Okay - here is chapter three. One more chapter to go! Guess it was like a... short fic. A literal short story, or something. Anyways. Enjoy!
Galen fidgeted in the passenger seat of the jeep while Rhiannon drove. He wasn't exactly feeling like driving, and decided it was unwise anyway. Only hours ago, he'd nearly dropped dead for no apparent reason—well, it had been apparent to him. Instantly, he'd been worried about Rob. Flash's desperate call minutes later had been enough to have Galen leaving before finishing the hunt. The werewolf would have to wait. Rhiannon had insisted on coming back with him, and they'd left the hunt to someone else.
Galen stared out the window through dazed green eyes. He was forcing the bond open as much as he possibly could, but it was like looking through mist, or calling someone and getting the answering machine. There was someone on the other end, but no answer.
Rhiannon glanced sideways at him. "Honey, you gonna be all right?"
Galen turned tired eyes toward his long-time friend. "No. Not until Rob is." He knew he sounded exhausted and miserable. He was. But he also knew he should at least try to sound semi-pleasant. "I'm sorry, it's just..." he swallowed hard and ran both hands over his face and leaned back in the seat.
Rhiannon nodded, and looked back out the front windshield. "We're an hour out, I can get there in half."
Galen tried to smile. It almost worked. "I know you can. That's why you're driving." He sighed almost silently, then went back to staring out the window. "I shouldn't have left so soon after..." He stopped talking and started muttering under his breath. That, of course, only forced him to think more about his brother, as Rob was always muttering, talking to himself, or lost in conversation with someone who wasn't there.
"Rhiannon, Flash said it was bad. He thought... he thought I was dead, and..."
The woman listened in silence, waiting for him to either say what he wanted to, or to make a decision of the future - because, he always seemed to do one of the two when his sentences were left hanging.
Just then, Galen's phone rang. He picked it up, nearly dropped it, cursed, then finally managed to get a grip on it. He glanced at the caller I.D. It was Flash. That was either good, or very bad. He swallowed loudly and answered. Flash proceeded to go into more detail, though he explained it in his own way, which didn't always make sense. Galen listened in tense silence.
"H-heart arrhythmia?" Galen stuttered quietly.
"Yeah, it's..."
"I know what it is, Flash," Galen whispered in response. "Rob almost killed himself..."
Flash stayed silent, and Galen decided that was for the best.
"I warned him... Flash, is he awake?"
"No, and yes, but, can I just say it's really complicated?"
"What?" Galen hissed out, closing his eyes and forcing some manner of calm.
"Like I said, sorta no."
"FLASH..."
"Galen, don't yell at me! I'm freaked out enough!"
"Sorry, sorry..." He sighed and waited.
"Yeah, me too. Just get here. I'm telling all your embarrassing stories until you do. And, Rob's gonna be fine."
Though it was a statement, Galen could hear the question in the words. He could hear Flash asking if Rob was all right. Would he be okay? So Galen did all he could do. "Yeah, Flash, he will be."
"Okay, get here, got it?" Flash asked.
"Yeah, soon. Bye." He ended the call and set the phone on the dashboard.
Rhiannon turned onto a new road, pressing down the horn impatiently as someone decided to take a nap in the same lane. She mumbled something under her breath, looking out the rear view mirror.
Generally, Galen did appreciate Rhiannon's *ahem* driving. But he had no complaints at this point. He glanced over at her to see the calm, determined expression she wore. She always looked that way. She seemed not to be afraid of anything. He was more than grateful to have friends like her.
"Rhiannon? Thank you..."
Rhiannon nodded. "Thank me when we get to Rob..."
Galen nodded and smiled slightly. "I don't just mean for driving. I mean... for being there when we need you."
"Of course, Honey. You helped me - and our 'parties' do help me as well," Rhiannon gave a feral smile, like a tigress readying to pounce for the kill. The hunts that she came along on were what she referred to.
Galen nodded once. He turned his attention back to the window, which steamed up with every breath he breathed. The landscape would disappear for a moment, then return when the window chilled again. The sky was dark, and the trees looked like monsters passing by the jeep at breakneck speed. Everywhere he looked there were monsters of one kind or another. They were either literal, or simply monsters that plagued his dreams. It was part of his life, and he couldn't escape it. He'd seen first hand what trying to escape his life had caused...
God bless!