Part 54
After dealing with the police, they ended up going back across the street to the dance studio until the theater could be thoroughly searched. Rosita took Caspar up to the apartment. Eddie went with them.
"Mama, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault," he apologized.
Rosita put the exhausted and traumatized boy to bed while looking at Eddie in confusion. "Eddie, what are you talking about?"
He shook his head. "This guy is after you because of me. You were hurt because of me."
The sow gasped. "Oh, Eddie. No, no, honey. This is not your fault. You cannot blame yourself for this."
"But Mama, I'm the one who let my parents bring him. I'm the one who gave him access. They hired him to get revenge because of me! How is this not my fault?"
"Eddie, you are the victim here. Those people did this, not you," she hugged him. "You are not to blame for this."
Everyone gathered in the studio itself, contemplating the situation.
Meena looked at Rosita. "Are you alright?" When she heard her friend's terrified scream echoing through the theater, the elephant had been afraid of what they would find.
She nodded. "Yes, I'm fine. This guy found out I'm not a pushover. And next time, he's going to find out just what I'm capable of." She promised, hugging her husband who was nearby.
Norman nodded. He looked at Eddie sadly. He cared for him and felt sorry for him but now his wife and children were being threatened. He knew it wasn't Eddie's fault but it didn't change the circumstances. His family needed to be his priority.
Work on the show continued until Nana got there. Her first concern was Eddie but she quickly turned her thoughts to Rosita and Caspar.
"I'm so sorry for all of this," she apologized. "It was never my intention for your family to be put at risk."
Rosita shook her head. "Hey, you didn't know your daughter-in-law was insane."
"No, this is my fault. You've done so much already. He's well on his way. I can see to his care from here," the old sheep promised.
Rosita held up her hand. "Nana, it's okay. We're fine. Eddie will always have a home with us. Right Norman." She looked to her husband. His eyes were troubled. "Norman?"
He sighed. "Rosita, I almost lost you today. Caspar was in danger too. I'm sorry. I care about him too but I can't have my family in danger." None of them saw the sheep nearby, listening.
"Norman, Eddie is part of our family! He's our son!" Rosita said sharply. "We promised him parents who would love him."
"That was before you were almost killed!" He snapped. "Rosita, I love you. I love Eddie, he is our son but Rosita, children eventually grow up and move on."
"Norman, Eddie has been through more than most adults his age," Rosita justified. "He's in mourning and he was abused. It's not his fault any of this is happening."
Norman shook his head. "No, I know, but, Rosita…"
"Norman, if it was any of the piglets, it wouldn't even be a question. You wouldn't even be thinking about it. We chose to make Eddie a part of our family, our child, and that commitment doesn't end just because circumstances change. He's in danger and it's our job as his parents to protect him!" She stomped her trotter.
"Rosita, have you seen Eddie? He was going to help me paint this," Gunter pointed at a rather large facade.
The pigs and Nana frowned and looked about. "He was over there a few minutes ago helping Johnny move something."
A quick look around told them Eddie was not in the safety of the dance studio. Rosita bit her lip. "Maybe he went up to our apartment. He's probably tired. I'll go check on him." She went to go find him.
She came down a few minutes later. "He's not there."
Gunter frowned. "I'll go check the theater." He hurried out.
Rosita began breathing heavily. "Where is he? Why would he leave when he knows it's not safe?" She had a bad feeling.
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Eddie walked the streets of the city, his chest heavy. He was endangering the family he loved. Rosita was almost killed. Caspar was threatened. If he had just been a good, obedient son and did what his parents said, none of this would be happening. He'd be miserable but his friends would be safe. He wasn't aware that anyone was following him.
His meanderings eventually took him to his ancestral home. He went to the burnt out pool house. Thankfully, the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. The sofa was a molten mess of mangled material. The photos were badly charred except the one photo of Buster that was still laying on the couch in a sheep-shaped void. He picked it up and traced the gray face. "Buster, what do I do?"
"It's hard isn't it?" He turned to see his stalker, his rope-garrote in his hands. "When the ones you trust reveal just what a burden you are on them. You really should just submit, then I could just forget them."
Eddie shook his head. "No… I can't give up. I've come too far." He clenched his fists.
Philip laughed. "You really think you're going to fight me? You're worthless and weak. You don't stand a chance."
"I'm not worthless. I may be weak but I'm not worthless," Eddie countered. "And I don't care. Maybe I don't stand a chance but I'm not just going to roll over and die. So come on, let's do this." He got into a stance. "Unless you'd rather settle this with a round of Tournament Figh-AGH!" He dodged to the right as the assassin lunged at him. He looked for whatever he could find to use as a weapon. He saw that Buster's frame was broken, with one shard the perfect size and shape. He grabbed it and swiped at Philip when he got too close.
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The theater turned up no sign of Eddie. They searched the entire block to no avail.
"Oh, Norman, where could he be? Where could he have gone?" Rosita asked. "We have to find him before that monster does."
Norman hugged her, feeling terrible. The things he just got done saying sounded terrible to him as he realized how much danger Eddie was in. And for the briefest moment, he had actually thought of abandoning him to that danger. All to selfishly protect himself.
"It's okay, Rosie. We'll find him…" he rubbed her back.
Gunter came back across the street. "He is nowhere to be found." Anxiety made his stomach twist and turn. He had already lost someone he loved, he didn't think he could do it again.
Nooshy scratched her head. "Has anyone checked their Find my Friends app?" She asked curiously.
Rosita snapped her fingers. "Of course!"
"On it!" Johnny announced, holding up his phone.
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"Oh, so the worm has teeth," he tossed aside the garrote and pulled out his knife. They danced around each other, looking for the right moment to either attack or retreat.
Philip jumped at Eddie, earning a yelp as he disarmed the sheep and grabbed his rope. He was about to wrap it around his neck when suddenly the rope burned like it was on fire. He yelped with pain and dropped the rope and Eddie used the opening to try and run from the pool house. A hand closed around his ankle and he fell with a shout. He turned, holding the shard of glass out just as Philip made a lunge with his knife.
Eddie heard him take a sharp breath of air and he stepped back. He saw the glass cutting deep into his chest. Blood trickled from the corners of the ram's mouth before he fell to his knees and to the floor, twitching. Eddie looked at his hand, realizing it was wet with blood. He touched the ram's neck while trying to get his breathing under control. He did it. He had fought back and won.
He sat on the burned couch and just started sobbing with a flurry of emotions. Relief, fear, pride, guilt, happiness that it was finally over, sadness at having to take a life to save his own.
That's where they found him a short time later. The dead body was enough to tell them what happened and Rosita hugged him.
"I'm sorry…" he said softly. "I'm sorry you were in danger because of me. I'm sorry Caspar was in danger." He looked at Norman. "I'm so sorry for putting your family in danger."
Norman only joined the hug. "Eddie, you are my family. I'm sorry I let my own fear cloud my judgment." The guilt grew as he realized Eddie had heard him and had left because of what he had said. "I shouldn't have said what I did. You are as much my son as any of my piglets."
The authorities were called and, not long after, the dead mercenary was removed. They went back up to the main house where coffee and hot chocolate was served. With Philip no longer a concern, Norman was able to go and bring his children back home.
Rosita looked at Eddie. "Eddie, I'm sorry for what was said, but I am so proud of you for fighting back and defending yourself."
Gunter nodded. "Ja! Buster would be proud too."
Eddie held up the broken frame. "In a way, Buster kind of helped me. His frame was broken." He explained. "I'm only sorry for… well… I didn't mean to kill anyone."
"Of course not, sweetie," Rosita told him. "No one does."
Nana nodded. "Eddie, you were attacked by a monster. You fought back as you should. If you could have defeated him cleanly, you would have. He didn't give you that option."
Eddie sighed. "Well, at least it's over… He won't be able to threaten us again. It's over." They could come home. He could live on his own again. They were safe now.
AN: So ends the Ballad of the Duke of Canterbury. Felt appropriate and symbolic for Eddie to defeat him himself. Trying to figure out how to get him and Gunter together. Like it's never been a good time for them to talk about it.