Eli: Everybody say hi to my good friend who lets me use her computer as
much as I want.*tries to pull her friend out of the closet but fails*
Everything's connected. Enjoy the chapter.
*Achoo* Bethany grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. *Achoo*
"Ouch!" She said. Her head had gone forward when she sneezed, making a terrible friction from where her hair was being braided.
"Bethany, stay still and it won't hurt." Bethany wiped her nose with the tissue again.
"I'm not doing it on purpose. I keep *Achoo*."
"Sounds like you're sick." Bethany tried to turn around, but it pulled on her hair to do so. She crossed her arms in anger.
"But Daddy, I don't get *Achoo* sick. You know that." Ian tied the end of her braid with a pony tail holder.
"There's first time for everything. There, you're done." Bethany moved to the door to pick up her back pack. "Make sure to bring your jacket, don't want to make your cold worst, Beth."
"I know, I know." She said as she put on her jacket. *Achoo* "Let's just go."
-Later that day-
Ian picked up his cell as it rang.
"Hello."
"Hello, Mr. Nottingham?"
"Yes?"
"This is p.s. 111 recarding your daughter Bethany."
"What happened?"
"She's in the nurse's office sick and she needs to be picked up."
"I'm on my way."
-Later-
Ian entered the office to find Bethany sitting on a couch in the nurse's office. She looked up a bit when he came in.
"Bethany, sweetie, what's the matter?"
"I don't feel so good, daddy." Bethany tried to stand up, but had to sit down again. The nurse looked at them from her desk.
"She's running a fever. There's been something going around the classrooms. She should be fine in a couple of days." Ian picked Bethany up.
"Thanks." He said before he carried her out to the car.
-Later-
Bethany sat on the doctor's table, freezing her ass off. She looked over at her dad, who shifted uncomfortably. He REALLY didn't like doctors. If she wasn't so sick, she would have probably felt guilty for making him have to take her here.
"Um, this is weird." The doctor said as she looked through the microscope. The rather unprofessional statement made them both worried. Ian grabbed the doctors arm and brought her outside, sly of Bethany's ears.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, we can both see she has a fever, but there's nothing I can give you for it."
"Why not?"
"Because I just checked her blood cells and they are perfectly okay. The sickness hasn't altered them like they should be. It's like this whole sickness is all in her head."
"All in her head? How can an eight year old girl make herself have a fever?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Nottingham, but that's the truth. She's just going to have to wait a few days for her mind to cure herself."
-Later-
Bethany lay in bed, totally miserable. She hated this being sick thing. She wanted to get up and go to school. But all she could do was stay in bed.
Outside her room, her parents had a very serious conversation.
"What do you mean all in her head?"
"That's what the doctor said, but I don't by it for a second."
"Then what the hell is going on? She's never gotten sick before."
"And the witchblade should have healed her by now."
"You don't think Irons had her injected with something, do you?"
"No, she would have known and told us."
"Dominic might have slipped her something."
"She doesn't trust him that much, and he wouldn't do it, even if it was under orders." Sara sat down on the couch. Ian sat down next to her.
"I want to know what's wrong with my baby girl, and I want to know how to fix it!"
"So do I, Sara."
-Later-
Ian sat next to Bethany's bed. She had gotten considerably worst over the past few hours. Her fever was running high, but she still complained of being cold.
"Daddy?" Ian looked up.
"Yes, Bethany."
"Mommy shouldn't be drinking coffee when she's pregnant." Ian looked at her in confusion.
"No, she shouldn't. I'll be right back, Bethany." Ian got up to tell Sara.
When he entered the living room, Sara had just put down a mug of coffee. "What?" She asked when she saw him.
"Well, one: No coffee, Andrew?" Sara's eyes flew open and she shoved the mug away from herself.
"And two: Bethany just said how you shouldn't be drinking coffee. It was like she could see you."
"This is both strange and horrifying." Sara groaned and put her head in her hands. "I want my daughter to be well!" She looked at the witchblade. "What kind of sick joke are you playing? She just a kid, for Christ's sake! Leave her out of it."
-Later-
It only got weirder. Bethany mumbled out more things she couldn't possibly know. Ian could not figure out what the hell was wrong.
"The rain is so cold. I can feel it down my back."
"Bethany, you're inside." She didn't argue. She moved her arm to her neck and it looked like she was trying to find something. "What are you looking for, Bethany?"
"Your ring, daddy."
"My what?"
"Your ring. The one with dragons on it. It might rust in the rain, so I have to put it away."
"But Bethany, you don't have my ring."
No one had that ring. He had thrown it at Irons when he had left. Permenently. The only person who Ian could think would have it on would be.......
"Dominic." Bethany wasn't sick. Dominic was. And their connection made them both ill. Ian went out to the fire escape to find Dominic out there, barely able to stand. Ian forced him inside.
They made him dry off and gave him a pair of Bethany's sweats to put on. They let him sleep on the couch. Sara couldn't believe it and just looked from Bethany's room to the couch.
"Tell me how this is possible, again."
"Their connection, Sara."
"We have a connection, but things of this magnitude never happen."
"Well, Bethany is already tied greatly to the witchblade. That makes her and Dominic's connection stronger that ours."
"But why?"
"Well, maybe a stronger connection is needed this time."
"For what?"
"I don't know. Tomorrow I'm taking him back to Irons." Sara got up from the couch so she could look him in the eyes.
"You're actually going to see and talk to him? Is that smart?"
"What other choice is there? Besides, he needs to hear something."
-Next Morning-
Bethany felt much better in the morning. She jumped out of bed and went into the living room. Nobody was up yet. She went to sit on the couch and almost sat on Dominic's stomach doing so. He was still asleep despite the noise she was making. She smiled and sat down next to where he was lying.
Dominic was tired. He hadn't had any rest for three days. All he wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and get better. Being sick sucked. He felt something land on his face and swiped at it. He tried to drift back to sleep except his face kept itching. Finally, he made a grab at whatever was bugging him and ended up with a handful of Bethany's hair.
At the sound of her laughter, he opened his eyes. She grabbed his wrist and got her hair out of his grasp. He sat up and looked at her. She looked much better than the day before. She was a little paler than usual, but besides that was fine. She titled her head and smirked.
"So it's your fault I got sick."
"Sorry, my lady." She laughed.
"Since when do you call me that?"
"Your grandfather says that is what I'm suppose to call you." Bethany rolled her eyes.
"He also told my daddy to kill my mommy. If you have to do it so he doesn't hurt you, than only do it in his presense. Just go back to calling me Bethany. Everyone else does."
Dominic nodded. Bethany scooted next to him and put her head on his shoulder. Dominic just about died with shock.
"Bethany, what are you doing?"
"Using you as a pillow since you knocked the others off." She replied sleepily and closed her eyes. "You're a comfortable pillow; did you know that?"
"No. If you're gonna go back to sleep then you should go back to your bed."
"Too tired. Night, Dominic." True to words, Bethany fell asleep. Dominic got off the couch and let Bethany lie down. He grabbed the blanket and placed it over her body. He watched her sleep.
"Dominic?" Dominic turned to face Ian. He immediately got up from where he sat and looked down.
"I...I...I didn't do any-"
"I know, I know. You like Bethany, don't you?"
"Yes, sir. She's my friend." Dominic sneaked a glance at Bethany. Ian noticed and smirked.
"Yeah, friends." Ian tried not think of how the situation would end up in ten years. But he couldn't help but briefly see a glimpse of a all grown up Bethany and Dominic, kissing and.......
Ian just tried not think about his baby girl dating just yet. "Ready to go?"
Dominic looked up grimly and nodded.
-At the mansion-
Irons waited patiently for the return of his new little assassin. He heard the door open to the room and pretended to look for something on his desk.
"Where have you been, Dominic?"
"Sick and almost dying with phnemonia." Irons was not expecting that voice. He looked up with a smirk.
"Ian. I was not expecting you."
"Glad I still have the element of surprise, Irons."
"Irons? Have you forgotten your place, my son? Your true place?" Ian cringed at 'son'.
"Don't call me that. By the way, the new protector is with Immo getting a check up."
"Why?"
"Because he was sick as a dog. How could you let a little boy get that sick?"
"Why are you so concerned? You wouldn't plan on having him leave in the same matter and for the same reason as you did, would you?" Ian glared at him.
"Just shut the hell up and listen: When Dominic gets sick, Bethany does as well. And vice versa. I'm not even thinking of what happens if God fucking forbid one of them died. I could've lost my little girl because of this bull shit, and I swear that if anything liek this happens again cause you are treating Dominic like dirt, I will come back here and kill you myself. And that is a promise."
Ian turned and walked back to the door before Irons could mutter a word.
"Oh, and by the way, I called up social services and they want a talk with you." Ian slammed the door behind him. Irons stared at the door, barely believeing the change in Ian. Then, slowly, a smile spread acroos his face.
"Bravo, my boy, bravo. Round one goes to you. but the other is coming soon enough."
Coming Attractions:
Nobody's Laughing Now
*Achoo* Bethany grabbed a tissue and blew her nose. *Achoo*
"Ouch!" She said. Her head had gone forward when she sneezed, making a terrible friction from where her hair was being braided.
"Bethany, stay still and it won't hurt." Bethany wiped her nose with the tissue again.
"I'm not doing it on purpose. I keep *Achoo*."
"Sounds like you're sick." Bethany tried to turn around, but it pulled on her hair to do so. She crossed her arms in anger.
"But Daddy, I don't get *Achoo* sick. You know that." Ian tied the end of her braid with a pony tail holder.
"There's first time for everything. There, you're done." Bethany moved to the door to pick up her back pack. "Make sure to bring your jacket, don't want to make your cold worst, Beth."
"I know, I know." She said as she put on her jacket. *Achoo* "Let's just go."
-Later that day-
Ian picked up his cell as it rang.
"Hello."
"Hello, Mr. Nottingham?"
"Yes?"
"This is p.s. 111 recarding your daughter Bethany."
"What happened?"
"She's in the nurse's office sick and she needs to be picked up."
"I'm on my way."
-Later-
Ian entered the office to find Bethany sitting on a couch in the nurse's office. She looked up a bit when he came in.
"Bethany, sweetie, what's the matter?"
"I don't feel so good, daddy." Bethany tried to stand up, but had to sit down again. The nurse looked at them from her desk.
"She's running a fever. There's been something going around the classrooms. She should be fine in a couple of days." Ian picked Bethany up.
"Thanks." He said before he carried her out to the car.
-Later-
Bethany sat on the doctor's table, freezing her ass off. She looked over at her dad, who shifted uncomfortably. He REALLY didn't like doctors. If she wasn't so sick, she would have probably felt guilty for making him have to take her here.
"Um, this is weird." The doctor said as she looked through the microscope. The rather unprofessional statement made them both worried. Ian grabbed the doctors arm and brought her outside, sly of Bethany's ears.
"What's wrong?"
"Well, we can both see she has a fever, but there's nothing I can give you for it."
"Why not?"
"Because I just checked her blood cells and they are perfectly okay. The sickness hasn't altered them like they should be. It's like this whole sickness is all in her head."
"All in her head? How can an eight year old girl make herself have a fever?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Nottingham, but that's the truth. She's just going to have to wait a few days for her mind to cure herself."
-Later-
Bethany lay in bed, totally miserable. She hated this being sick thing. She wanted to get up and go to school. But all she could do was stay in bed.
Outside her room, her parents had a very serious conversation.
"What do you mean all in her head?"
"That's what the doctor said, but I don't by it for a second."
"Then what the hell is going on? She's never gotten sick before."
"And the witchblade should have healed her by now."
"You don't think Irons had her injected with something, do you?"
"No, she would have known and told us."
"Dominic might have slipped her something."
"She doesn't trust him that much, and he wouldn't do it, even if it was under orders." Sara sat down on the couch. Ian sat down next to her.
"I want to know what's wrong with my baby girl, and I want to know how to fix it!"
"So do I, Sara."
-Later-
Ian sat next to Bethany's bed. She had gotten considerably worst over the past few hours. Her fever was running high, but she still complained of being cold.
"Daddy?" Ian looked up.
"Yes, Bethany."
"Mommy shouldn't be drinking coffee when she's pregnant." Ian looked at her in confusion.
"No, she shouldn't. I'll be right back, Bethany." Ian got up to tell Sara.
When he entered the living room, Sara had just put down a mug of coffee. "What?" She asked when she saw him.
"Well, one: No coffee, Andrew?" Sara's eyes flew open and she shoved the mug away from herself.
"And two: Bethany just said how you shouldn't be drinking coffee. It was like she could see you."
"This is both strange and horrifying." Sara groaned and put her head in her hands. "I want my daughter to be well!" She looked at the witchblade. "What kind of sick joke are you playing? She just a kid, for Christ's sake! Leave her out of it."
-Later-
It only got weirder. Bethany mumbled out more things she couldn't possibly know. Ian could not figure out what the hell was wrong.
"The rain is so cold. I can feel it down my back."
"Bethany, you're inside." She didn't argue. She moved her arm to her neck and it looked like she was trying to find something. "What are you looking for, Bethany?"
"Your ring, daddy."
"My what?"
"Your ring. The one with dragons on it. It might rust in the rain, so I have to put it away."
"But Bethany, you don't have my ring."
No one had that ring. He had thrown it at Irons when he had left. Permenently. The only person who Ian could think would have it on would be.......
"Dominic." Bethany wasn't sick. Dominic was. And their connection made them both ill. Ian went out to the fire escape to find Dominic out there, barely able to stand. Ian forced him inside.
They made him dry off and gave him a pair of Bethany's sweats to put on. They let him sleep on the couch. Sara couldn't believe it and just looked from Bethany's room to the couch.
"Tell me how this is possible, again."
"Their connection, Sara."
"We have a connection, but things of this magnitude never happen."
"Well, Bethany is already tied greatly to the witchblade. That makes her and Dominic's connection stronger that ours."
"But why?"
"Well, maybe a stronger connection is needed this time."
"For what?"
"I don't know. Tomorrow I'm taking him back to Irons." Sara got up from the couch so she could look him in the eyes.
"You're actually going to see and talk to him? Is that smart?"
"What other choice is there? Besides, he needs to hear something."
-Next Morning-
Bethany felt much better in the morning. She jumped out of bed and went into the living room. Nobody was up yet. She went to sit on the couch and almost sat on Dominic's stomach doing so. He was still asleep despite the noise she was making. She smiled and sat down next to where he was lying.
Dominic was tired. He hadn't had any rest for three days. All he wanted to do was sleep. Sleep and get better. Being sick sucked. He felt something land on his face and swiped at it. He tried to drift back to sleep except his face kept itching. Finally, he made a grab at whatever was bugging him and ended up with a handful of Bethany's hair.
At the sound of her laughter, he opened his eyes. She grabbed his wrist and got her hair out of his grasp. He sat up and looked at her. She looked much better than the day before. She was a little paler than usual, but besides that was fine. She titled her head and smirked.
"So it's your fault I got sick."
"Sorry, my lady." She laughed.
"Since when do you call me that?"
"Your grandfather says that is what I'm suppose to call you." Bethany rolled her eyes.
"He also told my daddy to kill my mommy. If you have to do it so he doesn't hurt you, than only do it in his presense. Just go back to calling me Bethany. Everyone else does."
Dominic nodded. Bethany scooted next to him and put her head on his shoulder. Dominic just about died with shock.
"Bethany, what are you doing?"
"Using you as a pillow since you knocked the others off." She replied sleepily and closed her eyes. "You're a comfortable pillow; did you know that?"
"No. If you're gonna go back to sleep then you should go back to your bed."
"Too tired. Night, Dominic." True to words, Bethany fell asleep. Dominic got off the couch and let Bethany lie down. He grabbed the blanket and placed it over her body. He watched her sleep.
"Dominic?" Dominic turned to face Ian. He immediately got up from where he sat and looked down.
"I...I...I didn't do any-"
"I know, I know. You like Bethany, don't you?"
"Yes, sir. She's my friend." Dominic sneaked a glance at Bethany. Ian noticed and smirked.
"Yeah, friends." Ian tried not think of how the situation would end up in ten years. But he couldn't help but briefly see a glimpse of a all grown up Bethany and Dominic, kissing and.......
Ian just tried not think about his baby girl dating just yet. "Ready to go?"
Dominic looked up grimly and nodded.
-At the mansion-
Irons waited patiently for the return of his new little assassin. He heard the door open to the room and pretended to look for something on his desk.
"Where have you been, Dominic?"
"Sick and almost dying with phnemonia." Irons was not expecting that voice. He looked up with a smirk.
"Ian. I was not expecting you."
"Glad I still have the element of surprise, Irons."
"Irons? Have you forgotten your place, my son? Your true place?" Ian cringed at 'son'.
"Don't call me that. By the way, the new protector is with Immo getting a check up."
"Why?"
"Because he was sick as a dog. How could you let a little boy get that sick?"
"Why are you so concerned? You wouldn't plan on having him leave in the same matter and for the same reason as you did, would you?" Ian glared at him.
"Just shut the hell up and listen: When Dominic gets sick, Bethany does as well. And vice versa. I'm not even thinking of what happens if God fucking forbid one of them died. I could've lost my little girl because of this bull shit, and I swear that if anything liek this happens again cause you are treating Dominic like dirt, I will come back here and kill you myself. And that is a promise."
Ian turned and walked back to the door before Irons could mutter a word.
"Oh, and by the way, I called up social services and they want a talk with you." Ian slammed the door behind him. Irons stared at the door, barely believeing the change in Ian. Then, slowly, a smile spread acroos his face.
"Bravo, my boy, bravo. Round one goes to you. but the other is coming soon enough."
Coming Attractions:
Nobody's Laughing Now