"Orphans Beloved: "The Trouble With Ansley…"
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended…
Part I…
"OH!"
In her bed, Allison Hendrix sat bolt upright, tearing at her sleeping mask…
"Ally?" Donnie Hendrix, next to her, reached for her. She backing for just a instant then accepting the embrace. "Another nightmare?"
"Yes…" she gasped, staring at his shirtless chest as he held her. "The same one…Ansley…"
"Honey…" he sighed. "You can't let this keep troubling you, you need to see someone."
"See someone? What do you mean, see someone?" she glared.
"I mean like a grief counselor…Ally, Ansley was your friend and you're obviously torn up over her death, coming so soon after your spat with her."
She pulled away, stern, nervous eyeing. "Spat?! She tried to destroy our lives! Spying, prying…"
"Well…" he gave cautious nod… "That may be…But…"
"But what?!"
"Ally, I don't mean to bring up the past ...And I would never do it to hurt you…"
"I slept with her husband and drove her in shame from our neighborhood…Fine."
"No…Ally, sweetheart…" he sighed…Gently, deftly embracing her yielding form… "It's not fine and you know it. These nightmares are symptoms, telling you, something's wrong. That you have unresolved…"
"Don't prattle psychobabble at me, Donnie…" she frowned. "I had every reason to be furious at Ansley…"
"Well, fine…" he sighed. "But there were some pretty big goings-on, then. Again, Ally, I wouldn't bring it up…"
"I committed adultery…Oh…" she was tearing up now… "Oh…And I hurt you…Oh…" weeping now…
"The only thing that matters is that we got past that, Ally." He lifted her tear-streaked face…
"Donnie…" she embraced him…He, hugging her…Then pulling back to regard her solemnly…
"But so long as you keep having these unresolved issues…Ally? I just want to help you."
"I know…I know…Oh, and I love you so much for that…" she patted him. Staring at his worried face… "Oh if only I could tell you everything…"
"Ally? You know you can…Everything…Anything…"
"I can? Oh, but…" she hesitated… "There are other concerns at stake here, Donnie…Other people, I've told you that."
"I understand…" he nodded. "But if there's anything you can tell me that might let me help you…"
"Oh, Donnie…" she sighed. "I would, I would, but…"
"It's ok…" he nodded. "But maybe you could try and tell me a little more about your dream? What's going on there? Can you remember any more of it this time?"
"Nearly all of it…" she sighed. "Ansley's in my quiet room and she's angry…Blue in the face…Yelling at me…Blaming me for letting her…Uh…Husband…"
"That all seems perfectly natural, Ally."
The blue especially, if you only knew…She sighed.
"I really think if you'd just talk to someone…" he began… "And keep off the pills…"
"I've been off the pills….Just like I promised." She noted, annoyed. "Don't you believe me?"
"Of course, I believe you, Allison." Firm nod. "But you've been have these nightmares for over a week and I'm worried."
Oh…Her lip trembled…
Donnie…
"You are a good, good man…" she hugged him. "And if I could just be sure it was safe to tell you more…For your sake and the kids, not mine."
"Now you are worrying me, Ally…"
"No." She put up a hand. "Not to worry, it can't touch us now. And as I told you, it's nothing terrible just…"
Ok, well, mostly it's nothing terrible…
"Ally, this isn't comforting."
Sigh… "Ok, look. How about if I promise I will talk to someone, a therapist? A…Grief counselor or whatever. Would that comfort a bit?"
"A bit, yeah. Who? When?"
"I'll find someone. Maybe whoever Chad is seeing…Uh…" she eyed his clouded face.
"Sorry…Bad idea."
"Maybe not the best…" he gave a sheepish look.
"Donnie…I'll never forgive myself for what I did even if you can…Please don't let it…" sigh… "I won't say hurt, I know it hurts, but don't let it make you sad or think I ever stopped loving you. I really was just getting back at Ansley and I guess I was feeling neglected and all that…"
"These things take two to cause them." Solemn nod. "I know I've been letting you down."
"I promise I will speak to someone. And I'll give you a name and a date…Soon. And thanks for being so wonderful." She beamed, kissing him. "I'll be fine, I know. We'll put this all behind…" she paused, blinking…
"Ally?" he looked round where she was staring at a mirror.
"Nothing…Nothing at all." She smiled at him.
Just a trick of the light…Nothing at all…And least of all Ansley's face in the mirror.
"Really, nothing…" she smiled brightly at him.
….
"Heading out?" Allison, dressed in her favored sweater and blouse combination, eyed Donnie in his golf clothes.
"I don't know if I should…" he eyed her. "Are you sure you don't want to come and get some fresh air, hit a few balls?"
"That's sweet of you, but you know I suck at golf and I don't want to spoil your game. Go, I've lots to do and we'll have a nice time together tonight." She grinned at him. "Really, go. Ally is utterly grounded, solid as a rock, and just fine. And wants you to have a good time."
"Ok…But call if you have any trouble. Ally? You'll let me know about…?" he eyed her.
"Soon as I make the appointment…" she beamed. "Not to worry."
"Right. Well, I'll be home in a couple of hours…And I want you to know I'd rather stay with you, than slog around for two hours with these guys but they are clients. And I can't wait for tonight…" He smiled.
"The wait will be worthwhile…" she grinned. "Go, dazzle…But save some of that charm for your own true…"
"I will." He smiled, pausing. "Ally? I don't want to press, but about these other things…The stuff you'd prefer not to talk about? I should know, I think…If only so I can help you if I can…" He put a hand to her stare. "I'm not demanding it but please, think about it…I know I'm not much use but I might be able to help and I will listen."
She eyed his stare.
"I only want to be able to help you all I can." He noted. "When you're ready…"
"I know. I will think it over, Donnie." She nodded. "Thanks for leaving it to me."
"Back soon…" he kissed her. "Don't over do…Relax a little."
"I'll curl like a cat with some milk and a good book soon as I take care of a few small things and pick up the guys to bring them to Mom's." She nodded, grinning. Closing door, waving to the departing Donnie at window.
Would it be so terrible to share it…Well, some of it…Sarah told her boyfriend.
Of course Paul was and is in on it.
He has a right to know…Some of it. And tonight, our date night, with the kids safely away at Mom's is the perfect time. She went to the dishwasher and began loading it.
Buzz…She eyed the "special" pink phone.
Damn…Not again.
This girl is out of clone club, ladies, she glared at the phone.
Oh, well…She went over, opening.
"Sarah? What is…What? What?!" she gasped. "Sarah? Calm down, who took Kira?! Sarah! What do you mean you think Mrs. S is in on it? Sarah?"
Hmmn…Never known the girl to be frantic like this…
But Kira?! Oh!
Still, just in case…She brushed back hair with both hands…
"Helena, where is Sarah?" she asked the phone. Loud burst from phone…
"Sarah, I'm sorry…Sarah? Don't hang up, I'm not being funny. You didn't sound right, I had to be sure…Now, you say they took Kira? Rachel and Dyad, you think? And Mrs. S…Your foster mother is gone, too? You're sure? All right, have you told the police? Sarah, you have to call in the police…Your partner…Beth's partner, Art? Would he help?"
Pause…Listening as she opened a hamper, pulling clothes for the washer.
"Sarah…I know you can trust Art Bell. Beth had complete faith in him. She never suspected him of being in on it. Sarah, you have to go to the police. Dyad can't get away with kidnapping. What? What…Patents?"
Huuuh…She caught hand at throat…
No…! She raced to the hamper, opening…
The stuffed angel…My stuffed angel…She gingerly reached in and lifted it.
No…The one I gave Ansley. The one she trashed when…
No, it can't be. She dropped it. No…She stared…
Oh…
Sarah… Oh, she reached for the phone. "Sarah? Sorry, I was…Distracted, for a moment. Everything's fine, here. What are you doing now? Sarah, I understand your upset state but there's no need for…Apology accepted. Do you…" pause, breath… "Do you want to come over? Should I come to you? Ok. Ok, whatever I can do. It's…" sigh.
I keep trying to get out and every time they just keep pulling me back in…
"…fine."
Hmmn…
"What was that about patents, again?"
…..
Judas Priest…Ally sat on sofa, sipping at tea.
No wine, promise is a promise…Self-discipline is good for the soul and calming.
"We're patented?! Property?!"
Ok…Ok…Sarah said Cosima said the patents couldn't hold up in court…In fact they'd be a clear indictment of Dyad…Proof of the illegal human cloning. They thought back then Republicans would rule forever and patenting people would be an every day thing. But it's meaningless, it can't be used against me…Us.
Unless we were foolish enough to sign a release form of some sort…
Oh, God…That might give it some legal standing, by our own acknowledgement.
Thanks for that, Cosima. She stared out at the opposite wall.
Now wait…Priorities. No one is here, looking to black bag me. Sarah is the one who needs help. Sarah and that lovely child, Kira. They need me. My niece needs me. Ok, good. Focus on the priority, ignore the unimportant.
I'm property…?
"Ok…Ok…Sarah said stand by, in case she needs back up…Be ready to call in the cops…That's my job. Right."
Right. Ok, tonight we tell Donnie as much as we dare. He's got to know. Everything except…
Lord, how did that doll get into the hamper? I know I couldn't have brought it unless…Maybe, without thinking?
"Ok, things to do, Hendrix. And a post to maintain…Get to it." She rose and went to the basement door, opening…
"OHHHH!..." she gasped in terror at the figure at the bottom of the stairs, slamming the door.
911…Gotta call 911…She raced to pick up her cell.
Do they deal with ghosts?
Oh, for God's sakes, just tell them you have an intruder.
Yes, I'll bet it's that ice princess Sarah mentioned…Rachel, the "proclone", here in my house, in disguise just to freak me out…
She went to the door, holding phone…Pausing…
"I've called the police, whoever you are! You better get the hell out of my basement and off my property…" she grabbed the doorknob.
Uh…Maybe some back up. She turned to grab a large knife from rack.
Of course no need to add to my list of murders…Just for show. She went to the door and with minimally trembling, fairly firm hand, opened the door, raising the knife.
Nothing…She peered.
"Ok…"
She made her way carefully downstairs…
Nope, no one…Not even the ghost of the ghost of my ex-friend, ex-monitor.
She went to the garage door, opening…
Still nothing.
Ok. Ok.
Dyad and Ms. Duncan want to play, eh.
Well…I can play too.
"Oy, mate! If you think you've fooled me and me sis Allison, you've another thing comin' on you, you bloody…Bloke!" she called. "Sarah Manning here and you know I'm tough as nails…So come on, give it your bloody best shot. Oy!"
Hmmn…
Well…
Knock from upstairs, just audible.
Uh-oh.
No, it's the door…Not someone in the house.
I think.
Great…Just the Dyad delivery service here for a pickup.
"Hello, 911…?" she spoke into the phone.
…..
Allison peered out the front door side window for a moment then opened with sigh…
Slightly but only very slightly relieved.
"Chad…What are you doing here?" she eyed the forlorn-looking Chad on her doorstep.