A/N: OK. I'm a bit over my head here. I just went to New Orleans for like the 10th time, was inspired and hence – Kyle was born. I have this book which has a bunch of Cajun French phrases in it – but – all my stuff is packed in boxes b/c I'm moving. Anyway – what I'm saying is – Kyle's talking "real" French because that's the best I can do at the moment. :) If and when I find it – I'll make up for it – not that it matters as far as the story goes…
Bethany dearest, so good to hear from you!!! No. Kyle is not an angel. He just acts like one. LOL!
Until 33! Enjoy! Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving!!! xox-G
Chapter Thirty-two
He caught her almost by reflex, his arms closing around her and scooping her up, bringing her to rest on the bench. He cradled her head in his lap as he murmured to her over and over. "Becky? Please wake up. Oh God. I'm sorry."
He ran his hands through her hair and pleaded with her. The color had come back into her cheeks and she looked better – but she still wasn't responding to him. Kyle thought she'd simply fainted, but it seemed like she was in sort of a trance.
"Mon Dieu. Queest-ce que j'ai fait ? Revenu à moi joli ange. C'est tout mon défaut.." Kyle whispered to himself.
"A permite eu energie. I sînt fin. I sînt fin." Becky replied as she fought to sit up. She looked completely confused.
"OK. I can see you're fine now." Kyle replied, releasing his hold on her. "I'll let you go."
Becky slid over to the other side of the bench and smoothed back her hair. She glared up at him and realized she had just answered him in Romanian – but he hadn't spoken it to her.
Kyle was stunned. How could he know what she was saying?? Unbelievably he understood every word she said.
Becky was shocked herself. She knew what he had said to her yet she could have sworn he was speaking in French.
"What did you just say?" They both gasped at the same time.
Becky stood and stared at him. "I know what you said. You wanted me to come back to you. You said it was all your fault. You called me pretty angel." She said, blushing slightly. "How can I know what you said? I don't speak French." She shook her head to clear it. "That is what you spoke to me isn't it?"
"Yes." Kyle nodded, feeling foolish. He'd forgotten exactly what he'd said to her. That's what she had looked like when he held her in his arms, a beautiful fallen angel, so peaceful. He fought to regain focus. "And I've never heard the language you spoke. Romanian I guess?"
"Yes." Becky replied. "That's so weird." She added as she stared at him quizzically. "Is that a slayer thing? I've never heard of that."
"Me neither." Kyle shrugged, as confused about all this as she was.
"Well." Becky said with a sigh. She took a deep breath and met his eyes. "OK. I'm OK now. And all I want to know is one thing. What do you mean it's a matter of my life or death that I help you?"
"Are you sure you're OK?" He asked, not wanting her to faint again.
She rolled her eyes a bit. "Yes. I'm sure I'm OK. Now please. Keep talking. Tell me." Becky insisted as she sat back down.
"OK." Kyle took a deep breath himself and began his story. "I'm not sure where to start…"
"Start with the part where you said I'm going to die." Becky replied, her voice a bit desperate.
"Becky." Kyle sighed. He took her hands in his and stared into her eyes. "First of all - I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. You're not going to die exactly – it's just that there's something coming. Something you need to be aware of."
Becky finally began to feel better. She smiled slightly as she suggested. "Just a quick pointer, you could have started with that instead of the life and death stuff, College Boy."
Kyle rolled his eyes and stood up quickly. "Stop calling me that – I told you - I'm not in college…" He snapped back at her.
Watching him getting riled up over something so silly, Becky began to giggle a bit.
Realization washed over him. "You say that just to annoy me." He said, his voice incredulous.
"Maybe." Becky admitted, still smiling. "I'm sorry. I'll be good. Continue."
God she's beautiful when she smiles. Kyle thought with a sigh. Focus. This isn't about how beautiful she is. This is about what brought you here in the first place.
"I grew up in New Orleans. My father's family lived there for generations. He met my mother and they had me, and my sister. I remember being happy as a kid. Our life was pretty normal – you know? When I was about eleven or twelve and I started to overhear my parents fighting. Around that time I remember they began to fight a lot. It wasn't pretty, these weren't just minor disagreements. The worst part is that most of the time I knew they were fighting about me."
The smile left Becky's face as she listened to him. She knew kids whose parents fought always felt like that – but it wasn't true. "I'm sure it wasn't about you - Kyle…"
It was as if he didn't hear her. "He had started to train me and my mother – she was so against it. She went crazy. Every time he so much as tried she had a fit. So I only learned the basics. You'll laugh when you find out. I'm embarrassingly far behind you."
Becky realized again how lucky she was. She was able to have both a normal life and receive the training she needed to appreciate her calling. "Kyle…" She said again.
He kept on talking. "Two years ago I had to make a choice. For me – it was easy. I knew how important it was to learn what I needed to in order to keep people safe. My dad – he tried to reason with her but it was no use. And then one day – out of the blue - she just left us." Kyle shrugged and tried to make it sound like it wasn't that big a deal. "She took my sister and she just disappeared. I have no idea where they went."
Becky blinked back tears as he finished.
"And that was it. My training stopped, suddenly. My dad – that same day – he just gave up." Kyle said as he gave Becky a far away look. He didn't know why exactly, but he knew it was important for her to know. "I need you to know that my dad was a good slayer."
"I'm sure he was." Becky said softly.
"It's really sad. He's just a shell of who he was. Even though he's broken now - he never forgot your father. And I didn't either. I knew someday it would come down to this and I might need help. I tried as best I could to keep track of him and your family. Then the day came when I realized I was in over my head, and that's when I decided to come to you."
"Kyle." Becky whispered, a bit in awe that he thought so much of her.
"I meant it when I say it involves you too. The vampire you killed way back then – Marcus Roth – Becky – he's got ties to the group that began some trouble in New Orleans. They've been traveling together – moving pretty slowly. The thing is – they're getting stronger – I expect them to get here sooner or later."
Becky was getting nervous again. "I don't understand. Why me?" She was still trying to process it all.
Kyle's eyes pleaded with her. His voice was soft as he all but begged. "I came to you so you could train me. They're hell bent on revenge and you – Becky – you'll be the prize."
He couldn't figure out what she was thinking. "I'm sorry I scared you. I've always been kind of clumsy when it comes to this sort of stuff. Promise me you'll just think about it OK? I really do think that we can help each other Becky. I don't think either one of us can do this alone."
Becky's mind began to spin. She knew he was right and who was she to turn someone away who was in need.
"Are you sure you're up to this?" Becky asked finally.
"Yes." He replied, his voice definite.
"I mean are you really sure?" Becky asked again. "Because if you're as far behind as you say I'm completely sure I'll easily kick your butt."
Laughter lit his eyes as he realized she was teasing him again. "We'll see about that."
"It's a fact, College Boy." Becky began to giggle, as he smiled at her. Suddenly she forgot to be scared and just enjoyed the banter back and forth. "You better buy stock in band aids because I'm quite sure you'll need them."
Kyle chuckled back at her. "Tough talk from such a delicate looking thing like yourself."
"I'm much tougher than I look." She countered, shoving him playfully.
Just then, Maggie stumbled upon the scene and her eyes flew open in shock. "Well alright Rebecca." She thought to herself, completely impressed.
It was a shame to ruin the moment but how else would she find out his name? "Ahem. Becky?"
Becky spun her head around. She had completely forgotten her call to Maggie a half hour before.
"Hi. Maggie." She said self consciously.
"Hi." Maggie said with a smirk. "So this is what you wanted me to see?"
"Huh?" Kyle looked at Becky with a bemused expression.
"Um. No. I mean – yes. I mean…" Becky stammered. Introductions were in order she guessed. "Mags – this is Kyle Arceneaux. He goes to PCU. Kyle this is my best friend, Maggie Thornhart."
"I don't…" Kyle began as he reached out to shake Maggie's hand. Would he have to point out for the hundredth time that he wasn't in college at the moment?
Becky glared him into silence. "..like being called College Boy – so don't do it Maggie."
Maggie looked from Kyle to Becky and back again. How long has this been going on? She wondered. God Becky was excellent at keeping secrets. She had kept Kyle all to herself. Good thing too – because the girls at school would eat him up if they knew about him.
"We'd better get going." Becky said, her voice shaking nervously. She needed to give Kyle a message without Maggie hearing and realized she had a way to do just that. "Adunare eu aici la 10 dimineaţa. Bine?"
"10 heures. Bien. Je vous verrai alors." Kyle replied, still a bit freaked out that they could communicate this way.
"Bine." Becky nodded. So they'd meet here at ten the next morning. It would give her some time to check out some of his story. She wondered how she could ask her father about him without making him suspicious. She decided it was probably impossible.
"Au revoir. Voyez-vous demain." Kyle said with a smile.
"Bye." She said, grinning herself. She took a deep breath and turned towards her friend. "Let's go Mags." She grabbed her arm and pulled her away, bracing herself for twenty questions.
It only took as far as the corner for Maggie to start. "Oh my GOD Becky!! What the hell was that? Wait – no – better question. Who the hell was that??" She said her voice full of shock. Maggie knew that this was going to be a long conversation. She dragged Becky into the coffee shop and shoved her into a booth. "OK, now that you're comfortable - Rebecca. Start talking."
