Above the Law

[Scion]

So, I got this weird idea while I was walking my dogs today, and just had to start writing. I don't know how people will feel about this, because it's kind of out-there, but it's pretty interesting, I think. Hopefully you all agree. It takes awhile to get to the sneezes (other than that first one), because, as usual, I have to go through the whole process of introducing the characters first.

Part One:

Remi Donovan applied a false smile to his face and stiffly approached the green Taurus. A young blond woman, her face caked in layers of make-up, slid down the window.

“What can I do for you?” he said hoarsely, shifting from one foot the other in a pathetic attempt to keep the icy wind from slaying him. He clasped a hand over his mouth as a prickle worked its way up his nose. "Exxshoo!" He swiped his hand on his pants.

She didn’t even glance at him as she answered, preoccupied with slapping red goop onto her already gooped lips. “Fill her up, unleaded.”

“Sure thing.” As Remi pumped the lady’s tank up, he shivered and wished he’d had the good sense to be born in Florida instead of Massachusetts. He also wished his parents hadn’t died in a car crash on his eighteenth birthday, leaving him to take care of his little sister Lucy all alone, and that he hadn’t been forced to get a crap job right out of high school to be able to afford the crap apartment they’d moved into after the funeral. But who the hell ever got what they wanted?

After the blond woman paid and sped away, still without looking at him, Remi took to jogging in circles around the station. When his cell phone buzzed against his thigh, he pulled the thing out of his pocket and stared at the screen. Lucy.

“Hey, Luce. What’s up?”

Ragged breathing interspersed with high-pitched whimpering answered him.

“Luce? What’s wrong? Luce?” Remi stopped walking as fear pummeled down on him, making his knees want to give out. He hated leaving his twelve-year-old sister alone all the time while he worked his ass off, but it was the only way either of them would be able to get food in their stomachs--that didn’t mean he didn’t worry, though. Lucy had always seemed so fragile; their parents’ deaths had almost killed her, too.

“Remi,” she whined through her tears. “My--my stomach! It hurts! Please, help me!”

Terror shot through his bones, froze the breath in his lungs. “Luce, I need you to listen to me, okay?”

She only sobbed harder. “Remiiiii! Please come home! Please! I’m scared!”

“Shit,” he swore, pulling the phone away from his ear. Think, Donovan, think. This was an emergency. He couldn’t get fired for an emergency, right? Like that fucking mattered right now. All that mattered was Lucy. He brought the phone back up to his ear. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

---------

Lucy was going to die.

As Remi stood outside of her hospital room, he fought not to scream. When he’d gotten home and found her tiny form lying unconscious in front of the toilet, his heart had nearly given out. Her skin had been so pale, she’d looked dead, and until he’d felt the gentle fluttering of her pulse, he hadn’t been able to breathe. He’d rushed her to the hospital without a second thought, nearly wrecking his car in the process.

But what had been the point? Lucy was still sick. Maybe dying. And he couldn’t even afford the damn hospital bill.

Fucking pneumonia.

It wasn’t goddamn fair. She was a little girl--she’d done nothing to deserve all this suffering. As her big brother, he was supposed to protect her. He’d failed.

He’d killed her.

He’d killed his baby sister.

Suddenly, the enormity of what he’d done battered him in the gut, sending him to his knees. A scream blared up from somewhere deep inside of him, building until it exploded out of him in a glass-shattering bellow of pain and rage.

Thick, murky blackness wrapped itself around him, clogging his lungs, his throat, stabbing through his heart

He couldn’t let her die.

He could not let her die.

----------

“No,” Tasha Lovell said coldly. “I am not watching another horror movie, Brett.” She scooted away from him on the enormous leather couch, wishing she’d just stayed home that night. She liked Brett--she really did--but as a friend. Not a boyfriend. Too bad it had taken her six weeks of dating to figure that out.

“What, you wanna watch some chick flick?” Brett scoffed, shoving a handful of chips into his pie-hole and chewing with his mouth open.

“Actually, I think I’m just gonna go home,” she replied wearily. She had to get started on her next manuscript before Amy, her lit agent, ate her alive. “It’s getting late…”

“What are you, eighty-years-old? It’s ten o’clock!” Brett, his short brown hair sticking up in all directions, gaped at her, still shoveling food into his mouth. “You can’t leave now! You just got here!”

And she’d wanted to leave the moment she’d stepped through the door. She didn’t feel comfortable in Brett’s house. It wasn’t that she feared him--he just made her feel as if she were constantly under a microscope, as if she had to watch everything she said and did. She was twenty-four-years-old, but he made her feel like a teenager again--and not in a good way.

Brett flicked off the plasma TV with a dramatic sigh. “I don’t understand you, Tasha. Why did you even bother to come over tonight?”

It was a fair question--and one she’d planned to answer. She never got the chance.

With an echoing crash, the glass to the back door shattered, transparent shards showering across the beige carpet. A tall figure, dressed in all black, stepped through the void where the door had once been. A ski mask hid his face, and there was a gun clutched in his right hand. When he neared the couch, he paused for a moment, as if surprised to see two people sitting there. Then he continued coming toward Tasha, boots thumping ominously over the floor.

A shout of terror lodged in Tasha’s throat, while Brett simply sat there, frozen, his mouth agape. In a flash, Tasha made a leap for the phone, which rested on the coffee table a few feet in front of her.

“DON’T MOVE!”

The harsh command had her pausing, drawing her hand back. Shivers of fright ran up and down her arms. Her stomach lurched.

“NOBODY MAKE A FUCKING MOVE!” The man moved closer, his gun aimed straight between her eyes. “Give me your jewelry,” he commanded, and for a heartbeat, Tasha thought he sounded familiar.

Then fear took over and she was stripping off her watch and bracelet and handing them to the man, who pocketed them with a hand that was unmistakably shaking. With nerves? Or with anticipation? Either one could be dangerous, she realized.

“You too,” the intruder barked, motioning at Brett with his gun. “Give me your watch. Hurry the fuck up.”

This time Tasha was sure she recognized the voice. As she stared, the intruder hunched his shoulders and smothered a cough. Once he started, though, he couldn’t stop. Bent over with the force of the clawing coughs, he allowed the gun to waver slightly. Tasha leapt to her feet.

“I SAID DON’T--” Cough. “--FUCKING MOVE!”

“Remi?” she whispered through the tears that had sprung to her eyes, and the man’s entire body jerked as if with an electric shock.

Abruptly, the intruder turned and vanished out the shattered door.

Without though, Tasha followed him, ignoring Brett’s frantic calls for her to stop, to come back. She was absolutely certain the man who’d just robbed her was the one man she could never forget. She hadn’t seen him since high school, but she would know that low, rumbling voice anywhere.

Oh, Remi, she thought miserably. What happened to you?

“REMI!” she called into the darkness of Brett’s backyard. “REMI, WAIT!”

She got a reply, just not the one she’d been expecting.

“Hekk’SHEW!” From somewhere off to the right. “Hu’KUSSH!” And another, farther away now.

Tasha took off after the involuntary sounds, bare feet slapping against the frozen, dead grass. “REMI!” she shrieked. “Please, wait!”

She couldn’t lose him again. Oh, God, please. Not again!

She was running so fast, she didn’t see him until it was too late. WHAM! She slammed directly into a solid chest; arms came around her, steadying her.

“Jesus, Tash. I didn’t…what the hell are you doing here!?” She could feel the vibrations run through his throat as he spoke, his chin resting atop her head. “Shit. SHIT!”

“Rem--what--?”

“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her toward a black Sedan parked up against the curb ten feet ahead of them. Something hard pressed into her palm, and she realized it was her bracelet and watch.

Her tears overflowed as he flung open the passenger door for her. Instantly, she threw herself in. He tore off the ski mask, tossing it to the floor. Seconds later, he was behind the wheel and peeling down the street.

---------

So, yeah, I know this is pretty strange, but it will make more sense as soon as you find out more. And hey, it's fiction, so it's allowed to be a little out-there/far-fetched. Anyway, I'll have more up as soon as I can, depending upon how much homework appears.

[Yuzuhana]

I love the plot, Scion! You're characters are always so well-developed.

[Butch]

Scion - Seriously...I LOVE this so far. It's a great start, and I can't wait to see where it leads.

[foreverajerseygirl]

Entirely different than anything out here...I'm with ya...keep going...

[obsessed]

SO INTENSE. I wanna know what happened.

My gosh you're fast!

[Scion]

Yuzuhana: That's really sweet of you. *cries with happiness* Thanksssss so much!

Mims: Yayy! I'm glad this one's working for you! Thank you, as always.

Foreverajerseygirl: Thanks. I'm pleased you like it so far!

Obsessed: It's only going to get more intense! It seems fast, but this last part actually took me three hours to write, LOL.

Okay, for the story. I'm sort of just writing what I would like to read and hoping everyone else likes it, too. I tend to like a lot of drama, so be ready for that. Jeez, this is such a jump after my last story. Silly little thing to tragedy. Hmm. Apparently, I like diversity.

Part Two:

Tasha leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes, waiting for her heart to stop trying to tear through her chest.

“I’m so sorry, Tash.” At the break in Remi's deep voice, Tasha’s heart gave a painful squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”

She looked over at him, soaking him in. He looked older, much older, his eyes set deep into a world-weary face, light stubble dusting the bottom half of his face. He looked harder, too, his bones sharp, his jaw square, his steel grey eyes icy and unforgiving. But when she heard her name on his lips, she melted into a puddle.

Tash.

He was the only one to ever call her that. God, she’d missed it.

He stabbed a hand back through his tumble of dark brown hair, grimacing. His pink-ringed nostrils expanded. “Huhh…” His left hand hovered in front of his face, his right still clutching the wheel. “Heh’EXXCH-OO!” Pain streaked across his face as his breath began to dip and rise, dip and rise. The hand came up again in time to catch his next sneeze. He pitched forward. “EXXSHOO!”

“You okay?” she asked, not liking the gleam of sweat to his skin, nor the way a violent shiver would periodically shimmy through him, causing his teeth to clap together.

His jaw flexed. “How can you ask me that?”

“I don’t know. You don’t look well. I just thought--”

“I JUST HELD A GUN TO YOUR HEAD!” he roared, and started to shake in earnest, his hands trembling so much he could barely hold onto the wheel. “I--I…” A thundering sob suddenly ruptured his words, and then another, rusty and welling over with pain. “I’m so fucking sorry, Tash. Oh, Christ.”

“Hey, hey…” She reached for him. “It’s okay. I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Jesus. Jesus,” he wept, face glittering with tears. “Tash. I fucked up. I’m so sorry. You have to believe me, Tash. God, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

He was having a breakdown. And he was driving. Not a good combination. “Sweetie,” she said, as gently as she could, “I believe you, but you need to pull over, okay? You can’t drive like this.”

“Tash,” he choked, utterly oblivious to everything around him. “Oh, God. Oh, God. What have I done!?”

Without further contemplation, Tasha grabbed the wheel from his unresisting hands and wriggled until she was sitting on his lap. Swiftly, she pulled the car over to the side of the road, put the thing in park, then maneuvered back into her own seat.

Remi was still in the midst of some kind of crackup. He had his arms curled around himself as he rocked back and forth, muttering unintelligibly. A river of tears poured down his face, dripping onto his shirt. Through his nonsensical mumblings, she could make out her name, and one other. Lucy. His sister.

Experimentally, she stroked a hand over the back of his dark head, letting his soft locks sift through her fingers like sand. He leaned unconsciously into her touch, his stream of gibberish waning.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” she cooed, as if to a spooked horse. “Calm. Calm. There you go. You’re all right. It will all be all right.”

With sudden ferocity, he whipped about and gathered his arms around her back, his hands curling in the fabric of her sweater. “Tash. Oh, Tash. I don’t know what to do,” he bawled, aligning his face with the curve between her neck and shoulder. “I’m such a fucking idiot! Jesus. Jesus, I can’t think!”

“Oh, sweetheart,” she breathed into his hair. “Tell me what happened. Tell me why…”

A strangled sob stole his breath. “I wouldn’t have hurt you, Tash. God, I swear I wouldn’t have hurt you. It wasn’t loaded. I never--it wasn’t…” A spell of coughing struck him, and he turned his face so that his mouth and nose were resting just above her shoulder as he convulsed, sputtering for breath. “EXGSHU!” A single, sharp sneeze concluded the attack, leaving him sapped of all energy. He wilted, his entire weight pressing into her, and she realized for the first time how thin he’d become; lord, she could feel the bones protruding through his skin, as if he hadn’t eaten in months.

“My poor baby,” she murmured, rubbing circles over his trembling back. She grazed a kiss across his hot temple, her hands moving to caress his shoulders and neck, feeling the strained muscles loosen at her at coaxing. “I’m here now. I won’t leave you. Not ever.”

Not like you left me.

She brushed away the bitter thought. Now was not the time. First, she had to determine what had him so twisted up.

“Hehh…IXXSHU! Huh’ECKshoo!” Mist hit the air just over her shoulder as his stomach contracted, his chest expanding. “HaahKUSH!”

“Bless you,” she offered, massaging his lower back with the tips of her fingers. She felt his sniffly exhale feather across her throat. “Now, can you tell me what happened?”

A shudder whistled through him, and he clutched her tighter. She clutched back.

He forced in a shaky breath, and when he spoke his voice was like gravel crunching under tires. “It’s Lucy, Tash. She’s dying.”

That's when the police sirens sliced through the brittle night air.

---------

Hopefully I'll be able to get the next part done sometime soon. Still with me? Thoughts? You guys are awesome! Just saying. You make so damn happy.

[Butch]

Scion - Still with you.. love the story. You're a great writer. Those are my thoughts.

[obsessed]

That would've taken me three months to write.

SO intense! Gosh I'm repetitive.

[Scion]

Okay, I'm back! Yay? Maybe.

Mims: I can never say thank you enough. You. Are. Awesome.

Obsessed: LOL. Repetitive is okay. I'm repetitive alllll the time. And "intense" is pretty much the only word to describe this story.

Part Three:

Tasha flinched as the wailing sound drew closer. “Quick,” she said. “Switch places with me.”

When Remi only stared at her, his eyes empty, she shot out of the car, went around to the driver’s side, and yanked open the door. She tugged on his sweatshirt, pulling him from the vehicle. Then she led him to the passenger seat and returned to slide behind the wheel and gunned it. Flashing red and blue lights flared up ahead, and Tasha heard Remi give a choked moan.

“Shh,” she said as calmly as she could, cruising down the road. “We’re just gonna drive right on by them. They won’t even glance at us.”

The lights were upon them now, and the police car sped into view. Tasha’s heart skittered, and she had just enough time to glimpse a bald man with a goatee behind the windshield before the vehicle zoomed by, headed for Brett’s, no doubt.

She released her breath in a rush, peering over at Remi, who was curled in on himself, his body pressed up against the door, his head buried in his arms. His back and shoulders heaved as he labored to breathe.

“They’re gone, sweetheart,” she tried to reassure him. “Everything’s okay now.”

This only seemed to distress him further. He gave a sudden jarring motion and began clawing at his chest, his throat, his face white as wax. “Can’t…breathe…” he croaked through lips as chapped as desert sand. “Tash…” His face contorted in agony and he whimpered, thrashing about for a moment before going utterly, eerily still, limp.

“Rem!?” Tasha squeaked, alarmed. As terror surged through her bloodstream, she swerved the car up onto the grass, crashed the thing into park, hands vibrating. She turned to him, reached a hand to his face; he felt cold as ice, yet sweat had materialized all over his face, drenching his thick hair, dripping down his neck and pooling in the hollow above his collarbone. “Remi?” she whispered, cupping his face in one palm.

His eyes big as melons, he shook, his features drawn in tightly as if trying to hide inside his skin. She moved a hand to his chest and started soothingly circling it, attempting to get him to breathe, to get some color back into his translucent face.

After what seemed hours, a rattling breath finally escaped his dry lips, and he flopped flush against her, his head lolling onto her shoulder, his arms drooping at his sides. He tried to speak, but had to stop to cough a little. He tried again. “Sorry…Tash…” Another frail cough. “’M…so…stupid…”

“No, shh. Stop that. You’re not stupid. You’re not.” She hugged him to her, determined never to let go. “Just let me help you, okay? Please.”

“Hhh…H’IGSSHU!” He sniffled wetly, tried to lift his head. Failed. “EXXSHU!”

Her hand came to cup the back of his head, fingers playing with damp strands of hair curling slightly at his nape. “You said…” Her throat seized up. “You said Lucy was dying…?”

He shuddered powerfully and she tightened her hold. “She’s sick,” he said dully, as if discussing the weather. “Pneumonia.”

Tasha’s hope kicked up. “Pneumonia doesn’t have to be fatal,” she reasoned.

He laughed without mirth, the sound so skeletal and raspy it barely registered. “That’s the real hell of it, Tash. I can’t fucking pay her hospital bill. They can’t treat her. They won’t.”

The events of the night suddenly made a horrible kind of sense. “That’s why you tried to rob us? You need money to pay for Lucy’s bill?”

A flinch sizzled through him, but she held him firm when he would have pulled away. “I’m sorry, Tash.” The words were a whisper, a tiny puff of exhausted air. He sounded half-dead from fatigue and probably hunger as well--not to mention the obvious guilt. Even his breath, when it began to hitch, came so softly it could almost not be heard. “Uhh. Haa….Hek’CSSHHeww! Heh’EZSSHU! Unnnh.”

“Bless you, sweetheart.” She rubbed the back of his neck.

“’Scuse me,” he mumbled drowsily, his iron-hot forehead burning into the side the side of her throat, making sweat break out over her back. “Heh--he’IZSSHOO!”

Tasha closed her eyes as worry spiked in her breastbone. What if he were really ill? She couldn’t let him out of her sight for even a moment. She’d not make that mistake again. Losing Remi Donovan once had been enough to leave a jagged scar on her heart. Losing him twice would kill her.

Bracing herself for rejection, Tasha said firmly, “I’ll pay Lucy’s hospital bill.”

Remi’s reaction was so far from what she’d expected, she nearly fainted. He squeezed her so tight her ribs groaned in protest. “Christ, Tasha. I never deserved you. You’re…God, Tash, I don’t know what to say. You make me…I can’t…” He paused, sucked in a breath. “All right. I’ll repay you, Tash, if it takes the rest of my life.”

She pulled back to gape at him, stunned. Could it be so easy?

He shook his head, and the shadow of a smile hovered over his lips, but didn’t quite form. “You think I’m so proud I won’t accept money to save my sister’s life?”

She could only shrug, speechless, unsure what to feel, let alone say.

“Let me let you in on a little secret, Tasha Girl.” He leaned closer and whispered into her ear. “I’ve got no pride. Haven’t for a long time.”

Sadness speared through her gut. She hated hearing him talk like that, like he was nothing, like he was less than human. “Please don’t say that,” she breathed, touching his cheek with her fingertips.

“Why not? It’s true. Do you want me to lie to you?” His voice was cold now, distant; he’d closed himself off from her, from himself, from his pain. She couldn't blame him for that.

“No, Rem,” she said, gliding her hands through the hair on either side of his narrow face. “I don’t want that. All I want is you.”

----------

I promise the next update will actually have a different scene! Hopefully this wasn't too boring. I have a pretty good idea where I'm going with this, and it's going to be even MORE intense and other stuff will happen. Promise.

[polychrome]

Totally awesome -- except for the unnecessary disclaimers! No need to apologize for having interesting characters and a creative plot. I think it's great so far.

[bless]

Totally awesome -- except for the unnecessary disclaimers! No need to apologize for having interesting characters and a creative plot. I think it's great so far.

oh no... not boring at all. I look forward to se, were it goes.

[obsessed]

There's more coming? woooo.

[Butch]

Love it! Can't wait to read more!

[LetMeBe]

I LOVE drama and tragedy! Love that his sister is MAYBE gonna die. LOVE how DESPERATE he is. LOVE how he's so ill and is only thinking about his sister. LOVE how fast you update!

[Scion]

Polychrome: Haha, thanks! Glad it's interesting to you. Sometimes I'm just not sure if everyone else will like the same things as me.

Bless: Thanks! You're always so nice.

Obsessed: LOL, yep more! Right now!!

Mims: Good, 'cause here it comes. And, of course, thanks!

LetMeBe: Thank you verrrry much for saying all that. Such detailed comments seriously make me jump up and down with joy.

After this slight lull, the the major drama fest will pick up again. So if you're a drama-fan, hang tight. BUT, there is quite a lot of sneezing to make up for it, soo...

Part Four:

Tasha tried not to cringe as she took in Remi’s rundown apartment complex. The building, brown and crusted with rust, looked about ready to collapse. The bare skeletons of bushes spattered the entrance like tombstones, gloomy and forbidding.

She reached for Remi’s hand as they walked down the crumbling path toward the front doors. His palm was like fire against her chilled skin as their fingers entwined. He stopped walking suddenly, and when she glanced over at him to see what was wrong, she witnessed his hard expression smooth out for a moment before coiling in on itself once more. He held onto her hand as the upper half of his body lurched forward, his grip tightening as…“Ihh’KISSHU! Kttch’SHEW!” when he straightened back up, he used his free hand to rub his nose, sniffing softly.

“Bless you,” she said as they began walking again. “You okay?”

He shrugged one shoulder dismissively. “We have to get Lucy back to the hospital before she gets any worse.”

Tasha couldn’t agree more, but she was also worried about Remi. He looked unsteady, like at any second he’d lose the strength to keep upright. The dark smudges under his eyes marked his exhaustion.

Inside the building, Tasha squinted her eyes at the bright neon yellow walls and brown-orange carpeting. Dark, unidentified stains spotted the walls and floor in uneven, ugly shapes, and the smell of smoke and sewage hung in the air like fog, nearly smothering her. The thought of Remi living in this hellhole made her want to throw up. She squeezed his hand; if he noticed her unease, he gave no sign of it.

Tasha’s horror only increased as he unlocked the door to his apartment and the two of them stepped inside. The thing resembled a closet, only smaller. It was neat and fairly clean, but that was mostly due to the lack of furniture. There was a squished lump of a couch pushed up against the wall. A small table topped with an plastic lamp sat next to it. The kitchen, which was about the size of a surfboard, looked so empty and pathetic Tasha actually felt her eyes begin to burn with tears, which she held back for Remi’s sake.

“She’s in he--Ek’Tttcheew! She’s in here,” he said, heading into the miniature bedroom. Sure enough, the girl was tucked into a twin-sized bed, her long dark hair, a stark contrast to her porcelain skin, fanned out across the pillow. Remi bent, scooped his sister into his arms, and headed back toward Tasha, who moved out of the way so he could pass by her. As he neared, his nostrils started in on their dance, his eyelids lowering over glazed eyes. “Ahh…shit…here, take her…heh…”

Tasha grabbed the girl, felt her slight weight, and almost burst into tears. Sweet God, her poor Remi. She couldn’t imagine the guilt he must have felt for not being able to give his little sister everything the girl wanted, for not being able to…to protect her from life’s every hardship.

The man in question arched forward to rest his hands on his knees, panting. “Uhh…Ihhh. Ahh’ITTCHeew! KSSHooo!” He staggered a bit, throwing out a hand to the wall to catch himself.

“You sure you’re okay?” Tasha asked him anxiously, shifting Lucy in her arms until the girl’s small head rested against her shoulder.

He nodded once, his eyes pinning her in place with their intense gratitude. “Let’s go.”

He took Lucy from her, and they returned to the car. Tasha kidnapped the wheel while Remi sat in the back with Lucy, so the girl could lie flat for the ride to the hospital. She peeked at him in the rearview mirror, watching as his eyes slowly closed, then were dragged ruthlessly back open--then slipped shut again, and back open with much effort. The process continued endlessly as Tasha drove, gripping the wheel so tightly it was a wonder the thing didn’t crack in half.

Remi started coughing, turning his head into his shoulder and letting the razor-sharp sounds rip open his throat. The fit went on so long, Tasha was a second away from pulling over and demanding he admit he was far from okay. Then he started in on the sneezing, his head snapping forward into the crook of his arm with each juddering burst, and Tasha’s concern soared up into the clouds. “Eh’TSCHOO! TSCHOO! Uh’KZSSHU! Eh’KSSH! Heh…huh…Hk’ETTCHahh!” Done, he slumped against the window, little puffs of breath misting over the glass, eyes closed, nose bright red.

Meanwhile, Lucy had begun mumbling under her breath, her hands clenching and unclenching as her head tossed from side to side. Remi reached out a trembling hand to her, laying it across her brow. She stilled immediately, her grimace softening on her pink face.

“Hang on, Luce,” he whispered. “We’re almost there. You’ll be fine.”

The tenderness in his voice brought yet more tears to Tasha’s eyes, and she cursed mentally at how silly she was acting. She needed to get a hold of herself.

Remi leaned back into the seat, shivering with cold but trying to hide it. He didn’t want Tasha knowing how utterly crappy he felt. He’d put enough of a burden on her already and he wasn’t about to add to it by complaining. He hadn’t realized just how much he’d missed Tash until now. And, God, this wasn’t how he’d planned on meeting her again. Scaring the hell out of her, holding a gun to her head, and robbing her? His stomach churned just remembering the flash of fear in those huge eyes of hers.

Jesus, he was such scum. Such complete scum. Scum with a stabbing headache, an achingly sore throat, a painfully stuffed nose, and a case of exhaustion so deep he felt like he were walking in some kind of dream-world. When another invisible feather fluttered on the inside of his nose, he winced, too tired for another fit. Laboriously, he lifted his hand to his nose in preparation. “Hhhh,” he gasped, struggling to coax out the sneeze.

Tasha glanced in the rearview as she heard Remi’s breath hitch. He had his face hidden behind his open hand. Suddenly, his head bobbed forward. “KSSHuuu! Ettschoo!” He drew in a soggy sniff, wiped his hand on his thigh.

“Bless you, Rem,” she offered worriedly, biting back the are you okay?

“Thanks,” he muttered, clearly uncomfortable with the attention.

Tasha turned her focus back to the road, vowing to confront him as soon as Lucy was being cared for.

A few minutes later, she pulled into the hospital parking lot and slid into the nearest spot available. That’s when she remembered. Cold anger swept through her.

How could she have forgotten!?

“Tash?” Remi rasped from the back, for once sensing her distress. “What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “Let’s just get Lucy checked in, okay? I’ll--”

“Tash,” he cut in, alarm in his voice. “What is it? Just tell me. I can take it.”

She licked her lips, nodded. “It’s my purse. I left it at Brett’s house.”

---------

More to follow. Be ready for drama, anguish, pain, sneezing, all that good stuff.

[Butch]

Scion - Awesome awesome and more awesome. SO descriptive, too! Can't wait for more.

[bless]

Scion - Awesome awesome and more awesome. SO descriptive, too! Can't wait for more.

you are incredible. I'll wait with excitement for the next chapter.

[Scion]

Mims: I can't get over how amazing you are. Seriously, you make me the happiest person ever!

Bless: Wow, thank you so much! It means so much to me to hear you say that.

I started this last night and worked on it till after 4:30 in the morning, 'cause I wanted to post it before I went to bed, but, alas, that was not to be, so here it is waaaay late. Hope you like it.

Part Five:

Remi sat outside Lucy’s hospital room. Again. He was having a hard time breathing as he waited for Tasha to return, and blackness had started to seep into the corners of his vision. His lungs felt like stone, his throat like parchment, and his tongue like lead. He considered distantly that he might be on the way to passing out--but he shoved that notion aside. He wasn’t some fainting female. He was a man, for God’s sake, and his sister needed him. And he needed Tasha.

Shit. Where had that come from? He didn’t need anyone. He couldn’t. He had to be strong, always, for Lucy. She’d crumble if she ever realized just how unstable her big brother, her guardian, her rock, really was, just how close to insanity, to becoming a criminal, to hating himself too much to go on.

The bothersome tickle returned to his nose in full force, almost painful in its ferocity. He tented his hands over his nose and mouth, waiting, breath wheezing through his teeth. “Hhh…Hek’SHEWW! Hih’IZZSHOO!”

A restless shiver claimed him, and he began tapping his foot against the linoleum. He hated hospitals. After his parent’s accident, he’d spent two days straight by his mom’s bedside, praying for her to wake, to live. His dad had died on sight, but his mom had lingered. The lingering made it worse. It had given Remi hope. False hope.

All of a sudden, a crushing fear poured over him, and he couldn’t breathe. He felt as if an iron band were tightening around his chest. Clumsily, he shot up from the chair and started running. He ignored the shouts to stop, shoving people out of his way until he burst through the front doors and out into the fresh air. But he didn’t stop there. He kept moving, his booted feet pounding over icy pavement. As he ran, his vision narrowed to a thin tunnel of dimmed light. He staggered drunkenly, and his foot rammed into something solid, but he pushed on, and on, and on. He never wanted to stop. He wanted to run forever. If he kept running he didn’t have to think, didn’t have to…

The tunnel of his vision narrowed still farther, and he was submerged in total blackness. Still, his shaky legs carried him forward, forward, forward…

His mind fogged over, dulled. And then nothing. He thought no more.

---------

Tasha was fuming. When she’d returned to Brett’s to get her purse, she hadn’t expected to be interrogated like some kind of criminal. The police had left long before she’d arrived, but Brett had had a few accusations in store for her.

“You planned that, didn’t you?” had been the first words out of his mouth.

Tasha’s eyes had nearly fallen out from the shock. Planned that? Planned to have Remi break into his house? Rage had surfaced, stewed, but she’d controlled herself.

“No, Brett,” she’d said through gritted teeth. “I did not plan that. And if you truly believe otherwise, I think you should seek help, because you’re not right in the head.” Then she’d grabbed her purse, ignoring Brett’s huffs and puffs of outrage, and stormed from the house without another word.

Now, as she headed back toward the hospital, to her Remi, angry tears pricked her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Brett was far from worth it. She’d just managed to blink away most of the dampness, when something up ahead caught her eye. There was a body slumped on the side of the road, half on, half off of the sidewalk. She took in the dark hair, the black sweatshirt, the jeans--and pounded on the breaks. As fright gnawed at her bones, she pulled the car to the side of the road, rocketed out of it, and sprinted toward the downed figure.

“Remi!” she called as she darted forth, hands forming into fists.

He didn’t move.

“Remi,” she said again as she threw herself down beside him, her hands all over him. When she felt the gentle puff of his breath against her cheek, she sagged with relief.

Alive. He was alive.

She curled her arms behind his head and neck, pulled him toward her, cradled him to her chest. “Rem, sweetie, can you hear me? You need to wake up now, all right? Open your eyes.” He was shaking with so much force he kept trying to worm out of her grip, but she held tight, clutching at him with all her strength. “Come on, open those beautiful blue eye of yours,” she whispered against his forehead, then brushed her lips over each of the aforementioned eyes.

Then it happened. His breath gave a little quiver, and his brow scrunched up, the dark sweep of his lashes flittering lightly. “Huh…heh…Hi’ETCHshoo! EXXSHO!” His body jerked in her arms, and she drew him closer as his nostrils began flirting with disaster once more. “Heeh…KSSHuhh!”

“Bless you.” She used her sleeve to softly pat his damp nose.

His eyes labored open and two crescents of blue appeared, a little hazy, but there all the same. “Tash?” he croaked, then let out an feeble cough.

“Yes, sweetheart,” she cooed, smoothing back his hair. “I’m right here. I’m right here.”

His lids lowered. “You get…purse…Lucy?” he mumbled fuzzily.

“Yes, I got it. Lucy will be fine, Rem. Don’t you worry. The doctors there will take good care of her and she’ll be better in no time.”

You, on the other hand, she thought grimly.

“Let’s get you up,” she said with fake bravado. “We have to get back to the hospital so I can spread the green.”

He chuckled, like she’d hoped he would, and nodded. Tasha helped him to his feet, wrapping an arm around his waist to steady him as she helped him into the car. Once she had him all settled in, she went back to the driver’s side and climbed in.

“Ktsch’eew!” he sneezed tiredly, his head slumped against the window, his teeth chattering noisily.

Tasha cranked up the heat. “Bless--”

“Ih’KTSCCH! Hek’ESSHooo!” He barely moved as two more sneezes escaped, looking so exhausted his eyes appeared bruised into his skull.

She reached a hand over to stroke his shoulder. “Go to sleep, sweetie,” she instructed. “You’re so tired, and I can take care of everything, okay?”

“Uh,” he grunted hoarsely.

“I’ll take you back to my place after I get Lucy’s bill settled.”

“Uh,” he repeated. “ETSCHH’ahh!”

“Bless you. Now sleep,” she commanded, more sternly this time.

When her only reply was a congested snore, she let out a relived breath. Finally, her poor Remi would get some much needed rest.

--------

Okay, now, I could go on. What do you all think? Does anyone want more?

[Butch]

Scion - I REALLY appreciate the compliment!

As usual, I love what you've written. Like I said, your descriptions make me feel like the characters are..well..right there next to me or something! Wonderful.. and please continue with the story, if you want to.

[LetMeBe]

It's interesting. I'm anticipating the twists and turns and enjoying the sneeziness!

[foreverajerseygirl]

Ummmm...yes! I want more!!!!!

[bless]

Ummmm...yes! I want more!!!!!

I am full of admiration .... you are fantastic. I dont understand how you do it.

I would love to read more .... if you want to write.

[Aprilcot]

Ohh my gsh Scion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I need more of your stories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for updating and bringing more goodness to the forum!!!!!!!!!!

[Scion]

Mims: That's honestly the best compliment you could give me and I can never thank you enough!

LetMeBe: Thanks! I always appreciate your kind words.

Foreverajerseygirl: Thank you! And here's some more for ya!

Bless: Thanks so much. You always know just what to say!

Aprilcot: Hahaha, thank you! And you'll get your wish!

Part Six:

The first thing Remi felt when consciousness snuck back up on him was the pain. In his head. In his chest. In his throat. And in every single one of his muscles, little needles of agony poking and prodding relentlessly.

Lucy.

He flailed about, trapped, trapped and unable to move. Something was holding him down, keeping him prisoner--

“Remi, hey! It’s okay. It’s okay!”

Tasha’s voice. Why would Tasha be here in this prison with him? Why would--?

“It’s just a blanket,” came Tasha’s calm tone, and Remi felt the weight being removed from his chest.

He gulped in air, sweat coating every inch of his flesh like a second skin. He tried to sit up--couldn’t. His gaze darted wildly about, searching for Lucy. She was nowhere to be found. All he saw was a bedroom full of white furniture--and Tasha, leaning over him, her lips pulled down in concern.

“Where’s…Luce?” he croaked, his voice like the rasp of sandpaper.

Tasha’s hand settled on his brow, and he stopped wriggling, took a breath. “She’s in the hospital, sweetheart. I settled her bill. She’s in good hands. She’s going to be fine, okay? I promise you don’t have to worry about her.”

Tasha had paid Lucy’s bill? When? He didn’t remember that. Why couldn’t he remember that? Why did his brain feel like a big glob of mud, weighing down his head and sending blades of pain through his temples? He swallowed a groan as he felt a familiar quiver inside his nose. But, dammit, he didn’t want to sneeze right now. He had a feeling it would hurt like hell, and he was in enough pain already, thank you.

“Hiiih…ehhh….” He sniffed hard and scrubbed at his nose, blinking several times to clear the water from his eyes. “Hhhh….ahhh….” Nothing.

Tasha frowned, reached over toward the nightstand, came back with a tissue. “Here, sweetie. You need this?”

He grunted out a yes, and she handed him the white square with a small smile. As his breath shivered, he pressed the tissue over his nose. After half a blow, he was cut off by a wrenching sneeze that caused sparks of fire to explode inside his skull. “Eh’EKSHhooo!” He started to blow again, stopped. “Heh…Ng’GSSHthhaahh!”

Tasha spiked her fingers through his sweaty flop of hair, humming softly under her breath, her pretty eyes wide and sorrowful, like a puppy’s.

Remi bucked forward with another “hhIIH’KIXSHHttchuu! Ksshh’AHH!” Sapped of every iota of strength, he sagged into the cushiony bed with a gurgling sigh. A metal whip seemed to curl around his chest, squeezing until a round of hoarse coughing was squelched from his burning throat.

Tasha, still humming, smoothed her hand over his chest in wide circles. “Shh. Just relax, sweetheart. Does your throat hurt?”

Past his tough-guy, savior of the world act, he gave a single nod.

She nodded. “Okay. I’m going to go make you some tea.” She held up a hand as if anticipating his response. “And I won’t take no for an answer. Even big tough guys like you can drink tea. It’s not like anyone’s gonna know but you and me, and you need it. Deal?”

Grudgingly, he nodded again, closing his eyes and sinking back into the pillows. “Ss’your place?” he mumbled blearily.

“Yes, this is my place,” she replied, tucking the covers more securely around him. “I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later, Tasha returned with a steaming mug of tea cupped between her hands, and Remi had to admit, the damn stuff smelled like heaven. “Here.” She helped him sit up, propping the pillow behind his back and neck. Then she tried to hand him the mug, but his hands were shaking so badly he’d probably just spill the liquid all over himself and her bed. Tasha gently pushed his hands aside. “Let me. I want to,” she added when he opened his mouth to protest. “Please.” When he sighed, shutting his eyes in defeat, she made a humming sound of approval, and he felt the warm press of the cup against his lips.

Remi opened his mouth a little and sipped the hot miracle. The moment it touched his throat, the pain dimmed, and he gave yet another sigh, this one of relief. But the relief was only temporary. A second later, he felt the prickle again, and he turned his head to the side, away from Tasha, breath hitching uncontrollably.

“Uhh…huhh…Hi’CHISHhhahhh! Heh’EGSHHU! IZZSHOO! Uhhn…” He sniffled, took the tissue Tasha held out to him, and gave his nose a quick blow before tossing the white wad into the trash by the bed.

Tasha returned to serving him tea, and he drank it greedily, finishing every last drop like a good little boy.

Quirking a smile, Tasha pushed the hair back from his face, nuzzling his temple. “Is there anything else you need?” she asked, sounding as if there was nothing she wouldn’t do for him.

Still feeling greedy, Remi cautiously cleared his throat and jerked his head toward the empty side of the big bed. Tasha lifted a brow, her smiling intensifying.

“Oh, really?” she purred, licking her pink lips.

“Y--yeah…Huh’NGSHchhoo! Yeah, really.” His cracked lips tipped up into a half-smile. “Ya think?”

In answer, she went around to the other side of the bed and climbed unhesitatingly in, snuggling up close to him and throwing her right leg over both of his. She hid her face in his neck, and felt him swallow as another hitch entered his breath.

“Hn’GGT!” He stifled into his opposite shoulder, very aware of Tasha pressed up against him.

“Bless you,” she whispered, her hands reaching for him, tugging at his shoulders.

Remi scooted until he could rest his head on her stomach. “So much better than a pillow,” he mumbled sleepily.

She giggled. “Good.” Her hands streaked through his hair, and it was her gentle touch that soothed him into sleep.

Tasha smiled as she heard Remi’s almost inaudible snore, stilling her hand in his hair. She was oddly content right where she was, and the temptation never to move was strong. “I love you, Remi Donovan,” she breathed. “I never stopped.”

Remi shifted a little, and a small, cracked whisper drifted up toward her. “Love you, too, Tash.” His snoring resumed, and Tasha wondered if maybe she’d only imagined his words.

Whatever the case, she knew how she felt, and she knew she’d do everything in her power to never lose him again.

Never, ever, again.

THE END.

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I have another story in my head, so I should have the first part up soon. Maybe today. We'll see! Hope you all like the way this one ended. I have a thing for corny endings, apparently, so soak up the love!

[Butch]

Scion - AWWW. I love the ending. It's not corny..it's so SWEET. And another story coming? I'm excited.