A Caroline in the City/Northern Exposure Crossover
by Ann Fox and Sarah Stella
1998
Winner of 1998 CitC fanfic mailing list contest: "Best Crossover fanfic"
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Part Five
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"You gals sure know how to pick 'em," commented Annie as Alex and Gwen deposited their luggage on her apartment floor. "That Ed sure is a cute one."
"You haven't changed a bit, Annie," said Gwen.
Annie rewarded her with a big, toothy grin. "Well, it seems to be working for me. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?"
"I guess," Gwen replied.
"So, what's the deal with you and Richard?" Alex asked Annie.
"Yeah," agreed Gwen. "You two seemed like you hated each other."
Annie clicked her tongue. "Well, we don't exactly hate each other. He's just so fun to pick on. I guess he feels the same way about me. He really is a nice guy, but he's always got that whole death cloud hanging over his head. It's nothing big--we just like to give each other a hard time."
"Oh," said Alex.
"So what exactly is going on between Richard and Caroline?" asked Gwen.
"Ah," replied Annie, flopping down between the girls on the couch. "Well, it's all really complicated. All because of that slut Julia."
"Who's Julia?" asked the girls in sync.
"Richard's wife," Annie scoffed. "She's Italian, she's rich, and she's gorgeous. Three reasons she wouldn't be with someone like Richard. But she is."
"Why?" asked Alex.
"Who knows? I don't get it. Anyway, she really is the only thing keeping Richard and Caroline apart. I don't know why he doesn't just dump the bitch and get on with it."
"Ed said their demons were keeping them apart," Gwen pointed out.
"Yeah, like I said, it's Julia," laughed Annie.
"No, really," Gwen said seriously. "That's why he's here. He's trying to help them fight their demons."
"No kiddin'?" said Annie. "Well, good luck to him, then. I always thought Richard's demons needed a little exorcising."
The girls looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Gwen picked up the small plastic bag sitting next to her on the couch and examined its contents. "Hey, where'd you get this, Annie?" she asked.
Annie took the bag from her and pulled out the metal ornament: a fish with legs, the center reading "Darwin". "They were sellin' them down outside Bloomingdale's. Five bucks apiece."
"That's cool!" said Alex, jumping up and grabbing it out of Annie's hand. "I've seen those 'Jesus' fish on cars before, but I never saw a 'Darwin' one before."
"What're you going to do with it?" asked Gwen. "You don't have a car."
Annie shrugged as Alex handed it back to her. "I dunno. I just thought it was cool. Who knows where I'm gonna put it."
Alex sat down at the piano and started tapping the keys. "Wow, your piano is in tune," she commented.
Annie set the fish down and joined her on the bench. She hit middle C. "I know. Amazing, huh?"
"Can you still play 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina'?" asked Gwen, her eyes hopeful.
Annie scanned her brain for a moment. "I can try." Alex stood up to give Annie more room at the bench. Annie tested a few keys before finding the correct key to play the piece in. Her long and slender fingers flowed over the keys, playing the song's introduction as if she'd been practicing for weeks instead of the reality of the situation--she hadn't played the song for years.
"I wish I had my sax," said Gwen sadly.
Alex set her hand on Gwen's shoulder consolingly. "It won't be easy, you'll think it strange," she sang, her voice soft and mellifluous, "when I try to explain how I feel, that I still need your love after all that I've done."
"You won't believe me," Gwen joined in. "All you will see is a girl you once knew, although she's dressed up to the nines, at sixes and sevens with you."
"I had to let it happen, I had to change; couldn't stay all my life down at heel, looking out of the window, staying out of the sun. So I chose freedom, running around trying everything new, but nothing impressed me at all. I never expected it to," they sang.
"Don't cry for me, Argentina," lilted Annie, taking the chorus, "the truth is I never left you. All through my wild days, my mad existence, I kept my promise. Don't keep your distance."
The three female voices harmonized the rest of the song, Gwen and Alex taking the alto part, letting Annie sing the melody as they always had when they were younger. Musical talent ran in the Spadaro family, especially in the women. All of them had wonderful singing voices.
When the song was over, Gwen turned to Alex and laughed. "I think Annie would make a good Evita, don't you?"
"She's got part of the lifestyle down already," commented Alex.
Annie nudged Alex in the arm. "Just watch it or you'll be out in the street."
Alex smiled and sat down next to Annie. "Hey, I learned how to play 'Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats'," she said.
"You didn't," moaned Annie.
"Sure did," smirked Alex.
The last time they'd been together, the girls had begged Annie to perform something from "Cats," but had been disappointed that there hadn't been music for her to sing and dance to. This time there was no getting out of it.
"Well, all right," Annie decided, getting up from the bench. Gwen sat down at the piano with Alex as she played the song for Annie. They watched her excitedly, but soon the three of them ended up rolling around on the floor, giggling like preschoolers. It was as if they had never been separated by time or distance, as if they were still the carefree children they'd been ten years ago.
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"Why on earth should we go with you to Alaska?" questioned Richard. Ed had explained to them that the only way he could help them to ward off their demons would be to take them to his native environment, where he was in tune with Nature.
"Do you want the Green Man hanging around you for the rest of your life?" asked Ed. "He's only going to get more annoying and harder to get rid of."
"I still don't understand how you think that taking us to a cold, frozen tundra is going to help us get rid of an imaginary midget," whined Richard, "or a Tinkerbell clone."
Caroline had become unusually quiet. Ed could see that Meekness had a stronger hold on her than he'd originally thought. Richard also seemed to be under the control of Mistrust, but he really couldn't blame the man. Most people had a difficult time accepting anything out of the norm.
"I can't make you come with me," shrugged Ed. "But I did come all the way out here to help you." Ed was hoping against hope that Richard was compassionate enough to be affected by his words. He really wanted to help them, but he couldn't do anything unless they wanted to be helped.
No one spoke for a moment; Richard held his head in his hands exhaustedly as Caroline chewed on her lip nervously. "I'll be here for a few more days," said Ed. "Think about it for awhile."
He turned around to leave, but Caroline called after him. "Where are you staying, Ed?" Richard looked at her exasperatedly, as if she were suddenly taking sides. "In case we want to contact you," she explained, more for Richard's benefit than Ed's.
"I'm not sure," he admitted, sheepishly staring down at his black and white Converse tennis shoes. "I guess I could go find a hotel. I left on a whim, so I really didn't think that far ahead."
Caroline stood up. "Why don't you stay here for awhile?" she asked. "I mean, who knows? Maybe you can help us here."
Richard scoffed, as if she'd offended him with her offer. Ed smiled, despite Richard's reaction. "Thanks, Caroline. That's really nice of you."
Richard shook his head in disgust.
He's going to be a tough one to deal with, thought Ed, simultaneously contemplating Richard's demon and the man himself. A tough one indeed.
"You can have the couch," said Caroline as Richard got up. "It pulls out to a bed."
"Great," said Ed.
"I'm going home," announced Richard wearily. "Julia's probably starting to worry and I have a monster of a headache."
"Uh, okay, Richard," stammered Caroline. "See you tomorrow, then."
A grimace contorted his attractive features once more before he slipped out the door, once again forgetting his portfolio on the couch.
When he'd gone, Caroline sighed heavily as she played with the portfolio's zipper and turned to Ed. "He gets that way sometimes," she apologized.
"He'll come around. Especially if he sees 'it' again." Ed nodded. "He seems to be as stubborn as his demon. That type of personality seems to attract the Green Man."
Caroline shrugged. "Tell me something, Ed. You said that Self-doubt was after you once. How exactly did you get rid of him?"
Caroline listened quietly as he recounted his story of the Green Man. When he had finished, she said, "You do realize how strange that sounds, don't you?"
He nodded. "Of course. It's only human nature to be skeptical of the unknown."
"You know, Ed, you sure seem to be wise for your age. How old are you?"
"Twenty-four," he replied. "I've learned a lot from Leonard. He's a medicine man too; he's been teaching me about the ways of the shaman. Up until about two years ago, I didn't even think I had the gift. All I wanted to do was make films. I still do, but I've been investigating this whole spiritual thing and it seems to be the path I'm supposed to follow."
"Wow," mused Caroline for about the tenth time that evening.
"Ed?" she asked.
"Hmm?"
"How can we get rid of Meekness?"
"Well, first she has to show herself. I won't be able to do anything until I'm able to meet her face to face."
"So what do we do now?" asked Caroline.
"Wait," said Ed, yawning. "And go to bed. I'm exhausted."
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Richard trudged through the door of the apartment he shared with his wife, Julia. A rustling from the kitchen greeted him.
"Julia, honey, I'm home," he called.
He was only answered by more rustling. "Julia?" he called, scuffling over to the kitchen.
When he stepped into the room, he nearly had a heart attack. Instead of seeing Julia like he had expected, there on the floor, amid a sea of cellophane and bubblewrap, was the Green Man.
"Richie," he said in a low, scratchy voice, his tone almost scolding, "You really oughtta keep this place cleanah. I can't even wohk aroun' heah."
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Continued in Part Six
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