Disclaimer: I don't own any of these things.
A/N: quite a random fic really, Inspired by a screencap i saw of Dan holding Eloise up to his face that i thought was cute.
Eloise didn't know why she was being scooped out of her cage, but she did not protest. Daniel was a good master and she was always rewarded with a treat when she complied with his wishes.
The blonde woman, Theresa, was writing notes on to a clip board and preparing some equipment. They were preparing for an experiment, Eloise usually paid them no attention and simply went about her usual business. It seemed today was to be different, they were going to include her.
Daniel rubbed the little rat's head with his index finger and settled her down on the desk.
"Eloise, look over here." the physicist waved a treat in front of her face.
Theresa gave a slight laugh, "It can't understand you."
"Right, I know…Its just…sometimes it makes me feel bad, sort of, you know?"
Theresa gave a shrug "Necessary sacrifice for our ground breaking work."
Eloise wasn't sure what happened next, she was shocked by a bright light and collapsed down on to the desk.
"Your rat's come round." Theresa called as she noticed Eloise opening her eyes.
"Good, we'll observe her closely over the next few days, see if it did anything. You might as well take your lunch break." Daniel knelt down next to the cage and gave the rat a grin.
"Okay, do you want to join me?"
"Nah, its fine, I have stuff to do and should make some more notes and…" he protested.
"Suit yourself." the lab assistant grabbed her bag and made her exit.
Eloise felt strange, she walked around in a circle and then curled up in the corner of her cage. The cage smelt of other rats, she wondered about what might have happened to the previous occupants.
Her head hurt and she started to see strange things, things that weren't really there.
The first thing she saw was Theresa lying on the floor, motionless with blood running from her nose, Daniel came through the doorway and let out a gasp of horror.
With a flicker of light she witnessed another event, Daniel was on a boat. He looked different as his hair was far shorter than usual. He was sitting on the deck of the boat with a girl that Eloise had never seen before. Dan and the girl were talking under a starry sky, both smiling and laughing, Eloise was sure she had never seen her master looking so happy and at ease.
The scene changed again. The mysterious girl was still present, she was lying in a tent. Daniel's head was resting on her bare shoulder as he slept, the girl was still awake. She was holding his hand in hers staring intently with her bright blue eyes at his fingers. Eloise felt as if she shouldn't have been allowed to see this, as if it were a deeply private moment. "I think I'm falling in love with you, heh, that wasn't exactly part of my plan." the girl gave a sad smile, Eloise wondered why she would bother to talk when she knew Daniel was asleep and unable to hear her, she never did understand humans and their strange ways.
There was to be one final incident for the frightened rat to view. This time Daniel and his friend were in a jungle, the pretty girl was laying absolutely still on the floor. Blood was visible on her face and she ceased to breathe. The look on Daniel's face was horrifying, it was far worst than the shock it had displayed upon discovering the motionless Theresa. He was crying and muttering to no one, completely unable to control himself.
When Eloise opened her eyes again she found she was back in her cage, Daniel gently stroking her back, a concerned look on his face. He pushed a treat her way with his other hand. She was starting to feel much better now the strange visions had finished.
Dan sighed mournfully and moved away, he reached for his note book and set back to work.
Eloise nibbled on the treat and contemplated the strange events she had just witnessed. She was sure she had seen what the future had in store for her strange master.
A memory returned to her, Theresa had clumsily bumped into a table, managing to drop Eloise onto the floor at the same time. Daniel had acted fast and managed to scoop her up before the table crushed her. He had saved her life that day so she felt a duty to try and help him out.
The distracted physicist had forgotten to close the cage door, this revelation triggered the formation of a plan. Eloise would go and look for the girl. The pretty one with the long curly hair and distinctive smile, the one who made Daniel happy the way Theresa or anyone else for that matter never seemed to manage. Surely It would be easy for how big could the world outside her cage be?
That settled it, she would go get the girl and have her back to Daniel before tea time.
The rat had her energy back now, she made a dash for the cage door and leapt down on to the floor. Checking that Daniel had not witnessed her daring escape, she carried onwards.
There were a surprisingly large amount of people bustling along the hallways, Eloise was finding it increasingly difficult to avoid being stomped on. A couple of people spotted her and voiced their disgust. She scurried under a bush in the courtyard so she could hide for a moment. Perhaps it wasn't going to be as easy as she thought, everything seemed so much bigger now she was running free. Eloise watched as some of the students bustling through the door of a large building, she dashed after them and made it through the door before it closed.
There were books stacked on shelves, Eloise tried to resist the temptation to chew on one at least until she had found herself in a quiet corner.
"Eugh, Gross, there is a rat in here! Get it someone! It probably has diseases." a female voice shrieked, she threw a book at Eloise.
"Oh for goodness sake! Get a grip will you, it probably just escaped from the labs." spoke the voice of reason, it came from a second girl who had been studying quietly the other side of the bookshelf. The girl strode round and grabbed a hold of Eloise. Eloise was about to sink her fingers into the slender finger surrounding her belly when she realised she recognised them!
She directed her beady little eyes up towards the face of her abductor. Bingo, mission accomplished. It had taken longer than she had anticipated and she had faced more perils than she could have possibly imagined but she had succeeded, the captor was Dan's girl.
"Ew how can you touch it, Charlotte you're a freak!" Exclaimed the shrill girl, she backed away.
Charlotte gave the girl a filthy look, tucked Eloise into her shoulder bag and set about returning the escapee. Eloise did not like being in the bag, the heavy books were squashing her. With some struggle she managed to climb up and out, she continued up the strap until she was sitting up on Charlotte's shoulder. The red head caught her and placed her back in the bag. Eloise had gotten out once so it wasn't too much of a challenge to get back onto the shoulder.
"What are you doing? Stupid little thing, well don't even think about bloody jumping and making a break for it." Charlotte used some of her hair to hide the rat from view.
Eloise had no intention of dashing off, she'd finally found the girl she was looking for.
"Uh excuse me I found this rat…" Charlotte told one of the other science department employees.
"Yeah, that's Faraday's." the man glanced at Eloise quickly.
"Could you return it then?" she asked.
"No, you do it. I don't work for him." with that he bustled past, knocking Charlotte's shoulder as he went. Luckily Eloise had a good grip and did not fall.
"Charming." Charlotte muttered under her breath and shook her head.
It didn't take her too long to find the lab, she stood outside the door and knocked.
There was no reply, the door was still ajar from earlier. Charlotte pushed it open and walked in. Eloise couldn't see Daniel or Theresa anywhere.
Charlotte lifted Eloise down from her shoulder and placed her back In her cage, "Hello?" she called out as she made sure the cage door was closed properly.
Upon receiving no reply she started snooping through some of the books on the desk. One in particular seemed to catch her interest, she flicked through it quickly and made a motion to hide it in her bag, her eyes wide with suprise. Eloise saw the door to the backroom open, she squeaked a warning to Charlotte who quickly but reluctantly returned the book to the pile and stepped back.
"Uh, Hi, who are you." Daniel furrowed his brow, clearly not expecting to find a young woman standing in his lab.
"I'm Charlotte Staple Lewis, Professor Faraday right?" she gave a smile.
"Daniel is fine, thanks, why…are you in my lab?"
"Your rat escaped and decided to tuck into an anthropology textbook in the library, I came to return it." Charlotte gestured towards the cage.
"Eloise, there you are. I was looking for her out the back." he explained. "Thanks I appreciate it."
"Do you appreciate it enough to lend me this book." She picked up the notepad that she had previously considered stealing and waved it back and forth, a manipulative glint in her eyes as she batted her lashes slightly.
"Sorry no can do, and what would you want with my notes on the Dharma Initiative anyway?" he was intrigued and tried to take the book off of her, Charlotte held it behind her back causing Daniel to stumble a little closer to her.
"Because…I've been told for the last 20 years of my life that they do not exist and that they never did."
Dan's eyebrows shot upwards, "I see. Sorry but I really need to keep a hold of that."
Charlotte looked thoughtful, the book still concealed behind her back.
"Come on, I need it, please give it to me." he implored her.
She grinned, "Why Professor! Saying such things, we've only just met." she gasped feigning scandal.
Poor Daniel turned bright pink, "I…uh…I meant the book, sorry wasn't that clear?"
"I'm joking, keep your ponytail on. May I suggest a compromise then?" Charlotte handed him the book.
"Sure, what do you suggest." Daniel retreated slightly, sliding his notepad into a draw.
"You could enlighten me, tell me what you know about the Dharma Initiative."
"I don't know a lot, don't…just don't get your hopes up." Dan gave the eager girl an apologetic smile.
"Anything you can tell me will be gratefully received. You don't know what its like to have everyone think you are crazy." She gave a harsh laugh, averted her eyes and fidgeted with her bag.
Daniel placed a hand on her shoulder, she looked up, "Trust me, I know exactly how that feels."
"Okay then, so how about it you give me a lesson in Dharma history over dinner? If you'd like?" Charlotte shook off the slight air of vulnerability that had momentarily affected her.
Daniel's mouth hung open for a few fleeting seconds, he surprised himself when he replied, "Yeah, okay. About 7, I mean if that's good for you of course?"
Charlotte chuckled "Tonight? Ah yeah that's fine. How about that Chinese restaurant down the street?"
Dan cleared his throat and swallowed his nerves. "Yup, see you there."
She smiled excitedly, the promise of Dharma information must have pleased her. Eloise wasn't completely oblivious to human emotions, she could tell that they both had taken rather a shine to each other.
"Bye, see you later." Charlotte waved and made for the door, she placed a hand on the wooden door frame and glanced back over her shoulder, "Its strange but I feel as though I've met you before, a long time ago…"she said almost wistfully, with that she left.
Daniel stayed where he was for a while, clearly struggling to figure out what had just happened.
Eloise delightedly accepted another treat, She had done well.
Daniel took out his journal and started to search through it, he found the page he had been looking for. The page was covered with his erratic writings, it had "Charlotte" written over and over again, he appeared to be deep in thought.
He didn't notice that Theresa had returned, she had been gone for two hours. Eloise thought that she must have had a very large lunch.
"I'm back, lets get back to work." she called out, Daniel did not respond. "Hello?"
He looked up, "Oh don't worry, I think that's enough for now."
The blonde looked confused, "But you always work until late."
"Not today, I…have something else on."
Her eyebrows raised, "Seriously, what do you "have on"?"
"Uh…I've got this dinner, s'very important." he kept his attention on his journal.
"Dinner? With who?" Theresa continued, clearly amused by this startling change of events.
"I met this girl, interesting girl…actually, I need to help her out with something." Dan closed his book.
"I'm gone for two hours and you manage to get a date?!" She shook her head in disbelieve. "You never accept my dinner offers."
"Alright, well I have to go, so can you lock up, thanks." Dan shoved his books in his bag darted past her.
Eloise noticed over the following months that Daniel spent less and less time in the lab. When he was there he seemed to be happier and was often joined by Charlotte. She would sometimes bring him nice lunches. They talked about everything now, not just the Dharma Initiative but about there lives and interests. Charlotte was an excellent distraction, she would even stay at his house with him.
Sometimes if they were going to be away from the university for a while, they would take Eloise with them, and even let her run arround while they watched films together or while they played card games. She got a telling off when she chewed through half a deck of cards, it was there fault for carelessly disgarding them when they turned their attention to each other in a rather more physical manner.
Eloise was immensely proud of herself, not for the card chewing, but for bringing them together.
Theresa wasn't as happy about Daniel's new friend. She was always trying to encourage him to focus on his work. One sunny afternoon she had entered the lab without knocking and found Daniel kissing Charlotte.
Eloise didn't understand why Theresa was angered by this. After all she wasn't his girlfriend, she was his assistant.
Theresa warned them that it was seriously frowned upon for a lecturer and a student to carry on the way they were, she put particular emphasis on the fact that Daniel was already considered a risky employee.
Charlotte said a rude word to Theresa followed by the word "off!" and informed her that she had actually graduated a few days earlier.
Theresa just stormed out. Eloise did feel a little sorry for her, but she knew it was for the best. If Daniel lost interest in his experiments Theresa might be able to avoid getting hurt, after all he hadn't done any experiments on Eloise since the day she bought Charlotte to him.
Daniel told Charlotte off for being insensitive and she assured him she would apologise to Theresa later. Satisfied with this promise they resumed their kiss.
It was early the next morning when Charlotte peered into Eloise's cage.
"Dan? Eloise doesn't look very well." She called out to him.
Daniel came over and joined her, he frowned and took her out. The two of them sat down on the leather sofa in the corner. He placed Eloise on his chest and stroked her coarse fur.
Charlotte leaned in close, resting her head against his shoulder so she could look at the rat.
"I think she's dying." she stated, her tone matter of fact.
"Yeah," Dan choked, a few tears In his eyes.
"Hey, come on. You are in England now, stiff upper lip and all." Charlotte joked softening her voice as she did so, she leant up and slowly kissed his cheek.
Eloise felt extremely tired, she looked at her master. He looked so sad, if Charlotte wasn't around to take care of him she never would have been able to leave him.
Before Eloise died she hoped that she had done enough to change the tragic fate that awaited them both, failing that she could rest safe in the knowledge that at least she had managed to give them a little more time together.
A/N: reviews always greatly appreciated :D