DISCLAIMER; MORII OWNS CORALINE...but only in her dreams~
Coraline felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up into Robbie's warm brown eyes. He was grinning.
"Hey…looks like it's just you and me today, Troll" he said affectionately, kissing her forehead. She tried not to wrinkle her nose at this offending kiss, and smiled instead.
"Actually, I was gonna go out with Abbey-"
"Cancel?" Robbie said hopefully, holding out her phone. She took it with a small, disappointed smile.
"Oh…okay"
"It's just…I'm meant to be your boyfriend, and I don't like that you've been running off with your friends who you can see anytime instead of spending time with me…just a bit jealous, is all" he said sheepishly
Mother does love you, Robert…
Robbie gave a little smile, and kissed Coraline on the lips just as Charlie came through the door. He sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Robbie…come here please…" he said, and Robbie followed him out of the kitchen, leaving the teenage girl at the table to finish her cereal. She wiped her lips on the back of her hand in a very childish manner, but it made her feel better. Mel wandered in, a small smile on her lips.
"Coraline, sweetheart, we'll be gone all day, and I want you to be responsible, understand?"
"Mum, trust me, you have nothing to worry about" the teenager assured her mother.
Mel sighed, and nodded, then got to her feet and followed her husband out the door. Robbie bounded into the kitchen, full of energy.
"Co-ra-line!" he said cheerfully, and she smiled at him.
"So, what did you have in mind for today?" she asked, and the mischievous look in his eyes said it all. He took her hand, and dragged her towards the room he was staying in.
She stopped dead, and jerked her hand from his grip.
"Robbie…" she began, but was unsure of how to finish her sentence.
"It's just a room, it can't hurt you" he said, and she shook her head.
"Not in there…please…come up to my room instead" she offered. Mentally, she berated herself. Stupid Coraline, think before you speak!
"…okay then" he bought it, and dragged her up the stairs instead. He could feel Mother's glee at Coraline's fear. It filled him up, and he let out a short burst of laughter.
"What's so funny?" she asked, as he opened her door. Then he turned to face her.
"You" he stated simply, as one arms wound around her waist, effectively pinning her to him. She smiled nervously at him. He went to kiss her lightly on the lips, but found her jaw instead as she turned her head. He didn't seem to mind, planting another little kiss on her neck. Cat watched at the window with a glare, and Coraline threw him a 'Help Me' look. He vanished with a flick of his tail. Robbie managed to find her lips, and her breath caught in her throat.
The doorbell rang, and she tore herself away from him, and ran down the stairs, thankful for the distraction. Robbie frowned in annoyance and sat on the bed.
Oh, my precious…
"What's wrong with her, today?" he grumbled.
Isn't it obvious?
She's hiding a secret from you…
"What sort of secret?" Robbie frowned.
A secret that has her reluctant to even hold you, dear boy,
Let alone kiss you…
"You think there's someone else?" his voice went a little higher.
What was his name?
…Lovat?
Robbie scowled. Wybie…
~xXx~
"Wybie!" Coraline threw her arms around him.
"Um, hey…Cat said-"
"You saved me, come on in…" she said, stepping back to allow him to get through the door. He smiled weakly.
"What'd I save you from?" he asked, stuffing his gloved hands in his pockets.
"Robbie…he's upstairs, and he's decided to play boyfriend"
"What?" Wybie crossed his arms. She laughed softly.
"Jealous, much?"
"Yeah, well…there's nothing wrong with being jealous…"
"There's plenty wrong with being jealous-"
"He's up there making out with you. I'm gonna be jealous"
"Say jealous one more time"
"Jealous." He said, poking her in the ribs.
"Jealous"
"Jealous"
"It doesn't even sound like a word anymore…" Coraline laughed, and she looked up as Robbie came out of her room. He gave Wybie a look.
"Who is it? Oh, you"
"Yeah…what's wrong with me?" Wybie asked, crossing his arms again.
"Nothing…why are you here?"
"Umm…to see Jonesy…?" Wybie replied, a little frown flitting across his face. Robbie walked down the stairs, and his arm was immediately around Coraline's waist possessively. She squirmed uncomfortably, and Wybie cast his eyes elsewhere, jealousy flaring up inside him like it always did whenever Robbie was near her.
"Robbie…" she said softly, and he looked down at her.
"Yeah?" he asked, kissing her. It caught her by surprise, and Wybie bit his tongue. Calm down.
"Please don't do that…you're just being annoying" she elbowed him in the ribs, not too hard. "It's just because you're here, and he gets possessive" Coraline added for Wybie's benefit, and he nodded, a slightly forced smile on his lips.
"…right…anyway, why's Wybie here?" Robbie asked.
"Jonesy and I have homework to do, and we were gonna go do it at Abbey's, coz she's partnered with Lester, but then you cancelled, so…I came here instead" Wybie invented.
"Oh. Well…you better…get to it then" Robbie said, and, after a moment, he vanished into his room. Coraline made to follow him until she realised where he was going.
She turned back to Wybie.
"You know, I think I've forgotten everything we've learned at school over the course of these holidays…"
"It's always like that…hence the homework" Wybie replied with a little flourish. She smiled at him, and the two of them climbed the stairs, trying to remember what they had learned last term. Her smile widened when she felt his arm around her waist, and she took his hand.
He squeezed it, and she brought his hand to her lips.
~xXx~
Robbie kicked his bed in frustration, as Mother cooed gentle, soothing words in his ear.
Control your temper…
"I don't want to control my temper"
You have to control your temper, Robert
"Get the fuck out of my head!" Robbie growled, placing both his hands over his ears in an attempt to block her out. He could hear her laugh at his attempts.
Dearest Robert, you can't get rid of me…
But I can get rid of you, so…
If I were you, which it seems I may be, soon enough
I would do as I was told…
"…What the hell? Why are you even in my head?"
I already told you.
I just want to see my daughter again
"Coraline? She's not your daughter…she's Mel and Charlie's daughter…"
Silence.
Robbie gasped, and curled up on his bed, as small as he could, as the door gave a violent shudder.
This is what you are going to do…
And you will do it…
Or you will die.
~xXx~
"You, are out of your mind, lady" Robbie growled. Mother laughed.
"Y-yeah, you're out of your mind." Get out of my head.
"I'm not gonna touch a hair on her head" he said firmly, his voice shaking.
You don't mean that…
Please?
For Mother?
"No… Stop it…get out of my head, get out of my head!" She was scaring him now. Her voice had gone from sickly sweet to cold, not trustworthy. He could feel something tickling the back of his neck, like needles brushing over the skin. It sent a shiver down his spine, and goosebumps all over his body. He looked up to see Cat at the door, watching him curiously.
"What do you want?" he snapped, annoyed. Cat gave him a look.
"Okay, I'm sorry…" Robbie said, resting his chin on his hand. The skinny creature padded over to him silently, and sat in front of him, staring into his eyes intently.
"Can you keep a secret, Cat?" Robbie whispered, lifting the creature into his lap. For once, Cat didn't seem annoyed, only blinked in response.
"I can hear-"
Don't you dare…
"-a voice in my head…" he whispered. Cat pressed his body into Robbie's stomach, which was strangely relaxing.
I warned you…
"Yeah… I call her Mother…" Cat tensed. "And she says that I have to…"
He felt something in his neck…it was an awful feeling. Like thousands upon thousands of icy needles digging into his skin, piercing the muscle, severing the nerves. He gave a little whimper, and fell forward. Cat darted out of the way so he wasn't crushed under Robbie's lifeless body.
He fixed his blue eyes on Robbie, willing him to move. After a few seconds, in which Cat began to wonder if he had somehow died, and started to panic, Robbie sat up. He shook his head.
"Hmm…" was all he said, before standing up. He flexed his left hand, then lifted his right. It wouldn't move. It was limp.
"Damn" he cursed, and Cat backed up a little cautiously. Robbie turned to him, grinning maliciously.
"Hello, old friend…" he said, and Cat bolted. Robbie grinned, and went into the downstairs bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror.
He tried to move his right hand again, but it remained limp. He frowned.
"Damn this useless body…I-…oh…" he suddenly understood why it wouldn't work. In her real body, Mother was missing a hand, thanks to those two brats. She'd tried, and tried, but was unsuccessful in making herself a new one that worked properly. Even now, she was unable to send messages to her human body's hand.
He left the bathroom, and went up the stairs to where Coraline was. He filled with excitement with each step he took, and his human heart nearly burst as he opened the door. The two of them were at the computer, books spread out on the floor, and they both looked up when the door opened.
"Hey Robbie…what's up?"
"I missed you…" he replied with a grin, and she raised an eyebrow. Wybie glared at him. Cat slipped in past his legs, and leapt onto the desk, trying to get Wybie's attention. He only got a little pat on the head.
"Robbie…c'mere for a sec, huh?" Wybie said, dragging him into the hallway without waiting for an answer.
"Look. We have work to do. I know that Jonesy is…yours-" it almost killed him to say those words "- so you can quit playing boyfriend. Nothings gonna happen" Robbie smirked, and pinched
Wybie's cheek.
"You know…I liked you better when you couldn't speak" he said, then made his way down the stairs. Wybie rubbed his cheek, a little stunned.
"Jonesy…" he headed back into her room. She turned to face him.
"Hmm?"
"…you didn't tell Robbie anything about the Beldam, did you?" he asked, and she shook her head.
"…course not. He wouldn't believe me" she told him, tilting her head a little. He rubbed his cheek with a little frown on his face.
Sorry it took so loong...I wrote this chapter so many times, I just couldn't get it right.
Thanking CANDY for beta-ing...now I gotta get off the computer before Mother finds me =\
I do apologise for Mothers speech...the centre button decided to take a day off =\
R&R
Knut~