Soul Benefits

By Ellex

Tag for 1x06 'Soul Beneficiary', with a nod to the books. A companion to Kodiak Bear Country's "Let's get you checked out, Harry" and OXBastetXO's "The Waiting Game".

After Murphy left, I let out a long, slow breath and sagged. I'd tried to make light of my injuries and act as if I was fine. It was stupid, but what can I tell you? I'm a guy, and my pride was feeling almost as battered as the rest of me.

I'd come damn close to losing my life this time, drugged so heavily I couldn't tell what was real and what wasn't. I could barely fight back physically, much less concentrate enough to summon up any magic. I spent hours unconscious in the hands of two vicious women who could have killed me at any time.

I slowly limped into my bedroom, leaving the leather slippers in the front room. They were a little too small, and I was glad to get them off. Too bad – slippers like that weren't cheap. Then again, did I really want any souvenirs to remind me of this particular incident?

The bruises Nancy had left all over my body were starting to stiffen up, and even though I moved carefully, stripping the maroon pajamas off was a chore. I left them in a puddled heap on the floor and hobbled over to the dresser to pull out clean boxers. I went for an old, soft flannel shirt instead of my more usual T-shirt – getting anything over my head was unthinkable.

I crawled into bed and laid my head on the soft pillow with a grateful sigh, feeling the tension slowly seep out of me as my abused body was finally able to completely relax. Of course, it was at that point that it occurred to me to wonder how I'd ended up in the pajamas in the first place.

I'd been fully clothed when Nancy and Sharon drugged and abducted me. So one or both of them had undressed me – completely undressed me, because I hadn't been wearing anything under the pajamas.

A convulsive shiver chilled me and set me to huddling under the blankets. I felt…dirty. I'd been in their hands and totally helpless for hours, and even the short period of time during which I'd been awake was blurry in my memory and fading quickly. I suddenly and desperately wanted a shower, even a cold one – anything to wash away the lingering taint of Nancy and Sharon.

But getting out of bed was not just difficult, it was impossible. Every muscle, every joint and nerve ending squealed in protest.

And I was so tired, the last of the drug trying to drag me down into sleep despite the aching bruises and the chill that wouldn't dissipate. But I was beginning to fear that even if I did fall asleep, it wouldn't be restful. I'd been through enough bad situations in my life that not too many things could disturb my sleep, but if I was reacting this strongly while I was still awake, a few nightmares were almost definitely in my future.

I shivered again, groaned as my ribs twinged – they weren't broken or even cracked, but I was pretty sure that Nancy had gotten in a good kick to them at one point – and froze, trying to breathe as silently as possible.

I thought I'd heard the front door open.

"Harry?"

I almost shrieked when Bob walked through the wall. "Did someone come in just now?" I hissed at him. "Sharon?"

He stared down at me, giving me his best 'I knew you were dumb, but I didn't know you were this dumb' look. "No. I just came from the front room, the door is locked. There's no one here but you. And myself, of course."

He seemed certain, but had he really been at the front door just now? Could someone have come in without Bob noticing? I started to throw off the blankets, wincing and trying to hold back a moan.

"Harry. There's no one here. I promise you." He reached out toward me, as if to put a hand on my arm. We both froze.

Bob drew his hand back slowly. "Sometimes I almost forget," he said quietly, a hint of melancholy in his tone.

"Me too. Sometimes." I slumped back down, pulling the blankets over me again. "Okay. You're right. I'm sure Sharon is long gone by now. I'll probably never see her again." I didn't cross my fingers, but only because a jaw-breaking yawn distracted me.

"For heaven's sake, go to sleep, Harry. I'll keep watch." Bob tapped his chin with an elegant hand, pursed his lips and stared down at me for a moment before vanishing, leaving me blinking stupidly at the wall.

He'd never offered to do anything like that before. Bob was obedient – he had to be, as long as I owned his skull – and often helpful, more out of sheer boredom and intellectual curiosity than any loyalty to me, I thought. I already knew that Bob's former owners had pretty much maintained the 'me master, you servant' type of relationship with him. That just wasn't in me – I'd have died laughing if I tried it.

It hadn't occurred to me to treat him as anything other than a human being. An incorporeal one, trapped and powerless inside his own skull for countless years, of course…

Oh. Okay, that had taken me way too long to figure out. I'd had a nasty taste of the kind of helplessness Bob must feel every day, with the added spice of nearly being killed, as well. Sympathy from the devil? Whatever it was, I was grateful for it.

So this was…well, the hand of friendship, I guess. I didn't have so many friends that I could turn one down. He'd already saved my life today by clueing Murphy in on how to find me.

I'd never completely trusted Bob before, but now I felt safe, and warm, and…cared for. First Murphy, and now Bob. It sat a little awkwardly on me – it wasn't something I was used to. But it felt nice.

My eyes slid closed, to heavy to keep open anymore.

"Thanks, Bob," I murmured, and drifted easily into a dreamless sleep.

fin