A/N: This story may just be the death of me. Or my grades.

God why do I do this?

Chapter 10

Pandora

"Doctor Strin?"

"Yes?"

The orderly shuffled his feet, "I tried to find those files you asked me for," he stopped, "I couldn't find anything. No medical history, Social security number, anything. Your patient doesn't exist."

The doctor put down her pen, "Well isn't that the damnedest thing?"

~Wednesday morning, 7:30~

"I miss your smile, Nny."

Johnny twitched.

"Nny? Nny!"

Johnny fell off the couch.

"What the fuck?"

Squee was standing in the doorway to the living room. He looked better, rested, and almost normal. "Jesus! Are you okay?"

Nny propped himself up on his elbows, "Fine. Just fine." Oh yeah, I just meant to fall off the couch on to this hard, poorly carpeted floor face-first.

"I think I'm going to go to school today."

Johnny was surprised by the sudden statement, "Really? What makes today so special?"

Squee shrugged, Johnny noticed he was already dressed and ready, "I… I feel like me again. I think I'll last."

"Good luck…?"

Squee left.

That was odd.

No kidding.

~noon~

"Talk to spooky."

"Tenna get away from my door."

"C'mon let me in!"

Devi got up and unlocked the door. Tenna did not hesitate to rush in and make herself at home all over Devi's poor, innocent couch.

"Any news from Tess?"

"She said Todd went to school today."

"That's good."

~1:38 pm~

Okay, where were we…

No. No! Not this again.

You can't ignore me Nny. I am—

'The sun on my face, the touch of soft skin, the feel of real cotton, the rope around my neck, the feather across my back, blood, toothpaste' got it the first time. You don't need to repeat yourself.

Wow. You remembered all that?

I guess.

Johnny had finally gotten out of Squee's house for the first time in three days. It was very refreshing to see sunshine on a real level.

That's me.

Sush! You're ruining it for me.

Maybe you should go talk to Devi.

Johnny stopped walking.

What! And get myself stuck in the same situation as before? Hell no. I have embarrassed myself enough for now, thank you very much.

He continued his walk, a little slower this time.

I was just thinking that maybe you will benefit from having her on your side, yeah? She seems really concerned for Squee. She's strong, smart, nimble, brave…

…Funny, beaut- "HEY!"

Johnny stopped again and this time everyone else on the sidewalk paused to look at him, then continued on their ways.

That is not funny.

I didn't make you think that. You thought it all on your own, lover-boy.

Enough.

You will never escape!

Johnny tugged at his hair and growled. Passersby got caught in a rush of "What the fuck are you looking at" and "Nosey mother-fuckers."

~2:45 pm~

School went well.

Sort of.

About three quarters of the way through the day, Squee found out how severely headaches mess up one's focus, and had to ask for a hall-pass.

He stood for five long minutes, head down, listening to the water run from the faucet of the only working sink in the men's' room on the second floor.

"You okay, Amigo?"

Todd jumped at the sudden noise. He turned the sink off and looked up. Pepito's image stared back at him with mild concern.

"Can you not do the mirror thing?" he groaned, "I'm not feeling to hot."

Todd watched himself in the mirror. Everything had slowed down, darkened, and just seemed a bit scarier.

"Pepito?" he whimpered, "Pepito this isn't funny."

Oh, he left a long time ago.

Todd shivered. The tiles cracked, and a pipe beneath him groaned loudly. "What the -?"

Heh.

The floor quivered at Todd's feet. Cockroaches crawled on to his sneakers. He shook and tried to get them off; his breath came in startled gasps. Todd felt his back press against a wall, he pressed his hands to it to prevent from sliding down. Something slick on the tiles wouldn't grant him purchase, when he held his hands to his face they were painted bright red with blood.

He began to slide when something wrapped around his middle. It was some sort of tentacle.

"What the fuck are you?"

The mirror that had once held his own terrified reflection cracked. Another tentacle, similar to the one that held him, lashed out quickly and stopped inches from Todd's face. A huge mouth with rows and rows of teeth opened. Todd shrank away from it.

"Squeee…."

I need to be fed!

Todd squeezed his eyes shut and waited for an impact that never came. When he finally worked up the nerve to open his eyes, he was back at the sink his reflection; shivering and pale-faced, stared back at him.

His lower jaw tightened, and his stomach rebelled against him. He spent the rest of the school-day in that bathroom.

~4 pm~

Johnny was surprised to see Todd in worse condition when he got home from school than any other day since Nny had returned.

"Holy shit, you look dead."

"Don't talk to me, Johnny," Todd went up the stairs and barricaded himself in the bathroom.

"Are you okay?" he called after the boy.

There was no answer.

"Well, something's going to get done."

~Thursday morning, 2 a.m. ~

Nny had expected pounding on the door. But no, Pepito just waltzed right in like he owned the place.

"Where is he?"

"He's been in the bathroom since four."

They were both silent.

"Seriously?"

"Sí."

The anti-Christ clapped his hands together, "Let's do this."

"I'd rather wait here."

Pepito smiled, "Suit yourself."

Johnny sat at the foot of the stairs and listened to the havoc that ensued.

First there was banging. Then bi-lingual shouting in two voices, a slamming of doors, glass objects were broken, doors were kicked in, and punches struck home. Soon, Pepito came down the stairs, Squee slung over his shoulder shouting like a madman.

"You son-of- a-bitch!" Squee screamed, "Déjeme! Déjeme ahora!"

Johnny stood up and crossed his arms, "Should I get the hose?"

Pepito laughed, "Nah, he'll calm down on his own." His expression turned serious suddenly, "He seems to be having some sort of nervous breakdown. This may take longer than expected."

Todd stopped moving.

"I should have him back by Saturday, Monday at the absolute latest."

"Take your time."

And, in a burst of flames, they were gone.

Now's a good time to go do that whole talk-to-Devi thing I mentioned earlier.

It was Saturday, at around five in the morning when the headvoice decided to rear its ugly presence.

Oh come on! It's not that hard, just pick up the phone and—

No.

Why not? It's not like your situation could get any worse.

Johnny continued to channel surf. He was back in his own house, on his couch, with his problems.

Life was improving once more.

Goddamnit! You can't ignore me forever! You have to talk to her sometime!

No, I don't. And I won't

ARRGHH!

Silence was golden.

Rring!

Ah Ha! Victory is mine.

Damn.

"Hello?"

"…." There was a sharp intake of breath, " Oh god I can't do this…" another sharp breath, "Johnny?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's Todd?"

A voice in the background shouted "That's not what you were supposed to say," there was a rustle, a thump, a squeek, then silence.

"Pepito took him."

"The dude with the horns?"

"Yeah."

There was a long awkward silence. Neither had anything to say, but neither wanted to hang up.

Hah hah hah! This is so thick! Oh my GOD! You guys are like two teenage lovebirds. Best moment ever!

Shut up! RRGH!

"Uh, Nny?"

"I'm still here."

"I wanted to ask you something…"

The background noise shouted "That's more like it!" the rustle-thump followed.

"It's about what you said a couple of days ago…"

"Can we not talk about that?"

Devi sighed, "Can I just say something?"

"Sure?"

"You… You're a monster."

Background: "Devi!" rustle-thump.

"You will always be a monster." Devi said, taking a long pause tempting Nny to just hang up on her. But he didn't, "But, despite all the trauma and nightmares that you have inflicted on me, I-I… Oh what-the-fuck-ever I don't know where I was going with all of that sappy bullshit."

Johnny laughed.

"The point is," Devi said with a solid, fearless tone, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

I don't like you, I may never like you again, and your words cut me pretty deep, but when it comes to Todd, I'm willing to make the sacrifice and work with you on this. He's just a kid, and he needs all the help he can get. And if you continue to try and keep me out, I will find you and kick your ass again until you cave."

What else could he say? "Sure."

Click.

That went well.

Fuck you.

Around eight-thirty that night Johnny had migrated to Squee's house. His sofa was comfy, and his TV got more channels than Nny's old, cracked, hunk of junk.

Pepito came barging in, without warning. Without even a hello, or we're back, or anything. He just walked right up to Johnny and said:

"He's not possessed, evil, perverse, depressed, happy, creepy, violent, straight, or in any way shape or form, effected by the demons of hell.

"What was that seventh one?"

"St-"

Squee rushed up behind him and covered his mouth, "It's a lie."

The two glared at each other. Pepito snorted, and hissed "Christmas presents, amigo, Christmas presents," then left.

There was a mutual silence between the two remaining men. Relief and confusion all in one.

"How do you feel?"

"Frightened. I think I should go to bed." Squee nodded to himself and made his way toward the stairs, "Sleep while I still can, you know?"

Johnny nodded and turned back to the couch.

"Oh and Johnny?" Squee called from the stairs, "Can I ask you to do something for me?"

"Sure, Squee-gee."

"Please, don't sing unless it's an emergency."

"Of course."

They both laughed, then Todd added quickly, "Thanks 'cause your singing voice is creepy."

"You will eat those words!"

A door upstairs slammed shut. The sound echoed through the house. Johnny wondered how long this reprieve would last.

Six days, fifteen hours, and eleven minutes exactly.

A/N: DOUBLE DIGITS!

I realize now why I write stuff like this, despite my self hating demeanor at the beginning of the chapter. I do this because, if I didn't, IT WOULD NEVER GET OUT OF MY HEAD OH GOD IT BURNS!

Review as you see fit.