Sorry about the delay for this one. It was unexpected. Just a heads up, CH 5 most likely won't be up 'til Monday.
Now, on to the story!

-

Dropping Like Flies

At school the following morning, Reid was quick to find Pogue.

"Have you seen Tyler?"

"No. Should I have?" Pogue asked as he set out for his first class.

"When I got home this morning he wasn't home," Reid said. "I'd say maybe he just went out to get him some, but..."

"It's Tyler," Pogue finished.

"Exactly. He can go months at a time without sex. It's crazy."

"Anything unusual when you got in? Any sign of a struggle or anything?"

"No. That's what's freaking me out," Reid said with a shrug. "His bed was slept in, but it looked like he just went for a walk and didn't come back."

"What time did you get home?" Pogue asked.

The blond shrugged again. "Around four I guess."

Pogue was quiet while he thought, but a shout from the other end of the hallway drew his attention. A crowd of students rushed out the door and into the yard, looking up and pointing at the roof.

"What's going on?" Reid asked a passing student.

"There's somebody on the roof, hanging over the side," the girl said, rushing past them.

"Pogue..." Reid said nervously.

"Come on," Pogue said, pulling on Reid's sleeve as he ran toward the stairs.

"Whoa there, boys," a chunky guard said as they reached the door to the roof.

"Who's up there," Pogue asked.

"The Simms kid. The paramedics and the headmaster's out there now, but the kid's not responding to anything they're doing. Just laying over the side. Probably got some bad herb," the guard said with a shrug. He turned back toward the door, dismissing the boys.

Without warning, Reid's eyes shifted from a mischievous blue to an oily black and he rushed the guard, pinning him to the door.

"Move your ass outta the way," he said from between clenched teeth.

"Reid," Pogue said, taking the boy by the shoulders. "Reid. Relax, man. Take it easy."

Reid looked at Pogue and closed his eyes, tightening his grip on the back of the guard's jacket momentarily before he let him go. When he opened his eyes again, they had returned to normal.

"I'm writing you up, Garwin," the guard blustered.

"Blow me, Rent-a-Cop," Reid said, starting forward again. Pogue held his arm out, blocking his friend's advance.

From behind the guard, the door opened and the headmaster stepped inside, looking grim.

"Boys," he said, taking Reid and Pogue aside. "I understand Mr. Simms was a good friend of yours."

"What do you mean 'was'?" Reid asked, fighting panic. "What's wrong with Tyler?"

"He's in what the paramedics are calling a pseudocoma. He's conscious, but he's unable to move or speak due to partial paralysis. Tell me, Mr. Garwin. Do you know if Tyler was taking any drugs? Anything that might affect his brain function?"

"Tyler didn't do drugs," Reid said defensively. "He wouldn't have been on the team if he had been doing anything."

"Has he or Caleb been injured or anything that wasn't reported? I am trying to think of some reason why two healthy young men would simply slip into comas without warning."

Pogue and Reid shook their heads. "Is Tyler going to be okay?" Pogue asked.

"The paramedics are taking him to St. Agnes Hospital. They say he could regain function within an hour, or..."

The door opened again and the paramedics began descending the stairs with Tyler on a stretcher between them. His blue eyes were wide and panicked as they landed on Reid and Pogue.

"I understand that you boys are concerned for your friend, and I realize that as his roommate, you might want to go be with his mother," the older man told Reid. "But I think it is important for you to continue with your classes today, Mr. Parry. There's nothing you can do for him or Caleb by sitting in the hospital."

Pogue nodded to appease his audience, having no real intention of staying in school for the rest of the day.

The headmaster accompanied them down the stairs before taking Reid to his office to wait for his mother. Pogue retrieved his bookbag from his History classroom, ignoring the stares and whispers from the other kids.

Without a word to anyone, he left the school and got on his bike, driving at breakneck speed down the road on his way back into town.

-

Pogue entered the Ipswich public high school with a determined stride. He asked around until he found someone who knew Sam, then went and waited by her locker until the bell rang.

"Pogue?" Sam asked, stopping in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

"Something's wrong with Tyler," Pogue said. "I think whoever went after Caleb got to him. Reid's at the hospital with him and his mom, and I'm...I don't know what I'm doing. Where's Caleb?"

"I don't know," Sam said as she stuffed her books into her locker. "During school hours he goes off and does his own thing. Come on," she said, taking Pogue's hand.

"Where are we going?" he asked, following her.

"Somewhere to talk."

She led him down the hall and into the cafeteria, quietly sneaking past the workers, and going into the back of the kitchen. From there, she led him down a flight of stairs and into the boiler room.

"Have a seat," Sam said, taking a seat on the bottom step. Pogue sat and stretched his long legs.

"So, what are we going to do?" Sam asked.

"I don't know," Pogue said, sounding lost. "This is the first time I've ever been by myself in something that mattered. I mean, we all have our own lives, but when something important comes along that effects all of us, we discuss options together. Now it's up to me and Reid, and Reid is just as liable to go off half-cocked than listen to anything I have to say."

"You're forgetting a couple of important things there, Pogue," Sam said with a small smile. "You've got me, and you've still got Caleb...well, sort of. And Reid, for all that I've heard about him, will stick with you."

"So, what are we going to do?" Pogue asked, repeating Sam's previous question.

She chuckled, then laid a comforting hand on Pogue's knee. "Research, my dear. Is there anybody else that knows about your powers?"

Pogue shook his head, his eyes suddenly fixed on her mouth. He absently realized her lips were moving, but he ignored it as he lowered his lips to hers.

Sam squeaked in surprise as Pogue's mouth closed on hers, swallowing whatever it had been that she was saying. Her eyes fluttered closed and she brought a hand up to his cheek, sighing quietly.

The stairwell was flooded with light as the boiler room door was opened, and the sound of a throat clearing echoed off the walls.

Pogue and Sam separated guiltily, looking up the stairs at Sam's pricipal.

"Mr. Blandings," Sam said in greeting as her face flushed.

"Miss McGovern, in my office," the man said. He fixed a glare on Pogue and narrowed his eyes. "I don't recall seeing you on my school roster, Mr. Parry. I suggest you get yourself off my campus before I have you removed formally."

It didn't surprise Pogue that the principal knew him; his family was, after all, one of the most prominent in the area. He nodded and stood, helping Sam to her feet and offering her a look of apology. She smiled at him and crinkled her nose, indicating it was no big deal.

"Get Reid and whoever else you trust not to ask questions and meet me at the library tonight," she whispered as the went up the stairs. "I'll bring Caleb."

Pogue nodded and scooted past the principal, who motioned for Sam to lead the way to his office.

-

"What's going on?" Caleb asked Sam as soon as she walked out of school. "I was at the hospital earlier and saw Reid. They had rushed Tyler in. What happened?"

"I don't know. Pogue said they found him on the roof," Sam said. "He suspects whoever came after you."

"Well, duh," Caleb said.

"We're supposed to meet them at the library to do a little research," Sam said. "Reid and Pogue, I mean."

"What's with the voice?" Caleb asked, settling himself into Sam's passenger seat.

"What voice?" Sam asked innocently.

"The whispery voice just then," Caleb said, grinning mischievously and arching a brow. "You sounded like Reid's little sister when she's talking about Justin Timberlake."

"Shut up," Sam said, blushing.

There was a tap on Sam's window and she groaned. She hit the button and rolled the window down, pasting a smile on her face. "Yes," she asked Principal Blandings.

"I meant what we talked about, Samantha. There's a three strike policy at this school. Don't forget to return that behavior report with your parents' signature. I hope nothing like this happens again," he said pointedly.

"No sir," Sam said. "It won't."

He nodded and straightened, and Sam rolled her window up.

"Did you get in trouble today?" Caleb asked.

"I sort of skipped a class," Sam said. "Pogue came and found me and was really upset, so I took him to talk."

"Hm. Let me guess," Caleb said, thoroughly enjoying himself. "You were discovered and automatically it was assumed that you had skipped to have a serious make-out session. Am I right?"

Sam's blush deepened and Caleb smiled. "And the principal didn't believe you when you said you were just talking?"

"No," Sam said quietly. "Pogue and I were...well, we were kind of kissing when he found us. Shut up, Caleb. It's not funny," she insisted as Caleb laughed. Her mouth curved in a self-depreciating smile. "Now I get to go home and tell my parents that I was found kissing a boy that doesn't go to my school in the boiler room."

"Nice," Caleb said. "Real nice."

"Shut up," Sam said again, turning up the radio. She looked at him as she waited for a red light, her brows furrowing as she noticed that she was now able to see through him somewhat.

That couldn't be a good thing.

-

"Hey guys," Sam said as she entered the library. "Sorry I'm late. I had some explaining to do to my folks."

Pogue smiled softly and Reid smirked, obviously having been filled in on what had happened.

"Oh, Sam," Pogue said. "This is Kate. Kate, Sam."

"Hi," Kate said, extending a hand which Sam shook.

"Kate's going to help us help you do research for your History project," Pogue said.

"Oooh, right," Sam said, nodding. "Well, the more the merrier."

"So what are we looking for, exactly," Kate asked.

"Well," Sam said, searching the boys' faces. "I figured everyone's done the witch trials thing into the ground, right? So I was thinking trying to find something on modern locals who claim to have had encounters with magic, as well as historical documentation of curses and stuff."

"You're good at making crap up," Caleb said from beside her.

"Wow. The teachers at the public must be a lot more flexible than here. And I mean that in a non-stuck up way," she clarified hastily.

"Yeah," Sam said, nodding. "My history teacher embraces his students' creativity."

"Cool," Kate said, smiling.

"Ok," Reid said, clapping his hands. "Let's get this party started. Pogue and I will take the modern blah-blah-blah, you guys get the old stuff," he said, shoving Pogue's shoulder to get him walking.

Kate and Sam (and Caleb) set out to look through the tomes on local history. They worked in almost complete silence for the first couple of hours. Finally, Kate spoke.

"So you and Pogue are..." Kate said with an arched brow.

"Oh, we aren't anything," Sam said, flipping through a book.

"Honey, I've been there," Kate said, laughing. "Pogue is a great guy."

"Were you two together?" Sam asked, surprised.

Kate nodded. "For a few months. I'm more of a casual girl, where as Pogue is...I don't know. He's intense, ya know? But he's a good friend too."

"Yeah, that's what I've heard," Sam said. "The four of them are pretty tight knit, huh?"

"Yeah. They've been stuck together since they were born. Their families are really close," Kate explained, picking up another book. Some things fell out and she bent to pick them up.

"Hey, Sam," Caleb said. "Try this one." He pointed to an old tattered book on the top of a shelf.

Sam went to the shelf and opened the book, gasping when a big spider crawled over the page. "Shit!"

She crushed the spider and flipped to the table of contents, shaking her head at Caleb. "There's nothing useful in this one either," she whispered.

"Hey Kate," she said, turning. "Do you want to take a break? We've been at this for hours and–Kate?"She looked around the corner and down the next few aisles. "Kate?"

Kate was nowhere to be found.