a/n: sorry this took so long to get out. The next one should be out shortly. Thanks for all the great reviews!
chapter ten: of tests and tricks
No sooner had Lilah left the room than there was a blur of light, and the Mayor was standing before Fred and Lindsey. If he felt any surprise at seeing them so friendly together, he didn't let on. "Time to pack your bags, Winnifred," he said brightly, "you're going on a little trip."
Fred rose to her feet, eying him warily. "What do you mean, trip?"
"Your beloved Wesley has made a deal," the Mayor informed her, "and quite a juicy one at that."
He proceeded to tell her all the details of the transaction he had made with Wesley. When he was finished, Lindsey stared at him in open shock. "Wesley's supposed to be able to tell it's Fred, just by the touch of her hand? And he's not allowed to look at her until they get to Heaven?" He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "That's crazy. And Fred would have to be crazy to agree to it."
Fred looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'll do it," she said quietly.
The Mayor grinned. "Atta-girl."
"Fred," Lindsey protested, pulling her aside. "Do you have any idea how risky this is? If Wesley fails– and he probably will fail– then his soul will be completely destroyed, and you'll be doomed to stay here forever, no second chances."
She sighed. "I know it's risky. Believe me, I do. But I trust Wesley."
Lindsey let out a short laugh. "Trust has nothing to do with this, sweetheart. He's gonna go off one touch of your hand. One measley little touch. What makes you think that he'll be able to know you from that?"
"Because Wesley's always known me," Fred explained softly, "he's always seen me, even when no one else did. He can do this."
Lindsey hesitated, but only momentarily, then smiled wryly. "Well, who can argue with that sort of romantic crap?" He pulled her into a tight embrace. "Good luck, Tex. And put in a good word for me on the other side."
Before Fred could reply, the Mayor had taken her by the arm. "Remember, you're not allowed to speak to him. No funny business. Just one touch of the hand. And if he looks at you, game over."
"I understand," Fred returned with more conviction than she felt.
Everything faded from view, and Fred and the Mayor were suddenly standing in a well-furnished office. There was another man in the room who was facing the opposite wall; but even with just the back view, Fred recognized him instantly. Wesley. Her Wesley. She wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him, and only the tiniest thread of self-restraint kept her from doing so. There would be time for that later, when Wesley succeeded.
"Here she is," the Mayor said brightly, moving to stand in front of Wesley. "Winnifred, in the flesh."
"I'd like to confirm that for myself," Wesley responded.
Obligingly, the Mayor moved Fred so that she was standing just behind Wesley, their hands only inches apart. He motioned for her to stay still and then walked back in front of Wesley. "All right, Romeo. Reach your hand back and give it a little sneak peak. But just one squeeze of the hand– no funny business."
Fred looked down and saw Wesley's hand inching toward her, reaching out uncertainly. She glanced up at the Mayor and waited for his nod of approval before moving her own hand to close the distance between herself and Wesley. Their fingers entwined together, uniting the two palms into one.
"Fred?" Wesley inquired wonderingly.
Tears flowing down her face, Fred squeezed his hand in response.
"All right, all right," the Mayor interrupted, pulling their hands apart. "Don't make me turn the hose on you two." He turned to Wesley, his face unreadable. "So, is she the girl, or isn't she?"
"That's her," Wesley returned, "I'm sure of it."
For the first time since dying, Fred felt her first real burst of happiness. Wesley recognized her; he had passed the test. They were going to escape from this place and be together forever...
It took her a moment to realize that Wesley was no longer moving, breathing. He seemed frozen in time like some sort of statue. She turned to the Mayor wonderingly. "What's wrong? What happened to him?"
"Sorry, Fred," the Mayor returned, "this is where you get off."
She stared at him, a horrible feeling sinking into the pit of her stomach. "What do you mean?"
The Mayor smiled apologetically at her. "Now, don't get upset, but I've decided to change the rules a little. And by change, I mean disregard them completely. See, you're a nice girl and all, but I picked out my favorites a long time ago. Lilah's a real fighter, a champion– reminds me of a girl I once knew. She deserves something more than this place. And that's why she gets the free ticket to Heaven, not you."
What happened next was a blur, but Fred heard herself screaming and then found herself back in the cold, dark building. Lindsey appeared from another room, his face filled with worry. He took her by the shoulders and steadied her. "Fred, calm down. What happened?"
Unable to form words just yet, Fred threw herself into his arms and sobbed. Lindsey held her for a moment, silently offering her what comfort he could. When she had quieted somewhat, he pulled back and looked at her sympathetically. "He didn't recognize you?"
"He did," Fred countered, her voice shaking, "He knew me. But the Mayor tricked us. He's sending Lilah in my place, and there's nothing I can do about it." An image of Wesley flashed before her mind, and she pressed her eyes shut to stop the tears. "I've lost him."
But when she opened her eyes again, Lindsey was smiling at her, a determined sort of glint in his eyes. "No," he asserted, "This isn't over yet– not by a long shot."
chapter ten: of tests and tricks
No sooner had Lilah left the room than there was a blur of light, and the Mayor was standing before Fred and Lindsey. If he felt any surprise at seeing them so friendly together, he didn't let on. "Time to pack your bags, Winnifred," he said brightly, "you're going on a little trip."
Fred rose to her feet, eying him warily. "What do you mean, trip?"
"Your beloved Wesley has made a deal," the Mayor informed her, "and quite a juicy one at that."
He proceeded to tell her all the details of the transaction he had made with Wesley. When he was finished, Lindsey stared at him in open shock. "Wesley's supposed to be able to tell it's Fred, just by the touch of her hand? And he's not allowed to look at her until they get to Heaven?" He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "That's crazy. And Fred would have to be crazy to agree to it."
Fred looked away, refusing to meet his gaze. "I'll do it," she said quietly.
The Mayor grinned. "Atta-girl."
"Fred," Lindsey protested, pulling her aside. "Do you have any idea how risky this is? If Wesley fails– and he probably will fail– then his soul will be completely destroyed, and you'll be doomed to stay here forever, no second chances."
She sighed. "I know it's risky. Believe me, I do. But I trust Wesley."
Lindsey let out a short laugh. "Trust has nothing to do with this, sweetheart. He's gonna go off one touch of your hand. One measley little touch. What makes you think that he'll be able to know you from that?"
"Because Wesley's always known me," Fred explained softly, "he's always seen me, even when no one else did. He can do this."
Lindsey hesitated, but only momentarily, then smiled wryly. "Well, who can argue with that sort of romantic crap?" He pulled her into a tight embrace. "Good luck, Tex. And put in a good word for me on the other side."
Before Fred could reply, the Mayor had taken her by the arm. "Remember, you're not allowed to speak to him. No funny business. Just one touch of the hand. And if he looks at you, game over."
"I understand," Fred returned with more conviction than she felt.
Everything faded from view, and Fred and the Mayor were suddenly standing in a well-furnished office. There was another man in the room who was facing the opposite wall; but even with just the back view, Fred recognized him instantly. Wesley. Her Wesley. She wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him, and only the tiniest thread of self-restraint kept her from doing so. There would be time for that later, when Wesley succeeded.
"Here she is," the Mayor said brightly, moving to stand in front of Wesley. "Winnifred, in the flesh."
"I'd like to confirm that for myself," Wesley responded.
Obligingly, the Mayor moved Fred so that she was standing just behind Wesley, their hands only inches apart. He motioned for her to stay still and then walked back in front of Wesley. "All right, Romeo. Reach your hand back and give it a little sneak peak. But just one squeeze of the hand– no funny business."
Fred looked down and saw Wesley's hand inching toward her, reaching out uncertainly. She glanced up at the Mayor and waited for his nod of approval before moving her own hand to close the distance between herself and Wesley. Their fingers entwined together, uniting the two palms into one.
"Fred?" Wesley inquired wonderingly.
Tears flowing down her face, Fred squeezed his hand in response.
"All right, all right," the Mayor interrupted, pulling their hands apart. "Don't make me turn the hose on you two." He turned to Wesley, his face unreadable. "So, is she the girl, or isn't she?"
"That's her," Wesley returned, "I'm sure of it."
For the first time since dying, Fred felt her first real burst of happiness. Wesley recognized her; he had passed the test. They were going to escape from this place and be together forever...
It took her a moment to realize that Wesley was no longer moving, breathing. He seemed frozen in time like some sort of statue. She turned to the Mayor wonderingly. "What's wrong? What happened to him?"
"Sorry, Fred," the Mayor returned, "this is where you get off."
She stared at him, a horrible feeling sinking into the pit of her stomach. "What do you mean?"
The Mayor smiled apologetically at her. "Now, don't get upset, but I've decided to change the rules a little. And by change, I mean disregard them completely. See, you're a nice girl and all, but I picked out my favorites a long time ago. Lilah's a real fighter, a champion– reminds me of a girl I once knew. She deserves something more than this place. And that's why she gets the free ticket to Heaven, not you."
What happened next was a blur, but Fred heard herself screaming and then found herself back in the cold, dark building. Lindsey appeared from another room, his face filled with worry. He took her by the shoulders and steadied her. "Fred, calm down. What happened?"
Unable to form words just yet, Fred threw herself into his arms and sobbed. Lindsey held her for a moment, silently offering her what comfort he could. When she had quieted somewhat, he pulled back and looked at her sympathetically. "He didn't recognize you?"
"He did," Fred countered, her voice shaking, "He knew me. But the Mayor tricked us. He's sending Lilah in my place, and there's nothing I can do about it." An image of Wesley flashed before her mind, and she pressed her eyes shut to stop the tears. "I've lost him."
But when she opened her eyes again, Lindsey was smiling at her, a determined sort of glint in his eyes. "No," he asserted, "This isn't over yet– not by a long shot."