A/N: I'm back! Did you miss me?
Crowd: NO!! Get on with the story!!!
My, aren't we impatient today? All right, I suppose I deserve it. I'm truly sorry about the cliffhanger, but it's how the story goes. You guys wanted angst, so you're getting it by the barrelful! But don't worry, there will also be plenty of romance, so don't kill me just yet. Before I start, I'd like to respond to a few of your reviews.
Settiai: Don't think you can hide your murderous intentions from me! But I forgive you; what I did *was* rather cruel. And hey, I'm on your Author Alert? Wow, I'm flattered! I also-- okay, okay, I'm shooing! Be patient!
The Name Changer: Yes, yes, it's been established that I'm torturing you all... But do you think I'd make Rhodes end up with Gislaine? I'm not that mean! Oh, and can I have some of your candy?
that girl: Oh no! Don't have a seizure! I don't know you well enough to hold your tongue!
eechan: *gasps* HOLY my goodness, Fu-chan, I didn't know you could be so bloodthirsty! Or maybe I did, and I just willed myself to forget. But don't kill Gislaine! She may totally suck, but she's an integral part of the story. You can kill her after it's finished, okay?
March Hare: If you really want to know, I had the whole dream sequence written before I even *remembered* there was a scene like that in BST! When I realized it, I was like, "Oh, whoops!!" But then I figured, meh, it's not exactly the same. And plus you used the whole Jezebel thing from my Holmes story, and it didn't bother me. So I was hoping you'd feel the same way... hahah? Oh, and don't be mad at Pendergast just because he rocks. I may be totally obsessed with him, but this story takes top priority. And by the way, I thought you'd like the title. Its relation to your pen name was completely unintentional, because it has more to do with Alice, Rhodes' sister, but I'm glad you approve!
Jezrael the Jealous: I'm glad you like my Southern detective, and I was just waiting for someone to tell me that the differences bettween Rhodes and Holmes were a good thing. So thank you! Oh, and I'm glad you figured out it was a dream. There were a few subtle hints that made it apparent.
Estriel: Your two personas no longer have any reason to argue. Although I can't make any guarantees that my latest chapter will make you even angrier. Only one way to find out!
All righty! Let's move on with chapter two!
Disclaimer: Rhodes and Bridges, along with any minor characters, such as Gislaine LeFavre, Edward Solomon, Alma Dominguez, and Douglas Bridges, are of my own creation. The original plot, however, belongs to Conan Doyle.
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Down the Rabbit Hole
a modern Sherlock Holmes fanfiction
by Wakizashi
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Chapter Two: The Pool of Tears
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I felt like such an idiot.
How naïve of me to think that Rhodes would ever feel the same way about me! Why had I even gotten my hopes up? He didn't care about me *that* way. I was just his buddy; that chick that the guys love to be around, but they would never even think of dating her. That's who I was. Rhodes' gal pal.
I knew then that I could never tell him how I felt. Not only would it dash all hopes of a relationship, but it would effectively destroy our friendship as well. There was nothing I could do.
With a supreme effort, I somehow managed to muster a smile at Gislaine LeFavre, the beautiful woman standing next to Rhodes. *My* Rhodes. "It's nice to meet you, Gislaine," I said weakly.
She returned my smile with a dazzling one of her own. "Please, my friends call me Laney," she replied in an engaging French accent.
Well, I could have called her a lot of things...
"You know, Ethan talks about you all the time," Laney remarked with a grin toward Rhodes. I felt like slapping it off her. "How sweet, and funny, and smart you are. All the time, he mentions you!"
*If I'm so great, why's he with you?* I thought bitterly. Casting an acidic glance at Rhodes, I simply said, "I wish I could say the same about you."
Laney raised her perfect eyebrows, taking in this last statement, but I continued before either of the happy couple could interject. "So," I said casually, my gaze directed at Rhodes, "how did you two meet? How long have you been... seeing each other?" Dropping my purse on the floor, I planted myself in a chair, resting my elbows on the surface of the table with false enthusiasm. "Tell me everything."
Following my lead, the two took their seats once again. "Well, let me see," said Laney, tapping her chin thoughtfully with a manicured fingernail. Hey, I could have a manicure if I wanted. It would just be a lot harder to button my jeans. Plus I would probably injure my clients. "I would have to say that we first met three years ago, but we did not know each other very well back then. And of course, we met in a very unromantic place." She laughed, a high, bell-like laugh that men always swoon over. "Can you believe it? We met in a court-room!"
Court-room? Yeah, I could agree with her on that. "Why were you in court?" I asked, frowning. "Was someone on trial?" *You?* I added mentally.
Laney nodded sadly. "Oui, my father... He was not a good man." She looked up at Rhodes with big, sad puppy-dog eyes. He patted her hand sympathetically. "Ethan was the one who put him in prison. But I was not mad at him. I was just happy that my father could not commit any more crimes."
I nodded absently, checking my watch. The streetcar would be passing by in about two minutes. I wondered if I had enough time to run outside and step in front of it.
Stirring her latte, which was probably made with non-fat soy milk, Laney smiled. "I did not see Ethan again until just a week ago. Mon Dieu, you have not changed at all!" she exclaimed, turning to Rhodes. "Still so handsome and charming. And so polite! It was raining, and he offered to drive me to my home. Is he not so sweet?"
Smiling wanly, I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Sure, anyone would accept a ride in Rhodes' snazzy car. If I hadn't known just how he had come into his inheritance, I would have been sickened at how wealthy he was.
"Anyway," Laney continued, "he called me the very next day and asked me to lunch. Since then we have been together almost all the time!"
Blah, blah, blah. Didn't she ever shut up? To say I was furious would have been the understatement of the century. I had barely heard from Rhodes over the past entire week, and now I knew exactly why. Why hadn't he told me he was seeing anyone? Had he kept me in the dark on purpose? I had thought we were friends: how could he be so cruel?
Damn, there went the streetcar.
Pushing my chair out, I stood up and stretched. Rhodes, who had been unsurprisingly silent during this little exchange, now spoke up. "Bridges? Are you leaving already?"
I felt my eye twitch. The *nerve* of him. Shouldering my purse, I turned and smiled at him. I could barely keep the tears out of my eyes. "Yeah, I should probably go. I was going to call my dad today, seeing as how I'm not going to be visiting him this Christmas."
"Well, you don't have to go. You can use my cell phone--"
"*No*, that's all right," I interrupted him hastily. "You two probably want to catch up, so I'll just get out of your hair. It was nice meeting you, Laney. Rhodes..." I swallowed a lump in my throat and turned around. "I'll see you around."
Without a second glance, I walked out of the coffee house and into the busy street, no longer able to suppress my sniffles. Dimly, I was aware that passersby were staring at me, but I didn't care. Pulling my coat tighter around myself, I stopped at the crosswalk and sniffed hard. The weather was frigidly cold, but it wasn't nearly as cold as I felt inside.
I was so stupid.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The second I closed my apartment door behind me, a ragged sob tore from my throat. Throwing off my coat and scarf, I collapsed on my battered, sagging couch, crying freely now. Why did everything have to change? Why did I have to have these feelings for the one person I never had a chance with? And why had I tricked myself into believing I *did* have a chance?
Damn that Laney. Laney LeFavre. Sounded like a stage name, if you asked me. She just *had* to stroll back into Rhodes' life, with her perfect hair and nails and cheesy French accent. Even her eyelashes looked expensive. Then again, I supposed it made sense that Rhodes would end up with such a beautiful woman. He deserved no less.
Besides, who was I kidding, anyway, thinking that I could ever compete with Laney? With her long brown hair and sapphire eyes, she was a goddess on Earth. And what was I? My eyes were hazel, my hair a boring shade of honey brown, and I was only five feet two inches tall. If Laney was a goddess, then that made me a pixie.
Choking back one last wretched sob, I suddenly rose angrily from the couch. "Oh, quit feeling sorry for yourself," I told myself. Looking over at the mirror on the far wall, I examined myself. "You're not that plain. Sure, you're short, and a little scrawny. But some guys like that. You're just... going after the wrong one."
Hearing myself admit this so baldly actually helped, if only a little. Wiping the tears fiercely from my eyes, I picked up the phone and dialed my father's number.
On the second ring Rachel, my father's physical therapist, answered. "Hello?"
"Hi, Rachel," I said, sniffing again. "Can I talk to Dad?"
"Oh, Nadia, of course. He's right here. You're not getting a cold, are you? You don't sound like yourself."
Despite myself, I gave a watery smile. "No, I'm fine," I replied.
"Well, okay. Just making sure. Here's your father."
There was a short silence, and then the voice of my father, Douglas Bridges, spoke. "Hey, princess. It's good to hear from you." My father was a quadriplegic, and he had to take a short breath between each sentence. "Alma's been asking about you. I told her you wouldn't be coming up this year. She almost died of apoplectic shock."
I chuckled. "Alma is such a drama queen," I said. "So how is everyone up in Olympia? How are you doing?"
"I'm good; everyone's doing good. But we're sure going to miss you this Christmas." Dad didn't bother to hide the disappointment in his voice.
With a sad smile, I said, "I know, Dad. But it's been over two years since I moved here, and I wanted to spend just one Christmas in San Francisco. It's my home now."
Dad snorted good-naturedly. "Puh. Don't you try to tell me that's why you're not coming up this year. You're staying because you want to be with your 'Rhodes'."
My heart plummeted into my stomach. Why did he have to bring up Rhodes? "Uh, Dad..."
"Oh, it's not a big deal. Ethan's a good kid. And I know you care about him. To tell you the truth, we all have a pool going to see when you two are going to get serious."
"But Dad..." Tears sprung to my eyes again.
"Yes, princess?"
My voice broke. "Rhodes has a girlfriend."
Silence reigned eternal on the other end. Then, slowly, my father spoke again, his voice laced with disbelief. "You're kidding me, right?"
I hiccuped. "Nuh-uh."
"What!?" Now Dad was quite upset, almost affronted. I could just see Rachel trying to calm him down. "That wasn't supposed to happen! No, Alma and I got it all worked out. Ethan is going to tell you he loves you on New Year's Eve. Then, when the clock strikes midnight, he'll kiss you. It's good luck to kiss on New Year's. That's how it's going to work."
But my mind was still reeling from what he had told me so casually earlier. "Hey, wait a minute. You guys have a *bet* going?" I asked indignantly.
"Never mind that. Princess, you've got to straighten this out. Who is this girl?"
I sighed. "Laney LeFavre. She's French, and gorgeous, and so perfect it's enough to drive me insane."
"Laney LeFavre? Sounds like a stage name." I had to laugh. Like father, like daughter. "Well listen, you just have to put a stop to this. That's all there is to it. Ethan doesn't belong with a fake little French tart. He needs someone well-rounded, and down to earth. Someone who's been with him through everything. That boy needs *you*."
A peculiar tight feeling grew in my chest. "You really think so?" I asked weakly.
"I *know* so. You want to know something? This same thing happened back when your mom and I were young. We were best friends, and I was crazy about her. But she was going out with this pretentious snob at the time. After a while, though, she came to her senses and saw who she really belonged with." He chuckled. "I was the better-looking one, anyway."
I took a deep, shaky breath and smiled. "Mom made a good decision."
"And that's just my point. Sooner or later, Ethan's going to make the right decision. But it won't happen unless you do something. You make that little numbskull see how much you mean to him. You got that?"
Laughing again, I said, "I got it, Dad."
"That's my girl. I'd better let you go. You've got a lot of work to do before New Year's, if you get my drift. I've got some serious cash on the line here. Talk to you later, princess."
"I love you, Dad."
"I love you, too." As I pushed the 'end' button and set the phone down, I felt a surge of determination. Maybe my father was right. Maybe I was the perfect woman for Rhodes, and he just didn't know it. I had to make him see I was the better choice than that croissant-for-brains Laney, and that he was making a huge mistake dating her.
With a snicker, I realized I already had a headstart. I was the one person Rhodes had confessed his tragic and guilt-ridden past to, and despite his firm conviction that I would never wanted to see him again, I had stayed by his side. We had been together through countless cases, to say nothing of the encounter with my cold-blooded killer of a massage instructor, which nearly ended in Rhodes' death.
Who had been the one to stay with him until the ambulance arrived? Who had sat in the waiting room of the hospital the entire night, and half the day in his room, just to make she he would be all right? Not Laney, that was for damn sure.
And if I didn't have enough cards stacked in my favor, I still had the ultimate Christmas gift prepared for Rhodes: something he would never forget. If he didn't dump Laney on her butt the second he opened my present, I would be a shocked woman, indeed.
Maybe this wouldn't be such a crappy Christmas, after all.
I crossed my small living room into the kitchen, wondering what I should prepare for lunch. Maybe, I thought with a smirk, I would fix all of Rhodes' favorite foods and invite the darling couple over for a bite. Before I could open the refrigerator, however, the phone rang.
Skidding out of the kitchen, I hurried over to the table beside the couch and picked up the handset. "Bridges," I rapped out in a monotone; more out of habit than anything else. Sometimes I recieved calls from the police station, or even the federal office.
"Oh, Miss Nadia! Oh, you must come quickly! C'est horrible!"
My eyes widened in surprise. How in the seven Hells did that ditz get my number? Oh wait. Rhodes' speed-dial. "Laney?" I asked in disbelief. She sounded absolutely hysterical. "Calm down! What's the matter?"
"It is Ethan! He is sick, so very sick!" My stomach gave a terrible lurch, while Laney continued ranting. "I do not know how it happened! You must come, Nadia! I do not know what to do!"
I fought to control my breathing. This couldn't be happening; Rhodes never got sick. "Hang on, just try to stay calm," I told her. What a hypocrite I was. This from someone who was trying to balance the phone on my left shoulder while trying to pull on my coat at the same time. "I'll be over there as soon as I can."
Hanging up on her before she could lose it again, I threw the phone on the couch, not bothering to put it back in the charger. Making sure my keys were in my coat, I rushed out of my apartment and down the stairwell to the ground floor. In a matter of seconds I was out in the street, frantically waving my arms for a taxi.
*Hang on, Rhodes,* I thought, squeezing my eyes shut. *Hang on, I'm coming.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Literally throwing my fare to the cab driver as the car rolled to a stop outside Rhodes' condominium complex, I climbed out of the back seat and made my way to the iron gate which opened out into the little courtyard. Racing past the tall, bare elm trees and the fountain, which was shut off for the winter, I reached the brick building in the far left corner of the courtyard and climbed the steps to the front door.
I tried the door, and found it unlocked. Pushing it open, I stepped into the foyer and was greeted by a most unwelcome sight.
On the futon couch in the living room, Rhodes lay prone, buried under at least half a dozen blankets. Kneeling on the floor next to the couch, Laney stared at him, worry clouding her flawless face. Her hand gripped Rhodes' limp one tightly.
I heard a strangled noise tear from my throat, and in an instant I was on my knees by his side. He looked worse than I had ever seen him. His hair hung limp and damp on his forehead, and his face was even whiter than usual. And his eyes, oh God, his eyes, they looked so dull and lifeless. "Rhodes," I said, unable to the anxiety out of my voice. "Rhodes, I'm here. You're going to be all right."
What was I saying? How did I know?
Slowly, Rhodes' eyes met mine. Slipping his hand out of Laney's, he lifted it to the side of my face. It was cold and clammy. "Bridges," he murmured, his lips barely moving. "You came."
Unconsciously leaning into his touch, I covered his hand with my own. "Yes, Rhodes. I came. I told you I'd never leave you, and now I'm here."
Laney watched this exchange with more than a little jealousy, but I turned to her. "When did you first notice that he was feeling ill?" I asked.
"I... I am not sure," she replied, panic creeping into her voice. "Two hours? Perhaps more? But I did not think anything of it; he said he was fine." She swallowed hard. "And then he collapsed outside, and that is when I called you."
I looked at Rhodes again. He had not taken his eyes off me, nor had he lowered his hand. "How do you feel?" I asked gently.
Rhodes shivered. "C-cold," he replied, his teeth chattering. I felt his forehead, and I knew he had a fever. "And hot. At the same time." He blinked at his own observation. "And dizzy. Weak, disoriented... Limited motor functions..." He listed them off, as if to keep his mind focused.
"I am calling the doctor," Laney said instantly, rising from the floor.
Suddenly Rhodes' head seemed to clear. "NO!!" he shouted, causing us both to jump.
"But you are ill!" she protested, her hands on her hips. "We simply cannot stay here, doing nothing! We must get you help!"
My partner looked at me beseechingly. I sighed and shook my head. "Just wait for now, Laney," I told her. "If his fever doesn't go down, we'll call the doctor. In the meantime, maybe you should soak a washcloth in cold water and bring it to put on his forehead."
Laney stared at me, then Rhodes, then me again. "Mon Dieu," she finally muttered, shuffling off to the kitchen.
"Bridges..."
I snapped to attention at the sound of Rhodes' voice, and tightened my hold on his hand. "Yes?" I whispered.
"Are you..." He faltered, then began again. "Are you angry with me?"
Tears spilled over my cheeks. Looking down at his pale, slack face, and his listless green eyes, I completely lost all of the anger I had been harboring toward him, and Laney. All I cared about was seeing him okay again. "No," I said fiercely. "No, I'm not angry with you, Rhodes. I could never be angry with you, ever again."
His long fingers slid across my cheek, over my lips, and down the side of my neck. I shivered at his touch, but not because it was cold. When he spoke, his voice was low and hoarse. "I certainly hope so," he said.
I pondered over what he meant by this.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Dun dun dunnnn... I can't believe I wrote all that in one day. Usually it would take me much longer, especially for such an emotion-charged chapter. Anyway, I'll let you take your own meaning to the last thing Rhodes said. March Hare knows what he's talking about, but that's because she already knows what's going to happen. My, how we both love having things spoiled for us! Leave a review if you liked what you read, and if you didn't... well, leave one, anyway. I want to know what you didn't like. Ciao for now!
Wakizashi
tricksparrow@hotmail.com
Crowd: NO!! Get on with the story!!!
My, aren't we impatient today? All right, I suppose I deserve it. I'm truly sorry about the cliffhanger, but it's how the story goes. You guys wanted angst, so you're getting it by the barrelful! But don't worry, there will also be plenty of romance, so don't kill me just yet. Before I start, I'd like to respond to a few of your reviews.
Settiai: Don't think you can hide your murderous intentions from me! But I forgive you; what I did *was* rather cruel. And hey, I'm on your Author Alert? Wow, I'm flattered! I also-- okay, okay, I'm shooing! Be patient!
The Name Changer: Yes, yes, it's been established that I'm torturing you all... But do you think I'd make Rhodes end up with Gislaine? I'm not that mean! Oh, and can I have some of your candy?
that girl: Oh no! Don't have a seizure! I don't know you well enough to hold your tongue!
eechan: *gasps* HOLY my goodness, Fu-chan, I didn't know you could be so bloodthirsty! Or maybe I did, and I just willed myself to forget. But don't kill Gislaine! She may totally suck, but she's an integral part of the story. You can kill her after it's finished, okay?
March Hare: If you really want to know, I had the whole dream sequence written before I even *remembered* there was a scene like that in BST! When I realized it, I was like, "Oh, whoops!!" But then I figured, meh, it's not exactly the same. And plus you used the whole Jezebel thing from my Holmes story, and it didn't bother me. So I was hoping you'd feel the same way... hahah? Oh, and don't be mad at Pendergast just because he rocks. I may be totally obsessed with him, but this story takes top priority. And by the way, I thought you'd like the title. Its relation to your pen name was completely unintentional, because it has more to do with Alice, Rhodes' sister, but I'm glad you approve!
Jezrael the Jealous: I'm glad you like my Southern detective, and I was just waiting for someone to tell me that the differences bettween Rhodes and Holmes were a good thing. So thank you! Oh, and I'm glad you figured out it was a dream. There were a few subtle hints that made it apparent.
Estriel: Your two personas no longer have any reason to argue. Although I can't make any guarantees that my latest chapter will make you even angrier. Only one way to find out!
All righty! Let's move on with chapter two!
Disclaimer: Rhodes and Bridges, along with any minor characters, such as Gislaine LeFavre, Edward Solomon, Alma Dominguez, and Douglas Bridges, are of my own creation. The original plot, however, belongs to Conan Doyle.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Down the Rabbit Hole
a modern Sherlock Holmes fanfiction
by Wakizashi
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter Two: The Pool of Tears
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I felt like such an idiot.
How naïve of me to think that Rhodes would ever feel the same way about me! Why had I even gotten my hopes up? He didn't care about me *that* way. I was just his buddy; that chick that the guys love to be around, but they would never even think of dating her. That's who I was. Rhodes' gal pal.
I knew then that I could never tell him how I felt. Not only would it dash all hopes of a relationship, but it would effectively destroy our friendship as well. There was nothing I could do.
With a supreme effort, I somehow managed to muster a smile at Gislaine LeFavre, the beautiful woman standing next to Rhodes. *My* Rhodes. "It's nice to meet you, Gislaine," I said weakly.
She returned my smile with a dazzling one of her own. "Please, my friends call me Laney," she replied in an engaging French accent.
Well, I could have called her a lot of things...
"You know, Ethan talks about you all the time," Laney remarked with a grin toward Rhodes. I felt like slapping it off her. "How sweet, and funny, and smart you are. All the time, he mentions you!"
*If I'm so great, why's he with you?* I thought bitterly. Casting an acidic glance at Rhodes, I simply said, "I wish I could say the same about you."
Laney raised her perfect eyebrows, taking in this last statement, but I continued before either of the happy couple could interject. "So," I said casually, my gaze directed at Rhodes, "how did you two meet? How long have you been... seeing each other?" Dropping my purse on the floor, I planted myself in a chair, resting my elbows on the surface of the table with false enthusiasm. "Tell me everything."
Following my lead, the two took their seats once again. "Well, let me see," said Laney, tapping her chin thoughtfully with a manicured fingernail. Hey, I could have a manicure if I wanted. It would just be a lot harder to button my jeans. Plus I would probably injure my clients. "I would have to say that we first met three years ago, but we did not know each other very well back then. And of course, we met in a very unromantic place." She laughed, a high, bell-like laugh that men always swoon over. "Can you believe it? We met in a court-room!"
Court-room? Yeah, I could agree with her on that. "Why were you in court?" I asked, frowning. "Was someone on trial?" *You?* I added mentally.
Laney nodded sadly. "Oui, my father... He was not a good man." She looked up at Rhodes with big, sad puppy-dog eyes. He patted her hand sympathetically. "Ethan was the one who put him in prison. But I was not mad at him. I was just happy that my father could not commit any more crimes."
I nodded absently, checking my watch. The streetcar would be passing by in about two minutes. I wondered if I had enough time to run outside and step in front of it.
Stirring her latte, which was probably made with non-fat soy milk, Laney smiled. "I did not see Ethan again until just a week ago. Mon Dieu, you have not changed at all!" she exclaimed, turning to Rhodes. "Still so handsome and charming. And so polite! It was raining, and he offered to drive me to my home. Is he not so sweet?"
Smiling wanly, I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Sure, anyone would accept a ride in Rhodes' snazzy car. If I hadn't known just how he had come into his inheritance, I would have been sickened at how wealthy he was.
"Anyway," Laney continued, "he called me the very next day and asked me to lunch. Since then we have been together almost all the time!"
Blah, blah, blah. Didn't she ever shut up? To say I was furious would have been the understatement of the century. I had barely heard from Rhodes over the past entire week, and now I knew exactly why. Why hadn't he told me he was seeing anyone? Had he kept me in the dark on purpose? I had thought we were friends: how could he be so cruel?
Damn, there went the streetcar.
Pushing my chair out, I stood up and stretched. Rhodes, who had been unsurprisingly silent during this little exchange, now spoke up. "Bridges? Are you leaving already?"
I felt my eye twitch. The *nerve* of him. Shouldering my purse, I turned and smiled at him. I could barely keep the tears out of my eyes. "Yeah, I should probably go. I was going to call my dad today, seeing as how I'm not going to be visiting him this Christmas."
"Well, you don't have to go. You can use my cell phone--"
"*No*, that's all right," I interrupted him hastily. "You two probably want to catch up, so I'll just get out of your hair. It was nice meeting you, Laney. Rhodes..." I swallowed a lump in my throat and turned around. "I'll see you around."
Without a second glance, I walked out of the coffee house and into the busy street, no longer able to suppress my sniffles. Dimly, I was aware that passersby were staring at me, but I didn't care. Pulling my coat tighter around myself, I stopped at the crosswalk and sniffed hard. The weather was frigidly cold, but it wasn't nearly as cold as I felt inside.
I was so stupid.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The second I closed my apartment door behind me, a ragged sob tore from my throat. Throwing off my coat and scarf, I collapsed on my battered, sagging couch, crying freely now. Why did everything have to change? Why did I have to have these feelings for the one person I never had a chance with? And why had I tricked myself into believing I *did* have a chance?
Damn that Laney. Laney LeFavre. Sounded like a stage name, if you asked me. She just *had* to stroll back into Rhodes' life, with her perfect hair and nails and cheesy French accent. Even her eyelashes looked expensive. Then again, I supposed it made sense that Rhodes would end up with such a beautiful woman. He deserved no less.
Besides, who was I kidding, anyway, thinking that I could ever compete with Laney? With her long brown hair and sapphire eyes, she was a goddess on Earth. And what was I? My eyes were hazel, my hair a boring shade of honey brown, and I was only five feet two inches tall. If Laney was a goddess, then that made me a pixie.
Choking back one last wretched sob, I suddenly rose angrily from the couch. "Oh, quit feeling sorry for yourself," I told myself. Looking over at the mirror on the far wall, I examined myself. "You're not that plain. Sure, you're short, and a little scrawny. But some guys like that. You're just... going after the wrong one."
Hearing myself admit this so baldly actually helped, if only a little. Wiping the tears fiercely from my eyes, I picked up the phone and dialed my father's number.
On the second ring Rachel, my father's physical therapist, answered. "Hello?"
"Hi, Rachel," I said, sniffing again. "Can I talk to Dad?"
"Oh, Nadia, of course. He's right here. You're not getting a cold, are you? You don't sound like yourself."
Despite myself, I gave a watery smile. "No, I'm fine," I replied.
"Well, okay. Just making sure. Here's your father."
There was a short silence, and then the voice of my father, Douglas Bridges, spoke. "Hey, princess. It's good to hear from you." My father was a quadriplegic, and he had to take a short breath between each sentence. "Alma's been asking about you. I told her you wouldn't be coming up this year. She almost died of apoplectic shock."
I chuckled. "Alma is such a drama queen," I said. "So how is everyone up in Olympia? How are you doing?"
"I'm good; everyone's doing good. But we're sure going to miss you this Christmas." Dad didn't bother to hide the disappointment in his voice.
With a sad smile, I said, "I know, Dad. But it's been over two years since I moved here, and I wanted to spend just one Christmas in San Francisco. It's my home now."
Dad snorted good-naturedly. "Puh. Don't you try to tell me that's why you're not coming up this year. You're staying because you want to be with your 'Rhodes'."
My heart plummeted into my stomach. Why did he have to bring up Rhodes? "Uh, Dad..."
"Oh, it's not a big deal. Ethan's a good kid. And I know you care about him. To tell you the truth, we all have a pool going to see when you two are going to get serious."
"But Dad..." Tears sprung to my eyes again.
"Yes, princess?"
My voice broke. "Rhodes has a girlfriend."
Silence reigned eternal on the other end. Then, slowly, my father spoke again, his voice laced with disbelief. "You're kidding me, right?"
I hiccuped. "Nuh-uh."
"What!?" Now Dad was quite upset, almost affronted. I could just see Rachel trying to calm him down. "That wasn't supposed to happen! No, Alma and I got it all worked out. Ethan is going to tell you he loves you on New Year's Eve. Then, when the clock strikes midnight, he'll kiss you. It's good luck to kiss on New Year's. That's how it's going to work."
But my mind was still reeling from what he had told me so casually earlier. "Hey, wait a minute. You guys have a *bet* going?" I asked indignantly.
"Never mind that. Princess, you've got to straighten this out. Who is this girl?"
I sighed. "Laney LeFavre. She's French, and gorgeous, and so perfect it's enough to drive me insane."
"Laney LeFavre? Sounds like a stage name." I had to laugh. Like father, like daughter. "Well listen, you just have to put a stop to this. That's all there is to it. Ethan doesn't belong with a fake little French tart. He needs someone well-rounded, and down to earth. Someone who's been with him through everything. That boy needs *you*."
A peculiar tight feeling grew in my chest. "You really think so?" I asked weakly.
"I *know* so. You want to know something? This same thing happened back when your mom and I were young. We were best friends, and I was crazy about her. But she was going out with this pretentious snob at the time. After a while, though, she came to her senses and saw who she really belonged with." He chuckled. "I was the better-looking one, anyway."
I took a deep, shaky breath and smiled. "Mom made a good decision."
"And that's just my point. Sooner or later, Ethan's going to make the right decision. But it won't happen unless you do something. You make that little numbskull see how much you mean to him. You got that?"
Laughing again, I said, "I got it, Dad."
"That's my girl. I'd better let you go. You've got a lot of work to do before New Year's, if you get my drift. I've got some serious cash on the line here. Talk to you later, princess."
"I love you, Dad."
"I love you, too." As I pushed the 'end' button and set the phone down, I felt a surge of determination. Maybe my father was right. Maybe I was the perfect woman for Rhodes, and he just didn't know it. I had to make him see I was the better choice than that croissant-for-brains Laney, and that he was making a huge mistake dating her.
With a snicker, I realized I already had a headstart. I was the one person Rhodes had confessed his tragic and guilt-ridden past to, and despite his firm conviction that I would never wanted to see him again, I had stayed by his side. We had been together through countless cases, to say nothing of the encounter with my cold-blooded killer of a massage instructor, which nearly ended in Rhodes' death.
Who had been the one to stay with him until the ambulance arrived? Who had sat in the waiting room of the hospital the entire night, and half the day in his room, just to make she he would be all right? Not Laney, that was for damn sure.
And if I didn't have enough cards stacked in my favor, I still had the ultimate Christmas gift prepared for Rhodes: something he would never forget. If he didn't dump Laney on her butt the second he opened my present, I would be a shocked woman, indeed.
Maybe this wouldn't be such a crappy Christmas, after all.
I crossed my small living room into the kitchen, wondering what I should prepare for lunch. Maybe, I thought with a smirk, I would fix all of Rhodes' favorite foods and invite the darling couple over for a bite. Before I could open the refrigerator, however, the phone rang.
Skidding out of the kitchen, I hurried over to the table beside the couch and picked up the handset. "Bridges," I rapped out in a monotone; more out of habit than anything else. Sometimes I recieved calls from the police station, or even the federal office.
"Oh, Miss Nadia! Oh, you must come quickly! C'est horrible!"
My eyes widened in surprise. How in the seven Hells did that ditz get my number? Oh wait. Rhodes' speed-dial. "Laney?" I asked in disbelief. She sounded absolutely hysterical. "Calm down! What's the matter?"
"It is Ethan! He is sick, so very sick!" My stomach gave a terrible lurch, while Laney continued ranting. "I do not know how it happened! You must come, Nadia! I do not know what to do!"
I fought to control my breathing. This couldn't be happening; Rhodes never got sick. "Hang on, just try to stay calm," I told her. What a hypocrite I was. This from someone who was trying to balance the phone on my left shoulder while trying to pull on my coat at the same time. "I'll be over there as soon as I can."
Hanging up on her before she could lose it again, I threw the phone on the couch, not bothering to put it back in the charger. Making sure my keys were in my coat, I rushed out of my apartment and down the stairwell to the ground floor. In a matter of seconds I was out in the street, frantically waving my arms for a taxi.
*Hang on, Rhodes,* I thought, squeezing my eyes shut. *Hang on, I'm coming.*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Literally throwing my fare to the cab driver as the car rolled to a stop outside Rhodes' condominium complex, I climbed out of the back seat and made my way to the iron gate which opened out into the little courtyard. Racing past the tall, bare elm trees and the fountain, which was shut off for the winter, I reached the brick building in the far left corner of the courtyard and climbed the steps to the front door.
I tried the door, and found it unlocked. Pushing it open, I stepped into the foyer and was greeted by a most unwelcome sight.
On the futon couch in the living room, Rhodes lay prone, buried under at least half a dozen blankets. Kneeling on the floor next to the couch, Laney stared at him, worry clouding her flawless face. Her hand gripped Rhodes' limp one tightly.
I heard a strangled noise tear from my throat, and in an instant I was on my knees by his side. He looked worse than I had ever seen him. His hair hung limp and damp on his forehead, and his face was even whiter than usual. And his eyes, oh God, his eyes, they looked so dull and lifeless. "Rhodes," I said, unable to the anxiety out of my voice. "Rhodes, I'm here. You're going to be all right."
What was I saying? How did I know?
Slowly, Rhodes' eyes met mine. Slipping his hand out of Laney's, he lifted it to the side of my face. It was cold and clammy. "Bridges," he murmured, his lips barely moving. "You came."
Unconsciously leaning into his touch, I covered his hand with my own. "Yes, Rhodes. I came. I told you I'd never leave you, and now I'm here."
Laney watched this exchange with more than a little jealousy, but I turned to her. "When did you first notice that he was feeling ill?" I asked.
"I... I am not sure," she replied, panic creeping into her voice. "Two hours? Perhaps more? But I did not think anything of it; he said he was fine." She swallowed hard. "And then he collapsed outside, and that is when I called you."
I looked at Rhodes again. He had not taken his eyes off me, nor had he lowered his hand. "How do you feel?" I asked gently.
Rhodes shivered. "C-cold," he replied, his teeth chattering. I felt his forehead, and I knew he had a fever. "And hot. At the same time." He blinked at his own observation. "And dizzy. Weak, disoriented... Limited motor functions..." He listed them off, as if to keep his mind focused.
"I am calling the doctor," Laney said instantly, rising from the floor.
Suddenly Rhodes' head seemed to clear. "NO!!" he shouted, causing us both to jump.
"But you are ill!" she protested, her hands on her hips. "We simply cannot stay here, doing nothing! We must get you help!"
My partner looked at me beseechingly. I sighed and shook my head. "Just wait for now, Laney," I told her. "If his fever doesn't go down, we'll call the doctor. In the meantime, maybe you should soak a washcloth in cold water and bring it to put on his forehead."
Laney stared at me, then Rhodes, then me again. "Mon Dieu," she finally muttered, shuffling off to the kitchen.
"Bridges..."
I snapped to attention at the sound of Rhodes' voice, and tightened my hold on his hand. "Yes?" I whispered.
"Are you..." He faltered, then began again. "Are you angry with me?"
Tears spilled over my cheeks. Looking down at his pale, slack face, and his listless green eyes, I completely lost all of the anger I had been harboring toward him, and Laney. All I cared about was seeing him okay again. "No," I said fiercely. "No, I'm not angry with you, Rhodes. I could never be angry with you, ever again."
His long fingers slid across my cheek, over my lips, and down the side of my neck. I shivered at his touch, but not because it was cold. When he spoke, his voice was low and hoarse. "I certainly hope so," he said.
I pondered over what he meant by this.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N: Dun dun dunnnn... I can't believe I wrote all that in one day. Usually it would take me much longer, especially for such an emotion-charged chapter. Anyway, I'll let you take your own meaning to the last thing Rhodes said. March Hare knows what he's talking about, but that's because she already knows what's going to happen. My, how we both love having things spoiled for us! Leave a review if you liked what you read, and if you didn't... well, leave one, anyway. I want to know what you didn't like. Ciao for now!
Wakizashi
tricksparrow@hotmail.com