"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 XXVI…
The retreat resort, forested path to the dumpster…
Olive/Rachel rather grateful for the ability to negate some feeling as she carried the double-bagged plastic sack containing the remains of bf/secondary monitor Aynsley along. Donnie, following, eyeing "Allison" carefully, occasionally renewing offer to carry the rather oddly large sack of garbage…Wouldn't have thought we'd been here long enough for even an Allison or her impersonator to generate that much trash.
"Where'd you find so much trash?" he asked, maintain causal air.
Just the lumpen idiot strolling blindly down the garden path to his probably literal doom…
"Oh, the last visitors must have left it…I'll complain to the management later…Donnie…" bright smile, pausing, hand to his chest. "I'd like you to let me have the place to myself for half-an-hour, maybe even an hour? I'd like a chance to clean it up and get myself a little quiet time, then dress up a little…Could you find something to do?"
"You want to start cleaning, now? And 'dress up' in the early morning?"
"You know I'm not comfortable in filth…And I just want to think things over, quietly…Could you give me just a little time alone this morning? I promise I'll give you the whole day after this…And you can go check out what's available and what's going on today?"
Yes…The joyous entertainments of the middle class moron brigade on holiday, Rachel sighed to herself in the car.
No doubt featuring sing alongs, group psychobabble, kitschy crafting, and a third-rate mainstream film or two…Not to mention an inedible selection of food delights and to top it all off, sex with the lump. Oh, the joy…
I feel his heart beating…She blinked…As did Olive…
It's racing…
Well…Naturally the lump gets morbidly excited around us. Only special thing in his miserable existence…
"Ally?" he stared at her…And the hand she seemed to be unable to remove from his chest.
"Hmmn? Oh, sorry." She pulled hand away. "Well?" she gave a careful smile.
"Sure…" shrug… "If that's what you want. Should I bring you something for breakfast?"
"Yeah. Sure…Just a bagel or croissant…And coffee?"
"Fine…Cream, two sugars."
"Yeah, right as always." She nodded. "Thanks, honey…" she continued, stumbling a bit as she was unbalanced by the sack as she turned to resume her walk. He hurrying to assist her…
"That's quite a load…" he noted as she hastily pulled a bit away… "You sure you don't want me to carry it?"
"It's not really that heavy, just bulky…No problem…" she insisted.
So, what is in that thing? He pondered.
Can't be Ally, thank God…
Unless…He blanched a bit…
No, she wants to get me away from the cottage…She must think Ally's asleep in there. There's no way Ally came back…Keep cool, Hendrix.
Hmmn…Either way, soon as she checks the jig's up…
So…Do I try and leave her in the dumpster now or wait for her to come after me in half-an-hour when she realizes I'm a decoy? A rather large sitting duck…
Whoops…He felt his cell buzzing in his pocket.
The girls' secure phone…Ok, lets not do this here.
Well, she vants to be alone like Garbo…So…
"Well, I may as well head over to the main hall now…I'll get breakfast and see what's what, ok? Meet you at the cottage in an hour?"
"Great…" she nodded, pausing again. Frowning a bit involuntarily as he turned.
"Donnie?"
"Yeah?"
"No kiss?"
"Oh, sure…Sorry…" he turned back to her, hastily pecking cheek.
Well, that does it for me…Rachel thought, dryly.
He could at least show a little enthusiasm…We're trying to rebuild our marriage here.
"Are you angry with me?" she eyed him. "It's not that I'm rejecting you, you know…"
"No…No. Just a bit sleepy yet, sorry." He smiled, a little brittley.
Ok, phone buzzing again…Something's up.
"There…" he embraced her with one arm, kissing her on lips, then releasing… "And more where that came from when you're ready…" smile.
"That's more like it." She nodded. "I do want this weekend to come off well, Donnie."
"Me too." Smile. "See ya in a bit…Have a good me time."
"Thanks."
That wasn't bad…Rachel thought, feeling…
Well, anyway, time to get dear Aynsley settled in her final resting place and see as to my twin.
"Aldous? You can go now. The lump is off to his morning feed…I'm coming back in just a mo…" She hissed between lips, carefully monitoring Olive to repress any such muttering at her end.
"Right…Simon?" Leekie eyed his partner. "Lets go collect our girl."
The two emerged from the car…
"What was that, sir?" Simon eyed Leekie.
"She seemed a bit caught up in the role, didn't she?" faint wry grin, nod. "Ally didn't fall for Hendrix out of a random romantic lightning strike, Simon. And Rachel is not so immune to emotional response as she likes to convince herself."
Simon paused…"Then this is an experiment on Ms. Duncan as well…"
"Lets just say…There's a host of observational opportunities in every experimental situation in the field." Leekie smiled.
"You actually think she might…?" he stared.
"Lord knows…But it will be interesting to observe how strong an attraction our well-chosen mate has for one of our self-aware subjects."
Town home of Beth Childs and Paul Dierden…
Paul sighing at the high-pitched scream…
"Ally…" he rubbed forehead. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you forgot I'd be staying here too. We're supposed to be Sarah and Paul, remember? Our continual cat-and-mouse with Dyad these last months?"
"Uh…" Allison looked from the bedclothes at Paul in his robe. "Right. Right."
"Donnie was fine when we left him and Sarah…And I was on the couch all night, don't worry…" grin.
"Ah…Thanks." She nodded. "But that's not fair, we'll take turns. Tonight you get the bed." She bit lip, staring…
"Fine by me, though the couch is not bad at all. I've known lots worse. So, did things go ok yesterday?"
"Uh…Yeah…Well, actually…Art got shot by Helena's handler Tomas and I had an encounter with her…Helena…" sheepish look.
"What?!" he stared.
"Yes, we traced Tomas to a Ukrainian seminary where he's been staying, probably to maintain his cover as a religious nut. He ran and caught Art…Art's fine, though…Just his arm."
"You saw Helena? But isn't she…?" Paul blinked.
"No…Uh…Excuse me, sorry…" she grabbed at the bedclothes, sitting up…
"Here…" he grabbed and handed her one of Beth's robes from the closet near him.
"Thanks…" grateful beam… "Could you?..."
He turned, with grin…
"I guess you have seen me naked in a sense…" she noted, wry sigh… Pulling on robe…
"No…I've seen Beth and Sarah, not you." He replied firmly. "And you are not the same person."
"Thanks. Okay, turn…" she twirled finger, standing by the bed.
"But getting back to your other sister…" he turned back, stern look, slight twinkling in eyes.
I could do worse in a sis-in-law…
"My serial killer relative, yes…Well…" shrug. "She didn't kill me…She even seemed a bit remorseful."
"So, getting shot in the head did her a world of good, huh?…" to her pouting frown… "I just hope you didn't take any chances, Ally. She's still crazy. And if she survived Sarah's shot, I imagine she's pretty convinced God or Jesus or whoever is guarding her. And going on the notion nothing and no one can harm her."
"Truth is, may they can't…" she shrugged… "She really didn't seem like that Paul…She even tried to help me about Tomas. I think she's finally on to him. Though she did run."
"Or, he's clever enough to make her say things like that…Get your guard down." he noted, pausing…
"I didn't give anything away…"
"She must have been following you and Art to catch up to you there…Coffee?" he asked.
"Or, Tomas…" she pointed out. "Yes, God, yes…Please…" she followed him into the hallway and they made for the kitchen.
"This is a very nice place…" she noted, glancing round. "I got in late and went straight to bed after the station…I had to file a report on the shooting. Didn't see much last night."
"Dyad's little gift…My and Beth's names are on the fully paid mortgage, though to be fair Beth was paying her share to me. So did she take you by surprise like Sarah? Let you go?" he opened a cupboard, pulling down two mugs.
"Actually…" sigh. "I let her go." Sheepish look. "I couldn't shoot her, Paul. I mean, I could've but…"
"Allison…" he shook his head. "The day will come when you'll have to be ready to shoot. To save yourself, the others, your kids, and that husband of yours. Have you heard anything from him, by the way?"
"No…I'm not supposed to call him…Radio silence, that sort of thing." She bit lip, looking away. "It's not something I like…I'm not used to being away from Donnie."
"That's nice…Seriously…" he eyed her quick look. "I did hope to have that myself one day…Maybe with Beth…Maybe now…"
"With Beth?" she eyed him, a bit narrowly. He waved a hand, ruefully.
"I didn't not care for her, Ally. She was quite a girl, even if she was a lot more reserved than Sarah…And of course, now I know she was on to me…I can almost pinpoint the day she changed…When she'd nearly come to trust me and open up…And then…I lost her, my own fault."
"Don't do that to Sarah, please…" she eyed him. "I want to trust you…We all do…And we do. But, you know how this business has gone…So, if you're not…" earnest stare… "Please don't break Sarah's heart, too. Just walk away…Forget us and Dyad and we'll forget you." pause… "I'm sorry. I won't mention that again…And we do trust you, Paul. I just…"
"I deserve it." He nodded calmly, pouring coffee. "And no one has better reason to question everything and everyone than you. I know how hard it's been for you, Ally. But I believe you can trust in Donnie."
"So do I." she nodded, equally calm. Sitting at the kitchen table, sipping at mug…
"And I mourn Beth, Ally…" he stared at her. "It does hurt, every time I see you…You especially, in some ways. You're the most like her of all. God…Ally…" tears welling… "I haven't forgotten her, even with Sarah…I…"
"She'd be grateful…" Ally, careful stare.
"It's my fault, I know…I still her face, wanting to believe in me…Suspecting the lies at the heart of me…"
"She wouldn't blame you for loving Sarah…She'd be glad some good came out of this."
"I won't let anything happen to Sarah…Or any of you…I swear…" he looked at her. "Beth, I swear…"
Slight wan grin as she stared. "No, I'm not quite losing it…But I needed you to be Beth for just a moment, to tell her."
"I get that…And she would forgive you, Paul." Firm stare, sipping at mug.
"Tell Hendrix he's one hell of a lucky man…" Paul smiled, taking swig.
"As is his wife a hell of a lucky woman…" Allison smiled warmly. "I know it may not have seemed that way when we met, you and us, but…"
"If you vouch for him, I believe it." Paul nodded. "Now, what about our girls in sunny California? And what can I do to help my policewoman track down her missing sister?"