"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 XVI …
Three months previous…
"Sarah…Sarah…Tell us…" soothingly…
"Jesus…Jesus!" Sarah, rocking back and forth on the bed in Kira's bedroom, eyes squeezed shut. "She's gone! I wouldn't sign the bloody thing and they took her! Goddamn Mrs. S…Or Dr. S or whoever the hell she really is!"
"Ok…Uh…Sarah…It's gonna be ok…" a second carefully reassuring tone… "Ally?" hiss… "Who the hell is Kira?" Donnie, continuing to stare at his wife's identical twin sister, newly revealed to him by Allison in persuading him to come with her. Allison now at the bed, nodding to him as she gently stroked Sarah's arm.
Not only she not having time to make an excuse for her excursion late at night, but desperately wanting to avoid a return to lies and evasions…It was time to let Donnie become a junior level member of Clone Club…By incremental degrees of course…
And allowing for her own semi-withdrawal owing to the Dyad release…
Though the frantic message from Cosima which had brought her and Donnie to Mrs. Sadler's was suggesting that semi-withdrawal might have to be reconsidered…
So much for my moment of peace and light…
"What?! It's all good?!" Sarah glared at Donnie, then to Allison…
Uh…Well…Donnie a bit nonplused at hearing his mantra hurled back at him by a stranger who seemed rather familiar with him.
"Donnie. Go downstairs, make tea." Allison ordered. "I'll take care of things here."
"Ally…" he whispered nervously…Watching the pacing, by turns ferocious, frightened, despondent, hapless, murderously furious again, Sarah…
"It's ok. I know how to handle her. Go…" she pointed to the door. "Kitchen to your right, cupboard on the left above the sink. Thanks." Warm smile at end to which he nodded.
Sarah eyeing her…Faint smile…
Trust soccer mom sis to get the lay of the larder…
Donnie, with sigh, backing out…Watching her…
"Sarah…"
"Is he in on things now?! " she frowned… "What's he doing here, Ally?"
"Some, yes…Though I'm taking it slow. He's my beloved husband whom I'm done lying to and keeping in the dark. More or less, as he bears it. Sarah? You believe Dyad took Kira?" she eyed her carefully.
"Who else?" shrug…
"Tomas and Helena, for one…" Allison noted.
"Helena." Sarah shook her head. "Helena is dead. I shot her…She…" sobs starting… "She killed my mama…Ally…She killed mama and I killed her…I shot the bitch through the fuckin' head just like I'm gonna shoot that other proclone Rachel and that bastard Leekie…And if Mrs. S has been helpin' them…God…God!"
"Mrs. Sadler? Helping them? Sarah?"
"Mama showed me a picture…She told me Mrs. S wasn't who she said she was…Goddamn it, Ally! She lied to me for years! She's a part of all this! She probably couldn't wait to hand Kira over…Just waitin'…And Paul, that bastard…He's back with Leekie too…He was there when I…When that icy bitch…" she calmed a moment, narrow look at Ally. "And hows about you, sis…Did they send you over? Offer you freedom for stickin' one in me too?...You sap…" glare…
"Sarah, no. Sarah, I'm your sister. I wouldn't do that." Pleading tone.
"You're no sister of mine, you're a fuckin' clone…I killed the only sister I had…I shot her through the…" sobbing…
"Sarah…Sarah…" Allison, cradling her…Rocking her… "I'm not abandoning you…I'm here…We'll find Kira…We'll get her back…"
Donnie at door…Eyeing the two on Kira's bed…Ally rocking her twin in her arms gently…
"Uh…Tea's on…Ready in a minute…"
"Good." Allison nodded. "Donnie…" wan smile…Reaching a free hand to him… "Come and meet your sister-in-law…Sarah Manning. You've met actually but not been properly introduced." Wry grin…
Cottage room at the retreat spa…Three months later…
Donnie eyeing the still phone…
Ok…Leekie's made contact…
Now just sit tight…
And pray my girl and her sisters know what the hell they're doin'…
Well, considerin' that just three months ago I was not only dogmeat but almost glad to be facing immediate termination…He noted, a bit gingerly but wryly…
Living/dining room of Mrs. S' place, three months ago…
The proffered tea having been received by Sarah with indifference, Ally with forced cheeriness…The three sat at the dining table.
"So you 'played' Ally at our house when she…"
"…Tortured you…" squeaking sigh by Ally… "Donnie…I'm still so sorry…"
"It's ok…" he put up a hand. "But why? Why didn't you tell me all this?"
"I thought…God knows what I thought…I'd be putting you in danger from whoever was killing us…And even that you might be…"
"Back up…" he blinked at her…Sarah, wan smile…Vaguely pleased to see Donald catching a key point like that for once…
"Killing you?" he stared. "Who is killing who?!"
"We're still not completely sure but it involved our sister, Helena…"
"Another clone sister?"
"Yes…Utterly insane but very capable. But no worries, honey." Allison put hand on his… "Sarah just killed her."
"She what?" he stared.
"We're a busy lot, Don…" Sarah, faintest of smiles… "You'll have to get use to a fast pace if you're coming on board."
"Killed…?" he blinked.
"Killed…Shot through the head after she killed Sarah's mother...And several of us…" Allison noted. "But right now the real concern…"
"Ally?...Killed?!" he stared… "Your sister was trying to kill you and Sarah killed her? Is that what you're telling me? Why?"
"Religious nut…The clone thing bothered her and some of her friends…They were hunting us down." Allison waved it off…Bigger concerns, honey…
"Do the police…?"
"We have contacts with the police…As does Dyad, the corporation behind all this…Don't worry about it, honey."
"Yeah, lets leave my bitch twin rotting in her warehouse grave…" Sarah, grimly.
Donnie putting hand to face, rubbing eyes…
"Take a moment, honey…" Allison, gently… "Now, Sarah…When was Kira taken? Do you have any ideas?"
"I should call Art…He'll know what to do…How to track her down…" Sarah stood up.
"Art…?" Donnie eyed Allison…
"Her partner…Beth's, I mean…On the detective squad…Long story, Donnie…Later…Sarah…?" Allison rose… "You're not very popular with Arthur and the police right now, remember? He thinks or suspects you killed Beth…"
"I have to have some help!" Sarah insisted. "Not a couple of suburban dolts from lotus land, a sister who signed her life away without a thought…Fee…" she looked round, then pulled out her phone… "I gotta call Fee…He'll know what to do. He's all I've got…Oh…Jesus, Jesus! What if he's in on this, too?!" she gave Ally a despairing look…
"I got no one…No one!"
"Sarah! Felix loves you. I love you…Cosima loves you. Donnie's going to love you…We'll help you, Sarah." Allison insisted. "You're not alone. You can trust us. Now call Felix while I try to catch Donnie up a little and then I'll call Cosima. She must be frantic."
"Right…Right…I'll call Fee…" Sarah dialed.
"Kira?" Donnie eyed Allison. "Her…Kid?"
"Yes, exactly." Allison beamed.
That's my boy. Of course the tiny bed and children's clothes and toys helped but…
"Ok…So someone took Kira? This crazy sister? Friends of the crazy sister?"
"Hard to say. But yes, Helena had friends…People who feared us for religious reasons, so she told Sarah, who wanted to kill us as 'abominations' or something."
"How'd they even know about you? How many of you…These twins…Are there?"
"Fee…" Sarah, a bit numbly now… "Fee, they've…What? What?!"
"Some of them seemed to have worked…" Allison looked over…
"Oh, thank God for you, Fee!...Thank God!" Sarah, trembling…Ecstatic…
"I think this Fee has Kira…" Donnie noted.
I love you, you brilliant…Allison beamed at his pleased face…
Oh, I knew…I knew you'd…Well, really no saving on horseback required but loving help and support mucho appreciated…Oh, my sweet love of my life…Thank God for you.
"So who…?" he began…
"Fee has her!..." Sarah, joyfully…Wiping tears.
"Oh, Sarah!...That's so great!" Allison, happily…Tears running…
"He grabbed her when someone banged on the door…Got her out the damned window…They're at a friend's place, he didn't want to go to his, just in case…"
"What about Mrs. S? Is she with them?" Allison asked…
"No." Sarah, suddenly grim. "She's not."
"Sarah…If Dyad came for Kira…And she wasn't here…And Mrs. S is gone…"
"Lets hope they shoot you for screwin' the pooch…Fuckin' monitor bitch…" Sarah, grimly.
"Sarah? You don't know that Mrs. S betrayed you or was your monitor…" Allison, stunned. "She might be in danger…Sarah…"
"She lied to me. She worked for them. That's her in that bloody picture in that lab coat with God knows who, maybe Leekie himself. Let her take her chances with her bosses…Maybe Leekie'll let her off easy."
"Leekie?" Donnie stared.
"He's a leader in the Neolution movement and at Dyad Institute, the people we think made us." Allison noted hurriedly, listening to Sarah excitedly resume talking to Felix, then with squeal of joy, to Kira.
"I can't believe Mrs. Sadler's betrayed Sarah and Kira…That woman loved them both." She noted aside to Donnie.
"She had charge of them, somehow?"
"Foster mother…Legal guardian…Oh, Donnie…I made the same mistake…I thought you…" she sighed…Hugging him with sudden fervor… "Forgive me, honey…I was frightened, I was crazy…I thought you were my monitor."
"Ah…Ally? This 'Leekie'? And what's a monitor? Is like a Watcher, on 'Buffy'…?"
"Sort of…" she rubbed her face in his chest… "Say…" she looked up with grin… "That's actually pretty good. You're catching on fast, Mr. Hendrix." She beamed.
"Yeah." Wan smile…
"Say hi to Auntie Ally…And Uncle Donnie…" Sarah raised the phone for them to hear… "I'll explain about Uncle Don later…Yes, her hubbie…Bright monkey we are…"
"Kira says hi!" she beamed to them, more tears running…Pulling phone back… "Oh, Fee…Fee…Thank you, thankyou…I love you so much! I'll be there soon…No, wait…Lets go and call you from a car…I don't trust this place anymore…Call you in a bit. Don't stay anywhere long, Fee. It's not safe."
"Ally…Is this Leekie guy's name…Aldous, by any chance?"
"Hmmn?" she looked up at his stricken face…
That was a fast role reversal…He winced at the thought, looking into the flames of the cottage fireplace…
Ally's horrified, stricken, shattered face staring at him as realization immediately dawned. Sarah, of all people, taking the reasonable approach…Joy…And not a little guilt…Making her cautious about further immediate terminations.
"Ally…Please…You've got to believe me…I didn't know who he was. Your mother said he was recommended by the medical staff for you…He was on the staff at Harkness, your therapist's supervisor…"
"I nearly killed my best friend because I thought I'd betrayed you…" she stared at him. "You've lied to me…All this time…Since we met…"
"Ally…" he looked over to Sarah… "Sarah…I swear I did not know what these people were up to. I thought Ally needed their help…She was at Harkness for months after she found out she'd never have children…"
"I blamed myself for not giving you kids…" she stared blankly. "I thought…I shouldn't make him stay…I should let him go and find someone…But I couldn't bear letting you go…I thought you loved me…"
"I do …I always have…" he pleaded, trying to take her hands… "Ally, please…" She jerking away… "No…"
"Don't touch me…Don't come near me…"
"How did he reach you?" Sarah asked, calmly…
"Though my mother-in-law, like I said…" he sighed. "Ally was acting out at school…I didn't know if I could deal with her moods…She asked me to speak to him…Explained that he'd been involved with her care for years. I didn't want to lose her. And he gave me good advice…It seemed to work."
"Right…He knew me so well…" Allison nodded. "Told you just what to say and do to keep his little clone happy…Oh…"
"No…Ally…I was ready to do anything to keep you. Ally, I knew I wasn't what you wanted…I wanted to be the guy you wanted. He offered to help me. I thought he honestly wanted to help you, help us…"
"My whole life…Just as I thought…A lie…I beat her up…I nearly let her die…I did let her die, the EMTs just managed to save her."
"Wait…You mean Aynsley?" he stared. "You hurt Aynsley? How did you know about her and Leekie?"
Stare…
"What?"
"She knew Leekie…They spoke all the time…Sometimes when he couldn't talk with me, he spoke with her, gave her stuff to give to me."
"Your box of porno…" Allison eyed him… "Big Boobs…"
"I kept some numbers with that stuff…Emergency contacts and all…Dr. Leekie wanted to be sure I could get you help…That's what he said…Ally, you were in the clinic for three months…I wasn't gonna let you not be properly…"
"Monitored?!" she gave a brittle laugh… "No, no fear of that, Donnie…"
"You never thought it was a little strange…This doc taking such a steady interest in a patient…?" Sarah eyed him coolly. "And Aynsley knowing him…"
"I thought your mother'd introduced him to her…She was in touch with your mother…"
"Mom? Mom was in on this?" Allison, trembling…
"I don't think she knew…" he began… "She just thought…"
"Get out…" she said, quietly. "We'll talk later but for now, get out…Go…Home or wherever you like…" she paused. "But don't go near my kids…Leave them at your mother's till I can go and take them…"
"Ally…Sarah, please…" he tried….
"Five minutes ago I was the happiest, proudest…" Allison stared at him… "Get out…"
"Best to go, Don…" Sarah eyed him. "We'll all talk later…If you have anything else on Leekie, keep it handy."
"Ally…"
"Please go…" she said quietly, not looking at him.
"I'm afraid to leave you alone…If these people come back…"
"Your friends won't be upset with you…I won't say anything to compromise you with them." She said, flatly. "Now, just go…Please…"
"We'll be fine, Don…" Sarah, her turn at soothing now…
"Promise me you'll call if there's any trouble…" he insisted. "Aynsley…?"
"Ask your friend, Dr. Leekie…" Allison said quietly.
"I meant to say, somehow I never trusted her." He eyed her.
"Wish I'd been as clever as you…" she replied, not looking at him… "But I was in love…"