See Part One (A) For Disclaimers

Chapter Nine

"So, what's the latest?  Have you made any headway with the DH case?" Dani asked as she ran another simulation.  With each simulation that had been run, Dani had saved it onto a diskette.  Tomorrow, or the following day, she would take it to their lawyer . . . just to be on the safe side.  The last thing the Legacy needed was a lawsuit.  Or the possible publicity that might come with a lawsuit.  The Legacy needed to work in secrecy.  Snoopy reporters made that difficult to impossible.

"No . . . Tatya has some interviews to conduct tomorrow, and she's taking Philip with her.  He did some research earlier, and spared you the need to get the employee list.  I had my doubts about him in the beginning . . . you know, the usual new people type of thing . . . but the more I see, the more I think he'll work out just fine," Val answered.

Dani smiled and asked, "Does that mean dear Uncle Nathaniel will get off with something less than a nasty tongue-lashing?"  Val stopped typing long enough to give Dani a Look, then went back to work.  The ex-Marine just laughed and replied, "Didn't think so, but figured I would ask anyhow.  What's the latest from San Fran?  Is the royal airhead still in the psych ward?  And don't give me that look, Val."

"Well, I haven't had an email from Alex Moreau in a while, but her last one . . . just before I left for England . . . said that Dr. Rayne's memory has been wiped clean.  He wasn't even sure who Kat Corrigan was.  He doesn't remember Jonathan Boyle, or anything like that," Val answered.  She paused, hit 'enter,' then sat back, adding, "And yeah, Rachel Corrigan is still in the psych ward.  Alex told me in her email that she had actually been expecting it.  Corrigan just now started recognizing her daughter."

"Poor kid," Dani murmured, shaking her head, "she's really been through hell in the last five years, hasn't she? Losing her father and brother, getting that introduction to the Legacy, and everything else that had happened to her since Ireland . . .  How is Kat handling it, though?  I mean, I have no respect for her mother, but Kat isn't responsible for her mother being a bitch and a moron."  Val didn't answer at first . . . her attention was on the screen.

After a moment, she replied, "Alex says that Kat has been a godsent.  She helps take care of Dr. Rayne, and runs errands.  And I'm not sure if I can stay angry with Dr. Rayne.  He doesn't remember Jonathan Boyle, or  my mother. How can I hold him responsible for something he doesn't remember doing?  Or rather, not doing?"

Dani looked over at the younger woman, asking compassionately, "Do you want to stay angry with him?  I mean, wouldn't you rather let go?  I know this is your mother we're talking about, and I know what Boyle did to you and your family.  But aren't you hurting yourself more by holding on?  Wouldn't Deirdre want you to stop hurting?"

Val didn't answer immediately.  When she did, it was in a very soft voice, and Dani could barely hear her.  Val answered quietly, "I make myself remember to protect myself.  That's the only way I can keep him from disarming me with his charm.  And I understand he's very charming when he's at his best.  If I let down my guard, even a little bit, I'll allow him access . . . and I'll allow him to hurt me."

"He won't hurt you again, Val.  We won't allow that to happen," Dani said in a low voice.  Her friend didn't answer, just stared at the computer screen.  Dani allowed the silence to continue for a few moments, then said softly, "Val, you are one of my best friends.  You have always been there for us.  There is NO way in the world I would allow Derek Rayne, or anyone else in his House, to harm you."

Val looked away from her computer screen and smiled sadly, asking, "Oo-rah, Dani?"  The ex-Marine smiled at the battle cry, then Val continued, "I know that.  I . . . but you can't prevent Derek Rayne from making one of his thoughtless remarks.  Nor can you stop Rachel Corrigan from throwing one of her whining fits."

"Watch me," Dani answered grimly.  She had already promised herself that she would rip Rachel Corrigan a new asshole if that bitch went off on one of her infamous rants. She had read the case logs surrounding Kat Corrigan's dalliance with sorcery, and she was well aware of Corrigan's attitude toward Wicca.  As for Derek Rayne . . .   Dani continued, "And at the moment, Derek Rayne is a blank slate.  You said it yourself.  And in a sense, Nick and Alex are his parents now."

"Scary thought . . . though not as scary as Rachel Corrigan playing mommy to him," Val observed and it took all of Dani's self control to keep from laughing at her friend. Besides, she was right.  It was a very frightening thought.  Val continued, "But you're right.  And I understand Nick Boyle has grown up a lot recently.  I just . . . I don't have any reason to trust Derek Rayne."

"So don't trust him.  That's not the point.  The point is, trust us.  You're our precept, you take care of us.  But the flip side is, when you need us, we take care of you as well.  I'm the security chief, that's part of my job.  And I'm your friend, which means you're covered twice over," Dani replied.  She watched Val staring at her computer screen.  Her expression was blank, but Dani knew her mind was not.

Dani didn't know what else to say.  She had a sense that there was something else bothering her precept and friend, but she didn't know what it was.  At last, Val said slowly, "You know, it's not even Derek Rayne that's scaring me.  It's me.  I'm afraid . . . well, I'm afraid that I'll forget he doesn't remember.  When we finally meet."

"You're afraid he will remember, and try to take Philip away, aren't you?  Just as soon as Philip finally becomes comfortable with us, and what we believe in?" Dani guessed shrewdly.  Val sighed, and the ex-Marine continued, "You're forgetting one little thing, Val.  Philip has a mind, and a will, of his own.  And if he doesn't want to go, he won't."

"I know.  I know I'm not being fair to him.  To Philip, I mean.  I keep telling Andy to give him the benefit of the doubt, but here I am, unable to take my own advice," Val sighed.  The younger woman looked over at Dani, adding, "You know, I've only known him for a few hours, but I can already understand why Kristen sacrificed her life to save him."

"And you're not a nymphomaniac like Tatya or me . . . or Rachel Corrigan for that matter . . . but yeah, he's definitely special.  He's just now starting to realize that he can fight back, that he's allowed to stand up for himself.  It's like watching Jasmine grow up in a way," Dani replied.

Unexpectedly, Val laughed and pointed out, "Dani, he's older than you are!"  Dani just shrugged . . . speaking in terms of chronology, that was true.  But he was only a year older, and Dani felt much older than her thirty-three years. Something she had her family to thank for.  But before she could think about that, she turned her attention to the current topic.

"True," Dani answered after a moment, "but you know as well as I do that chronology doesn't equal development.  Look at Rachel Corrigan.  Remember all the stories we've heard about her unprofessional behavior.  How she blamed Derek Rayne for her mother's death, when he was a boy of fifteen at the time."

"Yeah, and I'm still wondering how my godfather found out about that," Val muttered.  She looked around, frowning, and added, "That reminds me, where is Uncle Nathaniel? I was on my way upstairs to blast him earlier, but got side-tracked when Jasmine told me about her dreams.  Have you seen him since Tatya tucked Philip into bed?"

"The last time I saw him, Val, he was on his way to his old room to pack.  I did hear him muttering about how a grand house like this deserves more elegant furnishings," Dani told her friend.  Val rolled her eyes, and Dani barely hid her smile.  She and Nathaniel Hughes had gone 'round and 'round on that point more than once.

"I do not feel like getting into an argument with Uncle Nathaniel . . . of any kind.  Scratch that.  I don't feel like getting into an argument with anyone, for any reason. So, I will keep my scrawny hiney in this chair and keep doing what I'm doing.  What about you, how are the simulations coming?" Val asked and Dani looked at her computer screen ruefully.

"Well, I've run ten different simulations, with ten different results, and saved the results on a diskette.  I'm gonna take it to the lawyer in the morning . . . but there are a few more possibilities I want to run.  One thing I learned in the Marines, be prepared for anything," she answered.  That wasn't entirely accurate, but she wouldn't tell Val that.

"Something which the Legacy honed, no doubt," Val answered with a teasing grin.  Dani returned the smile, glad to see her friend smiling again.  Whatever happened in England . . . well, it had taken its toll.  Val sighed, adding, "Meanwhile, I think I should join Philip in the kitchen for a break.  The computer screen is starting to dance."

"Take a break, grab a Coke or whatever.  It'll be there when you get back.  And don't look at me like that . . . like I said earlier, I'm my security chief.  It's my job to take care of you," Dani told her friend.  Val rolled her eyes, but turned off the screen, then left the room.

Dani turned back to her simulations.  Despite her teasing, she was more than a little worried about Val.  While Andy had been the most obvious in his reaction to Philip's arrival, Dani knew it had stirred up old memories for Val, too.  And she privately swore to make Derek Rayne pay if he caused her friend any more pain.

*    *    *

Andy was out-numbered and out-gunned.  To say nothing of out-maneuevered.  The women of the House had decided they liked Philip Callaghan, and that was the end of it.  Period, nothing more to be said.  And what was worse, if he had belonged to any House other than Derek Rayne's, if he had called anyone else other than Derek Rayne his precept, Andy would have liked the priest as well.

That was galling by itself.  And when all was said and done, the former journalist knew he was being obnoxious.  But.  .  .Philip Callaghan had been in Derek Rayne's House, had been infected with the man's narrow-mindedness.  There was no other way to put it.  Even if Val wouldn't say it, Andy would.  Derek Rayne was narrow-minded, and that was a prominent sickness in the Legacy.

And damn it to hell, Andy knew that he was being narrow-minded as well.  Thanks, again, to the women.  Not just Dani, although she was a major bitch on this topic, but all of the women.  Even Val, though she never said a word.  Which left Andy with one huge problem.  What the hell was he gonna do about it?  What was he gonna do about the rage he still felt toward Derek Rayne?  And how was he gonna keep Dani from pissing him off all over again?

Because when all was said and done, it was Dani who kept pushing his buttons.  And it was Dani who was trying to force him into accepting the new priest.  Andy felt a rush of resentment, toward Dani, toward the new arrival, and toward the bishop.  He was the one who had put them all in this position, with his games.  Damn him, why wouldn't he just leave them alone, and let Val make these decisions?

"Oh Christ, Heather," Andy whispered to the ever-present image of his beloved in his mind, "it wasn't supposed to be like this.  It wasn't ever supposed to be like this.  You weren't supposed to die the way you did, and I wasn't supposed to become a drunk.  Nothing ever turns out the way we plan it.  Nothing."

Continued

Email the author!
[email protected]

Back to Main 'PTL' Fanfic Index

Back to Main Library Index         Back to Main Fanfiction Index

Adventures of Sinbad   ~~~     Andromeda   ~~~     Angel   ~~~     Babylon5   ~~~     BeastMaster: The Series   ~~~     Beauty & the Beast
Buffy the Vampire Slayer   ~~~     Charmed  ~~~     The Crow: Stairway to Heaven   ~~~     Crusade   ~~~     due South   ~~~     Farscape
Gundam Wing   ~~~     Highlander: The Series   ~~~     Miscellaneous Fiction   ~~~     Mortal Kombat   ~~~     Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Poltergeist the Legacy   ~~~     Raven   ~~~     (TSAo) Jules Verne  ~~~     The Sentinel   ~~~     Stargate SG1   ~~~     Star Trek: Voyager

I can't fix it if I don't know it's broken, so if you see anything wrong,  please let me know.  Thank you and enjoy your stay!