Orphans Beloved…III "The Donny Protocol…"
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. I do plan at least one longer tale, "Nessun Dorma" but that's just getting sketched now.
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
"We need to get away…" the somewhat bordering on shrill voice instantly recognizable to Sarah on cell.
"Hello to you too." She maintained Beth voice, smiling at the maintenance worker passing in the hallway outside the rear entrance to Elizabeth Child's condo.
"Ok, what's happened? And what do you mean by 'get away'."
"Nothing criminal…" the voice, her clone Allison's, a bit annoyed. "Donny and I need to get away."
"As in…Grab things, including kids, and run…Out on us?...Or a quick jaunt to the nearest home redecoriator's and you just couldn't resist rubbin' it in that that's somethin' I will probably never get to do…God willing."
"What? Sarah? Sometimes I simply can't believe you and I are spawned from the same genetic pattern. We couldn't be more different."
"I love ya too, sis…So?"
"We need a weekend alone." Hesitant tone.
"Ok. And to do…What?"
"You know very well what." Allison, grim, sharp tone.
"Lucky fellow…" Sarah, coyly. Rolling eyes…Yeah…I can just imagine the bliss…
"Sarcasm…Nice. He's still recovering from the shock of what we've told him about us…And being tortured by me…And all that…" sobbing. "Ooooh…"
"Allison? Hey, Allison?..."
"Yesss?"
"Knock it off." Curtly.
"Hey!"
"He's lucky you didn't kill him thinkin' what you thought. He should be grateful you've put some trust in him. And we've had to put our lives for the line for this little reconcilation's sake."
"It was your fault!"
"What?!"
"You…And the others, messing into our lives…You got me so paranoid I accused my own husband of terrible things!"
"Which but for luck, he might have been…Lets not forget Beth."
"Don't compare that lying snake Paul to my Donnie!"
"You were ready enough to believe it!" frown at phone.
Sob from phone…"It's true…Oh…"
"Stop it, Allison. He said he understood. I was there."
"Wasn't he wonderful?" eager tone. "The way he just listened and accepted it all and…And…And…Promised…He'd…do…"
"Don't cry again, Allison…I swear I'll hang up."
"I'm sorry you don't have a Donnie. You'd understand." Sharp reply.
"Right. Poor me." Sarah, wryly.
"You say that sarcastically but I know better…" Allison, firmly.
"Yeah…" Sarah nervously brushed hair back… "Gettin' back to the reason for this sisterly call…?"
"I want to take him on a weekend getaway…So we can talk and work on things a bit."
"Can't you just shag all weekend at home? It's not a good time for us to separate. We don't know where the blonde is…Or what's going on with whoever handles Paul and the other monitors."
"And we still don't know who your monitor is…Unless."
"Felix is not a monitor, Allison…" cold tone.
"I didn't say he was…But, if I were planting…" eagerly…
"That how you concluded your own husband and high school sweetie was a treacherous double agent?" Pause… "Sorry."
Longer pause… "I'm sorry, too. See, I need a break…And I need…"
"Cuddles from Donniekins?" cooing tone.
"Yes, actually…And not wanting to boast but our sex life happens to be pretty good most of the time…"
"That's just dreamy. So farm out the kids, lock yourselves in the bedroom, and don't come out till Tuesday…I'll even call in for Donniekins on Monday so you don't have to lie."
"Would you call?" hopeful tone. "But we'd be going away to this little town we know…Very artsy, lovely shops, some experimental theater, great crafts, wonderful little bistros…You and the geek girl will love it."
"Me and the what will what?"
"Oh, we want you to come…Donnie thinks it would be a great place to have a strategy conference."
"Oh, Donboy does, does he?" glare. "And when did Donald get his trousers and become head of this merry band?"
"It's just his suggestion." Annoyed tone. "He just wanted to help…And it's a good idea. Much less chance of our monitors learning anything…And you could invite Paul, separately."
"You suddenly trust Paul?" stare at phone.
"Not as far as I can throw him." Allison, sternly. "But we don't invite him to our meetings, we hold one with him…Controlled conditions where we pump him for information."
"'Pump 'im', eh? You been watchin' crime dramas with Donniekins for ideas?"
"We have ideas, too, Sarah. And just because we didn't spend our lives on the mean streets of wherever doesn't mean our ideas are ridiculous."
"Ok…Fine…It's not a bad idea. "
"Thank you." Gracious tone. "If my monitor hears, assuming she is my monitor…"
"That neighbor of yours…"
"Yes. She knows we've gone there before, it shouldn't look suspicious as long as you two are too conspicuous in coming. And Donny has an idea about that…"
"I'll bet…"
"You tell no one, both of you. We pick you up in a rental early in the morning before dawn even."
"Better and better…" cheery tone.
"And we ride there together in one car."
"One car? Us? And you don't think that'll attract attention, three identical girls…"
"We don't leave the car together. And we all dress as me. Anytime we stop, one me gets out. You two stay at different locations in town."
"Lovely…" I can imagine the cheap motel she's picked out as suitable for me…
"I get the sarcasm, Sarah." Curt tone. "But if we're careful no one would ever guess there were three of us. We sit down, make plans. Later, you call Paul…We arrange a meeting."
"We pump."
"We pump."
"Then you go pump ole…"
"You're hilarious." Cold tone. "This is important to me. And we need to brainstorm. And give Donnie a chance to get a better feel for the situation."
"I already feel safer with ole Donny on the squad…"
"He's brave and he'd die to protect me." Icy tone. "You have anyone like that on hand?"
"Fine. I'll talk to the 'geek girl'. See what she thinks."
"She'll love it, I know her. It goes without saying there will be no practical clone girl/Patty Duke style jokes played on my husband."
"Patty what?"
"I mean…" sour tone… "You and the geek girl will not pretend to be me to tease my husband for your amusement. You won't affect my mannerisms and you won't try to get him to spill personal information to exploit at our expense later."
"Sounds fine to me…" Sarah shrugged. "But if he asks to shag us…?"
Bang of phone on counter. Dial tone.