Summary: Dell hadn't wanted anyone to get hurt, not even that hippy. Takes place after the episode 'Survival'.
That Hippy
by Helen W.
Some time after 'Survival'...
Nobody was supposed to get hurt. Nobody, not even that hippy, was supposed to get hurt.
As the days turned into weeks, Dell mostly stayed by the stream bank where he'd died, trying to think what he could have done differently.
The woods were full of spirits, Dell had found. Some were passably fine, but some were nothing but rage and regret. The spirits respected each other's places of death, though, and as long as he stayed close to this spot he'd be okay.
Nobody was supposed to get hurt. Nobody, not even that hippy, was ever supposed to get hurt.
Dell especially never went to the mine where Wade's spirit was. One day soon after his death he'd tried, and his friend had looked at him and tried to speak, but there were other spirits there too, old and hostile. They had some sort of hold on Wade, and when he tried to speak, or even come closer, they'd hurt him somehow, so Dell had fled.
Nobody was supposed to get hurt. Nobody, not even that hippy, was ever supposed to get hurt. And not him neither, nor poor, greedy Wade.
The last man Dell ever expected to see tromping through his woods was that hippy, accompanied by that guy the hippy'd said had drowned.
Dell watched in fascination as the hippy recreated what had gone down that morning. How Dell and Wade had struggled. "Then Dell Daniels took that bullet for me," said the hippy. "I think he was dead before he hit the ground. It was pretty heroic, man."
"You're certain, now that we're back here - you're certain it was Wade Rooker? Not Quinn?"
"I'm not certain of anything…" He looked around. "But I'm ialmost/i certain Quinn and Lisa weren't with them."
"Well, that'll have to do," said the other guy.
Dell hadn't expected to be some kind of hero in the hippy's mind. Nobody was ever supposed to get hurt, not even the hippy, and Dell'd done what he could to stop Wade and he'd paid the ultimate price, but he'd always figured it was probably more his fault than Wade's, even, what had gone down, because he was pretty solid on what was right and Wade had always been a bit hazy there.
Hero. The hippy had said hero. Wasn't that something!
The hippy stopped and put up a hand. "Jim! Do you hear something? There's someone nearby."
The larger man was now listening, turning slowly until he was looking straight at Dell. "Chief - there's someone here. In that direction, I can't tell how far. iFeels/i really near, though."
"Yeah, spooky," said the hippy. "My arm hairs are sticking up."
The hippy took few steps closer, coming between Dell and the other man. "Mr. Daniels? Dell? Are you here?"
"Sandburg, what the hell?" said the other man.
"Dell - I know you never meant for anyone to get hurt. I'm sorry you died. I'm sorry Quinn killed your friend. Do you need anyone to do anything before you pass on?"
"Blair, you know I hate it when you go all Naomi…"
"Shhh…" said the hippy, then, "Dell…"
But Dell felt himself fading. He'd never meant to be hurt anyone, not even the hippy; and he hadn't.
* * * THE END * * *
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