soon we'll be found: chapter three
terra nova, skye tate, deborah tate, lucas taylor (finally!), 1865
Note: I'm so flattered by those of you adding this fic to your faves and alerts! If you get a moment, please leave me a line or two as well. I'd love to hear whatever thoughts you may have about what I'm doing here.
Thanks for your comments and encouragement Anonymous, TheWater'sChild and AlexisSalvatore17! Okay, I really enjoyed writing this chapter. Finally, some Lucas. I really tried to keep them both in character, but if anything seems off let me know. :)
Over the next week, the rain lightened to a constant drizzle. The downpour had softened the ground to the point where inside the gates one couldn't take a step without sinking a foot into the mud. It wasn't unusual to see officers with their uniforms muddied up to their waist.
As far as anyone knew the two Sixers were still in custody. Skye half-expected Mira and company to storm up to the main gates and demand the return of her men from Taylor in some grand threatening gesture, but maybe things had changed inside the Sixers's camp with the presence of the Phoenix Group.
Or maybe they're just waiting for the ground to harden, Skye thought with annoyance as shrugged off some of her soiled outer clothing before entering her home. She left her jacket, socks and shoes out under the porch so she wouldn't make as much of a mess inside her home.
Skye was pleased to see that her mother had fallen asleep this evening with the plexpad next to her. Maybe Deborah had been reading one of the new books Skye had loaded into it for her. Skye didn't often see her in the kind of alert and interested state of mind Deborah had been in the past few days. Elisabeth was trying something different with Deborah's dosage. Although, she still tired too quickly and too often for Skye's liking.
In the kitchen, she found that her mom had been up and about cleaning and whatnot. There was a rice and bean dish in the pot still warm. Like she used to make. Skye smiled, her heart swelling a bit. It was going to be one of Deborah's better weeks.
Things had been going well at home, the hospital and in general for Skye, but she wasn't without worries. Security never found Lucas or a hint of him. She was still spooked by his appearance outside her home. Taylor had taken back the sonic gun he had given her for her last birthday when he caught her returning from the Sixers. And later on, Mr. Shannon had her home searched and confiscated a contraband sonic taser. The only other weapon she had in her possession now was a knife the length of her palm and she always kept it close to her.
At least the non-stop rain had given Terra Nova a surplus in their reserves of fresh water. She didn't feel as guilty she normally would have for spending extra time in the shower. After changing, she poured the meal her mom had prepared into a bowl for herself and walked back to her room.
Each time she would pass Deborah's room, Skye had an unconscious habit of glancing in without stopping. It couldn't be helped now even though she had just been in the room minutes ago. Expecting to see nothing other than the foot of her mom's bed and the window facing it she kept walking for a second before she suddenly stopped with her grip fiercely tight on the bowl.
No, no, no, no...
Her mind simply froze. She tried to go over the few options she could come up with, but there was nothing that could be done. Her mind was too frenzied to plot or strategize. She would not be able to leave to call for help and she would not abandon her mother a second time. Skye turned around.
Lucas had moved the desk chair to a position where he could keep an eye on her mother and the door at the same time. His head was tilted towards Deborah at the moment watching her with a curious expression. He held a pistol in his right hand. Unfamiliar with many of the weapons the mercenaries brought, Skye couldn't be sure if it was a sonic or used bullets.
Setting the bowl aside, Skye took careful steps into the room until she was halfway between him and the door. He sat eerily still without acknowledging her. "Lucas," Skye could only think to say with unblinking eyes.
The younger Taylor looked thinner than when she had seen him last. Also paler than she might have expected for someone who lived out in the elements. He had the appearance of a man who had been sick and taken a long time to heal. Had this been Lucas's price for recovering from the bullet wounds?
She looked at her mother once again. Her chest still rose and fell at a steady rate. Maybe he hadn't done anything to her yet.
Skye took another step closer to him. Finally, he began to move. The gun changed hands and he rubbed his unshaven face with the palm of the free hand. Her very world seemed centered on where the end of the gun pointed.
"Lucas, please." Her voice hitched on a sob.
"Shh, Bucket." Lucas raised a finger to his lips, finally raising his eyes to hers. He hadn't lost the ability to unnerve her and hold her in place with his gaze. "We don't want to wake up Mom." His lips curved into a delirious smile. Skye briefly shut her eyes forcing the tears to fall. Dread filled every breath she took. He was pulling Deborah into the sick family he had made out of himself, Taylor and Skye.
In the past, Skye had been capable of concealing most of her emotions around Lucas, but that was when she was less afraid and more certain immediate violence was avoidable. The last time they had been in each other's presence Skye had put two bullets in Lucas to protect the man Lucas hated most. She couldn't predict how he would take his revenge.
"She's not a part of this. It was me, Lucas," she pleaded and spoke rapidly, "I'm the one who lied to you. I betrayed you. She's done nothing."
Lucas flew up from the chair and headed straight for Skye. His free hand went to her throat and he pressed her backward in a disturbingly intimate motion until her head hit the wall. "I'm perfectly aware of what you have done, dear Sister!" He squeezed her neck on the last word. Skye sobbed but remained pliable, unwilling to fight back with her mom in the room.
"And you know what? This time I don't forgive you." He raised her slightly with one hand and shoved her back against the wall. Skye grabbed the hand he used to hold her trying to pull it off her. "I have never given anyone as many chances as I've given you!"
Skye thought of the knife hidden on her person, but there was no way she could get it out or even use it while his attention was so perfectly centered on her. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she choked out. "I - "
"Lucky for you," his grasp suddenly lightened and Skye sucked in a large gulp of air, "I need you for something." Skye's gaze flicked back to her mom who now stared back.
"Of course," she said. Lucas invaded her space further and touched the tip of his forehead to hers until Skye could look at anything other than his eyes. Then when it became too much she let her vision fall to his lips. "I'll do anything."
And she would do anything to lead him away from this room and house. Anything to lure him a safe distance from Deborah. Then when they would get far enough, she would raise all matter of hell to stop him or get the security officers to notice them.
"You won't come quietly though, will you?" The tone of his voice rose as if he was learning something. His fingertips rose from the side of her neck to her chin. He shook his head from side to side, forcing Skye to do the same with this hand. "No, because even though he can't stand to look at you, can't stand to be in the same room as you, you still crave the love of our father." Skye couldn't tell if his disappointed tone was genuine or mocking, yet she felt more tears fall when she thought of Taylor walking away from her last week.
"I'll go quietly. I swear," she said as calmly as she could. Her hands were still clasped around the wrist of his hand that held her face. Skye raised one of the hands to Lucas' arm, holding not pushing, and prayed the slight change in her demeanor might help convince him. She raised it higher when he didn't show signs of reacting negatively. He glanced down vulnerably at her hand and bit at his lower lip lightly before his look returned to her face.
From the edge of her vision she could see Deborah rising from the bed. No! Skye's mind screamed.
"Right now. I'll go where ever you want." Skye tried to make some sort of whimpering noise to cover the possibility of Lucas hearing Deborah approach them. She started to lower her other hand to make a desperate grab for the knife hidden in her belt.
"I wish I could believe you, Bucket." The vindictive glare that came with Lucas's soft smile warned Skye something bad was about to happen.
"Don't!" Skye begged a second before Lucas slammed the pistol's grip against her temple. She crumpled to the ground.
Moments later, Lucas felt something hard and heavy fall on the back of his own head. He automatically threw his arms out to keep himself from falling against the wall and caught sight of a lamp rolling past his feet. Lucas scrambled to turn around and keep the pain from overwhelming him. When he saw Skye's sickly mother trembling ahead of him, he quickly reigned in his fury.
"Hey, Deb. Nice to see you finally up and about." Lucas touched the back of his head to feel the source of pain.
"Get away from her, Lucas." Deborah fumed taking a furtive glance at her daughter on the floor. "Skye isn't going to help you anymore. She's done with you people."
Lucas smirked watching Deborah clench her bony fists. "I think there are one or two things she can still do for me." He brought his hand back from his head and wiggled his fingers to see them coated with blood. "Don't worry though, she won't be gone long. I'll make sure sweet Skye gets back home."
When he started to move around to Skye's side, Deborah cried out, "NO!"
Deborah may have been weak but she was a mother driven by a combination of rage, fear and adrenaline. She dug her elbows into his stomach and then scratched furiously at his face and neck. Lucas took more injury than he needed to because he hadn't been interested in hurting Deborah. If she hadn't acted out, he would have simply locked her in her room as he left with Skye. Finally growing annoyed with the struggle, he squeezed her throat until she passed out.
Skye moaned mournfully from the other side of the room, but he didn't look at her right then. Once Lucas was sure Deborah was still breathing, Lucas carried Skye's half-conscious form with him out of the house.
Note: How was that? :D If things works out as I hope, in the next chapter you should learn what Lucas needs Skye for and they have a conversation.
