Like I said, I'm chaptering this now. I can expand on things! Woo hoo! I'm so happy...
* * * * *
The Other Maxwell
by Grace Musica
Chapter Two
The Accident
* * * * *
"What the hell are you doing, Maxwell?"
Duo looked up innocently at his sister. She had just quit her babysitting job earlier today, and was unpacking her personal possessions--books, a few pieces of jewlery, a nicknack or two, and a few articles of clothes--and putting them away in the bedroom Quatre had given her. Duo was sitting on her bed, watching her.
He grinned at her. "Well, let's think about this. You were in need of a job. Quatre's a good guy. You'll enjoy working for him."
Lizzy raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"
"Why, you think I have another motive?"
"You've always had another motive, Duo. I've known you since you were five and I was four, and even then, you still had secret motives."
Duo grinned. "You're right, but I don't have one this time."
"Riiiiiiight, bro."
Duo stood, kissed Lizzy on her forehead, and walked for the door. "Good night, sis. You'd better get some sleep. Slavemaster Winner's gonna want you up with the sun."
"OUT, MAXWELL!"
* * * * *
After about a week, Lizzy found herself calling the Winner mansion home. Duo had been right; Quatre demanded discipline and good work, but was understanding as well. Lizzy learned that when she accidentally knocked over a vase on her first day. Quatre had seen the whole thing, and even helped her clean up the mess, with Lizzy protesting and appologizing every second.
Even Lizzy's work schedule, when she reflected, was better than some she'd had in the past. Friday night though Sunday, she had a weekend guard post with her new friends in the Maganac Corps (especially Rasid. the two had become very fast friends, actually. in fact, he was one of the few privy to her secret.) and was allowed Monday off to catch up on sleep. Tuesday though Friday, she was up with the sun to help either in the kitchens or cleaning around the house until noon, an hour lunch break, down to program computers for about two hours, then she was allowed to do whatever she wanted. Usually, she snuck into Quatre's music room and played various instruments softly to herself.
Of course, with her luck, she got caught not too long after she started up this practice.
* * * * *
Lizzy had no idea how long Quatre had been standing in the doorway. Hell, she hadn't even known he was even there until he had spoken. She had been playing his violin, back to the door, humming to herself.
"Eli?"
Eli jumped about a foot and turned around quickly. "O-o-oh, Master Winner, I'm sorry, I didn't know I wasn't allowed--"
"Really?" Quatre bent down and picked up a bent hairpen. "Then what's this for?"
Lizzy's hand went up to behind her ear instinctively.
Quatre nearly laughed out loud at the shocked look on Eli's face. "You're pretty good. Where did you learn?"
Lizzy couldn't believe her ears. "T-t-thank you sir. Sister Mary Patrick taught me, when I was younger. She said that some discipline would be good for me."
Quatre laughed a little bit. "I think maybe she should have taught Duo some discipline."
"Well, they sure tried, but it didn't really work. Punishments used to jump out at us from around every corner. The brassworks were shiny every week: the two of us polished it fairly every day."
Quatre laughed at that. "I'd believe it." He walked over to the piano and sat on the bench. "Now, what am I to do with a disobedient Maxwell? Make him polish?"
Lizzy hung her head in shame, her face turning red.
"... Nah, I don't think so."
Quatre reached over, picked up some sheet music, and threw it in front of Lizzy's feet. "Play."
Lizzy looked up, a bit confused. "Y-yes sir." She put the violin under her chin and ran the bow across the strings.
When she was done, Quatre appaluded politely. "And I've just come up with your punishment, Eli."
Lizzy swallowed. "And that would be?"
Quatre stood and grinned. "You're my new orchestra director. You're free to use this room whenever you want. And I'll get you a key, so you won't have to break into this room anymore."
* * * * *
A month and a half after Lizzy started working, she awoke to a pounding at her bedroom door. She rolled over and looked at her alarm clock.
She sat up, jammed her feet into some slippers, grabbed her robe and stumbled towards the door, grumbling.
"Three in the morning on Monday... This had BETTER be good..."
Yanking the door open, she met Abdul's eyes. Or, more precisely, Abdul's sunglasses. Lizzy glared at him bitterly. "Don't you EVER take those damn things off?"
"Shut up. I've got bad news. One of the Winner girls was in an accident."
"Which one?" Lizzy asked, rubbing her eyes.
"The eldest--Maria," came the answer.
Lizzy stopped, mid-yawn. Lizzy had actually met Maria. The 29 year-old Winner--actually, now a Donovan--looked like Quatre, except with brown hair instead of blonde. She had also met Quatre's two nieces and nephew--four-year-old twins Thomas and Natalie and a new baby, Audrey. Although Maria had been married for now on twenty-five years, getting pregnant had been difficult. "Is she alright?"
Abdul pursed his lips and shook his head as Lizzy gasped. "What about the twins? And Audrey?"
"That's why you're up. Rashid said I was to get you up. You're gonna watch the kids. They're in Quatre's study."
"Give me ten minutes."
* * * * *
Lizzy walked down the hall, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. She needed a haircut, and soon. One of the things that always drove her crazy was her hair in her eyes. Plus, she could almost start passing as a girl if she wasn't careful.
She pushed the heavy door to Quatre's office open silently. Rashid was standing next to Quatre, speaking into a low voice. Quatre had his elbows on the desk, and his face buried into his hands. The twins were sharing a chair, sound asleep. The newest Maganac recruit, Muhammed, a young man of nineteen, was holding a bundle of blankets--Audrey.
Lizzy walked up to Quatre's desk and bowed formally in front of him. "Mr. Winner, my condolences. Although I know that it doesn't help, but I'm offering them."
Quatre looked up at Eli. He was dressed all in black, and a large hunk of hair was missing in the back. He knew what it was strait off: An old warrior's sign of mourning for a fallen comerade was cutting off a finger's length of hair. It struck Quatre as odd that a man who hardly knew him--and vice versa--showed such a loyalty. There sure was something special about Eli Maxwell.
Lizzy sighed as she looked down on her employer. His appearace pulled at her heartstrings: The boy was obviously mourning hard. Still dressed in his pjs with a robe thrown over it, his blonde hair was a mess, tear tracks stained his face, and big red marks from the heels of his hands framed tear-filled blue eyes. She gave him a small, understanding smile, and walked over to the washstand Quatre had in the back corner. She dipped the small handtowel into the water, rung it out a bit, and gave it to Quatre. He looked at her questioningly.
"I know this'll be hard for you to hear, but clean yourself up. I'll take care of the kids--you take care of yourself."
Quatre stared numbly up at her. She sighed, knelt down next to him, and wiped his face, as if he were no older than his niece and nephew, talking all the while.
"Look, Quatre, I can't say I know what you're going though, because, well, I don't. I'm not in your position, and I personally wouldn't want to be. I can understand maybe more than others would. But I want you to think about this: You've got three kids looking at you for strength and support. There's a curious little thing about small children--they immitate what they see. And if they see strength, they'll live strength."
Quatre looked up at Rasid, who nodded. "He's right, Master Quatre."
Quatre looked back over at Eli, to find that she had moved over to the chair and was picking up Natalie. She stirred awake as Eli touched her. "Hey sweetheart," the elder greeted the child in her arms.
"Hi Mr. Maxwell," the little girl replied in a small, wavering voice. Her brilliant green eyes were brimming with tears. Eli brushed them away.
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so, so, so very sorry."
Natalie sniffled and burried her head into Eli's shoulder, who pulled her close into a hug. The lass let out a huge sob, and Eli tried to soothe her by rocking and stroking her hair. Finally, Quatre stood and took her into his own arms. Eli surrendered the child and picked up the other twin, who was, fortunately, a much heavier sleeper.
Following Rasid, the three occupants carried their charges upstairs into a guest room that had been converted into a makeshift nursery within twenty minutes. They set the kids into their beds--Natalie had cried herself to sleep by now--and Muhammed, Rasid, and Eli prepared to leave the Winners to themselves to grieve.
However, at the door, Quatre made a request.
"Mr. Maxwell, will you come and talk with me please?"
Eli turned around. "Yes sir."
Lizzy followed Quatre in scilence into Quatre's own bedroom. He motioned for her to sit down on the edge of the bed--which she did--and started pacing.
"Am I in trouble, Mr. Winner?"
Quatre looked sharply over at Eli. He was wringing his hands and looking a bit nervous. /I guess I shouldn't've been so secretive with him. I proably scared the hell out of him./ "No, no, you're not in trouble, I just wanted to talk to you."
"Okay. Well, then, go on."
"It looks like I'll be needing a babysitter for a while. I know you look after kids. Would you bother terribly if I had you watch my nieces and nephew? They're a bit younger than you're used to, I know..."
"Oh, no sir, I would enjoy that very much!" In her excitement, Quatre felt her walls drop just a bit. He felt a whole jumble of emotions and worries: eagerness to watch the kids and worry over them; sorrow for Maria's death; an intense desire to talk to Duo; and something else, something he couldn't exacally put his finger on. Quite suddently, he was cut off from her again. "They're sweet as can be, and I would enjoy taking care of them."
Quatre sighed in relief. "Thank you, Eli."
"I'm indebted to you, Mr. Winner. If you hadn't given me a chance on ten minutes converation, five of which were spent beating a child, I would've been out of my ass. It's the least I can do, sir."
Quatre looked at Eli. "You are NOTHING like Duo. He would never be so formal with me all the time, like you are."
Eli looked down, a bit embarassed. "You'd be surprised, sir. Duo and I are practically identical, when you get us both drunk enough." She grinned. "Actually, my brother would do the exact same thing I am. He holds you in very high respect, Mr. Winner."
"But aren't we friends? Can't you just drop the formalities for one minute?"
Eli looked up at Quatre and grinned wider. Quatre was suddently struck by how much she looked like Duo. "You're my friend, Mr. Winner. But you're also my employer. That's just always first and foremost in my mind."
Quatre sighed again, this time in defeat. Eli at him; his whole body spoke of fatigue and grief, from the slump in his shoulders to his shuffling footsteps. She stood, preparing to leave. "You should get some sleep, Quatre. You've got a long road ahead."
Quatre nodded. "I know." He sniffled a bit and, quite suddently, fell to the ground sobbing. He felt a huge wave of sympathy coming from Eli but was too tired and upset to care that she had let walls down. He let her help him out of his robe and into bed. As she was leaving the room, he got a hold of himself enough to thank her for all of her help tonight.
"No problem." Eli gave him a peace sign. "Hey, if you need anything, you know where my room is. And I mean that as a friend speaking to another."
Eli felt his gratitude flood though her mental walls. "I'll keep that in mind."
Lizzy nodded and shut the door quietly. She could hear Quatre softly crying through the door. She managed to make it all the way to her own room before breaking down herself. She leaned against the inside of her door, sobbing for the kids, for Quatre, for Maria, and for herself.
She looked up to heaven, praying. "Ohmigod, I've fallen in love with him."
* * * * *
* * * * *
The Other Maxwell
by Grace Musica
Chapter Two
The Accident
* * * * *
"What the hell are you doing, Maxwell?"
Duo looked up innocently at his sister. She had just quit her babysitting job earlier today, and was unpacking her personal possessions--books, a few pieces of jewlery, a nicknack or two, and a few articles of clothes--and putting them away in the bedroom Quatre had given her. Duo was sitting on her bed, watching her.
He grinned at her. "Well, let's think about this. You were in need of a job. Quatre's a good guy. You'll enjoy working for him."
Lizzy raised an eyebrow. "Is that all?"
"Why, you think I have another motive?"
"You've always had another motive, Duo. I've known you since you were five and I was four, and even then, you still had secret motives."
Duo grinned. "You're right, but I don't have one this time."
"Riiiiiiight, bro."
Duo stood, kissed Lizzy on her forehead, and walked for the door. "Good night, sis. You'd better get some sleep. Slavemaster Winner's gonna want you up with the sun."
"OUT, MAXWELL!"
* * * * *
After about a week, Lizzy found herself calling the Winner mansion home. Duo had been right; Quatre demanded discipline and good work, but was understanding as well. Lizzy learned that when she accidentally knocked over a vase on her first day. Quatre had seen the whole thing, and even helped her clean up the mess, with Lizzy protesting and appologizing every second.
Even Lizzy's work schedule, when she reflected, was better than some she'd had in the past. Friday night though Sunday, she had a weekend guard post with her new friends in the Maganac Corps (especially Rasid. the two had become very fast friends, actually. in fact, he was one of the few privy to her secret.) and was allowed Monday off to catch up on sleep. Tuesday though Friday, she was up with the sun to help either in the kitchens or cleaning around the house until noon, an hour lunch break, down to program computers for about two hours, then she was allowed to do whatever she wanted. Usually, she snuck into Quatre's music room and played various instruments softly to herself.
Of course, with her luck, she got caught not too long after she started up this practice.
* * * * *
Lizzy had no idea how long Quatre had been standing in the doorway. Hell, she hadn't even known he was even there until he had spoken. She had been playing his violin, back to the door, humming to herself.
"Eli?"
Eli jumped about a foot and turned around quickly. "O-o-oh, Master Winner, I'm sorry, I didn't know I wasn't allowed--"
"Really?" Quatre bent down and picked up a bent hairpen. "Then what's this for?"
Lizzy's hand went up to behind her ear instinctively.
Quatre nearly laughed out loud at the shocked look on Eli's face. "You're pretty good. Where did you learn?"
Lizzy couldn't believe her ears. "T-t-thank you sir. Sister Mary Patrick taught me, when I was younger. She said that some discipline would be good for me."
Quatre laughed a little bit. "I think maybe she should have taught Duo some discipline."
"Well, they sure tried, but it didn't really work. Punishments used to jump out at us from around every corner. The brassworks were shiny every week: the two of us polished it fairly every day."
Quatre laughed at that. "I'd believe it." He walked over to the piano and sat on the bench. "Now, what am I to do with a disobedient Maxwell? Make him polish?"
Lizzy hung her head in shame, her face turning red.
"... Nah, I don't think so."
Quatre reached over, picked up some sheet music, and threw it in front of Lizzy's feet. "Play."
Lizzy looked up, a bit confused. "Y-yes sir." She put the violin under her chin and ran the bow across the strings.
When she was done, Quatre appaluded politely. "And I've just come up with your punishment, Eli."
Lizzy swallowed. "And that would be?"
Quatre stood and grinned. "You're my new orchestra director. You're free to use this room whenever you want. And I'll get you a key, so you won't have to break into this room anymore."
* * * * *
A month and a half after Lizzy started working, she awoke to a pounding at her bedroom door. She rolled over and looked at her alarm clock.
She sat up, jammed her feet into some slippers, grabbed her robe and stumbled towards the door, grumbling.
"Three in the morning on Monday... This had BETTER be good..."
Yanking the door open, she met Abdul's eyes. Or, more precisely, Abdul's sunglasses. Lizzy glared at him bitterly. "Don't you EVER take those damn things off?"
"Shut up. I've got bad news. One of the Winner girls was in an accident."
"Which one?" Lizzy asked, rubbing her eyes.
"The eldest--Maria," came the answer.
Lizzy stopped, mid-yawn. Lizzy had actually met Maria. The 29 year-old Winner--actually, now a Donovan--looked like Quatre, except with brown hair instead of blonde. She had also met Quatre's two nieces and nephew--four-year-old twins Thomas and Natalie and a new baby, Audrey. Although Maria had been married for now on twenty-five years, getting pregnant had been difficult. "Is she alright?"
Abdul pursed his lips and shook his head as Lizzy gasped. "What about the twins? And Audrey?"
"That's why you're up. Rashid said I was to get you up. You're gonna watch the kids. They're in Quatre's study."
"Give me ten minutes."
* * * * *
Lizzy walked down the hall, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. She needed a haircut, and soon. One of the things that always drove her crazy was her hair in her eyes. Plus, she could almost start passing as a girl if she wasn't careful.
She pushed the heavy door to Quatre's office open silently. Rashid was standing next to Quatre, speaking into a low voice. Quatre had his elbows on the desk, and his face buried into his hands. The twins were sharing a chair, sound asleep. The newest Maganac recruit, Muhammed, a young man of nineteen, was holding a bundle of blankets--Audrey.
Lizzy walked up to Quatre's desk and bowed formally in front of him. "Mr. Winner, my condolences. Although I know that it doesn't help, but I'm offering them."
Quatre looked up at Eli. He was dressed all in black, and a large hunk of hair was missing in the back. He knew what it was strait off: An old warrior's sign of mourning for a fallen comerade was cutting off a finger's length of hair. It struck Quatre as odd that a man who hardly knew him--and vice versa--showed such a loyalty. There sure was something special about Eli Maxwell.
Lizzy sighed as she looked down on her employer. His appearace pulled at her heartstrings: The boy was obviously mourning hard. Still dressed in his pjs with a robe thrown over it, his blonde hair was a mess, tear tracks stained his face, and big red marks from the heels of his hands framed tear-filled blue eyes. She gave him a small, understanding smile, and walked over to the washstand Quatre had in the back corner. She dipped the small handtowel into the water, rung it out a bit, and gave it to Quatre. He looked at her questioningly.
"I know this'll be hard for you to hear, but clean yourself up. I'll take care of the kids--you take care of yourself."
Quatre stared numbly up at her. She sighed, knelt down next to him, and wiped his face, as if he were no older than his niece and nephew, talking all the while.
"Look, Quatre, I can't say I know what you're going though, because, well, I don't. I'm not in your position, and I personally wouldn't want to be. I can understand maybe more than others would. But I want you to think about this: You've got three kids looking at you for strength and support. There's a curious little thing about small children--they immitate what they see. And if they see strength, they'll live strength."
Quatre looked up at Rasid, who nodded. "He's right, Master Quatre."
Quatre looked back over at Eli, to find that she had moved over to the chair and was picking up Natalie. She stirred awake as Eli touched her. "Hey sweetheart," the elder greeted the child in her arms.
"Hi Mr. Maxwell," the little girl replied in a small, wavering voice. Her brilliant green eyes were brimming with tears. Eli brushed them away.
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so, so, so very sorry."
Natalie sniffled and burried her head into Eli's shoulder, who pulled her close into a hug. The lass let out a huge sob, and Eli tried to soothe her by rocking and stroking her hair. Finally, Quatre stood and took her into his own arms. Eli surrendered the child and picked up the other twin, who was, fortunately, a much heavier sleeper.
Following Rasid, the three occupants carried their charges upstairs into a guest room that had been converted into a makeshift nursery within twenty minutes. They set the kids into their beds--Natalie had cried herself to sleep by now--and Muhammed, Rasid, and Eli prepared to leave the Winners to themselves to grieve.
However, at the door, Quatre made a request.
"Mr. Maxwell, will you come and talk with me please?"
Eli turned around. "Yes sir."
Lizzy followed Quatre in scilence into Quatre's own bedroom. He motioned for her to sit down on the edge of the bed--which she did--and started pacing.
"Am I in trouble, Mr. Winner?"
Quatre looked sharply over at Eli. He was wringing his hands and looking a bit nervous. /I guess I shouldn't've been so secretive with him. I proably scared the hell out of him./ "No, no, you're not in trouble, I just wanted to talk to you."
"Okay. Well, then, go on."
"It looks like I'll be needing a babysitter for a while. I know you look after kids. Would you bother terribly if I had you watch my nieces and nephew? They're a bit younger than you're used to, I know..."
"Oh, no sir, I would enjoy that very much!" In her excitement, Quatre felt her walls drop just a bit. He felt a whole jumble of emotions and worries: eagerness to watch the kids and worry over them; sorrow for Maria's death; an intense desire to talk to Duo; and something else, something he couldn't exacally put his finger on. Quite suddently, he was cut off from her again. "They're sweet as can be, and I would enjoy taking care of them."
Quatre sighed in relief. "Thank you, Eli."
"I'm indebted to you, Mr. Winner. If you hadn't given me a chance on ten minutes converation, five of which were spent beating a child, I would've been out of my ass. It's the least I can do, sir."
Quatre looked at Eli. "You are NOTHING like Duo. He would never be so formal with me all the time, like you are."
Eli looked down, a bit embarassed. "You'd be surprised, sir. Duo and I are practically identical, when you get us both drunk enough." She grinned. "Actually, my brother would do the exact same thing I am. He holds you in very high respect, Mr. Winner."
"But aren't we friends? Can't you just drop the formalities for one minute?"
Eli looked up at Quatre and grinned wider. Quatre was suddently struck by how much she looked like Duo. "You're my friend, Mr. Winner. But you're also my employer. That's just always first and foremost in my mind."
Quatre sighed again, this time in defeat. Eli at him; his whole body spoke of fatigue and grief, from the slump in his shoulders to his shuffling footsteps. She stood, preparing to leave. "You should get some sleep, Quatre. You've got a long road ahead."
Quatre nodded. "I know." He sniffled a bit and, quite suddently, fell to the ground sobbing. He felt a huge wave of sympathy coming from Eli but was too tired and upset to care that she had let walls down. He let her help him out of his robe and into bed. As she was leaving the room, he got a hold of himself enough to thank her for all of her help tonight.
"No problem." Eli gave him a peace sign. "Hey, if you need anything, you know where my room is. And I mean that as a friend speaking to another."
Eli felt his gratitude flood though her mental walls. "I'll keep that in mind."
Lizzy nodded and shut the door quietly. She could hear Quatre softly crying through the door. She managed to make it all the way to her own room before breaking down herself. She leaned against the inside of her door, sobbing for the kids, for Quatre, for Maria, and for herself.
She looked up to heaven, praying. "Ohmigod, I've fallen in love with him."
* * * * *