Disclaimer: Roswell, and its characters do not belong to me. Melinda Metz, Jason Katims and 20th Century Fox have that particular pleasure. If I was lucky enough to own them, you just know the show would still be on the air, and you be watching that instead of reading this.
Rating: PG-13 to R for inappropriate language and some violence.
Chapter Seven – River Dog
"Dying!" cried Liz. "Why, what's wrong?"
"He's old, Liz," said Eddie, gently. He could see that his news bothered Liz, and despite his brusque manner, he didn't want to cause her any pain. "His body is wearing out. The doctors said he has cancer, but he won't go for treatment. He said that if it is his time, man and science shouldn't interfere with what the gods have in store for him."
"We have to get out there, Max," said Liz. "We can help him."
"River Dog doesn't want your help," said Eddie. "He says he has information to help you."
"It doesn't matter," said Michael, unexpectedly attempting to diffuse a potentially tense situation. "Let's just get out there and hear what he has to say."
Michael elected to ride his motorcycle, and Max, Liz, Kyle and Eddie all climbed into Max's car, and followed Michael, through the night to the reservation.
Eddie directed Max to park his car outside a small home located on the edge of the reservation. Michael pulled his bike up beside them and climbed off and left the helmet sitting on the seat. He waited until Eddie climbed out of the car, then grabbed him and slammed him against it.
"Michael, what are you doing?" demanded Max.
"It just dawned on me that he might not be who he says he is. What if he's one of them?"
"Michael, it's Eddie, will you let him go?" said Liz
"Yeah, how can you be so certain?" asked Michael, not loosening his grip.
"Simple, one of them wouldn't know about the conversation Eddie and I had about the redskins baskets at the CrashDown," said Liz, calmly.
"Oh," said Michael, abruptly releasing Eddie so that he fell back against the car. "My bad."
Eddie glared at Michael, as he motioned to the others to follow him. As they walked, Kyle pulled Michael back and whispered to him.
"Did you really think that he wasn't who he said he was?" Kyle asked.
"Nah, I knew it was Eddie, I just don't like the guy, that's all," said Michael, flashing a grin.
"You are such a jackass, Guerin," Kyle said. "No wonder I like you, and I'm right there with you, I don't like that guy. He's wicked arrogant. What about this River Dog guy, what's he like?"
"Pretty cool," said Michael. "At least he was. For a while, I was pretty positive that he was one of our protectors. That was before we knew that our protectors weren't really our protectors," he added unnecessarily.
"Are you two coming?" Eddie asked, standing by the door. He knocked softly on the door and pushed it open. He stood beside the door and waited for the others to enter before closing the door behind them.
The small living room was crowded with the mementos River Dog had gathered over his long life. A small fire burned in the fireplace, despite the fact that the heat of the day still lingered. Beautiful, hand woven blankets graced the backs of the sofa and chairs. Kyle reached out and ran a finger over the skull of some desert animal.
"That is a rabbit skull," came a quavering voice.
Kyle whirled around, trying to find the owner of the voice.
"River Dog, what are you doing up?" asked Eddie. "You should be in bed, resting."
"There is no time to rest," said River Dog. "There is much for me to finish before I cross over. Welcome friends. It has been a long time since we have seen each other."
"Hello, River Dog," said Max. "I'm sorry we haven't been out to see you."
"You have been very busy, I know," said River Dog. "Owen Blackwood has told me about some of your adventures." River Dog watched the looks pass between the friends and laughed slightly. "Do not act so surprised, I charged Owen with keeping you safe. He has watched over you for many years now."
"We, we never knew," said Michael.
"You did not need to know. Had you needed him, he would have been there to assist you. Your need was never great enough for him to reveal himself to you," explained River Dog. He began to gasp for breath as if the effort required to speak was too much for him.
"Maybe you'd better leave," said Eddie, moving across the room to hover protectively over River Dog. "This isn't a good time for him."
"Silence, Eddie," said River Dog, his voice coming in gasps. "We don't have much time. I have wasted so much of it. I must tell them everything, before it's too late."
Max shot Liz a telling look, and she grabbed Eddie by the arm, and pulled him towards the small kitchen.
"Before we get started, why don't we grab some drinks for everybody, Eddie?" she asked. She forcibly dragged Eddie through the small house into the kitchen, and positioned herself in front of the door so he couldn't leave the room.
"Mind telling me what that was all about?" he asked Liz.
"Yes, I do mind, now why don't you get some glasses and some water or something?" she answered.
While Eddie, reluctantly got the drinks, Liz turned and looked back into the small, darkened living room. She saw a silvery glow fill the air highlighting the planes and angles of her husband's face. When the light subsided, and the room was lit only by the glow of the fire in the fireplace, she turned back to Eddie.
"Come on, we can go back in now." She reached past him and grabbed two of the glasses off the counter and went back to the living room.
"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on here?" demanded Eddie, following Liz out of the kitchen.
A loud, resounding no filled the room as Kyle, Max, Michael and Liz all answered Eddie's question at once. Eddie, however wasn't paying any attention to River Dog's guests. All his attention was focused on the elderly man, lying on the couch.
"River Dog! What happened, what did they do to you?" he cried, kneeling down beside the man.
"Don't be foolish," said River Dog, waving his hand. "I am fine. I must tell these young people about the Nescado, about the visitor."
"But River Dog," interrupted Liz, gently. "You already did tell us about him, remember?"
"Not everything," said River Dog, his voice surprisingly firm. "There is much you do not know; much I must tell you, before it is too late."