Title: Scenes of Other Worlds
Author: Cypher
Fandom: Static Shock (of course)
Summary: What if the Big Bang never happened? What if super heroes weren't the norm?
Spoilers: Minor ones for Future Shock
Rating: R, for mature scenes in some worlds
Warnings: This chapter, creepiness and a hint of future non-con Unbetaed.
Disclaimer: I don't own Static Shock, DC (or some subsidiary of it) does. I'm just borrowing the characters and settings to flex my creative muscles.
Distribution: Ask and thy shall recieve.
Author's Notes: This is valkarie-alex's favorite chapter thus far. I have to say that I agree with her. I mean, what's not to love? Inspired from...actually, I don't know where it's inspired from. And don't worry, whenever we revolve around to Richie again, I have a happy world for him. Well, happier than the last two, anyways. Enjoy!

Richie awoke to the creepy sense that someone was watching him. He didn't see anyone immediately--his blinds were closed, blocking the moonlight--but he could feel the eyes on him. Slowly, he rolled from his side to his back, looking around the room. It took his eyes a minute to adjust to the darkness, but he eventually made out a shadowy figure in the doorway. It wasn't some stranger, the dreadlocks were dead giveaway as to who it was.

He didn't relax, though.

"Heya, Rich." The figure came over and sat on the bed, reaching up to twine ebony fingers in his blond hair. "Didn't mean to wake ya."

"Virgil…" He kept his voice carefully neutral. Francis was away for the weekend, which meant he had to deal with the man alone. Giving away his nervousness would only encourage the dangerous figure before him.

"Didja miss me?" Virgil leaned in to kiss him.

He didn't pull away, but he also didn't reciprocate. What they'd once had…it was dead. It'd died years ago. "What're you doing here?"

Virgil shifted so he was looming over Richie, hands and legs on either side of his body. "What's it look like."

"V…it's over."

"I still love you."

And deep down, he still loved Virgil too. The old Virgil. The Virgil that had been carefree and happy and unchanged by three years in a Prisoner of War camp. "I don't."

"I can love you enough for both of us." There was a dark glint in the brown eyes, a hardness that had been Rich's first sign that Virgil hadn't returned as the man he'd loved. "Give me another chance."

"When'd you get outta the hospital, Virg?" He tried to keep some semblance of control. Keeping his voice cool, even, was a start. If he could get his heart to stop racing like a hummingbird, that'd be helpful. "Last I checked, you still needed help."

"I escaped Iran." Virgil leaned ever closer, breath ghosting over Rich's cheek. "What makes you think a simple hospital can keep me locked up? I wanted to see you. I missed you."

"You should go back."

"So they can jam more pills down my throat and stick a needle in my ass every few hours? Forget it. No, I'm getting outta here." Virgil's hands found his and grabbed them through the sheets. "And I'm taking you with me."

"Virgil-"

"It's not a request. It's an order."

"Francis will know." That seemed to be the wrong thing to say. Virgil's entire expression darkened and a possessive growl rumbled from the man's chest.

"Been unfaithful, have we, Rich?" There was an edge of danger, a threat underlining the question.

He wondered briefly if he could toss his ex-lover off him long enough to snag his cell phone and hit the emergency number. "We broke up."

"I never did."

"Virgil-"

"You're mine, Rich." Virgil smiled, but it looked more like a predator baring teeth. "Do I need to remind you of that?"

Okay, panic was beginning to set in, but he couldn't do anything, not yet. He knew Virgil could break almost every major bone in his body without killing him. It'd do no good if he was immobile. He had to gain control, do something to distract the insane man and get help. He turned his head to the side, not wanting to face the twisted grin of his ex-lover. "No…"

"Oh, I think I do."

His mind raced, trying to formulate a plan, any plan as Virgil clamped his hands over Richie's wrists and leaned down to nip at the blond's collarbone. "Where would we go?"

"Hmm?" The tone was somewhere between mildly curious and uncaring.

"You want to take me with you." Richie glanced at Virgil as the man moved back to look at him. "Where would we go?"

"Mm…maybe Brazil, Peru." A hand released him and reached up to trace his face. "Or Africa. See the homeland."

"Madagascar?" It was the first name that had come to mind. He had to keep Virgil distracted. His cell phone was in reach…he just needed a minute… "Or Tazmania?"

A more normal grin broke across Virgil's face. "To see the devil?"

Richie grinned as well, the fake grin he always used in court rooms when having to take the testimony of murders or kidnappers down. "Well, what else? I've always wanted to see one. And I hear Madagascar's pretty cool."

The grin remained in place as Virgil lowered enough to put his face right next to Richie's. "What're you up to, Rich? Think you can distract me long enough to grab the phone?"

Rich's blood ran cold, but he hid his reaction behind a mask. Three years as a court clerk helped him succeed. Still, he couldn't fool Virgil TOO much. "Maybe…but that'd be stupid."

"Damned right it would be. I could knock you out this very instant." A tongue flicked against the curve of his ear. "So what's the game, Rich?"

"No game." He fought the base impulses that were still attracted to this man, this shell of Virgil. "Just making talk. You know I tend to babble when I'm terrified."

"Terrified? Of me?"

"You could kill me." A slight accusatory tone wormed its way into his voice.

"I'd never kill you," Virgil quietly responded.

"But you'd hurt me."

"Yes." There was no hesitation, and silky steel underneath the word. A reminder of who was in charge.

"I'd rather not end up in the hospital again." That had been one of the most humiliating moments of his life, not to mention most heartbreaking. That was the day he knew his Virgil was gone, beaten and tortured into oblivion halfway across the world.

"Then be a good boy and do as you're told," Virgil purred, but again, there was an element of danger. "Come with me."

Richie's breath started coming faster as he thought up excuses to stop Virgil from kidnapping him. "Francis will look."

Virgil's grin was like a shark's. "Let him."

He took another route. "My firm will look." Maria and Evan would miss him. They had daily lunches.

Virgil simply shook his head, still holding Richie down. "They won't find you."

"The hospital will look for you." He said it out of desperation, but he knew it was a lie even as he spoke.

The grin widened, and Virgil sat up, legs still straddling him as he kneeled. "They don't have the resources. They can't even make sure I keep my pills down."

Richie felt himself physically collapse, the tension draining away at the knowledge he just had the truth as a weapon. A truth he doubted would change the outcome of this meeting. "I don't love you anymore."

Virgil reached up and stroked the side of Richie's face with the back of his hand. "You will again."

"Virgil, please…"

The hand rested on the top of his head, fingers rubbing his hair. "I like when you beg, Rich."

Richie shut his eyes, fighting the urge to cry. "What would it take for you to leave? To leave me alone?"

A dark shadow crossed Virgil's face as he leaned forward slightly. "I love you, Rich. You're mine, and I ain't ever leaving you again."

At one time in his life, the words would've made his heart soar.

Now all he felt was a cold vice squeezing around him, and the realization that his life was no longer his.