18. Ring Around the Rosies
Title: Ring Around the Rosies
Author: Terion
Disclaimer: Not. Mine.
Rating: Caution for...nothing.
POV: Nicolas "Nick" Dresden
Book or TV verse: Book verse, AU after Proven Guilty...all previous in the series found here.
Summary: Leaving what you know is hard. Leaving what you know to go do something that could kill you...that's even harder.
“We got everything?” I asked as I threw the last bag into the back of the older model Jeep Virg had managed to acquire. Or, more I should say had snitched from her parent’s garage. They wouldn’t miss it, as it hadn’t been driven since she took it joy riding once when she was fifteen.
“Think so,” she replied, tucking a thick envelope into the back pocket of her low-rise jeans. “Got money, vehicle, weapons, and magic gear. Yeah, we’re good.”
I grinned and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist in a warm hug. “Then let’s get moving,” I said in a low voice as I kissed her cheek.
Virg laughed and turned in my grasp, nuzzling her nose against my chin.
“Watch it, mister. Else I might have to drag you inside and delay this rescue for an hour.”
“Tempting but we do need to leave now.”
“Not just yet,” said a familiar voice from the other side of the Jeep and I spun around to stare through it in shock.
“Carlos! Molly!”
“Hi, Nicky,” said Molly, coming around the Jeep to hug me briefly. Then she gasped as she really looked at me and breathed, “You look more and more like him every day, I swear.”
I smiled sheepishly and ran a hand through my hair, shrugging slightly. “Not my fault.”
“Yes, we know,” said Carlos as he came to stand next to his wife, one arm slung across her shoulders. They didn’t look any different from when I’d last really seen them two years ago - I hadn’t had time to make small talk with them at the Council meeting and see them. A few new lines here and there and the random new scar was it. I figured there'd be more difference than that but my dad never changed much in my memory until Mom died. It’s only since then that he’s really started to look more of his age (which I do remember even if he chooses not to).
I chuckled then asked, “What are you two doing here? The Council doesn’t…”
“The Council doesn’t know about your little escapade,” said Molly reassuringly. “Morgan told Carlos and suggested that we give you a hand.”
“But not in so many words,” added Carlos with a grin.
“Morgan?!”
Molly chuckled and said, “Yeah, I think he’s gotten soft of late. And we are coming with you two. There is no saying ‘no,’ you hear me?”
I wilted back under the glare she shot at me, feeling like I was dealing with Momma Charity. Resisting the strong urge to hide behind Virg, I mumbled, “Yes’m.”
“Good. We’ve got everything we need in our pickup. I assume everything you need is in here?”
“Got it all and the kitchen sink,” quipped Virg, not at all put off by Molly’s glare. Then again…the two of them had both been teenage rebels so maybe that made them immune to each other’s effects.
“Good. Guess we’re ready to go then unless someone else is joining the party.”
I shrugged and headed back towards the apartment to go get Mouse. “Just the dog.”
There was a moment of silence then Carlos yelled, “You’re not fitting the dog in that jeep!”
Virg laughed at that and I heard her response of, “You don’t know us very well, do you?” before I was in the house and looking for the dog. I found him by the fireplace and patted his head before heading down into the lab.
“Leaving now?” greeting Bob from his spot in the middle of Little Chicago.
“Yeah,” I replied. “Anything up in town?”
The skull shook slightly from left to right and he replied, “Nothing more than the usual. Oh, and good job finally getting some, kid. I was starting to wonder if you were gay.”
My cheeks burned at that and I gaped at him for a minute. Then I scowled and exclaimed, “You thought I was gay?!”
“Like I said, I was starting to wonder. But last night…woohoo, you two made some noise! I wouldn’t have minded getting in on that action.”
“No, Bob. Just…no. So everything’s quiet?”
“Yup. All’s quiet on the western front. And the eastern and…well, all of them.”
“Good.” I tugged out three thick books and sat them down near him on the table. “Something to keep you company while we’re gone.”
The orange lights that were his eyes sparked brighter and he said, “Wow. You’re a peach, kid.”
“Thanks. And, Bob, if we don’t make it back…Ebenezar’s going to come after you. If James starts showing magic, I think it’d be best that you go to him.”
“Aw, you’re gonna make me start crying, kid. Don’t worry so much. You’ll make it back.”
Glad one of us has confidence in that.
Shrugging, I patted the skull gently then turned to leave the lab. Just before I closed the door, Bob called, “Nicolas.”
I stopped short and turned to stare at him. He hadn’t called me by my first name since I’d whined about him using it when I was twelve.
“Yeah, Bob?”
“Be careful. And take care of that cupcake of yours.”
I smiled at that and said, “If it’s in my power, she’ll be the one of us that makes it through this if the rest of us don’t.”
He just nodded and I closed the door, heading back upstairs. Then I hooked Mouse’s leash on, checked to make sure everything in the apartment was in place and turned off, then I headed out the door. It closed behind me with a hollow sound that made me shudder and Mouse whined before throwing his shoulder reassuringly against my leg. I patted his head in response and murmured, “Let’s go, boy.”
As we got back up to where the vehicles were parked, I looked over at Carlos and Molly, who were having a quiet conversation by their truck. They had three kids now if I recalled correctly…what would happen to them if they died? The eldest would be…Hell’s bells, he’d be about the same age as I was when Mom died.
My eyes drifted to Virg then and I wished, for a brief second, that last night hadn’t happened. That she hadn’t suddenly changed places in my heart, from friend to lover. I’d be constantly keeping an eye on her now, sacrificing my own safety for hers.
Though…I did that already. So I guess my argument is moot.
“Are we ready?” she asked softly as I came near her again. Mouse pawed at her leg for petting and she obliged him by rubbing his ears but kept her gaze on me.
“As we’ll ever be,” I replied. “Molly, Carlos! We’re ready to roll.”
Carlos nodded at that and grinned, giving me a thumbs up before climbing into the driver’s side of their pickup. Molly smiled as she climbed into the passenger seat and I swear I saw her laughing as we squeezed Mouse, Virg, and me into what room was left in the Jeep. It felt like a clown car inside with Mouse’s head resting right on my shoulder but I was used to that. With my height, getting in and out of the Beetle daily feels like a clown car.
Grunting, I looked sideways at Virg after readjusting the seat. She stared back at me for a moment, fear in her eyes.
“Go,” she breathed.
I threw the gears into drive before either of us could think further and decide not to continue with this madness. And we were on our way.
There was no turning back now.
Author: Terion
Disclaimer: Not. Mine.
Rating: Caution for...nothing.
POV: Nicolas "Nick" Dresden
Book or TV verse: Book verse, AU after Proven Guilty...all previous in the series found here.
Summary: Leaving what you know is hard. Leaving what you know to go do something that could kill you...that's even harder.
“We got everything?” I asked as I threw the last bag into the back of the older model Jeep Virg had managed to acquire. Or, more I should say had snitched from her parent’s garage. They wouldn’t miss it, as it hadn’t been driven since she took it joy riding once when she was fifteen.
“Think so,” she replied, tucking a thick envelope into the back pocket of her low-rise jeans. “Got money, vehicle, weapons, and magic gear. Yeah, we’re good.”
I grinned and walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist in a warm hug. “Then let’s get moving,” I said in a low voice as I kissed her cheek.
Virg laughed and turned in my grasp, nuzzling her nose against my chin.
“Watch it, mister. Else I might have to drag you inside and delay this rescue for an hour.”
“Tempting but we do need to leave now.”
“Not just yet,” said a familiar voice from the other side of the Jeep and I spun around to stare through it in shock.
“Carlos! Molly!”
“Hi, Nicky,” said Molly, coming around the Jeep to hug me briefly. Then she gasped as she really looked at me and breathed, “You look more and more like him every day, I swear.”
I smiled sheepishly and ran a hand through my hair, shrugging slightly. “Not my fault.”
“Yes, we know,” said Carlos as he came to stand next to his wife, one arm slung across her shoulders. They didn’t look any different from when I’d last really seen them two years ago - I hadn’t had time to make small talk with them at the Council meeting and see them. A few new lines here and there and the random new scar was it. I figured there'd be more difference than that but my dad never changed much in my memory until Mom died. It’s only since then that he’s really started to look more of his age (which I do remember even if he chooses not to).
I chuckled then asked, “What are you two doing here? The Council doesn’t…”
“The Council doesn’t know about your little escapade,” said Molly reassuringly. “Morgan told Carlos and suggested that we give you a hand.”
“But not in so many words,” added Carlos with a grin.
“Morgan?!”
Molly chuckled and said, “Yeah, I think he’s gotten soft of late. And we are coming with you two. There is no saying ‘no,’ you hear me?”
I wilted back under the glare she shot at me, feeling like I was dealing with Momma Charity. Resisting the strong urge to hide behind Virg, I mumbled, “Yes’m.”
“Good. We’ve got everything we need in our pickup. I assume everything you need is in here?”
“Got it all and the kitchen sink,” quipped Virg, not at all put off by Molly’s glare. Then again…the two of them had both been teenage rebels so maybe that made them immune to each other’s effects.
“Good. Guess we’re ready to go then unless someone else is joining the party.”
I shrugged and headed back towards the apartment to go get Mouse. “Just the dog.”
There was a moment of silence then Carlos yelled, “You’re not fitting the dog in that jeep!”
Virg laughed at that and I heard her response of, “You don’t know us very well, do you?” before I was in the house and looking for the dog. I found him by the fireplace and patted his head before heading down into the lab.
“Leaving now?” greeting Bob from his spot in the middle of Little Chicago.
“Yeah,” I replied. “Anything up in town?”
The skull shook slightly from left to right and he replied, “Nothing more than the usual. Oh, and good job finally getting some, kid. I was starting to wonder if you were gay.”
My cheeks burned at that and I gaped at him for a minute. Then I scowled and exclaimed, “You thought I was gay?!”
“Like I said, I was starting to wonder. But last night…woohoo, you two made some noise! I wouldn’t have minded getting in on that action.”
“No, Bob. Just…no. So everything’s quiet?”
“Yup. All’s quiet on the western front. And the eastern and…well, all of them.”
“Good.” I tugged out three thick books and sat them down near him on the table. “Something to keep you company while we’re gone.”
The orange lights that were his eyes sparked brighter and he said, “Wow. You’re a peach, kid.”
“Thanks. And, Bob, if we don’t make it back…Ebenezar’s going to come after you. If James starts showing magic, I think it’d be best that you go to him.”
“Aw, you’re gonna make me start crying, kid. Don’t worry so much. You’ll make it back.”
Glad one of us has confidence in that.
Shrugging, I patted the skull gently then turned to leave the lab. Just before I closed the door, Bob called, “Nicolas.”
I stopped short and turned to stare at him. He hadn’t called me by my first name since I’d whined about him using it when I was twelve.
“Yeah, Bob?”
“Be careful. And take care of that cupcake of yours.”
I smiled at that and said, “If it’s in my power, she’ll be the one of us that makes it through this if the rest of us don’t.”
He just nodded and I closed the door, heading back upstairs. Then I hooked Mouse’s leash on, checked to make sure everything in the apartment was in place and turned off, then I headed out the door. It closed behind me with a hollow sound that made me shudder and Mouse whined before throwing his shoulder reassuringly against my leg. I patted his head in response and murmured, “Let’s go, boy.”
As we got back up to where the vehicles were parked, I looked over at Carlos and Molly, who were having a quiet conversation by their truck. They had three kids now if I recalled correctly…what would happen to them if they died? The eldest would be…Hell’s bells, he’d be about the same age as I was when Mom died.
My eyes drifted to Virg then and I wished, for a brief second, that last night hadn’t happened. That she hadn’t suddenly changed places in my heart, from friend to lover. I’d be constantly keeping an eye on her now, sacrificing my own safety for hers.
Though…I did that already. So I guess my argument is moot.
“Are we ready?” she asked softly as I came near her again. Mouse pawed at her leg for petting and she obliged him by rubbing his ears but kept her gaze on me.
“As we’ll ever be,” I replied. “Molly, Carlos! We’re ready to roll.”
Carlos nodded at that and grinned, giving me a thumbs up before climbing into the driver’s side of their pickup. Molly smiled as she climbed into the passenger seat and I swear I saw her laughing as we squeezed Mouse, Virg, and me into what room was left in the Jeep. It felt like a clown car inside with Mouse’s head resting right on my shoulder but I was used to that. With my height, getting in and out of the Beetle daily feels like a clown car.
Grunting, I looked sideways at Virg after readjusting the seat. She stared back at me for a moment, fear in her eyes.
“Go,” she breathed.
I threw the gears into drive before either of us could think further and decide not to continue with this madness. And we were on our way.
There was no turning back now.