DAR - THE NEXT MORNING

I walk into the kitchen, having just come up from the dungeon. Tommy might not be 'visiting' Annwyl for the next few days until Trey comes and gets him, but he didn't say that I couldn't. As I pick up the pot to pour more coffee for Pina and myself, Zedd comes in. A quick glance around and he frowns. "Where's Thomas?"

"Thought he was with you."

He rolls his eyes. "Obviously not." Sighing unhappily he shakes his head. "I hope he's not in the dungeon. I really don't need Annwyl poisoning his mind or his self-esteem anymore. Nor do I really feel like explaining to Trey why his new prisoner ended up castrated as that seems to be the only thing left he can do to the moron at this point." True, and if Annwyl keeps running his mouth he just might push the human far enough over the edge to do it.

"Well, I just came from there and I didn't see him, if that helps at all."

"Not really since he can be just as sneaky as the rest of us when he wants to be." Zedd frowns again and closes his eyes. He sighs and opens them a few minutes later. "I think he's in the dungeon."

I hand him a cup of coffee. "Drink some of this first. Pina will be here in a minute and then we'll all go."

Almost as soon as Pina gets there, we're headed back out, having explained to her what the potential problem is. None of us are saying anything as we go, each preparing for possible trouble in our own way. Suddenly, Zedd grabs us both and pulls us back into a shadowy alcove. Tommy comes from around a corner, not down by the dungeons, but near where his new lab will soon be. He has a pad of paper tucked under his arm and a pencil in his hand. I remember he borrowed those from me while Zedd was gone.

We watch as Tommy pauses in the hall and looks over his shoulder toward the dungeons. He seems to think for a minute before making a decision. He spins around and in a moment is in the dungeon hallway much to Zedd's displeasure. We slip out of our hiding place and follow at a distance. As we reach the end of the hallway, we can hear the rattle of keys, the click of the lock. A quick peek around the corner and, seeing the coast is clear, we head swiftly and silently down the hall. We hear Tommy speaking calmly.

"Hello, Annwyl."

"What do you want now, human? Your stupid little inspection?"

"No. Plus I can see from here you're still a damn mess."

I can hear the reluctant curiosity in the prisoner's voice. "Well what then?"

"Just some things I thought I'd tell you before you get picked up in a few days."

"There's nothing you could say that would interest me, human."

Tommy almost sounds amused. "So now we're back to 'human', are we?"

"Quite frankly, you're lucky I'm addressing you at all. So what do you want? If it's to brag about how you got one of your little Ranger playmates to take me off your hands, I'll tell you now I'm unimpressed. Goldar won't say which one it is, but I have enough of a suspicion."

"Good for you."

"You know they'll try and take Zedd too."

"They don't want Zedd, they already said me keeping him from causing any further trouble on their world will be enough of a tradeoff for taking you."

"And you believe that? You are stupid." I can tell he's getting desperate now by his tone and tactic of using Zedd as an excuse to try and call off this trade. He's right in the fact I didn't tell him it was Trey, knowing being given to the young lord will sting more when he sees it for himself, but still I've no doubt he has his suspicions on who would actually want him.

"We'll see."

"So what do you want then? To annoy the hell out of me? Or did you need some tips on how to please Zedd?"

"No thanks, I think I've actually got that pretty well in hand, so to speak."

There's a faint edge of desperation in Annwyl's voice. "You do realize you didn't get him back untouched, don't you?"

"So I've heard."

A quick glance at Zedd's pale face shows me that he's touched a nerve. I'm guessing that he's not had a chance to talk to Tommy about this. Annwyl continues. "I haven't lost my touch after all these years and he still cries out just as loudly."

There is silence for a long minute. Suddenly, Tommy speaks again, something in his tones that I can't decipher. "Except it didn't go quite as you'd planned, did it? That's why you changed tactics to hurting him and trying to break him. You might have been the one to get him off, but I'm willing to bet that the name he called out - was mine."

"He'll never be completely yours."

"He already is, and you know it. And that just bugs the ever loving hell out of you doesn't it." Silence follows Tommy's statement and shortly the half breed speaks again. "So - in response to your remarks yesterday. No, he hasn't left bruises on me, but I've left more than my fair share on him. I don't disturb him that much when he's working because I have more respect for him than that. You're right, he's not a female and neither am I and I don't see what the hell that has to do with anything. I have known and do know females that are tougher than you'll ever know the day to be. Now that Zedd's pretty well recovered, I don't need to lash out at you anymore because I'm worried about him because of you. Once you leave here, you will no longer be my concern and my mate and I are going to go on with our lives - together. I'm sure I'll see you a few more times before you leave, since it's my job to feed you as I brought you here. Beyond that - I have nothing else to say to you. Goodbye, Annwyl."

"This is not over."

"It really is." Pausing for a minute Tommy adds one more parting comment that I know he must realize the effects of as he all but forces the pity-laced tone to seep into his words. "Oh and just so you know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hurt you as badly as I did, it's not right for me to abuse my power and position just because you're having a temper tantrum. I apologize and assure you that you don't have to be afraid of me for the rest of your time here." Wow. That. Was. Evil. Almost tasting Annwyl's destroyed ego at this, I am amazed I had yet to think of such a tactic myself.

Quickly, the three of us dive into nearby cells, pulling the doors mostly closed behind us. I hear him leave Annwyl's cell, close and lock the door before moving partly up the hallway. Suddenly, I hear Annwyl's screams and cries of rage, cursing Tommy in at least three languages as he dares the human to come back and see just how 'afraid' he is. I barely hear the soft click of the lock on my cell door latching as he carries on. Oh hell. Hopefully the others' doors haven't latched them in as well. On the other hand, if they did, at least I won't be the only one in for a hard time when Tommy has to let-

Fuck me. He knew we were here and he shut the doors. Just then I feel a slew of emotions from Pina and realize that she's trapped just the same as I am - which probably means that Zedd is too. I take a chance and peek out of the barred window only to find a smug, grinning former Ranger looking back at me as he leans against the opposite wall between the doors containing our mates. Brat.

He holds up the keys at arm's length, meaning that the other two can see them too. His voice is nearly drowned out by his prisoner when he asks, "Oh, did you want these?"

I'm growling threats under my breath even as he pushes off the wall and opens the door. He hands me the keys to free the others and leaves. Quickly I release the other two, hang up the keys and we all rapidly head upstairs. Once we reach the kitchen, we find him sitting at the counter looking over some papers as if nothing happened. Before we can speak, he says almost lazily, "By the way, falcons have exceptionally good hearing."

As she goes by, Scorpina smacks him in the back of the head. "And scorpions have stingers."

"Noted, Iso." Still the amusement in his voice is irritating. "But all of you have to admit - that was probably a once in a lifetime opportunity. One I'm certain you'll make sure I never get again." He grins one last time before sobering up slightly as he turns his attention to Zedd. Thinking at first that he will chastise his mate for spying on him, he however takes me by surprise with his next words. "How are you feeling this morning? You were a little restless last night."

Zedd flushes a little. "I can't imagine why. You did a fairly thorough job of making sure that I relaxed."

Looking faintly disbelieving, Tommy however grants him a break and turns his gaze back to his papers. "Of course it could be something as simple as me holding you last night rather than you holding me."

Zedd grabs at this excuse far too quickly. "That's certainly possible." He indicates the sheets in front of his mate. "What are you working on?"

Tommy frowns. "Thinking about changing the layout of my lab before the rest of the equipment arrives. With just a few changes, I should be able to use it as my office as well."

"Thomas, in case you didn't notice, the castle is more than large enough for us to spare you another room for an office."

"I know, but when I've been working in the past, it's not unusual for my thoughts to jump to something else that I was working on. Like - I might have been working on math when an idea for an English paper would hit me. Now with the changes to how my brain and thoughts work, I think having everything close to hand would be a good idea."

"Let's see what you have, brat." He hands me a couple of rough sketches. A small piece of paper slips out from between them, landing on the table by Zedd. As I study the drawings, I see Zedd pick up the scrap of paper and study it with a frown.

"Thomas, did you do this?"

A quick glance is followed by an affirmative nod, before he returns his focus to the sketches in my hand. "See if we move this to the left, I can have a reasonable amount of room for a desk and the bookshelf here."

Still frowning over the paper in his hand, Zedd is apparently not about to be deterred by plans concerning his mate's lab décor. "Thomas are you still having problems with writing?"

This gets my full attention and I take the sheet from Zedd as Tommy answers him. "No, I'm not." Carefully studying the lines he's written, I can see where Zedd's concern is coming from. It doesn't look like any language that I've ever seen, and his penmanship is anything but legible. I pass it to Pina.

Pina looks it over and then returns it to him. "What language is it?" she asks.

"It's not a language, per se. It's shorthand - a way of taking notes quickly."

Zedd looks at it again. "So what does it say?"

"If I'd wanted everyone to be able to read it, Zedd, I'd have written it in English."

Noting the slight flush, I can't help but poke at him. "Embarrassing, is it?"

He levels a look at me. "Trust me, Dar, you have no interest in what's written there."

"Meaning that someone else would."

Tommy sighs. "Right this minute, the only one that would have any real interest in it is me."

"I'm interested" Zedd protests.

I open my mouth to mess with him some more when Pina stops me. "He's allowed some secrets, guys."

"Do you guys have work to attend to today?"

"This is supposed to be our day off, but since I've fallen behind again, I should probably get some work done" Zedd answers.

A quick look at Pina has her speaking up. "Zedd, one more day off won't kill anyone or anything. Get some more rest, spend some time with Tommy and get back to it fresh tomorrow."

Quickly, Tommy says, "I think that's a great idea. After breakfast, we'll do something together." And I can probably guess what at the gleam in his eyes.

Once breakfast is over and the dishes cleared, I make a snap decision and pull Pina into my arms. "I think that the brat has a pretty good idea. What do you think?"

"Definitely."