Disclaimer: I don't own didley squat, so don't sue me, please!
A/N: Thank you again to all who reviewed.
Love will not Die
Part XIII
By, Silver Fox
"Ma'am, please, I don't think I can let you go in there. She's just gotten out of the asylum for the criminally insane, it wouldn't be safe."
Dorothy shook her head as the prison guard tried to back her down. She was dead set on seeing Sera, and no one, especially not him, would tell her otherwise. "Listen to me, Mr. You are going to let me in there, you understand? I promise not to sue if she kills me or hurts me or anything like that. Do you understand, sir?" She took a puff of her cigarette and blew it in his face. "Do I make myself completely clear?"
He coughed, waved her smoke away and sent her a snarling glare. "Excuse me Miss. I don't know who you are, but you are not about to intimidate me. I am the authority here, and you are not."
Narrowing her eyes, she realized that sheer intimidation alone would work on this goon. It looked like she had to break out the facts on the matter. "Ok, dually noted. You're the authority figure, not me. But, there is something that I am that you are not."
"And what would that be? Rude? Obnoxious? Pushy? Ugly?"
He had just gotten too personal. Her confidence had taken a slight blow. 'Yeah, I know I'm rude, obnoxious, and pushy. But ugly? I know I don't look great right now, but ugly? Quatre always made me feel so beautiful.' She shook her head and glared back at him.
"Besides all that. I'm one of Sera's last living relatives. I'm her immediate first cousin. Check if you don't believe me. My name is Dorothy Catalonia. I am also related to Marimeia Khushrenada. She will vouch for me. Go ahead and check."
The guard was very taken back. He clearly hadn't expected her to give him reasonable proof that allowed her to see Sera. "Well, Miss Marimeia is very big contributor to this facility. Alright, I'll lead you in." He reluctantly opened the door and she followed him in, thinking to herself.
'He he he, I won, he lost, all's good.but, am I really ugly? No, best not to think about that right now. Stay focused.' She followed him down the hallway until they reached a door. Clearly it had a distinction among the others.
"You see, she's in a special unit because she's pregnant, so until she has her baby she'll be kept in her own cell. You can go in." He held the door for her and she walked in, flicking her hair at him. 'That's for the ugly remark.'
She slowly entered the dark hollow space. It seemed so depressing in here. 'Good,' she thought. 'Sera deserves any bad treatment that they give her.' She slowly approached the bars and squinted her eyes. She was searchng for her. She spotted a figure lying on a bed. First she looked out the window and confirmed to herself that the guard wasn't near here. Smiling, she took her fist and started knocking on the metal bars, making lots of noise. The figure on the bed obviously woke up and let out several moans.
"Oh, not now, I need my rest. My baby needs rest. Please can this wait?"
"Oh no, Sera, this can't wait. After all they don't give me a lot of visiting time."
The figure got up off the bed and headed over to the bars. It was Sera, although she now looked a lot less happy about her ingenious plan of getting pregnant. Her abdomen looked big and swollen. She had bags under her eyes and looked so exhausted. And apparently seeing Dorothy didn't make her too happy. "What the hell do you want?"
"Aw, what's wrong, cuz? Pregnancy a little tougher than you expected?" She was so delighted to see her suffer. She put her hand on the bars and leaned her face in. "So, I see you and your devil spawn are just peachy."
She tried to scratch her eyes out, but Dorothy was too quick for her. "Uh uh uh, now now, I don't think you should get into any more trouble. And killing me would only put you in here longer."
"Dorothy," She held her back, as it was killing her. "Just skip your sadistic crap. What do you want?"
"Aw, but my sadistic crap is fun." She smiled. "Oh well, if you insist. I came here to see my favorite cousin, one of the two cousins that I have left. What? Why are you looking at me like that Sera? Is it because now I have the advantage in this battle and you don't? You can't stand not having the upper hand anymore than I do, right? It's probably in our genes."
Sera was looking hard as nails, when suddenly she realized something. "Where's Quatre?"
Dorothy was caught a little off guard, but she didn't show it. She still tried to keep her ground. "He's working, where do you think? But he's not here now, I am. You have to deal with me now."
"Why didn't he come with you?"
Dorothy was getting very agitated, and she knew that's what Sera was trying to do to her, so she used her all her willpower to keep her cool exterior. She pointed a fingernail at her. "He was too busy. But I wasn't, so I figured I'd pay you a little visit. You know, to see if you'd had a miscarriage or something. But," she looked her up and down, "I guess I hoped too much. There is always the possibility it'll be stillborn."
Her mouth was hanging open in absolute disgust. "How can you say that about my baby?"
"Hmm, I don't know, let me think," she said sarcastically. "Oh yeah, that's right. Because you raped Quatre to get that demon child. Actually, I wanted to ask you something."
"What?"
"Really, is that kid Quatre's?"
"Well I certainly did the necessary thing to get it from him-,"
"I mean, I know you're a slut. You sleep around with everyone, and don't deny that. That kid could be like one 500 guy's kids, couldn't it? You know I'm right."
"Um, no, you're not right. This baby is his. I made sure to stop my birth control when I, I mean when we-,"
"Ok, that's enough." Dorothy put up her hand to stop her. The thought of that mental picture she just couldn't take. "I took health class in school, I don't need a description of what you did. I'm going to demand a paternity test when that kid is born, you understand me? That's what I'm going to do."
"Oh, so then the rumor isn't true?"
Her insides turned cold. She threw a cigarette on the ground and stamped it out, imagining it was Sera and her baby that she was stamping out of existence. "What rumor?"
"Well," she went in closer to the bars, grinning wickedly. "I heard a rumor that you and Quatre broke up. Now, if that's true, then, what right do you have to demand a paternity test, if you're not his significant other anymore?"
This was a stab below the belt to Dorothy. "Well," she still maintained her usual attitude, but now with more difficulty. "The two of us had a bit of disagreement. We both decided it was in both of our best interests if were, took a break, so to speak. Though, I fail to see how this is any of your concern, Sera."
"Do you know what I think?" she instigated.
"Do I have to know, because I really don't care."
"I think he only went out with you because you didn't want to marry him. You didn't want to marry him, did you Dorothy? Or is that what this whole 'disagreement' as you put, is about?"
This was definitely a little much for her. Marriage was always such a touchy subject for Quatre. He had told her that he rushed into it with Sera, and he got his heart broken in the process. She knew his sensitive opinion on it. But, still, he had never asked her. "Well I don't see significance in revealing my opinions to you, but so you know, I'm just very considerate to his sensitivity on the subject."
"Oh yeah, sure, that's just code talk for that you're offended that he never asked you. And what about his new girlfriend?"
Anger was slowly taking the place of her calm exterior. "What about his new girlfriend? And how do you know about her anyway?"
"Weeeeeell," she gripped two of the bars with her hands and leaned in. "Let's just say I've heard about her. She's the complete opposite of you, isn't she?"
"My word, Sera, can't you think of anything else to say?"
"And I guess you know what that means. It means I did you two a favor."
She growled slightly. "A favor? And how did you do that, may I ask?"
"In a way, this was testing your relationship. If the two of you aren't strong enough to get through this baby issue, then you're not meant to be together."
She couldn't hold her ground anymore and gave way to her vile anger. "Test? You think that was a test? That was a sabotage! It's all your fault that we broke up! It's because of you that I'm living with Trevor and he has a new girlfriend! It's all your fault you bitch!"
As Dorothy panted and screamed, Sera smiled. "You see, I won the physiological battle. I just got to you. And I know Quatre's going to keep my baby. But, they'll have to deal with me too. I'll still get my life that I wanted."
"You're crazy," she panted, "You're nothing but an insane whore, and you're not good enough for him!"
"Neither are you. You're not good enough for him either, according to him."
"Excuse me? According to him? And just how would you know that?"
"It's common sense Dorothy," she took a finger and tapped her temple. "If you were good enough, or enough for him for that matter, then why would he get another girlfriend, and so quickly?"
Try as she might, she couldn't come up with a good enough retort to Sera's remark. It had hurt her, and she hated to admit that Sera had that effect on her. "You're backwards logic makes no sense."
"Oh but I think it does. And you know it does. That's why it bothers you."
"Who said it bothers me, do I look bothered to you?"
"Uh, yeah you do, D-chan."
She let out a growl. "Why does everyone insist on calling me that!?"
"I am getting to you then, aren't I?"
She was, but Dorothy refused to admit it. "I still say that this is all your fault. It's your fault that I had that fight with Quatre. If it weren't for you then-,"
"Then you wouldn't be reduced to what you are now, right? A cigarette smoking, anorexic looking piece of gutter trash, is that correct?"
She sighed and looked her in the eye. "Pretty much."
"So you admit that you're a cigarette smoking, anorexic looking piece of gutter trash?" She was a little surprised that she actually agreed with her.
Dorothy just nodded her head. "Yeah, I know I am. Tell me something I don't know."
"Are you trying to trick me?"
"No, I agree. I am all that you said. I admit it."
Sera was starting to get angry now. "You're not supposed to agree with me, you're supposed to loose your cool and get pissed off!"
"You mean like you're doing right now?"
She banged her fist on the bar, and recoiled in pain. Then, she smiled evilly and started to scream. "SECURITY! SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME! SHE WANTS TO KILL MY BABY TOO! HELP ME! HELP ME! OH DEAR GOD PLEASE HELP ME!"
Dorothy gawked at her. "You selfish bitch. How dare you. Everything is always about you, isn't it?" Dorothy hated herself for being reduced to say swear words, but no other word was fit to describe Sera right now.
The guard came in and took Dorothy by the arms and dragged her out, slamming her against the wall. "What did you do? Didn't I tell you not to upset her?"
"No you didn't actually, and she's lying. I didn't touch her, and why would I want to?"
"Ah, you're all the same. You gutter whores are all alike."
Dorothy was about to open her mouth when she heard a voice behind her.
"Bernard, why did you say that to this nice young lady? That's not very professional now is it?"
He sighed and bowed his head. "Miss Iria, I mean Doctor Winner. I'm sorry, I apologize."
Dorothy turned around and saw the tall dirty blonde woman that had been her own doctor. She smiled down at her.
"Iria? What are you doing here?"
"Well, Dorothy, I'm working prisoners health today, but I'm just finishing up here actually. How about we go out to lunch?"
"Uh," she didn't exactly know what to say. "Iria, you want to go to lunch with me of all people? I'm your little brother's old girlfriend after all." Even her own words made her so sad inside. 'Quatre, I miss you.'
But Iria shook her head and put a hand on her shoulder. "Dorothy, whether or not you and my brother are together, I still have always liked you for some reason. And now, well if you come to lunch with me then I'll pay. C'mon, what do you say?"
Dorothy just stood there in shock. Besides Quatre, no one had ever been that nice to her. She just nodded in reply.
"Good. Let's go then."
****
"So Dorothy, I don't mean to pry, but where exactly have you been staying?" Iria said as she sipped her tea. She had taken Dorothy out to a very nice restaurant. Dorothy was too busy looking around. She hadn't been in a place like this for a while. "Dorothy? Dorothy? You-hoo, earth to Dorothy?"
She turned back to her. "Huh? Oh sorry, Iraia. Um, well" she gripped her teacup tighter. "I've kinda been living with someone."
"A guy, right?"
"How did you know?"
She smiled and shook her head. "Honey, I have 28 younger sisters. I know everything about dating angst. It's written all over your face. Now just tell me, who is it?"
She let out a long breath. It felt good to talk to someone who was so understanding. "You don't know him. He's my ex-boyfriend Trevor."
"Hmm. And, are the two of you an item again?"
"Oh hell no. I just had nowhere else to go, and, well, I felt so terrible about the fight I had with Quatre, that I didn't see anywhere else I could go. I still hate him with a passion." She spit in her tea. "I can't stand him, really."
"Then, if you don't mind me asking, why are you still living with him?"
"Well I," she looked at her lap. She was so embarrassed. "I have no where else to go. Romefellar collapsed and left me with literally nothing. But I'm too proud to go to anyone else. I feel terrible, but I feel less terrible comparing myself with Trevor."
She stirred her tea around with her spoon. "Ok, I see. Why did you break up with him in the first place?"
"Oh, he got drunk and threw a knife at my head."
Iria spit her tea out in her cup. "He did what?!"
She nodded, as if it were nothing. "Yeah, nearly killed me too, but oh well, I've cheated death on more then one occasion. It'll catch up with me someday, but not for the moment."
Iria was gawking at her. She had played the therapist to 28 girls full time for their love lives and this still surprised her. "Dorothy, sweetie, you can't stay with him. You have to move out."
"I already explained, I don't have any money."
"Then I'm giving you some, and a job."
"Iria, I can't accept that."
"Oh yes you can, because I'm insisting and leaving you no choice."
"Why are you doing this anyway?"
"Huh?"
"I mean," she sighed, "why are you helping me? That Mirror chick is probably going to be your sister-in-law, not me."
She leaned across the table and motioned for her to do the same. "Come here, closer, yeah that's it. You want to know something? I hate Mirror or Mira or whatever her name is! She's just a little hussy. She doesn't understand Quatre at all." She looked kindly at Dorothy. "But you and Quatre understand each other. I know that. The two of you were so much happier together." She watched in disgust as Dorothy lit up a cigarette. She reached across, snatched it out of her hand, snapped it in half and threw it to the ground. Dorothy's eyes widened.
"Excuse me, why did you do that to my cigarette?"
"Because it's going to kill you."
"Newsflash: I have a disease that's going to kill me anyway. What are a few less day, weeks or months?"
"Dorothy, I can't believe you're saying that!"
"What is it with you?"
"Well," she gestured her hands to try to make her see her point. "You should make every moment in life count. Every day can be the best day if you make it."
She made a face. "And why are you quoting a greeting card?"
"Because it's the truth. I-," Her beeper started to go off. "Damn, they need me at the hospital." She turned back to Dorothy. "Listen Dorothy, I'm going to help you whether you like it or not." She handed her a piece of paper. "There's my cell phone number. Call me, please, or I'll find you again. But I need to go now." As they both stood up, Iria reached out and hugged her. "I know I have too many sisters, but you're like one that actually doesn't get on my nerves. See you later."
As she sprinted off to her car, Dorothy walked out after her, a little stunned. 'Did she just say I was like a sister to her? Wow, no one's ever said that to me.' She walked out to the street curb and looked up at the buildings. "This place is so big, and yet I don't feel so alone anymore." She turned around and saw none other than.Mira? What the hell was she doing here? She was smiling as she approached Dorothy, but Dorothy just tried to smile, while half scowling.
"Hey there Dorothy. How are you doing, sweetie?"
"Yes, Hello there dear Mirror, was that it dear? Well I'm all right myself, how are you doing?"
Apparently this dignified approach wasn't what she expected, but her voice sounded as if she did, and her gestures appeared confident as well. "I'm feeling just ever so wonderful. I'm meeting Quatre for a bit of lunch."
She nearly swallowed her cigarette. "Quatre? Oh yes, Quatre. How is he doing?" She was politely trying to pry her needed information out of her.
Mira swayed her purse back and forth, rocking on her stiletto heels. "Oh he's doing wonderfully, now that he has me. I don't think he's ever been this happy in his whole life, at least that's what he told me." She had venom in her eyes. "You know, I think he's finally gotten over you."
Dorothy nearly choked on her cigarette smoke. 'So, she's out for blood. Then I guess I have to do the same.' "He's over me? Why whatever do you mean?"
"Don't think I'm as cutely naïve as I look, Dorothy."
"Really? Gosh you didn't look like that at all to me."
"What?"
It was the blond one's turn to spit the venom. "Yes, it's true. You don't seem cutely naïve. To me you seem just an air headed and a harlot."
"O ho, really?" She rounded at her, not pleased with being insulted by her of all people. "At least I'm not so stubborn and pigheaded that I left him over a baby argument."
"You know what Mirror? That issue between us does not concern you."
"Oh but it does, because I'm going to be the best stepmother in the world to that baby."
'Think Dorothy, think.' She was rapidly trying to think of an execution plan. She spoke the first one that came to mind. "You're going to be its stepmother? Isn't that lovely."
Her eyes cocked. "Excuse me?"
Dorothy lovingly put a hand on her shoulder, much to Mira's disgust. 'This plan should at least plant the seed of doubt.' "I think it's incredibly admirable that you're going to do the thing that I couldn't."
Mira, not knowing any better at the moment, was somewhat flattered by her sudden compliment. "Why, Dorothy, that seems so nice of you to say."
"Oh, you're kindness just moves me, that's all." She brushed her blonde hair out of her face to fully expose her fake smile. 'This should be good.' "I mean, I really couldn't handle it. It would just be way too weird on the kid if I became his or her stepmother."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh don't you know? The mother of the soon to be born child is my first cousin Sera."
Mira was taken back and somewhat shocked, in a disgusted way. "Oh my goodness. I didn't know that."
Dorothy was laying on her false charms thickly. "Yes, it is true. You see now why I couldn't handle it now, don't you? I would be an aunt AND a stepmother. That's really just too much stress. Of course, I'm still the little darling's biological aunt. Then we will be practically related, won't we?"
"Uh, oh I uh guess that would, um....."
'Rejoice, rejoice, the plan has worked.' She delighted in Mira's complex frustration. She gave her a hug. "We'll practically be sisters. I'll drop in to see little him/her and you and Quatre all the time once it's born."
"Uh, you will?" She was un-approving of that arrangement. "Oh, yes. That would be just, lovely."
"Oh I'm so glad the air is clear between us. For the baby's sake at least." Dorothy was entirely pleased with herself. Her performance had done exactly what she had wanted it to do. To make things all the more perfect, whom should she see walking up the street but Quatre. "Oh Quatre! Hello there, how have you been?"
He skidded to a halt. "Dorothy!"
It caused a pain through her heart to see him, but she put on a mask and waved her hand. "Hello Quatre darling. I was just having a lovely chat with your equally lovely girlfriend, isn't that right dear?"
They both stood, looking dumbstruck at her, and each other. She delighted in both of their hurt and confused faces, and yet at the same time it killed her inside. "Well, I'm afraid I must dash," she commented, seeing Trevor in a black car. She knew she must return to her place. "Goodbye to all."
"Dorothy, wait," Quatre called in desperation.
She didn't even turn around. "So sorry, I'll see you all later." She sprinted toward the car and banged on the window. A very startled Trevor opened the door.
"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Shut up Trevor I need a ride." She forced herself in the car.
"Why were you talking to them?"
"I needed to do something, and now I did it. Take me back before I change my mind."
He drove the car the long distance back into the slums. She walked through his same apartment door and collapsed on the coach. Of course Trevor tried to slip his hand down her shirt, but she swatted him away.
"Stop it, Trevor. Don't make me do something I'll regret."
A/N: No comment from me, what do you think??
A/N: Thank you again to all who reviewed.
Love will not Die
Part XIII
By, Silver Fox
"Ma'am, please, I don't think I can let you go in there. She's just gotten out of the asylum for the criminally insane, it wouldn't be safe."
Dorothy shook her head as the prison guard tried to back her down. She was dead set on seeing Sera, and no one, especially not him, would tell her otherwise. "Listen to me, Mr. You are going to let me in there, you understand? I promise not to sue if she kills me or hurts me or anything like that. Do you understand, sir?" She took a puff of her cigarette and blew it in his face. "Do I make myself completely clear?"
He coughed, waved her smoke away and sent her a snarling glare. "Excuse me Miss. I don't know who you are, but you are not about to intimidate me. I am the authority here, and you are not."
Narrowing her eyes, she realized that sheer intimidation alone would work on this goon. It looked like she had to break out the facts on the matter. "Ok, dually noted. You're the authority figure, not me. But, there is something that I am that you are not."
"And what would that be? Rude? Obnoxious? Pushy? Ugly?"
He had just gotten too personal. Her confidence had taken a slight blow. 'Yeah, I know I'm rude, obnoxious, and pushy. But ugly? I know I don't look great right now, but ugly? Quatre always made me feel so beautiful.' She shook her head and glared back at him.
"Besides all that. I'm one of Sera's last living relatives. I'm her immediate first cousin. Check if you don't believe me. My name is Dorothy Catalonia. I am also related to Marimeia Khushrenada. She will vouch for me. Go ahead and check."
The guard was very taken back. He clearly hadn't expected her to give him reasonable proof that allowed her to see Sera. "Well, Miss Marimeia is very big contributor to this facility. Alright, I'll lead you in." He reluctantly opened the door and she followed him in, thinking to herself.
'He he he, I won, he lost, all's good.but, am I really ugly? No, best not to think about that right now. Stay focused.' She followed him down the hallway until they reached a door. Clearly it had a distinction among the others.
"You see, she's in a special unit because she's pregnant, so until she has her baby she'll be kept in her own cell. You can go in." He held the door for her and she walked in, flicking her hair at him. 'That's for the ugly remark.'
She slowly entered the dark hollow space. It seemed so depressing in here. 'Good,' she thought. 'Sera deserves any bad treatment that they give her.' She slowly approached the bars and squinted her eyes. She was searchng for her. She spotted a figure lying on a bed. First she looked out the window and confirmed to herself that the guard wasn't near here. Smiling, she took her fist and started knocking on the metal bars, making lots of noise. The figure on the bed obviously woke up and let out several moans.
"Oh, not now, I need my rest. My baby needs rest. Please can this wait?"
"Oh no, Sera, this can't wait. After all they don't give me a lot of visiting time."
The figure got up off the bed and headed over to the bars. It was Sera, although she now looked a lot less happy about her ingenious plan of getting pregnant. Her abdomen looked big and swollen. She had bags under her eyes and looked so exhausted. And apparently seeing Dorothy didn't make her too happy. "What the hell do you want?"
"Aw, what's wrong, cuz? Pregnancy a little tougher than you expected?" She was so delighted to see her suffer. She put her hand on the bars and leaned her face in. "So, I see you and your devil spawn are just peachy."
She tried to scratch her eyes out, but Dorothy was too quick for her. "Uh uh uh, now now, I don't think you should get into any more trouble. And killing me would only put you in here longer."
"Dorothy," She held her back, as it was killing her. "Just skip your sadistic crap. What do you want?"
"Aw, but my sadistic crap is fun." She smiled. "Oh well, if you insist. I came here to see my favorite cousin, one of the two cousins that I have left. What? Why are you looking at me like that Sera? Is it because now I have the advantage in this battle and you don't? You can't stand not having the upper hand anymore than I do, right? It's probably in our genes."
Sera was looking hard as nails, when suddenly she realized something. "Where's Quatre?"
Dorothy was caught a little off guard, but she didn't show it. She still tried to keep her ground. "He's working, where do you think? But he's not here now, I am. You have to deal with me now."
"Why didn't he come with you?"
Dorothy was getting very agitated, and she knew that's what Sera was trying to do to her, so she used her all her willpower to keep her cool exterior. She pointed a fingernail at her. "He was too busy. But I wasn't, so I figured I'd pay you a little visit. You know, to see if you'd had a miscarriage or something. But," she looked her up and down, "I guess I hoped too much. There is always the possibility it'll be stillborn."
Her mouth was hanging open in absolute disgust. "How can you say that about my baby?"
"Hmm, I don't know, let me think," she said sarcastically. "Oh yeah, that's right. Because you raped Quatre to get that demon child. Actually, I wanted to ask you something."
"What?"
"Really, is that kid Quatre's?"
"Well I certainly did the necessary thing to get it from him-,"
"I mean, I know you're a slut. You sleep around with everyone, and don't deny that. That kid could be like one 500 guy's kids, couldn't it? You know I'm right."
"Um, no, you're not right. This baby is his. I made sure to stop my birth control when I, I mean when we-,"
"Ok, that's enough." Dorothy put up her hand to stop her. The thought of that mental picture she just couldn't take. "I took health class in school, I don't need a description of what you did. I'm going to demand a paternity test when that kid is born, you understand me? That's what I'm going to do."
"Oh, so then the rumor isn't true?"
Her insides turned cold. She threw a cigarette on the ground and stamped it out, imagining it was Sera and her baby that she was stamping out of existence. "What rumor?"
"Well," she went in closer to the bars, grinning wickedly. "I heard a rumor that you and Quatre broke up. Now, if that's true, then, what right do you have to demand a paternity test, if you're not his significant other anymore?"
This was a stab below the belt to Dorothy. "Well," she still maintained her usual attitude, but now with more difficulty. "The two of us had a bit of disagreement. We both decided it was in both of our best interests if were, took a break, so to speak. Though, I fail to see how this is any of your concern, Sera."
"Do you know what I think?" she instigated.
"Do I have to know, because I really don't care."
"I think he only went out with you because you didn't want to marry him. You didn't want to marry him, did you Dorothy? Or is that what this whole 'disagreement' as you put, is about?"
This was definitely a little much for her. Marriage was always such a touchy subject for Quatre. He had told her that he rushed into it with Sera, and he got his heart broken in the process. She knew his sensitive opinion on it. But, still, he had never asked her. "Well I don't see significance in revealing my opinions to you, but so you know, I'm just very considerate to his sensitivity on the subject."
"Oh yeah, sure, that's just code talk for that you're offended that he never asked you. And what about his new girlfriend?"
Anger was slowly taking the place of her calm exterior. "What about his new girlfriend? And how do you know about her anyway?"
"Weeeeeell," she gripped two of the bars with her hands and leaned in. "Let's just say I've heard about her. She's the complete opposite of you, isn't she?"
"My word, Sera, can't you think of anything else to say?"
"And I guess you know what that means. It means I did you two a favor."
She growled slightly. "A favor? And how did you do that, may I ask?"
"In a way, this was testing your relationship. If the two of you aren't strong enough to get through this baby issue, then you're not meant to be together."
She couldn't hold her ground anymore and gave way to her vile anger. "Test? You think that was a test? That was a sabotage! It's all your fault that we broke up! It's because of you that I'm living with Trevor and he has a new girlfriend! It's all your fault you bitch!"
As Dorothy panted and screamed, Sera smiled. "You see, I won the physiological battle. I just got to you. And I know Quatre's going to keep my baby. But, they'll have to deal with me too. I'll still get my life that I wanted."
"You're crazy," she panted, "You're nothing but an insane whore, and you're not good enough for him!"
"Neither are you. You're not good enough for him either, according to him."
"Excuse me? According to him? And just how would you know that?"
"It's common sense Dorothy," she took a finger and tapped her temple. "If you were good enough, or enough for him for that matter, then why would he get another girlfriend, and so quickly?"
Try as she might, she couldn't come up with a good enough retort to Sera's remark. It had hurt her, and she hated to admit that Sera had that effect on her. "You're backwards logic makes no sense."
"Oh but I think it does. And you know it does. That's why it bothers you."
"Who said it bothers me, do I look bothered to you?"
"Uh, yeah you do, D-chan."
She let out a growl. "Why does everyone insist on calling me that!?"
"I am getting to you then, aren't I?"
She was, but Dorothy refused to admit it. "I still say that this is all your fault. It's your fault that I had that fight with Quatre. If it weren't for you then-,"
"Then you wouldn't be reduced to what you are now, right? A cigarette smoking, anorexic looking piece of gutter trash, is that correct?"
She sighed and looked her in the eye. "Pretty much."
"So you admit that you're a cigarette smoking, anorexic looking piece of gutter trash?" She was a little surprised that she actually agreed with her.
Dorothy just nodded her head. "Yeah, I know I am. Tell me something I don't know."
"Are you trying to trick me?"
"No, I agree. I am all that you said. I admit it."
Sera was starting to get angry now. "You're not supposed to agree with me, you're supposed to loose your cool and get pissed off!"
"You mean like you're doing right now?"
She banged her fist on the bar, and recoiled in pain. Then, she smiled evilly and started to scream. "SECURITY! SHE'S TRYING TO KILL ME! SHE WANTS TO KILL MY BABY TOO! HELP ME! HELP ME! OH DEAR GOD PLEASE HELP ME!"
Dorothy gawked at her. "You selfish bitch. How dare you. Everything is always about you, isn't it?" Dorothy hated herself for being reduced to say swear words, but no other word was fit to describe Sera right now.
The guard came in and took Dorothy by the arms and dragged her out, slamming her against the wall. "What did you do? Didn't I tell you not to upset her?"
"No you didn't actually, and she's lying. I didn't touch her, and why would I want to?"
"Ah, you're all the same. You gutter whores are all alike."
Dorothy was about to open her mouth when she heard a voice behind her.
"Bernard, why did you say that to this nice young lady? That's not very professional now is it?"
He sighed and bowed his head. "Miss Iria, I mean Doctor Winner. I'm sorry, I apologize."
Dorothy turned around and saw the tall dirty blonde woman that had been her own doctor. She smiled down at her.
"Iria? What are you doing here?"
"Well, Dorothy, I'm working prisoners health today, but I'm just finishing up here actually. How about we go out to lunch?"
"Uh," she didn't exactly know what to say. "Iria, you want to go to lunch with me of all people? I'm your little brother's old girlfriend after all." Even her own words made her so sad inside. 'Quatre, I miss you.'
But Iria shook her head and put a hand on her shoulder. "Dorothy, whether or not you and my brother are together, I still have always liked you for some reason. And now, well if you come to lunch with me then I'll pay. C'mon, what do you say?"
Dorothy just stood there in shock. Besides Quatre, no one had ever been that nice to her. She just nodded in reply.
"Good. Let's go then."
****
"So Dorothy, I don't mean to pry, but where exactly have you been staying?" Iria said as she sipped her tea. She had taken Dorothy out to a very nice restaurant. Dorothy was too busy looking around. She hadn't been in a place like this for a while. "Dorothy? Dorothy? You-hoo, earth to Dorothy?"
She turned back to her. "Huh? Oh sorry, Iraia. Um, well" she gripped her teacup tighter. "I've kinda been living with someone."
"A guy, right?"
"How did you know?"
She smiled and shook her head. "Honey, I have 28 younger sisters. I know everything about dating angst. It's written all over your face. Now just tell me, who is it?"
She let out a long breath. It felt good to talk to someone who was so understanding. "You don't know him. He's my ex-boyfriend Trevor."
"Hmm. And, are the two of you an item again?"
"Oh hell no. I just had nowhere else to go, and, well, I felt so terrible about the fight I had with Quatre, that I didn't see anywhere else I could go. I still hate him with a passion." She spit in her tea. "I can't stand him, really."
"Then, if you don't mind me asking, why are you still living with him?"
"Well I," she looked at her lap. She was so embarrassed. "I have no where else to go. Romefellar collapsed and left me with literally nothing. But I'm too proud to go to anyone else. I feel terrible, but I feel less terrible comparing myself with Trevor."
She stirred her tea around with her spoon. "Ok, I see. Why did you break up with him in the first place?"
"Oh, he got drunk and threw a knife at my head."
Iria spit her tea out in her cup. "He did what?!"
She nodded, as if it were nothing. "Yeah, nearly killed me too, but oh well, I've cheated death on more then one occasion. It'll catch up with me someday, but not for the moment."
Iria was gawking at her. She had played the therapist to 28 girls full time for their love lives and this still surprised her. "Dorothy, sweetie, you can't stay with him. You have to move out."
"I already explained, I don't have any money."
"Then I'm giving you some, and a job."
"Iria, I can't accept that."
"Oh yes you can, because I'm insisting and leaving you no choice."
"Why are you doing this anyway?"
"Huh?"
"I mean," she sighed, "why are you helping me? That Mirror chick is probably going to be your sister-in-law, not me."
She leaned across the table and motioned for her to do the same. "Come here, closer, yeah that's it. You want to know something? I hate Mirror or Mira or whatever her name is! She's just a little hussy. She doesn't understand Quatre at all." She looked kindly at Dorothy. "But you and Quatre understand each other. I know that. The two of you were so much happier together." She watched in disgust as Dorothy lit up a cigarette. She reached across, snatched it out of her hand, snapped it in half and threw it to the ground. Dorothy's eyes widened.
"Excuse me, why did you do that to my cigarette?"
"Because it's going to kill you."
"Newsflash: I have a disease that's going to kill me anyway. What are a few less day, weeks or months?"
"Dorothy, I can't believe you're saying that!"
"What is it with you?"
"Well," she gestured her hands to try to make her see her point. "You should make every moment in life count. Every day can be the best day if you make it."
She made a face. "And why are you quoting a greeting card?"
"Because it's the truth. I-," Her beeper started to go off. "Damn, they need me at the hospital." She turned back to Dorothy. "Listen Dorothy, I'm going to help you whether you like it or not." She handed her a piece of paper. "There's my cell phone number. Call me, please, or I'll find you again. But I need to go now." As they both stood up, Iria reached out and hugged her. "I know I have too many sisters, but you're like one that actually doesn't get on my nerves. See you later."
As she sprinted off to her car, Dorothy walked out after her, a little stunned. 'Did she just say I was like a sister to her? Wow, no one's ever said that to me.' She walked out to the street curb and looked up at the buildings. "This place is so big, and yet I don't feel so alone anymore." She turned around and saw none other than.Mira? What the hell was she doing here? She was smiling as she approached Dorothy, but Dorothy just tried to smile, while half scowling.
"Hey there Dorothy. How are you doing, sweetie?"
"Yes, Hello there dear Mirror, was that it dear? Well I'm all right myself, how are you doing?"
Apparently this dignified approach wasn't what she expected, but her voice sounded as if she did, and her gestures appeared confident as well. "I'm feeling just ever so wonderful. I'm meeting Quatre for a bit of lunch."
She nearly swallowed her cigarette. "Quatre? Oh yes, Quatre. How is he doing?" She was politely trying to pry her needed information out of her.
Mira swayed her purse back and forth, rocking on her stiletto heels. "Oh he's doing wonderfully, now that he has me. I don't think he's ever been this happy in his whole life, at least that's what he told me." She had venom in her eyes. "You know, I think he's finally gotten over you."
Dorothy nearly choked on her cigarette smoke. 'So, she's out for blood. Then I guess I have to do the same.' "He's over me? Why whatever do you mean?"
"Don't think I'm as cutely naïve as I look, Dorothy."
"Really? Gosh you didn't look like that at all to me."
"What?"
It was the blond one's turn to spit the venom. "Yes, it's true. You don't seem cutely naïve. To me you seem just an air headed and a harlot."
"O ho, really?" She rounded at her, not pleased with being insulted by her of all people. "At least I'm not so stubborn and pigheaded that I left him over a baby argument."
"You know what Mirror? That issue between us does not concern you."
"Oh but it does, because I'm going to be the best stepmother in the world to that baby."
'Think Dorothy, think.' She was rapidly trying to think of an execution plan. She spoke the first one that came to mind. "You're going to be its stepmother? Isn't that lovely."
Her eyes cocked. "Excuse me?"
Dorothy lovingly put a hand on her shoulder, much to Mira's disgust. 'This plan should at least plant the seed of doubt.' "I think it's incredibly admirable that you're going to do the thing that I couldn't."
Mira, not knowing any better at the moment, was somewhat flattered by her sudden compliment. "Why, Dorothy, that seems so nice of you to say."
"Oh, you're kindness just moves me, that's all." She brushed her blonde hair out of her face to fully expose her fake smile. 'This should be good.' "I mean, I really couldn't handle it. It would just be way too weird on the kid if I became his or her stepmother."
"What do you mean?"
"Oh don't you know? The mother of the soon to be born child is my first cousin Sera."
Mira was taken back and somewhat shocked, in a disgusted way. "Oh my goodness. I didn't know that."
Dorothy was laying on her false charms thickly. "Yes, it is true. You see now why I couldn't handle it now, don't you? I would be an aunt AND a stepmother. That's really just too much stress. Of course, I'm still the little darling's biological aunt. Then we will be practically related, won't we?"
"Uh, oh I uh guess that would, um....."
'Rejoice, rejoice, the plan has worked.' She delighted in Mira's complex frustration. She gave her a hug. "We'll practically be sisters. I'll drop in to see little him/her and you and Quatre all the time once it's born."
"Uh, you will?" She was un-approving of that arrangement. "Oh, yes. That would be just, lovely."
"Oh I'm so glad the air is clear between us. For the baby's sake at least." Dorothy was entirely pleased with herself. Her performance had done exactly what she had wanted it to do. To make things all the more perfect, whom should she see walking up the street but Quatre. "Oh Quatre! Hello there, how have you been?"
He skidded to a halt. "Dorothy!"
It caused a pain through her heart to see him, but she put on a mask and waved her hand. "Hello Quatre darling. I was just having a lovely chat with your equally lovely girlfriend, isn't that right dear?"
They both stood, looking dumbstruck at her, and each other. She delighted in both of their hurt and confused faces, and yet at the same time it killed her inside. "Well, I'm afraid I must dash," she commented, seeing Trevor in a black car. She knew she must return to her place. "Goodbye to all."
"Dorothy, wait," Quatre called in desperation.
She didn't even turn around. "So sorry, I'll see you all later." She sprinted toward the car and banged on the window. A very startled Trevor opened the door.
"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Shut up Trevor I need a ride." She forced herself in the car.
"Why were you talking to them?"
"I needed to do something, and now I did it. Take me back before I change my mind."
He drove the car the long distance back into the slums. She walked through his same apartment door and collapsed on the coach. Of course Trevor tried to slip his hand down her shirt, but she swatted him away.
"Stop it, Trevor. Don't make me do something I'll regret."
A/N: No comment from me, what do you think??