When Catherine woke up the next morning, it was only because Michael had refused to stop jumping on the bed. She was unhappy to see that it wasn't even dawn yet, but glad to see Will was also rubbing his eyes and yawning widely.
She glared at Bran, who was whistling cheerfully. "Pod people come and take you away?"
Bran grinned at her amiably, only making her madder. "Perhaps. How would you like your eggs?"
"Will, hit him. I don't have the energy."
John Rowlands walked through the door. "Here," he called. "When are we leaving?"
"Right after breakfast. Want anything?" Bran asked, getting out the orange juice.
"Might as well," John Rowlands said, helping him in the kitchen. They divided the work easily. Will and Catherine looked at each other and shook their heads. Will sat down on the couch, trying to get away with sleeping and closing his eyes. Catherine just sat where she was and rested her head on the table.
"Don't you have any pancakes?" Michael asked.
"Nope. Welsh breakfast. Traditional Welsh breakfast."
"Mom, they don't have pancakes."
"News for you, dear. They don't have electricity either," she mumbled, keeping her eyes closed.
"You don't believe me?" Bran asked, pretending to be hurt.
"No toilets, either." She sighed and sat up. "Can't we just go back to bed? No one else is going to be up for ages."
"News for you, dear," Michael mimicked her. "This is Wales. They wake up early. Really early."
"Do I look like I care?" she demanded.
"Sooner we get going, the sooner we can find Jane," Bran reminded her. Will sighed and came back into the kitchen, and Catherine at least hesitated.
"Ought to have asked for pay," she muttered.
"Bran?" Isabella called. Catherine looked at her, changed it to a glare quickly, and mumbled. Sure, Isabella actually had pajamas. It occurred to Catherine that she'd been wearing the same thing for a night and two days. She hoped it wasn't too bad.
"Hmm?"
"Are you leaving?"
"As soon as possible."
Isabella nodded. "Do you need anything?"
"No, thank you. You might as well got back to bed and get some sleep."
Catherine groaned loudly, hiding her face in her hands. John Rowlands patted her back and handed her some breakfast with a grin.
"All right," Isabella said softly. "Good luck."
"Thanks."He looked to John Rowlands. "Simon and Barney?"
John Rowlands shook his head. "They wouldn't wake up for the apocalypse at this point. I couldn't bear to drag them all the way here."
Catherine groaned again. If possible, it was louder than the last.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Catherine said a bit nervously. "Because if you don't know what you're doing, I'm going to throw a hissy fit the likes of which the universe has never seen and will never see again. No offense, Bran, but I do have limits."
"It's just another old, dilapidated building," Bran said, tapping the wall.
Catherine hugged herself. "That looks like a prison."
"Look on the bright side," Will told her. He gave Bran a small nod and led Catherine and Michael down the hallway. Bran and John Rowlands headed the other way.
Will hadn't gone twenty paces when Catherine whispered, "She's here."
"How do you know?" he whispered back.
"Because Daniel is. I recognize the stench. It smells like fresh dead rat."
Will gave her an odd look and looked around the corner, seeing Eddie and Sammy by the door. He turned back to her. "All right. Stay here." He left before she could even nod.
Behind him, Catherine sighed. No way was she staying out of this. Will could save Jane all he wanted, but Catherine was going to get rid of the root of the problem. She just had to make sure Michael stayed where he was supposed to. Michael. "Michael?" she looked around. She frowned. Her kid had picked one hell of a time to take after her, figuratively. He had disappeared. "Just great," she muttered. Well, he couldn't have gotten passed her; they would have noticed. She started walking down the hallway, checking doors.
At last she heard a voice coming from one. Biting her lip, she slowly pushed the door open. "Michael!" She rushed to him and bounced off something. "Michael?"
"Nope. Try again."
Catherine looked up at Daniel, then to Michael, who was looking at her with a slight degree of amusement. She started mentally kicking herself for her tough talk.
Will opened the door and hastily pulled back as a fist with a sharp-looking pin almost hit his shoulder. "Jane!" he shouted. "Cut it out!"
"Will? Will!" Jane grinned at him and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry about the pin. You wouldn't believe the week I've had!" She laughed.
"The week you've had? What about everyone else? We've all been looking for you!"
"Well, thank you very much, but you weren't the one tied to a chair in a wedding dress."
"At least it's a nice wedding dress," Will told her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. And you haven't even seen the dress yet."
"Don't have to. Come on, we need to get Catherine and Michael and then meet up with Bran and Rowlands."
"Catherine and Michael? Where are they?" Jane followed him down the hall, stepping over Eddie and Sammy on the floor and holding on tightly to one of his hands. "Daniel was talking about them. He said- What is it?"
Will frowned at the empty hallway. "I told them to stay right here," he said, indicating the empty space with his free hand.
Jane looked at him. "Well, where could they have gone? You don't think Daniel-"
"It's doubtful," Will told her, not truly believing it. "Come on. Let's get Bran and Rowlands. Maybe they found her."
Although Jane looked a bit dubious, she followed, amazed at how quiet everything was. "Is no one here? It's so dusty!"
"Yeah, a bunch of the others we looked at were dusty too."
"How many did you look at?" Jane asked curiously.
"A lot." Will grinned at her and turned a corner.
Jane gasped. "Will! Look out, would you?"
"Nobody's there!"
"So?"
"Will, you'll be the married sort soon. Get used to it. Hey, Jane."
"Hey, Bran. I haven't seen you in-"
"Years," he said, nodding. "John? We found her."
"We?" Will joked. "I saw you lifting a finger!"
"I lifted a whole sword, actually. And I think I busted my back from doing just that." Bran grinned. "Where are Catherine and Michael?"
Will frowned. "I'd been hoping they were with you."
Bran shook his head. "I haven't seen them. Where did you last see them?" After Will gave him directions, Bran nodded and told him, "Take Jane home and come back in case I need help. John, staying?" When John Rowlands nodded, Bran continued. "Good. This way."
© 2001. More to come. Sorry this one took so long, but school started, and a long vacation, and then FFN was down for a while, but I'm back, and promising there's more to come. Everyone, thanks for the reviews, and thanks for reading!
