2313-25

"So where've you been all this time? And don't tell me it took you this long to check that cattle!" A teasing grin on his face, as it appeared over the stall. The blonde HuRec pioneer's face spoke of an imminent onslaught of mischievousness, his favorite pass-time.

"No Cody, we took a trip to Paris while we were at it. It's beautiful this time of year," Lou snickered. Dead set on not letting Cody get to her, this time she was prepared and any witty remark from the blond official would be answered with calm and composition. Whatever Cody thought he had up his sleeve, she was prepared.

"Went and did some dancing did ya?" The innocent question was followed with a raucous laugh as the two looked at each other, for a moment caught in mutual fearful wondering. Lou's lips moving in a silent question to the Kid. He looked absolutely baffled, a face so genuinely surprised that Cody felt he had to step in before Lou would burst in her seams and take out a revenge on the unsuspecting man at her side.

"See there was a memo-slot on the floor in...." He started, but the reaction of the fierce young woman in front of him had him hold his tongue and wait for them to reveal even more than he already knew.

"What?" Lou turned back to Cody, her eyes now wide, the cheeks a rosy red that Cody suspected didn't stem from the heat outside. "A memo-slot?" She nearly stammered. A hasty glance at the Kid, partly accusatory, part questioning.

"Huh?" Kid finally cracked, his eyes still on Lou, obviously trying to figure out the cause of her distress. "What the hell are you talkin' 'bout Billy? Who the hell told you..."

Lou backed up to him, close enough to plant her elbow in his side. "Kid," she let out in a low voice, a clear warning.

"In the recreation room, " Cody clarified with a chuckle, visibly enjoying the situation. "It was lying there on the floor and I picked it up and checked..."

"You did what?" Lou's voice had risen a bit. Her hand gripped Kid's sleeve while she retreated slightly, stumbling into Kid. The latter looked at her, clearly alarmed by her rising desperation.

"Yeah, like I said, it was right there on the floor and I had to check who dropped it." He let the words sink in and watched the two. Lou's face had turned a brilliant red, her eyes wide as she stared in disbelief at Cody. The hand gripping Kid's arm so tight he grimaced.

With a smile he continued; "Yeah, I heard the discussion in the kitchen," Cody's smile broadened further while he reached into his pocket and pulled the slot out. "I saw it had been on full record mode for 36 hours, I guess the two of you wanted this. I got the impression that maybe something had been going on while it was recording, maybe?" He couldn't hold it any longer but had to laugh. Lou's face had turned into a mixture of downright panic and disbelief.

"You can count your lucky stars it wasn't on 'send' mode," Cody laughed, "that woulda been something,"

Lou took two long steps and tried to snatch the slot out of Cody's hand. He held on to it, just a fraction of a second but enough time to have Lou's lips form a thin line. Then he smiled at her, letting the slot slide into her hand, a hand that gripped it firmly before she brought it to her chest and clasped the closed fist over her heart.

Cody smiled at the unconscious gesture, he doubted they'd ever need the slot. The memory would sure live in them all the same. Just as efficiently as any technical equipment. He watched a Kid's hand nestled around Lou's waist, pulling her into an embrace. Lou turned around and hid her face in Kid's coverall.

"Oh Lord," she exhaled shakily. "I forgot to turn it off! I was working with the dB and kept it on register just in case I'd let something slip by. I forgot all about it, it musta have been there all along, on the couch..."

Cody watched the impact the words had on Kid. It wasn't what he had expected, for just a brief moment he witnessed the blue eyes widen in shock, then he turned to the small form in his lap and kissed the top of her head. A smile forming on his lips, flashing in the eyes before he found his usual stoic expression and turned to Cody.

"Yeah, yeah, I promise! I didn't prod, I won't tell, well except the 'dancing' euphemism, coz' that's too funny to let go. And you owe me, big time!"

Lou turned her face to him and peered under her brow. "You promise?" Her voice sounded tiny.

Cody felt a tenderness sweep over him at the sight of her. She was ashamed and embarrassed. He found it unbelievable, at this day and age? Who would care? So why did she? Instead of using it as a retaliation for the lack in his love-life she was embarrassed? She could just as easily have used her and Kid's relation to mock his lack of one. Could have rubbed it in that they had found something he hadn't. But she didn't. And the way she automatically turned to Kid, and he in turn responded with that gesture of protectiveness. In that moment Cody had understood that this was something more than a fling, something deeper. Usually women used men for their own pleasure, flat out. No questions or strings attached. Just because they wanted to. The game of men haunting them still went on, like it had forever, but the tables had turned. Women held the power now, they chose, used for a while and then left. They didn't need the security of love any longer, they had it all now. They were the ones responsible and able to restore human kind, and that gave them all the power.

But Lou and Kid? There was something about the way they held on to each other, like the one wasn't whole without the other. Something Cody had never seen real life, only read about. Way back in time, when poets wrote about it and novels were spun around that mythical thing. Love.

Cody shook his head, it was just a myth, love didn't exist, not the way it had been described. Love was just a series of neuro-chemical reactions. It came and it took your breath away and then it left your system. It had happened to him, he too had loved deeply only to be left. It would happen to Kid and Lou too, always did.

He shook his head at his own wildly running thoughts as he stepped out of the stall. Lou freed herself from Kid's hold and looked at him. "Thanks Billy," she said in a whisper. Her hand still gripping Kid's sleeve, like holding on to a lifeline.

Kid chuckled and swept her into his arms again, rocking her. Lou looked perfectly happy.

"Just name your first born after me," Cody grinned at the pair while he made his way out the door. "And please remember you owe me."

He didn't wait for an answer, he didn't need one. He wished them all the best in the world, he truly did. And most of all he wanted to know if what he just had seen was truly what he expected it to be? That mythical, self-sacrificing, all-forgiving and all-accepting love? It didn't exist now really, did it? It was only something people made up to make life more bearable. A dream among other dreams to chase. He smiled at his own flying thoughts.

And then? Didn't all them famous love-couples end up dead anyway? Like Romeo and Juliet, Isolde and Tristan, wait now, did they really die? Must have. And Cleopatra and that dude, what was his name, Antony? Wasn't she bit by a snake or something? Nope, every love couple has a bad ending, that's for sure, I gotta warn them before they get in over their heads. If it's not too late already? But of course, Lancelot and Guinevere was one of his favorite tales, they of course managed to bring a whole kingdom to its knees. He grinned widely as he rounded the corner and spotted Rachel on the porch.

He waited till the door closed behind Cody before he looked down on her. She was breathing hard against his shirt, a slight tremor in her shoulders.

"It's okay Lou, it's just as much my fault. I forgot all about it, I'm so sorry."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and dark, there was fear in them. A fear that he hated to see there. A fear he didn't quite understand. But her fear immediately transmitted onto him, like a dark shadow it fluttered into his awareness, like something was hovering over them. Something he couldn't see or touch, something that lay deep in Lou's eyes. "Lou?"

The dark shadow disappeared from her eyes, like she had willingly pushed it away. "I coulda made a mess of everything couldn't I?"

"Huh?" Still bewildered from the glimpse of the terror he had caught he wasn't totally aware of the words she had spoken.

"If I'd had the send on..." Swallowing she diverted her eyes from his, resting her gaze on a button of his shirt, hiding her eyes from him. "It would have been all over the place. We'da been exposed Kid, could you take that? If you were forced to leave this place and HuRec 'coz of me?"

Involuntary he smiled: "Lou, if there is what I think there is on that slot...well in that case..I think it's rather obvious it was consential. And as far as I know, not against any law. Maybe against some moral code but who's to say?" Trying to catch her eyes he bent towards her. "Why would they do anything Lou? They must know already, they must have known for weeks...how I feel."

Still refusing to look at him she ducked his inquiring eyes and he instinctively knew there was something else behind her words. Something she wasn't telling him, and it hurt him that she didn't have the faith in him to say what really was bothering her. It hurt him more than he was willing to admit.

"I something happens and we're forced to leave this place, would you hate me for it?"

Slowly she disentangled her arms from his waist, stepping back to watch him. Her eyes now sad and thoughtful. "Are you sure Kid? I mean we just don't know what will happen. What if we're both forced to leave? It says so in that contract you know; 'I will treat my colleagues as equals, always and under every circumstance. I will not favor or disregard anyone of my colleagues, or myself, during the operation, I will set aside my own personal convictions and needs to work primarily for the common good.' I know it by heart Kid, I've been wondering about it, and I think we're breaking it."

"Lou," he had to smile at her, wondering how on earth she didn't realize that he'd take every risk for her, and if it came down to choose between her and HuRec, he had no doubts. To him it wasn't even a choice."I don't care, I really don't. Like Teaspoon said, 'some rules are made to break'."

"And then," she held his gaze on him, still not convinced. "Would you resent me?"

"Please," he moaned, not able to take her doubts any longer, see them so plain and cruel in her eyes. Scooping her up in his arms he shook his head at her doubts. "I'm here Lou, whatever happens I'll be here. You're not alone anymore." Her arms finally came up around his neck as he started walking. He hated the discussion, he hated the fear and the doubt in her eyes. And he hated the fact that he wasn't able to erase them. That he just didn't know what to do, except take her mind away from the dark thoughts, carry her away from the pain. He looked down into her eyes, relieved that there was no sadness any longer, but a protest as he hauled her away. Then she smiled and hid her face, and he knew he'd carry her to the end of the world if she wanted him to. And he also knew that he loved her far more than she would ever love him, but he didn't mind. Not as long as he held her and her eyes were clear and calm. He didn't care about nothing else.

Lou closed her eyes and let her head rest on his shoulder, she had given him the perfect opportunity to bail out. But he didn't. She knew that it had been a test, unwittingly she had tested his love. Afraid it would turn out like the love of her father. And now she felt ashamed of doing so. He deserved more than covert manipulative actions from her side. Once again she had let her fear run her life. And it still did. I have to tell Sean!

He let her down to her feet outside the barndoor, extending her a hand to hold. "C'mon Lou, let's go see what's for dinner."

She looked at the hand and then at him, smirking at the thought of publically proclaim her feelings. She had never walked hand in hand with a man at any instance, she had always refused.

But he didn't heed, he took her hand and clasped it into his, smiling teasingly at her. "It won't kill you Lou, I promise."

Just the hint that she was being scared enraged her to the point that she started walking, dragging him behind her. His chuckles made her anger dissipate just as fast as it had claimed her. She looked at him, pouting. "Ok Kid, you win. I give you this, but not in town ya hear!"

He made a face of exaggerated shock in her direction, still chuckling, shaking his head in disbelief. Apparently he thought she was being more than silly. But she didn't even get mad at him, and it surprised her. Taking a tighter grip of the hand she smiled; no it wouldn't kill her. But it still scared her. And she had to tell Sean.

Cody flung himself down on the last step, looking around the yard and sighing demonstratively. He peered at Rachel to see if she had gotten his innuendo about imminent starvation. But she looked down on her EA, not minding him. In fact, she hadn't said a word since her absentminded nod as she saluted him.

It was hot, and he was hungry. He could hear Sam and Emma talking in the kitchen, Teaspoon pitching some wise word in here and there, Emma laughing occasionally. It was peaceful.

Stretching, he rested his elbows on the wooden floor and looked up into the sky, letting the sun color his face. It had become a mayor asset to be naturally tanned. The Cupola-girls went crazy for that sort of things, or at least, so he heard. Smiling to himself he pictured the effect he would have if he ever had the opportunity to go there, suck in the admiration and the envy. He'd never tell them that living out here was mostly hard work and not much entertaining at all. Well, except for Lou and Kid on occasions. That would kind of diminish his attraction, wouldn't it?

"Rach?" He had to ask if there was any trips to the headquarters coming up, in that case, he'd be the first to volunteer. She didn't answer so he looked at her and repeated her name, "hey Rachel?"

She looked up, like waking from a nap, fixating her gaze on him like she wasn't even aware of the fact that he was there. "Uh?"

He turned his gaze back to the open space in front of him and smiled; "Rach, Rach, what is on your mind this day? Or should I ask who...maybe?" He chuckled at the thought of having another couple to torment, but of course, Rachel was actually above him in the ranks so maybe he'd have to take it a little bit easier. Nice to see that even efficient women like her drifted off into daydreams, just like everybody else.

"So where's Noah?" He had to suppress the laughter, he didn't want to be quite as blunt with her, she could be rather impressive when she got mad. And she still held the power to make him do the most atrocious tasks if he stepped out of line. But nevertheless, a little teasing was just what she needed.

Coming from Rachel the reply was unusually curt and dismissive. He cast a glance in her direction and noticed her eyes were again pointed to the EA in her hand.

"Rach, is it broken?" He repeated the question, turning to her, looking attentively at her. Something wasn't right. He got to his feet and walked up to her, her hands laying open in her lap, the EA resting there. He looked at her and she smiled weakly at him, her eyes shining like in a fever. "What's wrong?" he asked, alarmed by her silence. "Rach, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she closed her hand around the apparatus and rose. He noticed her wobbling legs, reaching out to steady her he immediately realized what was wrong. She was burning up.

Kid and Lou appeared from behind the barn, walking hand in hand, grinning. He cast a glance over in their direction, like a question. Hoping somebody would have an explanation to this sudden outburst of fever. They must have picked up on his distress, they let go of each other and started running towards the house.

Rachel looked up at him, smiling again, shivering violently. "I'm okay Billy, just a little bit cold."

"Rach, you have a fever! You're burning up!" Without waiting for any explanations he scooped her into his lap, "we gotta get you inside Rach."

Kid extended a hand to lay it on her brow, his face turning serious. "Cody, take her to sickbay, Lou please get a hold of Noah! Where is he?"

"In town," Rachel mumbled, "I'll be fine, just a flu, I'll be fine. Please let go."

Kid opened the door, nodding for Cody to pass. Teaspoon turning up behind him, looking at them, chewing on a straw, "What's up?"

"Where's Noah?" Lou prodded, the anxiety on Kid's face telling her it was bad. "We gotta get him, Rach has a fever!"

"You all right darlin'?" Teaspoon asked the woman effortlessly fighting Cody to get loose. "I though I gave you that aspirin, ain't it working?"

"Teaspoon, tell them to let go..." her voice now weak, her efforts futile as Cody walked past them, taking the steps in fast strides, carrying her into the sterile room they all dreaded.

"Noah! You there? You gotta come home now!" Teaspoon ordered into the EA. "She said she was feeling like she was coming down with something an hour ago. I gave her the usual anti-flu dose and some fluids. What? No it's Rachel, Noah - I'm talking about Rachel, she has a fever. No I don't know how high, yeah she's bein' taken care off, you just get back here in case we need you." Teaspoon tried to inform all parties at once.

"Kid?" Lou started, but he was gone up the stairs before she had a chance to finish her sentence.

Emma put some ice-bags in Lou's hands, "here ya go, Sam's gettin' in touch with HuRec. Maybe it's just the flu?"

For a moment Lou let her eyes rest on the now empty stairs, the one Cody and Kid had taken in three strides. Kid's drawn face told her enough, but then again, he wasn't a physician, only a vet. He might be wrong. "Let's wait for Noah," she said before she ran up the stairs.

Cody stood in the doorway, blocking her path. Without a word he took the ice-bags out of her hands, tossing them to Kid, before turning and trying to push her out.

"Yeah, let her inside, it's not viral anyhow," Kid said, looking down at the Invitae. "I have no friggin' idea what this is, but but if we don't get the temperature down soon her brains will be fried."

Lou pushed her way to Kid's side, watching Rachel on the stretcher. Her breathing heavy, eyes half-closed. A shiver ran through her and her muscles cramped.

A wave of fear ran through Lou, instinctively she reached out to adjust the ice-bags around Rachel's neck.

Startled she looked at him, not understanding why he was stopping her. "I was just trying to adjust the íce Kid."

"I know, just don't touch her, please, we don't know what it is. We don't know how it's transmitted Lou. Until we do, please stay at a distance."

His words caused her to take a step back, her eyes flying to Cody, then back to Kid. "But you two..."

"Her temperature is 41 centigrades, still rising," Cody was keeping an eyes on the Invitae, two red lights flashing, the third a threatening orange. "Where's Noah?"

Without a word Kid turned to the cabinet, jerking out a drawer, looking through it, slamming it shut. Then he repeated the procedure with he next two drawers at his reach.

"What the hell are you doin' Kid?" Cody lashed out. "Now's no time to start tidying up the premises. She's at 41,2 already!"

"You can't Kid, you're the vet, not the doc!" Cody shook his head fervently, "if something happens you'll be indicted and probably even sentenced. Do you even know what you're doing? She's no damned horse Kid! You can't touch her, not with any prescription meds!"

"He's right Kid," Lou knew far too well what was at stake, but she also saw the temperature rapidly rising. "Noah will be here any minute Kid, just wait!"

"Wait? Till her brain gets permanently damaged? I'll take the chance, the two of you get outta the room, if you're here you're just as liable, get out."

"Just do it," Cody muttered, "but I'll beat you senseless if you hurt her, I really will."

Lou watched as the metallurgic component slid into the swollen vein, holding her breath as another seizure shook her friend. And the fever kept rising. Tensing Rachel's muscles, eyes rolling in the sockets, foam forming in the corner of her mouth. Lou realized it was worse than she had originally thought, tears threatened behind her lids, her mouth went dry. Her own breath didn't come evenly any longer. She couldn't watch Rachel's shivering form, her eyes seeking the Kid, hoping for comfort. But his face was still drawn, his hands holding Rachel to her place, fighting the ice-bags that kept sliding off of their place. The breathing of her friend now ragged and labored. Kid's lips a slim white line as he reached to push more of the medication into the vein of the flailing arm. Time seemed oddly slow as she watched the scene, no changes in the Invitae's low intermittant warning signal. It filled the room, like a bad omen. Accompanied with the sound of painfilled exhales.

The door opened behind Lou, rapid steps over the floor before she was pushed to the side. Stumbling towards the medicine cabinet she saw Noah stepping up to Kid, wheezing at him, asking what the hell he was doing. Then he must have noticed Rachel's condition, the blueness of her lips, the seizures. For a moment he stood absolutely still, and Kid pushed the last of the meds in. Reaching for something, pushing Noah out of his way.

Noah turned and gripped Kid's collar hard, and then he flung him onto the glass cabinet, the glass immediately breaking, turning a dim white, then it sank onto the floor, like following Kid's motion.

"You'll pay for this," Noah said grimly before turning to Rachel and bagging her.

|Prologue||Chapter 1||Chapter 2||Chapter 3||Chapter 4||Chapter 5||Chapter 6||Chapter 7||Chapter 8||Chapter 9||Chapter 10|
|Chapter 11||Chapter 12||Chapter 13||Chapter 14||Chapter 15||Chapter 16||Chapter 17||Chapter 18||Chapter 19||Chapter 20*||Chapter 21||Chapter 22||Chapter 23||Chapter 24||Chapter 25||Chapter 26|