Twisted Strings of Fate
Chapter 24
We may have left the island, but her influence followed us on our journey. She had been watching since the beginning and would be there at the end.
Negaduck glared at the finger that dangled a pair of handcuffs with the familiar design from the TV show he had starred in.
"You either put these on or you're not getting on this plane," the broad-shouldered, gray-haired woman said, as unmovable as a mountain.
Negaduck grimaced. He was only on this stinking island through the grace of gods, but it seemed he wasn't getting off the same way. More than likely, if he stepped on the plane, he would only be handed over to doctors and orderlies when they disembarked. His memories of the hospital he was sent to earlier that day were fuzzy and chaotic, but they were far from happy. He was determined he wouldn't go back.
But what other option did he have?
Turning around, he offered his hands to be restrained placidly. He felt defeated, but not because of the handcuffs. He could feel the weight on his chest that Aphrodite placed there, an iron chain that connected him to the lovebird that was heavier than the curse.
He was cornered, boxed in, caged. He couldn't run. And if he stayed, he would be placed in an even darker, more confining prison than this one. If he wanted the chance to be free, to walk without bars restricting him, he had to make a decision.
Negaduck had to disappear.
Walking hand in hand, Charity and Launchpad approached the others gathered around the red plane. Huey, back with Hephaestus, was loading up the newly assembled Gizmoduck suit with the help of Fenton and Darkwing.
"We took out several pounds of burnt taffy," Huey said
"Delicious," Hephaestus said, rubbing his tummy and licking his lips. "More burnt offerings like that, and I think even Zeus could get used to you mortals."
His father glowered at that comment.
Selene cleared her throat and crossed her arms. "Don't you want to tell them something?" she hinted.
Zeus's expression darkened even more. A small thunderstorm gathered around his head.
"Father!"
"Oh, alright," Zeus relented. "Apparently it is tradition to give mortals a gift for fulfilling certain challenges."
"This is the first I've heard of this," Scrooge grumbled. "I think we're due for some gift-giving back-pay."
Donald nudged his uncle. "Don't poke the bear." He smiled at the gods, hoping this would go quickly so they could all leave.
"Only one gift," Zeus growled. He waved his hand and three waist-high pillars appeared, each holding a treasure box, one made of gold, one of silver, one of wood.
"Ugh, another test," Scrooge muttered. He should have guessed Zeus would try one more trick, but the king of the gods could at least do something original. This was an old riddle.
"You, girl. Come choose," Zeus said, pointing to Charity. "And choose wisely."
"Uh, okay," Charity said with a shrug.
Scrooge was certain that Charity would be able to pass this test. She seemed like a smart girl. However, his eyes widened and he gave out a yelp as she grabbed the golden chest. "No!"
"Huh?" Charity wondered, turning around, confused.
Zeus grinned. "Ha! I did it! I won!" However, when Charity turned to look at him with that same bewildered face, his expression drooped. "Why aren't you turning to stone?"
"Father! Did you offer them a cursed gift?" Selene shouted. "I'm so ashamed of you."
"Cursed?" Charity asked, looking down at the treasure chest. "Am I missing something?"
"It's an old trick to stop greedy treasure hunters from gaining a valuable item," Scrooge said, just as confused. "Those that pick the gold or silver chests often end up dead or worse. You're supposed to pick the humblest and least valuable-looking of the options to show you have a good heart."
"Why didn't it work?" Zeus demanded, grabbing his head.
"Well…I didn't want it for myself," Charity admitted. "I don't need any treasure, so I thought, since Mr. McDuck has been so generous to help me that this might repay him for everything." She opened up the chest, her face drooping. "But it's empty."
Selene smiled, seeing how the girl unintentionally undermined her father's scheme. "The chest is made of gold."
Charity perked up at that. She placed the heavy chest into Scrooge's arms. "I hope this pays for everything. I'm sorry to be such a burden."
Scrooge grinned. "Lass, I'm adopting you."
"Hey!" his blood relatives shouted.
Selene laughed, glad that things worked out for the best. She turned to her father. "Perhaps this will teach you not to trick someone with a good heart."
Zeus heaved a breath before finally smiling. "It seems the mortals surprised me once more."
Selene and Storkules bid one last farewell to their friends, the latter leaving Donald gasping for air and certain that he had a few broken ribs.
Everyone boarded the plane as Della revved the engine. The last to get on was Charity, looking back at the enchanted island of myths and legends. It was hard to believe all she had seen and done in one day. Muses and Roller Derby and going to Hell and back. For a moment, she thought she saw Thalia and Clio and their sisters waving at her on the beach with Artemis standing in a power pose with her wolf at her side. She sensed there were other gods and powerful beings watching her.
She shuddered, thinking that Aphrodite would follow her every move from now on.
Getting on the plane, she watched as Mrs. Beakley secured Negaduck in the cargo hold, threading the handcuffs through a metal catch to the wall before clapping them back on his wrist. He sat down heavily, his arms hanging from his restraints.
Mrs. Beakley turned. "It'll be alright, dear. This will hold him."
But she misinterpreted Charity's expression. The lovebird was more concerned about Jim Starling's comfort rather than him hurting anyone. Despite his crude manners, he had helped her with the challenges. Part of her had forgotten the terror of when he chased them through McDuck Manor with a chainsaw. He looked so defeated and forlorn at that moment, and Charity was the only one who knew why. What Aphrodite did to him was unforgiveable, and she couldn't help but feel responsible for it.
It had been her hand that the goddess used to harm Jim, to put that spell upon him. She had watched through her own eyes, seen her body move on its own volition, to break his spirit. When they had shared the same body, Aphrodite could flare and read the guys's emotions, but the goddess's thoughts remained her own. But Charity didn't need to read her mind to know that the five of them were only toys to the goddess. It was clear that if they didn't go along with "the story" as Aphrodite put it, she would make them.
"Charity, are you coming?" Fenton waited for her at the ladder. He glanced at Negaduck and back again.
Charity met Negaduck's eye for a second, then he looked away. "Yeah," Charity said, joining them at the ladder. When she grabbed one of the rungs, Fenton touched her arm.
"Are you okay?"
Charity smiled softly at his concern. "It's been a long day. I think we all need some rest." She glanced back at Negaduck, wishing that everything could be fixed with just a good night's sleep.
She was about to climb up the ladder when she felt the dress slide up her leg. It was at that point she realized how little she was wearing. She pulled the hem down, realizing that by doing that plus bending, she gave everyone a full view of her already exposed cleavage. Her face turned hot as she tried covering her chest at the same time as pulling the hem down.
Fenton sputtered at her indecency, turning his back quickly, his spine rigid.
How did I not notice all this time? Charity thought, recalling how quickly things were moving for her. I guess with everything else going on, my modesty wasn't my main priority.
To her great relief, a large jacket was wrapped around her shoulders, the familiar scent of leather and Launchpad filled her nostrils. And even though it was damaged in the fight with Ares, it covered her entire frame down to her knees. "Thanks," she said to her friend, zipping it up to the place where the sword cut through leather and metal. "You can look now, Fenton."
The male duck turned, face red and unable to look her in the eyes until she laid her hand on his cheek.
They climbed the ladder, feeling the vibrations of the engines as the plane started to move. At the top, Darkwing gave Charity a hand up, although his eyes lingered more on Negaduck, who was the only one left in the cargo hold.
Della eased the plane out of the bay, picking up speed for liftoff. Dewey sat in the co-pilot's seat, asking questions and sounding excited as his mother gave him his first flying lesson. The other three kids were in their seats on one side of the plane with Uncle Donald sitting on the floor next to them.
"Take your seats," Mrs. Beakley said, standing in her usual spot behind Dewey's seat.
However, unlike their trip to the island, Fenton wasn't in the cargo hold. Even with Scrooge McDuck standing behind Della's seat in the cockpit, which left three seats for four butts. And because Charity had had enough of people catering for her, she took charge.
"You guys can have the seats," Charity said, gesturing.
Fenton and Darkwing protested at the same time, but Launchpad plopped down in the middle seat. Soon after, Charity sat in Launchpad's lap, smiled and patted the seats on either side of her.
The two ducks had mirror crooked smiles at the sight of Charity in Launchpad's jacket sitting on his lap. Fenton was the next to sit, but Darkwing stayed standing for a while.
"You know, it might be more comfortable sharing a seat with me," Darkwing said. "I'm sure we both can squeeze in."
Charity narrowed her eyes at him, suspecting that his offer was more self-serving than it sounded. However, before she could reply, Launchpad wrapped his arms around her.
"Mine," he said, sounding protective.
Despite her resolve to love him as a brother, her face burned intensely. Trying to dispel her surprise, she said, "No, thanks. I like the seat I have."
Darkwing smiled as he sat down.
Snuggling down into the jacket, Charity still felt the bitterness of Ithaquack lingering inside her. While Launchpad's embrace was comforting, she found she needed more contact than that to settle her down. Reaching out, she took Darkwing's hand in her right and Fenton's in her left. They both squeezed.
The only thing that would make this perfect was if Jim could be here, the real Jim, whole, sane and healthy. But what could she do to help? Was there really anything that could be done? Or was Negaduck there to stay?
With this thought marring the moment, she let sleep take over her mind.
"How does she do it?"
"What?" Webby leaned over to look at Louie's phone. He was filming the four adults on the other side of the plane, the telephoto lens zoomed in as much as it could.
"These touching moments. They're absolute gold," Louie explained, closing his camera. He opened up one of his social media apps to downloading the newest movie. "Just today, I've gotten more viewers than ever. I'm actually making money because of my hit count."
"Oooo, how much?" Huey asked.
"A couple of dollars, just from the advertisements viewers have before watching my movies," Louie explained. "But still, this girl is the answer to my dreams."
"I told you he has a little boy crush," Huey said.
"I don't have a little boy crush!" Louie shouted. He breathed in and out to calm down. "I'm just saying that her life is so much more interesting than the other crap I put online."
"You mean how you complain about me and Dewey all the time?" Huey asked.
"Have you posted anything about me?" Webby asked.
"Yeah. Just google 'parkour ninja girl.' You're in there," Louie replied. "And while complaining about brothers and posting videos of Webby doing the physically impossible is fine, the Internet is starving for a storyline. I wonder if I can get them to reenact some of the earlier scenes. It's going to be hard to get Negaduck to jump on-board, so I might have to hire an actor. Heh, hire an actor to play and actor."
"Wait, reenact? Won't your audience notice the difference with your videos out of order?" Webby asked.
"Oh, they think I'm making a movie," Louie said. He showed her his phone. "See, look at these comments. This guy says that Zeus is a lousy actor. And this one said that my Darkwing Duck looks nothing like the real thing. This one's my favorite. 'Who are you kidding with your lame special effects?'" Louie smirked.
"It's official. You've turned to the dark side," Huey said. "You're capitalizing on Charity's life. Not only are you invading their privacy, but you're making money off of unethical decisions. I'm telling Mom."
"Mom approves," Louie said quickly. "She just put twenty bucks on Charity going solo once the curse is broken."
"What?" Huey shouted, looking at her mother in the pilot's chair. "But—No, a responsible—Okay, never mind. Then I'm telling Charity."
"Charity approves, too," Louie said with a smirk. "As long as I donate seventy-five percent of my profits to charity."
"Wait," Webby said, holding out her hands. "Are you giving the money to a charity, like a non-profit one, or to Charity? I'm confused."
"I've already picked one, too," Louie said, finding the information online. "'Best Buddies Homes'. It's a place where orphans bond with homeless pets, and then people can come and adopt both a child and a cat or dog."
"That's the coolest organization I've ever heard of," Webby said.
"And the best thing is since I've advertised I'm donating to charity, I've gotten more traffic on my websites," Louie said. "Who knew that if people think you have a heart of gold, they'll like you more."
"That's kind of a given," Huey said, shaking his head.
"I'm surprised you haven't brought Dewey in on this scheme. Social media is kind of his thing," Webby said.
"Oh, he's on the payroll," Louie said. "He's already designing my official webpage, and he'll be editing these videos with even better special effects and music. Look at this logo he's already helped me create."
"So profession," Webby complimented.
Huey nodded. His brothers were quite impressive at times. "You do know this is going to bite you in the butt eventually."
"Yeah, but I'm living it up while it lasts," Louie said.
The nap did Charity a lot of good. Physically, she was feeling the best she had in a long time after being healed by multiple gods. Given, she had to go through several painful injuries to be healed, but it was a relief to move without any bruises or wounds. In fact, despite the daunting task of finding the mystical item they needed, Charity felt ready to take on the world.
When the plane landed outside Scrooge's manor, she stood up and stretched, her tail feathers fanning out behind her. Joints cracked and muscles strained in a pleasing manner.
The three men in her company did the same thing. The kids were already sliding down the ladder and racing through the cargo doors that were opening. Mrs. Beakley and Scrooge followed at a slower pace.
"Everyone, let's get inside and figure out where we're going next," Scrooge said, waving his cane at Della, who was trying to wake her brother up from his deep sleep.
"Yay," Charity said with sarcastic enthusiasm. "Can't wait to find out how much more difficult my life is going to be."
"Yeah, me too," Launchpad said, no sarcasm whatsoever. "This has been super fun."
"Maybe the next place we go will be Hawaii," Fenton joked. "I've always wanted to go."
Even Darkwing laughed at that.
After they climbed down the ladder, Charity glanced at Negaduck still in the same position as when they all boarded, his face covered by the brim of his hat. What was going to happen to him?
Her question was answered as she overheard Mr. McDuck talking to Mrs. Beakley.
"The hospital is completely flabbergasted that he disappeared. They think he escaped somehow with all those drugs in his system, but I can't really tell them that a Greek goddess summoned him," Scrooge said with a shake of his head. "Anyway, they're on the way here to pick him up."
Charity felt a chill go down her spine. Aphrodite's words repeated in her mind.
I'll guess that it'll be tolerable for five or ten miles. You might be able to live with fifteen, but I doubt you'll enjoy getting farther than that.
How far away was the hospital? A mile or two? Maybe five? But Duckburg was a large city, and McDuck Manor was on the outskirts of the city limits for privacy. Could the hospital be farther than that?
She recalled how out of it he was when he washed up on the shore of Ithaquack. That was because of the drugs in his system. If he was taken to the hospital, they would do that all over again. He had helped her with the challenges. Sure, he was rude and belligerent, but not as insane as he once was thanks to Selene healing him a little. Could Charity let him be taken away and locked away, not to mention, suffer because what Aphrodite did to him?
"Wait," Charity called, moving between Mrs. Beakley and Negaduck. "We can't let him go to the hospital. Can't he stay here?"
"After what he did the other day?" Scrooge asked. "As much as I'd like to think I'm good enough to keep him in check, I won't let my hubris hurt my family again."
Mrs. Beakley looked approvingly at Scrooge's words.
"But he's different," Charity said. "Please, don't take him away."
"Charity, I know this curse isn't…convenient, but it's for the best," Mrs. Beakley said gently. "He needs help."
"Then get him help, but here," Charity insisted. "If you can't do that, I'm going with him."
She saw Negaduck stir, bewilderment mixed with despair and fear. The handcuffs jangled against the wall of the plane as he shifted.
"I don't think that's a good idea. The kind of hospital he's going to, they don't allow visitors," Mrs. Beakley explained.
"Then…we're leaving," Charity said, making a hasty decision. "I'll make sure he won't hurt anyone."
"Charity, you can't mean that," Darkwing said, standing between Scrooge and Mrs. Beakley. "You know what he's capable of."
Darkwing's words from several days before repeated in her head. Just because you're in love with him, doesn't mean he cares anything for you.
Yes, he may not care for her, but she couldn't let someone she loved go just like that.
"Yes, I do. Both the good and the bad, as do you," Charity said. "There are…some things you don't know about. Something that happened on Ithaquack with Aphrodite. She put a spell on him to stop him from running away. He…we can't be separated. We need to be together or…something terrible happens to him."
Charity suddenly felt as if everyone was against her. What did they think of her, standing up and defending a monster?
"And where will you go?" Scrooge asked. He didn't like where things were going. Although Charity was an adult and could make her own decisions, he was starting to feel responsible for her. The lass had made that strong of an impression on him the last couple of days.
"I don't know," Charity admitted. "I didn't think this through."
"They can stay with me," Launchpad said, jumping in. "I've got space at home."
Charity perked up at that. "There. We'll stay with Launchpad."
Mrs. Beakley shook her head. "I don't think you're thinking rationally, Charity. He's—"
"Just because I'm under a curse, doesn't mean I'm irrational," Charity protested, realizing that by raising her voice, she may have undermined her argument. "I know what I'm doing." But did she really? Perhaps she was being irrational.
"He's dangerous," Scrooge said. "I'm afraid I've already called the authorities. They'll be here to pick him up. Once he's been committed, legally, he needs to be in the hospital until they discharge him."
"There's got to be another way," Charity said adamantly.
"I'll do whatever you want."
All eyes turned to Negaduck, who had stood up.
"Lock me up in your jail cell, tie me to the bed or chain with everything you got," Negaduck said. "I won't try to escape. I'll do anything you want."
"We can't trust you," Scrooge said, stabbing the floor with his cane.
"Then call a doctor," Negaduck shouted, straining at the handcuffs. "Call whoever you want. I'll take whatever pills they give me. I'll do it. Just don't send me away." The desperation in his voice is palpable. His eyes locked onto Charity.
I'm not going to leave you, Charity thought to him, hoping he understood. She turned to Scrooge, her eyes asking.
Scrooge was still immovable until another voice broke in.
"I'll watch him."
They turned to look at Fenton, who was stepping forward to volunteer.
"The Gizmoduck suit is back to working order thanks to Hephaestus. I'll guard him all night if I have to."
"I'll take a watch, too," Darkwing jumped in.
"And me," Launchpad added.
Charity silently thanked them.
Scrooge rubbed his forehead. "If I said no, I don't think I could stop you. Alright. I'll call the hospital and tell them I'm mistaken. But I want every security measure taken to guard him twenty-four seven."
"Thank you," Charity said, giving him a grateful smile.
"Just don't make me regret the decision," Scrooge said, turning around and marching back to the mansion, letting the others deal with Negaduck.
"Be grateful. Not many have been able to change his mind," Mrs. Beakley said. And she, too, washed her hands of Negaduck by handing the key over to Darkwing.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Darkwing said to Charity.
Feeling as if she had disappointed both Mrs. Beakley and Scrooge, Charity said, "He may be calling himself Negaduck, but he's still Jim Starling. And if you knew what I knew, you would have fought for him, too."
"I trust you more than I trust him," Darkwing said as he eyed Negaduck. "Fenton, perhaps you should suit up while we…uh…escort Negaduck to his room."
"Good idea," Fenton said.
Charity watched, feeling helpless in the process, as Darkwing, Gizmoduck and Launchpad surrounded Negaduck and followed him to McDuck Manor. As they moved through the house, she lingered on the expressions of the four ducklings that stood at the top of the stairs and watched as Negaduck disappeared into the basement with wide eyes. It tore at her heart at the thought that these kids would have to sleep in the same house once more with someone who tormented their family. Perhaps she should have insisted on going to Launchpad's house after all.
But if Negaduck was true to his word and willing to see and obey a psychiatrist, then he would be getting the help he needed. She knew that deep down, past his mask and his alternate name, Jim Starling was still in there, the heroic actor she had fallen in love with so long ago. She tried to ignore the fact that despite being in love with him these fifteen years, she didn't know him other than what she had read in magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. Was she really going to stake everything on the chance that he might be a good guy once striped of his hatred and delusions?
Once in the basement, Darkwing took off the handcuffs and put Negaduck in the manacles that had been used last time. The key to the cell was on a nail on the wall, and he used that to lock the door.
"So, now what?" Launchpad asked. His stomach gave out a loud growl. "Thanks for reminding me, tummy. We should go eat."
"Someone needs to stay and watch Negaduck," Gizmoduck said. He was about to say it should be him, but someone beat him to it.
"I'll do it," Charity said. Just as she guessed, there were protests. "Look, I know I can't really do anything against Negaduck if he gets out, but that's not going to happen. I know you don't have any reason to trust him, but please, I want to be alone with him. Just until you guys eat and take a break."
She received a trio of uncertainty.
"Look, I'll borrow Launchpad's phone. If anything hinky starts to go down, I'll call Fenton or Darkwing," Charity said. Once again, she felt like she was losing points with everyone, taking the path that was not only less traveled, but also had weeds, thorns, and large bushes blocking her way.
But they eventually relented.
"Do you want me to bring down some food for you?" Launchpad asked.
Charity shook her head. "I'm not hungry."
There was a reluctance to their steps as they exited the basement. All this time, Negaduck continued his hangdog routine, keeping his face hidden behind his hat until they were alone.
"Don't expect a thank you in return," Negaduck said, his voice gruffer than normal.
"I wasn't expecting one," Charity said, leaning against the bars. "I'm sorry for what has happened to you."
"Are you?"
"Of course I am." She couldn't hide the fatigue from her voice. "The last thing I want is for you—for any of you—to get hurt. And while you won't feel pain, I can imagine the grief it will cause you."
"You can't honestly be this noble," Negaduck snorted. "If I were you, I'd feel vindicated. After fifteen years of giving you pain, I'm getting a little back. On top of that, I need to be near you. That must absolutely thrill you. You already had those three suckers at your beck and call, and now you have me."
"That's not what I want," Charity said. "All I want is to be free from this curse. I thought that you would sympathize with me."
"So now you want sympathy?" Negaduck sneered. "Oh, the poor little girl has had a hard life. Who hasn't? You want sympathy? Go cozy up to your robo-freak or your pilot friend. Or that fraud. But leave me out of it."
Charity gripped the bars. When she wanted to talk to Negaduck, this wasn't how she imagined this conversation going. She had hoped to reach an understanding, or at least let him know that if she could, she would never have involved him in the first place.
"I wish things could have been different," Charity said. She felt cold inside. She blamed it on the basement and the fact that she was still wearing the revealing dress. Launchpad's jacket was warm but it didn't cover her legs entirely. "I didn't want my love for others to cause so much trouble. Especially for you. I don't think you realize how much you mean to me." That part of her life was one of the darkest. There had been so much fear. It was just her and her mother, clinging to each other for strength, and Jim Starling's role was a pinprick of light that helped them through the hard times.
"I think I do. My life has been ruined because of you," Negaduck said. "I wish you had never fallen in love with me."
Charity realized there was no getting through to him. She didn't expect him to love her back, but she had hoped to help the real Jim Starling to return to his senses, and perhaps, connect in some way to her. But apparently that was pipe dream. She turned around and left the room. While she wanted to run away, she couldn't, not as long as Scrooge believed that Negaduck would be watched every second he resided in McDuck Manor.
Out of sight of the prisoner, Charity sank to the ground. She didn't think anything Negaduck did or said could have affected her after all that he had already done, but those last words looped through her head until she was sobbing and crying, her throat tense and throbbing as she strained to not make a sound.
As Launchpad helped Mrs. Beakley prepare dinner for everyone, Fenton found an empty room. He had the idea of contacting Gyro for help searching for the right doctor for Negaduck. While he didn't know much about Jim Starling, he wanted to find the best solution to the problem. Being a famous scientist, Gyro had connections all over the world in many different scientific circles. If anyone knew a good psychiatrist, it would be Gyro Gearloose. Fenton was even willing to risk Gyro's ire for taking the Gizmoduck suit away from the lab for several days at a time.
However, when Fenton checked his phone, he was surprised that he had almost thirty voicemail messages to listen to. The first one gave him a clear indication whom they were all from.
"Fenton, where are you?! You didn't come home last night. Call me back."
"Fenton, call me."
"I'm getting a little concerned. If I don't hear from you soon, I'm calling your boss, even though you told me never to speak to him."
"Fenton! What is going on? Your boss told me you blasted off in the Gizmoduck suit yesterday and haven't been seen since. Please tell me you're still alive."
The rest of them went along those lines, each one becoming more and more panicked, although they were occasionally interrupted by a message from Gyro asking where the Gizmoduck suit was or a machine trying to scam him.
He deleted them all, taking a deep breath before speed-dialing his mother.
She picked up on the first ring. "Fenton! Oh, thank goodness you're alright. Don't you dare worry me like that again. Where have you been?"
Where to begin? No, it would be best just to keep it as simple as possible. "Sorry, Mama. I've been helping a friend on a difficult…project. I might not be home for a while."
"What? But you promised to come to your abuela's tomorrow, remember? Tio Angelo is turning fifty."
Fenton rubbed his face. He had forgotten about that. "Mama, I don't know. This…thing, it's really, really complicated."
"What kind of project are you working on? Is it for Gyro?"
"No, Mama. You haven't met her. She's in a lot of trouble now and—"
"A girl?! Is it that same one you dated a few months ago?"
"No. And we didn't date. I just showed her around my lab." Fenton did not want to get into this.
"So, you've met another girl." Maria Crackshell-Cabrera sounded impress. "In that case, bring her along."
"What? No, I can't. I told you, we're in the middle of a big project."
"How long will it take?"
"I don't know. As I said, it's complicated."
"And you can't possibly take a break for a few hours and stop to see Tio Angelo and the rest of your family? Or even stop by and tell your Mama where you've gone? You know Abeula doesn't have many years left in her. She would love to see you, patito."
His mother should have earned a gold medal in the Olympics for guilt tripping.
"Well, I guess I could—"
"Great. See you there. And don't forget to bring your girlfriend," his mother said.
"She not my girl—" But his mother had hung up by that time. "Friend," he finished to no one. How did he get into messes like this? More importantly, how was he going to get out of it?
After dinner, Scrooge had another "meeting," which was him explaining the history of this Orb they had to find. The speech was long and boring, involving several Chinese emperors and sorcerers before it disappeared from history until about a hundred years ago when some historians rediscovered it in a temple and taken it to a museum in British where it disappeared. Darkwing took notes since Charity was missing. He could debrief her later.
It was decided that more research would be needed to find the Orb's current location; however, much to Huey's disappointment, this was research that only Scrooge McDuck could do. He had contacts and friends in dark places that would know the information they were after. The rest of the group had the night to themselves.
After that, Darkwing planned on taking the next watch, but Launchpad beat him to volunteering, even taking a plate of food down for Charity even though the lovebird claimed she wasn't hungry. He had to admire his friend. Although he was a big goof and sometimes could be completely oblivious to what was going on around him, Launchpad had a big heart and cared a lot for Charity. She was lucky to have him growing up.
He should have been tired after the day he had, but more than likely, Charity was feeling the day's fatigue for all of them. Hopefully the nap on the plane had helped. Feeling antsy, he wandered the mansion until deciding on a snack. He took a quick look in the freezer and was happy to see that his hosts were a big believer in ice-cream and multiple flavors. He found the biggest bowl and filled it with a large scoop of each. Although he tried to eat healthy—being an actor, his body was his biggest seller—but as Darkwing Duck, he burned a lot of calories. He didn't worry that eating that much sugar would affect him.
Heading to the dining room, he spotted Charity leaving the basement. He called out to her before he realized her body language suggested she was sneaking around. She jumped, spotting him and giving him a smile that looked forced.
"Hey."
"Hey," Darkwing said back. He very much wanted to talk to her but the way she was acting, he figured she must want to be alone. He decided to give her a way out. "You heading to bed?"
"Yeah," she said, her smile relaxing. Her eyes went down to the bowl in his hands. "Are you going to eat all of that?"
Darkwing nodded. "Unless you want to help me?"
Charity moved her lower beak as if considering it. She held Launchpad jacket closer. "Okay," she relented, going back to the kitchen for another spoon.
They went into the dining room, which was empty. Darkwing was glad. What he wanted to say to Charity, he wanted to tell her alone without any interruptions.
Digging her spoon into a scoop of chocolate, Charity directed the conversation. "I don't suppose Mr. McDuck held his latest meeting without me and saved me a whole lot of embarrassment."
Darkwing's smile broadened, recalling their last meeting. "You're off the hook. Everyone discussed this orb thingy while you were downstairs. There wasn't much to talk about," he explained, going over his mental notes. "To sum things up, the Orb is from China about eleventh century give or take a few hundred years. It was last seen in a British museum in the early 1900s when it was stolen. About twenty or thirty years ago, someone reported it being in an auction that wasn't exactly legal, and the buyer was anonymous. Legal action should have been made against the auction house, but since the Orb isn't considered that valuable, the British museum didn't take any measure to retrieve the Orb. There was a rumor that they accepted a check from the auction house."
"Wow," Charity said between bites. "So, who has it now?"
"Nobody really knows. Scrooge is trying to get the auction house to show him their records, but it might take some time," Darkwing explained, taking a spoonful of a fruity sorbet.
"I'd bet money that they'll cave soon," Charity said. "That old man is a force to be reckoned with."
"I'll say. He actually persuaded me to switch clothes with him to act as a diversion during the moonlander invasion," Darkwing said. He winced, remembering that it wasn't a good bargain on his end.
Charity laughed then choked on the food that was in her mouth.
He was glad to hear Charity laugh. When they had left her in the basement a few hours ago, she looked muted and suppressed as if under a lot of pressure. He wanted to hear her laugh again.
"And speaking of bets," Darkwing said with a waggle of his eyebrows, "is it just me or are there a lot of bets going on around here? And that kid, Louie, he's in the thick of it."
Charity's eyes widened but she continued to eat, not volunteering any information.
"Do you know what's going on?" Darkwing asked. "Hecate said something about 'the favorite to win.' Are they…betting who—"
At that same time, Charity spoke over him. "How about we change the subject?"
"—is going to kiss you first?" Darkwing finished. "Webby seemed keen on the idea this morning."
Charity winced. "I wished that was all they were betting, because I could easily put that to rest." She looked him in the eye.
Darkwing's heart picked up speed. Was she insinuating that she would like to kiss him? His thoughts went to what her beak would feel like against his, his fingers in her hair. His heart flipped as if he were on a roller coaster.
"Launchpad was my first kiss."
Darkwing's thoughts quickly burst, replaced with Launchpad kissing Charity. "What? When?"
Charity chortled. "Junior prom." She had a small smile on her beak. "I was thrilled when he asked me, but I'm sure he only did it because I complained that I was the only girl not going. I read too much into the gesture, and when he dropped me off at my door, I planted one on his beak. He didn't kiss me back. And when it was over, all he said to me was, 'See ya on Monday.' There wasn't even an awkward moment between us, like he thought I was kissing him in a sisterly way. I always hoped that he harbored feelings for me, but that was my bad. I should have known that if Launchpad ever liked me in that way, he would have let me know."
Darkwing was quiet during the story. He couldn't imagine how that would feel, to be rejected in such an off-hand way. Launchpad probably didn't even realize he had hurt her. When he looked over to the lovebird, she was thoughtfully eating a spoonful of ice-cream slowly, staring off into nothing.
It reminded him of what he wanted to talk about. But how to breech the subject? He had worried that things between them would be awkward after he had cornered her that morning and talked about breaking the curse with a kiss. And then with everything that happened on Ithaquack, what happened in the Underworld, what Aphrodite said and Charity defending Negaduck, there felt like too much between them for him to talk about his feelings.
He wanted to apologize for making her uncomfortable, to explain that it was the Goddess of Love twisting and manipulating him that morning. He wanted to tell her that these past days, while they had been frightening and difficult, he was glad to have gone through everything because he had met her. He wanted her to know that after all this, no matter what, he wanted to be there for her whether it was a friend like Launchpad or more than that.
But most of all, he wanted her to know just how right things felt inside him. After Aphrodite had promised not to manipulate his emotions again, how she confirmed that what he was feeling was real, he wanted to let her know. Was what he was feeling true love? It was too soon to tell. He wasn't the kind who believed in love at first sight. He was a strong believer that love was something that grew through time, getting to know one another and exploring each other both emotionally and physically.
But most of all, he wanted Charity to know about these emotions and if she was open to starting a relationship. Of course not right away. Asking her to jump into something like a relationship while dealing with the curse and everything would be silly, but what if that's what she wanted? He didn't care that she was in love with Launchpad and Jim. Alright, he didn't mind Fenton either. His issues with the scientist ran more along the line of professional rivalries rather than romantic.
Well, maybe he was a little jealous about Charity spending time with Fenton. And perhaps he felt some envy for the way she easily hugged Launchpad and held his hand, how close the two could be as if they were made to be together, as if they were a set. And he had hoped that if he were in the same situation, that Charity would have found just as hard for him as she did for Negaduck.
Okay, he'll admit it. He was jealous of all of them. If she looked into the darkest part of his heart, she would find a secret desire to have her all to himself.
But he wasn't going to focus on that. He wasn't even going to ask her for an answer. He just wanted her to know what was in his heart, that when the curse was over, he wanted to explore the possibility that they could be together.
But was this really the time? She seemed melancholy as if ready to throw in the towel for the day.
"You were right," he said, deciding on a safer subject. "About Negaduck. I don't know everything that happened with Aphrodite, but I don't want to be the one to lock Jim Starling up."
Charity broke away from her trance, and tears glistened in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, quickly wiping them away. "It's been a long day."
"Are you okay?" Darkwing asked.
"Yes…No. I feel like I can't do anything right," Charity said, continuously clearing away her eyes. "I've disrupted everyone's lives and put them in danger. And today, we accomplished nothing except find yet another near-impossible challenge which is inconveniencing everyone all over again. And after this thing with Jim, I almost feel like I should never have gotten anyone involved in the first place. I should have just stayed home and dealt with the curse, then nobody would have gotten hurt because of me."
Darkwing grabbed Charity's chair and turned it toward him. "Listen to me," he said sternly. "First, you didn't force anyone to do anything they wouldn't have done in the first place. Everyone here wants to help you. Well, except for Negaduck, but forget about him. Second, you can't help being under a curse. You're the victim here, and that's not right. And I don't have to ask Fenton or Launchpad, but I'm sure they feel the same. If it was someone else, someone we didn't know, we would still fight to save them. That's what we do. And third…" Darkwing paused, taking Charity's hands in his. "…You are absolutely worth it. Don't ever forget that you're worth it."
Darkwing pulled her closer to him and wrapped her in an embrace. Charity eagerly went to him, burying her face into his shoulder. Between the strong arms around her and Launchpad's jacket, she felt warm and safe. It was an awkward embrace, both sitting in their respective seats and leaning in to meet in the middle, but it was what she needed. Her tears subsided as Darkwing's hand soothingly ran through her hair and down her back.
Soon the tender caresses brushed against her cheek. She turned her head, looking into Darkwing's eyes. She was aware just how close his beak was to hers, her chin almost touching the tip of the upward curve.
His words were perfect. The hug had been perfect. This was a perfect moment. And all she wanted was to succumb to her feelings, to pull him into a kiss and stay there with him for eternity.
But then Fenton's face flashed in her mind. If it had been him here, if he said just as perfect words, had held her and made her feel warm and safe, she would want to kiss him just as much. In fact, the moment she thought it, she began wishing it was Fenton in front of her. But at the same time, she wanted it to be Darkwing. But it could have been Launchpad or Jim there, too, and she would have felt the same.
"No, I can't" she whispered, still under whatever spell was compelling her to remain where she was. She was suddenly aware that her hands were on his chest, and she could feel the hard muscles underneath the costume and the fast beating of his heart.
And she remembered when Aphrodite put her hand on Darkwing's chest, flaring his emotions. At that moment, as Charity was trapped in her own mind, she had taken a peek at what was in Darkwing's heart. She had felt his desire to protect her and take care of her, but there was something deeper. There was respect and awe as well as a bud of love. She had felt his desire to hold her and kiss her, and knew how much of it was real and how much of it was Aphrodite's pulling.
She had suspected that Darkwing was forming feelings for her, but she never thought that they could be more than a fleeting crush, but that wasn't the case.
"Charity," Darkwing whispered, his beak only seconds from touching hers. His fingers played with the feathers along her jawline. "I think I'm—"
Charity pushed him away before he could finish that sentence. "No!" she said. How she longed to know what he was going to say, but she couldn't. Not while she was thinking of Fenton and Launchpad and Jim. "Stop it. I need you to stop it."
The hurt on Darkwing's face almost made her start crying again.
She stood up, needing more distance between them. She hated that she was hurting him, but she was angry because she was also being hurt. "You need to stop being so charming and sexy. You need to stop doing things that make me want to kiss you. Do you realize what kind of effect you have on me? Do you know how much influence you can have on me? If you push me anymore, I will kiss you. And push me more, and I will do more. I would do anything you want me to, because I'm finding it harder and harder to say no. You're Darkwing Duck, dark and mysterious and have been in my dreams more times than I count."
Why was she telling him all this? Did she want him to push her? Did she want him to know just how much control he could have over her? Yes to both, but mostly because she trusted him. She was putting all her trust in him to do the right thing.
"You said you want to protect me?" Charity asked, breathing hard. "Then I need you to protect me from myself. Between the four of you tugging at my heart, I'm getting worn down, and the next time we get that close, I won't fight it. I can't."
And she wouldn't let Darkwing say anything. She couldn't deal with it. She was going to have the last word because she was ready to break down for the third time that night, and this time, she didn't want to do it in front of Darkwing.
Racing out of the dining room and upstairs, she grabbed the door handle to her room and pulled, ready to leap into the safety of solitude. But it wouldn't open. She pulled and pulled, rattling the door more and more until she felt like screaming at it.
"Charity, are you okay?" Fenton was peeking out his own room, his eyes full of concern.
No. After Jim and Darkwing, I can't deal with another one, Charity thought, forcing herself to calm down.
"Yeah, I'm good. I think I locked myself out of my room," Charity said, trying to sound nonchalant.
"Actually, I don't think that's your room," Fenton said. He pointed farther down the hall. "Your room is over there."
In her haste to get away, Charity had miscounted the doors to her room. "Right. Thanks," she called back, hiding her face behind her hair. There was an advantage to having super curly hair.
However, whether it was that Fenton said or heard something that he didn't like, he followed her to her bedroom door. "Are you sure you're okay?" Fenton asked. "You don't look okay." His tone turned flustered. "I mean, you look okay. You look better than okay. You look great. Beautiful. What I mean is—"
Charity laughed softly. "Fenton, I'm fine." She caught a glimpse of his face and quickly looked away.
"You've been crying."
Charity swiped at her eyes. "It's nothing."
"Do you…want talk?"
Strangely, she found that she did want to talk. "Yeah, but not about…this." She drew a circle around her face. "Talking about something—anything else would be nice." She opened her door and walked in, seeing the familiar—if lavished—décor. Remembering what she was wearing underneath Launchpad's jacket, she asked, "Do you mind if I change?"
"Uh…sure," Fenton said, still at the threshold of her room.
Grabbing a set of clothes, she rushed into the attached bathroom and slipped out of the slinky, silky dress. Once in her own clothes, she exited the bathroom only to find Fenton still standing in the doorway.
"You can come in," Charity invited.
"Are you sure you don't mind? Having a man in your bedroom, that is?" Fenton asked.
He was adorable.
Charity grabbed his arm, pulled him in and shut the door. Even after what she said to Darkwing, she didn't find anything wrong being alone with Fenton in her room. If anything, she was safer with him. While she loved Fenton just as much as Darkwing, she knew he wouldn't try anything with her. He was the kind that didn't push the boundaries. In fact, he seemed the type who wouldn't make the first moves on a girl.
Fenton pulled out the chair that belonged to a writing desk, and Charity climbed onto her bed.
For a while, they exchanged questions awkwardly, like a couple on a blind date testing the waters. But the more they talked, the more they opened up and found they had things in common. They both liked reading science fiction, although Fenton's tastes leaned more toward space travel stories while Charity preferred those of the super hero genre. They talked about movies, although Fenton wasn't as caught up with the latest shows, and Charity made him promise to watch a few movies with him.
Fenton blushed at that, wondering if she intended it as a date or as friends. Well, he would wait to ask when the time came. He had more pressing matters at hand, specifically what to do about tomorrow.
"Uh…Charity? I have sort of a favor to ask you." Fenton twiddled his fingers as he became nervous about what he was going to say.
"What is it?" Charity asked.
"Well, it's kind of complicated. But my family is getting together for my tio—my uncle's birthday. And my family has the impression that I'm bringing my girlfriend," Fenton explained poorly.
"I didn't know you had a girlfriend," Charity said. She was frowning. Was she jealous?
"I don't," Fenton quickly said. He didn't want to make her jealous. She couldn't help her feelings right now. "But my Mama got the impression that I have one."
Charity smiled. "How did that happen?"
"Well, when she became concerned when I didn't come home last night, I told her it was because I was helping a friend. And when she found out my friend is female," he nodded his head at Charity, "she just assumed you're my girlfriend."
"Of course," Charity said with a laugh. "What mother wouldn't leap to those conclusions? And I'm assuming you want me to come with you and pretend to be your girlfriend."
Fenton smiled, glad the lovebird was taking this in stride. "Well…maybe explain to them that we're just friends. Mama is expecting me to bring someone."
Charity shrugged. "It would be nice to go do something as low-key as a family get-together. I'd love to go."
Fenton beamed. "Thank you so much. But I have to warn you, my family can be a bit much. We can leave after an hour if you want. And my family doesn't get offended easily, so if you speak your mind and tell them to leave you alone, there won't be any hard feelings. Oh, and my cousins—"
"Fenton, it'll be fine," Charity said with a laugh. "I'm sure they're all wonderful. I'm looking forward to going."
Fenton smiled. "Again, thank you."
"It's the least I can do. I'm glad that you didn't have to miss out because of my curse," Charity said. Suddenly, a yawn seized her.
It spread, and Fenton yawned as well even if he didn't feel tired. He knew that yawns spread mentally whether a person was tired or not. And he remembered the only reason he wasn't feeling tired after the day he had had was because of the curse.
"Maybe we should get some sleep," Charity suggested, although she wished she could spend more time with Fenton. He was so calm and congenial; she felt so relaxed around him.
"Good idea," Fenton said. "I have to relieve Launchpad in a few hours, so I should try to get some winks in." He headed for the door. Before exiting, he turned and said, "Oh, one more thing. I talked to my boss…You met him."
"The guy who tried to fry my brain or something?" Charity suggested jokingly.
"That's him," Fenton said with a sheepish grin. "I called Dr. Gearloose tonight and asked if he could help us out with our 'friend' downstairs. Not only does he know the best psychiatrist in the US, but he also went to school with a chemist at a big pharmaceutical company that's developing a new fast-acting, anti-psychotic drug. The drug has just passed its experimental phase and is getting ready to be available on the market. If the psychiatrist says that Negaduck may be a good candidate for the drug, we can get him on it."
Charity rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck. "That's so great. Thank you, Fenton." She held him tight around his neck. And to her surprise, he wrapped his arms around her, his grip strong. When she breathed in, she could smell the remnants of soap and shampoo, a sign he must have showered recently.
Her heart raced as she longed to stay in his arms all night. Perhaps Fenton wasn't as safe as she thought. And her memories turned to what she felt when Aphrodite touched his chest. His heart felt different than Darkwing's. His emotions weren't as intense, but there had been a spark of interest. His feelings for her were new and innocent and fragile as if he were constantly breaking them down and building them up.
And surprisingly, Charity wasn't the only one within Fenton's heart. There was another girl sharing the space, a girl that she sensed that Fenton had harbored a crush on and even though there was betrayal between them, he still cared about her.
She hadn't felt jealous of this other girl. How could she when her emotions weren't one-hundred percent authentic? But she had seen in Fenton's heart that he had been lonely for a long time, feeling as if there was a chance of remaining single his entire life, that he opened his heart to any girl who showed an interest in him. She could see that while his feelings for her were genuine, there was also part of him that couldn't believe a pretty girl like Charity could like him for real, that he didn't deserve her attention.
She broke the embrace reluctantly, wishing she could chase away those doubts Fenton had about himself and let him know that any girl would be lucky to be with him, her included. But the curse would always leave a bitterness to her words. How could she reassure him when she was chained down by her emotions.
"Thank you again," she said, brushing back her hair. "For Jim and for the talk."
"Yeah," Fenton said, looking shy. He ran his fingers through his long hair as he backed out of the room.
Charity imagined doing the same, wondering what it would feel like to be so close. But if she was close enough to touch his hair, they would be close enough to kiss. Wow, I'm just as bad as Darkwing, she berated herself. "What time is your family's party?"
"Huh?" Fenton asked as if he had forgotten. "Oh. It's at noon. I'll call us a cab, okay?"
"Okay," Charity said, slowly closing the door, watching Fenton turn and walk back to his room. Just before she shut the door, she saw him glance back. She smiled, biting her bottom beak. She shouldn't take it this way, but it almost felt like he had asked her on a date. But they were just going meet his family…which was what you did with a girlfriend, wasn't it?
Charity knew it wasn't like that, but her heart was still dancing to its own song.
Scrooge slammed the phone down.
"It didn't go well?" Mrs. Beakley asked. She had been rearranging Scrooge's at-home desk, listening in on one side of the conversation.
"Dead end," Scrooge growled at the old-fashioned rotary phone. "After I practically gave them a rather generous donation, they finally gave me the name of the person who bought the Orb of Yue Xia Lao. Turns out, whoever made the bid used a false name. We're back to square one."
Mrs. Beakley took out a rag and started polishing a statue that had too much dust on it. "So, where do we go from here?"
"I don't know. I've never tried tracking down an ancient treasure that had already been discovered," Scrooge said, taking off his glasses to massage between his eyes. "If it was in some temple or dungeon, that would have been easy. For all I know, it could have passed through a hundred different hands, been in dozens of collections, or even destroyed. It's impossible."
"That's not something I've heard from you before," Mrs. Beakley said worriedly. "You must have some plan."
"The only thing I can think of is to hire an art broker, but that could take years," Scrooge said. "And throw my name in the mix, and I'll be paying top dollar."
"Is money really an issue?" Mrs. Beakley reprimanded.
"It's always an issue with me," Scrooge said grumpily. "No, I'll do what it takes to get that Orb for the lass, but I would have to have the Devil's own luck to find it."
As one, Mrs. Beakley and Scrooge's eyes popped open.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Mrs. Beakley asked, matching the elderly duck's gaze.
Scrooge growled, "I can't believe we're going to rely on him," and reached for the phone.
(Author's Notes: This chapter is a lot longer than it should have been, and during my last edit, I added a thousand words more because of reasons.
As you may have noticed, after several amazing chapters filled with action and awesomeness, this chapter is a lot calmer and slower. The next four chapters will be similar in pacing, but I assure you they will be necessary. As much as I love action and adventure, sometimes I long for some character development. Even though they aren't as fast-paced as the other chapters, I love this next section as it ties in a few things. And most importantly, these slower chapters are necessary and I hope are satisfactory to you readers.
See you next Tuesday.)