Part 7 - Joint Go:
Night came and four teenagers sat in the Lair, three trying to pretend everything was fine and one not buying it at all.
Which is pretty expected when you can't go walk up the stairs without being called back for some stupid, simple thing or having someone tail you. Towards the end Becky started to leave just to test them.
Now she sat eyeing her 'captors'. Merton was clicking away on the keys; Lori was flipping through a magazine - well, Lori wasn't really in on this -- and Tommy . . . Tommy was staring straight at her.
Becky sighed.
"All right--- what's the what here, guys?"
"Uh... whatever do you mean, Sis?"
"Merton, you... you and Tommy haven't let me out of your *sight* except to go to the *bathroom*, practically - and that's probably because Lori refused to follow me there. Oh, and to make Tommy a stupid sandwich hours ago!"
"That I ate all of," he chimed in. "And made me feel . . . unlikely to faint."
Becky gave him an odd look before Merton cleared his throat, distracting her.
"You... you're exaggerating?"
"No, I'm not. I would have stuck around here to look after Tommy anyway but over the last couple of hours it's become *very* clear something else is going on."
"Beckers, it's... where do you wanna go?" Tommy asked her.
"I'm going to sit on the porch swing," she told him, standing up.
"Alone?"
"Yes, Tommy, alone. I'm not five," she told him, she didn't mean to snark but when he suddenly started paying attention to her . . . well, she wished it was for her instead of some reason they wouldn't tell her about.
"No... but... there are... dangerous... things out there?"
"On my front porch?"
"Near . . . the front porch . . . It's pretty dark out there," he got out lamely.
"You and Merton are acting really weird tonight . . . Well, Merton is always weird." Becky said as her brother shrugged in agreement. "Now I am going to sit outside, on the porch, believe it or not, I am actually not afraid of things that go bump in the night."
"I'm sure Tommy's glad to here that, aren't ya, Tommy?" Lori said cheekily.
Becky shook her head once more. "I'm leaving."
"Are... you sure you wanna go alone?"
"Tommy, did you miss oxygen when you passed out?"
"No..."
"Look, I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? I just need... air? I'll be *fine*." she sighed, kissing him on the cheek before walking out the door -- Some opportunities you just don't pass up.
Tommy flopped onto the leather easy chair and Lori made an annoyed sound. "You need to *relax*. We all do. You're going to have *me* all paranoid about this, and it's silly. She's had no one threatening her in any way, and, the only guys I know of that have made *any* kind of... 'advances'... are high-school boys? No one in their thirties?"
"*Which* boys???" Merton demanded.
"Well... I don't think telling you would help matters--- and, as far as I could tell, there were only about five of them I could find out about..."
"Not sharing names?"
"No, Tommy, go back to brooding," Lori sighed.
"Listen, maybe we are being overprotective, maybe a little 'fanatic'," Merton opinioned using quotation marks. "But, really, isn't that my job? And since you are my good friends isn't that your job as well?"
He seemed perfectly poised like he thought it out and it was exactly correct.
"Good point, Merton. Let's go find her," Tommy nodded, getting up and heading for the door.
Lori rolled her eyes; there were obviously loons that enjoyed his logic.
"Actually, Tommy, you and Lori go, I'm going to stick around."
"Merton, you haven't found a thing lately," Lori reminded.
"You aren't going to look at that 'Chain-Mail Goth Girl' website, are you?"
"Not answering that. But I may need a break from researching," Merton said going back to his chair.
"What website?" he heard Lori ask before Tommy dragged her out -- and he hoped his best friend wouldn't enlighten her.
Lori stopped Tommy as they were about ten feet away from the porch, as they wouldn't be noticed. They both plopped down in the grass and stared at her on the porch, feeling like stalkers themselves.
Becky was stretched out on the porch-swing, looking up at the stars. Lori didn't pay all that much attention, being she was too busy trying not to laugh at Tommy's lovesick expression.
Her whisper met his ears and he looked at her, irked, as she sang the soft words of 'Tommy and Becky, sittin' in a tree'.
"Mature, Lor, thanks."
"You're welcome, I just enjoy seeing all that hot and bothered love," she mused.
"Knock it off."
"Wouldn't you like to--"
"SHH!" Tommy interrupted as he heard footsteps walking up.
Tommy stiffened, but Lori still held him back, whispering harshly for him to "JUST WATCH???"
Becky stood up and greeted the shadowy figure.
"Daddy! You're home!" she smiled, giving a little hop and hugging him tightly.
"How is my little girl? Good day at school?"
"Oh, yeah," Becky nodded. "We learned about . . . real estate."
Tommy smothered a laugh and Becky followed her father into the house.
"Crafty," Lori smiled. "Come on, let's get back to the Lair."
When they came in Merton was still staring at the screen.
"What did you find? . . . Merton?" Lori asked her quiet friend.
"I... the 1950s. Lucard re-emerged?"
"What does it say?" Tommy rasped out.
"Where's Becky?" Merton demanded, ignoring the question.
"Upstairs with your father," Lori assured. "What did you *find*?"
"Apparently, this guy... he was almost arrested for trying to seduce his student?"
"Almost?"
"Apparently he disappeared around the time she and her brother and some friends of theirs were 'tragically killed in a car crash'--- bad brakes?"
"That sounds . . ."
"Yeah," Tommy nodded. "What do we do?"
"I don't know but . . . Maybe you can go back?"
"What? No way. I'm not going to be comatose while this is going on!"
"But you could have known where he was going, you could have some idea where to look for--"
"Merton, I said NO."
"We can watch her, Tommy."
"Lori--"
"We can, she's okay now, in fact I'll go up there right now."
"Come on," Merton urged. He was at a dead end, there was no where to go, this was a by-chance, bottom of the barrel find when he stumbled onto the tiny article. He needed a bone thrown his way. "You might help her more this way."
Tommy sighed and slumped onto the bed. This was getting so . . .
"Return me."
He felt the familiar slam and again there was music around him, but something he heard on those tapes his grandparents sent him to 'expand' his music taste, the ones marked 'Golden Oldies' . . .
"Tuck?"
Tommy looked over to see someone's toothy grin and greased hair, then he looked down at himself and his leather jacket.
"You okay, man?"
"Yeah," he said, shaking his head. "Jus' zoned out for a minute."
The place around him was loud and it was a . . . soda shop?
Yeah.
Frankie's.
Everyone hung out here . . .
The patterned wallpaper was filled with posters of ice cream and burgers, the red Formica tables were covered in drinks and papers as around him everyone he knew yelled and carried on. In the corner a group of people where loudly singing along to 'Little Darlin'' from the bright jukebox and laughing at themselves as a waitress looked a little tired but mostly in good spirits as she served up food to the loud teenagers.
Somehow though, through all the commotion, he heard the tinkle of the bell for the entrance. His attention fell past everything to his friend . . .
Milt . . . and . . . and a trio of girls that didn't look like they belonged in this particular hang out.
There was a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. One of each--- like Petticoat Junction or somethin'... But, Tuck only noticed one. The petite brunette in the soft pink sweater and matching scarf in her hair, a cry away from the ones dancing around him in tight pants and second-skin sweaters.
She wasn't the kind of girl he usually went for, not since that one time with that spoiled rich chick last summer, but she was . . . hot, and alluring with her innocent look. It was sort of like Natalie Wood but better . . . A particular song came on, one that he'd never cared for before and usually only listened to when he was in the back seat with some girl. What was it? 'You Send Me', or something --- it just wasn't his style- -- but, he went right over to her.
"Dance?"
She flushed prettily.
"Sure..." she said with a wide-eyed smile, allowing him to lead her out to the dance floor as her brother and friends drifted off to sit down.
"Yo, Miltie... who's the tootsie?" the guy who'd been talking to Tuck earlier asked him.
"My kid sister, Betsy..."
"And you're letting her dance wit Tuck?"
"She'll be fine," Milt said, taking the cigarette from behind his ear and lighting it up. Tuck had been his best friend since they were in grade school when the little curly-haired boy caught him - and then joined him - as they drank wine Milt had stolen from his parents. Putting an arm over Sally, one of his sister's friends, he watched them dance.
"You're Tuck, right?" Betsy asked softly.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Tommy smiled as he bunched up the fabric of her sweater at her back in an effort to control himself as they danced closer.
"I see you around town. Milt is my brother."
"You're Betsy?"
"Yeah," she nodded with a smile.
He grinned and shook his head. "I haven't seen you since you was eight and you got sent--"
"To the Kathryn Marie School for Young Ladies."
"Yeah, over in Gilbree. I remember when Milt dragged me over there to break in and see you a coupla' years ago."
"And Sister Mary Elizabeth woke up and went running after you guys," she laughed. "I tried to wave from the window."
"How long you been back?"
"For almost a month, but I haven't seen you in school."
"I know, Milt's been talking 'bout you being back. Said you'd never be allowed to hang out with him though, and . . . School's not really my thing."
"Oh," she flushed, looking down with a little smile.
"But, you know . . . Maybe I'll drop by tomorrow or somethin'," he said, trying for casual. It was odd, being that he never had to try before.
Betsy smiled softly and Tuck led her back to the table with her girlfriends as the song ended.
"Hey, Milt? Can I see you for a second?"
Milt shrugged, taking his arm from Sally, and following his best friend over to the jukebox.
"What? Make it fast; I wanna head up to the Point with Sally later," he informed, coolly leering over at her.
"Your sister... she... I was wonderin'... she's not... seein' anyone?"
"She's been at an all girls school?" Milt said pointing out the inquiry's half-wit.
"Right. So... you think it would be all right... maybe if I..."
"You?" Milt eyed him. "I don't know, I haven't seen you stumble over your words this much since sixth grade and Lacey Bresh. I'm scared to look down I might have to face what she did at the Winter Dance."
"Milt," he said simply, indicating he just wanted an answer, not a commentary. His partner in many of his life's crimes -- including their group -- grinned at his own joke, then looked at him and shrugged.
"Well... I guess... just... watch it. She *is* my kid sister, after all? Besides, she's had a bit of trouble lately---"
"Trouble? Like what?" Tuck frowned.
"That's why she's home. I don't think she'll end up goin' back?" he explained. "See, one of the teachers there... he made a pass at her."
Tuck clenched his fists so that his knuckles were white.
"Yeah, I know... look, I don't know much about it--- my Pop's lookin' to press charges. But, if that don't pan out, I figure you, me an' the boys could always make him be... regretful? As in... long term hospital stay?" Milt shrugged, as if debating the issue.
Tommy nodded with sudden anger for revenge, and for a girl that he just met again after years of no contact. Glancing over his eye caught Betsy's and she gave him a tilt of her mouth before pulling on her blonde friend and whispering to her.
"Lookit... we should go back to the girls?"
"Yeah," Milt nodded. Tommy started to walk back over but was stopped by a hand. "Tuck. Don' treat her like the others."
"She's your sis, Milt, you know I wouldn't."
"I know. I'm just makin' sure."
Tommy nodded again and they headed back to the table, a nervous hand coming up to smooth his hair and feeling the slick grease.
"Leave," Milt said simply to one of the guys talking to the blonde.
"He wasn't bothering me."
"Lisa, you don't know what botherin' is about."
"Stick a sock in it," she said with a puckered face like it was one of the worse cuts ever. Milt smiled and hung an arm over Sally as Lisa folded her arms.
Tommy slid in next to Betsy and stretched a tentative hand over the back of her booth. He was used to fast girls, he wasn't sure what to do, but being she was Milt's sister he figured slipping a hand under the table for a little introduction wouldn't be right. And the way she looked at him . . .
He settled for a hand close to her shoulders.
"So, Bets."
"Yeah?" she asked, fully aware of his unsure way and loving it. The boys who knew just who's sister she was hadn't exactly hounded her since her return home, not any she had interest in, but Tuck . . . he certainly peeked her interest, sent it through the roof actually.
"Hey, Tuck, Milt," someone interrupted loudly as they came close to him.
"What?" Tommy growled, betraying his slight approach with Betsy and causing the messenger to back up.
"I jus' wanted to let you guys know we're heading up to the Puller Point, and Ray stole his brother's ID so they'll be some beers. Jus' wanted to let you guys know," he repeated sheepishly, his attempt to suck up to the leaders of the gang backfiring slightly with Tommy, but not with Milt.
"On to Puller's," Milt said pushing out of the booth and dragging Sally with him.
Betsy smiled excitedly at the prospect, which put ideas in Tommy's head, only to be quelled when he looked at his best friend and felt the prick of guilt. Lisa sat in the booth not quite as enthused, as Milt had done a good job of scaring off anyone from talking to her, even his *sister* got to talk to a guy!
"Come on, Lisa," Milt huffed when he noticed she still sat there as Betsy and Tommy where leaving, reaching in the booth he grabbed her hand and pulled her out, bringing both girls with him.
The night air was slightly brisk as they met the outdoors and Tommy led Betsy to his car instead of Milt's. With a look at his friend he saw the short nod and stopped in front of the passenger's door.
"Want to ride with me?"
Betsy looked at the gorgeous car before her; slick black paint with silver accents, the beveled body, with black and white trimmed leather interior.
"Yes," she said immediately.
**
When they got to the Point they were greeted with a few rocking cars as the rest rolled in, parking and breaking out the alcohol. The ride up had been pretty quiet as Betsy fiddled with the controls, switching channels until she found songs she liked. They pulled in, a spot naturally waiting for them next to Milt's red Hot Rod.
"Welcome," Milt greeted, sitting on his hood and already holding a can. He handed it to Betsy, surprising Tommy until he heard the big-brother order - "Only ONE."
Betsy smiled and took a sip, wincing a little and sticking out her tongue, evidently her first taste of beer. Milt grabbed another can and tossed it to Tommy who caught it easily and cracked it, stepping back to avoid the fizz.
It was a beautiful night, not very warm with the wind but not very cold either, just a crisp autumn evening. The sky was clear as it looked over the town and the moon was bright enough to light them but not to fill all the shadows provided by the woods that began next to the Point.
Though groups stuck together couples were beginning to pair off and it wasn't more than fifteen minutes since they arrived Milt was leading Sally back into his car as she smiled like the good girl she was supposed to be. Lisa wrinkled her nose but shrugged, deciding that at least he'd stop bothering her for a while, as she started to chat with some guys.
Betsy sipped her beer until the sips turned into gulps and she was finished. Looking over to the dark car she leaned down and snuck another out of the paper bag and grinned mischievously. Grabbing Tommy's hand and pulled them to the front of his own car, sitting against the bumper, less than four feet from the steep drop off of the cliff.
She was already a little tipsy and she giggled as she opened the second beer.
"I never had this before," she said. "Don't let Milt know, okay?"
Tommy nodded with a grin at her display and she caught his eye, giggling and shaking her head. Yes, he was now *certain* this was her first time drinking if one can got her this buzzed.
"This is so much FUN! I never get to do anything," she sighed. "My father has a list of places I'm allowed to go - A LIST! He's so lenient with Milt and yet he wraps me up like a baby just because I'm not a boy."
"Is that why he sent you away?"
She nodded, her eyes dimming as she looked out on the town. "My mother died when I was seven and I guess he thought sending me away was best for me."
She took another sip and Tommy followed suit, feeling the bitter taste cover his tongue.
"And after my teacher . . . Well, he thought that it wasn't so good after all. He's felt guilty since then and, today, when he was talking to Milt about pressing charges he looked at me and said I could go out with Milt tonight if I wanted. No more list of restrictions, for now at least," she smiled softly. "Milt was thrilled."
And Tommy knew he was, Milt talked about his sister all the time and when she came home he was practically jumping around, but only in front of Tommy of course - he had a reputation to keep up. The only thing he would complain about was the fact he couldn't introduce his sister and his friend, his father hadn't wanted her to mix herself with Milt's 'crowd' even though it was acceptable for his son to hang out with whoever he pleased. But thank whomever for the feeling of guilt bestowed on her father because Betsy was here now.
She sighed, washing back the bad memories and filling them with the moment as she looked to the side.
"Tuck?"
"Hmm?" he asked, having another drink.
"Shouldn't you try to kiss me now?"
"Huh?" he asked, managing to contain the liquid in his mouth fairly well.
"Sally said you guys are supposed to 'make a move' up at the Point. I wasn't looking forward to that, but when I was coming up here with you the idea just got better and better."
"You sure you ain't drunk?"
"Phfft, maybe," she breathed. "Will you kiss me anyway?"
"I don't know Bets--"
He didn't get to finish because she had put down the can in her hand and took the advantage, grabbing his face and kissing him. She may have been a little intoxicated from the little under two cans but she could still kiss very, very well . . .
Tommy kissed her back, and she moaned into his mouth, but when he tried to part her lips with his tongue she pulled away.
"What?" he puffed out.
"Nothing," she said. "I just wasn't expecting that."
She smiled and leaned back in meeting his curved lips and putting her arms over his shoulders.
They didn't hear the screech behind them.
"Where is she?" a loud voice called desperately. "Where is she?"
"Tuck? Tuck?" someone asked, tapping him, finally pulling him away from Betsy.
"What?" he barked for the second time that night.
"There's... an old guy yelling, goin' crazy," the guy informed.
"Do I have to do everything?" Tommy snarled, getting up and bringing Betsy with him. "Where's Milt?"
"Ray's getting' him."
Tommy looked over to see his best friend getting out of the car, buttoning his pants.
"YOU!" a man yelled at Milt, finally getting Tommy's attention as he hollered. "Where is she? Where is she?"
The man was tall and dark, menacing in his appearance alone with his neat hair and disheveled suit. He was a site even more disturbing with his dismal eyes that seemed absorbed in insanity.
"Mr. Lucard," Betsy whispered, but, somehow, he heard her and all his fascination transferred to her.
"Ah, my love, I've been looking for you."
He was crazy in that moment, and all could see it.
Lucard had thought he could handle seeing her again, after . . . after last time.
He hadn't meant to kill her then, she just infuriated him so, never before had he intentionally killed her, except . . . Except that first time.
"I've been looking for you," he said graciously and Betsy clung to Tommy, who Lucard hadn't even noticed.
She shook her head, wishing she never had to see him again. She remembered that day a little over a month ago. She was all alone in his new classroom, awaiting his arrival, she had been assigned to help him by her headmistress.
And he did more that hit on her, even if she never wanted to talk about it.
The start of his brief, mad descent began then. First he tried to apologize for what he did in their last life, confusing and scaring her, then he tried to purpose marriage, pleading his love as he grabbed her. His hands traveled her body, checking to see if she was real, as if she were an illusion and when Lucard had buried his face in her neck she finally managed to overcome her crippling fear and scream for help. It drew the attention of teachers close by who pulled him away from her.
But it didn't matter if she was saved then, because now he had found her.
"Now come with me, my Darling."
"Get away from ME!" Betsy yelled.
"Now, now, don't be mean," Lucard chastised.
"Leave her alone," Tommy said, figuring out who the man was and approaching him as Milt did, each with grim faces.
"Tuck," Betsy said, grabbing his arm.
"Stay back here," he ordered.
"No," she said firmly as she followed him, not wanting him to be hurt.
"Look---"
"Don't you start with me; I'm going." she said, tossing in a stream of yiddish for good measure.
Tommy looked at Milt, confused.
"You don't wanna know?" he smirked darkly as his eyes never left Lucard ...
But Betsy stopped cold, fear striking her as she met the end of Tommy's car, her bravery fleeing as she stared at her History teacher, Mr. Erik Lucard, standing there big as life.
"Darling..."
"Why can't you leave me ALONE?!" she shouted as everyone watched.
"So that's him?" Milt confirmed with a disastrous tone.
"That's him," she whispered.
And, that was all it took. With every bit of strength in him, Tommy grabbed the slimy jerk and punched him a couple of good ones. The man fought back, but in his insanity he was no match for the strong boy who pretty much brawled on a daily basis...
Milt came up right behind him, landing a perfect fist in his face and enjoying the crunch of Lucard's nose breaking. He fell to the ground and both of them kicked him, his face, his ribs and stomach, hoping with each blow that they made the damage a little more long lasting.
It seemed like forever before the both backed away, breathless from the exertion.
"If you *ever*---"
"You, boy, will regret this. You have before, you will again," Lucard winced as he struggled up, falling over and over again before he managed to crawl to his car.
"You been sneakin' pills, old man?" Tommy yelled, backing up until Betsy's hands encircled his waist and Milt was reaching for a rag Lisa was holding out to wipe Lucard's blood from his fist.
"I am telling you--- you will rue the day you heard my name, as you always do," he hollered - though with his injuries it wasn't a very loud one - as he peeled away, slinging gravel.
Milt put an arm around his sister, who was starting to shiver, and, as Tommy watched, the image began to swirl...
"What happened?" Merton said looming over him.
"What? No 'who was I' questions?"
"I'm certain I was brave and valiant, now did you get any more information?"
"No. But I saw Lucard this time, and I got to kick his ass. Bonus there."
"Yeah, that's really helping in *this* life."
"Still feels good. You beat him up too after he hit on your sister."
"O-kay. That does garner a *little* joy."
Lori rolled her eyes. "Boys..."
"Did he say anything... odd? A clue of some sort, perhaps? Anything at *all*?"
"He said that I would... 'Rue the day I heard his name'?" Tommy said slowly, pensively. "That... I had before, and would again?"
"Okay . . . anything that wasn't ALREADY CLEAR!?"
"Sorry, Merton," Tommy argued. "But I was a little busy kicking his -- Lori? Aren't you supposed to be upstairs with Betsy -- I mean Becky!"
"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound too good."
"What?"
"Let me guess, 'Betsy' was one of her past lives? Tommy, you're confusing your then with your now. And Becky's on the phone, her mother called from Britain."
"It was a slip of the tongue."
"Yuh-huh... whatever, but... you're *Tommy*. She's *Becky*. Re-mem-ber?" Lori said patronizingly.
"Look, Lori, this is draining enough?"
"Tommy, you're obsessing, and, I guess we haven't been very helpful, but, Becky's *fine*. She is upstairs, talking with her mother on the phone, and her father is in there *with* her in an attempt to act like he's not trying to tell if Merton's mom is asking about him," she said in reference to Al's frequent efforts. "Becky. Is. *Fine*."
He scrubbed a hand over his face as he told them, "We have to find this Lucard guy before he finds her. Before anything happens. Like, what if he finds her and---"
"MERTON!" Becky's voice yelled.
All three were startled and froze for a second - well, Lori and Merton froze -- Tommy was already up the steps.
"Woah there," Becky said with her plaintive 'you are all nuts' look. The very same she'd been giving them all day and night.
"Mom just wants to talk to Merton," she said handing the phone to her brother as he came up behind Tommy.
"Thanks for the heart attack," Merton said with a face as he grabbed the phone away.
"Whatever. I already said bye to mom and I'm hungry, Dad said we could get pizza. Give me a ride, Tommy?"
"Sure, come on..." Tommy said, relieved, leading her out the door...
Meanwhile, Al stuck his head down the stairs.
"Mert, I've gotta go out; I should be back before midnight."
"Something wrong?"
"Ahhh... no? But, Tina called my cell phone."
Merton made a face but nodded. He didn't know why his parents were like this, they would try and see if they talked about each other, like crushing teenagers, then to deny the whole thing they'd rush out afterwards -- his father with some woman, and his mother to her weird, 1960s obsessed boyfriend. Why they got a divorce he'd never know . . . Wait, they argued all the time, yeah, he remembered now.
"See ya later, Pops."
"Night, son. Have fun." he smiled, ruffling Merton's hair and smiling at the pretty blonde his son was hanging out with as he headed out.
After the roar of the Caddy rolled away into the night, it felt suddenly very cold and quiet. Too quiet... Lori rubbed her arms reflexively, trying to quiet the goosebumps as Merton said good-bye to his mother.
~*~
Meanwhile...
"It'll be ready in another ten minutes," Becky said, coming out of the pizza shop and sitting on the bench they parked near. She had told Tommy he could wait in the truck but he soon realized that anything with wheels and an engine pretty much turned his mind to his last life experience. "So... we just sit out here and wait."
"Uh-huh... guess so..." Tommy nodded, eyeing her up. "Beckers... I..." he flushed.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing... I just... did anyone ever tell you how... perfect you look? Are?"
Becky smiled a dazzling smile.
"Perfect? I think there are plenty of people who would differ with you."
"Doesn't matter--- can't change my opinion."
Becky blushed but the smile wouldn't leave her face and her eyes shined.
"I..." Tommy tried to speak again, but he suddenly leant down, meeting her soft lips in a gentle yet crushing kiss...
**
"I'll get it!" Lori yelled, putting the rest of a cracker in her mouth as she rushed the front door. "Yes?"
A man stood with his back to her and when he turned to face her she stepped back reflexively, her breath catching. He seemed . . . sinister. But she shook her head at that; Tommy and Merton were having a bad effect on her. "I'm looking for a . . . Rebecca Dingle?"
That's what clicked for Lori, that this man *was* a menace. And with another shiver she realized she was staring into the face of Erik Lucard, the man who had possibly killed them all countless times.
For a moment she felt the fear, the knowledge that he *had* defeated her before, even if it wasn't really her personality it was her . . . what? Her soul? And he had ended it before.
The emotion bubbled to the surface and she tried to slam the door, turning to run back to Merton down the hall.
"MER-" she fell to the ground with a loud thud. He had reached out and squeezed her shoulder; putting pressure on one particular spot and making her lose consciousness.
Merton rushed into the hallway and saw Lori laying there first, then he noticed Lucard.
He didn't have time to turn before the man descended on him.
**
Tommy held her lips a little longer than last time before he pulled away with a grin. They had been kissing away minutes and he was finding he really, REALLY enjoyed it. If the way Becky's eyes took a while to open he guessed she liked it too.
"Wow..." she whispered.
Tommy smiled.
"Wow covers it nicely..."
"Where... did that come from?"
"I've... well... I think I was born for that?"
Becky rolled her eyes at him, but, from the way she'd felt by just kissing him, she couldn't deny this...
"Kiss me again?" she smiled.
Tommy leant forward to kiss her again, but, seconds after his lips touched hers, he felt a bit of a problem--- paws starting to sprout.
"Ahhh... um... pizza! We should... go get the pizza?" he asked, amazed he'd lasted that long. The stress he was feeling playing a factor in letting all his concentration linger.
"Kay..." Becky frowned at the sudden change in mood.
"Awww, don't give me that look? I just... don't wanna go mauling you here? You... deserve better?"
Becky smiled at him and stood.
"Calm yourself, and I'll go get the food." she said, blowing him a kiss before going inside...
~*~
When they got back to the Lair, they found Lori and Merton unconscious and tied, back-to-back, in chairs.
"Oh my God..."
"Merton? Lori?" Tommy yelled, worry was soaking his voice as he went to them.
"They'll be out for a while longer," a voice said.
Becky spun so quickly she dropped the pizza box to the ground and backed up into Tommy.
"Who are you?" she asked in a shaky voice. "And what did you do to them!?"
"They'll be fine," he said as he stepped out from the shadows, his mood growing soft and sentimental. "And you know me my love, we've been fated for so many past lifetimes."
"Not really," Tommy said, drawing Becky back with a firm hand.
"You. Still." Lucard voice was low and his eyes burned. "Every time you've ruined it! A simple *boy* each time! Even when I cared for you there was always something, something that made me want to snap your NECK!"
"Tommy... what's he *talking* about???" Becky asked in a tremulous tone.
"Shhh... go untie them; get them upstairs? I'll handle this."
"Oh, yes... handle this, will you?" he smiled before a rage. "She's not *YOURS*! Once you *realize* that---"
"She's not property! She's... I love her! And, you stay *away* from her!"
Becky's jaw dropped in shock.
Tommy... *loved* her?
When did THAT happen?
"You don't understand anything... even when I tried teaching you---"
"You said that before; what did you mean, that you once cared for me?" Tommy spat.
Lucard slow smirk began and he straightened his long brown suit jacket that topped off his perfectly put-together clothing.
"You, the painful thorn in my side ... you were once my Godson; I raised you from the age of seven. It was around the twenties when it all came to a head," he chuckled as he stepped forward a spot and leaned in. "I kept you under thumb then. I raised you to be the most perfect gentlemen I could produce ..."
"... and she ran a local dive with her brother," Tommy added quietly, completing the thought.
"You know, then?" he questioned, seemingly amused.
"I know most, if not all, by now. See that's the difference in this life, Lucard. Well, that and..." With a little growling noise, he fully wolfed and faced the man who'd been his rival through the ages. "This, I think, could be the defining difference to end it?"
Night came and four teenagers sat in the Lair, three trying to pretend everything was fine and one not buying it at all.
Which is pretty expected when you can't go walk up the stairs without being called back for some stupid, simple thing or having someone tail you. Towards the end Becky started to leave just to test them.
Now she sat eyeing her 'captors'. Merton was clicking away on the keys; Lori was flipping through a magazine - well, Lori wasn't really in on this -- and Tommy . . . Tommy was staring straight at her.
Becky sighed.
"All right--- what's the what here, guys?"
"Uh... whatever do you mean, Sis?"
"Merton, you... you and Tommy haven't let me out of your *sight* except to go to the *bathroom*, practically - and that's probably because Lori refused to follow me there. Oh, and to make Tommy a stupid sandwich hours ago!"
"That I ate all of," he chimed in. "And made me feel . . . unlikely to faint."
Becky gave him an odd look before Merton cleared his throat, distracting her.
"You... you're exaggerating?"
"No, I'm not. I would have stuck around here to look after Tommy anyway but over the last couple of hours it's become *very* clear something else is going on."
"Beckers, it's... where do you wanna go?" Tommy asked her.
"I'm going to sit on the porch swing," she told him, standing up.
"Alone?"
"Yes, Tommy, alone. I'm not five," she told him, she didn't mean to snark but when he suddenly started paying attention to her . . . well, she wished it was for her instead of some reason they wouldn't tell her about.
"No... but... there are... dangerous... things out there?"
"On my front porch?"
"Near . . . the front porch . . . It's pretty dark out there," he got out lamely.
"You and Merton are acting really weird tonight . . . Well, Merton is always weird." Becky said as her brother shrugged in agreement. "Now I am going to sit outside, on the porch, believe it or not, I am actually not afraid of things that go bump in the night."
"I'm sure Tommy's glad to here that, aren't ya, Tommy?" Lori said cheekily.
Becky shook her head once more. "I'm leaving."
"Are... you sure you wanna go alone?"
"Tommy, did you miss oxygen when you passed out?"
"No..."
"Look, I'll be back in a few minutes, okay? I just need... air? I'll be *fine*." she sighed, kissing him on the cheek before walking out the door -- Some opportunities you just don't pass up.
Tommy flopped onto the leather easy chair and Lori made an annoyed sound. "You need to *relax*. We all do. You're going to have *me* all paranoid about this, and it's silly. She's had no one threatening her in any way, and, the only guys I know of that have made *any* kind of... 'advances'... are high-school boys? No one in their thirties?"
"*Which* boys???" Merton demanded.
"Well... I don't think telling you would help matters--- and, as far as I could tell, there were only about five of them I could find out about..."
"Not sharing names?"
"No, Tommy, go back to brooding," Lori sighed.
"Listen, maybe we are being overprotective, maybe a little 'fanatic'," Merton opinioned using quotation marks. "But, really, isn't that my job? And since you are my good friends isn't that your job as well?"
He seemed perfectly poised like he thought it out and it was exactly correct.
"Good point, Merton. Let's go find her," Tommy nodded, getting up and heading for the door.
Lori rolled her eyes; there were obviously loons that enjoyed his logic.
"Actually, Tommy, you and Lori go, I'm going to stick around."
"Merton, you haven't found a thing lately," Lori reminded.
"You aren't going to look at that 'Chain-Mail Goth Girl' website, are you?"
"Not answering that. But I may need a break from researching," Merton said going back to his chair.
"What website?" he heard Lori ask before Tommy dragged her out -- and he hoped his best friend wouldn't enlighten her.
Lori stopped Tommy as they were about ten feet away from the porch, as they wouldn't be noticed. They both plopped down in the grass and stared at her on the porch, feeling like stalkers themselves.
Becky was stretched out on the porch-swing, looking up at the stars. Lori didn't pay all that much attention, being she was too busy trying not to laugh at Tommy's lovesick expression.
Her whisper met his ears and he looked at her, irked, as she sang the soft words of 'Tommy and Becky, sittin' in a tree'.
"Mature, Lor, thanks."
"You're welcome, I just enjoy seeing all that hot and bothered love," she mused.
"Knock it off."
"Wouldn't you like to--"
"SHH!" Tommy interrupted as he heard footsteps walking up.
Tommy stiffened, but Lori still held him back, whispering harshly for him to "JUST WATCH???"
Becky stood up and greeted the shadowy figure.
"Daddy! You're home!" she smiled, giving a little hop and hugging him tightly.
"How is my little girl? Good day at school?"
"Oh, yeah," Becky nodded. "We learned about . . . real estate."
Tommy smothered a laugh and Becky followed her father into the house.
"Crafty," Lori smiled. "Come on, let's get back to the Lair."
When they came in Merton was still staring at the screen.
"What did you find? . . . Merton?" Lori asked her quiet friend.
"I... the 1950s. Lucard re-emerged?"
"What does it say?" Tommy rasped out.
"Where's Becky?" Merton demanded, ignoring the question.
"Upstairs with your father," Lori assured. "What did you *find*?"
"Apparently, this guy... he was almost arrested for trying to seduce his student?"
"Almost?"
"Apparently he disappeared around the time she and her brother and some friends of theirs were 'tragically killed in a car crash'--- bad brakes?"
"That sounds . . ."
"Yeah," Tommy nodded. "What do we do?"
"I don't know but . . . Maybe you can go back?"
"What? No way. I'm not going to be comatose while this is going on!"
"But you could have known where he was going, you could have some idea where to look for--"
"Merton, I said NO."
"We can watch her, Tommy."
"Lori--"
"We can, she's okay now, in fact I'll go up there right now."
"Come on," Merton urged. He was at a dead end, there was no where to go, this was a by-chance, bottom of the barrel find when he stumbled onto the tiny article. He needed a bone thrown his way. "You might help her more this way."
Tommy sighed and slumped onto the bed. This was getting so . . .
"Return me."
He felt the familiar slam and again there was music around him, but something he heard on those tapes his grandparents sent him to 'expand' his music taste, the ones marked 'Golden Oldies' . . .
"Tuck?"
Tommy looked over to see someone's toothy grin and greased hair, then he looked down at himself and his leather jacket.
"You okay, man?"
"Yeah," he said, shaking his head. "Jus' zoned out for a minute."
The place around him was loud and it was a . . . soda shop?
Yeah.
Frankie's.
Everyone hung out here . . .
The patterned wallpaper was filled with posters of ice cream and burgers, the red Formica tables were covered in drinks and papers as around him everyone he knew yelled and carried on. In the corner a group of people where loudly singing along to 'Little Darlin'' from the bright jukebox and laughing at themselves as a waitress looked a little tired but mostly in good spirits as she served up food to the loud teenagers.
Somehow though, through all the commotion, he heard the tinkle of the bell for the entrance. His attention fell past everything to his friend . . .
Milt . . . and . . . and a trio of girls that didn't look like they belonged in this particular hang out.
There was a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. One of each--- like Petticoat Junction or somethin'... But, Tuck only noticed one. The petite brunette in the soft pink sweater and matching scarf in her hair, a cry away from the ones dancing around him in tight pants and second-skin sweaters.
She wasn't the kind of girl he usually went for, not since that one time with that spoiled rich chick last summer, but she was . . . hot, and alluring with her innocent look. It was sort of like Natalie Wood but better . . . A particular song came on, one that he'd never cared for before and usually only listened to when he was in the back seat with some girl. What was it? 'You Send Me', or something --- it just wasn't his style- -- but, he went right over to her.
"Dance?"
She flushed prettily.
"Sure..." she said with a wide-eyed smile, allowing him to lead her out to the dance floor as her brother and friends drifted off to sit down.
"Yo, Miltie... who's the tootsie?" the guy who'd been talking to Tuck earlier asked him.
"My kid sister, Betsy..."
"And you're letting her dance wit Tuck?"
"She'll be fine," Milt said, taking the cigarette from behind his ear and lighting it up. Tuck had been his best friend since they were in grade school when the little curly-haired boy caught him - and then joined him - as they drank wine Milt had stolen from his parents. Putting an arm over Sally, one of his sister's friends, he watched them dance.
"You're Tuck, right?" Betsy asked softly.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" Tommy smiled as he bunched up the fabric of her sweater at her back in an effort to control himself as they danced closer.
"I see you around town. Milt is my brother."
"You're Betsy?"
"Yeah," she nodded with a smile.
He grinned and shook his head. "I haven't seen you since you was eight and you got sent--"
"To the Kathryn Marie School for Young Ladies."
"Yeah, over in Gilbree. I remember when Milt dragged me over there to break in and see you a coupla' years ago."
"And Sister Mary Elizabeth woke up and went running after you guys," she laughed. "I tried to wave from the window."
"How long you been back?"
"For almost a month, but I haven't seen you in school."
"I know, Milt's been talking 'bout you being back. Said you'd never be allowed to hang out with him though, and . . . School's not really my thing."
"Oh," she flushed, looking down with a little smile.
"But, you know . . . Maybe I'll drop by tomorrow or somethin'," he said, trying for casual. It was odd, being that he never had to try before.
Betsy smiled softly and Tuck led her back to the table with her girlfriends as the song ended.
"Hey, Milt? Can I see you for a second?"
Milt shrugged, taking his arm from Sally, and following his best friend over to the jukebox.
"What? Make it fast; I wanna head up to the Point with Sally later," he informed, coolly leering over at her.
"Your sister... she... I was wonderin'... she's not... seein' anyone?"
"She's been at an all girls school?" Milt said pointing out the inquiry's half-wit.
"Right. So... you think it would be all right... maybe if I..."
"You?" Milt eyed him. "I don't know, I haven't seen you stumble over your words this much since sixth grade and Lacey Bresh. I'm scared to look down I might have to face what she did at the Winter Dance."
"Milt," he said simply, indicating he just wanted an answer, not a commentary. His partner in many of his life's crimes -- including their group -- grinned at his own joke, then looked at him and shrugged.
"Well... I guess... just... watch it. She *is* my kid sister, after all? Besides, she's had a bit of trouble lately---"
"Trouble? Like what?" Tuck frowned.
"That's why she's home. I don't think she'll end up goin' back?" he explained. "See, one of the teachers there... he made a pass at her."
Tuck clenched his fists so that his knuckles were white.
"Yeah, I know... look, I don't know much about it--- my Pop's lookin' to press charges. But, if that don't pan out, I figure you, me an' the boys could always make him be... regretful? As in... long term hospital stay?" Milt shrugged, as if debating the issue.
Tommy nodded with sudden anger for revenge, and for a girl that he just met again after years of no contact. Glancing over his eye caught Betsy's and she gave him a tilt of her mouth before pulling on her blonde friend and whispering to her.
"Lookit... we should go back to the girls?"
"Yeah," Milt nodded. Tommy started to walk back over but was stopped by a hand. "Tuck. Don' treat her like the others."
"She's your sis, Milt, you know I wouldn't."
"I know. I'm just makin' sure."
Tommy nodded again and they headed back to the table, a nervous hand coming up to smooth his hair and feeling the slick grease.
"Leave," Milt said simply to one of the guys talking to the blonde.
"He wasn't bothering me."
"Lisa, you don't know what botherin' is about."
"Stick a sock in it," she said with a puckered face like it was one of the worse cuts ever. Milt smiled and hung an arm over Sally as Lisa folded her arms.
Tommy slid in next to Betsy and stretched a tentative hand over the back of her booth. He was used to fast girls, he wasn't sure what to do, but being she was Milt's sister he figured slipping a hand under the table for a little introduction wouldn't be right. And the way she looked at him . . .
He settled for a hand close to her shoulders.
"So, Bets."
"Yeah?" she asked, fully aware of his unsure way and loving it. The boys who knew just who's sister she was hadn't exactly hounded her since her return home, not any she had interest in, but Tuck . . . he certainly peeked her interest, sent it through the roof actually.
"Hey, Tuck, Milt," someone interrupted loudly as they came close to him.
"What?" Tommy growled, betraying his slight approach with Betsy and causing the messenger to back up.
"I jus' wanted to let you guys know we're heading up to the Puller Point, and Ray stole his brother's ID so they'll be some beers. Jus' wanted to let you guys know," he repeated sheepishly, his attempt to suck up to the leaders of the gang backfiring slightly with Tommy, but not with Milt.
"On to Puller's," Milt said pushing out of the booth and dragging Sally with him.
Betsy smiled excitedly at the prospect, which put ideas in Tommy's head, only to be quelled when he looked at his best friend and felt the prick of guilt. Lisa sat in the booth not quite as enthused, as Milt had done a good job of scaring off anyone from talking to her, even his *sister* got to talk to a guy!
"Come on, Lisa," Milt huffed when he noticed she still sat there as Betsy and Tommy where leaving, reaching in the booth he grabbed her hand and pulled her out, bringing both girls with him.
The night air was slightly brisk as they met the outdoors and Tommy led Betsy to his car instead of Milt's. With a look at his friend he saw the short nod and stopped in front of the passenger's door.
"Want to ride with me?"
Betsy looked at the gorgeous car before her; slick black paint with silver accents, the beveled body, with black and white trimmed leather interior.
"Yes," she said immediately.
**
When they got to the Point they were greeted with a few rocking cars as the rest rolled in, parking and breaking out the alcohol. The ride up had been pretty quiet as Betsy fiddled with the controls, switching channels until she found songs she liked. They pulled in, a spot naturally waiting for them next to Milt's red Hot Rod.
"Welcome," Milt greeted, sitting on his hood and already holding a can. He handed it to Betsy, surprising Tommy until he heard the big-brother order - "Only ONE."
Betsy smiled and took a sip, wincing a little and sticking out her tongue, evidently her first taste of beer. Milt grabbed another can and tossed it to Tommy who caught it easily and cracked it, stepping back to avoid the fizz.
It was a beautiful night, not very warm with the wind but not very cold either, just a crisp autumn evening. The sky was clear as it looked over the town and the moon was bright enough to light them but not to fill all the shadows provided by the woods that began next to the Point.
Though groups stuck together couples were beginning to pair off and it wasn't more than fifteen minutes since they arrived Milt was leading Sally back into his car as she smiled like the good girl she was supposed to be. Lisa wrinkled her nose but shrugged, deciding that at least he'd stop bothering her for a while, as she started to chat with some guys.
Betsy sipped her beer until the sips turned into gulps and she was finished. Looking over to the dark car she leaned down and snuck another out of the paper bag and grinned mischievously. Grabbing Tommy's hand and pulled them to the front of his own car, sitting against the bumper, less than four feet from the steep drop off of the cliff.
She was already a little tipsy and she giggled as she opened the second beer.
"I never had this before," she said. "Don't let Milt know, okay?"
Tommy nodded with a grin at her display and she caught his eye, giggling and shaking her head. Yes, he was now *certain* this was her first time drinking if one can got her this buzzed.
"This is so much FUN! I never get to do anything," she sighed. "My father has a list of places I'm allowed to go - A LIST! He's so lenient with Milt and yet he wraps me up like a baby just because I'm not a boy."
"Is that why he sent you away?"
She nodded, her eyes dimming as she looked out on the town. "My mother died when I was seven and I guess he thought sending me away was best for me."
She took another sip and Tommy followed suit, feeling the bitter taste cover his tongue.
"And after my teacher . . . Well, he thought that it wasn't so good after all. He's felt guilty since then and, today, when he was talking to Milt about pressing charges he looked at me and said I could go out with Milt tonight if I wanted. No more list of restrictions, for now at least," she smiled softly. "Milt was thrilled."
And Tommy knew he was, Milt talked about his sister all the time and when she came home he was practically jumping around, but only in front of Tommy of course - he had a reputation to keep up. The only thing he would complain about was the fact he couldn't introduce his sister and his friend, his father hadn't wanted her to mix herself with Milt's 'crowd' even though it was acceptable for his son to hang out with whoever he pleased. But thank whomever for the feeling of guilt bestowed on her father because Betsy was here now.
She sighed, washing back the bad memories and filling them with the moment as she looked to the side.
"Tuck?"
"Hmm?" he asked, having another drink.
"Shouldn't you try to kiss me now?"
"Huh?" he asked, managing to contain the liquid in his mouth fairly well.
"Sally said you guys are supposed to 'make a move' up at the Point. I wasn't looking forward to that, but when I was coming up here with you the idea just got better and better."
"You sure you ain't drunk?"
"Phfft, maybe," she breathed. "Will you kiss me anyway?"
"I don't know Bets--"
He didn't get to finish because she had put down the can in her hand and took the advantage, grabbing his face and kissing him. She may have been a little intoxicated from the little under two cans but she could still kiss very, very well . . .
Tommy kissed her back, and she moaned into his mouth, but when he tried to part her lips with his tongue she pulled away.
"What?" he puffed out.
"Nothing," she said. "I just wasn't expecting that."
She smiled and leaned back in meeting his curved lips and putting her arms over his shoulders.
They didn't hear the screech behind them.
"Where is she?" a loud voice called desperately. "Where is she?"
"Tuck? Tuck?" someone asked, tapping him, finally pulling him away from Betsy.
"What?" he barked for the second time that night.
"There's... an old guy yelling, goin' crazy," the guy informed.
"Do I have to do everything?" Tommy snarled, getting up and bringing Betsy with him. "Where's Milt?"
"Ray's getting' him."
Tommy looked over to see his best friend getting out of the car, buttoning his pants.
"YOU!" a man yelled at Milt, finally getting Tommy's attention as he hollered. "Where is she? Where is she?"
The man was tall and dark, menacing in his appearance alone with his neat hair and disheveled suit. He was a site even more disturbing with his dismal eyes that seemed absorbed in insanity.
"Mr. Lucard," Betsy whispered, but, somehow, he heard her and all his fascination transferred to her.
"Ah, my love, I've been looking for you."
He was crazy in that moment, and all could see it.
Lucard had thought he could handle seeing her again, after . . . after last time.
He hadn't meant to kill her then, she just infuriated him so, never before had he intentionally killed her, except . . . Except that first time.
"I've been looking for you," he said graciously and Betsy clung to Tommy, who Lucard hadn't even noticed.
She shook her head, wishing she never had to see him again. She remembered that day a little over a month ago. She was all alone in his new classroom, awaiting his arrival, she had been assigned to help him by her headmistress.
And he did more that hit on her, even if she never wanted to talk about it.
The start of his brief, mad descent began then. First he tried to apologize for what he did in their last life, confusing and scaring her, then he tried to purpose marriage, pleading his love as he grabbed her. His hands traveled her body, checking to see if she was real, as if she were an illusion and when Lucard had buried his face in her neck she finally managed to overcome her crippling fear and scream for help. It drew the attention of teachers close by who pulled him away from her.
But it didn't matter if she was saved then, because now he had found her.
"Now come with me, my Darling."
"Get away from ME!" Betsy yelled.
"Now, now, don't be mean," Lucard chastised.
"Leave her alone," Tommy said, figuring out who the man was and approaching him as Milt did, each with grim faces.
"Tuck," Betsy said, grabbing his arm.
"Stay back here," he ordered.
"No," she said firmly as she followed him, not wanting him to be hurt.
"Look---"
"Don't you start with me; I'm going." she said, tossing in a stream of yiddish for good measure.
Tommy looked at Milt, confused.
"You don't wanna know?" he smirked darkly as his eyes never left Lucard ...
But Betsy stopped cold, fear striking her as she met the end of Tommy's car, her bravery fleeing as she stared at her History teacher, Mr. Erik Lucard, standing there big as life.
"Darling..."
"Why can't you leave me ALONE?!" she shouted as everyone watched.
"So that's him?" Milt confirmed with a disastrous tone.
"That's him," she whispered.
And, that was all it took. With every bit of strength in him, Tommy grabbed the slimy jerk and punched him a couple of good ones. The man fought back, but in his insanity he was no match for the strong boy who pretty much brawled on a daily basis...
Milt came up right behind him, landing a perfect fist in his face and enjoying the crunch of Lucard's nose breaking. He fell to the ground and both of them kicked him, his face, his ribs and stomach, hoping with each blow that they made the damage a little more long lasting.
It seemed like forever before the both backed away, breathless from the exertion.
"If you *ever*---"
"You, boy, will regret this. You have before, you will again," Lucard winced as he struggled up, falling over and over again before he managed to crawl to his car.
"You been sneakin' pills, old man?" Tommy yelled, backing up until Betsy's hands encircled his waist and Milt was reaching for a rag Lisa was holding out to wipe Lucard's blood from his fist.
"I am telling you--- you will rue the day you heard my name, as you always do," he hollered - though with his injuries it wasn't a very loud one - as he peeled away, slinging gravel.
Milt put an arm around his sister, who was starting to shiver, and, as Tommy watched, the image began to swirl...
"What happened?" Merton said looming over him.
"What? No 'who was I' questions?"
"I'm certain I was brave and valiant, now did you get any more information?"
"No. But I saw Lucard this time, and I got to kick his ass. Bonus there."
"Yeah, that's really helping in *this* life."
"Still feels good. You beat him up too after he hit on your sister."
"O-kay. That does garner a *little* joy."
Lori rolled her eyes. "Boys..."
"Did he say anything... odd? A clue of some sort, perhaps? Anything at *all*?"
"He said that I would... 'Rue the day I heard his name'?" Tommy said slowly, pensively. "That... I had before, and would again?"
"Okay . . . anything that wasn't ALREADY CLEAR!?"
"Sorry, Merton," Tommy argued. "But I was a little busy kicking his -- Lori? Aren't you supposed to be upstairs with Betsy -- I mean Becky!"
"Uh-oh, that doesn't sound too good."
"What?"
"Let me guess, 'Betsy' was one of her past lives? Tommy, you're confusing your then with your now. And Becky's on the phone, her mother called from Britain."
"It was a slip of the tongue."
"Yuh-huh... whatever, but... you're *Tommy*. She's *Becky*. Re-mem-ber?" Lori said patronizingly.
"Look, Lori, this is draining enough?"
"Tommy, you're obsessing, and, I guess we haven't been very helpful, but, Becky's *fine*. She is upstairs, talking with her mother on the phone, and her father is in there *with* her in an attempt to act like he's not trying to tell if Merton's mom is asking about him," she said in reference to Al's frequent efforts. "Becky. Is. *Fine*."
He scrubbed a hand over his face as he told them, "We have to find this Lucard guy before he finds her. Before anything happens. Like, what if he finds her and---"
"MERTON!" Becky's voice yelled.
All three were startled and froze for a second - well, Lori and Merton froze -- Tommy was already up the steps.
"Woah there," Becky said with her plaintive 'you are all nuts' look. The very same she'd been giving them all day and night.
"Mom just wants to talk to Merton," she said handing the phone to her brother as he came up behind Tommy.
"Thanks for the heart attack," Merton said with a face as he grabbed the phone away.
"Whatever. I already said bye to mom and I'm hungry, Dad said we could get pizza. Give me a ride, Tommy?"
"Sure, come on..." Tommy said, relieved, leading her out the door...
Meanwhile, Al stuck his head down the stairs.
"Mert, I've gotta go out; I should be back before midnight."
"Something wrong?"
"Ahhh... no? But, Tina called my cell phone."
Merton made a face but nodded. He didn't know why his parents were like this, they would try and see if they talked about each other, like crushing teenagers, then to deny the whole thing they'd rush out afterwards -- his father with some woman, and his mother to her weird, 1960s obsessed boyfriend. Why they got a divorce he'd never know . . . Wait, they argued all the time, yeah, he remembered now.
"See ya later, Pops."
"Night, son. Have fun." he smiled, ruffling Merton's hair and smiling at the pretty blonde his son was hanging out with as he headed out.
After the roar of the Caddy rolled away into the night, it felt suddenly very cold and quiet. Too quiet... Lori rubbed her arms reflexively, trying to quiet the goosebumps as Merton said good-bye to his mother.
~*~
Meanwhile...
"It'll be ready in another ten minutes," Becky said, coming out of the pizza shop and sitting on the bench they parked near. She had told Tommy he could wait in the truck but he soon realized that anything with wheels and an engine pretty much turned his mind to his last life experience. "So... we just sit out here and wait."
"Uh-huh... guess so..." Tommy nodded, eyeing her up. "Beckers... I..." he flushed.
"What? What's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing... I just... did anyone ever tell you how... perfect you look? Are?"
Becky smiled a dazzling smile.
"Perfect? I think there are plenty of people who would differ with you."
"Doesn't matter--- can't change my opinion."
Becky blushed but the smile wouldn't leave her face and her eyes shined.
"I..." Tommy tried to speak again, but he suddenly leant down, meeting her soft lips in a gentle yet crushing kiss...
**
"I'll get it!" Lori yelled, putting the rest of a cracker in her mouth as she rushed the front door. "Yes?"
A man stood with his back to her and when he turned to face her she stepped back reflexively, her breath catching. He seemed . . . sinister. But she shook her head at that; Tommy and Merton were having a bad effect on her. "I'm looking for a . . . Rebecca Dingle?"
That's what clicked for Lori, that this man *was* a menace. And with another shiver she realized she was staring into the face of Erik Lucard, the man who had possibly killed them all countless times.
For a moment she felt the fear, the knowledge that he *had* defeated her before, even if it wasn't really her personality it was her . . . what? Her soul? And he had ended it before.
The emotion bubbled to the surface and she tried to slam the door, turning to run back to Merton down the hall.
"MER-" she fell to the ground with a loud thud. He had reached out and squeezed her shoulder; putting pressure on one particular spot and making her lose consciousness.
Merton rushed into the hallway and saw Lori laying there first, then he noticed Lucard.
He didn't have time to turn before the man descended on him.
**
Tommy held her lips a little longer than last time before he pulled away with a grin. They had been kissing away minutes and he was finding he really, REALLY enjoyed it. If the way Becky's eyes took a while to open he guessed she liked it too.
"Wow..." she whispered.
Tommy smiled.
"Wow covers it nicely..."
"Where... did that come from?"
"I've... well... I think I was born for that?"
Becky rolled her eyes at him, but, from the way she'd felt by just kissing him, she couldn't deny this...
"Kiss me again?" she smiled.
Tommy leant forward to kiss her again, but, seconds after his lips touched hers, he felt a bit of a problem--- paws starting to sprout.
"Ahhh... um... pizza! We should... go get the pizza?" he asked, amazed he'd lasted that long. The stress he was feeling playing a factor in letting all his concentration linger.
"Kay..." Becky frowned at the sudden change in mood.
"Awww, don't give me that look? I just... don't wanna go mauling you here? You... deserve better?"
Becky smiled at him and stood.
"Calm yourself, and I'll go get the food." she said, blowing him a kiss before going inside...
~*~
When they got back to the Lair, they found Lori and Merton unconscious and tied, back-to-back, in chairs.
"Oh my God..."
"Merton? Lori?" Tommy yelled, worry was soaking his voice as he went to them.
"They'll be out for a while longer," a voice said.
Becky spun so quickly she dropped the pizza box to the ground and backed up into Tommy.
"Who are you?" she asked in a shaky voice. "And what did you do to them!?"
"They'll be fine," he said as he stepped out from the shadows, his mood growing soft and sentimental. "And you know me my love, we've been fated for so many past lifetimes."
"Not really," Tommy said, drawing Becky back with a firm hand.
"You. Still." Lucard voice was low and his eyes burned. "Every time you've ruined it! A simple *boy* each time! Even when I cared for you there was always something, something that made me want to snap your NECK!"
"Tommy... what's he *talking* about???" Becky asked in a tremulous tone.
"Shhh... go untie them; get them upstairs? I'll handle this."
"Oh, yes... handle this, will you?" he smiled before a rage. "She's not *YOURS*! Once you *realize* that---"
"She's not property! She's... I love her! And, you stay *away* from her!"
Becky's jaw dropped in shock.
Tommy... *loved* her?
When did THAT happen?
"You don't understand anything... even when I tried teaching you---"
"You said that before; what did you mean, that you once cared for me?" Tommy spat.
Lucard slow smirk began and he straightened his long brown suit jacket that topped off his perfectly put-together clothing.
"You, the painful thorn in my side ... you were once my Godson; I raised you from the age of seven. It was around the twenties when it all came to a head," he chuckled as he stepped forward a spot and leaned in. "I kept you under thumb then. I raised you to be the most perfect gentlemen I could produce ..."
"... and she ran a local dive with her brother," Tommy added quietly, completing the thought.
"You know, then?" he questioned, seemingly amused.
"I know most, if not all, by now. See that's the difference in this life, Lucard. Well, that and..." With a little growling noise, he fully wolfed and faced the man who'd been his rival through the ages. "This, I think, could be the defining difference to end it?"