd just said.
"I ah... I've gotta go," his voice shook, "before... I say something I'll regret."
Mouse.
"I love you," Mouse said gently.
"Call me later when you're feeling better. J'adore tu, mon cher."
Taylor
"I love you too. Happy anniversary."
Taylor quickly hung up before he could say any more. He hadn't gone far enough into it to not know what he was doing.
He lay down on the bed and hid the phone underneath, to try and convince himself he was trying to go to sleep.
Mouse.
Mouse put the phone back and then lay down on he bed, digging her fingers into Fafnir's ruff.
He better look after himself. Or she was going to come looking for him. She couldn't stand to see someone else she loved die while she hid.