TITLE: A Life In Reverse 5/?
AUTHORS: Sam (Lestrade42)
RATING: PG-13
FEEDBACK: I have an enormous amount of fic stuffed into my head because I haven't had time to write. Please tell me you still love me.
DISCLAIMER: All established characters (Micki, Ryan, Jack, Johnny, Lewis etc....) belong to Frank Mancuso, Jr. Nick O' Malley, Kate Benson and SU2 belong to Evan Katz. Kate Brannigan is a creation of Karen. All others belong to me.
EXPLANATION: Stuff bad, shop crew good.
This story came to me (literally) as I bent over to pick up a newspaper in the driveway. I think it's a combined frustration due to a haunted computer, a semi-broken A drive, a corrupted disk, a dusty 'Back To The Future' DVD and the fact I'm out of new "Stargate SG-1" episodes.
Includes excerpts and characters from Karen's (Coe42) "Past and Future" and "Blast From The Past" and my story "Too Much Television Is Bad For Your Soul".
___________________________________________________________________________
Ryan turned another corner and made his way to the highway. "Three hours and we'll be far from annoyances and the same four walls. I'm surprised at how easily your parent's agreed to take the kiddo."
Kate rubbed at her forehead. "Yeah. Me too. It was a little weird. Maybe they finally realized that holding grudges are ridiculous because they're ultimately the ones who miss out."
Ryan laughed. "You're starting to sound like that old guy in your comic."
"What do you mean?"
"You know. They way he always ties a moral into each story."
... "Now you've done it!" Micki exclaimed, "You let him explain it you, now he'll be smug for days." ...
Kate shook her head.
"Sweetie," Ryan lifted his hand from the steering wheel and took Kate's hand, "are you okay?"
"Just a migraine. It'll go away."
"Just close you eyes and relax. Why don't you tell me about what's going on in the new issue?"
Kate closed her eyes and demanded her body to relax. "Okay, there's this knife..."
~*~
Cole rounded Kate's body again. Perfect. In the span of two days, they'd learned more about the inner workings of that stupid little shop than in years of Caleb's spy runs. Objects and their relevance, ways into the shop, everyone's name and background and most of all, their weaknesses. They seemed to be perfectly willing to die for each other, especially the two younger men. They'd throw themselves in a lion's den to save this girl's life. Which was exactly what Cole was counting on. He needed them here in order for his triumph to be complete. Once the girl showed signs of slipping, he'd send Rebecca to lead them here. Cole smiled as he ran his hand over the girl's forehead. A slight sheen of sweat began to form, heat emanating from her body. "Soon now." He turned to the circle of followers around Kate's altar. "Tell Rebecca to prepare."
~*~
... Kate drove, and she worried. Worried and drove. She was sure he'd had another one of his nightmares. It was obvious by the way he'd suddenly come awake (startling her half senseless in the process) and by the way he was avoiding her eyes...
Kate tossed in her sleep.
... "Yo, Kate! Calm down. It's just me." Ryan removed the scarf from around his face.
Kate sighed. "Ryan Patrick Dallion, you scared the hell outta me!" She slowly put the candlestick down. Ryan removed his heavy winter coat....
Ryan looked at her quickly. "Kate?"
... Kate laughed. "Thanks Ryan." Ryan looked down for a second and then kissed her. But he had moved to fast and suddenly, a second later, his backside was stuck between the gap in the monkeybars...
"Kate, wake up."
... Kate laughed." No, it was like they couldn't keep an eye on me anymore. They actually used to tell me that I should marry Ryan. They always harbored this secret dream that the two of us would get together."
Johnny frowned. "Did you ever think of doing it?"
"God no! Yuck, it be like dating my cousin or something!"...
Ryan shook her. "Kate!"
Kate bolted upright. Sweat poured from her forehead into her eyes. "Huh?"
"You were having a nightmare."
Kate's migraine had come back with a vengeance. "Where are we?"
"The rest stop. I gotta get gas." He wrapped his hand around hers. "Still got that headache?"
She nodded.
"Get something to eat and splash some cold water on your face. You'll feel better."
Kate reached for the door handle.
... Johnny smiled. "Good." He laid his hand on top of Kate's.
"What was that?" She took his hand.
"Nothing." He looked down. "I thought you said you didn't need anybody to hold your hand?"
Kate smiled. "I think I could make an exception."...
"Right. Cold water and food. Everything will be fine then." Kate slammed the door behind her, repressing the need to scream.
~*~
Cole smiled. "Rebecca?"
She quickly dropped to one knee. "Sir."
"It's time."
~*~
Ryan slowly made his way to the front door of the shop, his hand throbbing.
Johnny caught up to him. "Feeling any better?"
Ryan spun around, his eyes blazing.
"I meant your hand."
Ryan looked down. "No. I think I broke a finger or two."
"Temper will do that to you every time." Johnny put his hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Ryan,..."
"Don't." He brushed him away. "Don't say 'We'll find her'. I'm sick and tired of all this. She doesn't belong here. This was never her problem. This is my fault. She's here because of me." Ryan turned his back on him.
Johnny grabbed his shoulder an spun him around. "You selfish bastard. She's not here because of you. She's here because of us. Because of all of us. She's an intelligent woman, Ryan. She knows the risks. Hell, she's experienced them first hand! She stayed because she thought she could make a difference. You and Micki, you're family. Jack didn't have anyone left when he came here. You and Micki adopted him. I lost everything I had, but I gained you guys." Johnny forced Ryan to look at him. "Kate came with a friend, but she stayed with her family. And nobody screws with this family."
Ryan smirked. "I didn't know you were Italian."
"That was a little overly dramatic, wasn't it?"
"Got your point across."
As Johnny opened his mouth to respond, a noise from the alley cut him off. "What the hell?" He moved to look around the corner, Ryan following behind.
A hooded person jumped down from the fire escape, a bag dangling from their shoulder. It looked around before running off the opposite way.
"Get Jack," Ryan said as he took of after them.
Johnny ran to the front door and stuck his head in. "Jack!"
~*~
Rebecca ran down the alley and stopped. She had to make sure they were all following. She peeked around carefully. Three bodies running down the alley. She smiled and took off again, more slowly as not to arouse their suspicion.
~*~
Ryan dropped his bag on the floor. "You know, you're right. We needed this. God, I feel better already."
Kate shut off the faucets and looked into the mirror. "I look awful."
"What's that?"
She ran her hands through her disheveled hair. Dark circles had appeared under her eyes, her complexion was almost yellow. "Nothing. I'll be right in." She leaned down and dried off her face. "I'm fine."
... Kate and Micki walked towards the Brannigan Shop/Home. A bright orange light flashed briefly in the upstairs window. Kate frowned. "That's funny," she thought. The next thing she knew, Micki had thrown herself and Kate to the ground. Chunks of masonry rained down. Kate heard herself scream from a long way off...
Kate clutched the sides of her head. "No."
_______________________________________endfive______________________________
AUTHORS: Sam (Lestrade42)
RATING: PG-13
FEEDBACK: I have an enormous amount of fic stuffed into my head because I haven't had time to write. Please tell me you still love me.
DISCLAIMER: All established characters (Micki, Ryan, Jack, Johnny, Lewis etc....) belong to Frank Mancuso, Jr. Nick O' Malley, Kate Benson and SU2 belong to Evan Katz. Kate Brannigan is a creation of Karen. All others belong to me.
EXPLANATION: Stuff bad, shop crew good.
This story came to me (literally) as I bent over to pick up a newspaper in the driveway. I think it's a combined frustration due to a haunted computer, a semi-broken A drive, a corrupted disk, a dusty 'Back To The Future' DVD and the fact I'm out of new "Stargate SG-1" episodes.
Includes excerpts and characters from Karen's (Coe42) "Past and Future" and "Blast From The Past" and my story "Too Much Television Is Bad For Your Soul".
___________________________________________________________________________
Ryan turned another corner and made his way to the highway. "Three hours and we'll be far from annoyances and the same four walls. I'm surprised at how easily your parent's agreed to take the kiddo."
Kate rubbed at her forehead. "Yeah. Me too. It was a little weird. Maybe they finally realized that holding grudges are ridiculous because they're ultimately the ones who miss out."
Ryan laughed. "You're starting to sound like that old guy in your comic."
"What do you mean?"
"You know. They way he always ties a moral into each story."
... "Now you've done it!" Micki exclaimed, "You let him explain it you, now he'll be smug for days." ...
Kate shook her head.
"Sweetie," Ryan lifted his hand from the steering wheel and took Kate's hand, "are you okay?"
"Just a migraine. It'll go away."
"Just close you eyes and relax. Why don't you tell me about what's going on in the new issue?"
Kate closed her eyes and demanded her body to relax. "Okay, there's this knife..."
~*~
Cole rounded Kate's body again. Perfect. In the span of two days, they'd learned more about the inner workings of that stupid little shop than in years of Caleb's spy runs. Objects and their relevance, ways into the shop, everyone's name and background and most of all, their weaknesses. They seemed to be perfectly willing to die for each other, especially the two younger men. They'd throw themselves in a lion's den to save this girl's life. Which was exactly what Cole was counting on. He needed them here in order for his triumph to be complete. Once the girl showed signs of slipping, he'd send Rebecca to lead them here. Cole smiled as he ran his hand over the girl's forehead. A slight sheen of sweat began to form, heat emanating from her body. "Soon now." He turned to the circle of followers around Kate's altar. "Tell Rebecca to prepare."
~*~
... Kate drove, and she worried. Worried and drove. She was sure he'd had another one of his nightmares. It was obvious by the way he'd suddenly come awake (startling her half senseless in the process) and by the way he was avoiding her eyes...
Kate tossed in her sleep.
... "Yo, Kate! Calm down. It's just me." Ryan removed the scarf from around his face.
Kate sighed. "Ryan Patrick Dallion, you scared the hell outta me!" She slowly put the candlestick down. Ryan removed his heavy winter coat....
Ryan looked at her quickly. "Kate?"
... Kate laughed. "Thanks Ryan." Ryan looked down for a second and then kissed her. But he had moved to fast and suddenly, a second later, his backside was stuck between the gap in the monkeybars...
"Kate, wake up."
... Kate laughed." No, it was like they couldn't keep an eye on me anymore. They actually used to tell me that I should marry Ryan. They always harbored this secret dream that the two of us would get together."
Johnny frowned. "Did you ever think of doing it?"
"God no! Yuck, it be like dating my cousin or something!"...
Ryan shook her. "Kate!"
Kate bolted upright. Sweat poured from her forehead into her eyes. "Huh?"
"You were having a nightmare."
Kate's migraine had come back with a vengeance. "Where are we?"
"The rest stop. I gotta get gas." He wrapped his hand around hers. "Still got that headache?"
She nodded.
"Get something to eat and splash some cold water on your face. You'll feel better."
Kate reached for the door handle.
... Johnny smiled. "Good." He laid his hand on top of Kate's.
"What was that?" She took his hand.
"Nothing." He looked down. "I thought you said you didn't need anybody to hold your hand?"
Kate smiled. "I think I could make an exception."...
"Right. Cold water and food. Everything will be fine then." Kate slammed the door behind her, repressing the need to scream.
~*~
Cole smiled. "Rebecca?"
She quickly dropped to one knee. "Sir."
"It's time."
~*~
Ryan slowly made his way to the front door of the shop, his hand throbbing.
Johnny caught up to him. "Feeling any better?"
Ryan spun around, his eyes blazing.
"I meant your hand."
Ryan looked down. "No. I think I broke a finger or two."
"Temper will do that to you every time." Johnny put his hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Ryan,..."
"Don't." He brushed him away. "Don't say 'We'll find her'. I'm sick and tired of all this. She doesn't belong here. This was never her problem. This is my fault. She's here because of me." Ryan turned his back on him.
Johnny grabbed his shoulder an spun him around. "You selfish bastard. She's not here because of you. She's here because of us. Because of all of us. She's an intelligent woman, Ryan. She knows the risks. Hell, she's experienced them first hand! She stayed because she thought she could make a difference. You and Micki, you're family. Jack didn't have anyone left when he came here. You and Micki adopted him. I lost everything I had, but I gained you guys." Johnny forced Ryan to look at him. "Kate came with a friend, but she stayed with her family. And nobody screws with this family."
Ryan smirked. "I didn't know you were Italian."
"That was a little overly dramatic, wasn't it?"
"Got your point across."
As Johnny opened his mouth to respond, a noise from the alley cut him off. "What the hell?" He moved to look around the corner, Ryan following behind.
A hooded person jumped down from the fire escape, a bag dangling from their shoulder. It looked around before running off the opposite way.
"Get Jack," Ryan said as he took of after them.
Johnny ran to the front door and stuck his head in. "Jack!"
~*~
Rebecca ran down the alley and stopped. She had to make sure they were all following. She peeked around carefully. Three bodies running down the alley. She smiled and took off again, more slowly as not to arouse their suspicion.
~*~
Ryan dropped his bag on the floor. "You know, you're right. We needed this. God, I feel better already."
Kate shut off the faucets and looked into the mirror. "I look awful."
"What's that?"
She ran her hands through her disheveled hair. Dark circles had appeared under her eyes, her complexion was almost yellow. "Nothing. I'll be right in." She leaned down and dried off her face. "I'm fine."
... Kate and Micki walked towards the Brannigan Shop/Home. A bright orange light flashed briefly in the upstairs window. Kate frowned. "That's funny," she thought. The next thing she knew, Micki had thrown herself and Kate to the ground. Chunks of masonry rained down. Kate heard herself scream from a long way off...
Kate clutched the sides of her head. "No."
_______________________________________endfive______________________________