Author's note: I have to admit, half way through this chapter I got totally
stuck, I knew what I wanted to do, but couldn't figure out how to do it.
So I've been reading a lot of other fics and came across one called "Don't
Go To Warlock" by wuemsel under Diagnosis Murder and it inspired me to get
this thing going again. So I must give credit where credit is due.
Wuemsel, if you're reading this and a part of it sounds slightly familiar, yes I got it from you. I hope you don't mind, but if you do tell me and I'll think of something and change it.
. . . . . .
Richie and Duncan ran into the room. Tessa stood over Rylan tentatively reaching out to her, but each time she got close enough to actually touch the girl, she would thrash out a limb and Tessa would jump back.
"Ry?" Richie asked stepping closer to the bed.
"She's still asleep. She's having a nightmare." Tessa explained in near panic.
"NO! RICHIE HELP ME!" Rylan screamed fighting against some unseen force.
"Rylan, I'm right here." He said lightly shaking her foot. She kicked out and hit him in the stomach. He stumbled back a few paces and looked bewilderedly at Duncan.
Duncan watched Rylan claw at the air, still begging for help. "We have to wake her up before she hurts herself." Richie nodded and skirted the bed. "No, Richie let me do it." Duncan said gently pulling the boy aside.
"Mac." Richie protested.
"Let me handle this." Duncan slowly reached out and held his hands a few inches about her flailing arms. "If she starts kicking, you'll have to hold her feet down." He instructed Richie, who obediently made his way to the foot of the bed. "You ready?"
"She's not going to like this." The boy warned.
Duncan waited a few more seconds before making his move. Just as her hands went up, his went down grabbing her around the wrists. She screamed at the sudden contact. He pinned her arms to the bed and called her name quietly, trying to wake her. She fought against him, still asleep. He kept his grip as gentle as he could with out letting go of her. He could fell Richie desperately trying to get a grip on her ankles as she tried to kick her way free of Duncan's grip.
"Got her." Richie announced, as her flailing subsided into desperate jerks.
"Rylan!" Duncan tried again.
"Mac, what's wrong with her?" Richie asked fighting to keep his grip. Duncan shook his head and looked down at her.
"Richie, come up here." The second the boy let go of her feet she started kicking again. "Get her feet!" He changed his mind as her knee came in contact with his head. Richie once again moved to restrain her. "Okay, Tessa get me some water. Richie, you don't suppose we could switch places, do you?"
"Why?"
"I think you're the one that needs to wake her up."
"Okay, so how do you propose we do it?" Richie asked adjusting his hold.
Duncan thought for a moment. "If I can hold her down, you can do what you have to to wake her up."
"Hold her down by yourself?" Her foot once again began to slide from his hand.
"Sure." Duncan responded.
"NO, PLEASE!" Rylan yelled.
Duncan shifted his weight and swung one leg up and over the girl. He settled his knees on either side of her hips, and held her legs to the bed with his.
"Okay, I got her." He said looking over his shoulder at Richie, who slowly let go.
"Mac, she's gonna freak." He warned.
A soft whimper escaped from Rylan's lips and Duncan turned to face her. Her eyes were open, clouded by confusion, fear, and betrayal. She began struggling more violently.
"GET OFF ME! LET ME GO!"
"Rylan, shh." Duncan soothed. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you."
"Duncan!" Tessa said in surprise from the doorway, staring at him ontop of Rylan.
"Tessa! Get him off me!" Rylan pleaded her voice tight.
"Rylan, no it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Duncan repeated.
"Mac, get off her." Richie said crawling onto the bed beside them. Rylan looked turned her head and looked at him. Duncan let go of her and went over to Tessa. "Ry, you okay?" Richie asked as she slowly sat up. She merely nodded and kept her eyes on Duncan. "You sure?" She nodded again.
Duncan stepped forward and offered her the water Tessa had brought. Rylan scooted back in the bed and stared in horror at his advancement. Richie smiled sheepishly, as if apologizing for her behavior, and took the glass.
"Here." He pressed it into her hands. She held it, but continued to watch Duncan closely as he backed away. Richie gently cupped her chin in his hand and turned her to face him. "Ry, drink." She gazed up at him. "It's okay," he assured her. Slowly she raised the glass to her lips and took a sip. "See? Nothing happened."
Tessa lightly tugged on Duncan's arm and gestured him to follow her out of the room. He looked up at Richie, who gave him a slight nod, and reluctantly followed.
. . . . . .
"Just give her some time, she's probably a little confused." Tessa said softly guiding Duncan to the kitchen table.
"Did you see how scared she was?" He asked not able to get her panicked face out of his mind.
"Can you blame her?"
"Not really."
"She didn't exactly choose the best time to wake up. That was a very compromising position you had her in."
"I should have listened to Richie. He knew what she was going to do when she woke up with me holding her like that. I should have know, too."
"He thought she was going to. You had all the right intentions, and he'll explain that to her. Everything will be fine and back to normal in no time, you'll see."
. . . . . .
Richie watched as Rylan gulped down the glass of water.
"Thirsty?" He asked with a grin. She stared down at the empty glass in her hands. "You want more?" She handed him the glass, but remained silent. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll be right back." She grabbed his arm. "What?" he asked furrowing his brow. She tightened her grip and pulled him toward her. "You can't have it both ways, girly." He said pulling himself free. "Besides, what's going to happen to you here? I'll be two feet away. . . Mac, too." He added. "You'll be fine."
Richie walked into the kitchen and found Tessa consoling Duncan at the table.
"Should I give her something else?" He asked holding up the empty glass.
"Juice." Duncan answered.
"Okay," He turned and retrieved the pitcher of orange juice from the refrigerator. "Mac," he started turning back around as he filled the glass. "She doesn't mean it. She just freaked out. She probably didn't even realize it was you."
"I know." He answered softly. "I've just never seen anyone so scared of me before. I'm used to being the hero, not the villain. She wouldn't even talk in front of me."
"Mac, she's not talking period. We're practically playing charades in there. It's not you." Richie assured him. "If I annoy her enough she'll say something. Then you won't be able to shut her up." He added, feeling uncomfortable in the dominant role. Being the one with all the answers. "Can she eat anything?" He asked changing the subject and letting Duncan take charge again.
"Not now, maybe later."
"Okay."
. . . . . .
Rylan was sitting in the same position Richie had left her in when he returned.
"You're been upgraded." He commented holding the glass out to her. She looked at him skeptically for a second then reached out for it. He pulled it back and she put her hand down with a confused frown. "Do you want it?" He asked. She looked at him, then reached for it again. "Say it," he instructed holding the juice just out of her grasp. She leaned forward and he took a step back. "What do you say?" His teasing tone masking his near desperation to get her to speak.
Exasperated, she leaned back against wall, crossed her arms, and glared at him. He rolled his eyes.
"Fine you win. You know I hate it when you pout." He walked over and held the glass out to her. "Mac'd probably kill me if he found out I was depriving you of anything, anyway."
Slowly she reached out, then grabbed the glass from his hand before he could pull it away again.
"So what's with the silent treatment?" He asked watching her drink. She looked at him briefly, then looked away. "Ry, what's wrong?"
She looked across the room and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Suddenly she looked at him with a strange twinkle in her eye.
"What?" he asked, relieved and confused by her sudden change of attitude. She handed him her glass and scooted to the edge of the bed. "Gotta pee?" He asked hoping to at least get a laugh out of her. She stood up and looked at him with a sarcastic smile. "What then?"
She took a few cautious steps, found her balance, then made her way across the room and gently picked up his guitar and spiral. Richie watched her closely as she walked back to him. She solemnly handed him the guitar, sat back down, and placed the spiral on the bed between them.
"You're kidding, right?" he asked. She smiled and shook her head no. "Aw, come on, Ry." She reached out and closed his fingers around the neck of the guitar and led his right hand to strum the stings. A sour chord sounded in the room. "I could have told you that was going to happen." He said absentmindedly turning the pegs to get the strings in tune. She pushed the notebook closer to him and smiled hopefully. "Fine, fine, fine. What do you want to hear?"
. . . . . .
Duncan and Tessa looked up as a strange sound came from Richie and Rylan's room.
"What was that?" Tessa asked.
"I don't know."
"Let's go see." She stood up and dragged Duncan behind her down the hall.
. . . . . .
Richie turned the pages of lyrics and read out titles.
"How about 'Relinquished' or 'Status Symbol'?" he asked twisting away as she reached out for the book. "What about 'If I Ever Leave This World Alive'?" She grabbed for the book and he held it above his head. "Which one? If you don't tell me I'll just start making up one as I go along." She pulled his arm down and took the spiral. She flipped through the pages, made her selection, and handed it to him. "I know you want one of mine, but which one? I can't read minds, you know." He turned a couple pages. "What about- -" She took the book back, found the song again, and purposefully handed it back to him. "This one?" he looked down at the book. "You sure you don't want- - "
"No." Rylan said softly, but forcefully. "This one." She put the book on the bed in front of him.
"Okay. See, it's so much easier to get what you want when you actually say something." He said pleased with his accomplishment. He glanced over Rylan's shoulder and briefly allowed his eyes to lock with Duncan's. He had noticed the door open a crack while he was annoying Rylan into talking. Duncan smiled wearily at him and motioned for him to continue.
Wuemsel, if you're reading this and a part of it sounds slightly familiar, yes I got it from you. I hope you don't mind, but if you do tell me and I'll think of something and change it.
. . . . . .
Richie and Duncan ran into the room. Tessa stood over Rylan tentatively reaching out to her, but each time she got close enough to actually touch the girl, she would thrash out a limb and Tessa would jump back.
"Ry?" Richie asked stepping closer to the bed.
"She's still asleep. She's having a nightmare." Tessa explained in near panic.
"NO! RICHIE HELP ME!" Rylan screamed fighting against some unseen force.
"Rylan, I'm right here." He said lightly shaking her foot. She kicked out and hit him in the stomach. He stumbled back a few paces and looked bewilderedly at Duncan.
Duncan watched Rylan claw at the air, still begging for help. "We have to wake her up before she hurts herself." Richie nodded and skirted the bed. "No, Richie let me do it." Duncan said gently pulling the boy aside.
"Mac." Richie protested.
"Let me handle this." Duncan slowly reached out and held his hands a few inches about her flailing arms. "If she starts kicking, you'll have to hold her feet down." He instructed Richie, who obediently made his way to the foot of the bed. "You ready?"
"She's not going to like this." The boy warned.
Duncan waited a few more seconds before making his move. Just as her hands went up, his went down grabbing her around the wrists. She screamed at the sudden contact. He pinned her arms to the bed and called her name quietly, trying to wake her. She fought against him, still asleep. He kept his grip as gentle as he could with out letting go of her. He could fell Richie desperately trying to get a grip on her ankles as she tried to kick her way free of Duncan's grip.
"Got her." Richie announced, as her flailing subsided into desperate jerks.
"Rylan!" Duncan tried again.
"Mac, what's wrong with her?" Richie asked fighting to keep his grip. Duncan shook his head and looked down at her.
"Richie, come up here." The second the boy let go of her feet she started kicking again. "Get her feet!" He changed his mind as her knee came in contact with his head. Richie once again moved to restrain her. "Okay, Tessa get me some water. Richie, you don't suppose we could switch places, do you?"
"Why?"
"I think you're the one that needs to wake her up."
"Okay, so how do you propose we do it?" Richie asked adjusting his hold.
Duncan thought for a moment. "If I can hold her down, you can do what you have to to wake her up."
"Hold her down by yourself?" Her foot once again began to slide from his hand.
"Sure." Duncan responded.
"NO, PLEASE!" Rylan yelled.
Duncan shifted his weight and swung one leg up and over the girl. He settled his knees on either side of her hips, and held her legs to the bed with his.
"Okay, I got her." He said looking over his shoulder at Richie, who slowly let go.
"Mac, she's gonna freak." He warned.
A soft whimper escaped from Rylan's lips and Duncan turned to face her. Her eyes were open, clouded by confusion, fear, and betrayal. She began struggling more violently.
"GET OFF ME! LET ME GO!"
"Rylan, shh." Duncan soothed. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you."
"Duncan!" Tessa said in surprise from the doorway, staring at him ontop of Rylan.
"Tessa! Get him off me!" Rylan pleaded her voice tight.
"Rylan, no it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Duncan repeated.
"Mac, get off her." Richie said crawling onto the bed beside them. Rylan looked turned her head and looked at him. Duncan let go of her and went over to Tessa. "Ry, you okay?" Richie asked as she slowly sat up. She merely nodded and kept her eyes on Duncan. "You sure?" She nodded again.
Duncan stepped forward and offered her the water Tessa had brought. Rylan scooted back in the bed and stared in horror at his advancement. Richie smiled sheepishly, as if apologizing for her behavior, and took the glass.
"Here." He pressed it into her hands. She held it, but continued to watch Duncan closely as he backed away. Richie gently cupped her chin in his hand and turned her to face him. "Ry, drink." She gazed up at him. "It's okay," he assured her. Slowly she raised the glass to her lips and took a sip. "See? Nothing happened."
Tessa lightly tugged on Duncan's arm and gestured him to follow her out of the room. He looked up at Richie, who gave him a slight nod, and reluctantly followed.
. . . . . .
"Just give her some time, she's probably a little confused." Tessa said softly guiding Duncan to the kitchen table.
"Did you see how scared she was?" He asked not able to get her panicked face out of his mind.
"Can you blame her?"
"Not really."
"She didn't exactly choose the best time to wake up. That was a very compromising position you had her in."
"I should have listened to Richie. He knew what she was going to do when she woke up with me holding her like that. I should have know, too."
"He thought she was going to. You had all the right intentions, and he'll explain that to her. Everything will be fine and back to normal in no time, you'll see."
. . . . . .
Richie watched as Rylan gulped down the glass of water.
"Thirsty?" He asked with a grin. She stared down at the empty glass in her hands. "You want more?" She handed him the glass, but remained silent. "I'll take that as a yes. I'll be right back." She grabbed his arm. "What?" he asked furrowing his brow. She tightened her grip and pulled him toward her. "You can't have it both ways, girly." He said pulling himself free. "Besides, what's going to happen to you here? I'll be two feet away. . . Mac, too." He added. "You'll be fine."
Richie walked into the kitchen and found Tessa consoling Duncan at the table.
"Should I give her something else?" He asked holding up the empty glass.
"Juice." Duncan answered.
"Okay," He turned and retrieved the pitcher of orange juice from the refrigerator. "Mac," he started turning back around as he filled the glass. "She doesn't mean it. She just freaked out. She probably didn't even realize it was you."
"I know." He answered softly. "I've just never seen anyone so scared of me before. I'm used to being the hero, not the villain. She wouldn't even talk in front of me."
"Mac, she's not talking period. We're practically playing charades in there. It's not you." Richie assured him. "If I annoy her enough she'll say something. Then you won't be able to shut her up." He added, feeling uncomfortable in the dominant role. Being the one with all the answers. "Can she eat anything?" He asked changing the subject and letting Duncan take charge again.
"Not now, maybe later."
"Okay."
. . . . . .
Rylan was sitting in the same position Richie had left her in when he returned.
"You're been upgraded." He commented holding the glass out to her. She looked at him skeptically for a second then reached out for it. He pulled it back and she put her hand down with a confused frown. "Do you want it?" He asked. She looked at him, then reached for it again. "Say it," he instructed holding the juice just out of her grasp. She leaned forward and he took a step back. "What do you say?" His teasing tone masking his near desperation to get her to speak.
Exasperated, she leaned back against wall, crossed her arms, and glared at him. He rolled his eyes.
"Fine you win. You know I hate it when you pout." He walked over and held the glass out to her. "Mac'd probably kill me if he found out I was depriving you of anything, anyway."
Slowly she reached out, then grabbed the glass from his hand before he could pull it away again.
"So what's with the silent treatment?" He asked watching her drink. She looked at him briefly, then looked away. "Ry, what's wrong?"
She looked across the room and stared at his reflection in the mirror. Suddenly she looked at him with a strange twinkle in her eye.
"What?" he asked, relieved and confused by her sudden change of attitude. She handed him her glass and scooted to the edge of the bed. "Gotta pee?" He asked hoping to at least get a laugh out of her. She stood up and looked at him with a sarcastic smile. "What then?"
She took a few cautious steps, found her balance, then made her way across the room and gently picked up his guitar and spiral. Richie watched her closely as she walked back to him. She solemnly handed him the guitar, sat back down, and placed the spiral on the bed between them.
"You're kidding, right?" he asked. She smiled and shook her head no. "Aw, come on, Ry." She reached out and closed his fingers around the neck of the guitar and led his right hand to strum the stings. A sour chord sounded in the room. "I could have told you that was going to happen." He said absentmindedly turning the pegs to get the strings in tune. She pushed the notebook closer to him and smiled hopefully. "Fine, fine, fine. What do you want to hear?"
. . . . . .
Duncan and Tessa looked up as a strange sound came from Richie and Rylan's room.
"What was that?" Tessa asked.
"I don't know."
"Let's go see." She stood up and dragged Duncan behind her down the hall.
. . . . . .
Richie turned the pages of lyrics and read out titles.
"How about 'Relinquished' or 'Status Symbol'?" he asked twisting away as she reached out for the book. "What about 'If I Ever Leave This World Alive'?" She grabbed for the book and he held it above his head. "Which one? If you don't tell me I'll just start making up one as I go along." She pulled his arm down and took the spiral. She flipped through the pages, made her selection, and handed it to him. "I know you want one of mine, but which one? I can't read minds, you know." He turned a couple pages. "What about- -" She took the book back, found the song again, and purposefully handed it back to him. "This one?" he looked down at the book. "You sure you don't want- - "
"No." Rylan said softly, but forcefully. "This one." She put the book on the bed in front of him.
"Okay. See, it's so much easier to get what you want when you actually say something." He said pleased with his accomplishment. He glanced over Rylan's shoulder and briefly allowed his eyes to lock with Duncan's. He had noticed the door open a crack while he was annoying Rylan into talking. Duncan smiled wearily at him and motioned for him to continue.