A/N: Ooh, Chapter four! Hopefully the storyline should start to emerge, although it still feels a tad drabbly to me. It will all begin to make sense soon enough. Have fun reading :)
Disclaimer: No, the IT crowd isn't mine. I wish it was, but you can't have it all, now can you?
The rest of the day passed in awkward silence. Every time I tried to start a conversation, I was treated to a look of unblinking pity from Moss, and a look of angry disappointment from Roy. When Jen eventually came to, she retreated to her office in silence. I got on with what I was doing, but the phone rang only once during the day. I answered it.
"Hello, IT? Yes, have you tried turning it off and then on again? Okay, well, have you plugged it in? Well, if you plug it in, it'll work, see? This is how electricity works. Oh, shut up, I'm not in the mood." I hung up on the grumpy gentleman from sixth, and looked at the clock. Four thirty. Only half an hour till I could go home. Thank god.
At five to five, I had had enough. I went and fetched Richmond, and we left the office without saying goodbye.
"Are you alright?" Richmond asked as we walked towards the lift.
"I'm fine." I answered. He stood in front of me so I couldn't go any further. I looked up at him.
"You aren't fine, McKenna. I can see it in your eyes." I sighed.
"No. But don't worry about me. Come on, let's go home." I stepped around him, and he followed me to the lift. We ascended to the reception area and left Reynholm Industries behind again. As we walked, people began to stare at Richmond again. He looked at the floor. Suddenly, someone threw an empty drinks can at him, and he reflexively jumped back, grabbing my hand. I held on to him tightly as the laughing teenagers passed by. He began to shake again, and we walked the rest of the way as quickly as we could, silent apart from our shaking breaths. As I unlocked the door, I could see him looking around nervously.
"I don't like it out here." He muttered.
"It's okay. Come on in." I opened the door and we went inside. He put down his small box of clothes in the hallway and hugged me tightly. Again, I knew he needed comfort, so I held him close and tried to soothe him. But then I realised that, in actual fact, I quite liked being here. In his arms, hearing his heartbeat, comforting him.
"It's alright, Richmond. It's okay. They can't hurt you now." He nodded, and I looked up at him as he took a long, shaky breath.
"I'm fine. I'm alright." I let go of him and said:
"You aren't. But don't worry, okay? I'll keep you safe. Now, do you want something to eat?"
"Yes, please."
"Is pasta okay?"
"Pasta would be lovely." His smile returned, making my mind wander for a moment to how attractive he was with his smile and less make-up.
"Okay. Pasta it is. Come on." I smiled back and we went to the kitchen, where Richmond again began to write as I made us dinner.
A bowl of pasta and a can of coke each later, I had given up trying to get Richmond to calm down. He was talking at six words a second and fiddling with everything he could get his hands on. He managed to pull down my sieve from its hook on the wall, dragging several pans down with it. I face-palmed and went to my room to get my own notebook. I had started writing myself some guidelines for looking after Richmond. So far I had pages entitled things to do, things not to do, things to avoid entirely, and general instructions. I went back and added a new one entitled Things never to give Richmond, and scrawled the word Coke in large letters underneath. When I looked up, I nearly jumped out of my skin. Richmond had noticed my exhausted expression and was very close to me, looking at me intently. He tilted his head and frowned at me slightly. The effect was so disconcerting and odd, I had to laugh. This made him smile too. He seemed to have calmed down a little bit, because he said:
"I'm sorry; I seem to have broken your little hook on the wall."
"I noticed." I replied. "Don't worry. Just another fiver onto the rent for this month." He frowned more deeply and sat down.
"You have to pay for that?"
"Oh, yeah. I pay for everything that goes wrong in this house. My landlord's a tight bastard."
"I'm so sorry, McKenna. I didn't realise. I wish I could help you pay while I was living here…"
"Don't be sorry. It's alright. Sort of."
"Come on, Kenna. You're meant to be the happy one. You're meant to be teaching me how to be socially acceptable. Although I don't think I'll ever quite reach that stage."
"Oh, you never know. It's possible." I paused. "Thank you for the encouragement."
"Is that socially acceptable?"
"Definitely. Encouragement is always a good thing."
"Oh. Good." He smiled. I smiled back, and he hugged me. His warmth seeped into me, and I suddenly realised I was cold.
"Is it me, or is it cold in here?" I asked.
"I think it's you. Although I am used to the room. It's always cold in there."
"True. I'm going to put the heating on." I went into the hall and turned up the thermostat. But I didn't think it was right. Mid-June, and I was freezing. Something was off about this. I walked back into the kitchen, but Richmond was gone. Oh, god, I thought. There was no telling where he was. But then I heard a quiet cough from the dining room. When I walked in, he was sitting at that table instead, writing again.
"Still busy?" I asked quietly.
"Yes. You know, I might finish this by the end of the week. Even if I do sleep."
"You should. That's socially acceptable."
"I will then."
"It's also good for you."
"Really?"
"Really. Actually, I feel pretty tired myself. Must have been going to bed so late last night and getting up at five thirty."
"Oh. Are you going to bed then?"
"I think so."
"Well, then, I'll write upstairs, if that's okay?"
"Yeah, it's fine. I'm alright on my own, though."
"I'd feel safer." He said softly.
"Oh. Yeah, of course. Come on." He picked up his notebook in silence and left the room. I turned out the light and we climbed the stairs. We stopped on the landing, and he said:
"You don't look well, Kenna." I smiled slightly at my nickname, but he was right. I could see myself in the mirror across the landing. I was paler than him.
"I don't feel that well, to be honest."
"Do you want me to sit with you?"
"What do you mean?"
"Until you fall asleep. So you feel safer. If you make me feel safer, I should do the same for you."
"I think it's okay for now, Richmond. But thank you for offering. That's very sweet."
"I'm here if you need me."
"Same goes for me. Try to sleep tonight."
"I will. Goodnight." He pulled me into another hug, and kissed the top of my head. I was a little surprised, but murmured:
"Goodnight, Richmond." We went our separate ways, and I fell into bed gratefully. I was still cold, but sweating, and tired enough that I couldn't sleep. I lay there for maybe four hours before I fell asleep. I considered going back to talk to Richmond, but after a while I heard his gentle snoring and realised that a nocturnal Goth had managed to get to sleep before me. Wonderful. Finally, after a torturous few hours, I fell into uneasy, nightmarish sleep.
The look of illness was about me for about a week, during which I went to work each day. But the next Thursday, I awoke at six thirty with a nauseous feeling in my stomach. I rushed to the bathroom, but after half an hour sitting shivering in front of the toilet bowl, nothing happened. The nausea lessened a little, but I still felt cold and hot at the same time, tired but overly alert, achy and sore all over. I groaned and stood up, feeling dizzy. I managed to hit my aching head on the toilet roll holder too. I sighed. There was no way I was getting to work today. Another day's wages down the pan. I went back to bed, awake and shaking, until eight thirty. Then I called the IT department to tell them my situation. Roy answered.
"Hello, IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?"
"Hey, Roy." I croaked.
"Oh, Kenna!" he said in surprise. "I thought you were late. Where are you?"
"I'm at home, feeling like crap."
"What's up?"
"I don't know, could be flu or something. Anyway, I don't think I can come in today."
"Yeah, that's cool. Nothing'll happen, bet on it."
"Good. Least I won't be missed."
"Hmm." We were both silent for a moment. Then we spoke at the same time:
"Kenna-"
"Roy-"
"You first." I said.
"Okay. Listen, I'm sorry about yesterday. We were just a bit… shocked."
"It's alright. I understand. I know how Richmond frightens people."
"Yeah. How are you two getting on?"
"Oh, like a house on fire." I said sarcastically. "Nah, seriously, we're getting on fine. I've told him not to go back to Reynholm Industries. He won't be missed."
"Yeah. Tell him hi from us, will you?"
"Um… sure."
"Thanks. What did you want to say?"
"It was about the same, but in reverse."
"Oh. Okay." Silence fell for a second, but then Roy said:
"Shit, Reynholm! Gotta go, much love, bye!" He hung up, but not before I heard the bellowing tones of Douglas begin to sound. He sounded truly cross today, rather than just excitable. I rolled my eyes and leaned on the wall. I was still chilly in my flimsy pyjamas, but I knew the heating was turned up as much as I could afford. I went back to my room and put on my dressing gown, before looking in at Richmond. He was still sleeping, and I noticed that he had found some of my ex's old black pyjamas in the drawer, and was wearing them. I sighed at how peaceful he looked, but then descended into a coughing fit which could have woken all of London. I doubled over, hacking away until Richmond was awake and I was on the floor, weakened by the exertion. Richmond looked over at me blearily, but his eyes widened when he took it in.
"Kenna? Are you alright?" I shook my head, and he rushed over to pick me up. He did literally pick me up, and carried me back to my bed. He sat on the end of the bed and stared at me worriedly. When I got my breath back, I said:
"Not going to work today. If you hadn't noticed."
"Good. You need to rest. And this time, I am watching over you." I didn't reply. He looked determined, and he was already holding my hand. Who was I to argue?
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