Took a while but it's here. :)
Part 3
Tommy escaped the dusk falling behind him when he ran into the Dingle's, the sound of Becky laughing hysterically greeting him. He stuck his head into the den to see her sitting on the arm of her father's recliner, the two of them watching Mike Myers parading around in British-flag undies to 'I Touch Myself'.
"Uhhh... hi?"
"Hi, Tommy." Becky smiled, still laughing a little.
"Hey, kid." Al greeted.
"You're watching--"
"One of the best Mike Meyer's movies of all time, second only to the original 'Austin Powers'," Becky reported with a firm nod. "Even Daddy thinks so, though the first time he saw it I had to force him to watch after Vanessa was, er, done away with."
"Hey, that Liz Hurley's no joke if ya know what I mean..."
Becky rolled her eyes at her father and reached for some popcorn. "You want to join us?"
Tommy smiled, looking at her father absorbed in the movie before shaking his head.
"I'm gonna go see Merton."
"Kay, whatever kid." Al shrugged, turning back to the Fembots.
He had never been entirely sure Merton's dad even liked him or was being cordial because he was 'Merton's friend'. And being that he was always working on some top-secret Navy project in some top-secret place Tommy tried to be on his good side – he was pretty intimidating without that looming over head and that showed something. With Becky being such a Daddy's Girl he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in a life before where he tried to hook up with Becky and 'disappeared'.
"Merton, Merton!" Tommy called into the lair.
Merton shrieked and hopped up.
"Gah! Don't *do* that!" he panted.
"Ewwww, Merton... 'Chain-Mail Goth Girls'?"
"Some of them look better than that..." he fidgeted. "What... uh... what is it?" he asked, tossing the magazine
into a corner, trying to look innocent.
"I need to tell you something, something I didn't tell you before about Madam Goolee..."
"Oh really?" he asked pretty impressed with himself. "See something did you?"
"Yeah, actually . . ." he began nervously. "You remember when I came, uh, back? I said something?"
"Becky?"
"Yep."
"You saw Becky?" Merton asked with a look of disinterest.
"Exactly."
"Tommy that's not exactly some vision from the great beyond--- Becky you *know*..." he snorted.
"No, Merton! We weren't *us*, and it happened *again*, tonight! Only... different!"
Merton looked at him now, intrigued.
"Go on..."
"We were... in a stable..." he said carefully. "We had different names, and... I knew things that I couldn't possibly know. The second time, we were at a picnic or something... and... we had *new* different names... And, this time, you an' Stacey were there, but you had different names *too*---"
"All right, all right, Tommy, stop!" Merton ordered.
"What? You know what's wrong?"
"We aren't rehashing the 'Wizard of Oz' here. You were there, and you, and Oh Auntie Em you were there too," he said in a ridiculously high voice. "Besides, those monkeys give me the willies."
"You don't get it, Merton, I think they were past lives!"
"Really? Hmm, interesting," he said in a practiced Freud persona. "Perhaps these are daydreams of our lives in a different time."
"What?"
Suddenly he became abruptly excited and his voice was convinced. "Maybe Madam Goolee is really a drug pusher and that tea was laced!"
"No, no. Least I don't thinks so …" He shook his head and told him, "These weren't our lives, Merton. You were actually brave in the last one."
"Really? .... Hmm, there might be something to this then."
Tommy nodded. "What I'm trying to *tell* you, dude!"
"So... how brave was I? A total badass, huh?"
"Merton, that's not the *point*?"
"Oh, yeah, I was awesome..." he nodded proudly.
Tommy rolled his eyes and smiled indulgently at his best friend.
"See, in both of these lives... I was... in love with Becky?"
"Exsqueeze me?"
"Yeah... I know, but... see, both times also... this guy... Lucard... he seemed... He was a total jerkoff, man, and
he was always after her. Scaring her..."
"Well, since it seems like we keep popping up together maybe he's connected too."
"I don't know but the guy was a total creep," Tommy said darkly.
"We've met a lot of creeps in our time, maybe in this life he was a big baddie you've already defeated with your wolf-style," Merton offered up with a quick 'Grr' stance.
Tommy shook his head.
"No, it wasn't. And, I just get this funny feeling... It makes me worried for her?"
Merton frowned; Tommy's wolfy-spidey sense usually was pretty on-target...
"All right, so... is this fellow anyone you think you might have seen before?"
Tommy shook his head.
"No. But I'd know him. Believe me?"
Merton nodded again.
"Well, Becky hasn't *mentioned* anyone... bothering her?" he said slowly, shuddering a bit at the prospect.
"No, I think we'd notice, Beckers kind of wears her emotions on her sleeve?"
"She certainly wears 'Pissed' right out in the open but other stuff…" Merton shrugged. "Too bad we can't bring my Pops into this; the Navy has the best computer system---"
"Merton! We can't tell the Navy about me!"
"Well, duh, I said I *wish* we could..." Merton rolled his eyes at him.
"We have to see Madam Goolee," Tommy told him already heading for the door.
"Wait, I want to know how you did it without Madam Goolee."
"Nu-Uh. I am not going back to anywhere until I find out exactly what's going on," Tommy said firmly. "I want you to hit my upside my head if I even begin to say 'Return me--"
A wave crashed into his body and when he opened his eyes he squinted under the sun.
"I should have know that was going to happen," he said annoyed as he spat dirt from his mouth and
He looked down at his tattered clothing to see that he was dressed in an old-fashioned Union Blue Civil War uniform before looking up at a stately plantation house.
The memories flowed into his mind and he took a tentative step forward before walking became running and he was tugging open the door and slowly walking inside through the rooms looking for . . . someone.
"Hello?" he called out.
And, there she was... looking like Miss Scarlet O'Hara herself...
Becky.
"Beulah..." he breathed, pulling her to him by the waist.
"Get your filthy hands off of me!" she resisted pushing him away. "You and your Yankee ways ruining everything! It's not supposed to be this way! I should be married to Mr. Lucard and living the proper life! I shouldn't have to worry about anything."
"Beulah--"
"No!" she cried, tears running down her face and onto the gown she wore. It was far more practical then the first he had seen her in.
She wore deep blue that day, intriguing and beautiful in the center of the room. It was a large rally, everyone was trying to show their Southern pride and he was there, spying on anything that could help the North. He had tried not to talk that much, his accent of mock South not quite as convincing. He met Mercer that day and he introduced him to his sister, Beulah.
Clever and filled with the old taught feminine charm that was betrayed by her boisterous nature. She was instantly attracting and already betrothed. But when they fell away from the rest . . . she had let him kiss her, just once. She then proclaimed it was just because of his handsome looks and left him there . . . It began everything. Even the ongoing tangle of pain, guilt, and overwhelming love.
"You're a silly thing, Tanner! You men and your stupid wars! You couldn't just sit down and talk it out; all the arrogance flowing around made that impossible! Now Daddy is gone. And Mercer too, my only brother gone to fight, sneaking off in the night because he was joining the Yanks. Mama is just sick about it and spends her days praying. Now we're all alone and Mr. Lucard has been coming around more and more . . . And you ruined that too! I should be happy to see him but all I see is you're pitiful face saying you loved me, that after this whole debacle ended we'd be together."
"I still mean it."
"Well don't. I'd never leave my family without a word, Tanner -- Even if they've already left me."
Tommy sighed and brushed her raven hair back from her face.
"Beulah... my Heart," he whispered, burying his face into her hair, stroking the back of her head lightly with her fingertips.
She sighed as she melted against him.
"Why must you do this to me, Tanner?" she rasped in a pleading whisper.
"Because, you know you'd never be happy with that man. You just *think* so, because he has that large spread and he's *considered* a 'Fine Southern Gentleman'." he scoffed. "He's no gentleman."
Beulah sighed. "I suspect he isn't even Southern . . . His accent is almost as appalling as yours was."
She smiled softly and he laughed, as she grew sullen again.
"I can't leave this place... could you ever stay?"
"I'd live on hellfire's coals if it meant to be with you."
Her eyes filled with tears and she brought a handkerchief up from some unknown spot to gently wipe away the tears.
"It's so unfair to ask you," she said with a shaky breath. "I just have to wait for Daddy and Mercer. I have to know their okay."
He knew what she was going to say. After. After they came back she would be able to leave but he knew she was raised on the land and, even if it was for him, it'd hurt her to leave it behind.
"You don't have to," he told her with a gentle kiss to her temple. "I'd never take you away."
She jumped a bit in his arms, throwing her hands over her shoulder with her taught coyness gone.
"Oh, you're wonderful Tanner Sullivan! Daddy will love you, I just know it! Even if you are a Yankee!"
Tommy laughed and nuzzled her neck gently.
"When this is all over, we're gonna make this place work again, you'll see..." she smiled.
Tommy nodded, smiling at the determinedness of her facial expression.
"I brought you a present..." he smiled up at her.
"Ooooh, really?" she drawled, her face all aglow.
"I promise..."
"Miss Beulah, someone in the parlor for ya..." a voice said behind them.
"Oh, thank you, Abby," she said to the woman who was more of a mother to her than her own. Beulah smiled at Tommy. "You'll keep my gift for another moment won't you?"
He nodded and put his hand over the pocket he had sewn into his pants so that her gift couldn't slip away in battle.
She seemed giddy and kissed his cheek before she and broke away to move toward the parlor in the remarkably well kept house, even through the turmoil of the war that ended just days ago.
Abby looked at him and raised her eyebrow once Beulah left the room.
"I hope you plan to do right by her," she said firmly.
"I swear," Tommy said.
A scream echoed through the house and even though Abby began a leisurely walk Tommy raced to the sound. Just before he broke through the entrance he heard Beulah yell out a name and embrace a figure. She pulled back after a good long hug before noticing Tommy and she went over to grab his hand, bringing him to the stranger.
What was the name she had said? Lori?
"Lucy, I want you to meet someone," Beulah smiled.
"Tanner Sullivan." Tommy bowed a bit gallantly, causing the girls to titter a bit.
"Lucy Carnahan," the blonde smiled at him.
"This is my fiancée." Beulah smiled proudly, wrapping both arms around one of his.
"A solider? Beulah..."
"I tol' her," Abby said entering the room "But she never listened to a word I said so I don't expect her to now."
"Now, Abby, you said you'd be nice to Tanner. And not a word from you, Lucille," she ordered. "Perhaps you aren't brave enough to go to your true love under any terms but I am. And I've found mine . . . my love."
"You're father is going to be just furious!" Lucy fretted. She seemed more of a frail type and she nervously bit her lip.
"No, he'll love Tanner because I'll make him," Beulah said simply. "And then he'll forgive Mercer."
"After he ran off to the North?" Lucy asked disbelieving.
"He didn't run off, he went to fight with them. He was noble for standing up for what he believed in ... And I am too. It's a family trait you know," she said prideful as she tightened on Tommy's hand.
Tommy woke up, lain across Merton's bed, and the image of Lori in the bonnet swirled into Lori in a Reservoir Dogs tank top and a high ponytail, and instead of Abby, the housemaid, it was Merton.
"Whoa, trippy..." he muttered.
"Merton called me," she said, smacking loudly on her gum. "What happened, where were you?"
"Trying to retrieve the love of my life after the Civil War," he said, groaning as he sat up.
"Was I there?" Merton asked eagerly, he backed off at Tommy's warning expression.
"You were there this time," he nodded at Lori.
Lori laughed.
"You're right--- 'Wizard of Oz', man..."
Tommy growled, aggravated.
"Aw, be a sport," she smirked, nudging him a bit playfully.
"Was Becky---"
"Yeah, she was the girl. Complete Southern Belle," Tommy affirmed. "She... mentioned that Lucard person again... and... a brother?"
"Really?" Merton squeaked excitedly.
"Y-eah... she said he'd joined the opposite side against his father's wishes because he believed it was right?"
"Bravery," Merton said as if in discovery, "Must be my middle name!"
"That's very nice for you, Merton," Lori humored. "Now what about me?"
"I think there are bigger issues here!" Tommy stated loudly.
"Merton?" Becky's asked as she walked into the Lair. "Daddy said -- Tommy! I forgot you were down here.
You're just the person I wanted her see!"
His gulp was almost audibly before he nervously squeaked out a, "Really? What for?"
Becky eyed him. "He doesn't believe me that Vanessa's a Fembot!"
"Come on, that was the coolest thing! When the things shot out of her---"
"Y-eah, well... go tell him, I bet him five bucks?" she smirked.
"Well," Merton interrupted. "Isn't this cozy?"
"Very," Lori added.
"What are you two talking about?" Becky asked.
"Oh, nothing," her brother said.
"Not a thing," Lori told her as Tommy looked at them with an evil eye.
"A Freaker on one side and a nut on the other," she said turning and jogging back up the steps.
"You both suck," Tommy said decisively as he stood up.
"Tommy? Are you coming?"
"Um," he looked to the smirking faces and scowled in response. "Yeah."
As he followed Becky Merton's expression faded away and he sat down pensively.
"Merton, do you really think---"
"I dunno... but I think we should start getting more... detailed information from him? We should look into this..."
Meanwhile, Al lit another cigar as Tommy came up.
"Oh, hey, tell her that she's wrong?"
"Sorry. She's a robot."
"She has a *mother*?"
Tommy shrugged. "They don't explain certain things very well..."
Al nodded.
"Why don't'cha sit down for a bit?" he offered, gesturing to the couch and motioning for Becky to
resume her spot on the arm of his chair.
Tommy sat down *very* slowly.
"So... why don't'cha tell me what you and maboy've been up to lately, eh?" he asked conversationally...
Tommy's lower lip stuck out a bit as he shrugged, "Not much, Sir."
"Sir. You have good manners, don't see that too often," he nodded approvingly and Becky caught Tommy's eyes with a little grin.
His attention moved to the boy on the couch to the screen and he laughed as a large Scottish man proclaimed his desperate want for baby back ribs.
"This gets me every time," he laughed. Tommy caught on a bit later and gave a little apprehensive 'ha' to go along . . .
Merton frowned as he found a picture on his laptop.
"What? What's the matter?" Lori asked him.
"This guy... we'd better go ask Tommy..." Merton said apprehensively.
"Merton, what *is* it?"
"I've found sixteen different listings for the same man, same picture..."
"And?" Lori frowned.
"It's from sixteen different *time* *periods*???"
"Okay, that presents a problem."
"Ya think? ... Have you ever seen him before?"
"No, not that I remember, and with the cloud of rain hanging over that guy's head I probably would," she said with a shake of her shoulders.
"He is rather creepy. And not in the cute, adorable way like me."
Lori rolled her eyes at him.
"Well, anyhow, let's go and GET him???"
"Yeah, sure..."
Merton and Lori ran upstairs to see Tommy fidgeting on the couch, while Becky and Al were watching the movie...
"Tommy, I need your help with.... something."
Al looked at his son skeptically. "If you don't want me to know you could come up with something that's a little more convincing."
"Help for school."
"Better."
"I'm right there," Tommy said gratefully as he stood, grabbing his best friends arm and dragging him away while Becky watched them curiously.
"Tommy?" she waved a little and he did too. "See ya later."
He nodded and was about to say something else when Merton reached out and dragged him away.
End Part Three
Part 3
Tommy escaped the dusk falling behind him when he ran into the Dingle's, the sound of Becky laughing hysterically greeting him. He stuck his head into the den to see her sitting on the arm of her father's recliner, the two of them watching Mike Myers parading around in British-flag undies to 'I Touch Myself'.
"Uhhh... hi?"
"Hi, Tommy." Becky smiled, still laughing a little.
"Hey, kid." Al greeted.
"You're watching--"
"One of the best Mike Meyer's movies of all time, second only to the original 'Austin Powers'," Becky reported with a firm nod. "Even Daddy thinks so, though the first time he saw it I had to force him to watch after Vanessa was, er, done away with."
"Hey, that Liz Hurley's no joke if ya know what I mean..."
Becky rolled her eyes at her father and reached for some popcorn. "You want to join us?"
Tommy smiled, looking at her father absorbed in the movie before shaking his head.
"I'm gonna go see Merton."
"Kay, whatever kid." Al shrugged, turning back to the Fembots.
He had never been entirely sure Merton's dad even liked him or was being cordial because he was 'Merton's friend'. And being that he was always working on some top-secret Navy project in some top-secret place Tommy tried to be on his good side – he was pretty intimidating without that looming over head and that showed something. With Becky being such a Daddy's Girl he wouldn't be surprised if he ended up in a life before where he tried to hook up with Becky and 'disappeared'.
"Merton, Merton!" Tommy called into the lair.
Merton shrieked and hopped up.
"Gah! Don't *do* that!" he panted.
"Ewwww, Merton... 'Chain-Mail Goth Girls'?"
"Some of them look better than that..." he fidgeted. "What... uh... what is it?" he asked, tossing the magazine
into a corner, trying to look innocent.
"I need to tell you something, something I didn't tell you before about Madam Goolee..."
"Oh really?" he asked pretty impressed with himself. "See something did you?"
"Yeah, actually . . ." he began nervously. "You remember when I came, uh, back? I said something?"
"Becky?"
"Yep."
"You saw Becky?" Merton asked with a look of disinterest.
"Exactly."
"Tommy that's not exactly some vision from the great beyond--- Becky you *know*..." he snorted.
"No, Merton! We weren't *us*, and it happened *again*, tonight! Only... different!"
Merton looked at him now, intrigued.
"Go on..."
"We were... in a stable..." he said carefully. "We had different names, and... I knew things that I couldn't possibly know. The second time, we were at a picnic or something... and... we had *new* different names... And, this time, you an' Stacey were there, but you had different names *too*---"
"All right, all right, Tommy, stop!" Merton ordered.
"What? You know what's wrong?"
"We aren't rehashing the 'Wizard of Oz' here. You were there, and you, and Oh Auntie Em you were there too," he said in a ridiculously high voice. "Besides, those monkeys give me the willies."
"You don't get it, Merton, I think they were past lives!"
"Really? Hmm, interesting," he said in a practiced Freud persona. "Perhaps these are daydreams of our lives in a different time."
"What?"
Suddenly he became abruptly excited and his voice was convinced. "Maybe Madam Goolee is really a drug pusher and that tea was laced!"
"No, no. Least I don't thinks so …" He shook his head and told him, "These weren't our lives, Merton. You were actually brave in the last one."
"Really? .... Hmm, there might be something to this then."
Tommy nodded. "What I'm trying to *tell* you, dude!"
"So... how brave was I? A total badass, huh?"
"Merton, that's not the *point*?"
"Oh, yeah, I was awesome..." he nodded proudly.
Tommy rolled his eyes and smiled indulgently at his best friend.
"See, in both of these lives... I was... in love with Becky?"
"Exsqueeze me?"
"Yeah... I know, but... see, both times also... this guy... Lucard... he seemed... He was a total jerkoff, man, and
he was always after her. Scaring her..."
"Well, since it seems like we keep popping up together maybe he's connected too."
"I don't know but the guy was a total creep," Tommy said darkly.
"We've met a lot of creeps in our time, maybe in this life he was a big baddie you've already defeated with your wolf-style," Merton offered up with a quick 'Grr' stance.
Tommy shook his head.
"No, it wasn't. And, I just get this funny feeling... It makes me worried for her?"
Merton frowned; Tommy's wolfy-spidey sense usually was pretty on-target...
"All right, so... is this fellow anyone you think you might have seen before?"
Tommy shook his head.
"No. But I'd know him. Believe me?"
Merton nodded again.
"Well, Becky hasn't *mentioned* anyone... bothering her?" he said slowly, shuddering a bit at the prospect.
"No, I think we'd notice, Beckers kind of wears her emotions on her sleeve?"
"She certainly wears 'Pissed' right out in the open but other stuff…" Merton shrugged. "Too bad we can't bring my Pops into this; the Navy has the best computer system---"
"Merton! We can't tell the Navy about me!"
"Well, duh, I said I *wish* we could..." Merton rolled his eyes at him.
"We have to see Madam Goolee," Tommy told him already heading for the door.
"Wait, I want to know how you did it without Madam Goolee."
"Nu-Uh. I am not going back to anywhere until I find out exactly what's going on," Tommy said firmly. "I want you to hit my upside my head if I even begin to say 'Return me--"
A wave crashed into his body and when he opened his eyes he squinted under the sun.
"I should have know that was going to happen," he said annoyed as he spat dirt from his mouth and
He looked down at his tattered clothing to see that he was dressed in an old-fashioned Union Blue Civil War uniform before looking up at a stately plantation house.
The memories flowed into his mind and he took a tentative step forward before walking became running and he was tugging open the door and slowly walking inside through the rooms looking for . . . someone.
"Hello?" he called out.
And, there she was... looking like Miss Scarlet O'Hara herself...
Becky.
"Beulah..." he breathed, pulling her to him by the waist.
"Get your filthy hands off of me!" she resisted pushing him away. "You and your Yankee ways ruining everything! It's not supposed to be this way! I should be married to Mr. Lucard and living the proper life! I shouldn't have to worry about anything."
"Beulah--"
"No!" she cried, tears running down her face and onto the gown she wore. It was far more practical then the first he had seen her in.
She wore deep blue that day, intriguing and beautiful in the center of the room. It was a large rally, everyone was trying to show their Southern pride and he was there, spying on anything that could help the North. He had tried not to talk that much, his accent of mock South not quite as convincing. He met Mercer that day and he introduced him to his sister, Beulah.
Clever and filled with the old taught feminine charm that was betrayed by her boisterous nature. She was instantly attracting and already betrothed. But when they fell away from the rest . . . she had let him kiss her, just once. She then proclaimed it was just because of his handsome looks and left him there . . . It began everything. Even the ongoing tangle of pain, guilt, and overwhelming love.
"You're a silly thing, Tanner! You men and your stupid wars! You couldn't just sit down and talk it out; all the arrogance flowing around made that impossible! Now Daddy is gone. And Mercer too, my only brother gone to fight, sneaking off in the night because he was joining the Yanks. Mama is just sick about it and spends her days praying. Now we're all alone and Mr. Lucard has been coming around more and more . . . And you ruined that too! I should be happy to see him but all I see is you're pitiful face saying you loved me, that after this whole debacle ended we'd be together."
"I still mean it."
"Well don't. I'd never leave my family without a word, Tanner -- Even if they've already left me."
Tommy sighed and brushed her raven hair back from her face.
"Beulah... my Heart," he whispered, burying his face into her hair, stroking the back of her head lightly with her fingertips.
She sighed as she melted against him.
"Why must you do this to me, Tanner?" she rasped in a pleading whisper.
"Because, you know you'd never be happy with that man. You just *think* so, because he has that large spread and he's *considered* a 'Fine Southern Gentleman'." he scoffed. "He's no gentleman."
Beulah sighed. "I suspect he isn't even Southern . . . His accent is almost as appalling as yours was."
She smiled softly and he laughed, as she grew sullen again.
"I can't leave this place... could you ever stay?"
"I'd live on hellfire's coals if it meant to be with you."
Her eyes filled with tears and she brought a handkerchief up from some unknown spot to gently wipe away the tears.
"It's so unfair to ask you," she said with a shaky breath. "I just have to wait for Daddy and Mercer. I have to know their okay."
He knew what she was going to say. After. After they came back she would be able to leave but he knew she was raised on the land and, even if it was for him, it'd hurt her to leave it behind.
"You don't have to," he told her with a gentle kiss to her temple. "I'd never take you away."
She jumped a bit in his arms, throwing her hands over her shoulder with her taught coyness gone.
"Oh, you're wonderful Tanner Sullivan! Daddy will love you, I just know it! Even if you are a Yankee!"
Tommy laughed and nuzzled her neck gently.
"When this is all over, we're gonna make this place work again, you'll see..." she smiled.
Tommy nodded, smiling at the determinedness of her facial expression.
"I brought you a present..." he smiled up at her.
"Ooooh, really?" she drawled, her face all aglow.
"I promise..."
"Miss Beulah, someone in the parlor for ya..." a voice said behind them.
"Oh, thank you, Abby," she said to the woman who was more of a mother to her than her own. Beulah smiled at Tommy. "You'll keep my gift for another moment won't you?"
He nodded and put his hand over the pocket he had sewn into his pants so that her gift couldn't slip away in battle.
She seemed giddy and kissed his cheek before she and broke away to move toward the parlor in the remarkably well kept house, even through the turmoil of the war that ended just days ago.
Abby looked at him and raised her eyebrow once Beulah left the room.
"I hope you plan to do right by her," she said firmly.
"I swear," Tommy said.
A scream echoed through the house and even though Abby began a leisurely walk Tommy raced to the sound. Just before he broke through the entrance he heard Beulah yell out a name and embrace a figure. She pulled back after a good long hug before noticing Tommy and she went over to grab his hand, bringing him to the stranger.
What was the name she had said? Lori?
"Lucy, I want you to meet someone," Beulah smiled.
"Tanner Sullivan." Tommy bowed a bit gallantly, causing the girls to titter a bit.
"Lucy Carnahan," the blonde smiled at him.
"This is my fiancée." Beulah smiled proudly, wrapping both arms around one of his.
"A solider? Beulah..."
"I tol' her," Abby said entering the room "But she never listened to a word I said so I don't expect her to now."
"Now, Abby, you said you'd be nice to Tanner. And not a word from you, Lucille," she ordered. "Perhaps you aren't brave enough to go to your true love under any terms but I am. And I've found mine . . . my love."
"You're father is going to be just furious!" Lucy fretted. She seemed more of a frail type and she nervously bit her lip.
"No, he'll love Tanner because I'll make him," Beulah said simply. "And then he'll forgive Mercer."
"After he ran off to the North?" Lucy asked disbelieving.
"He didn't run off, he went to fight with them. He was noble for standing up for what he believed in ... And I am too. It's a family trait you know," she said prideful as she tightened on Tommy's hand.
Tommy woke up, lain across Merton's bed, and the image of Lori in the bonnet swirled into Lori in a Reservoir Dogs tank top and a high ponytail, and instead of Abby, the housemaid, it was Merton.
"Whoa, trippy..." he muttered.
"Merton called me," she said, smacking loudly on her gum. "What happened, where were you?"
"Trying to retrieve the love of my life after the Civil War," he said, groaning as he sat up.
"Was I there?" Merton asked eagerly, he backed off at Tommy's warning expression.
"You were there this time," he nodded at Lori.
Lori laughed.
"You're right--- 'Wizard of Oz', man..."
Tommy growled, aggravated.
"Aw, be a sport," she smirked, nudging him a bit playfully.
"Was Becky---"
"Yeah, she was the girl. Complete Southern Belle," Tommy affirmed. "She... mentioned that Lucard person again... and... a brother?"
"Really?" Merton squeaked excitedly.
"Y-eah... she said he'd joined the opposite side against his father's wishes because he believed it was right?"
"Bravery," Merton said as if in discovery, "Must be my middle name!"
"That's very nice for you, Merton," Lori humored. "Now what about me?"
"I think there are bigger issues here!" Tommy stated loudly.
"Merton?" Becky's asked as she walked into the Lair. "Daddy said -- Tommy! I forgot you were down here.
You're just the person I wanted her see!"
His gulp was almost audibly before he nervously squeaked out a, "Really? What for?"
Becky eyed him. "He doesn't believe me that Vanessa's a Fembot!"
"Come on, that was the coolest thing! When the things shot out of her---"
"Y-eah, well... go tell him, I bet him five bucks?" she smirked.
"Well," Merton interrupted. "Isn't this cozy?"
"Very," Lori added.
"What are you two talking about?" Becky asked.
"Oh, nothing," her brother said.
"Not a thing," Lori told her as Tommy looked at them with an evil eye.
"A Freaker on one side and a nut on the other," she said turning and jogging back up the steps.
"You both suck," Tommy said decisively as he stood up.
"Tommy? Are you coming?"
"Um," he looked to the smirking faces and scowled in response. "Yeah."
As he followed Becky Merton's expression faded away and he sat down pensively.
"Merton, do you really think---"
"I dunno... but I think we should start getting more... detailed information from him? We should look into this..."
Meanwhile, Al lit another cigar as Tommy came up.
"Oh, hey, tell her that she's wrong?"
"Sorry. She's a robot."
"She has a *mother*?"
Tommy shrugged. "They don't explain certain things very well..."
Al nodded.
"Why don't'cha sit down for a bit?" he offered, gesturing to the couch and motioning for Becky to
resume her spot on the arm of his chair.
Tommy sat down *very* slowly.
"So... why don't'cha tell me what you and maboy've been up to lately, eh?" he asked conversationally...
Tommy's lower lip stuck out a bit as he shrugged, "Not much, Sir."
"Sir. You have good manners, don't see that too often," he nodded approvingly and Becky caught Tommy's eyes with a little grin.
His attention moved to the boy on the couch to the screen and he laughed as a large Scottish man proclaimed his desperate want for baby back ribs.
"This gets me every time," he laughed. Tommy caught on a bit later and gave a little apprehensive 'ha' to go along . . .
Merton frowned as he found a picture on his laptop.
"What? What's the matter?" Lori asked him.
"This guy... we'd better go ask Tommy..." Merton said apprehensively.
"Merton, what *is* it?"
"I've found sixteen different listings for the same man, same picture..."
"And?" Lori frowned.
"It's from sixteen different *time* *periods*???"
"Okay, that presents a problem."
"Ya think? ... Have you ever seen him before?"
"No, not that I remember, and with the cloud of rain hanging over that guy's head I probably would," she said with a shake of her shoulders.
"He is rather creepy. And not in the cute, adorable way like me."
Lori rolled her eyes at him.
"Well, anyhow, let's go and GET him???"
"Yeah, sure..."
Merton and Lori ran upstairs to see Tommy fidgeting on the couch, while Becky and Al were watching the movie...
"Tommy, I need your help with.... something."
Al looked at his son skeptically. "If you don't want me to know you could come up with something that's a little more convincing."
"Help for school."
"Better."
"I'm right there," Tommy said gratefully as he stood, grabbing his best friends arm and dragging him away while Becky watched them curiously.
"Tommy?" she waved a little and he did too. "See ya later."
He nodded and was about to say something else when Merton reached out and dragged him away.
End Part Three