MASK SAGA 5: HARSH REVELATIONS
Disclaimer: We don't know who fully owns the rights to MASK, GI Joe, or even the High Mountain Rangers. Me and Darster write these fanfics all in good fun. Keep reading below to find out what mischief we have in store for in Saga 5 and please review.
Chapter 1
The landscape of the Sierra Nevada Mountains made Annie Turner feel like she was truly at home. The smell of pine needles and crisps mountain air relaxed her, as she and Cody Hawkes rode horseback to the ranger station. Being surrounded by nature and spending time with the Hawkes family had shrunk her whole world back to the simplicity it had been in her younger days.
Most people would think she was running away from all her problems, but she didn't care. She had been very clear about wanting nothing to do with MASK, especially after everything that had transpired. She lied to protect her most hated enemy Roxanne Trakker, ruin her future career as a member of GI Joe, and ended her failing long-term relationship with Scott Trakker. The very thought of it left an unease feeling her stomach. Her father Brad Turner had tried to get her to leave the mountains just for a visit, but doing so would take her away from her safe haven.
"So is it true? That you're putting in to be a full time ranger?" Cody asked, galloping his horse along side her horse.
"Yeah…" Annie replied with a soft sigh. "What about it?"
"Just never figured you'd settle for the easy life."
Annie snickered aloud, "Only you would call shooting a rifle at a full gallop and taking down some poachers on horse back 'the easy life'. "
"You know what I mean," Cody said pointedly. When she didn't respond, he added, "It was only a few years ago that you were arguing with Matt about being part time. I guess I just assumed your future would be tied up with MASK and Scott."
"Can we not discuss him, please?" Annie scolded as she lightly tapped her horse to move ahead.
"I'm sorry Annie," Cody Hawks stated catching his horse up to hers, "I didn't think that would still be a sensitive subject six months after the fact."
The Rangers called it being "on the radar"-that almost psychic sense of communicating non-verbally that allowed all of them to practically read each others minds. "You've been talking to him!" she suddenly accused.
"Once," he admitted honestly. "Three months ago. He called wanting to know how you were doing."
"Wait a minute..." Annie's eyes narrowed. "...Is that why you went to Carson City and gave some bullshit excuse about taking paperwork into town knowing full well I could have filed it all online?! And you actually went behind my back to see him!"
"Annie..." Cody sighed.
She spurred her horse into an all out gallop the last few hundred yards to the station, feeling completely betrayed by the one person she thought would always have her back.
"Come on Annie," Cody cajoled as he caught up to her, "It's not like I took his side or anything. He was just a concern friend. You've been avoiding everybody in the city, including your father, so naturally somebody is going to want to know you're still breathing up here. I didn't tell him anything other than you were doing fine. That was it."
"That better be the case," Annie huffed dismounting from her horse as she reached the stables.
"I mean it's not like I told him your friend Robert Blais paid you an overnight visit."
"Maybe you should have to stick it to him for all the crap he put me through over the years."
Cody followed right behind Annie, leading his horse into the stable, "And pour salt on his open wounds? No thanks. Dad always taught me 'do unto others'... and I know *I* wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of your womanly scorn."
"What is that supposed to mean?" She shot back.
"Well you were a little rough with those poachers back there. You nearly took off one of their trigger fingers with your knife. Don't get me wrong we took them into custody and got the job done, but you were a little intimidating."
Annie shook her head snickering at Cody assessment, "That's the idea Cody. You scare the pants off them they'll never think twice to poach out here again."
"Annie, you know better. You know Matt doesn't approve of scare tactics. It's borderline police brutality. You could be in a lot of trouble if those poachers actually complain."
"You worry too much." She half heartedly responded brushing off his warning. "Let check into the station and file our report." Annie pushed open the door to the ranger station and took two steps into the door before she found herself immediately paralyzed.
Matt Hawks commander of the High Mountain Rangers and Robin Kelly, the ranger's medic were entertaining visitors at the station. Buddy Hawks stood their wearing jeans and a blue plaid shirt and was now sporting a goat tee on his face. Him and Matt were holding a firm hand shake as if an agreement had been made. The bags at his feet indicated he would be staying for quite a while, but not by himself. A woman was gripping Buddy's other arm and shyly hiding behind him. Yet it was impossible for Roxanne Trakker to remain hidden with the huge baby bump she was sporting.
"What the hell are they doing here?!" Annie burst out red in the face with anger. Buddy tense up from Annie harsh reaction, but before he could get a word, Matt Hawks stepped in between.
"My office, Annie," Matt interceded calmly. His radar pointed to trouble if she didn't comply.
"Please tell me you didn't..." Annie trailed off.
"Inside, Annie. Now." was all the response Matt needed to give.
"Maybe we should go else where?" Roxanne said in a quite voice feeling slightly shaken.
"There's no place else to go," Buddy calmly reminded trying to defuse his own anger, "We've been over this."
Robin gave a friendly smile and indicated to Roxanne and Buddy to sit down on a nearby couch while they wait, "She'll come around. Do you know what you having?"
Roxanne rest her hand her pregnant belly smiling, "A boy."
"That's wonderful…the more the merrier up here." Robin joked lightly then turned her attention to Cody Hawks standing in the entry way, looking toward Matt's office. "Don't you think Cody?"
Cody was dumbfounded as he looked to Robin, then his second cousin Buddy, and then Roxanne, "Uhh…yeah."
Everything he had heard or seen of Roxanne Trakker had been bad news. On how earth could Matt allow her to live here? He had to of known there was bad blood between the two girls, even before Roxanne attempted to kill Annie. He had no idea what the situation was but he knew they were here to stay.
"What you mean you have no place else to go?"
"Cody" Robin scolded him as if he was being rude to inquire.
"We've been on the run from Contra World the last six months," Buddy informed. "This baby going to be due in about 3 months and Roxanne not well enough to travel anymore. I suspect Contra World is aware of Roxanne condition and is looking for her. We came up here because there are people I trust here to protect her and the baby."
"Oh…well…"Cody tried to piece together his reaction, but Annie booming voice from Matt office seemed to share his concern.
"What makes you think were equipped to deal with them after what happened last time?!" Annie shouted not caring if her voice was carrying into the other room.
"That's why I want YOU on this, Annie. You asked for full time...this is your first full time assignment. Hawkes don't abandon family in need." Matt said sternly.
"She is…" Annie was about to say 'not family,' until she recollect an engagement ring on Roxanne finger then changed her approach. "Matt, me risking my career individually to rescue her is one thing. But now you are willfully harboring a terrorist and putting the whole team on the chopping block!"
"I'm not sure what you mean," Matt blinked and looked down at his assignment roster. "It says here that you are on semi-permanent assignment as bodyguard to a prominent businessman's daughter who is vacationing here in the mountains."
She'd almost forgotten the Hawkes' capacity for willful blindness. "You don't understand what kind of target you're painting up here."
"Yes, I do, Annie." Matt said with an air of finality. "Buddy and I have spoken at length about the situation and my answer stands. The decision is mine as Commander, as are the consequences of it. Buddy and Roxanne are staying and I need you on board with it."
"Matt, I'm begging..."
"Annie, I'd rather not have to remind you that Dad and I almost said no to Buddy when he asked if you could stay here all those years ago. We didn't want to deal with some rockstar's spoiled brat of a child day in and day out. You proved us wrong then and I certainly don't want to be proven right now. Understand?"
"Yes sir." You were never in any danger from me.
"Good." Matt stood up from his desk and clapped her on the back. "Don't mistake me. I know this isn't easy for you. But the sooner you start worrying about how to pull it off, the less time you'll have to obsess about how hard it is. And I haven't put Cody on the assignment roster because I know he'll want to help you."
"I'd rather not have too many people involved in this," Annie sighed. "I suppose the nature of the situation makes Robin a given..."
"And me. Everyone else is up to you, including Cody." Matt's tone lightened from Commander/Ranger to brother/sister, as did his expression. "I'd recommend giving in now because you know he'll just sneak around behind your back otherwise."
"Yeah, I know."
"We've done some of the legwork already. Buddy, Avila, and I scouted a location-a cabin not far from here hasn't been used in a while," Matt explained as he led Annie out front again. "So I think you just need to start with what you do best-organizing the team into shifts to protect it."
Annie nodded beside him, blatantly ignoring Roxanne and Buddy as the wheels in her head started to turn.
"Okay I'm going to need..." She paused when she caught Cody gawking in their direction. "Do you have all your paperwork in order? All but this last case?"
"Umm..."
"Forget it, stupid question," she corrected herself as she walked to the front desk. "I spoil you by doing it all."
Cody failed to look properly contrite, even while offering, "I can finish..."
"No, don't worry about it. You can pay me back by helping Matt and Robin get Roxanne and Buddy settled until I've got all our paperwork cleaned up. This is going to be a long assignment. We'll have to do this in shifts at lease two people with at the cabin with her at all times as a precautionary measure."
"Annie…that outrageous. Your more focus on Roxanne then the outside threat," Buddy accused.
Annie ignored his comment and continues talking to Cody, "I don't want any loose ends lying around. I'll take the first shift tonight so stay there until I get there."
"Sure thing Annie." Cody replied.
Buddy flared up and to confront her at the desk slamming his hands down to get her full attention, "Look Princess, I know the air's a little thin in the mountains, especially up there on your high horse, but if Your Highness would care to step down to ground level, your brain might get a little more oxygen and realize this isn't a babysitting gig."
"Isn't it?" Annie countered. "Matt said you wanted protection for Roxanne. That's what you're getting."
"What I'm getting is your usual shitty attitude, which I'm not going to put up with here any more than I did in the garage."
"If you don't like it, you're free to leave," Annie said with frigid calm.
Buddy's eyes bulged out of his sockets, "WHAT did you just SAY to me?"
Cody nearly jumped between the two of them until he felt his brother restraining his arm. Matt shook his head no ever so slightly, indicating that they should let the power struggle play out.
"Let's get something straight right now, Buddy," Annie snapped at him. "This is NOT Boulderhill. You do NOT have any authority here. I do. If you don't like that, then you can leave and take your chances elsewhere. You can also step over my head and complain to Matt, which will of course make me resent you more than I already do." She paused dramatically, "Or...here's a radical notion...you could just shut up and let me do my job."
"Leave her alone, Buddy." Roxanne's voice was quiet, almost cowed, as she got up and took Buddy's arm. "Just let her do what she thinks is best."
"Oh wow...thank you. Having your unnecessary permission to do my job just makes everything all better!" Annie mocked, rolling her eyes as she sat down at the computer and dismissed them by turning her attention to the monitor.
Roxanne frowned at Annie reaction and let her shoulder slouch in defeat.
Matt shook his head and put a friendly hand on both Buddy and Roxanne's shoulders, "Let's get going you two and get you situated in your new home."
Steam was still showing flaming through Buddy's nostrils, but he picked up the luggage and headed out side with Roxanne, Matt, and Cody.
Robin stood over Annie desk, "You could try to be a little nicer next time."
A snort left Annie lips as if that was asking too much from her personally. She never verbally replied back and kept her head buried in her work. When Robin left the station and she was all alone, she paused for a moment glancing at the phone. Robert Blais words of how this whole mess could be fixed in a matter of minutes if she just told Gi Joe the truth resurface in her mind. Yet that was six months ago…and six months too late. Annie sighted in defeat, "He warned me to look out for myself...I guess I got what I deserved, didn't I?"
Protection was around the clock 24/7, as Annie Turner had order her fellow high mountain rangers to watch the one story cabin in shifts of two. While she had everyone on a rotation schedule she found herself working six twelve hour days a week. This left little time for herself and force her to live along side Roxanne Trakker and Buddy Hawks. The assignment dragged on for weeks and soon almost two months past with no incident. Yet not much had change other than Roxanne growing belly.
Annie was currently on duty inside the small cabin, absorbed into her laptop. This was normal routine for her. If she wasn't surveying the grounds she was reviewing police reports and maps of nearby areas for signs of Contra World. Keeping busy was the only way to ignore THEIR presence in her life. Roxanne left a peace offering of cookies one day that she refused to eat. Buddy had tried to talk to her about her maintaining her bike, but she blew him off and made it fairly clear she only trusted Boulderhill's current mechanic with upkeeping her bike. Still, Buddy and Roxanne both went out of their way trying to make her feel more at ease, but it was only making things worse. Ignoring them and focusing on work was the only way she could make it through this bodyguard job.
Roxanne Trakker sat down in an arm chair opposite Annie. She awkwardly sat there eying Annie knowing that the moment she opened her mouth she'd find an excuse to leave, yet she had to try. "I know what I've done to you I can't repair with words. I just…"
The laptop slam shut stopping Roxanne's words in her tracks. The cabin door opened and in came Cody Hawks. Of course, Roxanne thought, she times it this way on purpose. She doesn't want to be alone with me.
"Where have you been?!" Annie asked in irritated tone.
"Sorry," Cody apologized, "Matt wanted to have a word with me. He thinks our wanna be ranger from years ago is back in town causing trouble. "
"Next time, use your head and your radio...Ace," Annie huffed sarcastically, immediately feeling guilty for taking her frustration out on Cody. She sighed and said in a softer tone, "I'll put your friend on my watch list and let you know if I find anything. Now I'm going to walk the grounds-you stay here." She left in a hurry without saying another word.
"Everything alright?" Cody asked Roxanne as he plopped down on the couch.
"Yeah…fine." She replied trying desperately to hide that she was upset and quickly excusing herself from the room. She went into the bedroom shutting the door behind her and plopped down on the edge of the bed. Roxanne eyes drifted over to Buddy Hawks, who was putting on a mechanic suit over his T-shirt and jeans.
Buddy noticed the long face she was giving and titled his head sympathetically, "She's just going to keep brushing us off...I don't know why you keep trying."
"Everything that's happen to her is all my fault. I have to find some way to fix this."
He sat next to her on the bed and pulled her in closer by putting one arm behind her back, "What's done is done. You can't undo the past. The best you can hope for is forgiveness. Annie is as stubborn as her father she is not going to give that to you."
"I know that. I can't help but think how I ruin what Scott and Annie had together."
Buddy ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead, "Relationships have their up and downs, if it's meant to be Scott and Annie will figure that out. I don't think you're the only reason their relationship ended. Everything that's happen over the last few years made those cracks more apparent and time apart is probably what they need to sort that out. I want you to stop worrying your pretty little head over this."
"But I…"
Buddy stopped her with a long delicate kiss to her lips, "Once the baby born I got a nice cottage up in a secluded part of Alaska with new identities for you, me, and junior. Think about how happy we'll be living a normal life as a family."
"I'd like that very much," She replied smiling and then gripped his arm pleading, "Do you have to work tonight?"
He sighed," Yes I promise Matt I'd look at their snowmobiles. Their usual mechanic raised his prices just because of our residency. It the best way I can pay him back for helping us out. So don't wait up for me, I'll be back late."
"Alright," Roxanne reluctantly replied. She then laid back on the bed and grabbed a pillow as if the only thing she wanted to do was sleep.
Buddy lean over and gave her one last kiss, "Sweet dreams."
Roxanne turned over on her side as she started to stir from her nap and noticed an object resting on the bed next to her. Her eyes slowly came into focus to see a doll, but this just wasn't any old doll it was Raggedy Anne doll. Her eyes widen in fear as she started to recollect handing that same doll off to a paid assassin to kill Annie's friend Butch, who was leaking Contra World secrets. She gripped the doll upset and rushed out of the bedroom door mix in a rage of hurt and anger.
"You like it?" Annie asked standing their waiting for to exit her bedroom and smiling wickedly.
"It's horrible!" Roxanne stated as she threw the doll at Annie.
"What you did to Butch was a lot worst." Annie said in an emotionless voice.
"I know," Roxanne pleaded with tears," I'm sorry…I'm so sorry."
"You really going to fall for those crocodile tears?" Jon Mayhem said suddenly appearing at Annie left side.
"How…how did he get here?" Roxanne asked in terror.
"I invited him," Annie calmly said, "When I thought about it the only way I could get rid of you was to hand you over."
"NO!" Roxanne scream as she backed away, but two men wearing contra world uniforms clamped down on both arms holding her in place.
"I'm here for my son," Jon Mayhem smiled flashing a hunting knife before her eyes.
"He's not yours!" She helplessly cried.
"Oh I disagree," He transferred his knife over to Annie.
Roxanne was screaming bloody murder as she watch Annie cut into her belly and pull her child directly from her. Blood was everywhere. She was no longer being held down instead her body was a crumpled pile on the floor. Annie held the crying baby boy her arms and gently passed the child off to Jon Mayhem.
"You're of no use to me any more Roxy you can just bleed to death knowing our son will be one of the most powerful terrifying blood thirsty leaders the world has ever known."
"He needs his mother," She weakly cried out.
"He'll have me," Annie replied with her hair now cut short more like Vanessa and wearing Roxanne's old contra world uniform.
Roxanne Trakker woke up in shock with her body trembling from the vivid nightmare she just experience. Her hand rested on her stomach feeling the baby also being very active, "You didn't like that either did you?" Roxanne pulled herself off the bed breathing heavily, but froze in terror as she saw that same Raggedy Anne doll had been place on her bed.
"You're not real," Roxanne closed her eyes. "When I count to three you'll go away…1…2…3" She reopen her eyes and covered her mouth trying to hide her horrid cry. Either she was going crazy again or her nightmare was coming true.
She crept over to the door and opened it a crack expecting to see Annie Turner outside her door with Jon Mayhem, but the inside of the cabin was empty. The porch light was on and there were voices coming from outside, but she didn't know whose. She moved silently through the cabin stopping by the kitchen to grab a knife and moved in closer to overhear the conversation going on outside.
"Umm...Annie...I'm just curious why there's now a Raggedy Anne doll in the bedroom," Cody asked Annie as they sat out in front of the cabin. "I saw it in there while I was checking on Roxanne."
"I put it there."
"Umm...okay...why?"
"Because it's how I feel right now. And Buddy's always called me that...at least he did before he turned on me with his precious Roxanne. And because she-" Annie trailed off, leaving the sentence dangling darkly in mid-air. Bringing up the history of Roxanne and the doll would not be a smart move.
"I know that look," Cody said, putting his arm around her shoulders in a brotherly embrace. "Something is bothering you more than normal. What is it?"
"Forget it. Just the usual stubborn, self-righteous ranting no one wants to hear."
"Annie, come on, this is me," Cody coaxed. "You know you can tell me anything. Besides, Buddy's not here and Roxanne's asleep. It's just us and the mountains. Talk to me."
Annie walked off the porch and started pacing as angry electricity rolled off her in waves. "This is one of my biggest nightmares...her, being here, on my turf, endangering everything and everyone I love. And now it's come true! And nobody seems to want to understand...or even care...how hard this is for me! I'm just the self righteous bitch who is too stubborn to 'try and work it out'." She stopped for a moment and then kept going, muttering almost insanely to herself, "I should have listened when I was given an out months ago. I should have just worried about myself and damn the consequences, just like everybody else."
Cody watched silently and waited patiently while Annie worked out what was on her mind.
"To quote an overused Star Wars cliche, sometimes I just feel like switching to the dark side. I think about how nice my life would have turned out if Roxanne never existed. If I let myself think about it too much, I start thinking really dangerous thoughts." Annie's voice dropped to an unconscious Vanessa like growl, "There are some days where I really think I could just walk into that cabin and kill her."
That was all Roxanne needed to hear to realize she was no longer safe. The doll was clearly a death threat why else would she confess to wanting to take her life and her unborn child. She was outnumbered two to one her only option was to escape her captors. She headed back to her bedroom with the knife still in her possession plotting her next move.
Cody nodded understanding, "You're not as good at hiding that side of yourself as you used to be."
Annie sat back down and accepted his proffered shoulder this time. "I know. Everything that's happened is bringing it out and it scares me to death! It's not me-it's what I could have been if my moth-" She couldn't finish the sentence.
"I promise I am not going to let you become that person," Cody reassured her, pulling her in for a hug and kissed her forehead. "That's why you keep me around-to be your conscience."
"Yeah...it is..."Annie's ears perked up as she started to hear the floorboards creek from inside the cabin, "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what," Cody replied having been more focus on Annie then their surroundings.
Annie headed inside and glanced around the cabin. Everything looked to be untouched. She moved in closer towards the bedroom to check on Roxanne. She opened the door to see Roxanne laying on her side and the doll still where she left it. Annie took a few steps forward into the room having second thoughts about her messenger doll.
Little did she realize Roxanne was not asleep. Her eyes were wide awake and she was clutching a knife to her chest waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Find anything?" Cody asks quietly coming up behind Annie.
"No" Annie stopped in her tracks and pulled out of the room forgetting what she was about to do, as she closed the bedroom door behind her.
Annie and Cody headed back outside, while Roxanne frantically looked around for a pair of shoes and a jacket. She told herself if it hadn't been for Cody she'd be fighting for her life. She opened her bedroom window and mange to squeeze her body just barely through. She then crouched down the best she could and took off into the woods behind the cabin. Anywhere would be safer then here.
A long yawn could be heard from Buddy Hawks as he drove his pickup truck down a narrow dirt road. He had been working at the ranger station well past sundown repairing some snowmobiles. Unfortunately his mind was still preoccupied with the job, even after he left for the day. A list of parts he needed still lingered in his head and made himself a mental note to jot that down the moment he reach the cabin. With all that going on in his head, he didn't even realize he drove past somebody walking along the side of the dirt road in the opposite direction. Buddy slammed on the breaks and adjusted his side mirror to get a glance at the backside of the individual walking away from him.
"Ah shit," Buddy cursed as she notice it was Roxanne in a light dress, some rubber boots, and an old jacket that barely fit her considering her stomach was the size of a beach ball.
Buddy Hawks put the truck into reverse and came up alongside her, "A little late for a walk don't ya think?"
Roxanne ignored him and continued on past him. Buddy put the truck in park and stepped out right in front of her preventing her from moving any further. "Roxanne enough these games. Get in the car," he demanded.
"I'm not going back there," She firmly stated.
"Where exactly do you think your going?"
"Home."
"Uhh," Buddy sighed with frustration, "You know very well the mansion being watch. You can't just show up on you dad door step without the whole world knowing."
"What am I suppose to do?! They all HATE me!" She yelled.
"We didn't come up here to win any popularity contest. You knew this would be difficult."
"It's not safe for US here," Roxanne pleaded with round glossy eyes, "Please I can't go back there…She's gonna kill me. I heard her say it."
Buddy moved in closer and put his arms around her, as he noticed she was trembling and visibly upset. He rubbed her back gently trying to sooth her, "Shh…nobody is going to hurt anyone. It has to be some sort of misunderstanding."
What the hell happen? Buddy wondered. Usually Roxanne was good about not taking anything so personal, but considering her condition she was probably a bit more prone to run on her emotions then logic. Yet Annie had been ignoring both of them for months. Why all of a sudden would that change? Maybe there was another side to this story. He noticed when he touched her skin felt like it was burning on fire. She's sick that explain it…it's all in her head.
"Let's get you to bed," Buddy said guiding her over to the truck.
"I'm fine..really.." She said half dazed.
"You're a horrible liar," He remarked with a smirk as he situated her in the passenger side of his vehicle. Once he got into the Truck he turned on the CB radio.
"This is Buddy Hawks calling the ranger station over…"
Matt Hawks replied on the other line, "Buddy what is it…you leave something behind."
"I honestly wish that were the case," He took a quick glance over at Roxanne resting her head against the window then focus his attention to driving, "I know it's late, but I need Robin up at the cabin. I think Roxanne has a fever, and I need somebody who gonna keep me calm while I deal with the two idiots who let her sneak out in the dead of night."
"You sure you don't need me up there too?" Matt asked knowing this wasn't going to go down very well with Annie or Cody.
"I think I can manage them for now." Buddy responded.
"Alright...I'll send her right up." Matt replied.
Cody hawks and Annie Turner sat on the cabin porch unaware that the person they were suppose to be protecting was no longer in their care.
"You know she's pretty quiet tonight," Cody mentioned as if something seem a bit off.
"Good that's the way I like it," Annie replied holding a red apple in her right hand a hunting knife in the other and started to cut up the apple into slices.
"Maybe we should go check..."
Cody's thought was interrupted by the sudden arrival of two trucks in front of the cabin. Robin exit from the first truck holding a medical bag. The other truck had Buddy Hawks and he wasn't alone.
Cody and Annie both did a double take and stood there in shock as Buddy helped Roxanne from the vehicle. They were both wondering how the hell she mange to slip out from under both their noses?
Roxanne looked disappointed as she realized that he brought her back to the same cabin she had attempted to run away from. She droned out Robin's voice, as she mention about getting her to bed. Roxanne eyes shifted over to Cody who seemed to still have his mouth open in disbelief that she had escaped. Right next to him was Annie standing their completely emotionless with an apple in one hand and a knife in the other.
Roxanne breathing hasten as she thought of the Annie she dreamt of earlier that night. It was that very same knife Annie had used to cut her open. Buddy was trying to gently guide her forward ,but Roxanne started fighting him back and pulling herself backwards.
"No..No…No," Roxanne shook her head looking at Annie with tear running down her face, "Don't let her near me."
"Rox snap out of it." Buddy demanded, but she kept trying to pull herself out of his grip.
Robin came up to her and grabbed her face between her two hands, "Roxanne need you to focus hun…there is no danger here. Calm down." But her words had fallen on deaf ears, and Roxanne kicked her away causing her to stumble to the ground.
"Cody! Give me hand," Buddy ordered knowing he couldn't forcibly get Roxanne into the cabin with out causing harm to her.
Cody fist instinct was to help Robin to her feet, but she waved him off as if it was nothing. "Help Buddy!"
Cody then grabbed a hold of Roxanne left arm, while Buddy grabbed on to her right arm and they both carried her towards the cabin with her feet dragging in the dirt.
"YOU WON'T HAVE MY SON…I WONT' LET YOU TAKE HIM!" Roxanne screamed mostly directed at Annie direction.
The whole time Annie just stood there watching from the point the two men dragged/carried Roxanne from the car into the cabin towards the bedroom with Robin in tow. She took a bite of her apple and sat back down on the porch absently thinking. Oh yes, she's so much better. Remind me again why I've put myself through this...?
A medial bag was dumped upside down by Robin on a nearby dresser, as she frantically search for some sort of sedative. Meanwhile both Cody and Buddy held down a screaming and kicking Roxanne on the bed.
"Hurry up Robin," Buddy looked over at her.
The whole scene had caught Robin completely off guard. She head up here expecting to tackle a simple fever, instead found herself caught in the middle of physical violence and having to calm Roxanne's wild tantrum. She was warn this would be a possible situation having the girl in her care, but with her mental health improving she never figured this would be an issue. "Got it" She cried as she held a syringe and hastily injected it into Roxanne arm.
Buddy Hawks kept his grip firmed on Roxanne waiting patiently for the drugs to kick in. "I just don't get it. She hasn't had episode like this since we rescued her months ago."
"Relapse is always a possibility," Robin stated.
"I know…" Buddy said letting go of Roxanne seeing that she was now in a deep sleep, "She made so much progress…I don't understand what could of…." His voice trailed off until he finally saw the catalyst to tonight's events. Buddy reached over and grabbed a Raggedy Anne doll that was resting on the bed. He gripped it tight in his right hand and look to Cody who was still standing in the room and demanded, "Where did this come from?"
Cody could see anger starting to flare from Buddy, "Look, Buddy, she didn't-"
Buddy nose wrinkled up already knowing who the culprit was especially with Cody trying to cover for her. He ignored the rest of what the younger ranger had to say and spun on his heel, wooden floorboards pounding as he went straight to the source.
The screen door open and slammed shut, as Buddy exit outside to face Annie. He held the doll out of her to see, "What the hell is this?!"
Annie got to her feet crossing her arms to show she was not afraid of going up against him, "A doll."
"I see that. That one very sick joke Annie."
"I didn't find it so funny when she left it for me."
"If you want to blame somebody for Butch death…then that blame is on ME! I was his informant. Don't go taking it out on her."
"Cause she's so," Annie huffed amusingly," innocent. What about how *I've* been punished, huh Buddy? You actually used to consider that once upon a time!" Annie raged back at him. "Do you know how hard it is for me to see that ring on her finger knowing that there's supposed to be one on mine?! Thanks to her little assassination attempt, that didn't happen! And never mind all the other implied threats against me!"
Buddy nodded his head already seeing where this was going, "You know Annie..your absolutely right! Let's constantly remind her of all of the physical and mental abuse she'd endured over these last several years. Even though the countless crimes she committed were done knowing against her free will, we have to hold them to her and punish her every day of her living life. She's not allowed to move forward she has to wallow in despair for all eternity."
"I didn't say…" Annie started to respond but got cut off.
"No you didn't have to," Buddy said, "You feel it, you breath it, and it written all over damn face." Buddy threw the doll directly in front of Annie feet, "Grow the hell up."
Annie was shaking with anger, "How...dare...you!"
Cody walked out of the cabin and tried to get in between Annie and Buddy, already seeing the hostility between the both of them. "Calm down..."
"Calm down? You BOTH left a very sick pregnant woman walk out in here in the dead of night. If you," Buddy pointed directly at Annie, "Hadn't decided to be so childish she wouldn't have been so scared to tell you in the first place!"
"Buddy?" Robin interrupted . She stepped out on the porch and glanced over disappointed at both Cody and Annie. The look she was given indicated she wouldn't show any sympathy for either one of them for screwing up this bad.
Buddy took a big breath of air and calm down, "What is Robin?"
"I'm going to stay the night at least until her fever is down and she's back to her normal self. She can't have another fit like that," Robin stated with a great deal of seriousness, "She could go into premature labor if this continues."
Buddy looked over to Cody and Annie knowing very well what need to be done to protect the woman he love, "You two get of here."
"We're on duty," Annie replied keep her feet firm in place.
"Well you're fired," Buddy coldly said as he turned his back on her and head inside.
"You can't fire us!" Annie yelled at Buddy's retreating back.
"Annie, please go." Robin ordered, reinforcing Buddy's wishes. "You too, Cody."
"But Matt assign us to..." Cody interjected.
"Buddy and I will take care of Roxanne until Matt assesses the damage you've done here tonight." Robin's tone was the no nonsense don't argue doctor protecting patient one they had heard so often. "I suggest you both report to him in the morning."
"What in the world has gotten into you, Annie?!"
"Matt, she-"
Without looking at him, Matt Hawkes brushed his brother's attempted explanation aside. "I'll get to you, Cody."
The team's two youngest rangers stood in front of the commander's desk the next morning, clearly chagrined at their part in Roxanne's relapse late last night. Matt continued drilling his blue eyes and harsh gaze into Annie Turner's soul, hoping to come up with some kind of explanation for her behavior.
"Well?" The lack of response made him even more agitated.
No matter how hard she tried, Annie could not break Matt's penetrating stare. Nor could she summon the Vanessa like attitude that had gotten her into this mess. The longer he glared at her, the more she fumbled for an appropriate response. All that she could finally come up with was a rather lame, "She brings out the worst in me."
"Obviously." The inflection Matt put on that one word stung more than an entire lecture.
"Matt, I've tried," Annie sighed, "I really have. But every time I look at her, I can't help but think about how she's pretty much ruined my life."
"You haven't been there to see just how hard it is, Matt," Cody interjected quietly.
"No, I haven't," Matt responded, "I've been here, with Robin telling me how much Roxanne wants nothing more to make peace. But you," his eyes never left Annie's, "insist on bringing up the past instead of moving forward from it."
Annie couldn't come up with an appropriate response.
"I hoped giving you the reins on this assignment would help you do that. Clearly I was wrong considering you pulled an incredibly childish prank that endangered not only Roxanne but her child as well."
"Matt, I-"
"If you two are going to act like children, then that's how I'm going to treat you." He walked around to the front of his desk to emphasize the seriousness of what he was about to say. "As of this moment, I'm taking charge of this assignment and separating you two. You," he indicated Cody, "are back on desk duty until I say otherwise."
"You're busting me back down to rookie?" Cody challenged him.
"What happened wasn't even his fault!" Annie protested.
"If you're lucky, it won't take a whole year to work your way back up," Matt said to Cody before turning back to Annie. "The same goes for you, Annie, except you are going to publicly apologize to Roxanne once she's feeling better. Then you are going to ask her what you can do to make it right and do it. In the meantime, there's plenty of chores to do around here, starting with mucking out the horse stalls."
Cody and Annie shared a sidelong glance that was not lost on their observant Commander. "And if you two are thinking about sneaking around to help each other commiserate, think again. Hart, Cutler, Izzy, and Avila are well aware of my orders and will make sure you two don't get within 500 feet of each other unless absolutely necessary. Understood?"
"Yes sir," said two dejected voices in unison.
"Good. You're dismissed."