Talisman Chapter 8
After a great set at the Rat's Nest, Galen and Flash begin to exhibit strange behaviour. Can Rob figure out how to help them before he falls victim to what's affecting his brother and friend?
Characters used with permission. For Muffy Morrigan's birthday.
Featuring Galen, Rob, Parry and Bobby Emrys, Flash Lynch, Rhiannon, Becci, Sarah and Mike.
xposted at fanfiction.net
Disclaimer: The following story uses characters out of The Legacy in a series called Custodes Noctis. Used with permission.
Author's Notes: Written for Muffy Morrigan's birthday a few months back. The story will also be posted on my live journal site. This is because in coming chapters there will be lyrics that cannot be posted here. I hope you enjoy.
Muffy thanks for letting me play in your sandbox and for betaing your own gift.
Talisman
Chapter 8
by infinite shadow
“That’s it?” Rob murmured as he looked at the newly grown grass where the fresh earth had been mere moments ago. He still felt an echo of the sadness and melancholy but those feelings had started to dissipate as the grass grew. Exhaustion seemed to encompass him and he almost staggered from the change. Rob wasn’t sure if he could keep his eyes open long enough to lie down.
Bobby chuckled. “Were you wanting fireworks or something?”
“No. It’s just kinda anticlimactic is all,” Rob mumbled.
“What now?” Rhiannon asked looking from Rob to Bobby. “Cause I’m with Rob. There’s usually some light show, or evil to fend off or something. It’s never this easy.”
Bobby chuckled. “Some days it just is. Now, get this one back inside before he falls asleep on his feet,” he said before he disappeared.
Rhiannon glanced over at Rob and saw him swaying slightly where he stood staring at the ground. “Ok. Come on. Let’s go.”
Rob looked at her as Rhiannon grabbed his bicep and steered him towards the door. After several steps he looked down to where she was holding onto his arm. “Hey, I can walk you know.”
“And you’re doing just fine,” she said, agreeing with him but not letting go.
He sighed and allowed himself to be taken wherever Rhiannon wanted him to go. He liked her, he trusted her and so did Galen. So he closed his eyes and just concentrated on keeping his feet moving.
It took a few minutes to get inside and to the stairs that led up to the apartment.
“You know you’re far more coordinated when you’re drunk.”
“I’m not drunk,” Rob said with a shake of his head. He opened his eyes and sighed. “Just a little tired and ... Worn thin.”
“That’s very true.”
Rhiannon managed to help him to the top of the stairs before she let go and stood next to him. He was mostly asleep and everything had taken on an almost dream-like quality. He swayed where he stood as he looked around at everyone.
Becci stood up from where she’d been sitting with Galen and stretched slowly.
Rob watched transfixed as the he saw the paper thin blouse move over the tight dark blue camisole and smooth pale skin. He thought that might be the most intoxicating thing he’d ever seen.
A quiet snort next to him made Rob turn and look at his friend who was trying valiantly not to laugh. “Whaat?” he half-asked half-slurred.
Rhiannon turned to him and gently tapped his cheek. “Young love,” she whispered with a twinkle in her eyes before she went over to talk to Mike.
Sarah got up, took her jacket and purse from the floor and started towards Rob. “We’re gonna go. I gotta open in a few hours and Bec’s my ride. Do you mind?”
“Huh?” was all Rob could muster in reply. What would he mind?
“We’re going to leave. Will you be ok if we go?” Becci asked as she walked up to him too.
“Yeah. Sure,” Rob said and for some reason he couldn’t stop staring at Becci. “Leaving?”
Becci glanced at Sarah. “Maybe we should stay?” she asked softly before looking back at Rob worriedly. She reached up and gently cupped his cheek before running a thumb over the dark bags that hung down under glassy eyes.
“He’ll be fine. I’ll stay,” Rhiannon said, looking over Mike’s shoulder.
“I’ll be here for a while yet,” Mike said, reading his notes on his PDA screen. He had Galen’s medical file open, the one that he kept for himself only. A few notes of injuries and reactions to things were left out of his records at the hospital.
“Ok, then,” Becci said, a little unsure before she reached up and gave Rob a hug. “Take care of yourself. See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah,” Rob said, gently hugging back as he looked at where his brother was sleeping on the couch. “Tomorrow.”
Becci let go of him after tightening the hug for a second. She looked at him intently for another moment before looking back at Rhiannon.
“He’ll be fine. Just needs some sleep,” Rhiannon said. “We’ll be here.”
Becci nodded before following Sarah down the stairs.
Parry and Bobby shimmered back.
“Stealth mode?” Rob said as he stared at them for a second, then back at his brother.
“As you like to call it,” Parry said with an amused smile, and then turned serious. “Rob, Flash and Galen are just sleeping. It’s dreamless and it’s healing and they will be just fine in a few days.”
“But only if you keep Flash away from my dragon collection,” Bobby said with mock sternness at Rob.
The youngest Emrys couldn’t help it. A smile lit up his pale face and exhausted eyes. A moment later he was laughing.
“Take care son,” Parry said as he and Bobby disappeared.
The laugh turned almost hysterical for a minute and Rhiannon shook her head. “Ok. You are definitely done here. Go to bed, Rob.”
The laughing stopped abruptly and Rob closed his eyes. His chin hit his chest and he couldn’t remember the last time he felt this exhausted. “Yeah... Yeah, ok, but only if you rest too. I can sleep out here,” he said, glancing at the floor.
“Nah, I’m ok. I’ve napped off and on while you were gone. Your father and uncle would have gotten me up if I’d been needed.”
“Take Galen’s bed or something,” Rob mumbled.
“Actually the doc here is taking Galen’s bed. He was on a fourteen hour flight to get back here and he’s been here for almost five hours. Got rounds in what?” Rhiannon asked as she turned to Mike.
“Four hours,” he answered as he entered something into his PDA.
“So, he’s gonna get some sleep while he can and so are you,” Rhiannon said and held up a hand when Rob started to protest. “Sweetie, you look like death warmed over.”
Rob opened his mouth to protest then turned and headed for his room. He toed off his shoes and fell face first into his pillow. He lay there for all of ten seconds before he reached out through his Gift and tried to connect to his brother, but couldn’t find him. For all the effort he was putting into it his brother was barely there.
He knew how close he came to losing Galen again and he was filled with such a surge of fear that he was back on his feet and staggering into the living room. He stood for a minute just watching his older brother sleep. Then he knelt on the floor at Galen’s side and put a hand on his chest, watching it rise and fall with each deep breath.
Rob didn’t even realize he was shaking as he rested his head on Galen’s chest. He was ridiculously relieved at the warmth against his cheek and the thu-thump of Galen’s heartbeat against his ear as the connection opened. His older brother essence was back where it should have been all along.
‘Galen,’ he whispered, reaching out through the connection.
Rhiannon and Mike shared a look before heading into the kitchen to give the brothers a little privacy.
‘S’oook Rob,’ Galen murmured through their connection. ‘M’here. ‘M'Jus’ sooo tirreed.’
Rob huffed out an impatient breath and felt his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. He felt tears slip from his eyes and soak into Galen’s shirt. He wasn’t a child. He shouldn’t need to be this close to his older brother to make things feel ok again. He was being absurd. He knew it; he just couldn’t stop the tears or the relief at the connection being open again.
‘I’m ok.’ Galen murmured and struggled to lift a hand over Rob’s back. ‘Shhh. S’ok. ‘M here.’
‘Sorry,’ Rob said softly through their connection, even though he couldn’t seem to stop his tears.
‘Don’t be. I can feel your exhaustion. Maybe I can…”
‘Don’t you dare,’ Rob said as he took a shaky breath and started to sit up.
‘Kay. Rob? Don’t…Don’t go far, ok?’
Rob ran a trembling hand over his face and ignored the fresh tears. ‘Sure. I’ll be here.’
He could feel Galen’s relief until he stood up and the physical connection broke. With a shaky breath he made himself take one step to his left and curled up in the recliner. He made himself watch over his brother for as long as he could keep his eyes open. But it wasn’t long before his exhaustion won out and he was asleep.
Parry materialized between the two of them and gently put a hand on each of his sons' heads. Both relaxed even more in sleep making him smiled fondly down from above them. He opened and bridged the bond for both of them so they could sleep. Then Parry sent a little healing power into both of them while he could.
Bobby showed up a moment later next to Flash. “Rob must be exhausted if he didn’t realize we hadn’t left.”
Parry nodded as he watched over his children.
Bobby smiled a little. “So, we stay a bit longer. No harm in that,” he said softly. Flash shifted uncomfortably on the sofa and Bobby put a hand on his chest. Flash relaxed instantly going deeper into sleep with Bobby’s help.
Bobby looked up and smiled at Parry and shrugged. “Just helping him sleep is all. Clumsy and foolish as he is, your sons seem to like him.”
Parry smiled back before returning his attention back to his boys.
0000000000000
Galen and Flash slept almost nonstop for two days. Rob did nothing more than keep watch over them and slept when he couldn’t keep his eyes open one second longer. The connection wasn’t really working unless Rob was in physical contact with his brother, it made him antsy and worried, and as tired as he was kept him from sleeping.
Rhiannon insisted on running the store for a few days. She had been adamant about it, knowing Rob wasn’t really doing all that well, and knew he needed to be as near as possible to his brother. As much as the youngest Emrys denied it, he was detoxing from the brushes with both amulets and needed the down time. She also put food in front of him once a day and insisted he eat, knowing he was having nothing more than coffee.
0000000000000
Galen woke up first, somewhat confused and disoriented. He could feel the absolute pull of being on stage, the need to hold his guitar in his hands, to play in front of a huge crowd, but he wasn’t sure why. He loved to play, that was no surprise to anyone who knew him, but it the need to play had never felt like that before.
He felt a little disoriented and exhaustion made his entire body feel heavy and sluggish. He felt like he’d run a marathon from the BC border to the Oregon border and back in an hour. The confusion and disorientation eased a second later when he opened his eyes and saw his younger brother watching him from the recliner.
“Hey,” Galen said with a raspy voice.
“Hey, yourself,” Rob says quietly.
Galen glanced down at his fingers and got a flash of playing at the Rat's Nest, to playing on a huge stage with a full orchestra behind him. He winced as he tried to swallow and found his mouth and throat bone dry.
“Here,” Rob said, handing him a glass of water.
“Thanks,” Galen said as he drank down the warmish water. “Huh. Weird couple of days.”
Rob merely nodded twice.
“Ok, Brat?” Galen asked as he struggled into a sitting position. He pulled ineffectively at the blanket covering him. It stuck around his waist and legs.
“Yeah,” Rob murmured.
“You’re lying,” Galen said softly as he glanced around the room and saw Flash nearby. “He stay over?”
“Yeah,” Rob said quietly. “The short version ‘cause I know you don’t remember. Flash wore an amulet which made you two want to do nothing more than play guitar which put you into a coma. I took care of it and Flash is totally banned from the store, no discussion at all.”
Galen blinked at him for a minute, trying to process what Rob was saying and trying to figure out why he couldn’t feel what his little brother was feeling.
Rob sighed as he slowly stood up. “Wake me in a few hours. Oh, and we owe Rhiannon huge,” he said softly before getting up, stretching and heading for his room.
Galen watched his brother walk away from him. He felt stunned and confused, like he’d started reading a novel half way through. The worst thing was he couldn’t sense his brother. “Rob?”
Rob paused.
“Don’t shut me out, man. You’re upset, I’m not sure why, but don’t lock me out, ok?” Galen asked softly.
“I’m not. There’s something wrong with the bond. Dad mentioned something about the amulets draining our energy, and that it affected our bond, but it would come back in full after we’d recovered some,” Rob said and his face scrunched up as he yawned. “Wake me in a few hours. I’ll tell you whatever you don’t remember.”
Galen watched for a minute, but Rob stayed where he was.
“Galen I..,” he started and hesitated. “I’m glad you’re awake.”
Galen nodded as his brother walked down the hall and out of his sight. From the look on his little brother’s face he knew Rob hadn’t said what he’d wanted to.
He sighed deeply before he settled back on the couch and stared up at the ceiling. Galen found his mind was a blank aside from the urgent need to play, but that was easily pushed aside to a generally annoying impulse. Kinda like when he had a song stuck in his head and it wouldn’t go away until he’d played it on his guitar.
Galen knew whatever had happened it must have something to do with playing the guitar. His fingers, hands and arms hadn’t ached this much in years. Not since the first time The Urban Werewolves did a seven day stretch at the Rat’s Nest, but why he felt that way he couldn’t seem to figure out.
A huge yawn broke out of him without warning and he blinked a few times fighting to stay awake. He sighed, feeling a little frustrated and drained. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, and concentrated. He tried to ease his gift into himself to help but there wasn’t much there to pull on.
A quiet quick intake of breath made him open his eyes and look over at Flash. His friend was staring at the ceiling and frowning.
“Flash,” Galen said.
In response Flash brought a hand to his forehead. “Dude, did someone slip us something in the beer after we played? I feel like crap,” he said before sitting up and looking around in confusion. His gaze settled on Galen and he frowned. “Dude! You look like crap. Where’s my guitar? I have this tune in my head I wanna get down.”
Galen shook his head with a slight grin and leaned back against the couch and tried to process. He looked up at the almost empty IV bag and shook his head. “Coffee. Then thinking. Then talking. In that order or … or … something,” he said then ran his hand over his face.
“No coffee for either one of you,” Mike said as he came up the stairs. “Rhiannon let me in.”
“Rhiannon?” Galen repeated.
“Yeah, she’s taken over the shop downstairs,” he said with a smile. “It may never be the same again.”
Galen groaned quietly and closed his eyes.
“Good to see you two awake. How are you feeling?”
“Tired,” Galen said.
“Crappy,” Flash said.
“Confused,” they said together.
“Well, I’m not surprised,” Mike said. “Been an interesting week or two.”
“Mike what happened?” Galen asked softly, feeling for his brother through their connection and getting a soft response of being but nothing solid. Rob was around but he couldn’t sense him properly.
“Well, I’m not sure I got all of it so I’m not even going to try to explain. Besides Rob asked me not to,” Mike answered. “I just swung by on my way home to check on you.”
Galen closed his eyes again. “Do whatever, man, just do it quick so I can go back to sleep, ok?”
“Sure,” Mike said seeing the same request on Flash’s face. After checking their vitals, and finding them decently improved, Mike removed their IV’s.
“Ok, gentlemen. Doctor’s orders are as follows. Sleep and rest. Nothing strenuous for a few days. No coffee, no stimulants. Just let your bodies heal up a bit. I’d prefer you didn’t leave the apartment or go to work. We need to keep an eye on you two to make sure this, whatever it was, has truly passed. Did I mention no coffee? I mean it,” Mike said and held up a finger. “I’ve already told Rhiannon and the coffee girls. I’ll know if you do. Doctors always know.”
Both Flash and Galen nodded at each instruction. When Mike finished they both smiled widely, then looked at each other.
“Sure we can do that,” Galen said as he turned and looked back at Mike.
Mike narrowed his eyes at them before he threw his hands up. “I will be back. At any time.”
Flash snickered.
“Any time,” Mike said sternly pointing at Flash to Galen. “Any. Time.”
Galen nodded.
Mike smiled at them before finishing packing up and leaving.
A few minutes later Flash shook his head. “Dude, coffee.”
Galen just nodded, grabbed the phone and dialled a number.
“Hot Babes Coffee.”
“Bec,” Galen started to say.
“Galen!” she practically squealed through the line. “You’re awake? How are you? Are you ok? How’s Flash? Is he awake? Is he ok? Where’s Rob? Hold on I’ve got a customer.”
Galen was frowning as he pulled the phone away from his ear and the tinny music that was flowing through the speaker.
“What?” Flash asked.
“I think she’s had at least two pots of coffee. She just may be overdosing on the caffeine,” Galen said as he put the phone back to his ear.
“Galen? You there?”
“Yeah Bec, I’m still here and I’m ok. Flash is ok. Rob’s sleeping. We want coffee. A vanilla late for Flash and a quad for me….”
“Nope. Sorry, no can do. I spoke with Mike when he stopped by for his caramel mochachino. Said no coffee. You two were on the wagon whether you liked it or not.”
“Ok, how about decaf,” he asked with a wince.
“Nope. Got veto’d by the doc on that one as well. Decaf has caffeine in it too,” Becci said in her usual cheery voice.
“We’ll do anything, Bec,” Galen said then after a slight pause he added, “anything.”
“Galen, as much as I’d like to I can’t. I promised Mike,” she said softly. “Oops. Gotta go. Got a line starting. I’ll drop by after shift. Bye.”
“The anything card didn’t work?” Flash asked. “That’s so not fair. We’ve known her longer than Mike. Why isn’t she backing us up?”
“Because she’s backing me up,” Rob said quietly from behind them.
“God! Don’t sneak up on people like that,” Flash said, putting a hand over his chest.
“If you’re good I’ll make you extremely weak coffee later,” Rob said and at the looks on their faces he held back a smile. “And you like it and thank me for it.”
“We will?” Flash asked.
“We will,” Galen said at the same time and gave his little brother a small smile. He concentrated hard, and put all his energy into the small connection he had. ‘Brat, come join us.”
Rob sighed and ran a hand over his face. “I need to check on Rhiannon downstairs. You guys ok for a bit?”
‘Rhiannon can handle herself. Tell me what’s wrong? What happened, Rob? I can barely feel you and barely hear you. Talk to me.’
Rob sighed from where he was standing and closed his eyes. It bothered him how quiet their link had become. How hard he had to strain to hear or feel his big brother. The only times it worked ok was when he was touching Galen. He didn’t know how many times he touched his forehead looking for fever or put a hand over his heart just to make sure it was still beating strong and sure like it should have been. They were partly just excuses to touch his brother to link up with him, to have him in his mind where he should be. He’d tried hard not to, but there were moments he just couldn’t stand it anymore and had touched his forehead for fever or used some excuse.
“Or I could just stay with you two for a bit. Make sure you don’t play any more guitar for a while,” Rob said.
“You can’t stop us from playing,” Flash said angrily as he sat up. He immediately frowned and sagged slightly.
“It’s important,” Galen started to say but frowned even as the words came out of his mouth.
“I don’t know why I said that,” Flash said as he massaged his temples.
“Yeah. This is why you don’t leave here. Gotta watch both of you. No more shredded fingers,” Rob said as he sat down next to his big brother. Close enough for their shoulders to touch and bring their Gift into full connection.
“Shredded…” Galen said, only to see himself looking down at the strings of his favourite guitar. His flesh was blistered, pieces of flesh hanging from near the tips and pads of his fingers, blood was everywhere, pain shot from his fingers, hands, arms, shoulders and back. “Oh, Gods. My fingers were shredded.”
“Yeah, they were, but even then you couldn’t stop,” Rob said softly. “Neither of you could.”
Flash yawned and his hand went to his chest to scratch. He frowned as his hand tapped up below his neck. He sat up. “My amulet. I lost my amulet.”
“We took it. It was cursed and would have made you do something you loved until you expired,” Rob tried to explain.
“So I chose playing guitar?” Flash asked with a frown.
“Yeah,” Rob said.
“Huh.”
“What?” Galen asked.
Flash coloured slightly. “Well, I was just thinking. Why wasn’t it sex? I love a good night of sex,” he said, lifting his eye brows rapidly.
Rob rolled his eyes.
“So, why was I playing? I like to play but it’s not the thing I love to do most,” Galen said.
Rob shrugged. “I think it may have been Flash’s influence. You two playing together? I know how much you love to play on stage. Something in you is set free from the store and our destinies. It’s something you two have done for some time together. You’ve had each others' backs for longer than I’ve been around,” he said before shrugging again.
Galen looked at his little brother. “Playing guitar is…,” hesitated then took a breath as he struggled a little, trying to say what he needed to say. “Not more important than our destines, our store, or you.”
Rob just shook his head and stopped talking. ‘I didn’t mean it like that, man.’ But he shifted just a little away from Galen and the link quieted.
Galen shifted so their shoulders were touching again. ‘Not intentionally, no. But I can feel it.
“Hey you’re not alone in here. Hey, I’m here. Remember me? Your old pal Flash? Helloooo.”
Rob glanced at him and then to the floor. “There were two amulets. They complemented each other when together. Apart the straight lined Celtic knot drove you do to the thing you most loved until you died. Without its mate anyone else around you either rides out with you or experiences the effects of the other amulet.”
“Which was?” Galen prompted when his brother fell silent.
“The other one, the more circular Celtic knot, filled you with dread or sadness or melancholy until you died.”
“Oh,” Flash said his eyes wide.
“You felt the second one,” Galen said. ‘Oh gods, Rob. That explains…”
‘I lost you’. Rob swallowed heavily and clamped his jaw shut.
‘No, you didn’t. I’m right here.’
Rob nodded and continued to stare at the floor as his jaw muscles jumped.
Flash cleared his throat. “I’m guessing the effects aren’t as quickly taken care of as the amulets were?”
Rob nodded. “Few days to a week,” he said very softly.
“Gonna be a long week,” Galen said as he wrapped his arm over his brother’s shoulders. Immediately sadness filled him from Rob. “Not leaving. Neither are you.”
Rob immediately felt Galen’s exhaustion and his head fell back against his arm. “You need sleep or coffee or both,” he said as he closed his eyes.
Flash smiled. “Looks like we’re in detox together,” he said, finishing with a yawn.
“Hmmmm,” Galen responded as his eyes closed and he drifted back to sleep.
To be continued..
Chapter nine: http://infinit-shadw.livejournal.com/7245.html#cutid1