Chapter 46: Bip

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Dakota adjusted his backpack on his shoulders as David helped him limp up to the apartment. The rain formed walls on either side of them on the stairs and the humidity tried to suffocate them. Why David insists on living on the top floor is beyond me, Dakota thought.

Lightning illuminated the sky and an explosion ripped through the air.


"Dakota," Riley said smiling. "Be proud, you've reached the top alive."


"Who said anything about being alive?" He laughed gasping for breath.


"Good morning!" A voice said.


They looked over to the other apartment. A young man, not much older than Dakota, sat with his legs hanging through the bars letting the rain pour down over them. He tugged on the strings that hung from his khaki shorts and his tan skin bled through the long-sleeved white shirt. Then he ran a hand through his brown hair and flung the water from it.


"Good morning Bip," David said grinning.


"Good morning?" Dakota asked. Riley waved her hand at her hip telling him not to ask.


"Dakota, this is Bip our neighbor," David said.


Bip hopped up and extended a thin tan arm. "Hi Dakota, you moving' in with them?" He asked.


Dakota thought he sounded like a little kid and his big black eyes, along with a splattering of brown across his nose and cheeks gave him the look of one.

"Yeah, I uh, I'm gonna room with them for a while," he said slowly looking at David.


In his mind he heard David answer. 'Don't worry, he's harmless."


"Well, that's cool, maybe we'll run into each other sometime," Bip replied standing up.

"Need any help with your bags?"


"No, we're good thanks," Riley said.


"Okay, see you later," Bip flopped back down beside his door again and let his legs hang in the rain.


"Bye," they said and walked into the house.


"Bip?" Dakota asked.


"His mom was really in to miming, and there was some great mime..."


"Mime." David corrected her.


She rolled her eyes. "Mime, who had a particular character named Bip, and so she named her son Bip," Riley finished.


"So was his mom on drugs?" Dakota asked.


"No, but she died about two years ago from cancer, afterwards his dad wanted nothing to do with him" David replied.


"How old is he?" Dakota asked.


"Just turned 18," Riley replied. She picked up her little pug and stroked it. "Hello Chewie."


"Is he in college?"


"No, he, didn't make it into college, he's...not so bright," David said. "Here's your room." He opened a door to a small room. A lamp on the nightstand lit the room dimly. Dakota sat on the little bed in the corner.


"What does he do for a living?" Dakota asked.


"He lifeguards during the summer, and works at a two restaurants during the winter," David replied. "All right sit down, I need to make sure you're OK."


Dakota sat on the bed with his mouth shut as David examined the burns on his neck. "I don't understand."


"When Xander absorbs people's powers he leaves marks as a vampire would." David explained. "So when Scott forced him off, it reacted the same way it would have if a vampire had sunk it's teeth into your neck and had been yanked away. However, the burns can be quite a bit more damaging than a vampire's bite. They are sometimes poisonous, left there purposefully by Xander if he does not fulfilled his original goal."


After a few moments he sighed. "Your OK. Looks like Xander was so taken off guard that he didn't have time to react. However, he didn't go empty handed, he still has some of your power. Almost all of it."


Dakota stared at his feet. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the rain softly danced on the window. "Sorry, David, I- I read Alex's mind last night, and when I saw Xander I got scared and...something happened," he said.

He knew he'd screwed up by leaving. Now Xander had to know that David had been the one helping him all along. He put his head in his hands. Too much stress, he thought.
David put his arm around Dakota's shoulders. A father to a son.

"It's not your fault, it'..."


"Yes it is!" Dakota said. "I should have known t' block him. I'm such an idiot."


He stood up.

Mistake, his stomach churned, the room spun, he fell to his knees and vomited. David bent down and patted his back. Riley came running in with a bowl, a towel and a damp wash cloth. She cleaned up and walked out. David pulled Dakota up onto the bed.


"That's Xander taking." David paused and stared at him for a long time. His pale face and dulled eyes made him look so thin and sick.


"I'm so tired," Dakota said quietly. "Can hardly breath."


"I'll let you get some rest, for now that's all we can do." David stood, turned the lamp off, and left the room.


Riley sat out on the balcony staring at the rain. In the distance a rainbow grew. She sighed and breath in the damp air. Sounds of birds chirping filled her ears. Even in the rain, she thought. Riley had always admired birds, they worked hard but they forever sang joyfully. She hummed to her self, and cracked her knuckles. The sliding door opened and her father walked out and stood behind her. She didn't turn around.


"How is he?" She feared the look on his face. His facial expressions always gave him away.


"Xander had nearly killed him, and it will take a long time for him to heal. He lost almost all of his power, and if Scott had waited a second longer Dakota would be dead." David said flatly.


"Any good news?" Riley asked.


"If he does survive, he'll be much stronger."


"How's that?"


"He has very little power left so he'll have to push it in order to do anything, including block Xander out of his mind, so when he heals... well, you get the message." David replied.


Riley laughed. "I remember the first time I met Xander in that dark alley, I wanted to rip his-"


"Riley," David warned.


"Still a dad to the end." Riley remarked with a smile.


"Hey, somebody's got to keep you in line."


They sat in silence. The sun peaked between the apartments and created a rainbow through the rain. Thunder mumbled in the distance, a passing giant. The rain retreated, for the time being.