"Fringey…"
Summary: Sarah and her sisters see there's an even darker side to Dyad's little cloning-fest…
(Not sure about this one but while I await more details for "Nessun Dorma" I'll play round with this darker one and see how it goes. Afraid you'll have to consider this the Allison-Donnie-friendly corner of the OB multiverse. After all, she can't be veering toward insanity and he can't be a rat in every universe…)
Disclaimer: No copywrite infringement intended.
Part IX…
"This may be our last chance to talk for a few days, Donnie…" Allison, in Sarah's Beth outfit…
"Why should you want to talk to my Donnie, Beth?" Sarah, in perfect Allison, grin.
"Very funny…Donnie…Make sure you're careful…You can never be sure with these people, they might drop by to check in on me. Do you remember what to do if Ansely calls?"
"Uh…Tell her you're out and will call her…Did we really have to let Ansely know where we'd be?"
"If she's my official monitor…" Allison began. "And out of the hospital after that sad accident..."
"She has my vote…" Felix, beside Donnie, noted.
"Ok…" Donnie waved hand… "I get that. I'll tell her…But soon as we can, can we unfriend her on Facebook and get her out of our lives?"
"You don't like Ansely?" Allison stared. "You always said…"
"She was your best friend…I thought…What was I supposed to say? I couldn't stand her? Well, I couldn't stand her…Sorry."
"I'm shocked, honey." Sarah…
"We don't need to do it yet, Sarah…" Allison frowned.
"What can I say? I'm a method actress, Beth." Sarah beamed. "And I was great at the local theater last year, right Donnie?"
"Sarah." Donnie frowned. "I appreciate you're wanting to do this right but I don't like you making fun of Ally."
"Isn't he wonderful?" Sarah, gushing…
"Enough, Sarah…" Paul, driving, called back, with grin… "It's even getting on my nerves."
"Ok…Sorry. But Beth, lets hear from you…"
"You sayin' I can't do Beth right…?" Allison, shrewd look, Beth tone.
"Nice."
"Just remember you're not Beth, Ally…" Donnie sighed.
"And you remember that's not me next to you." Allison, eyeing him, then the grinning Sarah…Turning back from her front passenger seat by Paul.
"Hey, you're with my guy…" Sarah shrugged.
"I'll be with your detective partner, not your sexual one." Allison, firmly.
"I hope." Paul noted.
"Art is a cutey." Sarah nodded.
"What is with you guys?" Donnie stared. "Do you realize how dangerous all this is? Beth…Uh, Sarah…You're about to get involved with some crazy FBI group without knowing who they might be working for? Ally, you're putting yourself at risk as Beth…And both of you, if Dyad and Leekie find out what you're up to, who knows what they'll do?"
"And we boys get to sit on the sidelines and watch…The substitutes, waiting for Coach Sarah to call us in…" Paul, grinning at the road.
"I'll be fine, honey." Allison sighed. "Sarah's the one who'll be in danger."
"Not with a whole FBI division on my team." Sarah grinned. "These guys are supposed to be the big boys…For once, we'll have some firepower on our side."
"If you can trust them. I agree with Ally." Donnie sighed. "Please be careful, Sarah…Beth…"
"Allison…Until we get to our second honeymoon hidea…"
"We did our second honeymoon three years ago…" Allison, firmly. "And these is a couples' retreat."
"Fine…But lets hold our roles, ok? The whole point is to convince anyone seeing us…And we can't be sure when or who is watching."
"I'm down with that." Allison, nodding.
"Underplay, girls. Make that your watchword, ok?" Felix sighed.
Police station, desk of Detective Arthur Bell…
"So Beth will be 'occupied' and her 'sister' will be taking her place?" Detective DeAngelis eyed Art who calmly returned stare.
"Beth will be here, on the case. That's the situation…"
"Art. I have put my career on the line for you and this woman, and now you're doing this?…What, an impersonation on top of an impersonation?" she put up a hand.
"So far as you're concerned…She's Beth. That's all you know." He stared at her.
"I've gone as far as I can with you and this woman…"
"You've seen the proof…Are you saying you doubt what these women have shown us?"
Angela put hand to head. Shaking head… "I'm not sure about anything on this anymore…How do we know this Manning girl isn't just pulling off a huge con. No, Art…" she eyed his frown… "Listen to me, she has a history…And if she has a couple of twins…Triplets, fine…"
"After all you've seen and heard, you're still coming to me with this?" he sighed.
"Illegal cloning…Psychotic killer clones? Art?"
"Are you in or out, Angela? If out, do your partner the favor of saying so now and walk away."
"Art…I won't go back on my word but I can't honestly say I can go on."
"All right…" he eyed her. "You knew nothing and had nothing to do with anything, just following what I gave you. Will that work for you?"
"I don't want to see you throw everything away, Art."
"I can't walk from this, Angie. Beth couldn't and I can't."
"And it killed Beth…And you still only have this 'Sarah's'…" she paused…As the captain and several officers came to the desk. The captain eyeing Art.
"Detective Bell. Is Detective Childs coming in?"
"I'm meeting her, sir." He noted. "She has a meeting with the special contact I mentioned, we'll compare notes after."
"Good. Both of you see me at the end of the day." Nod. "Detective DeAngelis…" he nodded to Angie.
She eyeing Art…Hissing as soon as the group had left them alone. "This is killing the old man, you know. He's doing this for our sakes…"
"I know. But it's gone too far now…The only way out is to go all the way." Art sighed. "But, as I say…You are free, Angie. It's your life and your choice. Beth and I will not let this touch you."
"I'd love to see you manage that." She sighed. "Ok…Lets leave at this. You've got Beth…" sigh… "Back and I'm out of the loop…If I can help, talk to me and I'll…Think it over. Is that ok?" she eyed him.
"It is. Thanks."
"I want to believe you're doing the right thing here, Art. But…" shrug.
"Lets let it sit here, Angie." He gave her a hard stare.
"Right. Keep me informed on the case, Art." She offered a hand, raising voice. "And I'm glad you've got Beth back."
"Yeah…" he nodded, shaking hand. She paused…Then kissed him, quickly, lightly on the cheek…Whispering…
"And I'm so sorry it's not her…"
He gave just a slight blinking to acknowledge…Holding back…
Airport parking lot…
Sarah, in full Allison, with Donnie at trunk, Allison with Paul and Felix…
"Do we have everything? Did you bring your shaving kit? I hope you didn't forget my curlers and cold cream."
"I don't use cream…I use a mask…" Allison hissed to Felix… "Tell her to use a mask…"
"It's her face not yours, love…" he reminded her, whispering…
"If they're listening in…"
"Then they could hear you…" he noted.
Hmmn…
"Uh, right. Donnie, Allison…" she raised voice in her best Beth. "Have a great time rebuilding the marriage. Don't forget to keep your eyes peeled for perps and all." Attempt at tough stance…Yeah…
Perps? Felix stared.
"Perps? Donnie, isn't this a safe place we're going to?" Sarah, anxiously…
Paul eyeing Felix…The kid is good, no?
Allison frowning…
What is with the fake paranoid and all the hand wringing…?
"Please, Ally…" Donnie eyed her.
Really, enough, Sarah…His stare.
"Sorry. Just a bit nervous with everything and all. It's all good." Sarah noted.
"Don?" Allison addressed him in nasal twang, he staring. "A moment before you and the Missus head out? I just wanna go over things a little."
"Can't you say all that here?" Sarah, slight anxiety.
Ok, she really is good…Donnie thought, moving to Allison.
"I'll bring him back in one piece, Al…" she nodded. "Just a little sister/brother-in-law…" she pulled him along as Paul rolled eyes.
"Don't think I like this 'Al' business." Sarah, a bit annoyed tone… "Ally is ok as far as it goes but…"
"Donnie…" Allison whispered to him as they walked. "Don…" she raised voice. "Just want you to be careful and be sure I've got it all under control here with Paul. The kids'll be fine and we'll keep on, keepin' on with this thing…"
"Ally…We'd better not keep this up…" slight grin. "People watching might start getting ideas about us…You and me, Beth." He whispered.
Hmmn… "Well, since Sarah's already got me pegged as a slut in my neighborhood…"
Grin to his frown…
"But it's just that I wanted to say…" whisper… "About Dr. Leekie fooling you…"
"I never should have spoken to him, no matter who I thought he was." Donnie sighed. "I should've guessed Harkness Clinic would have someone from the Dyad team monitoring your care…And in any case, I shouldn't have been going behind your back…Like Don Draper with his wife's psychiatrist or something…I was a complete fool to trust him…"
"If you were cute as Don Draper…" giggle…
Hard stare…Policewoman Childs…?
Right…
"I know you only wanted to help me and I was acting out a bit then…" she sighed, whispering quickly. "Just know, it's ok…I'm not still mad, crazy or anger-wise. And I should've told you about Dyad and their offer…I was the fool there…"
"Thanks." He nodded. "Well, we'd better…"
"Aw, hell…" she grabbed him and kissed him. Releasing his startled face a moment later "Sorry, Donald…Truth is, I've had a thing for you since we found out you weren't a sneaking rat." Hastily… "Just tell Ally…Well, don't tell her…" mournful tone in Beth voice. "It'll be fine…I'll be ok."
He blinked…
"That'll shake things up if anyone's watching…" she whispered. "Safe trip, Don." She resumed normal… "Yeah…Sorry if my libido got the better…It's only natural, you know…We being so close, Ally and me. It won't happen again." She offered hand which he took, still a bit nonplused.
Thank God he's surprised…She sighed inwardly. One major worry laid to rest…
And God knows it never better happen again…
"Well, Donnie and Marie off to resume wedded bliss after mucho trouble…" Felix nodded, sipping the vile brew the airport lounge dared to label "coffee". "And you ready to take up your duties, eh, Officer Childs."
"Yeah." Allison, wistful expression…Looking out the lounge window.
"Dear…Unless you and Donnie are doing it behind Ally's back…I think you'd better cut with the mournful moose look…" Felix urged. "Especially when yon stud is near to satisfy all needs sexual." He nodded to the approaching Paul, bearing more coffee… "Your girl and I were just discussing you…How is the romance proceeding?"
"Felix…" Allison glared.
Hmmn…Should I do that as Beth…Or as Sarah? She hissed a moment later…
"It's your part, love…Go with what you feel is right for the moment…" Felix noted as Paul took seat handing cup to Allison.
"The romance is just fine, Felix." Paul frowned.
"Oh, yeah." Allison nodded. "Just fine."
"Really? Well, if you two should want some free time before Officer Bell comes by…I can make myself…"
Mutual glare… "We're just fine. Really. Thanks for offering." Allison, grimly.
"Any time…I'm a hopeless romantic you know." He smiled, looking over to where Art was now entering…
"Art…" Thank God…Another moment of Felix's teasing and I'd have demonstrated the skills Beth taught me…Allison rose.
"Beth? Everything go off ok? Donnie and Allison made their plane?"
"No problemo, partner." She nodded. Uh…Blinking at his stare…
Thought from Sarah we had a free-wheeling and occasionally light-hearted working relationship when not running after people with a loaded gun or facing a room of people with the same?
"Great." Art, curtly. "Well, we should get back. Paul?" As Allison came to him…
"I'll be getting Felix home." Paul nodded.
"Lucky me…Fate does work my way from time to time…" Felix beamed.
"That better not mean what I think it means, Felix." Paul, sternly.
"Just kiddin'…Say…No kissees for your girl, Paul?" he eyed Paul, then Allison. "You won't let him get away with that, Beth, will you?"
I hate you…Her eyes locked on… But with brittle smile… "No, certainly not…Come here, you…" she looked to Paul. Who blinked at her.
Felix, arch expression…Well, people?
"Take care, Beth…I'll see you tonight…" Paul nodded to her. Quick kiss on the cheek.
"Oh, surely you can do…" Felix began.
"Dawkins…" Art hissed…
Right…Overdo… Ruins the effect… "Well, ok…Be seeing you…Take caresees." Felix waved.
"What's with…" Art began as he and Allison headed off…
"He's upset because he can't go to LA with Sarah."
"Oh. Well, good of him to be concerned…But she will be safe with Phil Broyles."
"It's one part concern, four parts envy…" she noted. Glancing out lounge window a last time…
No, it's all good…Sarah's completely trustworthy…Donnie's utterly dependable…
Just what that wanderer of the alleyways needs in her life…Oh, maybe this wasn't such a good idea…
"Beth? Lets go?" Art urged.
"Yeah. Right…Lets." She nodded. "Later, people." Wave to Paul and Felix who watched them leave.
"Is she gonna be ok?" Paul sighed to Felix.
"She's a professional…She'll handle it." Nod.
"Bit more worried about Sarah and Donald though…" careful considering…
"They're just flying to that place then she catches the LA flight." Paul shrugged. "I don't think she'll have a problem."
"Oh, with that…" Felix nodded. "No, I'm sure Beth'll shoot a window out and send Goldfinger flying if needs be…I just mean…Well…Confidentially, Paulie…My sister is the old-fashioned type, deep down. And Don-boy does have that traditional petit bourgeois lumpen hubby down to an art form. I'm a little worried there."
"Uh-huh." Paul, eyeing him.
"Hey, Vic, remember? She's always been the sort to grab at anyone who seems potentially the dependable, family type…Kyra and all…Needs a solid father figure, you know?"
"Knock it off, Felix…" Paul frowned. "Sarah couldn't get you into the LA meeting and that's that."