Orphans Beloved: "Beth Rhymes With Death…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved and Sheldon Swifties bits in my Buffyverse and Sheldonverse, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: No copy write infringement intended…

Part XX…

"So, let me get this straight…" a frowning Fee to Sarah, currently busy packing camera, telephoto lens, and soundmaster 3000 listening device into a backpack as the two stood in the foyer of Mrs. S' place. "You're going to stake-out the uber-bitch, on Arthur Bell's orders, ala 'the Bone Collector' with Arthur in the role of Denzel giving pearls of wisdom from his bed?

"I'm just gonna keep a watch on the bitch, try to see what she's up to…"

"As in, if her 'hi, I'm Beth, back from the grave' story checks out? Sarah? Are you insaner than usual?"

"I don't believe her story, Fee…" frowning shake of head. "But I'm afraid Art wants to…And that means he's gonna get himself killed. I won't have that on my conscience. I owe Beth that much as well as him."

"Arthur Bell, our hard as nails copper, falling for Rachel's 'ghost Beth possession' story? Sarah?"

"He said for you to watch 'Vertigo' and you'd get it." Wry grin. "Just kiddin', though that was his own joke. He's not lost his head, Fee but I am scared he might. And after what happened today…"

"I've seen 'Vertigo', thanks very much." Shrug… "I suppose there is a bit of the Jimmy Stewart romantic in our Arthur. God knows he's been the Sir Galahad, protecting you all for Beth's sake." Sigh, wry smile. "Kinda gothic, in the romance way, really…But, he doesn't really…?"

"If someone suddenly came to you, claimin' to be the dead love of your life and backed it up a little, with a few things…" she eyed him.

"That bad?" he stared at her.

"He's good but yeah, that bad." Sarah nodded. "Fee, I can't let her do this to him. I won't see Art die because of us, I can't do that to Beth."

"Well…" Fee, sidelong look. "We will have Helena back soon, if the crack team of Donnie and Ally succeed in outwitting Major Paul and co."

"Don't sulk…You couldna stood the cold up there. Or the ultra suburban…" she grinned, then frowned. "And that's not what's called for here."

"No? Sarah? This woman was ready to mutilate you, kidnap Kira, have 'little people' like that poor cop of Cal's killed, kill all her sisters to cover her ass, kill her mentor and second father, our unlamented Leekie, and drive her long-lost father to suicide after putting him in her own private jail." Pause. "I refrain from mentionin' my own little near-fatal encounter as I guess I'm in the 'little people' category. I say if she's still up to her shit, it's time for a Helena solution."

"Fee?" stare, pausing in mid-loading.

"I won't have you and the guys tormented eternally by a maniac with your face. She needs to go, Sarah." Clouded look. "I'm not a fan of violence but in her and dear ole Paul's cases…"

"That wouldn't do us much good with Topside and Marion right now…" she pointed out.

"As you've said, screw them both." He replied, calmly.

"She's still a source of info, Fee. And now, she hasn't got Dyad backing her ass. "

"So we're led to believe…" he noted.

"All the more reason to keep an eye on her… She needs us, I believe that."

"Then take me along…One eye's all she can keep on either of us." He smiled.

"Fee, this is surveillance…Not a sleepover…"

"In one of the ritziest buildings downtown, courtesy my good friend Todd."

"And a large bribe…" Sarah, hard stare.

"For a night in that place? We got a discount, believe me."

"I just hope he's right about the owners being away…" she sighed. "And that we can trust him."

"Another reason to take me, my catlike reflexes and light-sleeping will detect anyone trying to come in in the precious seconds needed for the perfect getaway." Fee beamed.

"You sleep through every alarm." She glared. "This isn't a chance to party on some rich guy's nickel, Fee."

"I was thinking more an intimate brother/sestra evening." Arch look…

She eyed him with mock horror. "Just how much of an effect did Tony have on you?"

"Ew…" he frowned. "Sarah…"

….

"Well…" Beth eyed herself in the bathroom mirror. "May as well get this over with…" she picked up the bottle of tablets, a prescription sleeping formula, and shook out two.

"Even if they can tell us apart…And how are they doin' that?" she asked herself, aloud. "It's got to be Rachel's body, whoever I really am in here."

She carried the pills out, gripped in her fist, and moving to a desk nook, tapped the laptop on the desk shelf, several files open on screen…Sarah, Helena, Cosima, Alison, Delphine, and Arthur Bell. Closing all but Art's, a wan smile… "Good night, my sweet Sherlock…I love you, dipshit." She kissed the image on screen, swallowed the pills, and took a fair swig from a glass of red wine set by the laptop. "See ya in the morning if they don't bag me. Art…Please…" she breathed to the image on screen. "Believe in me, please. Someone has to."

With sigh, she closed the laptop and stood up…

Whoa, not bad, she wavered a bit…Unsteady on feet. I guess Rach really wanted to be out during these things.

Well, at least my late and lamented eye doesn't hurt so…She collapsed onto the floor.

…..

Thompson, Canada…

"What do you mean, you saw Rachel staring at us?" Donnie, concerned to the now very nervous Alison.

"Where is Rachel, sestra? I'll deal with her…As duly deputized peace officer, natch…" Helena, struggling to emphasize her Beth at end.

"She was there…I saw her." Ally, frightened. "But it's a wall, how…?" she looked at Donnie's worried look.

Hendrix is always so concerned for the little housefrau…Why has one ever loved me like…?

"Ally?"

"Huh?" she shook herself… Helena giving careful scrutiny of the vicinity, pulling her ski cap tightly over her blonde locks.

"Maybe…A reflection?" Ally looked at Donnie.

"I don't see Rachel around…Let me case joint." Helena suggested.

"No, wait…" Donnie, anxiously…To no avail as Helena hurried off, carefully scouting round as she marched down the airport corridor.

"I'd better get after her…" he sighed. "Just wait here a mo, ok?"

"Uh, yes…Certainly." What the hell is happening?…Rachel thought, staring at him as he hurried after Helena.

And what the goddamned hell am I wearing? She eyed her reflection.

"Ok, support's on the way…Ten minutes." Colonel Dierden's voice in the headphone of the middle-aged female agent now watching Ally from a seat by a departure gate, glancing down the hallway to observe Donnie racing after Helena.

"Acknowledged." The woman hissed to her hidden mike.