10

Every Dark Cloud

A/N: I'm pleased with all the alerts received for this story. Comments would be appreciated, too. Thanks to all. Enjoy.

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Chapter 4

"Let's see," said Bobby. After they were both dressed, he'd examined her wrist, "we need something to wrap this wrist," he said looking around the room.

"What did you say?"

"Oh, sorry. I said we need something to wrap this wrist," he repeated. "Did you see anything when you searched the rooms?"

"Sorry…it was too dark to see much of anything."

"Hmm." For a moment he pondered the situation then snapped his finger. "I know." Swiftly, he rose, disappeared for a minute and returned triumphantly holding the flannel shirt.

"You want to wear the shirt now?" Sue asked dubiously. "I don't see…"

"I'll rip off a strip from the shirt," he explained. "They do it all the time in the movies," he said as he grabbed the bottom and began to tug. "I'll have…," he tugged, "a…band…," and tugged, "…age," and tugged, "…in… no…time."

Nothing happened. Frowning, he examined the material. Why wasn't it ripping? Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Sue unsuccessfully trying to suppress a smile.

"It's looks so easy in the movies," he lamented.

Her dimples showed as she tried her darnedest not to laugh.

"You've got a better idea?"

"I do."

He held out the shirt.

"It might work if you started here," she said holding the shirt at the seam. She pulled. "Ow!"

"I'll do it," Bobby said taking it out of her hands. Within seconds, he held a strip of cloth in his hand. "You were right."

Swiftly, he bound her wrist. "Not quite up to Red Cross standards but it's sufficient for our purposes. How is it?"

Cautiously, she wiggled her fingers. "Better."

"Good! You know, Miss Thomas, we make a good team."

"My brains and your strength?"

He frowned slightly. "Are you implying I lack sufficient mental prowess?"

"Oh, never," she said solemnly but with a gleam in her eyes.

"Hmm," he frowned in jest. "Do I detect a note of sarcasm?"

"Never."

"All right." Once more he scanned the room. "I suggest we take a more thorough inventory and see what we have here."

In less than ten minutes, the pair met again in the kitchen area.

"We have a generator but no gas, a cooking stove and a bit of fuel," Bobby ticked off.

"Canned goods and powdered milk."

"And don't forget the radio," added Sue. "At least one of us can hear it."

His lips quirked upwards at her comment. "And the radio, bottled water and blankets…everything you need for a relaxing vacation at a mountain retreat."

"You certainly know how to impress a woman," Sue teased.

"It's a gift," he smirked.

"What about firewood?"

Bobby frowned. "Even with the logs we found in the ell, there's enough for two or three days at the very most if we use them judiciously."

"I don't suppose that last word has anything to do with jewelry?"

"Wishful thinking. j-u-d-i-c-i-o-u-s-l-y," he fingerspelled.

"Meaning?"

"It's going to be warmer in here than out there but not by much." Away from the fireplace, the cabin was chilly.

"Oh." She thought for a moment. "Should we collect more?"

"It would take days for the wood to dry out, far longer than I hope to be here."

"They'll find us."

"I'm sure they will. It's only a matter of time…and when the rain stops."

"How long is it supposed to last?"

"Until the weekend…three more days."

"Maybe the forecast is wrong. Weather forecasters have been known to be wrong."

"Always the optimist, aren't you?"

"I'd rather see the glass half full."

"I think that's one of your most endearing traits."

"Endearing? Is that a nice way of saying annoying?"

"Annoying is Myles pointing out our quirks. Choosing to make lemonade out of lemons is endearing…unless you're Myles."

"He does have a way with words."

"That's one way of putting it. There's also bombastic, verbose…"

"Bobby…"

"Sarcastic…"

"Bobby!"

"Acerbic…"

The flow of adjectives halted when her good hand covered his mouth.

"I get your point," Sue said firmly.

Blue-grey eyes crinkled in amusement.

"Are you sure?" he asked when he peeled off her fingers. "I have more."

"I think in this case less is more."

"Pity. I saved the best for last."

A flash of amusement passed at the shared moment of laughter then suddenly, when the attraction between them flared up once again at their close proximity. Only the steady drumming of the raindrops on the roof could be heard as two pairs of eyes locked, shimmering with uncertainty and wonder as threads of affection appeared to coalesce into something deeper.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways unexpectedly flashed in his mind. What? Love? thought a dazed Bobby. And yet…

"Bobby?"

"Ummm….sure you…don't want to hear more about Myles?" he tossed out trying to maintain coherency.

"I think I've heard enough."

He barely heard her words as he focused on the warmth of her body so close to his. It was doing disturbing things to his body.

"Bobby?"

"Yea?"

"Propinquity?" she enunciated carefully.

"Yea." She could always read his mind as well as his lips. With a mental shake, he firmly wrapped his self-control around his emotions and took a physical step back. He could see disappointment flare in her eyes for a brief moment to be replaced by understanding.

"Safer."

"Undoubtedly."

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"That was the police," Jack reported as he replaced the receiver. Concerned faces turned towards him.

"Took them long enough to get back to us," D grumbled. The request had been put in as soon as Jack had confirmed with Pearson that Bobby and Sue had left when the rain had just started coming down. It was now five hours later.

"They're busy with all this rain."

"And so?" demanded Lucy.

"There's been a mudslide."

There was a collective sharp intake of breath.

"Bobby and Sue?"

"They don't know because no one can get through."

"What are they going to do about it?" asked Tara.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Jack shrugged helplessly. "Nothing can be done until the rain stops."

"Makes sense," Myles commented reasonably. "As long as it rains, the mud keeps flowing. Trying to remove the mess would be a futile exercise somewhat comparable to Sisyphus' task."

"Sissy what?" questioned Lucy skeptically.

"Not what…who," Myles corrected. "According to Greek mythology, Sisyphus was doomed to push a boulder up a mountain side. Each time he was close to the top, the boulder would slide back down and he had to start his task all over again. Hence the term, Sisyphean task."

"Thank you, Professor Leland for that lesson in Greek mythology," said D wryly.

"Any time," Myles replied airily.

"What are we going to do?" Lucy demanded.

"Nothing," Jack repeated.

"Nothing!" cried Lucy. "You're telling me we're going to do absolutely nothing? We're the FBI! There must be something we can do!"

"There's nothing we can do, Lucy, without jeopardizing the lives of others," D pointed out. "Do you think Sue or Bobby would want that?"

Reluctantly she shook her head.

"You're right. Sorry I lost it," she said contritely. "It's just that I've been worried sick about them."

Tara had come over and put an arm around her. "We know. We all are."

"As soon as the rain stops," continued D, "I'll put in a request for a helicopter fly by to check out the situation. The pilot may even be able to land at the Pearson place if it's safe enough."

"What's the weather forecast?" Myles asked.

"It might clear up by the weekend," Jack answered gloomily.

"Today's Tuesday…Wednesday, Thursday, Friday," counted Myles. "Another three…maybe four days."

"In the meantime, we still have work to do, people," D reminded the team as he reached to answer the phone.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you," Lucy apologized to Jack.

"You don't have to apologize, Lucy," he replied sympathetically. "I'm worried, too."

"I just feel so…so helpless."

"There is something you can do that might help. It certainly won't hurt."

"What?"

"Pray."

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They'd gone through the motions of completing their light housekeeping chores each totally aware of the other and their growing attraction. Bobby had desperately cast about for ideas of how to occupy their time and had hit upon requesting Sue teach him sign language. It was something he'd wanted to learn for a long time but had never gotten around to it.

"You're improving," Sue declared approvingly after the first lesson.

His suggestion had worked. Once again they resumed the easy footing of their friendship.

"You think I'll ever be able to sign an effortlessly as you?" he sighed exasperated with his clumsiness.

"Sure. Just give it some time. After all, I've been signing most of my life."

"I'm ashamed I learned so little after all these years."

"You fingerspell beautifully."

"That's not enough."

"Life gets busy."

"That's no excuse. Lucy, Jack and D have managed."

"You had other things on your mind."

"Like what?"

"Darcy?" slipped out before she realized what she'd said.

There was a long pause. Sue mentally slapped herself for her faux pas. Since their break up a year ago, no one had brought up Darcy's name…first, out of respect to Bobby's feelings and then, there had been no reason to.

"I'm sorry, Bobby," she said contritely placing a hand on his arm. "I didn't mean…."

"It's all right," he broke in clasping her hand. "What's done is done. I moved on a long time ago. It's the one lesson my father taught me," he smiled wryly referring to his biological parent.

"I'm sorry about that, too," she said sympathetically.

"It's not your fault," he said softly.

"Maybe not but sometimes it helps to know you have other people to share the bad moments in life."

"Thanks," he said appreciatively. "Cold?" he asked Bobby when Sue began rubbing her arms.

"A little," she understated drawing the blankets around her.

Bobby glanced at the fireplace.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could toss on a few more logs but…" he apologized after replenishing the fire.

"I know," she interrupted. "I'm fine."

"It might help to move around a bit," he suggested.

"I don't think there's quite enough room to run a marathon."

"Perhaps not the full twenty-six plus miles we could make a start on it, don't you think?"

"Shall I time you?"

"Oh, ladies first!"

Despite his upbeat manner, Sue could see faint lines of fatigue on his face. And did he look a little flushed? She put a hand to his forehead.

"What…?" Her hand felt cool on his skin.

"You feel warm."

"It's the thought of all that exercise," he joked.

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Maybe you're coming down with something. You are coughing, you know."

"I'm fine," he insisted. "A little tired but fine. We did have a rather strenuous day yesterday if you will remember."

"Vividly."

"A good night's sleep and I'll be back to my usual tiptop condition."

"And that is…?"

"Charming, debonair, witty…"

"…and so modest."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Of course not. Just adding to your list." The teasing glint in her eyes was unmistakable.

"See here...I'll have you know more than one female has succumbed to my charms."

"I'm sure."

"Now I know you're making fun of me."

"It's so easy."

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It was time to go home.

"How's he doing?" inquired Jack as he stopped by Lucy's desk. He nodded at Levi.

"He keeps checking the door to see if she's coming. He misses her."

Levi's sad eyes stared back at Jack.

"I'll bet. How 'bout you? You okay?"

"No." She looked up at him frustration plastered on her face. "I feel so helpless. I feel like I should be doing something…anything to help find them."

"I know how you feel but we've done all we can for the moment. And…not eating isn't going to help either Bobby or Sue."

She looked surprised.

"Didn't think I'd notice, did you?" He wagged his finger at her. "Not once did you go to the coffee station and help yourself to anything there unlike your usual half a dozen daily treks. You didn't go to lunch either."

"I'm not hungry."

"Hungry or not, you've got to eat."

"I'll get a bite later."

Jack looked at her. He didn't trust her to follow through.

"Tell you what. Why don't you and Levi have dinner with me?" he invited. "You'll be doing me a favor. I hate to eat alone."

Lucy hesitated. She knew Jack was trying to cheer her up.

"I'm buying," he threw in to entice her.

"All right," she capitulated. It would be better to be around company than fret at home. "Let me feed Levi first and then I can meet you somewhere."

"You've got yourself a deal."

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