Author's note: I here by officially change the rating to PG-13 for slightly
elusive sexual references. I might be able to get away with PG but, just
to be on the safe side.
"You told them?!" Rylan yelled crossing the floor to Richie.
"Ry, I - -"
"I can't believe you!"
"I was just trying to help." He said trying unsuccessfully to calm her down.
"Help? Help! If you wanted to help you would have kept your big mouth shut!"
"Hey! I'm just looking out for you!" Richie tried to stay calm.
"Whatever! I can't believe this! A couple moths in a new place and you've totally changed!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" He couldn't keep the angry edge out of his voice.
"It's like you've completely forgotten what it's like out there!"
"Out where?"
"The real world, Richie! Not everyone gets to live with artists and antique dealers." She snapped gesturing to Duncan and Tessa standing in the doorway.
"Hey! I saw my chance to get out and I grabbed it! What was I supposed to do?"
"I don't blame you for getting out, man. Hell, I'd like to be here with you, but some of us aren't so lucky."
"Lucky?"
"Yeah, lucky. How many times can you break in somewhere and come out with a job? So, unless there's some other part of this little deal you three have going on here, you lucked out."
Duncan couldn't remain quiet anymore. "Okay, time out. I can understand you're mad at Richie. I can even understand you being mad at us. But I do not appreciate what you're implying about me or Tessa."
"Yeah, neither do I. Yell at me all you want, but leave them out of this." Richie said stepping closer to Rylan.
"What am I supposed to think?" She challenged looking up at him. "Why else would he hand you the get out of jail free card?"
"Maybe because he's a nice guy."
"Oh yeah, that's it."
"What did I just tell you, huh? Straiten up." Richie barked. "Not everybody is out to get you, you know. There are people in the world who just want to help. Like me, for example. Yeah, I told. But I held out. And after what I saw today, I'm thinking I shouldn't have." He took a deep breath. "Rylan, what if you had gotten hurt, really hurt, or worse? I saw that guy, he's big. You're lucky you got out with just bruises."
Rylan's jaw dropped. "You saw him? You were there? Richie! How stupid can a guy get?" She shoved him away from her.
"Hey, watch it! Don't go picking fights with me. You won't be able to handle it! So back off!" In one step he was an inch away from her. The two stood, fists clenched, glaring at eachother.
"He's just doing what he thinks is right." Tessa said breaking the silence.
"Well, it wasn't a very smart move." Rylan's eyes didn't leave Richie's.
"You know what's not a smart move?" Duncan asked forcing her to turn and look at him. "Trying to handle this by yourself. Why didn't you go to the police?"
"Oh, been there, done that, got the scars to prove it." Rylan said sandwiched between Duncan and Richie. "They're no help."
"She's right, Mac. The cops don't do squat. They'd just send her back." Richie said putting a protective hand on her shoulder.
"How do you know that, unless you try?" Duncan asked.
"Because we have. That's what they do. They never believe us."
"You mean this has happened before?"
"Yeah." Richie answered.
"You never told them?" Rylan asked softly, looking at him over her shoulder.
"It never came up until now."
"And it will come up again. But right now, Rylan and I are going on a little trip downtown." Duncan said taking her hand.
"No." She protested.
"Put on your shoes and meet me by the car." He instructed.
"Ry, go." Richie said reassuringly turning her toward his room. He walked with Duncan out to the car. "Mac, be patient with her. I've been where she is and it's scary. It was hard enough for her to tell me, then I went and blabbed to you guys- -"
"Richie, you did the right thing." Duncan interrupted.
"I know, just take care of her. Don't let her end up back with that creep."
"I won't, I promise. Now go back inside before you catch a cold." Richie turned toward the door. "And Rich,"
"Yeah, Mac?"
"We're going to have a talk when we get back."
"As long as there is a 'we' coming back. I'll be ready."
. . . . . .
Tessa watched Richie. "Why are you cleaning?"
"I can't sit still." He complained putting the broom away. "I hate waiting. All these worse case scenarios keep running through my head."
"Are worried what the police are going to do?"
"No. God, Tessa what would have happened to her if I had kept my promise?"
"Don't worry about that, the important thing is you didn't. And now Duncan is helping."
"Could you crawl into my head and convince me there? Just saying it is not helping."
"Richie, sit down." Tessa said guiding him to the table. "Do you want something to drink?"
"Yeah, I'll get it." He tried to go to the refrigerator.
"No, I'll get it." She said turning him around and forcing him into a chair. "You sit and relax."
"I can't." he moaned dropping his head onto the table.
"Yes, you can." Tessa insisted putting a glass of water in front of him. He held it in his hands and stared at it. "Richie, talk to me. Tell me what's on your mind, it will make you feel better." She reached across the table and put her hand on his arm. He tried to pull away, but she wouldn't let him. "Richie, what ever you are feeling. . . you can't keep it in. Tell me, I want to help."
"It's just. . ."
"It's just what?"
"I feel so guilty. Like I should have been there. I should have kept him away from her. I should have done, I don't know, something, anything. I shouldn't have left her."
"Is that what this is about? You think you left her?"
"No, yeah, I don't know. It's just, you heard what she said."
"About you changing and not remembering?"
"I do remember, though. That's why I changed. I knew what was going to happen to me if I kept up the way I was. What else was I supposed to do?"
"Richie, I'm sure she didn't mean what she said. She felt threatened and lashed out. You just got in the way."
"Boy did I."
"You did the right thing. You accepted our help and got yourself out when you got the chance. And the only thing you did wrong as far as Rylan is concerned is not saying anything sooner."
"I guess."
"There is no guess about it. You should have told us the morning she admitted to you what was going on. You should have told us any one of the times we asked you what was wrong. You should have told us the other night when you almost did."
"I should have, I should have, I should have. Damn it, Tessa, I know what I should have done! The point is I didn't!" Richie yelled standing up. "I'm the reason she's in the situation she's in now! I should have said something but I didn't! I didn't because I remember." He ranted.
"What do you remember?"
"I remember what happens when the police don't believe you. When they brush you off like you were just there to cause trouble. When they send you back." Tessa watched as he paced in front of her. "I remember what happened when they found out we tried to report them. I remember watching her, and I remember her watching me." His voice started shaking and he leaned against the wall.
"What do you remember?" Tessa asked crossing the floor to him. "What happened?" He shook his head and slid down the wall. "Richie, tell me."
"You don't want to know."
"Yes. I do." She insisted crouching in front of him.
"Trust me." He said taking a shaky breath.
"Richie. Richie look at me." She cupped his chin in her hand. "Do I not want to know, or do you not want to tell?"
His lower lip trembled slightly. "Both." He whispered.
"Richie, what happened? Tell me, I want to know."
"They, the cops, they didn't believe us the first time because we had not proof. The second time, they got their proof from a doctor."
"I don't understand."
"The only way we could prove anything was for Rylan to go to a gynecologist." He said slowly looking her in the eye.
"Oh, my. . . Richie, how old were you?"
"I was thirteen, she was eleven."
"Who did that to you? What happened to them?"
"Last I heard they were in jail."
"Oh, Richie," She whispered reaching out to hold him. He leaned against her. "I can't believe that anybody could do that to a child. I so sorry you had to go through that."
"I told you you didn't want to know." He mumbled into her shoulder.
"That is why you didn't say anything, you were afraid it would happen again?"
"Pretty stupid, huh?" He said looking up at her sheepishly.
"There is nothing stupid about it." She assured him, wiping away a tear that was sliding down his cheek. "The difference is now you have me and Duncan on your side. Rylan will be okay. Duncan and I will not let it happen again."
"You told them?!" Rylan yelled crossing the floor to Richie.
"Ry, I - -"
"I can't believe you!"
"I was just trying to help." He said trying unsuccessfully to calm her down.
"Help? Help! If you wanted to help you would have kept your big mouth shut!"
"Hey! I'm just looking out for you!" Richie tried to stay calm.
"Whatever! I can't believe this! A couple moths in a new place and you've totally changed!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" He couldn't keep the angry edge out of his voice.
"It's like you've completely forgotten what it's like out there!"
"Out where?"
"The real world, Richie! Not everyone gets to live with artists and antique dealers." She snapped gesturing to Duncan and Tessa standing in the doorway.
"Hey! I saw my chance to get out and I grabbed it! What was I supposed to do?"
"I don't blame you for getting out, man. Hell, I'd like to be here with you, but some of us aren't so lucky."
"Lucky?"
"Yeah, lucky. How many times can you break in somewhere and come out with a job? So, unless there's some other part of this little deal you three have going on here, you lucked out."
Duncan couldn't remain quiet anymore. "Okay, time out. I can understand you're mad at Richie. I can even understand you being mad at us. But I do not appreciate what you're implying about me or Tessa."
"Yeah, neither do I. Yell at me all you want, but leave them out of this." Richie said stepping closer to Rylan.
"What am I supposed to think?" She challenged looking up at him. "Why else would he hand you the get out of jail free card?"
"Maybe because he's a nice guy."
"Oh yeah, that's it."
"What did I just tell you, huh? Straiten up." Richie barked. "Not everybody is out to get you, you know. There are people in the world who just want to help. Like me, for example. Yeah, I told. But I held out. And after what I saw today, I'm thinking I shouldn't have." He took a deep breath. "Rylan, what if you had gotten hurt, really hurt, or worse? I saw that guy, he's big. You're lucky you got out with just bruises."
Rylan's jaw dropped. "You saw him? You were there? Richie! How stupid can a guy get?" She shoved him away from her.
"Hey, watch it! Don't go picking fights with me. You won't be able to handle it! So back off!" In one step he was an inch away from her. The two stood, fists clenched, glaring at eachother.
"He's just doing what he thinks is right." Tessa said breaking the silence.
"Well, it wasn't a very smart move." Rylan's eyes didn't leave Richie's.
"You know what's not a smart move?" Duncan asked forcing her to turn and look at him. "Trying to handle this by yourself. Why didn't you go to the police?"
"Oh, been there, done that, got the scars to prove it." Rylan said sandwiched between Duncan and Richie. "They're no help."
"She's right, Mac. The cops don't do squat. They'd just send her back." Richie said putting a protective hand on her shoulder.
"How do you know that, unless you try?" Duncan asked.
"Because we have. That's what they do. They never believe us."
"You mean this has happened before?"
"Yeah." Richie answered.
"You never told them?" Rylan asked softly, looking at him over her shoulder.
"It never came up until now."
"And it will come up again. But right now, Rylan and I are going on a little trip downtown." Duncan said taking her hand.
"No." She protested.
"Put on your shoes and meet me by the car." He instructed.
"Ry, go." Richie said reassuringly turning her toward his room. He walked with Duncan out to the car. "Mac, be patient with her. I've been where she is and it's scary. It was hard enough for her to tell me, then I went and blabbed to you guys- -"
"Richie, you did the right thing." Duncan interrupted.
"I know, just take care of her. Don't let her end up back with that creep."
"I won't, I promise. Now go back inside before you catch a cold." Richie turned toward the door. "And Rich,"
"Yeah, Mac?"
"We're going to have a talk when we get back."
"As long as there is a 'we' coming back. I'll be ready."
. . . . . .
Tessa watched Richie. "Why are you cleaning?"
"I can't sit still." He complained putting the broom away. "I hate waiting. All these worse case scenarios keep running through my head."
"Are worried what the police are going to do?"
"No. God, Tessa what would have happened to her if I had kept my promise?"
"Don't worry about that, the important thing is you didn't. And now Duncan is helping."
"Could you crawl into my head and convince me there? Just saying it is not helping."
"Richie, sit down." Tessa said guiding him to the table. "Do you want something to drink?"
"Yeah, I'll get it." He tried to go to the refrigerator.
"No, I'll get it." She said turning him around and forcing him into a chair. "You sit and relax."
"I can't." he moaned dropping his head onto the table.
"Yes, you can." Tessa insisted putting a glass of water in front of him. He held it in his hands and stared at it. "Richie, talk to me. Tell me what's on your mind, it will make you feel better." She reached across the table and put her hand on his arm. He tried to pull away, but she wouldn't let him. "Richie, what ever you are feeling. . . you can't keep it in. Tell me, I want to help."
"It's just. . ."
"It's just what?"
"I feel so guilty. Like I should have been there. I should have kept him away from her. I should have done, I don't know, something, anything. I shouldn't have left her."
"Is that what this is about? You think you left her?"
"No, yeah, I don't know. It's just, you heard what she said."
"About you changing and not remembering?"
"I do remember, though. That's why I changed. I knew what was going to happen to me if I kept up the way I was. What else was I supposed to do?"
"Richie, I'm sure she didn't mean what she said. She felt threatened and lashed out. You just got in the way."
"Boy did I."
"You did the right thing. You accepted our help and got yourself out when you got the chance. And the only thing you did wrong as far as Rylan is concerned is not saying anything sooner."
"I guess."
"There is no guess about it. You should have told us the morning she admitted to you what was going on. You should have told us any one of the times we asked you what was wrong. You should have told us the other night when you almost did."
"I should have, I should have, I should have. Damn it, Tessa, I know what I should have done! The point is I didn't!" Richie yelled standing up. "I'm the reason she's in the situation she's in now! I should have said something but I didn't! I didn't because I remember." He ranted.
"What do you remember?"
"I remember what happens when the police don't believe you. When they brush you off like you were just there to cause trouble. When they send you back." Tessa watched as he paced in front of her. "I remember what happened when they found out we tried to report them. I remember watching her, and I remember her watching me." His voice started shaking and he leaned against the wall.
"What do you remember?" Tessa asked crossing the floor to him. "What happened?" He shook his head and slid down the wall. "Richie, tell me."
"You don't want to know."
"Yes. I do." She insisted crouching in front of him.
"Trust me." He said taking a shaky breath.
"Richie. Richie look at me." She cupped his chin in her hand. "Do I not want to know, or do you not want to tell?"
His lower lip trembled slightly. "Both." He whispered.
"Richie, what happened? Tell me, I want to know."
"They, the cops, they didn't believe us the first time because we had not proof. The second time, they got their proof from a doctor."
"I don't understand."
"The only way we could prove anything was for Rylan to go to a gynecologist." He said slowly looking her in the eye.
"Oh, my. . . Richie, how old were you?"
"I was thirteen, she was eleven."
"Who did that to you? What happened to them?"
"Last I heard they were in jail."
"Oh, Richie," She whispered reaching out to hold him. He leaned against her. "I can't believe that anybody could do that to a child. I so sorry you had to go through that."
"I told you you didn't want to know." He mumbled into her shoulder.
"That is why you didn't say anything, you were afraid it would happen again?"
"Pretty stupid, huh?" He said looking up at her sheepishly.
"There is nothing stupid about it." She assured him, wiping away a tear that was sliding down his cheek. "The difference is now you have me and Duncan on your side. Rylan will be okay. Duncan and I will not let it happen again."