A/N: Okay so I know the last chapter was rather violent and most likely out of Frank's character but I imagine he has no temper control (in this story at least it seemed to be the only one I can write a mean Frank. In the rest he's more rude than mean) so when Collie starts talking back he'd lose what little temper he had. At any rate that's over and done here's the new chapter please enjoy.
~Chapter 4~
"He's dead."
It took Cosmo a moment to process his cousin's words but as soon as he did he looked beside him at Nation before back at Riff.
"What do you mean he's dead? How did you kill him?"
Riff hesitated another long moment before answering.
"An anti-matter ray, I have been working on it for some time. We are going back to Transylvania as soon as we can."
Nation shook her head.
"You can't just kill the prince of Transexual and expect to go back like nothing happened, the old queen will have your heads on a silver platter. Besides we still haven't found Carol and Laura is starting to freak out worse than before."
There was a sound from behind that made Riff turn around to find Collie now dressed in her pajamas holding Carol's hand. He looked back at the screen.
"She is here, she found her way to the castle but she can't stay."
Cosmos and Nation shared a look of relief mixed worry.
"She's going to want to stay with Columbia you mean to tell us you're taking her with you? The queen will never allow it! She'd be taken away and forced to be a sex slave!"
Columbia heard the worry in Nations voice and looked at Carol before letting go of her hand going to Riff's side.
"Tell Laura I'll bring Carol over soon, I need to talk with Riff and Genta."
The siblings on the screen looked at each other than nodded.
"We will discuss this further when you come by."
Riff nodded then ended the communication turning to look at Collie finding Magenta was now standing with Carol.
"She's right Riff, we cannot just kill Frank then go back, we would be executed on the spot and Collie would be taken away."
Riff looked between the girls heaving a sigh.
"I'm well aware of that fact sister but where else are we supposed to go? We cannot stay here."
Magenta and Collie shared a look.
"And why can't we? I mean I know you and Genta hate being here on earth but-"
Collie was cut off by Riff's hand being clamped over her mouth making her growl as he looked at Carol then push his hand away.
"She knows Riff, Nation told her stories of Transexual and Cosmo told her about Asexual. Back to my point, I know you two don't like it here but it's only been 4 years if you go back now and try to make up some story about how Frank drew the wrong attention to himself they'd never believe it. If you wait just a few more years than enough time will have passed to make it believable."
Riff shook his head.
"How would you understand? If we linger here longer without Frank alive the more suspicious things will become, they will wonder why we didn't tell the old queen at once her son was dead."
He looked at Magenta expecting her to agree but his jaw nearly dropped when his own sister stepped closer to Collie wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"She's right brother. If we go back now they will be far more suspicious of how he'd attracted the wrong attention so quickly. I want to go home as much as you do but we can't afford to go so soon. We will put his body in the freezer so it will keep until we need it. What is waiting for us back there any longer? Mother and father turning their backs on us? Fuschia refusing to speak to either of us in public? Hiding out at Aunt Pat and Uncle Richard's when no one will let us stay with them? Nation and Cosmo are here and they've done fine on earth and they still support us and love us."
Riff felt his will crumble as his sister used her unique way of pointing out the things that were most true and more than a little harsh. He looked into her eyes holding her gaze.
"Is this what you want? To stay here rather than our beautiful moon drenched shores?"
Magenta nodded removing herself from Collie and going to him placing her hands on his chest.
"I miss our home but it's too risky to go now and so I will wait just a little longer."
Riff wrapped his arms around her waist kissing her forehead.
"Very well we shall stay."
A sudden cheer made them all look at Carol who was smiling brightly despite all that had gone on before.
"That means I don't have to go back to Laura! I can stay here with you Collie!"
Collie but her lip kneeling down to her sister's height.
"No Carol. You still have to go back to Laura, things will be rough here until we can establish stable funds and I'd rather you not go through that when Laura and the Anderson's can offer you what you need."
Carol's smile vanished and was replaced by tears that made Collie start to waver in her choice to send the girl back to their cousin until Magenta appeared at her side and put a hand on her shoulder careful to mind the bandages there. Collie sighed standing up.
"Come on let's get your things, I told Nation that I'd bring you back."
Carol sniffled but hung onto her arm following her to the door.
"Are you okay to drive to the studio alone?"
Collie looked back at Magenta and nodded.
"Yeah I'll be fine, I'll get us something to eat on the way."
Magenta was about to protest but Collie had already pulled the truck keys from where Frank had hidden them. Magenta went back to her brother resting her head on his shoulder as her eyes closed.
"Tonight didn't go as we planned, she wasn't supposed to get mixed up in it."
Riff wrapped his arms around her holding her close.
"I know my darling sister but how else were we going to get him riled up so quickly? She will heal and move on from it,"
He paused lifting her wrist to his lips where he lightly kissed the bandaged wound he'd caused.
"We all will."
Magenta gave a small smile standing on tiptoe kissing him. He wrapped his arms tighter around her returning the kiss making her purr softly against his lips. After getting Carol's bag Collie led her sister out to the truck and helped her in before getting in wincing and gasping as the movements tugged at her wounds. As they were driving the road to town Carol noticed her sister avoiding touching the back of the seat at all and hissing in pain when it did touch.
"What happened Collie? What did he do to you?"
Collie kept her eyes on the road as they entered town.
"Nothing you need to worry yourself about. I'm just glad it was me and not you. Now promise me you won't run away from Laura like that again you scared her half to death, she called crying and had been up all night looking for you. Please Carol promise me."
Carol was quiet for a long minute before nodding.
"I promise I won't sneak away again but only if you promise I can come and see you!"
Collie parked the truck outside the studio and turned off the engine watching as the doors flung open and Laura ran out.
"I'll come and see you Carol I promise but I want you to stay away from the castle even if Frank isn't around anymore."
Carol nodded and hugged her neck begging careful of the bandages before getting out of the truck going to Laura who hugged her close crying. Collie got out of the car not particularly caring who saw her in her pajamas, they covered her bandages and bruises, and went to the pair giving Laura a small smile.
"I've made her promise never to run off like that again."
Laura released Carol and hugged Collie releasing her just as fast when she cried out in pain.
"Collie? What's wrong?!"
Collie shook her head trying not to move her back until the pain faded.
"It's nothing."
Laura grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside with Carol following closely at her side. She led them all the way back to the Dentonvale set then through a door that led into an office. Behind the black top desk sat Nation filling out papers, she hadn't even glanced up when they entered.
"Nat."
Nation quickly signed the paper she was on then looked up first at Laura then Carol before they locked on Collie and became worried as she started to stand.
"He didn't. God please tell me he didn't."
Collie found herself unable to look Nation in the eye as she tried to ignore the warm wetness slowly trickling from one of her wounds. Without waiting for an answer Nation forced her to sit backwards in the chair and lifted up her shirt to reveal the blood spotted bandages. She quickly cut them away with the scissors on her desk and as the bandages fell away she dropped the scissors to the floor. There across Collie's back in every direction were whip marks, some were bleeding others were only welts but in the center of her back was a symbol that looked like the Transexual flag symbol only the lightning bolt was striking from the wrong side of the circle and it was burnt into her skin like a branding mark.
Laura looked at the marks then to Nation.
"What does it mean?"
Nation swallowed before closing her eyes.
"It's an exile mark, anyone banned from Transexual if forced to have this mark burned into their skin then to leave the galaxy, but here it's just a way for someone like Frank to tell any other Transylvanian being that the person bearing the mark is considered a traitor. Laura can you go get the bandages from the supply cupboard?"
Laura nodded and quickly left the room leaving Collie to think over what Nation had just said until the older woman kneeled into her line of sight a worried look filling her green eyes.
"Did he give anyone else that mark?"
Collie shook her head.
"He only punished me for basically telling him off then slapping him. I guess Genta helped Carol hide after she demanded to know where I was being taken-"
"She took me to a pink tiled room then to a huge freezer and told me to go through the hidden door, I didn't see what happened after Frank came down the lift cause she closed the freezer."
Collie nodded closing her eyes.
"He brought her to the area reserved for punishments and had Riff punish her, she got out a lot easier than I did."
She winced as Nation gently cleaned the wounds then bandaged them back up with the bandages Laura brought. Once that was done Nation let her get up and crossed her arms over her chest leaning on the desk.
"Are they still going back to Transexual?"
Collie gave a small smile putting her pajama shirt back on right.
"No I convinced them to stay here awhile longer saying 4 years wasn't long enough to make the queen believe Frank attracted the wrong attention to himself."
Nation seemed to relax before glancing at Laura.
"If you all need any help don't be afraid to ask, we will do what we can be sure to tell my cousins that, they can be the most stubborn people I know sometimes."
Collie chuckled, even if her heart wasn't in it.
"Believe me I know, Genta can be stubborn as a mule some days. I'll let them know thanks."
She went to Laura and Carol kissing both their cheeks.
"I'll see you two soon. Thanks for keeping an eye on her Laura, if you ever need anything don't hesitate to call."
Laura gave a small smile and nodded.
"I will. Be careful going back Collie, don't push yourself too much."
Collie nodded then after hugging Carol left the studio driving to the only restaurant open on a Sunday and went inside once again not caring about her pajamas. As she walked in a bell sounded over the door alerting the only other person in the building. A young man that had a slight Elvis look about him dressed in a black band shirt, faded and ripped blue jeans and black leather boots looked up at her, his blue eyes catching her tired brown ones making him give a slight smile.
"Well hello there, somethin' I can help ya with?"
Collie gave him a small smile.
"Two large pizza's one pepperoni on garlic crust and a cheese on regular crust please."
The man blinked then cracked a smile that made her heart beat a little faster as he wrote it on a ticket.
"You must be a regular here you know the menu so well."
Collie surprised herself and giggled shaking her head.
"I used to work here a few years back."
The man nodded handing the ticket back to the kitchen before leaning on the counter still smiling at her.
"I don't remember you being here when I started, I'd remember a beautiful face like yours. I'm Eddie by the way."
Collie giggled again when he winked at her, he had an air about him that drew her in but not in the way Frank had, no this seemed easier, gentler.
"Oh it was four years ago, when it was the Pizza Shack and that old guy owned it. I'm Columbia but everyone calls me Collie."
Eddie smiled looking her over before taking the pizza boxes out of the window as they were passed through. Setting them on the counter he quickly scrawled a phone number on the lid of the top one.
"Give me a call some time baby."
Collie smiled taking the money she'd brought out of the pocket of her pajamas.
"How much do I owe you?"
Eddie shook his head giving her another heart melting crooked smile.
"Nah they're on the house for someone cute as you."
Collie blushed wildly and giggled. After a few more minutes of shameless flirting Collie desired it was time she got back to the castle and left. As she got back to the castle she went to the dining room setting the boxes down running her fingers over the quickly written number thinking of the boy who'd wrote it, suddenly it seemed Frank didn't matter neither did the way he had abused her.