AN: Rufe. Think Brad Pitt in Benjamin Button, when he's riding off on the motorcycle or with hair touching his shirt collar and 3 day scruffy beard. Or Troy… or anything at all he's in.
AND DREAM AWAY
Chapter 35
Opened the door and knew immediately something was wrong.
Alice was laughing up at him, tucking her hair behind her ears. He laughed down at her and reached out to touch her hand, jerking it back like it was burnt, a stricken look in his eyes.
I was across the room, backed him against the windows, me hand around his throat before he could take another breath. Groceries fallen and rolling across the floor. Alice was screaming me name from far away.
"What'd you see?" growled at him.
He stood calm and still, fear deep in his eyes. "What the hell was that?"
Squeezed a little harder. "What did you see!" Alice pulling on me arm.
"Alice." He whispered. "Alice sitting on the floor with her back up against a bed, knees up, crying. She had on a white shirt, a cuff around her neck and a long gold chain in a ring on the floor." He frowned. "What was that?"
Squeezed a lot harder. "Whose bed? Yours?" He gasped, but stood still. Alice was screaming louder.
"Don't think so. I was chained on the other side of the bed." He looked down. "Gonna kill me Hatter?" He shrugged. "My life's been yours a long time now."
Let him go and stood back. Gathered Alice in me arms and held her tight, eyes still on him. She struggled at first, but I held her till she was still. She pushed at me chest and I let her go far enough to stand beside me, one arm still around her. I knew and she knew that she could flip me anytime she wanted, but she never did.
"What was that?" He asked again rubbing his neck. "It felt…real."
"Whaddya want Rufe?" Straightened me hat.
He stretched his neck and grinned. Walked over to the piano, sat down and began to play an old song singing softly. "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Bat. How I Wonder Where You're At."
"Hatter?" Alice jabbed me with her elbow. "Hatter!" Tore me eyes from Rufe and looked down at her. "You scared the shit out of me!" She was angry now.
"I…he touched you Alice. He saw a dream." Tried to explain. Rufe kept playing.
"Hello, Rufe! Howya been? Hard times, Hatter. Hard times. Sorry, Rufe. 's ok Hatter. You musta had a good reason to leave me marooned her for twenty-three years, eight months, nine days and…" he glanced out the window. "six hours." Rufe played on watching his fingers, wincing when he made a mistake.
"Shut up." Rubbed me eyes. Alice chained to the floor. No no and no. Bloody hell.
"You can't kill everyone who touches me!" Alice snapped and closed her eyes, trying to calm down. She pulled out o' me arms and walked to the piano. "You had one of those dream-hallucination things? Of me? Chained to the floor?" She shook her head. "Hatter wouldn't chain me to the floor."
"Did you let him in here?" Asked Alice, sitting heavily on the couch. Watch me Alice.
"He must've had a key. He was here when I got home from the Dojo." She looked at the groceries all over the floor and went to pick them up.
"Wasn't Hatter's bed." Rufe looked up frowning, shaking the hair out of his eyes. "My hand still worked on the lock plate."
"Let's start over." Alice set the bags on the counter. "I came home. He was here. He said he was family, that you grew up together. He was telling me stories of when you were kids."
Looked at him, he grinned back and shrugged. Bloody Hell.
"Why…why is your life his?" She asked him sitting down beside me. Glared at Rufe, but he just grinned back. Bloody hell.
"Alice filled me in on current events." He shook his head. "So I was telling her about growing up in March's crew." He tried another song, realized he didn't remember enough, tried another.
"Bloody hell." Put me feet on the coffee table, boots on top of the notebook. Alice slapped me leg and I put 'em back on the floor.
"The first time Hatter saved my life was when I was twelve or thirteen … ish." Rufe bit his lip over a tricky bit o' the song, botched it and tried again. "Not too many of us knew how old we really were. March was long gone by then, working free-lance I guess. The Queen had agents out searching for something special for Jackie's seventeenth birthday." He shrugged. "It was hard times and the guys figured they could sell me for a good price. Hatter objected."
Alice gasped and grabbed me arm. Rufe grinned at her enjoying this. I sighed.
"Jack?" she asked in a small voice. "Jack Heart?"
Rufe nodded. "Yup. Snot nosed little Jackie Heart." He laughed. "How many of 'em did you kill?" Looked at me and I shrugged.
He smiled at Alice. "Let's see. There was Jacko and Sim and Shorty. No, wait, you just crippled Shorty up a bit." He laughed. "They wouldn't listen to Hatter."
"You don't sell kids." I growled looking at me hands. Alice laid her head on me shoulder and took me right hand in hers and rubbed it against her cheek. "No. You don't." She agreed.
"We were all just kids…" I sighed. "Jacko and Sim, barely older than me." Looked at her. She didn't say anything.
"It's in the notebook."
"Yeah. Some good stuff in there." Rufe agreed. "You left out a lot though." He laughed. "Poor Hatter, always taking in strays, always another mouth to feed. He even taught us to read. Can you believe that?" Shook his head and stopped playing. "You cooking?" He glanced at the groceries on the counter.
Alice looked up at me with shining eyes. Chains in the floor forgotten. She didn't really believe in the dreams anyway.
"Don't act so innocent, Rufe." Frowned at him. "Once you realized the value of a pretty face, you sold yourself plenty of times."
"Ah but that was different." He smirked. "My choice. My … fortune."
"Actually," Looked him over. "You look better than I thought you would." He had some lines around his eyes, but didn't look too much older than me.
"Ah." He nodded. "Needs must. Took lots of research, lots of money, but I have a sunscreen now that doesn't work too bad. I can lend you some." He glanced at Alice. "Unless you're just vacationing. Don't leave me behind this time."
"Won't be going back to the ship." Shook me head. "No' ever. But I'll see if … I'll see about you."
"We're having a little party, later. Would you like to come?" Alice stood.
"He has to go." I said standing. Alice turned on me, put her hand on me arm.
"Oh, but I already told him he could stay here, with us for awhile. His bike's in the garage downstairs." Oh Alice. Shook me head. "He may not be your brother, Hatter, but he's the closest thing you have to family, like a cousin or something. You're not alone."
Touched her hair. "I'm no' alone, Alice. I'm never alone." Swallowed hard.
"Do I need a date for this party?" Rufe asked running his fingers thru his hair and smiling at himself in the mirror over the mantle. Alice had rearranged the furniture making the fireplace the feature now. Firewood stacked inside. I looked away.
"Oh, no, it's just a couple hours from now." Alice answered. "Unless you know someone in the city?" She looked at me.
"Plenty of time." Rufe smoothed his white shirt down. "Like the new décor." Looked at me.
"Twins on the 2nd floor, back left." He nodded.
"Twins?" Alice asked. "I didn't see any twins."
"Blond or brunette?" Rufe checked the mirror again, and walked to the door.
"Red heads." I grinned. He grinned back and gave me a thumbs up.
"Couple hours, you say?" He unbuttoned one more button on his shirt and was out the door.
"You can't expect him to just walk down there and invite those twins up here for a party." She looked at me in disbelief.
"Alice, did you look at his face? The twins will agree to anything at the first smile." Shook me head at her and went to the kitchen.
"Then what's the two hours for?" She followed me, hugging me from behind at the island. Turned around and kissed her.
"Think about it, Alice." Her eyes widened and she shook her head.
"No." She shook her head, mouth open.
Nodded to her and grinned. "Yes. I doubt anyone's told him no. Ever."
"But." She shook her head. "He's got a nice face, but…" She smiled up at me and touched me cheek. "His eyes are cold, frozen blue glaciers. Not hot chocolate, melting me inside."
"Yeah?" Scooped her up in me arms and glanced out the window. "We're only up to four, we've got an hour or so till something's gotta go in the oven."
She snuggled against me and smiled. "An hour is plenty of time."
Back in the kitchen, throwing some food together, tried to warn her about Rufe.
"Don't trust him. He wouldn't feel he'd have to tell a candy the truth. Look out for number one. I know him Alice, I used to be him."
"He seems to hold you in high regard." She mumbled, mouth full of canapés.
"There won't be anything if you eat it all now." Slapped at her fingers. "Remember that movie, Meet Joe Black? Death behind a pretty face?"
"You made me hungry. They're so good!" She snuck another one. "Yeah, I remember that movie. He does look like Brad Pitt, doesn't he?"
"That's Rufe. It's just a mask. Fill the ice bucket please."
"We can't choose our families." She filled the ice bucket and took another canapé, rearranging the rest so's not to leave a hole.
"Alice, listen to me." Flung off the potholders and took her by the shoulders. "Rufe was March's best student. I've seen him slice and dice someone, someone who trusted him, grinning the whole time. Don't trust him."
"I'm not afraid of him." She kissed me on the nose. "I'm Alice of Legend, remember."
"Yes. I remember." Kissed her hard, glanced at the window. No time. "Later. I'll get you later. Three more." promised her.
Was playing the piano, Alice at me side, her friends standing around talking and drinking wine, everyone having a good time. Alice kept glancing at her watch, her mom was late.
"..those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end. We'd…Oh, don't stop David. I love that song!"
Curled me fingers into fists. Looked up to see Carol standing in the doorway, singing to the melody, still in her coat, a man tagging along behind her. Knew I shouldn't have opened the piano.
"Mom, that's a different song." Alice smiled at her mom.
"Hi Honey. When I was in college we used to sneak into bars in Soho, there was this guy that played piano like an angel. He'd take any song you want and create a new melody to go with the words." She sighed. "I'm sure that was his song. It was my favorite."
"Hatter's mom taught him this song." Alice said smiling at me. "Play some more."
"Well, she couldv'e heard him play too, I guess. All the girls were after him. He had such dreamy eyes. He was a Brit too, called us all Luv. If I hadn't met your father, who knows what might've happened." Carol laughed and took off her coat.
MOM!" Alice gasped. I choked and kept me eyes down.
"What? I was young once!" Carol laughed. "Everyone, this is Peter." She took his arm. He was tall and dark, nothing like Carpenter. Could see Alice frowning at him.
"Can I get you a drink?" Rufe had left the twins on the couch and poured a couple glasses of wine.
"Thank you." Carol said staring at him when he handed her a glass. She looked puzzled. "Do I know you?" She tilted her head, trying to place him.
"Mom, this is Rufe, Hatter's cousin." Alice bounced up to hug her mom. And shake hands with Peter. "Doesn't he look like Brad Pitt?"
Looked at Rufe's grin and Carol's face and me heart sank. Bloody hell. Turned back to the piano and played something loud. Twenty-six damn years since we'd worked the piano bars and Carol remembered …something. Must've… damn his pretty face. Bloody hell.
"I just have one of those faces." Rufe shrugged giving Peter a glass. The twins wandered up to be introduced, along with Alice's friends, Jennie and Jeff and Tina and her boyfriend, Bulldog or something like that. Glared at Rufe and he shrugged, but walked away from Carol.
The door buzzed again and Alice went to open it.
"Hello Alice." Jack stood there with Chess. I was off the piano bench and at her side before he finished hello. Bloody cat. His eyes were guarded but he was polite. Chess's arm slung thru his.
"Jack." Alice glanced past him to the woman. She stared at the purple-striped hair, hanging down past her waist. "Chess?" Forgot, she hadn't seen cat's body. Her avatar!"
"Alice!" Chess nodded and did a little pirouette. "You like?" She winked handing me a gift bag. "A little something for later."
"Yes. Hell yes! " Rufe came up beside me and held out his hand. "Introduce me to this goddess immediately." Twins forgotten. "Jackie boy." Rufe barely glanced at him.
Jack stared at Rufe and frowned, considering. Bloody hell.
"Rufe, meet Lollipop. The ship's AI." Grinned at the look on his face as he was kissing her fingers.
"Call me Chess." She purred. Jack ignored us, still trying to place Rufe. I shut the door and wondered why I'd thought this'd be a good idea.
"Mom, you remember Jack." Alice said, taking me hand and squeezing hard. "This is Chess, his.. his.."
"Lover." Chess answered taking Carol's hand and then shaking hands with everyone else.
I gave up and went back to the piano.
Guess the party was a success. No one died screaming or otherwise. Jack didn't say much, dividing his time between staring at Rufe and Alice who kept touching me. Carol laughed and talked to everyone, staying close to Peter, glancing at Rufe when she thought no one was looking. Rufe tried to avoid Chess and went back to flirting with the twins. Chess stalked Rufe and kept Jack on a short leash. They didn't stay long anyway. Alice's friends missed all the undercurrents and had a good time. I kept Alice close to me, touching her often, trying to watch all of them.
AN: I figure Carol hadn't slept with so many men, she'd forget one. Besides, who's gonna forget sleeping with Brad Pitt. And what went on in those piano bars back in the '80s? Surely you can guess what Chess brought.