If I could
Then I would
I'll go wherever you will go
Wait up I
Fall down low
I'll go wherever you will go
--from Wherever You Go by The Calling
Before he was even aware he was asleep, Micah was drifting awake. One slender finger was stroking his nose, bringing him back into conciousness.
"Mmn." He frowned sleepily and tried to squirm away. "Mmph -- stop --" Micah heard a soft laugh.
"Wake up, sweetheart," Gabe murmured. "We're almost to Hemmingford." He cracked an eyelid at her and scowled.
"M' tired," he mumbled, turning his face to the door. "I wanna sleep." Micah's head was swimming and pounding, and the last thing he wanted to do was pull out of the warmth of sleep.
"You have to wake up, honey." Gabe stroked his forearm lightly, running the tip of her finger over his skin. "Micah. Wake up."
"No..." he whined, and pulled away. There was a pause. Then, carefully, she took his chin and made his eyes meet hers. Micah blinked sleepily. "I'm tired," he mumbled piteously. His small headache had turned into a splitting migraine, and the pain nearly brought tears to his eyes. "Please, just let me--" But before he could say 'sleep', Gabe pressed her lips tenderly to his. The kiss was warm and gentle; it lasted a few long moments before she finally drew away. Micah watched her in surprise -- there had been something different about her that time. He couldn't pinpoint what, but the kiss had certainly woken him up.
"We're here," Gabe said quietly.
Micah felt his insides crawl in fear.
"Oh?" he said softly, trying to sound nonchalant. Gabe, still rather close to his face, ran the tip of her finger over his cheekbone.
"We've stopped at a gas station. Edith went in for some soda. We'll be at the Inn in a few minutes." She offered a weak smile. "You all right?"
"Certainly." Micah flashed her the most authentic grin he could muster. Gabe didn't buy it. He hesitated, then spoke quietly. "You didn't have to come, Gabe," he murmured. She was silent for a moment; her blue eyes looked thoughtful and cloudy. Gentle fingertips moved carefully over his strands of black hair. Then, at last, she whispered,
"I would never let you do this on your own. Never. No matter what happened. Micah, I'm going wherever you go -- and I'm going to help you through this." There was another short pause. Gabe pressed her mouth tenderly to his, and Micah felt that unidentifiable trace of something again. He felt a quick chill -- for a moment, he even thought the hairs on his arms stood up -- but it passed and he put his hands behind her head, tangling his fingers in her hair.
"Ah--" There was a soft voice venturing from the open van window. "--am I interrupting something?" Micah pulled away from Gabe quickly, already feeling his face flush.
"Danny," he murmured. Gabe leaned back in her seat, and Micah noticed with mild amusement that she was an interesting shade of pink as well. The blonde boy leaned on the car door, looking a little embarrassed.
"Yeah -- uh --" He glanced at Gabe and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry." He extended a hand towards her. "I'm Danny Garrett."
"Pleasure," Gabe murmured, and took his hand to shake it. She was still rather red in the face. Danny turned his gaze back to Micah.
"Um, Micah," he said, and grinned weakly. "Been a while, huh?" Micah rubbed at his cheeks and hoped that he wasn't as pink as Gabe.
"Yeah." He smiled thinly. "S' been quite a while."
(Last time I saw you, you were staring at me like some idiot while I got eaten up by a Harvester.)
Danny shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, I caught Lacey using the phone last night, and I heard some of the things she was saying to you." He rubbed at the nape of his neck awkwardly with one tanned hand. "I'm sorry. She's just been kind of -- wired lately." Gabe shot Micah a look -- one that said 'Oh, really?' -- but he tried to pretend he didn't see.
"Understandable," Micah murmured.
"Um..." Danny shifted from one foot to the other. The car horn a few spaces over honked loudly; he looked relieved as he glanced over his shoulder. "I gotta go. See ya when we get to the Inn." Danny offered them one last grin. "Nice meeting you--" He paused, not knowing her name.
"Gabe," she said, and tried to smile.
"Nice meeting you, Gabe," he said quickly, and hurried off to Garrett's car. They both watched him leave, silent for a few moments.
"That... was so... embarrassing," Gabe murmured. Micah snickered into his hand, trying to cover his own embarrassment.
"Yeah." He shot a sidelong glance at her. She was staring after Danny, and Micah felt a faint wave of irrational jealousy. But after the whole incident with 'Jeremiah', he knew better than to trust his testosterone-induced anger. "Nice jeans he's wearing, huh?" he asked, and smiled with the corner of his mouth. Gabe looked at him, eyes wide and surprised.
"What are you--" Then she saw his teasing grin and relaxed. "Oh-- oh, you little--" Gabe unbuckled her seatbelt. Micah saw the threatening movement and leaned hard against the van door again.
"Not fair!" he cried. "Unable to walk!" She slung her arms around his neck, then pressed her forehead against his.
"Are you suggesting," she murmured, "that I was looking at Danny's end region?" Micah grinned widely and decided to tempt fate.
"I call 'em as I see 'em." He made a playful face at her. "Your eyes were so big when you stared at his ass I thought they'd fall out of your head." Gabe raised her eyebrows.
"They were not!" Then she smiled, though it looked reluctant. "Danny isn't half as sexy as you," she murmured. Micah felt his face grow warm, a blush creeping down into his collar.
"Sure, sure," he mumbled. Gabe smile grew into a grin, the corners of her mouth twitching slightly.
"I speak only the truth." Then she paused and seemed to sober. "We're gonna be okay, Micah." She nuzzled her nose lightly against his cheek. "Promise."
"Thanks," he said softly. Gabe moved closer to his nose, nuzzling carefully.
"Love you," she murmured. Micah glanced sideways, out the window; Garrett and Company were still waiting impatiently in their car, and Edith was still inside the gas station. Apparently, buying soda was no easy task around Hemmingford. He returned his gaze back to her face and let a smile surface.
"Love you too." Micah tipped his head to meet her lips, pressing them to his in a tender kiss. Gabe's arms tightened around his neck; he was just beginning to forget how close to Hell he was when the car door banged open and in lumbered Edith with a few 24 packs of Diet Pepsi.
"We're ready to--" she began, and grinned when they both pulled away. They were a second too late -- Edith had already seen, and the broad smile on her face showed that. "Well well well," she said teasingly, sliding the cases of soda into the back seat. "Can't leave you two alone for a minute, can I?" Micah smiled through yet another flush of embarrassment.
"Guess not." Gabe hurried back to her seat and clicked the seatbelt into place.
"Don't be jealous, Edith," she said cheerfully. Micah glanced at her sideways.
(Quite cute when she's red in the face.)
He smirked.
"On our way to Hemmingford, then?" Edith asked over her shoulder. A chill swept through Micah.
"On our way," he said, voice softer. Gabe reached over and took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently.
"Promise," she whispered. Micah glanced at her and smiled weakly.
"Thanks."
(Even cuter when she's the only thing standing between me and a complete nervous breakdown.)
He laced their fingers together with care. Edith started the engine.
"Stop whispering back there." She glanced in the rearview mirror and glimpsed the Garretts' car pulling out of the gas station. "We should be in Hemmingford in about 15 minutes."
"Grand," he muttered. Gabe didn't hear, and he was glad for it. Micah turned his gaze out the window. "Simply grand."
The van pulled slowly up the long, winding driveway. Hemmingford, Micah had noted, was still quiet and sleepy -- but there weren't nearly as many people as there had been before. Oh, sure, there were a few locals on the street, but not many.
(Wonder why.)
A tight knot of fear settled in his chest, one he couldn't swallow away. It was going to be quite a vacation.
"Beautiful town," Edith said merrily.
(Sure. It's fucking Suburbia.)
Micah glanced around worriedly, the tightness in his chest increasing.
(don't wanna be here I don't)
Gabe touched his shoulder lightly.
"You okay?" she murmured, thumb moving in a slow circle over the base of his neck. He looked to her and forced a smile.
"Peachy," he said softly, and his chest tightened painfully. Gabe stroked the folds of his t-shirt with great care.
"I'll help you with your chair."
"No, dear," Edith said, pulling the keys out of the ignition. "I'll get him out. You get the bags ready to unload." She looked a little reluctant, but Gabe drew her hand back.
"N'kay." Gabe turned and climbed into the back of the van ato dig through the luggage. The door of the van slid open; sunlight flooded into Micah's eyes, and he was able to see the Come Sleep With Me Bed 'N Breakfast behind Edith's large form.
(Come Sleep With Me. Appropriate title, eh, Angela?)
He smirked at the memory as Edith lowered the lift -- and then he stopped. There was someone running out of the Inn.
"You're alive!" shrieked the bouncing mop of blonde hair, and bounded towards him. He stiffened.
"Uh--" Micah's wheelchair hit the ground with a thump. His vision adjusted to the bright light; now he could see who it was -- and he almost wished he couldn't. "Ruth," Micah said weakly, forcing a polite smile. The girl -- if you could call her that; Micah thought she looked more like a blonde curly mop -- clasped her hands worriedly in front of her.
"Oh -- oh God --" Ruth shifted a little from foot to foot with nervous energy. Her eyes flicked over the wheelchair quickly, then back to him. "Micah--"
"Ruth," he said again, and wondered if she was just making sure he knew his own name. Unable to bear it any longer, Ruth threw her arms around Micah's neck, who made a surprised noise of discomfort.
"You don't know how much I've missed you, it's been months, simply months--" Her words were coming out in a frantic flood, and he almost had trouble understanding her. "--I was so worried, Micah, I was sure you were dead--"
"Almost," Micah said drily, stiff under her touch. Ruth pulled away, almost as if on some silent cue, and blushed furiously.
"I'm -- I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me--" She blushed even harder and glanced at a tree, pretending to be interested in it. Edith lumbered past them, suitcases in her arms.
" 'Lo," she said cheerfully to Ruth, and went through the front door. Recovering, Ruth whirled towards Edith and did a small cursey. Micah didn't think anyone curtseyed anymore.
"How do you do?" she said politely, then turned -- and stopped. Micah glanced over his shoulder to see what she was staring at. He saw Gabe, looking around curiously and climbing out of the van.
"Looks like something out of Better Homes And Gardens," she murmured, and grinned. Gabe paused, jammed her hands into her pockets, then trotted over towards them. Micah noted with mild pleasure that Ruth was looking stiff. Her mouth worked a little, then finally clenched into something of a controlled smile.
"Care to introduce us, Micah?" Ruth asked through her false courtesy. He had to repress a grin; it had been quite a while since he'd seen Ruth, and he'd forgotten how much she annoyed him.
"Gabe, this is--" His hands gestured expressively towards the other girl. "--an acquaintance of mine, Ruth." Micah sounded casual, but his choice of words made Ruth bristle. She tried to hide it, but he saw anyway. His grin grew. "And Ruth, this is Gabe." Ruth's eyes flicked towards Gabe, who was glancing around with mild interest. Only half aware of what she was doing, Gabe placed her hands on Micah's shoulders to knead them gently. Something to keep her hands limber, he supposed, but his smile split into a broad grin at her touch. He couldn't have asked for anything better. "Did I mention," Micah said lazily, leaning back in his wheelchair, "that Gabe's my girlfriend?" The color drained from Ruth's face; she pressed her lips together in a thin line.
"Oh," she said, and tried to smile. It didn't work out. Micah felt a faint pang of guilt, but she had been one of the Children who stared while he slowly got eaten by the Harvester. And she had been quite... friendly with him before, the way she was always hanging around and constantly touching his shoulder. Yet when the time for friends had been crucial, where was she? Running around, screaming her mop of a head off about how He was coming and they had to repent. Much as he hated to admit it, Micah was getting pleasure from watching Ruth squirm.
"Nice to meet you," Gabe said cheerfully, and moved her thumbs in slow circles over his back.
"The same," Ruth said stiffly. Gabe turned her attention back to Micah and kissed the top of his head lightly.
"I'm going in to help Edith with the bags. You coming?"
"Sure," he agreed, and flashed Ruth a false smile. "Nice seeing you again, Ruth." She watched him for one long, uncomfortable moment, then down at her tennis shoes.
"Yeah." Her mouth twitched into a dry smile. "Nice seeing you again." Micah's fake smile twitched into a smirk as Gabe helped him over the bump and into the house.
(Take that, bitch. I wasn't your boyfriend before, and I'm not now. So there.)
Gabe pushed him carefully through the hallway, glancing into doorways.
"Anyone home?" she called, and her voice echoed eerily. Garrett and Company had pulled off into another street after a brief conversation; they had another pitstop to make, so they'd meet up with Micah and the rest later. Apparently, their task wasn't accomplished yet.
"Hello?" Micah chimed in. Gabe reached the end of the hallway and turned into the dining room.
"I don't think anyone's here," she murmured into his ear. He leaned his head back against the seat and sighed quietly.
"Maybe we'll have some time to ourselves." Gabe gave a soft laugh and pressed her nose briefly into his hair.
"You can only hope." They went quietly through the silent kitchen. "No one here," she said.
"I guess no one but Garrett and his family stay in the Bed 'N Breakfast now." Micah turned around to smile at Gabe. "That means we'll have plenty of time to--" Her face broke into a broad grin and she tweaked his nose playfully.
"Get your mind out of the gutter," she snickered, and then stopped. Her eyes drifted past him, and Micah turned to look at what she'd seen.
"What's wr--" he began, and stopped as abruptly as Gabe. The living room was filled with children. About fifteen of them, he estimated -- sprawled on couches, sitting in chairs, lying on the floor. They looked up to him with wide, frightened eyes, and Micah realized something even more startling than the room full of silent children.
He knew every one of them.
These were the Children of the Corn.
