Taylor
Taylor was writing down something he'd just come up with, when Mya fell into his lap.
"Woah, hey," he smiled down at her and lifted her to his shoulder.
She shook herself off, and waddled closer to his ear.
"Mee-mum," she whimpered softly, "miss Mee-mum. Mee-mum wif Dorrie, Mal and Exie..."
"I know you do," Taylor sighed, before registering something she'd just said.
"Malory?!" he exclaimed, standing up.
"Oh s#!+... I left Malory with Mouse?! He gets out he'll kill her!"
He quickly packed up what he was doing, moved Mya down to the pocket in his shirt, then rushed downstairs. Grabbing the keys to his motorcycle, he headed outside, started it, and took off down the street.
It took him between ten and fifteen minutes to get to the house, mainly because he'd been speeding a little.
He basically dropped the bike and ran up to the front door, and knocked.
Please be home... please be home... someone...
Mouse, Clarissa & Flynn.
Mouse heard the knock on the door and Fafnir got to his feet, stalking towards the door, lip uplifted in a silent snarl.
"Riss, can you get that please?"
She didn't really want to get up, since she was breastfeeding Flynn at the moment. He looked up at her briefly, cat-like eyes slitted in pleasure as he fed.
Clarissa got up and went to the door, opeing it. She raised an eyebrow at Taylor.
"Taylor. Long time no see."
Fafnir's hackles went up and he snarled.
Trusted you. You hurt her. Go away, rabid. Stinking of madness and lunar cycles.
"Faf, get down and come back here," Mouse called out wearily.
Fafnir snorted at Taylor in disgust, then stalked away, tail low and movements jerky with anger. Bets just yawned and resettled her head on her paws.
Taylor
Taylor leant his hand against the doorframe, eyes weary at the sound of Mouse's voice.
"I've come for Malory," he said simply, "it's too dangerous for everyone for him to be here - even with the shield."
Mouse & Clarissa.
"And you'll be any safer if it's with you?" Clarissa said.
Mouse just resettled herself against the couch, one arm supporting Flynn.
"Ask Bee if it can be moved easily. Bee!"
Taylor & Jason
"I'm thinking more of the triplets here," Taylor scorned as Bee came into view.
"Bee! I'm here for Malory. How long does your shield last?"
Bee hesitated, looking a little taken aback.
"Not for long once it's out of my range."
"And how big is your range?"
"Not too small. It goes for a few miles."
Melusine & Clarissa
"Like to see that ball of fluff try something with me," Melusine scorned.
Clarissa flicked her eyes towards the nursery.
"Don't you even try it, missy."
Melusine just sent Clarissa a mental raspberry. The mutant rubbed her ear in annoyance, then looked back at Bee.
"Does it get weaker as it gets further away? How far is the Hanson place from here?"
Taylor & Jason
Taylor looked between them. Bee scratched his head.
"The Hanson place is twenty minutes from here... I'm not sure my shield will go over ten," he shook his head, "I really don't think he should leave my range."
"He's my responsibility," Taylor frowned, "I don't want to be held responsible if he somehow bypasses it and someone gets hurt."
"We wouldn't hold you responsible. And you don't know that could happen."
"We don't know it couldn't either," Taylor pointed out.
Clarissa.
"Bee..."
Clarissa looked at him and frowned slightly.
"What do you think? Let him take it? You could go with it."
Taylor & Jason
'If I went to the Hanson home I'd have to stay in the basement, and no doubt Walker would want to keep Malory upstairs,' he thought, knowing she'd pick it up, 'it'd be in my range, but if does somehow bypass it I've got no means of knowing. Taylor could be dead by the time I realize he's gone.'
Taylor's eyes darted between them waiting for a response. They were obviously speaking telepathically. The one way a person could speak that he couldn't.
He tapped his fingers impatiently. All his instincts were telling him to go in to Mouse, but he held himself back.
Clarissa.
"We can't let him, really," Clarissa thought.
"But also, we can't really stop him. If you go, I think I can hold the fort here."
Taylor & Jason
'You and I both know we work better together than apart,' Bee considered, 'but I need to keep a shield around this house. Otherwise there's no telling what can get in or out.'
Taylor stood back a little, frustrated. Mainly with himself. But if they didn't let him take Malory he was coming back for him in the middle of the night or something.
Clarissa.
"Considering everything, Taylor," Clarissa said, looking at him.
"Malory's safer here. Bee can keep a lid on him."
Taylor & Jason
Taylor's frown returned.
"I don't care how we work this out, but Malory is not staying here. Not with Mouse," he said sternly, "and I'd rather myself be in danger than her."
"At the moment there is no real danger," Bee insisted, "but if you take Malory with you, you're putting yourself at an unnecessary risk."
"What if I get Zac to freeze him?" Taylor suggested suddenly.
Mouse & Clarissa.
Clarissa glanced at Bee.
"That could work. If you kept him frozen."
Mouse put Flynn back down in his crib and fixed herself up. She walked quietly through to the door seperating the loungeroom from the rest of the house and listened. Fafnir hmmphed irritably.
Taylor & Jason
"You do realize they can disable powers, don't you?" Bee asked Taylor.
Taylor sighed frustratedly and scratched his head.
"If Zac freezes him," Bee continued, "how do you know he won't be able to melt himself. And don't think I don't know that Zac had moved out."
"Once he freezes something, it's frozen," Taylor pointed out, "it doesn't matter if it's in range or not."
"But if something goes wrong he's not there to rectify it," Bee raised his eyebrows.
Taylor groaned.
Mouse & Clarissa
"If Bee keeps the forcefield on, Malory's safer then Fort Knox," Clarissa said.
"Considerably safer."
Mouse put her hand to her mouth, just listening as she bit her fingernails.
Taylor & Jason
Taylor bit his lip, his mind racing for something to say.
"I just don't want him this close to Mouse and the triplets," he said finally, shaking his head.
"We don't know that something won't go wrong. And if your shields fail for any reason whatsoever, people are going to die. I have no doubt in my mind about that."
Bee just watched him.
"You know..." Taylor began, "It's only going to be a matter of time before he breaks through the shield. Then he'll destroy your power, and there'll be nothing to stop him."
Clarissa.
"Until that happens, Malory is more secure here," Clarissa said.
"Bee's sheilds are the only things keeping him contained. And you want to take that away?"
Taylor
Taylor just stared at her for a moment.
"They're not going to be there very long either way you look at it," he shook his head.
"Either I take him now and let my family deal with it, or you lose your powers and people die."
Clarissa.
"And then they die? Fantastic plan," Clarissa said.
"Bee, your call. It's your shields."
Taylor & Jason
"We can handle it!" Taylor exclaimed.
"Taylor, shut up," Bee insisted for a moment.
He hesitated, closing his eyes.
"Maybe if I call Steel he'll send someone else with shields over..." he held up his hand as Taylor opened his mouth to say something, "and they can contain him until you have other means."
Taylor ground his teeth for a moment as he thought it over.
"How long is it gonna take?" he raised an eyebrow.
Mouse & Clarissa.
"As long as it does?" Clarissa said.
"You want to call, Bee, or me?"
Mouse put her hands to her mouth for a moment, thinking. He had to know she had known as soon as he walked up the sidewalk. And she needed to drink something sugary. Melusine...well, part vampire, 'nuff said. She gritted her teeth slightly and walked through the lounge room to the kitchen. She glanced at Taylor before she entered the other room.
Wishing things were different.
Fafnir padded after her and sat as she got something to drink.
She bit you. Again.
Oh hush, she needs the blood. Idiot wolf.
Taylor, Kirk & Jason
"I'll do it," Bee replied, the second Taylor spotted Mouse.
He just stared at where she'd disappeared as Bee went to get the phone.
Kirk was walking down the street as he was made to pluck his cell phone from his coat.
"Yeah Bee?"
"Hey Steel. I was wonderin' if there was someone else in the district with shields that wasn't busy for the next hour or so."
"Problems?" Kirk frowned.
"No, no. We just need to transport Malory, but I have to keep a shield over the house."
"Where you transporting the black fuzzle to?" Kirk stopped in his tracks and looked back down the street.
"The Hanson home."
Kirk hesitated, then rubbed his goatee.
"Ok, I think there's one that lives a block away from them. Ronald Townsend. I'll give him a call. If you don't hear from me he should be over in a few."
"Thanks man."
Mouse & Keltie.
Mouse sipped from the cup slowly. Fafnir was grumbling, as was getting usual.
Insane, rabid, slavering...
Shh.
Keltie walked in through the back door, hair dripping with water and even more weed then usual tangled through the gleaming strands.
"Keltie, you're dripping."
Keltie grinned at her and sat down across the table, flicking her hair back. A spray of water scattered out from it.
"Aye. So, what's the fret, dearie? The wolf is even more snarlworthy then usual."
"Tay's here."
"Obhan tesh. Well. Explains a lot then. And ye be keeping your nose firmly to yourself, master wolf."
Fafnir snorted.
Taylor & Jason
"Alright, he's sending a guy named Ronald Townsend over. He has shields, so he'll look after Malory for... Taylor?"
Bee waved his hands in front of Taylor's face when he noticed him staring.
Mouse & Keltie.
Keltie grabbed an apple and brushed it over her shirt before biting into it. She pointed at Mouse, then swallowed.
"Ye know, Melusine should come swimming with me. She's a creature of the water, a little less then me, but still."
"You say this every time, and the answer is still, no," Mouse said.
She finished her drink and went to put it in the dishwasher.
"And stop dripping on my floor!"
"Someone would think ye disapproved of me, I'm so hurt," Keltie said drolly.
"Hurt way down in my horsy heart."
"Unlike other girls, I never had a thing for horses."
Mouse leant across the table.
"Mine was always wolves."
"Oh, explains so much, including the scary look in your eyes right now. Ye spend too much time wit' the wolf."
Taylor & Jason
Bee had to snap his fingers before Taylor returned to reality.
"Ah... what?"
"I called Steel. He's sending a Ronald Townsend over. He has shields. He can help you take Malory back."
"Oh... thanks... Bee."
Taylor's gaze returned to where he was staring before, and he sighed.
Mouse, Keltie & Clarissa.
"Well, what exactly are you waiting for?" Clarissa asked, amused glint in her eyes.
"An engraved invitation? The only reason she came out of the hallway was to see you. Go talk to her."
"I hate you, Riss!" Mouse called out.
"I know," Clarissa said, grinning.
"That's just nasty!" Keltie said.
"Ah, telepaths. Who needs them?"
"Lots of people," Clarissa said smugly.
Females, Fafnir commented in disgust.
Keltie flicked her fingers and dropped a ball of water on Fafnir's head.
AHH!
Fafnir ran out of the kitchen, tail between his legs and dripping wet. He disappeared outside, his disgruntled muttering coming through loud and clear. Bets and Mouse just giggled, while Keltie looked smug.
Taylor & Jason
Taylor looked down at Clarissa, then up at the doorway again and shook his head.
"Go on..." Bee insisted, stepping aside and indicating for Taylor to step through.
"I... I can't," Taylor shook his head, voice soft enough so only the two in front of him could hear, "it's not my territory anymore."
Mouse & Clarissa
Clarissa sighed slightly.
"So? Oh, damn this empath ability to hell. Now I have to sit up all night because she's going to be depressed to hell you didn't even say hi. How...lovely."
Clarissa glanced through at Mouse, who wasn't listening to them and talking to Fafnir in the usual growls and barks.
She didn't even make you that wet.
I hate her. I hate you. I hate you all.
Oh, go hunting. Go for a run. Something.
I might just do that. And dump a head on the doorstep.
Don't.
Ahhhh, damn.
Taylor & Jason
"Well it's not like anything's stopping her," Taylor glared.
He backed off, looking away and covering his mouth with his hand.
"I'm gonna wait for Ron... Ronald," he gulped slightly, the name bringing back an unwanted memory.
He made his way over to the park bench and sat down.
Bee looked at at Clarissa and shrugged.
Mouse & Clarissa
"Young love, ain't it grand?" Clarissa quipped.
"And neither one of them are exactly willing to take the first step...ah, I can bully her. Can't bully him, can bully her. So sue me, I'm a meddler."
She walked over to Mouse who was staring out the backwindow.
"You, go talk now."
"He doesn't want to talk to me."
"Oh yes he does. You, go now. Now."
Taylor & Jason
Taylor folded his arms across his chest, watching down the street. The name Ronald Townsend sounded familiar... maybe he'd met him at a tournament or something. But from what he knew of Steel, who knew what this guy could be?
Bee stood in the doorway, mainly keeping an eye on Taylor.
Mouse & Clarissa
Mouse just shook her head wordlessly, and turned to go to her room.
Bets fixed her teeth in Mouse's pants leg and started tugging her to the door.
"Bets!" Mouse said in annoyance.
"Hey!"
Clarissa chuckled slightly as the malamute pushed Mouse out the door, and then started pulling again.
You're being silly, and you know it.
"Bets!"
Taylor & Jason
Bee had stepped aside to let them through.
When Taylor heard the commotion, he huddled down in his seat and slid across to the far side of the bench.
Mouse.
You sit there.
Bets tugged hard on Mouse's pant leg, making her trip and sit down on the bench.
"Dammit, Bets," Mouse hissed miserably, then she looked up at Taylor.
"Hey."
Taylor
"Hey," Taylor's voice cracked.
He kept his eyes to the street as he hugged himself.
Mouse
"So, umm..."
Mouse tried to gather her thoughts.
"How you doing, cher?"
Taylor
Taylor shrugged.
"Not great, but at least nothing life threatening has happened yet."
He looked down toward his feet.
"You?"
Mouse
"Just about the same," Mouse sighed.
"Kids miss you. Won't you come and say hi at least?"
She hated pressuring him, but they really did want to see him.
Taylor
Taylor looked down to where her hand was resting on the bench. Slowly, he moved his hand over it, and slid his fingers between hers.
"If I go in I'll never want to leave again."
Mouse
"I wouldn't want you to either," Mouse admitted softly, staring at the ground.
She squeezed his fingers back gently.
Taylor
"I'll only hurt you again," Taylor said softly, pulling himself together enough to look up at her face.
If she even looked at him for a second he knew his eyes would shoot away.
He gulped.
Mouse
"Maybe," Mouse said.
"I'm willing to take that risk. Seems like it hurts more the longer you're away."
Taylor
Taylor's brow furrowed, before he couldn't take the suspense any longer.
In a flash he reached over, held her jaw in his other hand, and kissed her.
Mouse
Mouse kissed him back eagerly.
God, she loved him so much it hurt sometimes.
Taylor
Taylor eventually had to stop for a breath, but he made up for it by wrapping his arms around her shoulders and hugging her tightly.
He closed his eyes and buried his face in her hair as he just started crying.
Mouse
Mouse felt her own eyes start to tear up as she hugged him back, leaning her head against his chest.
"Je t'aime, cher..."
Taylor
"I know... I know..." Taylor basically whimpered.
"And I love you so much that it's killing me inside."
He cringed and held her tighter.
Mouse
"Oh god," Mouse moaned, hiding her face in his shirt as she wept.
"Stay...please, just stay..."
Taylor
Taylor turned his head to the side so he could look out onto the street as he began running his fingers through her hair and rocking them back and forth.
He took in a shaky breath and closed his eyes.
Mouse
Mouse cried harder, shoulders shaking as she let him hold her. Bets watched the streets warily, ears pricked.
Taylor
Taylor blinked for a moment and gulped.
Then he began to sing to her.
If I'm gone when you wake up please don't cry
And if I'm gone when you wake up it's not goodbye
Don't look back at this time as a time of heartbreak and distress
Remember me, remember me, 'cause I'll be with you in your dreams
Oh I'll be with you
If I'm gone when you wake up please don't cry
And if I'm gone when you wake don't ask why
Don't look back at this time as a time of heartbreak and distress
Remember me, remember me, 'cause I'll be with you in your dreams
Don't cry I'm with you don't cry I'm by your side
Don't cry I'm with you don't cry I'm by your side
And though my flesh is gone
I'll still be with you at all times
And though my body is gone
Hoo, ohh
I'll be there to comfort you at all times
Hoo, ohh, hoo, ohh
'Cause if I'm gone when you wake up please don't cry
And if I'm gone when you wake up it's not goodbye
Don't look back at this time as a time of heartbreak and distress
Remember me, remember me, 'cause I'll be with you
Hooo. Ohh 'Cause I'll be with you
I don't want you to cry and weep, Hoo Ohh
I want you to go on livin' your life
I'm not sleepin' an endless sleep, Hoo Ohh
'Cause in your heart you all have good times
'Cause if I'm gone when you wake up please don't cry
And if I'm gone when you wake up it's not goodbye
Don't look back at this time as a time of heartbreak and distress
Remember me, remember me, 'cause I'll be with you in your dreams
Hoo 'Cause I'll be with you in your dreams
Mouse
Mouse stoped crying so hard so she could listen to his voice. Closing her eyes, she leant into him.
"Taylor..."
She didn't have any words left. She couldn't make him stay and he said he had to go.
Taylor
Taylor kissed her forehead, before noticing a man coming down the street. He was facing the ground, and a hat covered his face.
A curious look crossing his face, he remained where he was.
Mouse
Bets got to her feet slowly, hackles starting to rise.
"Bets..." Mouse said softly.
Taylor
Without taking his eyes off the stranger, Taylor rose from his place as the man began up the driveway.
"Ronald?" he queried.
The man nodded.
"Hear you havin' problems wid' a fuzzball..."
"Ah... yeah. Thanks for coming. Bets? Friend. He's here to help."
Without looking up, Ronald made his way to the veranda and stood on the bottom step.
"I'll wait 'ere. Bring it out."
"Ok..." Taylor turned slightly, "Guys?! He's here!"
Mouse & Clarissa
"Bee! Ronald's here," Clarissa called out.
"Flex those manly muscles and bring Malory on out."
Mouse ran her hands over Bets's ears, calming the malamute.
Taylor & Jason
"Alright," Bee replied, heading out to where Malory's tank was.
The fuzzle looked up at him with pure loathing, cursing in an array of squeaks as the tank was lifted and Bee carried it out to the front porch.
Ronald indicated for Taylor to take the tank. Hesitantly, he stepped forward and took it from Bee.
"Ya need ta take yer shield off so mine works," Ronald said to Bee.
"On the count of three. One, two, three."
Taylor blinked before Ronald stepped back.
"Let's git movin' then."
Mouse & Clarissa
"So not a good idea," Clarissa said, shaking her head.
Mouse stepped up to Taylor and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"S'pose this is au revoir, mon couer."
Taylor
Taylor hesitated, then slowly shook his head.
"Jamais. Il n'est jamais au revoir. Je ne veux pas tirer un Arnold Schwartzenegger, mais je serai de retour."
He raised one eyebrow, then leant over to kiss her again.
"Je ne pourrais pas rester loin cela longtemps encore."
He closed his eyes as he took in her scent, then finally followed Ronald down the steps and took Malory toward his bike.
"I really don't like this," Bee insisted, shaking his head as he leant against the doorframe.
Taylor strapped the tank to the back of the bike, covered it, then began to walk the bike along as he followed Ronald down the driveway.
Mouse & Clarissa
Mouse stared after him for a moment more, then ran inside the house, crying hard.
"Not the only one, Bee," Clarissa said, then went inside to comfort Mouse.
Jason
Bee sighed, then followed them in and closed the door.