Quinn and Kes ran out of the room, and raced down the steps.
"Quinn, please, not again!" she called, trying to keep up with him. He got outside. Ricky stood in front of the men of the castle.
"As I've heard, Van Zan has given a speech to you before, two years ago. Everything he said still applies! Now, who wants to volunteer to go to London.again!" he called. Quinn came flying down the steps.
"Alright, if no one's volunteerin', we'll be draftin'! Kevin, Tate, get the strongest men, and fit 'em with weapons!" he called.
"Ey! I said no!" Quinn called.
"Quinn, don't!" Kes cried. He leapt at Ricky, knocked him to the ground. Ricky stumbled, landing, and shoved Quinn up. Smashed his fist into his chin. They began to fight, Ricky throwing Quinn about like a doll. Kes looked around.
"Stop them!" No one did. They were cheering. She ran to the two fighting guys, standing beside them. Ricky threw Quinn down, rolled him. Sitting on top of him, Ricky hit him. Grabbed his head and threw his fist. Repeatedly.
"Ricky, stop it now!" she cried. He didn't. Kes took a breath.
"STOP IT!" she screamed. They'd stood back up, and Quinn pulled his fist back. She jumped between them, catching his fist. Landed in her shoulder. She flinched, but didn't move.
"Stop acting like children! I told you not to push him too far, Ricky! Now get the hell outta here!" she cried. Ricky growled at Quinn.
"I'll kill ya!" Quinn screamed. Kes closed her eyes, trying to lose the image it created of Denton Van Zan, two years earlier, when he and Quinn did this exact same thing.
"That's exactly what we need to destroy these creatures!" Ricky hollered. Kes shoved him back.
"Get him outta here!" she called. She turned, watched Quinn walk off and sit down. She walked over, kneeled down beside him.
"I don't know how many times I have to tell you that he's about as strong as Van Zan was. Come on, let's get you cleaned up," she said, lifting his chin. He looked at her.
She stood behind him at the sink, holding him around the waist. He poured iodine on his wound, and started to wince.
"Hang on, Quinn.it won't.it won't hurt." He didn't hear her. He stood up straight, and she looked over his shoulder. Quinn took some gauze, pressing it against the wound. She pulled him over, sat him on the chair against the wall.
"Alright, here." She pulled out a piece of leather Ricky had given her.
"Open your mouth."
"What?"
"Just do it." He did so, and she placed it over his tongue, between the two rows of teeth.
"Now, this might sting a little, but bite on the leather, and if you want, squeeze my arm. I won't feel anything." She put some iodine on a bit of gauze, and placed it against the cut on his chin. His teeth slammed against the leather, and his nails dug into her skin. She didn't seem to feel it. After a few seconds, she pulled it back, and tossed the gauze. She poured some iodine onto another piece of gauze, and looked at him.
"Quinn? I need you to close your eyes." He closed them.
"Alright, this is the last one, so hang on just a few seconds." She pressed it against the wound on his forehead. His teeth went to the leather, his nails to her skin. She waited five, six seconds, and pulled it back. She smiled.
"There. Open your mouth." She reached in, taking the leather strap, and placed it on the sink. Tossing the gauze, she stood.
"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" she asked. He looked at her arm. She reached up, and felt the blood.
"Sorry, Kes." She shrugged, put some iodine on a piece of gauze, and pressed it against her arm. No flinching, no wincing, nothing. After a second, she tossed the gauze, and put a bandage around it.
"No problem. But remember: you cannot fight Ricky without getting hurt yourself." He nodded.
"I think I understand that." She smiled, kissed his cheek, and cleaned up the sink. Quinn sighed. She looked down at him.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Yea."
"I think we should go to London, with Ricky."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because, even though you seem mad at him, he needs our help. The draft didn't do anything for Van Zan." Jared ran into the room.
"We've got a problem."
Kes and Quinn ran up stairs, him pulling his shirt on, and followed Jared outside. Ricky was rattling the gate. A dragon was flying down.
"Ricky!" she cried, and ran to the gate. Pulling it open, she pulled him in, and they ran to Quinn.
"Let's go, let's go! ALARM!" he screamed. It started ringing, and everyone was racing down to the tunnel. As Kes ran in, she pulled the door shut.
"Who finished this?"
"Jared did.you abandoned it, remember?" She nodded. Ricky stood beside the door, looking at them.
"Are you alright?" she asked, touching his face. He nodded.
"I was just about to go to London."
"By yourself?" she asked.
"No, no.the others were readying their gear, inside the gate. I chose to wait for them outside." Kes pulled her hand off the door, and headed to the kids.
"Quinn, do we have them all?" she asked. He looked at them.
"You take that side.I'll count these kids." They took a head count, added them, and nodded.
"That's everybody." Kes turned to look at Ricky, putting her hand on Quinn's side.
"Are you sure your alright?" she asked.
"Fine.I'm fine." She smiled, and walked over to him.
"What?" She shrugged.
"I can smile and walk to my brother, can't I?"
"I guess so." She turned her head, looking at Quinn. He was walking to the wall, sitting down, waiting. She sighed, and walked over to him, her smile fading.
"Quinn?" she asked, sitting beside him. He looked up.
"Are you alright?" He didn't answer: his chin dropped against his chest. She took a breath, reached out, and lifted his face. "Quinn?" He shrugged.
"I guess so."
"What's wrong?" He looked over at her.
"Well, I don't think I'm fit to keep any of these people in line anymore." She sighed.
"Quinn, your fit to keep all of these people in line."
"I'm gettin' older, Kes." She smiled.
"Quinn, your still young, and you know that. But, maybe you have a point." He looked at her.
"What?"
"Well, I mean, you can't exactly run after these people forever. Maybe you should pass on the torch."
"But to who?"
"How about Jared?" He shrugged.
"Yea, I think that could work. But, even though I think I'm gettin' too old for this, I can still chase the kids around, and keep Eddie in line, and."
"Shut up."
"What?" he asked.
"Shut up."
"Now, hang on. What reason do you have to tell me to shut." She leaned over and kissed him. Alex walked over to Ricky, putting a hand on his back.
"I thought Kes said something about you datin' him." She shook her head.
"She's liked him longer. She's hurt longer. I stepped aside." Kes pulled back, and looked at him. He stared at her, and the kids stared at them. Kes gave them one sharp look and they continued talking. Before Quinn could say anything, Kes got up and walked over to Ricky.
"I choose to go with you to London, no matter what it takes. Now don't try to stop me, because Denton tried it too and he lost." Ricky nodded. Quinn stood up.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm going to London with him."
"What about you, Quinn? You coming with?" he asked. Quinn looked at Kes, and Alex, and over at the kids.
"Yea, I'm coming with." Kes smiled.
"Well, when we leave the tunnel, you guys can get your rest. Then we'll go." Kes nodded, and walked to the door.
"How long have we been down here?" she asked, putting her hand against it. Quinn look at her watch.
"About twenty minutes. We'll wait another thirty." She nodded, and walked back to the wall, sitting down. He sat beside her.
"Don't ask me why I kissed you." she said. He reached out, touching her hand.
"But why did you?" he asked. She sighed.
"Because I felt like it.for the first time in my life I like someone who actually talks to me. What else was I to do? Go to London without." she stopped, and looked up at him. He put his arms around her shoulders, and hugged her.
She placed her fingers on the cold, dampened doorknob, and pushed it open. The sunlight had begun to fade when they came into the tunnel. Now it was almost completely gone, creating a blue effect on everything inside the castle. Quinn and Kes made their way up the steps, with Ricky and Alex behind them, and everyone else behind them. Kes wandered up the steps, looking around. The dragon had gone, leaving them alone, for nothing had been touched. She headed to her room, ready to go to sleep. Pushing open her door, she saw the blue light flood in past her, grabbing for every dark spot it could before the door closed. Someone walked up behind her, and, without turning her head, nodded.
"Hello, Jared." He nodded.
"Hi, Kes. Are you feeling alright?" She turned around, to face him.
"Of course. I'm fine. Why?"
"Quinn said you were acting strange in the tunnel." She sighed.
"Well, aside from kissing him?"
"Why did you kiss him?" he asked. Kes sat down on her bed, and crossed her hands in her lap.
"Since the day I met him, I've cared about him so deeply that it hurts me. When we first fought the dragons like this, when Denton and Alex first arrived, I knew things would change. And when he fell in love with Alex, and she fell in love with him, the pain was so overwhelming I." She stopped, trying to think. Jared sat down beside her. Quinn stood outside the door, listening intently. He never knew any of this.
"I couldn't get more than ten feet from my room. Don't you remember, when I was confined to the bed? People had to run around for me. And honestly, I hated that. But the pain had become so overwhelming, it was pure luck I was still breathing. One night, Alex found me curled into a ball outside, crying. When she asked what was wrong, and I got mad and started off, but she got me to finally tell her. She realized what she'd put me through, but I didn't care anymore. By that time, I'd realized something." She lifted her eyes and met Jared's.
"You can't always get what you want, even if it's something you wanted longer than whomever got it." Jared put an arm around her, and she dropped her forehead against his shoulder.
"I just.I care so much, and it's like it never mattered to anyone."
"It mattered to me that you cared. You look out for me, you always have." She smiled.
"That's nice to hear, Jared. At least I'll always have you and the kids to talk to.but your growing up so fast, it feels like just yesterday you were the little boy we had to take everywhere." He laughed.
"Really?"
"Really. You hated being left behind. Most of the time, I'd stay back and watch you because the guys wanted to hang out.which is also probably a sign that he never really liked me more than a friend, and even then." She stopped, and looked at the floor. Jared hugged her. Quinn took a breath, and walked away.
"And it never helped that my brother had to die last time.he was never supposed to die. But I guess he had to be all high and mighty, and help save the day. I miss him." Jared stood up.
"Listen, I want you to cheer up. If Quinn only likes you as a barely-there friend, then it's his loss. But don't put yourself down over it, alright? You're the most amazing person I know." He kissed her forehead, and walked out. She smiled.
"I'm glad you think so."
Morning came, and Kes walked outside, tugging at the bottom of her sweatshirt. Ricky looked up.
"Where's Quinn?" he called. She looked up.
"I thought he was out here!"
"Not yet. Is he still in there?" Kes sighed, waved her arm, and ran back upstairs.
She raised her hand, and knocked on his door.
"Quinn? You in there?"
"Yea." Kes pushed open the door, and walked inside.
"What're you doing, Quinn? We're getting ready to go to London." He looked up.
"I have to tell you something." Kes walked over, and stood beside his bed. He sat there, staring at his hands.
"What is it?" He sighed.
"Kes, I heard you, last night. When you were talking about me.about how you feel." She bit her lip.
"Listen, Quinn, I."
"Let me talk, Kes. You were always my friend, but when the dragons and the Americans came last time, I saw a side of you I had never seen before. You were more active, you went out, you.did everything. Walked about, checking on everyone, made sure everything was running smoothly. Everything. It was then that I knew that I cared about you more than anything, but you made it seem as though that was alright, but you'd rather be friends." Kes dropped down.
"I'm sorry that I hurt you by dating Alex. I really am. If I had known."
"Then you would have done what every other guy I liked did: gotten creeped out and walked away. Why do you think I kept it to myself? Why do you think I stayed back all the time? If I had gone with you, it would have come out in the open too soon, and killed me. I'm sensitive to a lot of things, you know that. This sort of thing isn't something that you just come out and say when you're afraid of how people will react to your jokes. When you're afraid to do something on your own because you think you'll do it wrong. Quinn, I've always been afraid of my next step, because I'm never sure what's going to happen. I hate being embarrassed, but sometimes, you just can't stop it." Kes reached out, and took his hands. He lifted his eyes to hers. She smiled.
"We have to get to London, before anyone gets hurt. Please, Quinn. Let's go." He stood up, and so did she. They smiled at each other, and headed back outside.
"Found him!" Kes called, waving her hand at Ricky. He smiled when he saw that their hands were together. They jogged down, and stood in front of Ricky, as prepared as they could be for fighting deadly creatures.
"Quinn, please, not again!" she called, trying to keep up with him. He got outside. Ricky stood in front of the men of the castle.
"As I've heard, Van Zan has given a speech to you before, two years ago. Everything he said still applies! Now, who wants to volunteer to go to London.again!" he called. Quinn came flying down the steps.
"Alright, if no one's volunteerin', we'll be draftin'! Kevin, Tate, get the strongest men, and fit 'em with weapons!" he called.
"Ey! I said no!" Quinn called.
"Quinn, don't!" Kes cried. He leapt at Ricky, knocked him to the ground. Ricky stumbled, landing, and shoved Quinn up. Smashed his fist into his chin. They began to fight, Ricky throwing Quinn about like a doll. Kes looked around.
"Stop them!" No one did. They were cheering. She ran to the two fighting guys, standing beside them. Ricky threw Quinn down, rolled him. Sitting on top of him, Ricky hit him. Grabbed his head and threw his fist. Repeatedly.
"Ricky, stop it now!" she cried. He didn't. Kes took a breath.
"STOP IT!" she screamed. They'd stood back up, and Quinn pulled his fist back. She jumped between them, catching his fist. Landed in her shoulder. She flinched, but didn't move.
"Stop acting like children! I told you not to push him too far, Ricky! Now get the hell outta here!" she cried. Ricky growled at Quinn.
"I'll kill ya!" Quinn screamed. Kes closed her eyes, trying to lose the image it created of Denton Van Zan, two years earlier, when he and Quinn did this exact same thing.
"That's exactly what we need to destroy these creatures!" Ricky hollered. Kes shoved him back.
"Get him outta here!" she called. She turned, watched Quinn walk off and sit down. She walked over, kneeled down beside him.
"I don't know how many times I have to tell you that he's about as strong as Van Zan was. Come on, let's get you cleaned up," she said, lifting his chin. He looked at her.
She stood behind him at the sink, holding him around the waist. He poured iodine on his wound, and started to wince.
"Hang on, Quinn.it won't.it won't hurt." He didn't hear her. He stood up straight, and she looked over his shoulder. Quinn took some gauze, pressing it against the wound. She pulled him over, sat him on the chair against the wall.
"Alright, here." She pulled out a piece of leather Ricky had given her.
"Open your mouth."
"What?"
"Just do it." He did so, and she placed it over his tongue, between the two rows of teeth.
"Now, this might sting a little, but bite on the leather, and if you want, squeeze my arm. I won't feel anything." She put some iodine on a bit of gauze, and placed it against the cut on his chin. His teeth slammed against the leather, and his nails dug into her skin. She didn't seem to feel it. After a few seconds, she pulled it back, and tossed the gauze. She poured some iodine onto another piece of gauze, and looked at him.
"Quinn? I need you to close your eyes." He closed them.
"Alright, this is the last one, so hang on just a few seconds." She pressed it against the wound on his forehead. His teeth went to the leather, his nails to her skin. She waited five, six seconds, and pulled it back. She smiled.
"There. Open your mouth." She reached in, taking the leather strap, and placed it on the sink. Tossing the gauze, she stood.
"That wasn't so bad, now was it?" she asked. He looked at her arm. She reached up, and felt the blood.
"Sorry, Kes." She shrugged, put some iodine on a piece of gauze, and pressed it against her arm. No flinching, no wincing, nothing. After a second, she tossed the gauze, and put a bandage around it.
"No problem. But remember: you cannot fight Ricky without getting hurt yourself." He nodded.
"I think I understand that." She smiled, kissed his cheek, and cleaned up the sink. Quinn sighed. She looked down at him.
"You alright?" she asked.
"Yea."
"I think we should go to London, with Ricky."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because, even though you seem mad at him, he needs our help. The draft didn't do anything for Van Zan." Jared ran into the room.
"We've got a problem."
Kes and Quinn ran up stairs, him pulling his shirt on, and followed Jared outside. Ricky was rattling the gate. A dragon was flying down.
"Ricky!" she cried, and ran to the gate. Pulling it open, she pulled him in, and they ran to Quinn.
"Let's go, let's go! ALARM!" he screamed. It started ringing, and everyone was racing down to the tunnel. As Kes ran in, she pulled the door shut.
"Who finished this?"
"Jared did.you abandoned it, remember?" She nodded. Ricky stood beside the door, looking at them.
"Are you alright?" she asked, touching his face. He nodded.
"I was just about to go to London."
"By yourself?" she asked.
"No, no.the others were readying their gear, inside the gate. I chose to wait for them outside." Kes pulled her hand off the door, and headed to the kids.
"Quinn, do we have them all?" she asked. He looked at them.
"You take that side.I'll count these kids." They took a head count, added them, and nodded.
"That's everybody." Kes turned to look at Ricky, putting her hand on Quinn's side.
"Are you sure your alright?" she asked.
"Fine.I'm fine." She smiled, and walked over to him.
"What?" She shrugged.
"I can smile and walk to my brother, can't I?"
"I guess so." She turned her head, looking at Quinn. He was walking to the wall, sitting down, waiting. She sighed, and walked over to him, her smile fading.
"Quinn?" she asked, sitting beside him. He looked up.
"Are you alright?" He didn't answer: his chin dropped against his chest. She took a breath, reached out, and lifted his face. "Quinn?" He shrugged.
"I guess so."
"What's wrong?" He looked over at her.
"Well, I don't think I'm fit to keep any of these people in line anymore." She sighed.
"Quinn, your fit to keep all of these people in line."
"I'm gettin' older, Kes." She smiled.
"Quinn, your still young, and you know that. But, maybe you have a point." He looked at her.
"What?"
"Well, I mean, you can't exactly run after these people forever. Maybe you should pass on the torch."
"But to who?"
"How about Jared?" He shrugged.
"Yea, I think that could work. But, even though I think I'm gettin' too old for this, I can still chase the kids around, and keep Eddie in line, and."
"Shut up."
"What?" he asked.
"Shut up."
"Now, hang on. What reason do you have to tell me to shut." She leaned over and kissed him. Alex walked over to Ricky, putting a hand on his back.
"I thought Kes said something about you datin' him." She shook her head.
"She's liked him longer. She's hurt longer. I stepped aside." Kes pulled back, and looked at him. He stared at her, and the kids stared at them. Kes gave them one sharp look and they continued talking. Before Quinn could say anything, Kes got up and walked over to Ricky.
"I choose to go with you to London, no matter what it takes. Now don't try to stop me, because Denton tried it too and he lost." Ricky nodded. Quinn stood up.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm going to London with him."
"What about you, Quinn? You coming with?" he asked. Quinn looked at Kes, and Alex, and over at the kids.
"Yea, I'm coming with." Kes smiled.
"Well, when we leave the tunnel, you guys can get your rest. Then we'll go." Kes nodded, and walked to the door.
"How long have we been down here?" she asked, putting her hand against it. Quinn look at her watch.
"About twenty minutes. We'll wait another thirty." She nodded, and walked back to the wall, sitting down. He sat beside her.
"Don't ask me why I kissed you." she said. He reached out, touching her hand.
"But why did you?" he asked. She sighed.
"Because I felt like it.for the first time in my life I like someone who actually talks to me. What else was I to do? Go to London without." she stopped, and looked up at him. He put his arms around her shoulders, and hugged her.
She placed her fingers on the cold, dampened doorknob, and pushed it open. The sunlight had begun to fade when they came into the tunnel. Now it was almost completely gone, creating a blue effect on everything inside the castle. Quinn and Kes made their way up the steps, with Ricky and Alex behind them, and everyone else behind them. Kes wandered up the steps, looking around. The dragon had gone, leaving them alone, for nothing had been touched. She headed to her room, ready to go to sleep. Pushing open her door, she saw the blue light flood in past her, grabbing for every dark spot it could before the door closed. Someone walked up behind her, and, without turning her head, nodded.
"Hello, Jared." He nodded.
"Hi, Kes. Are you feeling alright?" She turned around, to face him.
"Of course. I'm fine. Why?"
"Quinn said you were acting strange in the tunnel." She sighed.
"Well, aside from kissing him?"
"Why did you kiss him?" he asked. Kes sat down on her bed, and crossed her hands in her lap.
"Since the day I met him, I've cared about him so deeply that it hurts me. When we first fought the dragons like this, when Denton and Alex first arrived, I knew things would change. And when he fell in love with Alex, and she fell in love with him, the pain was so overwhelming I." She stopped, trying to think. Jared sat down beside her. Quinn stood outside the door, listening intently. He never knew any of this.
"I couldn't get more than ten feet from my room. Don't you remember, when I was confined to the bed? People had to run around for me. And honestly, I hated that. But the pain had become so overwhelming, it was pure luck I was still breathing. One night, Alex found me curled into a ball outside, crying. When she asked what was wrong, and I got mad and started off, but she got me to finally tell her. She realized what she'd put me through, but I didn't care anymore. By that time, I'd realized something." She lifted her eyes and met Jared's.
"You can't always get what you want, even if it's something you wanted longer than whomever got it." Jared put an arm around her, and she dropped her forehead against his shoulder.
"I just.I care so much, and it's like it never mattered to anyone."
"It mattered to me that you cared. You look out for me, you always have." She smiled.
"That's nice to hear, Jared. At least I'll always have you and the kids to talk to.but your growing up so fast, it feels like just yesterday you were the little boy we had to take everywhere." He laughed.
"Really?"
"Really. You hated being left behind. Most of the time, I'd stay back and watch you because the guys wanted to hang out.which is also probably a sign that he never really liked me more than a friend, and even then." She stopped, and looked at the floor. Jared hugged her. Quinn took a breath, and walked away.
"And it never helped that my brother had to die last time.he was never supposed to die. But I guess he had to be all high and mighty, and help save the day. I miss him." Jared stood up.
"Listen, I want you to cheer up. If Quinn only likes you as a barely-there friend, then it's his loss. But don't put yourself down over it, alright? You're the most amazing person I know." He kissed her forehead, and walked out. She smiled.
"I'm glad you think so."
Morning came, and Kes walked outside, tugging at the bottom of her sweatshirt. Ricky looked up.
"Where's Quinn?" he called. She looked up.
"I thought he was out here!"
"Not yet. Is he still in there?" Kes sighed, waved her arm, and ran back upstairs.
She raised her hand, and knocked on his door.
"Quinn? You in there?"
"Yea." Kes pushed open the door, and walked inside.
"What're you doing, Quinn? We're getting ready to go to London." He looked up.
"I have to tell you something." Kes walked over, and stood beside his bed. He sat there, staring at his hands.
"What is it?" He sighed.
"Kes, I heard you, last night. When you were talking about me.about how you feel." She bit her lip.
"Listen, Quinn, I."
"Let me talk, Kes. You were always my friend, but when the dragons and the Americans came last time, I saw a side of you I had never seen before. You were more active, you went out, you.did everything. Walked about, checking on everyone, made sure everything was running smoothly. Everything. It was then that I knew that I cared about you more than anything, but you made it seem as though that was alright, but you'd rather be friends." Kes dropped down.
"I'm sorry that I hurt you by dating Alex. I really am. If I had known."
"Then you would have done what every other guy I liked did: gotten creeped out and walked away. Why do you think I kept it to myself? Why do you think I stayed back all the time? If I had gone with you, it would have come out in the open too soon, and killed me. I'm sensitive to a lot of things, you know that. This sort of thing isn't something that you just come out and say when you're afraid of how people will react to your jokes. When you're afraid to do something on your own because you think you'll do it wrong. Quinn, I've always been afraid of my next step, because I'm never sure what's going to happen. I hate being embarrassed, but sometimes, you just can't stop it." Kes reached out, and took his hands. He lifted his eyes to hers. She smiled.
"We have to get to London, before anyone gets hurt. Please, Quinn. Let's go." He stood up, and so did she. They smiled at each other, and headed back outside.
"Found him!" Kes called, waving her hand at Ricky. He smiled when he saw that their hands were together. They jogged down, and stood in front of Ricky, as prepared as they could be for fighting deadly creatures.