Fragile Truth and Tragic Freedom 11/?
Title: Fragile Truth and Tragic Freedom 11/?
Series: TDS, TCR, Countdown w/ KO.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Language, Violence
Disclaimer: I do not own Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, or any known political figures who appear in this story.
Summary: Keith-centric AU- Ages and backgrounds have been totally messed with. With the rise of a dictatorship regime in America, comes the rise of rebels. This is the story of the rebel group in New York City, fighting to bring the truth to the people and return their freedom.
Author's Note: Please comment. Feedback is good.
One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine / Ten
Chapter 11
Keith was wakened up by two small people climbing on top of him. “Time to get up,” announced Piper from her position on his legs.
“Waffles,” added Fletcher, who was sitting on his chest.
Keith didn’t open his eyes. “Five more minutes.”
“The waffles will get cold in five minutes,” said Fletcher.
“Maybe I like cold waffles.” Keith didn’t expect a pillow to hit him in the face.
“Cold waffles are nasty,” Piper said. She and her brother got off of Keith and grabbed his hands. “Get up,” they insisted as they tried to pull him off the couch.
Keith let Piper and Fletcher take him into the kitchen, where a cheer of, “He’s alive,” greeted him.
“Honestly, Keith, I’ve only seen you sleep this late once,” said Stephen. “It’s ten-thirty.”
Keith took the empty chair between Sam and Demetri. Jason placed two freshly-made waffles on his plate. Breakfast felt as cozy as dinner had the night before.
Keith listened to Oliver and Piper’s discussion about who the best Pokémon was, and Fletcher’s explanation of what Power Rangers was to Stephen and Demetri.
Like last night, Keith and the other guests helped Jason clean up after everyone was finished eating. Then Keith got his cleaned clothes and took a shower. Stephen almost instantly replaced Keith when he was done.
Keith started putting on his shoes at the front door. He looked up from his shoelaces when he felt the presence of one of the children.
Piper reached up and spiked up Keith wet hair. Then she said, “Daddy says that you and Stephen are leaving really soon.”
“We’re going as soon as Stephen is ready,” Keith confirmed.
“Do you have to go?”
Keith was struck by the level of sadness in the girl’s question. “Yes, we do.”
“Why?”
Keith reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. Piper got into his lap and leaned back against his chest.
Keith unfolded the paper to reveal the drawing he had done last night. The green lines that it had started off with had been turned into trees. “This is my family,” he explained of the four people in front of the trees.
“That’s you and Stephen,” Piper pointed to the grey-haired figure and the man wearing glasses.
“Right. And those are Jon and Rachel,” Keith said of the two remaining figures.
“You have to go back to your own family,” Piper realized.
“Exactly.”
“Can you come back and visit?”
Keith folded the drawing back up, and pressed it into Piper’s hands. “I want you to look after this for me. And I’ll… When I can, I’ll come back for it.”
Piper looked at the paper, then up into Keith’s eyes. “Promise?”
“I… I’ll do my best.”
Piper hugged Keith tightly. “Okay.”
“Ready to go?” Stephen asked as he came over, fresh from the shower, and bent down to put on his shoes. Fletcher ran out of the living room and wrapped his arms around Stephen’s leg.
Stephen picked the boy up and hugged him. “Take care of yourself, little man.” He handed Fletcher to his mother as she, Jason, Oliver, and Demetri came to see them off.
“I will,” Fletcher replied.
Keith put Piper down and stood up. He shook Jason’s hand and was pulled into an embrace. Keith and Stephen received hugs from everyone before they went out and got their motorcycles from the garage.
Keith took a moment to wipe his eyes.
“Hey, are you crying?” Stephen quietly asked.
Keith shook his head. They started their motorcycles to the sound of six people shouting variations of “Good luck” and “Good-bye.”
**********
Keith and Stephen had barely parked their motorcycles when they were tackled off them. Keith ended up flat on his back with Rachel straddling his waist. Jon was sitting on Stephen nearby.
“I take it you guys missed us,” remarked Stephen.
Jon didn’t bother talking, and went straight for a session of passionate kissing.
Keith sat up and firmly held Rachel against him. He felt her snuggle even closer. As soon as Stephen and Jon separated, Keith said, “Do you want to hear all about our trip?”
“Yes, tell us all about it,” Rachel and Jon answered.
The four friends didn’t bother going inside, opting for lying in the grass. Keith and Stephen told them about John Oliver and the last-minute addition of Demetri Martin.
After Stephen told them about the ghost stories, Keith went quiet. “What’s wrong?” Jon inquired.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Keith answered. “The storm woke me up after Stephen, Oliver, and Demetri had fallen asleep. It also woke up Piper.” Keith continued in a hushed voice. “I put her back to bed. She asked me to stay, so I did, and I sang to her.”
“You what?”
A small smile formed on Keith’s face. “I sang a lullaby to her. One that my mom used to sing to me. Anyway, Piper fell asleep, and Sam came in. We talked for a little bit.” Keith sat up and looked up at the slowly-passing clouds. “Then, she suddenly asked me if I wanted children.”
“What did you say?” asked Stephen.
“I told Sam that I hadn’t really thought about it. I haven’t seen a child since I was eighteen. None of us have. Out of sight, out of mind.”
“And now?” Rachel asked, putting her arms around his shoulders.
“Now… After all this is over, when families can be together again… I think I do want children.”
Stephen agreed. “I think Jon and I should adopt a couple kids, too.”
Keith indicated for Stephen to continue on with the story. As Stephen spoke, Rachel got behind Keith and pulled him back until he was comfortably relaxed against her. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin in his hair.
Stephen finished, and no one wanted to go inside. It was a nice day, late in the afternoon. A moderate breeze ruffled Keith’s hair. With thoughts of what could be if the Regime fell, he fell asleep in Rachel’s arms.
**************
“President Cheney has chosen his successor,” Jon announced after he opened an email from Cooper.
Keith, Stephen, and Rachel gathered around the laptop.
“So, who did he decide on?” asked Keith. “The dumbass from Texas?”
“The bitch from Alaska?” Rachel continued.
“Or the bastard who really should get his name checked out?” Stephen finished.
“Very nice descriptions,” Jon commented. “John Boehner is the new head of internal security. George W Bush is the new presidential advisor. And that leaves Sarah Palin as our new president. They start on Friday.”
Everyone was silent for a moment. Rachel said, “I thought Cheney was smarter than that.”
“So did I,” replied Stephen. “Not that we exactly follow politics, but it seems that he chose the two dumbest people he possibly could have to run the country.”
“Does that make our job easier?” Jon asked.
Keith shook his head. “Boehner, the smartest of the three, is in charge of internal security, which is dealing with us rebels.”
“Oh, that’s a good point,” Jon responded.
“The question is if he’ll keep the security the same, or majorly beef it up,” said Rachel.
“How much beefing up can he do that hasn’t already been done?” Stephen wondered.
“I think the fact that there are still rebel groups in many of the major cities gives us a clue of how much can be done,” Keith pointed out.
“Well, come Friday, we’ll find out,” Jon stated.
Series: TDS, TCR, Countdown w/ KO.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Language, Violence
Disclaimer: I do not own Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, or any known political figures who appear in this story.
Summary: Keith-centric AU- Ages and backgrounds have been totally messed with. With the rise of a dictatorship regime in America, comes the rise of rebels. This is the story of the rebel group in New York City, fighting to bring the truth to the people and return their freedom.
Author's Note: Please comment. Feedback is good.
One / Two / Three / Four / Five / Six / Seven / Eight / Nine / Ten
Chapter 11
Keith was wakened up by two small people climbing on top of him. “Time to get up,” announced Piper from her position on his legs.
“Waffles,” added Fletcher, who was sitting on his chest.
Keith didn’t open his eyes. “Five more minutes.”
“The waffles will get cold in five minutes,” said Fletcher.
“Maybe I like cold waffles.” Keith didn’t expect a pillow to hit him in the face.
“Cold waffles are nasty,” Piper said. She and her brother got off of Keith and grabbed his hands. “Get up,” they insisted as they tried to pull him off the couch.
Keith let Piper and Fletcher take him into the kitchen, where a cheer of, “He’s alive,” greeted him.
“Honestly, Keith, I’ve only seen you sleep this late once,” said Stephen. “It’s ten-thirty.”
Keith took the empty chair between Sam and Demetri. Jason placed two freshly-made waffles on his plate. Breakfast felt as cozy as dinner had the night before.
Keith listened to Oliver and Piper’s discussion about who the best Pokémon was, and Fletcher’s explanation of what Power Rangers was to Stephen and Demetri.
Like last night, Keith and the other guests helped Jason clean up after everyone was finished eating. Then Keith got his cleaned clothes and took a shower. Stephen almost instantly replaced Keith when he was done.
Keith started putting on his shoes at the front door. He looked up from his shoelaces when he felt the presence of one of the children.
Piper reached up and spiked up Keith wet hair. Then she said, “Daddy says that you and Stephen are leaving really soon.”
“We’re going as soon as Stephen is ready,” Keith confirmed.
“Do you have to go?”
Keith was struck by the level of sadness in the girl’s question. “Yes, we do.”
“Why?”
Keith reached into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. Piper got into his lap and leaned back against his chest.
Keith unfolded the paper to reveal the drawing he had done last night. The green lines that it had started off with had been turned into trees. “This is my family,” he explained of the four people in front of the trees.
“That’s you and Stephen,” Piper pointed to the grey-haired figure and the man wearing glasses.
“Right. And those are Jon and Rachel,” Keith said of the two remaining figures.
“You have to go back to your own family,” Piper realized.
“Exactly.”
“Can you come back and visit?”
Keith folded the drawing back up, and pressed it into Piper’s hands. “I want you to look after this for me. And I’ll… When I can, I’ll come back for it.”
Piper looked at the paper, then up into Keith’s eyes. “Promise?”
“I… I’ll do my best.”
Piper hugged Keith tightly. “Okay.”
“Ready to go?” Stephen asked as he came over, fresh from the shower, and bent down to put on his shoes. Fletcher ran out of the living room and wrapped his arms around Stephen’s leg.
Stephen picked the boy up and hugged him. “Take care of yourself, little man.” He handed Fletcher to his mother as she, Jason, Oliver, and Demetri came to see them off.
“I will,” Fletcher replied.
Keith put Piper down and stood up. He shook Jason’s hand and was pulled into an embrace. Keith and Stephen received hugs from everyone before they went out and got their motorcycles from the garage.
Keith took a moment to wipe his eyes.
“Hey, are you crying?” Stephen quietly asked.
Keith shook his head. They started their motorcycles to the sound of six people shouting variations of “Good luck” and “Good-bye.”
**********
Keith and Stephen had barely parked their motorcycles when they were tackled off them. Keith ended up flat on his back with Rachel straddling his waist. Jon was sitting on Stephen nearby.
“I take it you guys missed us,” remarked Stephen.
Jon didn’t bother talking, and went straight for a session of passionate kissing.
Keith sat up and firmly held Rachel against him. He felt her snuggle even closer. As soon as Stephen and Jon separated, Keith said, “Do you want to hear all about our trip?”
“Yes, tell us all about it,” Rachel and Jon answered.
The four friends didn’t bother going inside, opting for lying in the grass. Keith and Stephen told them about John Oliver and the last-minute addition of Demetri Martin.
After Stephen told them about the ghost stories, Keith went quiet. “What’s wrong?” Jon inquired.
“Nothing’s wrong,” Keith answered. “The storm woke me up after Stephen, Oliver, and Demetri had fallen asleep. It also woke up Piper.” Keith continued in a hushed voice. “I put her back to bed. She asked me to stay, so I did, and I sang to her.”
“You what?”
A small smile formed on Keith’s face. “I sang a lullaby to her. One that my mom used to sing to me. Anyway, Piper fell asleep, and Sam came in. We talked for a little bit.” Keith sat up and looked up at the slowly-passing clouds. “Then, she suddenly asked me if I wanted children.”
“What did you say?” asked Stephen.
“I told Sam that I hadn’t really thought about it. I haven’t seen a child since I was eighteen. None of us have. Out of sight, out of mind.”
“And now?” Rachel asked, putting her arms around his shoulders.
“Now… After all this is over, when families can be together again… I think I do want children.”
Stephen agreed. “I think Jon and I should adopt a couple kids, too.”
Keith indicated for Stephen to continue on with the story. As Stephen spoke, Rachel got behind Keith and pulled him back until he was comfortably relaxed against her. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her chin in his hair.
Stephen finished, and no one wanted to go inside. It was a nice day, late in the afternoon. A moderate breeze ruffled Keith’s hair. With thoughts of what could be if the Regime fell, he fell asleep in Rachel’s arms.
**************
“President Cheney has chosen his successor,” Jon announced after he opened an email from Cooper.
Keith, Stephen, and Rachel gathered around the laptop.
“So, who did he decide on?” asked Keith. “The dumbass from Texas?”
“The bitch from Alaska?” Rachel continued.
“Or the bastard who really should get his name checked out?” Stephen finished.
“Very nice descriptions,” Jon commented. “John Boehner is the new head of internal security. George W Bush is the new presidential advisor. And that leaves Sarah Palin as our new president. They start on Friday.”
Everyone was silent for a moment. Rachel said, “I thought Cheney was smarter than that.”
“So did I,” replied Stephen. “Not that we exactly follow politics, but it seems that he chose the two dumbest people he possibly could have to run the country.”
“Does that make our job easier?” Jon asked.
Keith shook his head. “Boehner, the smartest of the three, is in charge of internal security, which is dealing with us rebels.”
“Oh, that’s a good point,” Jon responded.
“The question is if he’ll keep the security the same, or majorly beef it up,” said Rachel.
“How much beefing up can he do that hasn’t already been done?” Stephen wondered.
“I think the fact that there are still rebel groups in many of the major cities gives us a clue of how much can be done,” Keith pointed out.
“Well, come Friday, we’ll find out,” Jon stated.