The Trouble with Drakes 12
Title: The Trouble With Drakes chapter 12
Author: stormyd55
Rating: PG...sorry, no smut.
Pairing: Bob/Harry...well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 4300
Summary: Harry and Bob attend Kendra's funeral.
Author's Note: I really hated killing Kendra, but I felt it was essential to the story.
Important Note! I give up! I raise the white flag! I surrender! I had no problem creating links to the first five chapters, but chapter six and on simply are not working. I've checked and rechecked and checked again. The addresses were copied properly. So, anyone who wants to read previous chapters, please click on my author tag. It will bring up everything I've written, but at least you'll be able to read the full story. I'm sorry I can't seem to get it to work right. I'm going to leave this note in every chapter for the benefit of new readers. If anybody has any ideas, I'm all ears.
Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5
Title: The Trouble With Drakes 12
Author: stormyd55
Rating: PG...sorry, no smut.
Pairing: Bob/Harry... well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 4300
Summary: Harry and Bob attend Kendra's funeral.
Author's Note: I really hated killing Kendra, but I felt it was essential to the story.
*****
Harry was asleep. He wanted to stay asleep. But someone kept shaking him and calling his name. "Harry. Please get up. We have to get ready. I swear, young man, don't make me dump ice water on your head!"
That did it. He was awake. Bleary eyed, but awake. Bob was standing over him wearing his black slacks, but bare chested. Still sleepy, Harry couldn't help but admire that chest. "Mmm, what time is it?"
"6:45. I've already showered, so the bathroom is your's. While you're in the shower, I'll get breakfast started. Come on, now. The sooner you get started, the better you'll feel." With that, Bob turned and hurried downstairs.
Harry stretched his long body, hearing his back pop in several places. Rising from the bed, he noticed that Bob had laid out his only black suit and one of his few white dress shirts. He hated suits. They were always associated with things that caused him pain or stress, like Justin's parties, court appearances and... funerals.
Sighing in resignation, he grabbed a clean pair of boxers and a towel. The bathroom was still a little steamy from Bob's shower. He tried to imagine Bob in the shower, all soapy and relaxed. Not crying and trying to scrub his own skin off in an anxiety attack as he had the other evening. But the desired fantasy wouldn't come. The only thing he could think about was Kendra taking her last breath in his arms.
He quickly finished cleaning up and dressing. He smelled something burning as he descended the stairs. He found Bob waving a pot holder over the charred remains of some toast. He noticed the reek of burned eggs as well.
Frustrated, Bob said angrily, "I don't understand it. I've watched you cook for years. I should be able to do this."
Harry took the pot holder from Bob and dumped the burnt eggs and toast into the trash can. "Its ok. Watching isn't the same as doing. Besides, you're upset about Kendra. No one should ever try to cook when they're upset. It never ends well. I'm not very hungry, anyway."
Somewhat consoled, Bob said, "Well, we need to eat something. Though I admit, I'm not all that hungry, myself."
Harry reached into the fridge. "Then I recommend bananas and orange juice." He pulled out the items in question. "But I want to stop at a Starbuck's on the way there. No instant, today. Today, I'm gonna need the good stuff. Hey, why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
"I knew trying to fix breakfast with unfamiliar technology might get messy. I didn't want to ruin my shirt and jacket." Bob reached into a cabinet for a couple of glasses. In the past, Harry had quite often drunk straight from the container and Bob was going to put a stop to that right now. They sat down at the kitchen table. Harry poured the juice while Bob peeled his first banana. Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as Bob took a bite of the fruit. The older man smiled at the mild, slightly sweet flavor, such a contrast to the strong, tangy flavor of the orange juice.
"I must admit, I'm rather curious about coffee. People seem almost addicted to it, more so than even pizza."
"That's because we are addicted to it. It's the caffeine. It's a stimulant. It's great for waking you up in the morning, but, if you don't need it, I'd suggest that you stick to de-caf. No sense getting hooked if you don't have to." Harry finished his second banana.
As much as he enjoyed the fruit, Bob couldn't bring himself to eat more than one. He took a few sips of orange juice and sat staring into his glass. "I wonder if they hate me." His words were barely audible.
Concerned, Harry asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, I know that Chloe and Meg don't, but surely some of Kendra's young ladies do. After all, I am the reason she is dead." He looked ashamed.
"Bob, no one blames you. It was Kendra's choice. You read her letter, right?" When Bob nodded, he continued. "Then you know that she was ready to go. Did I tell you that she died in my arms?" Bob's brow furrowed as he looked up into Harry's eyes. "Yeah, and she was smiling. Bob, she was happy. Happy about helping you and happy about finally being able to rest. And Tess knew what she was going to do. She helped her get her affairs in order. And Tess, Chloe and Meg all said that they wanted us there. They wouldn't ask that if a bunch of their coven hated us." Harry deliberately used the word us instead of you as a way of letting Bob know that he was not alone.
Bob took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well, I suppose that I'd best finish getting dressed. We don't want to be late." He finished his juice and rose from the table. As he was about to leave the room, he looked back and said, "Thank you, Harry. You always seem to know what to say." He smiled and hurried upstairs.
Harry sat there for a few more minutes, slowly sipping his orange juice. The idea that anybody could hate Bob was more than a little disturbing. It made him think about Morgan, Mai and the Council. Thoughts that he'd been pushing to the back of his mind for the last couple of days. It made his stomach queasy thinking about it now. But he didn't have time to deal with any of that at the moment. He forced himself to clear his mind and put away those thoughts and worries. He concentrated on relaxing and controlling his breathing. After a few more moments, he felt better and got up to brush his teeth.
*****
The address that Tess had given him was actually a dock at one of the marinas that handled private sail boats and yachts. It was a good thing they'd left so early. The morning rush at Starbuck's had taken up quite a bit of time, although Harry thought it was well worth it as he swallowed the last of his expresso. They were supposed to be at the dock by 9:00. They had arrived at 8:30 and were now leaning against Harry's jeep in a companionable silence.
Bob was still nursing his de-caf french vanilla latte. He'd taken Harry's advice and avoided the caffeine but this amazing beverage still seemed like the nectar of the gods to him. He appeared to be content to stand there and breathe in its aroma, only now and then taking a sip and almost moaning in pleasure.
Harry knew he had a silly grin on his face as he leaned back with his arms crossed, watching Bob enjoy his first coffee. He mentally checked off one more item from his 'Bob's First' list. He wondered for a moment if he'd ever finish the list. It seemed like every time he checked off one item, five more would occur to him. Oh well, he would be quite content to spend the rest of his days helping Bob check things off that list.
At 8:45, other people began to arrive at the dock. Two medium sized yachts had been hired to carry the mourners to the location of the funeral. Later, he found out that the dock at their destination couldn't accommodate the larger vessels. Besides Kendra's coven, there were perhaps twenty people waiting to board. As Harry and Bob stood among those waiting, Tess came up to them. She hugged both of them and said that she was glad they could come. She then asked if they would ride with her and Kendra's girls. "I won't call them my girls until Kendra is properly laid to rest." she said, firmly.
They followed Tess to the second yacht. They found themselves to be the only guests outside of Kendra's coven to board this yacht. There was a group of older women Harry didn't know, inside the yacht's cabin, talking quietly. Tess went to join them. Several of the younger women quietly greeted them as they boarded. All of them were wearing cloaks of varying colors against the chill of the morning air. Summer was ending and autumn was just around the corner. The breeze off the lake was almost cold.
As the yacht pulled away from the dock, Harry and Bob stood in lee of the cabin, arms crossed to keep warm. Harry wished that he'd brought his leather jacket, but it would have looked odd with his suit and tie. And besides, the day would warm up soon.
Bob had finished his coffee a while ago. He stood close to Harry, as much for comfort as for warmth. He had his left arm around his waist, his left hand supporting his right elbow as he tapped the knuckle of his index finger against his lower lip. He was staring into the dark water of the lake, lost in thought. Somehow, Harry found this familiar stance to be comforting.
The trip took nearly an hour, during which, the crew offered the passengers hot chocolate and coffee. Bob took the opportunity to try the hot chocolate and found it to be rather soothing. At one point during the trip, he found himself fighting back tears. But he would not allow himself to fall apart in front of all these people. It was one thing to lose control in front of Harry, who loved him, at the very least as a brother or a father figure. It was quite another to do so in front of a bunch of strangers and his students, assuming they still wanted to be his students after today.
Harry and Bob watched as they approached an island. First one, then the other yacht drew along opposite sides of a wide dock. After both vessels were tied off and secured the passengers were allowed to disembark. Tess and the older members of the coven led the way off the dock and onto a path leading into the trees. Eventually, they came to a large clearing.
There was a ring of trees in the center of the clearing. On closer inspection, Harry realized that they were apple trees in full bloom which was wrong for this time of year. Suddenly, he had a strong feeling that those trees weren't there several days ago. He counted eight of them, in a perfect circle. They were tall enough that he would barely have to duck if he walked under their branches. He had expected to see Kendra's body, but placed between the mourners and the circle of young apple trees was a simple white urn. Maybe he had just wanted to see her again. Feeling his eyes tear up, he turned away and began studying the other mourners.
Many of them were extremely well dressed, although some were a little more casual. One old man, who was also studying the crowd, was actually wearing coveralls and a straw hat. Considering the fact that he'd be in black jeans, a black t-shirt and his leather jacket if Bob had allowed it, Harry wasn't going to judge anyone on their style of dress. Another older man was wearing an obviously old suit with a fedora and an ascot. Harry noticed him because he was the only man other than Bob that he'd ever seen wearing an ascot. The man seemed familiar and then Harry recognized him. He'd seen a picture of him in the Chicago Events section of the newspaper. He was a local artist. Harry kept looking around at other people and noticed a handsome couple standing close to each other, obviously seeking comfort. The man and woman were black and wearing beautifully elaborate African dress. Harry noticed the woman's resemblance to one of Kendra's girls. Perhaps they were her parents.
Harry's musings were interrupted as Tess walked over to stand behind the little, white urn. Eighteen young women, Kendra's charges, stood in a semi-circle behind her. They had removed their cloaks, the temperature being not as chilly as before. They were all wearing similar white dresses with long, flowing skirts, scooped necklines, and long flared sleeves. They also had apple blossoms in their hair. They all looked as if they'd stepped out of a medieval painting.
People had been talking among themselves, but, when Tess began to speak, they all grew silent. She spoke about things that one would expect at a funeral. She talked about Kendra's life and accomplishments. She said that Kendra had requested the eight trees to represent her eight beloved children, who'd gone to the afterlife long ago. She told humorous stories of her friendship with Kendra. And finally, she explained that her beloved friend had been ready to leave this world and that she had done so just as she had lived, with joy in her heart.
When Tess had finished speaking, there wasn't a dry eye in the clearing. Then the young women behind her began singing softly. Harry couldn't understand the words, but he recognized the language as Gaelic. It was beautiful.
Tess picked up the urn and moved to one of the trees. One by one, each girl stopped singing and followed her, until there was only one girl left. She appeared younger than the others, very pretty with long black hair, but Harry didn't recognize her even though she seemed familiar. She continued to sing in the most beautiful voice Harry had ever heard. And while she sang, Tess went to each tree and spread a little of Kendra's ashes at the base. The girls following her would touch the lower branches and flowers as they passed underneath. Finally, though still singing, the last girl followed the others.
What happened next would cause Bob to get choked up for years to come. The last tree Tess came to was on their right. Having discharged her burden, she laid the urn aside and approached Harry and Bob. First she clasped Harry's hands and said, "She came to love you both so much." then she kissed Bob on the cheek and walked away. She was then followed by eighteen smiling young women, each first clasping Harry's hands and then kissing Bob on the cheek. Bob came to understand that this was their way of honoring Kendra's choice and welcoming Bob back into the world. He no longer fought his tears, but let them flow quietly down his cheeks. In his previous life, he had never experienced such acceptance. It was more than a little overwhelming, and yet, it filled his heart with joy.
The last girl had stopped singing. She stood in front of Harry and clasped his hands. It was then that Harry recognized her as Meg, goth girl. Without her makeup, she seemed so young and innocent. Her dark eyes were damp with tears. She gazed up at him, smiled softly and... winked. Ok, not so innocent. She then kissed Bob on both cheeks and walked away. Harry put his arm around Bob's shoulders. It had been a moving experience for both of them. They remained silent as they returned to the dock. They didn't really need to say anything.
The trip back was much more lively. The coven did not separate themselves as they had earlier. Harry and Bob ended up on a yacht with Tess, again. The other passengers consisted of about half of the coven and half guests. The crew served a variety of beverages and a light lunch, while people clustered in small groups, sharing their own stories and memories of Kendra.
Harry held an untouched cocktail as he leaned against the cabin wall. He could see Bob talking with the artist he'd recognized earlier. He smothered a little surge of jealousy when he saw the man place his hand on Bob's arm in an obvious caress. Anyone could see it was an invitation. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as Bob gently removed the man's hand and leaned over to whisper something. When he pulled back, there was a look of disappointment on the guy's face. Then he smiled, shrugged his shoulders and turned to mingle with the other passengers.
Bob turned and saw Harry. Coming over to stand by the younger man, Bob asked, "Are you alright, Harry?"
"Fine. Why do you ask?"
"Everyone else is talking and sharing stories. You are standing all alone, watching. Can you blame me for being a little concerned?" His expression was steeped in sympathy. "She died in your arms, Harry. Why didn't you tell before today?"
"I don't know. Does it really matter? At first, I was so worried about you and then I had to go to the Manor. It just didn't seem important. Why?"
As gently as he could, Bob said, "Of course it's important, Harry. You've witnessed far too many people die. Your father, me, Kendra, and yes, even that bastard, Justin."
"Not to mention a few clients." Harry interjected, wryly.
"The point is such things can affect a person in ways they don't expect or even recognize until it's too late. You pull away from people, become withdrawn. You don't have to keep it all bottled up. In the long run, it just hurts more." Bob reached out and gripped Harry's arm firmly. "Before, I was limited in the ways I could interact with the world. I was limited in the ways I could help and support you. I am no longer a ghost. I am no longer a slave. I am your friend. In the past few days, you've told me on more than one occasion that you're there for me. Well, know this, Harry Dresden, I am there for you. Please, don't shut me out."
It was as if Bob's words had opened a window and let fresh air into a musty room. There was still a lot of work to be done. The room still needed cleaning, but it was a start. And most important of all, Bob's words sounded as if he was going to stick around. He had his papers. He had money. He could just hop on a bus or a train and disappear. But it sounded like he was going to stay.
Harry hadn't planned on bringing this subject up, ever, but grief and the stress of the last few days had gotten to him. "Does that mean you're gonna stay?" he asked tentatively. Then he hurriedly said, "I mean I understand if you just want to disappear, you know, to avoid the Council or whatever. You've got papers and money and it won't take you long to figure out how to get along in today's world. I wouldn't blame you for taking off. If you wanted to." He stared down at the deck, unable to look Bob in the eye.
Bob stared at Harry, studying his features. Had Harry brought this up in the last few days, Bob would have instantly jumped to the wrong conclusion and thought that Harry wanted him to leave. But, even though he still had his bad moments, Bob could feel his emotions becoming more settled, calmer, more like himself. And now, he could see the tension in Harry's jaw line and neck muscles. Harry did NOT want him to leave. Well, he thought, it's a good thing I hadn't planned on leaving.
He decided that the best approach would be to make light of the situation. "Eh! As if you could manage without me. I'm not going anywhere, Dresden. Get used to it."
Harry snorted and smiled. "Guess I'm stuck with you, eh?"
"To use one of your favorite terms, 'yep'." That left them both chuckling.
At that moment, Tess came up to them. "Excuse me, gentlemen, may I have a word, please?" They both turned and gave her their full attention. "Bob, I realize that you were giving lectures as payment of a debt, and, as Kendra is no longer with us, I have no intention of holding you to that debt. However, my girls have expressed a desire for you to continue giving the occasional lecture. I was wondering if you were interested in doing so."
Bob hesitated, then said, "Well, I do have a couple of lectures already planned out and ready to give. As for continuing after that, I'm not sure. It depends on several things, such as how busy I'll be helping Harry with his business and whether or not the High Council kills me again."
Tess's eyes went wide. "Oh, surely not. Well, that would make Kendra's sacrifice worth nothing at all. They wouldn't dare."
"My Lady, yes, they would. These people isolate themselves from the world and, therefore, have a very limited viewpoint. They can never see themselves changing, so they can't see someone like myself changing, at least not for the good. They will want to kill me. Whether or not we can convince them otherwise, remains to be seen."
Tess had a determined look on her face. "Well, if it comes to that, you will have our coven's full support. We will testify on your behalf if necessary. You two are not alone in this."
Bob took her right hand in both of his. "Thank you, my Lady." Then he bent and kissed the back of her hand.
Harry smiled and thought, Don't let anybody ever say that chivalry is dead.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. On the way home they stopped off at the grocery store. Bob wanted some fresh vegetables and Harry wanted to pickup a variety of foodstuffs for Bob to try.
It was around 3:00 in the afternoon by the time they returned to their apartment. Harry couldn't think of it as just his anymore. Harry put the open sign in the office window and went to the kitchen to help Bob put the groceries away.
As Harry was putting some items away in the freezer, he suddenly turned and said to Bob, "You know, I've been thinking about those items stolen from the museum. Could they be trying to 'forge' a weapon? Something designed specifically for Ancient Mai?"
Bob leaned against the counter. He crossed his arms and looked thoughtful. "It would make sense. If Amber is right, their clan leader was killed by Mai. They would want revenge. The heavier equipment could be for forging the weapon, while the more delicate tools would be for etching the weapon with spells. It could be designed to destroy her power, kill her,... any number of things. It all depends on how much they want her to suffer." He began pacing. "But, to be able to design the spells specifically for Ancient Mai, they would need something of her's. I don't mean just a possession. I mean a physical piece of her, such as hair, finger nails, or a bit of blood. I can't see them getting their claws on that."
"Um, neither can I. Not with Morgan around. Look, I gotta get out of this suit. I'll be right back."
As Harry went upstairs to change, Bob hung his suit jacket on the coat rack and walked towards the office. Just as he sat down at Harry's desk the phone rang. Bob hesitated, then picked up the receiver. "Hello, Harry Dresden's office."
"Hello, is Mr. Dresden there?"
"Ahh, he's busy in the next room. May I ask who's calling?"
"This is Sally Foreman. I spoke to him a few days ago, concerning my cheating bastard of a boyfriend. He told me to let him know if Billy suddenly canceled on me again. Can I talk to him?"
Bob heard Harry coming back down stairs. "One moment, my dear." He set the receiver on the desk, got up and stuck his head around the corner. He caught Harry's attention and said, "Harry? Phone. Sally Foreman. Cheating boyfriend."
As he passed, Harry smiled and said, "Thanks, Bob. I always wanted a secretary." He ducked as Bob threw a magazine at his head. Then he grabbed the phone and said cheerfully, "Hey, Sally. Did he cancel on you? (pause) And you're sure he's not working late like he said? (pause) Uh unh. Ok, can you come by here? I'm gonna need you to bring me something of his. Something with DNA, like hair from his hairbrush. (pause) Oh, he's bald. (pause) Yeah, a toothbrush would work. (pause) Ok, I'll see you in half an hour. Bye." He hung up.
Bob looked disheartened. "Do you often take cases involving cheating 'significant others'?"
"Yeah, unfortunately. I usually don't bother you with those cases."
"But, it's rather beneath you, isn't it?"
Harry sighed in exasperation and began putting some books away on a shelf. "It pays the bills, Bob."
Hastily, Bob said, "I'm not trying to criticize, Harry. I just want better for you. Cases like this are a waste of your talents."
Harry picked up a few more books, looked Bob in the eye and said, "Like I said, it pays the bills." Harry didn't like these cases anymore than Bob did, but for different reasons. Nine times out of ten, the man or woman being cheated on was a nice person, worthy of having a relationship with, while the one cheating was usually seeing someone with no class what-so-ever. Having such bad luck in the romance department, it galled Harry to see these people just throw away a good thing.
Half an hour later, Sally Foreman showed up with a zip-lock bag containing a well used toothbrush. Harry spoke with her for a few minutes and then ushered her out the door with a promise to call her later that evening. He carried the toothbrush to the lab and dumped it into the muddy tracking potion Bob had already prepared for him. Then he lowered the tracking crystal into the pot and slowly pulled it out. He studied it for a few seconds. The crystal glowed with a steady blue light. "Well, Billy, I guess you're not dead. Let's find out where you are."
On the way to the front door, he grabbed his jacket and his old camera. It worked most of the time. "Hey, Bob." he called. "Wanna come?"
Bob poked his head out of the kitchen. "No. I'm going to learn how to operate this stove if it kills me." he grumbled and returned to the kitchen.
Nervously, Harry said, "Uh, Bob? Please, be careful. Its a gas stove. It can kill you."
He heard Bob call, "Relax, Harry. Go... catch your philanderer."
Worried, Harry looked at the crystal then towards the kitchen. "Damn!" he exclaimed and hurried out the door.
Four hours later, Harry walked through the back door, tired, depressed and sporting a black eye. He tossed his jacket to a nearby chair and sat down on the sofa.
Bob charged into the room. "Harry, where the devil have you been? I was worri... what happened to your eye?" He came over to examine it.
Harry winced. "Yeah. Turns out the guy was being seduced by a White Court vampire. Kinda hard to say no to those people. Anyway, I tried to interfere and she tried to turn her charms on me."
"And how did Billy take that?" Bob asked wryly.
"Not too well, at first, but he took off real quick when her skin started burning where she touched me. Then the bitch screamed and punched me in the eye. Felt like my head exploded. When I got back to my feet, both she and Billy were gone."
Disturbed, Bob said, "I see. Here let me." He placed his hand over Harry's eye and whispered a few words Harry couldn't make out. When Bob removed his hand, the pain was gone and the swelling was down. "There we go." Bob said with satisfaction.
Harry smiled. "Thanks. Anyway, I followed Billy back to Sally's and told her that she'd been right the first time. Billy had been under a spell. Which, if you think about it, that's what White Court vampires do. They don't let people think straight."
Amused, Bob said, "You lied to her."
"Yeah, well, she loves the guy. I figured I'd give him a chance to make things right. I also pulled him aside and told him that if he hurt her, he'd have to deal with me."
"Ever the romantic. Come on, have some dinner. I ordered chinese. That stove hates me."
Harry laughed as he followed Bob to the kitchen. He was relieved that Bob hadn't asked about the vampire getting burned. Harry knew what that meant. In fact, no White Court vampire had ever been able to touch him in a sexual manner. They can't touch anyone whose in love. And Harry had been in love with Bob for years.
*****
Later that night, Bob was lying in bed thinking. If the vampire had had that kind of reaction to touching Harry, it could only mean one thing. Harry was in love, but with whom? The only possibilities he could think of were Amber and Lieutenant Murphy. Harry hadn't spent much time with Amber and seemed hesitant to ask her out, so the most logical choice would be Murphy. Bob sighed. That meant that he would have to make friends with her, if only for Harry's sake. Jealousy and sorrow fought for dominance as he stared at the ceiling. He'd always known that Harry would never be his. But, since he'd gained a physical body, his desires for the handsome, young wizard had increased tremendously. He sighed. It had been so much easier when he had been a ghost. Finally, he rolled over and tried to go to sleep.
(To Be Continued.)
Any comments? :)
Author: stormyd55
Rating: PG...sorry, no smut.
Pairing: Bob/Harry...well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 4300
Summary: Harry and Bob attend Kendra's funeral.
Author's Note: I really hated killing Kendra, but I felt it was essential to the story.
Important Note! I give up! I raise the white flag! I surrender! I had no problem creating links to the first five chapters, but chapter six and on simply are not working. I've checked and rechecked and checked again. The addresses were copied properly. So, anyone who wants to read previous chapters, please click on my author tag. It will bring up everything I've written, but at least you'll be able to read the full story. I'm sorry I can't seem to get it to work right. I'm going to leave this note in every chapter for the benefit of new readers. If anybody has any ideas, I'm all ears.
Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5
Title: The Trouble With Drakes 12
Author: stormyd55
Rating: PG...sorry, no smut.
Pairing: Bob/Harry... well, preslash (may they make like horny bunnies for all time)
Book/TV-Verse: TV
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Not mine! But, oh how I wish they were (evil chuckle).
Word Count: approx. 4300
Summary: Harry and Bob attend Kendra's funeral.
Author's Note: I really hated killing Kendra, but I felt it was essential to the story.
*****
Harry was asleep. He wanted to stay asleep. But someone kept shaking him and calling his name. "Harry. Please get up. We have to get ready. I swear, young man, don't make me dump ice water on your head!"
That did it. He was awake. Bleary eyed, but awake. Bob was standing over him wearing his black slacks, but bare chested. Still sleepy, Harry couldn't help but admire that chest. "Mmm, what time is it?"
"6:45. I've already showered, so the bathroom is your's. While you're in the shower, I'll get breakfast started. Come on, now. The sooner you get started, the better you'll feel." With that, Bob turned and hurried downstairs.
Harry stretched his long body, hearing his back pop in several places. Rising from the bed, he noticed that Bob had laid out his only black suit and one of his few white dress shirts. He hated suits. They were always associated with things that caused him pain or stress, like Justin's parties, court appearances and... funerals.
Sighing in resignation, he grabbed a clean pair of boxers and a towel. The bathroom was still a little steamy from Bob's shower. He tried to imagine Bob in the shower, all soapy and relaxed. Not crying and trying to scrub his own skin off in an anxiety attack as he had the other evening. But the desired fantasy wouldn't come. The only thing he could think about was Kendra taking her last breath in his arms.
He quickly finished cleaning up and dressing. He smelled something burning as he descended the stairs. He found Bob waving a pot holder over the charred remains of some toast. He noticed the reek of burned eggs as well.
Frustrated, Bob said angrily, "I don't understand it. I've watched you cook for years. I should be able to do this."
Harry took the pot holder from Bob and dumped the burnt eggs and toast into the trash can. "Its ok. Watching isn't the same as doing. Besides, you're upset about Kendra. No one should ever try to cook when they're upset. It never ends well. I'm not very hungry, anyway."
Somewhat consoled, Bob said, "Well, we need to eat something. Though I admit, I'm not all that hungry, myself."
Harry reached into the fridge. "Then I recommend bananas and orange juice." He pulled out the items in question. "But I want to stop at a Starbuck's on the way there. No instant, today. Today, I'm gonna need the good stuff. Hey, why aren't you wearing a shirt?"
"I knew trying to fix breakfast with unfamiliar technology might get messy. I didn't want to ruin my shirt and jacket." Bob reached into a cabinet for a couple of glasses. In the past, Harry had quite often drunk straight from the container and Bob was going to put a stop to that right now. They sat down at the kitchen table. Harry poured the juice while Bob peeled his first banana. Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as Bob took a bite of the fruit. The older man smiled at the mild, slightly sweet flavor, such a contrast to the strong, tangy flavor of the orange juice.
"I must admit, I'm rather curious about coffee. People seem almost addicted to it, more so than even pizza."
"That's because we are addicted to it. It's the caffeine. It's a stimulant. It's great for waking you up in the morning, but, if you don't need it, I'd suggest that you stick to de-caf. No sense getting hooked if you don't have to." Harry finished his second banana.
As much as he enjoyed the fruit, Bob couldn't bring himself to eat more than one. He took a few sips of orange juice and sat staring into his glass. "I wonder if they hate me." His words were barely audible.
Concerned, Harry asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, I know that Chloe and Meg don't, but surely some of Kendra's young ladies do. After all, I am the reason she is dead." He looked ashamed.
"Bob, no one blames you. It was Kendra's choice. You read her letter, right?" When Bob nodded, he continued. "Then you know that she was ready to go. Did I tell you that she died in my arms?" Bob's brow furrowed as he looked up into Harry's eyes. "Yeah, and she was smiling. Bob, she was happy. Happy about helping you and happy about finally being able to rest. And Tess knew what she was going to do. She helped her get her affairs in order. And Tess, Chloe and Meg all said that they wanted us there. They wouldn't ask that if a bunch of their coven hated us." Harry deliberately used the word us instead of you as a way of letting Bob know that he was not alone.
Bob took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Well, I suppose that I'd best finish getting dressed. We don't want to be late." He finished his juice and rose from the table. As he was about to leave the room, he looked back and said, "Thank you, Harry. You always seem to know what to say." He smiled and hurried upstairs.
Harry sat there for a few more minutes, slowly sipping his orange juice. The idea that anybody could hate Bob was more than a little disturbing. It made him think about Morgan, Mai and the Council. Thoughts that he'd been pushing to the back of his mind for the last couple of days. It made his stomach queasy thinking about it now. But he didn't have time to deal with any of that at the moment. He forced himself to clear his mind and put away those thoughts and worries. He concentrated on relaxing and controlling his breathing. After a few more moments, he felt better and got up to brush his teeth.
*****
The address that Tess had given him was actually a dock at one of the marinas that handled private sail boats and yachts. It was a good thing they'd left so early. The morning rush at Starbuck's had taken up quite a bit of time, although Harry thought it was well worth it as he swallowed the last of his expresso. They were supposed to be at the dock by 9:00. They had arrived at 8:30 and were now leaning against Harry's jeep in a companionable silence.
Bob was still nursing his de-caf french vanilla latte. He'd taken Harry's advice and avoided the caffeine but this amazing beverage still seemed like the nectar of the gods to him. He appeared to be content to stand there and breathe in its aroma, only now and then taking a sip and almost moaning in pleasure.
Harry knew he had a silly grin on his face as he leaned back with his arms crossed, watching Bob enjoy his first coffee. He mentally checked off one more item from his 'Bob's First' list. He wondered for a moment if he'd ever finish the list. It seemed like every time he checked off one item, five more would occur to him. Oh well, he would be quite content to spend the rest of his days helping Bob check things off that list.
At 8:45, other people began to arrive at the dock. Two medium sized yachts had been hired to carry the mourners to the location of the funeral. Later, he found out that the dock at their destination couldn't accommodate the larger vessels. Besides Kendra's coven, there were perhaps twenty people waiting to board. As Harry and Bob stood among those waiting, Tess came up to them. She hugged both of them and said that she was glad they could come. She then asked if they would ride with her and Kendra's girls. "I won't call them my girls until Kendra is properly laid to rest." she said, firmly.
They followed Tess to the second yacht. They found themselves to be the only guests outside of Kendra's coven to board this yacht. There was a group of older women Harry didn't know, inside the yacht's cabin, talking quietly. Tess went to join them. Several of the younger women quietly greeted them as they boarded. All of them were wearing cloaks of varying colors against the chill of the morning air. Summer was ending and autumn was just around the corner. The breeze off the lake was almost cold.
As the yacht pulled away from the dock, Harry and Bob stood in lee of the cabin, arms crossed to keep warm. Harry wished that he'd brought his leather jacket, but it would have looked odd with his suit and tie. And besides, the day would warm up soon.
Bob had finished his coffee a while ago. He stood close to Harry, as much for comfort as for warmth. He had his left arm around his waist, his left hand supporting his right elbow as he tapped the knuckle of his index finger against his lower lip. He was staring into the dark water of the lake, lost in thought. Somehow, Harry found this familiar stance to be comforting.
The trip took nearly an hour, during which, the crew offered the passengers hot chocolate and coffee. Bob took the opportunity to try the hot chocolate and found it to be rather soothing. At one point during the trip, he found himself fighting back tears. But he would not allow himself to fall apart in front of all these people. It was one thing to lose control in front of Harry, who loved him, at the very least as a brother or a father figure. It was quite another to do so in front of a bunch of strangers and his students, assuming they still wanted to be his students after today.
Harry and Bob watched as they approached an island. First one, then the other yacht drew along opposite sides of a wide dock. After both vessels were tied off and secured the passengers were allowed to disembark. Tess and the older members of the coven led the way off the dock and onto a path leading into the trees. Eventually, they came to a large clearing.
There was a ring of trees in the center of the clearing. On closer inspection, Harry realized that they were apple trees in full bloom which was wrong for this time of year. Suddenly, he had a strong feeling that those trees weren't there several days ago. He counted eight of them, in a perfect circle. They were tall enough that he would barely have to duck if he walked under their branches. He had expected to see Kendra's body, but placed between the mourners and the circle of young apple trees was a simple white urn. Maybe he had just wanted to see her again. Feeling his eyes tear up, he turned away and began studying the other mourners.
Many of them were extremely well dressed, although some were a little more casual. One old man, who was also studying the crowd, was actually wearing coveralls and a straw hat. Considering the fact that he'd be in black jeans, a black t-shirt and his leather jacket if Bob had allowed it, Harry wasn't going to judge anyone on their style of dress. Another older man was wearing an obviously old suit with a fedora and an ascot. Harry noticed him because he was the only man other than Bob that he'd ever seen wearing an ascot. The man seemed familiar and then Harry recognized him. He'd seen a picture of him in the Chicago Events section of the newspaper. He was a local artist. Harry kept looking around at other people and noticed a handsome couple standing close to each other, obviously seeking comfort. The man and woman were black and wearing beautifully elaborate African dress. Harry noticed the woman's resemblance to one of Kendra's girls. Perhaps they were her parents.
Harry's musings were interrupted as Tess walked over to stand behind the little, white urn. Eighteen young women, Kendra's charges, stood in a semi-circle behind her. They had removed their cloaks, the temperature being not as chilly as before. They were all wearing similar white dresses with long, flowing skirts, scooped necklines, and long flared sleeves. They also had apple blossoms in their hair. They all looked as if they'd stepped out of a medieval painting.
People had been talking among themselves, but, when Tess began to speak, they all grew silent. She spoke about things that one would expect at a funeral. She talked about Kendra's life and accomplishments. She said that Kendra had requested the eight trees to represent her eight beloved children, who'd gone to the afterlife long ago. She told humorous stories of her friendship with Kendra. And finally, she explained that her beloved friend had been ready to leave this world and that she had done so just as she had lived, with joy in her heart.
When Tess had finished speaking, there wasn't a dry eye in the clearing. Then the young women behind her began singing softly. Harry couldn't understand the words, but he recognized the language as Gaelic. It was beautiful.
Tess picked up the urn and moved to one of the trees. One by one, each girl stopped singing and followed her, until there was only one girl left. She appeared younger than the others, very pretty with long black hair, but Harry didn't recognize her even though she seemed familiar. She continued to sing in the most beautiful voice Harry had ever heard. And while she sang, Tess went to each tree and spread a little of Kendra's ashes at the base. The girls following her would touch the lower branches and flowers as they passed underneath. Finally, though still singing, the last girl followed the others.
What happened next would cause Bob to get choked up for years to come. The last tree Tess came to was on their right. Having discharged her burden, she laid the urn aside and approached Harry and Bob. First she clasped Harry's hands and said, "She came to love you both so much." then she kissed Bob on the cheek and walked away. She was then followed by eighteen smiling young women, each first clasping Harry's hands and then kissing Bob on the cheek. Bob came to understand that this was their way of honoring Kendra's choice and welcoming Bob back into the world. He no longer fought his tears, but let them flow quietly down his cheeks. In his previous life, he had never experienced such acceptance. It was more than a little overwhelming, and yet, it filled his heart with joy.
The last girl had stopped singing. She stood in front of Harry and clasped his hands. It was then that Harry recognized her as Meg, goth girl. Without her makeup, she seemed so young and innocent. Her dark eyes were damp with tears. She gazed up at him, smiled softly and... winked. Ok, not so innocent. She then kissed Bob on both cheeks and walked away. Harry put his arm around Bob's shoulders. It had been a moving experience for both of them. They remained silent as they returned to the dock. They didn't really need to say anything.
The trip back was much more lively. The coven did not separate themselves as they had earlier. Harry and Bob ended up on a yacht with Tess, again. The other passengers consisted of about half of the coven and half guests. The crew served a variety of beverages and a light lunch, while people clustered in small groups, sharing their own stories and memories of Kendra.
Harry held an untouched cocktail as he leaned against the cabin wall. He could see Bob talking with the artist he'd recognized earlier. He smothered a little surge of jealousy when he saw the man place his hand on Bob's arm in an obvious caress. Anyone could see it was an invitation. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as Bob gently removed the man's hand and leaned over to whisper something. When he pulled back, there was a look of disappointment on the guy's face. Then he smiled, shrugged his shoulders and turned to mingle with the other passengers.
Bob turned and saw Harry. Coming over to stand by the younger man, Bob asked, "Are you alright, Harry?"
"Fine. Why do you ask?"
"Everyone else is talking and sharing stories. You are standing all alone, watching. Can you blame me for being a little concerned?" His expression was steeped in sympathy. "She died in your arms, Harry. Why didn't you tell before today?"
"I don't know. Does it really matter? At first, I was so worried about you and then I had to go to the Manor. It just didn't seem important. Why?"
As gently as he could, Bob said, "Of course it's important, Harry. You've witnessed far too many people die. Your father, me, Kendra, and yes, even that bastard, Justin."
"Not to mention a few clients." Harry interjected, wryly.
"The point is such things can affect a person in ways they don't expect or even recognize until it's too late. You pull away from people, become withdrawn. You don't have to keep it all bottled up. In the long run, it just hurts more." Bob reached out and gripped Harry's arm firmly. "Before, I was limited in the ways I could interact with the world. I was limited in the ways I could help and support you. I am no longer a ghost. I am no longer a slave. I am your friend. In the past few days, you've told me on more than one occasion that you're there for me. Well, know this, Harry Dresden, I am there for you. Please, don't shut me out."
It was as if Bob's words had opened a window and let fresh air into a musty room. There was still a lot of work to be done. The room still needed cleaning, but it was a start. And most important of all, Bob's words sounded as if he was going to stick around. He had his papers. He had money. He could just hop on a bus or a train and disappear. But it sounded like he was going to stay.
Harry hadn't planned on bringing this subject up, ever, but grief and the stress of the last few days had gotten to him. "Does that mean you're gonna stay?" he asked tentatively. Then he hurriedly said, "I mean I understand if you just want to disappear, you know, to avoid the Council or whatever. You've got papers and money and it won't take you long to figure out how to get along in today's world. I wouldn't blame you for taking off. If you wanted to." He stared down at the deck, unable to look Bob in the eye.
Bob stared at Harry, studying his features. Had Harry brought this up in the last few days, Bob would have instantly jumped to the wrong conclusion and thought that Harry wanted him to leave. But, even though he still had his bad moments, Bob could feel his emotions becoming more settled, calmer, more like himself. And now, he could see the tension in Harry's jaw line and neck muscles. Harry did NOT want him to leave. Well, he thought, it's a good thing I hadn't planned on leaving.
He decided that the best approach would be to make light of the situation. "Eh! As if you could manage without me. I'm not going anywhere, Dresden. Get used to it."
Harry snorted and smiled. "Guess I'm stuck with you, eh?"
"To use one of your favorite terms, 'yep'." That left them both chuckling.
At that moment, Tess came up to them. "Excuse me, gentlemen, may I have a word, please?" They both turned and gave her their full attention. "Bob, I realize that you were giving lectures as payment of a debt, and, as Kendra is no longer with us, I have no intention of holding you to that debt. However, my girls have expressed a desire for you to continue giving the occasional lecture. I was wondering if you were interested in doing so."
Bob hesitated, then said, "Well, I do have a couple of lectures already planned out and ready to give. As for continuing after that, I'm not sure. It depends on several things, such as how busy I'll be helping Harry with his business and whether or not the High Council kills me again."
Tess's eyes went wide. "Oh, surely not. Well, that would make Kendra's sacrifice worth nothing at all. They wouldn't dare."
"My Lady, yes, they would. These people isolate themselves from the world and, therefore, have a very limited viewpoint. They can never see themselves changing, so they can't see someone like myself changing, at least not for the good. They will want to kill me. Whether or not we can convince them otherwise, remains to be seen."
Tess had a determined look on her face. "Well, if it comes to that, you will have our coven's full support. We will testify on your behalf if necessary. You two are not alone in this."
Bob took her right hand in both of his. "Thank you, my Lady." Then he bent and kissed the back of her hand.
Harry smiled and thought, Don't let anybody ever say that chivalry is dead.
The rest of the trip was uneventful. On the way home they stopped off at the grocery store. Bob wanted some fresh vegetables and Harry wanted to pickup a variety of foodstuffs for Bob to try.
It was around 3:00 in the afternoon by the time they returned to their apartment. Harry couldn't think of it as just his anymore. Harry put the open sign in the office window and went to the kitchen to help Bob put the groceries away.
As Harry was putting some items away in the freezer, he suddenly turned and said to Bob, "You know, I've been thinking about those items stolen from the museum. Could they be trying to 'forge' a weapon? Something designed specifically for Ancient Mai?"
Bob leaned against the counter. He crossed his arms and looked thoughtful. "It would make sense. If Amber is right, their clan leader was killed by Mai. They would want revenge. The heavier equipment could be for forging the weapon, while the more delicate tools would be for etching the weapon with spells. It could be designed to destroy her power, kill her,... any number of things. It all depends on how much they want her to suffer." He began pacing. "But, to be able to design the spells specifically for Ancient Mai, they would need something of her's. I don't mean just a possession. I mean a physical piece of her, such as hair, finger nails, or a bit of blood. I can't see them getting their claws on that."
"Um, neither can I. Not with Morgan around. Look, I gotta get out of this suit. I'll be right back."
As Harry went upstairs to change, Bob hung his suit jacket on the coat rack and walked towards the office. Just as he sat down at Harry's desk the phone rang. Bob hesitated, then picked up the receiver. "Hello, Harry Dresden's office."
"Hello, is Mr. Dresden there?"
"Ahh, he's busy in the next room. May I ask who's calling?"
"This is Sally Foreman. I spoke to him a few days ago, concerning my cheating bastard of a boyfriend. He told me to let him know if Billy suddenly canceled on me again. Can I talk to him?"
Bob heard Harry coming back down stairs. "One moment, my dear." He set the receiver on the desk, got up and stuck his head around the corner. He caught Harry's attention and said, "Harry? Phone. Sally Foreman. Cheating boyfriend."
As he passed, Harry smiled and said, "Thanks, Bob. I always wanted a secretary." He ducked as Bob threw a magazine at his head. Then he grabbed the phone and said cheerfully, "Hey, Sally. Did he cancel on you? (pause) And you're sure he's not working late like he said? (pause) Uh unh. Ok, can you come by here? I'm gonna need you to bring me something of his. Something with DNA, like hair from his hairbrush. (pause) Oh, he's bald. (pause) Yeah, a toothbrush would work. (pause) Ok, I'll see you in half an hour. Bye." He hung up.
Bob looked disheartened. "Do you often take cases involving cheating 'significant others'?"
"Yeah, unfortunately. I usually don't bother you with those cases."
"But, it's rather beneath you, isn't it?"
Harry sighed in exasperation and began putting some books away on a shelf. "It pays the bills, Bob."
Hastily, Bob said, "I'm not trying to criticize, Harry. I just want better for you. Cases like this are a waste of your talents."
Harry picked up a few more books, looked Bob in the eye and said, "Like I said, it pays the bills." Harry didn't like these cases anymore than Bob did, but for different reasons. Nine times out of ten, the man or woman being cheated on was a nice person, worthy of having a relationship with, while the one cheating was usually seeing someone with no class what-so-ever. Having such bad luck in the romance department, it galled Harry to see these people just throw away a good thing.
Half an hour later, Sally Foreman showed up with a zip-lock bag containing a well used toothbrush. Harry spoke with her for a few minutes and then ushered her out the door with a promise to call her later that evening. He carried the toothbrush to the lab and dumped it into the muddy tracking potion Bob had already prepared for him. Then he lowered the tracking crystal into the pot and slowly pulled it out. He studied it for a few seconds. The crystal glowed with a steady blue light. "Well, Billy, I guess you're not dead. Let's find out where you are."
On the way to the front door, he grabbed his jacket and his old camera. It worked most of the time. "Hey, Bob." he called. "Wanna come?"
Bob poked his head out of the kitchen. "No. I'm going to learn how to operate this stove if it kills me." he grumbled and returned to the kitchen.
Nervously, Harry said, "Uh, Bob? Please, be careful. Its a gas stove. It can kill you."
He heard Bob call, "Relax, Harry. Go... catch your philanderer."
Worried, Harry looked at the crystal then towards the kitchen. "Damn!" he exclaimed and hurried out the door.
Four hours later, Harry walked through the back door, tired, depressed and sporting a black eye. He tossed his jacket to a nearby chair and sat down on the sofa.
Bob charged into the room. "Harry, where the devil have you been? I was worri... what happened to your eye?" He came over to examine it.
Harry winced. "Yeah. Turns out the guy was being seduced by a White Court vampire. Kinda hard to say no to those people. Anyway, I tried to interfere and she tried to turn her charms on me."
"And how did Billy take that?" Bob asked wryly.
"Not too well, at first, but he took off real quick when her skin started burning where she touched me. Then the bitch screamed and punched me in the eye. Felt like my head exploded. When I got back to my feet, both she and Billy were gone."
Disturbed, Bob said, "I see. Here let me." He placed his hand over Harry's eye and whispered a few words Harry couldn't make out. When Bob removed his hand, the pain was gone and the swelling was down. "There we go." Bob said with satisfaction.
Harry smiled. "Thanks. Anyway, I followed Billy back to Sally's and told her that she'd been right the first time. Billy had been under a spell. Which, if you think about it, that's what White Court vampires do. They don't let people think straight."
Amused, Bob said, "You lied to her."
"Yeah, well, she loves the guy. I figured I'd give him a chance to make things right. I also pulled him aside and told him that if he hurt her, he'd have to deal with me."
"Ever the romantic. Come on, have some dinner. I ordered chinese. That stove hates me."
Harry laughed as he followed Bob to the kitchen. He was relieved that Bob hadn't asked about the vampire getting burned. Harry knew what that meant. In fact, no White Court vampire had ever been able to touch him in a sexual manner. They can't touch anyone whose in love. And Harry had been in love with Bob for years.
*****
Later that night, Bob was lying in bed thinking. If the vampire had had that kind of reaction to touching Harry, it could only mean one thing. Harry was in love, but with whom? The only possibilities he could think of were Amber and Lieutenant Murphy. Harry hadn't spent much time with Amber and seemed hesitant to ask her out, so the most logical choice would be Murphy. Bob sighed. That meant that he would have to make friends with her, if only for Harry's sake. Jealousy and sorrow fought for dominance as he stared at the ceiling. He'd always known that Harry would never be his. But, since he'd gained a physical body, his desires for the handsome, young wizard had increased tremendously. He sighed. It had been so much easier when he had been a ghost. Finally, he rolled over and tried to go to sleep.
(To Be Continued.)
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