When Dave opened the door, he noticed two things. First of all, it wasn't Ms. Cunningham. Second of all, Baloo's hand was Juuussst the right size to fit around his neck and cut off the air to his lungs.
"Kid I like you." Baloo rumbled, "And that's why I'm gonna give you all of ten seconds to explain why Molly ended up getting beaten up-- when she was with you. Don't worry about anything, just tell the truth and I promise I won't hurt you. Much." Dave had always seen Baloo as a friendly, happy go lucky fellow. He'd also known that Baloo saw Molly in a very fatherly way-- and if he'd had any doubts, right now they were put to rest. But why was Baloo-
Oh God. Elizabeth. Molly's double had been just as pounded as Molly, and if Baloo thought he'd done it, then Dave had a very good feeling a hospital was in his future. Or a morgue.
Right. Ten seconds. Well Mr. Bruinwald it's like this-- Molly has a double nobody ever heard of and could please avoid breaking my writing arm.
Maybe not.
Molly was attacked by Thembrian Hunting Yaks?
Nah.
Ohpleasegoddon'tkillmeI'mstillayoungman!
Getting warmer.
"Dave? Who was th- BALOO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Molly said, shocked, as she looked over at Baloo, holding Dave.
"Molly?" Baloo asked, "I'd told you to stay with Wildcat, Pigtails." He paused, "Don't you worry, I'm just having a chat with Dave about how he's supposed to treat you."
"Ag, gack, gasp" Dave contributed to the discussion.
"He's treating me fine!" Molly said.
"Then where'd you get that black eye from?" Baloo said,
"From…ah, er…someone else." Molly's hesitation led to Baloo hoisting Dave up.
"Ah see, You don't want to talk about it while he's here. I'll be right back." Baloo started marching to the door, with Dave still in the air and Molly holding onto his arm, while he was dragging her along with him.
"Baloo…it's not like that! Baloo! BALOO, WOULD YOU LISTEN TO ME!?" Molly said, her voice getting increasingly Rebecca like.
***
Kit drove as fast as he could-- Molly was bouncing on the back seat, practically gibbering in her need to get there.
"Hurry, Kit! Baloo might hurt Dave and it's all my fault!" The last came out in a wail. Kit drove faster, barely avoiding a J-walker. He glared and leaned on the horn. Kathy blinked and looked behind her.
"You know you just almost ran Ms. Cunningham down?" She said conversationally. Kit blanched.
***
Behind them, a furious bear dove into the Taxi cab.
"Kit what are you doing driving like that with Molly!?" She said, She'd give him a piece of her mind. Behind that was a worry-- Kit was the responsible one, so if he was driving like that, there had to be a good reason for it.
"Here!" Becky said, handing the driver a 20. "Follow that-EEP!" She went over backwards as the driver saw the bill and followed the car. Fast enough that the streetlights were blueshifted.
Back at the apartment, Baloo was just about to remove Dave from the building, where it was easier to remove blood stains. Molly was now hanging on to Dave with one hand, her other in a death grip on the doorframe.
"Pigtails, I've gotta do this!"
"NO, YOU DON'T" Molly shouted, hanging on. Now Dave was being strangled, while Molly's death grip as pulling his arm out of its socket. His life had long since stopped playing before his eyes, he was now watching reruns. The elevator opened with a pleasant ping, and Dave hoped that whoever was coming out would have the presence of mind to help him.
"DAVE!?" A horrified voice intruded-- Elizabeth.
Kit and Kathy stopped, looking at Baloo, pulling Dave out by the throat, and an angry Molly…? Kit blinked and rubbed his eyes, as their Molly charged out and grabbed Dave by the same arm the duplicate had him by.
"Let, GO!" She shouted, and added her weight to the other. Dave's arm creaked alarmingly. Baloo looked down, blinked. Blinked again, and shook his head. His grip grew just a little weaker.
"Could have sworn I slept off those pineapple fizzies." He said.
"You, umph, Did, Umph, let, grr, Dave, Go!" The two Molly's said in a Greek Chorus. Baloo numbly complied. Unfortunately, neither Molly had slacked in the slightest, and they flew back into the room with a twin shriek, Dave landing on top of them.
Concentrating on getting his wind back, Dave didn't even notice the pleasant squishability of the twin Molly's. Kit, Kathy, and Baloo walked in after them.
"Kit." Kathy said. "Did Becky have another kid we aren't aware of?"
"No…"
"And you're seeing two Molly's, like I am."
"Yep."
"What's going on?" Kit didn't say a thing, just looked over at Baloo, who shrugged back at him. Kit turned to the two Molly's and held his hand out, questioningly. That was all they needed. In stereo, they started.
"Well see we're duplicates… we were hoping you wouldn't find out…" And the story started to come out. By the end of it, the adults were sitting in chairs in various postures of disbelief.
Even for us, this is weird. Kit thought, looking at his wife.
"Ah…" Baloo said, to Dave "Sorry kid. You're the only one I know of who could beat up Molly-- and get her crying, not just angry. I shoulda known better."
Dave shrugged. He had to admit, from Baloo's point of view, it probably looked pretty bad.
"Who did beat you both up?" Kathy asked. The two Molly's looked very… embarrassed. But Molly started up.
"Well… Elizabeth was kissing Dave when I came back and I…kinda lost my temper."
"Elizabeth?" she shrugged, "We couldn't both just be 'Molly', and she's right-- I knew…I just wanted to…" She refused to meet anyone's gaze. Kit noticed the Molly's face turned slightly pink-- not with anger, if Kit was any judge, but with embarrassment and more than a little shame.
"So you two… fought?" All the adults winced. They knew Molly's fighting style, and now were surprised that more damage hadn't been done.
"Yeah!" They both chorused.
"Who won?" Kathy said, fascinated.
"Dave broke it up." They said, and both simultaneously said, "But I would hav-" They broke off looked at each other, and burst into laughter at the incongruity. Kit caught Baloo's eye, looked over at Dave, and they both shook their heads.
Poor, poor fool. Now he has two type A personalities to deal with. Abruptly, a thought hit Kit, one that caused him to start shivering. What if this had happened when I was still babysitting her…. He shuddered. Kathy captured his hand and said comfortingly.
"I know, Honey, but you don't have to think about it. They're older, and so don't even think about 6 year old duplicates playing "High Diver Queen" with their babysitter." Kit shuddered again. Molly and Elizabeth saw it, and both looked outraged, and once again their stereophonic voices rose.
"I wasn't that bad!"
The elevator dinged open again, and a short, VERY angry Rebecca marched into the room.
"KIT CLOUDKICKER! I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYONE DRIVE LIKE THAT BEFORE, AND WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE SEAT! I-" Becky was cut off in mid-tirade.
"Hi! Mom!" Molly said, and Elizabeth chimed in,
"Mom!" Becky focused on Molly, preparing to yell at her for letting Kit take her on that death ride. Then she noticed the fact that there were two Molly's, both looking at her with identical looks, complete with black eyes. She blinked.
"Molly…"
"Yes?" She turned to the other one.
"Molly?"
"Yes mom?" That 'Molly' paused, and then continued, "But we decided to call me Elizabeth, so nobody would get confused."
"That's nice, dear." Becky said. "Baloo?"
"Yeah Beckers?"
"Come here." The grey bear walked over to her.
"Yeah?"
"I'm seeing two Molly's."
"Yeah."
"Is this one of your screwball schemes?"
"Nope."
"Oh." Becky said, as her brain decided that in order to maintain a properly businesslike attitude, she needed time to consider this. Time that could be properly gained by fainting, now that Baloo was behind her. Thus, she did.
THUMP!
"Baloo!"
"Sorry Kit, I wasn't ready!"
To be continued.
