Chapter 2
The sun rose to greet an exhausted Rhoda, it fought its way through the fabric of her bedroom curtain, a dim light. As if unsatisfied with its filtered presence the light snaked its way through the cracks between the curtain and her window. Rhoda's eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep she breathed a sigh of relief. One more night had passed leaving her untouched. Safe.
It was still early in the morning, as dawn came before five at this time of year. She had plenty of time to get ready for work. She did not move. Not because she had time, but because she just couldn't endure the motion. Getting up and preparing for work, was a deception. Her pretending that everything was fine. Everything was not fine. Nothing had been fine since that day. Rhoda could not even bring herself to lower her tired head to her knees. She just sat staring at the curtain as she had all night long. That warm aura of light that probed through the protective layer of fabric that stood between her and the world. That damned happy light. How dare it she wanted to scream. How dare it shine warmly helping those accursed plants grow!
Not only did the coming of the sun feed the hated plant life but it also heralded the beginning of another day, another day of fear. She didn't know what she could do to ease her terror. Especially considering what had just happened last night. She'd never be free. Reginald had her trapped and he was taking his time to make his appearance. Stop that Rhoda! She reprimanded herself. Just get out of bed and start your day. Don't let Reginald Bushroot win. Don't you dare!
Attempting to steel her resolve she pushed her covers from her and rose from her bed. Standing there she felt a little better. Today would be okay. She would change her number after work and she wouldn't here the silence on the other end of the receiver. Maybe her whereabouts were still unknown. Maybe he'd just found her phone number. She doubted that was true, but she was tired of running. She did not know if she had the strength to do that anymore. She'd invested in a state of the art security system. Surely that would be enough. It would be if she was dealing with a burglar and not an obsessive super villain stalker. She forced her thoughts away from such thought. She couldn't allow herself to think this way. She'd find herself trapped in a padded room if she couldn't stop these thoughts.
Rhoda set about her morning ritual of preparing herself for work. Finishing her hair she made her way down to the kitchen. Her taste in décor had become sterile and the pure white paint on the walls was that which had been present when she purchased this new home. She had learned to travel relatively light as she usually was unable to stay long in a home after she started to receive the calls. Never feeling safe after being found.
Pouring a cup of pre-made coffee Rhoda leaned against her kitchen counter her elbows resting on the white Formica surface and her hands wrapped around the warm cup. Her first home, she'd been so proud of it. She'd moved in once she had gotten word from Dean Tightbill that she'd received the position at the university. It had been a small home but there she'd been surrounded by beloved knickknacks and a warm color palette. It was a huge contrast to what she'd been reduced to.
A soft ringing noise startled her. It was the cordless phone that she kept on the main floor of her home. He blood ran cold. Don't be silly Rhoda, she reprimanded herself. He doesn't ever call during the day. This knowledge did nothing to stop the sudden trembling of her hands. Coffee sloshed over the lip of her cup onto the counter in large brown drops. Slowly she put down the cup and it seemed too loud a sound for a simple porcelain cup being deposited on the counter. The clear sound was a strange contrast to the muffled ringing.
She knew that the cordless phone was in the living room between the couch's cushions judging from the faintness of the ringing. With halting steps she made her way into the adjoining living room. The floral couch was a throwback from her first home and the only place where she felt remotely comfortable in her current residence. Reaching into the couch she pulled out her cordless phone and reluctantly pressed 'Talk'.
"Hello?" she answered frightened that all she would hear on the other end would be silence.
"… Rhoda? Sis you okay?" the voice on the other end of the phone asked concerned.
Feeling a wave of relief Rhoda sat down wearily on the couch. It was her brother. "Yes, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked and was distraught to hear the cheerful tone in her voice sound forced.
"I don't know… You just didn't sound right when you answered the phone. Frankly, you still don't." It was obvious that her cheerfulness sounded as faked as it was.
"No Rodney, there's nothing wrong. Seriously. Now is something the matter at home?" she was worried. Rhoda had been very close to her family. Even after she'd moved from Duckburg to St. Canard. She'd spoken to her parents on a daily basis, but the phone calls had slowed to the obligatory once every month or two after her abduction.
Her family of course was her tragic experience. That was part of the reason she hardly called them anymore. It was hard to pretend that she was happy, that everything was fine. She doubted she'd be able to fool her parents for long. They'd know. Parents always know when they're children are in trouble and that's what Rhoda felt. Like she was plummeting off of a cliff at breakneck speeds and there was nothing in the world that could possible cushion her fall enough to save her. Not even the loving arms of her parents. She knew they would not fault her, but they were getting on in years and she was not going to burden them, especially when there was nothing that they could do to help her anyway. It wouldn't be right. She loved her family too much to have them force her problems on them.
"Everything's good out here too. Nothing to complain about – except that the water company decided to raise the cost of water 5 out here. It's preposterous!"
Ever the tightwad her brother could always find something wrong with the world. Rhoda felt herself smile a real smile, not the usual fake expression she gave to her colleagues since the incident. It was almost a foreign feeling to her, but it felt good. After the night she'd had she needed this distraction.
"… can you believe it?" he exclaimed affronted.
Rhoda realized she hadn't been paying attention to him at all. "No I can't," she chanced a guess hoping that she had given the correct answer.
"Neither could I. But that's not why I called you," he said almost sheepishly. "I was wondering if you could make it to Duckburg for Mom's birthday."
Her eyes widened behind her glasses. Her mother's birthday! She'd completely forgotten about it. It was coming up in a little under a month wasn't it? The previous amusement she'd felt from hearing her brother's lighthearted complaint disappeared and she felt like dirt. Certainly she'd been having problems. As of yesterday her situation had become precarious once again, but it had been going on like this for three years now she should be used to it.
"I think I can manage it," she said softly still crestfallen over her forgetfulness.
"That's great! We've been worried about you, you know. You hardly call down to Mom and Dad's. And you and I never talk anymore. I sometimes wonder if you ever spare a thought to think of Duckburg," he stopped, his voice had sounded upset. Rhoda imagined he did not want to start a fight with her after he'd finally spoken to her after a few months. There was a sigh from his end of the phone and she knew she was right.
"So just the other day I ran into that crazy Crackshell kid you used to be inseparable from. Did you know he's engaged to Gandra Dee? You went to school with her too didn't you?"
He'd decided not to further his lecture and switched to something almost as bad in her mind and she wondered if it had been intentional. "No… No I didn't – I mean I didn't know he was engaged to her."
She remembered Fenton. From grade school until graduation they had always been together. It was strange that she had let the friendship waste away to the point where she hadn't even known he'd been seeing Gandra let alone was engaged to her. "I remember Gandra," she added. That was somewhat of an understatement. Gandra Dee was her high school tormentor. The soft spoken blond had seemed to make it a point to torment Rhoda whenever the two were alone. It was then that the blond seemed to develop a venomous attitude. Knowing that her best friend had something of a crush for the then unattainable Gandra Rhoda had stayed silent. It seemed that he had finally gotten the girl of his dreams. Something about that thought made Rhoda feel like retching.
"Anyway he asked how you were doing. I didn't know what to say. I had thought you were at least keeping in touch with him. To be completely honest I had always expected that you two would end up together," Rodney chuckled apparently not knowing how this sudden news had affected his sister.
On her end of the phone Rhoda frowned. Her life in Duckburg seemed to be eons in the past. She clutched at the cordless in her hand willing herself back in time. If only she had stayed there. She'd never have met Dr. Reginald Bushroot. She wouldn't have had the opportunity to work at such a prestigious university but she'd have been happy – happier than she was now at least.
She doubted her brother was right with his theory that her and Fenton would have ended up as a couple. The two had never been anything other than friends, but Rodney had always the teasing big brother back then so she'd heard his theory many times before now. Still somehow it bothered her more now than it had when she was growing up. There had never been any romantic feelings between her and Fenton of that she was certain. He constantly wore his heart on his sleeve. She'd have been the first to know that he had liked her any way but as a friend. As to the revulsion she'd felt over the news of his engagement to Gandra that had been nothing more than her wanting to protect her once best friend. He'd never known Gandra as she had. True the blond could act like an innocent angel, but once you got on her bad side she could be Satan's right hand man. Gandra was great at hiding her true colors and Fenton was too naive and innocent to be able to see that. The poor guy didn't know what he was in for.
Not that her feelings about the situation mattered she realized. He'd marry her high school tormentor, and Gandra might have changed over time, goodness knew that Rhoda had. The two would get married and live happily ever after. While Rhoda was left to be afraid that every man she met on the street and every plant she passed. Maybe she was just jealous over the fact that Gandra would have the normal life Rhoda had always wanted and could now never have.
"So who are you seeing?" The question came out of left field and Rhoda's breath caught in her throat. "I'd imagine there's got to be some guy keeping you so occupied. You can't possibly be spending all of your time at the research center," this time he was prying as older brothers do and she wished he would stop. "Will you be bringing this mystery man along for Mom's party?"
Rhoda's mouth went dry and she almost lost the phone despite the strong hold she had on it. Forcing herself to breath once again she found her voice and answered. "No Rodney. I'm not seeing anyone. Now I've got to get going. I have to be at work soon. I'll be there for Mom's party. Don't worry. I love you. Bye." It was a rushed departure. She fled from the probing question as she'd been fleeing from any male colleagues that seemed to take interest in her.
She would not bring anyone with her to Duckburg. There was no one to bring. She was alone. Dropping the cordless onto the couch Rhoda grabbed her purse and exited her home. She'd be early, but it was time to start her day. Her cup sat abandoned surrounded a pool of half dried coffee.
So here's Chapter 2 of my little fan fiction. It was not at all what I expected it would turn out like. I was planning on taking the story somewhere else entirely, but this idea popped into my head as I was vacuuming and I just had to do it. (I burst out laughing psychotically when I thought of the phone scene and made everyone else present in the house question my sanity.)
Yes this will now be a Darkwing Duck/DuckTales crossover. Hopefully that won't loose me readers. I've been thinking up plot for later chapters and currently everything is a little convoluted. I'll work on that though… I do believe that what was supposed to be a one shot or at best a short story will become an epic. Boy I hate writing epics. Klangfarbenmelodie's uncompleted sequel almost caused me to pull my hair out and threatened to leave me looking like Dr. Wily!
I should stop rambling and let you review if you'd like. I'd like but I suppose I cannot force you to do so. Thank you Nightw2 for your review I really appreciate it!
By-the-by Darkwing Duck and DuckTales are copyright Disney.