I am SO sorry it took so long for me to get this chapter up but I have been
really busy. Well enough chit chat you want to read.
Rock, who had just been sneaking out of a side door of the mansion, had many things on his mind. Ever since he had brought Summer home with him the beatings that Duke Red had regularly administered to him had slacked off. And thinking of Summer, he hadn't seen her since that last little episode in the bedroom a week ago. He was starting to miss her happy outlook. With these thoughts on his mind it took a few seconds for the screams that were filling the alley to register in his mind.
Summer was screaming her heart out. With every second that passed her grip became less and less sure. She knew that she only had a moment before she slipped and fell to her death. In that moment one thought flashed to mind. Rock. As if in slow motion her grip failed and she started her fall, only to have it broken by a hand reaching to grasp her wrist. A pair of sunglasses toppled past her into the abyss below as she stared up into the determined blue eyes of her rescuer.
He hauled her back up over the railing and they tumbled to the ground where they lay for a moment recovering from the close call. Then he slowly sat up and drew her to him in a tight hug. "What were you thinking?" "I just wanted to look at the gears working." As she looked up at him their gazes locked. "What would have happend if I hadn't showed up and saved you? Did you even think about what I would have done without you?" Tears began to fill her eyes. "I'm sorry."
As they sat there on the ground a silence came over the scene. Rock leaned slowly forward toward Summer. Just before their lips locked... "Aaaachoooo!" Summer sneezed and sprayed him saliva and tears. Rock wiped the saliva out of his eyes and glared at her. "I'm sorry Rock. I just couldn't..." As she was studying his face she burst out laughing. There was a huge booger on his cheek. She reached over and wiped it off still giggleing histerically. He asked her what was so funny and she told him.
He cringed, and began chuckeling lightly. Then he smacked her over the head. She gave him a betrayed puppydog look then cracked up again. He groaned and rolled his eyes. When the scene had calmed down Rock and Summer stood up and leaned against the rail and stared down at the gears that had nearly caused a tragety only minuets before. "So Rock," Summer started conversationaly to break the silence that had fallen, "what exactly would it take for me to become your sidekick?" "A new outfit for one thing. And you owe me a new pair of sunglasses."
Summer looked down at her ratty pair of old pants and T-shirt blushing. "Well I suspect you know exactly where I can get such things. So you can show me." She brought her hand down on his back with a thump, then looked at him funny when he grunted in pain. " Umm, Rock? Are you okay?" "Just peachy." "That does it. Come with me." She grabbed his arm and drug him ito a little cove made by two buildings coming together that formed a private little area. "Take off you shirt Rock." she commanded. He glared at her. "No." "Now Rock." "I told you no!" "I'll do it myself then!" She reached over and began ripping the shirt off of him. "Cut it out! I'll take it off."
He turned around and pulled the shirt over his head revealing his angry red, welted back. Summer gasped in horror. It hadn't been just a creepy dream. When he turned back around to face her he had a sad look on his face. "Those should be bandaged Rock." Summers voice was calm. Too calm. "Put your shirt back on and come with me." He did as was told and followed her to an eqivelent of todays red cross where she got a first aid kit. Then she led him back to her house where she took him into an empty room.
She went to a sink that was in the corner and washed her hands. "Take off your shirt and lay down on your stomach over there." He took off his shirt and went over to the pile of sacks she had intended."Here?" "Yeah." She opened the first aid kit and took out some bandages and rubbing alcohol. Opening the alcohol she poured some on a clean cloth she had pulled out of a cupboard. She walked over and knelt down next to Rock. "This will hurt." she warned him and then began dabbing his back. Rock gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound until Summer had finished cleaning and bandaging his wounds.
When Summer finished she put everything away and washed her hands. "Rock, if something like this ever happens again, tell me. k?" "Okay." He sat up and gingerly pulled his shirt back on over his freshly bandaged back. "So Rock," Summer said instantly happy again,"shall we go get those new sunglasses for you?" "Sure, I know just where to go." He grinned evily. "And we'll get you that new outfit to." "Really?" "Of course. Lets go."
They left the house headed back up to the surface level and, before Summer knew it, were in the middle of the most expensive stores in the city. They didn't stop there. Rock led her directly to a sunglasses store where they not only got him a new pair, but spent the next half hour trying them on her to find the perfect pair. "But Rock," she protested, "I can't afford any of these." "Don't worry. I can just put them on father's tabs. Don't worry." When they left they were both wearing snazy new pairs of sunglasses. Rock looked over at her and said, "Now the clothing store."
When they stepped in the door the clerk regarded them with a sneer. "This is no place for the likes of you." She chided Summer. "She's with me." was Rocks comeback. "And who might you be?" " I'm Rock. Son of Duke Red." "Oh! Well then, Welcome. What can we do for you today?" "She needs a new wardrobe." he said jerking his head towards Summer. "Well, right this way then." She grabbed Summers arm and began dragging her into the depths of the store. Summer looked at Rock pleadingly but he shrugged helplessly.
A few froofy dresses in a fashion show to Rock later, Rock grabbed the clerks arm and pulled her aside. "No dresses. We need clothes that are fit for a female Malduk." "There are no fe-. Oh. I gotcha." That was the last of the froofy dresses. The rest of the outfits were quite good and passed Rock's aproval. When they finally left the store they were both loaded dowm with boxes full of clothes and Summer was wearing a pair of black and red pants with a tight, green tanktop. The outfit was finished off by her sunglasses.
Their last stop was at a gunsmiths where Rock bought her a hand gun that was up to Malduk standards, not to mention the newest model on the shelf. He completed the ensombo with a shotgun and a machine gun. By the time they were out of there it was nearly dark so they headed back to the spot they had met that morning. After they had set all of Summers new stuff down they leaned back up against the rail to continue that mornings conversation. "So Rock, how about now?" "It looks like I have a new -" "Sidekick!" "Exactly. So did you enjoy your little shopping spree?" Summer screwed up her face and wrinkled her nose. "Not exactly. I don't like shopping. And those clothing store people that measured me for sizing had cold hands!"
Rock burst out laughing. "Hey. Whats so funny?" Summer glared at him playfully. "Maybe it's the fact that you seemed to have been enjoying yourself at the time." "Well it was because you were there." "I had an entertaining time today to." While they were talking it had gotten dark. Summer looked down at her new combat boots. "Uh... Rock? I really don't want to walk home in the dark." "Thats okay. I'm sure father won't mind if you stay over again."
Rock and Summer gathered up all the new stuff and went inside the door that happend to be on that street. When they got to the main staircase Duke Red greeted them as he came down the stairs. Rock told him that Summer was going to spend the night and the Duke told them that she could sleep in the same room as last time and that he was happy to see Summer again but really had to go because he had other matters to attend to. Summer was distant but polite to him and thanked him graciously for alowing her to stay. Then they parted ways and Rock and Summer continued up the stairs.
After they had thrown all of her junk in the room she was staying in they went into Rocks room and sat on his bed discussing the finer points of taking down robots. Soon Summer had fallen asleep leanning against Rock. He picked her up and carried her to bed. As he finished tucking the covers around her, her eyes flutterd open. "Sing to me." she said. And closed her eyes again. Rock was caught off guard by the flash of painful memories of Winter. He just closed his eyes and pushed them into the back of his mind. Then began singing.
Rock, who had just been sneaking out of a side door of the mansion, had many things on his mind. Ever since he had brought Summer home with him the beatings that Duke Red had regularly administered to him had slacked off. And thinking of Summer, he hadn't seen her since that last little episode in the bedroom a week ago. He was starting to miss her happy outlook. With these thoughts on his mind it took a few seconds for the screams that were filling the alley to register in his mind.
Summer was screaming her heart out. With every second that passed her grip became less and less sure. She knew that she only had a moment before she slipped and fell to her death. In that moment one thought flashed to mind. Rock. As if in slow motion her grip failed and she started her fall, only to have it broken by a hand reaching to grasp her wrist. A pair of sunglasses toppled past her into the abyss below as she stared up into the determined blue eyes of her rescuer.
He hauled her back up over the railing and they tumbled to the ground where they lay for a moment recovering from the close call. Then he slowly sat up and drew her to him in a tight hug. "What were you thinking?" "I just wanted to look at the gears working." As she looked up at him their gazes locked. "What would have happend if I hadn't showed up and saved you? Did you even think about what I would have done without you?" Tears began to fill her eyes. "I'm sorry."
As they sat there on the ground a silence came over the scene. Rock leaned slowly forward toward Summer. Just before their lips locked... "Aaaachoooo!" Summer sneezed and sprayed him saliva and tears. Rock wiped the saliva out of his eyes and glared at her. "I'm sorry Rock. I just couldn't..." As she was studying his face she burst out laughing. There was a huge booger on his cheek. She reached over and wiped it off still giggleing histerically. He asked her what was so funny and she told him.
He cringed, and began chuckeling lightly. Then he smacked her over the head. She gave him a betrayed puppydog look then cracked up again. He groaned and rolled his eyes. When the scene had calmed down Rock and Summer stood up and leaned against the rail and stared down at the gears that had nearly caused a tragety only minuets before. "So Rock," Summer started conversationaly to break the silence that had fallen, "what exactly would it take for me to become your sidekick?" "A new outfit for one thing. And you owe me a new pair of sunglasses."
Summer looked down at her ratty pair of old pants and T-shirt blushing. "Well I suspect you know exactly where I can get such things. So you can show me." She brought her hand down on his back with a thump, then looked at him funny when he grunted in pain. " Umm, Rock? Are you okay?" "Just peachy." "That does it. Come with me." She grabbed his arm and drug him ito a little cove made by two buildings coming together that formed a private little area. "Take off you shirt Rock." she commanded. He glared at her. "No." "Now Rock." "I told you no!" "I'll do it myself then!" She reached over and began ripping the shirt off of him. "Cut it out! I'll take it off."
He turned around and pulled the shirt over his head revealing his angry red, welted back. Summer gasped in horror. It hadn't been just a creepy dream. When he turned back around to face her he had a sad look on his face. "Those should be bandaged Rock." Summers voice was calm. Too calm. "Put your shirt back on and come with me." He did as was told and followed her to an eqivelent of todays red cross where she got a first aid kit. Then she led him back to her house where she took him into an empty room.
She went to a sink that was in the corner and washed her hands. "Take off your shirt and lay down on your stomach over there." He took off his shirt and went over to the pile of sacks she had intended."Here?" "Yeah." She opened the first aid kit and took out some bandages and rubbing alcohol. Opening the alcohol she poured some on a clean cloth she had pulled out of a cupboard. She walked over and knelt down next to Rock. "This will hurt." she warned him and then began dabbing his back. Rock gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound until Summer had finished cleaning and bandaging his wounds.
When Summer finished she put everything away and washed her hands. "Rock, if something like this ever happens again, tell me. k?" "Okay." He sat up and gingerly pulled his shirt back on over his freshly bandaged back. "So Rock," Summer said instantly happy again,"shall we go get those new sunglasses for you?" "Sure, I know just where to go." He grinned evily. "And we'll get you that new outfit to." "Really?" "Of course. Lets go."
They left the house headed back up to the surface level and, before Summer knew it, were in the middle of the most expensive stores in the city. They didn't stop there. Rock led her directly to a sunglasses store where they not only got him a new pair, but spent the next half hour trying them on her to find the perfect pair. "But Rock," she protested, "I can't afford any of these." "Don't worry. I can just put them on father's tabs. Don't worry." When they left they were both wearing snazy new pairs of sunglasses. Rock looked over at her and said, "Now the clothing store."
When they stepped in the door the clerk regarded them with a sneer. "This is no place for the likes of you." She chided Summer. "She's with me." was Rocks comeback. "And who might you be?" " I'm Rock. Son of Duke Red." "Oh! Well then, Welcome. What can we do for you today?" "She needs a new wardrobe." he said jerking his head towards Summer. "Well, right this way then." She grabbed Summers arm and began dragging her into the depths of the store. Summer looked at Rock pleadingly but he shrugged helplessly.
A few froofy dresses in a fashion show to Rock later, Rock grabbed the clerks arm and pulled her aside. "No dresses. We need clothes that are fit for a female Malduk." "There are no fe-. Oh. I gotcha." That was the last of the froofy dresses. The rest of the outfits were quite good and passed Rock's aproval. When they finally left the store they were both loaded dowm with boxes full of clothes and Summer was wearing a pair of black and red pants with a tight, green tanktop. The outfit was finished off by her sunglasses.
Their last stop was at a gunsmiths where Rock bought her a hand gun that was up to Malduk standards, not to mention the newest model on the shelf. He completed the ensombo with a shotgun and a machine gun. By the time they were out of there it was nearly dark so they headed back to the spot they had met that morning. After they had set all of Summers new stuff down they leaned back up against the rail to continue that mornings conversation. "So Rock, how about now?" "It looks like I have a new -" "Sidekick!" "Exactly. So did you enjoy your little shopping spree?" Summer screwed up her face and wrinkled her nose. "Not exactly. I don't like shopping. And those clothing store people that measured me for sizing had cold hands!"
Rock burst out laughing. "Hey. Whats so funny?" Summer glared at him playfully. "Maybe it's the fact that you seemed to have been enjoying yourself at the time." "Well it was because you were there." "I had an entertaining time today to." While they were talking it had gotten dark. Summer looked down at her new combat boots. "Uh... Rock? I really don't want to walk home in the dark." "Thats okay. I'm sure father won't mind if you stay over again."
Rock and Summer gathered up all the new stuff and went inside the door that happend to be on that street. When they got to the main staircase Duke Red greeted them as he came down the stairs. Rock told him that Summer was going to spend the night and the Duke told them that she could sleep in the same room as last time and that he was happy to see Summer again but really had to go because he had other matters to attend to. Summer was distant but polite to him and thanked him graciously for alowing her to stay. Then they parted ways and Rock and Summer continued up the stairs.
After they had thrown all of her junk in the room she was staying in they went into Rocks room and sat on his bed discussing the finer points of taking down robots. Soon Summer had fallen asleep leanning against Rock. He picked her up and carried her to bed. As he finished tucking the covers around her, her eyes flutterd open. "Sing to me." she said. And closed her eyes again. Rock was caught off guard by the flash of painful memories of Winter. He just closed his eyes and pushed them into the back of his mind. Then began singing.