Charlie leaned against the bars separating him from Andrew. He slipped his hand through smiling as he felt the warmth of Andrew's hand grasping it tightly. "What are we going to do?" Andrew asked glancing up with wide eyes that reminded Charlie of a deer caught in headlights.
"I don't know," he moved his head around surveying the room "I don't trust these people."
Nodding Andrew kissed the hand he was holding "neither do I." He kept is voice low afraid of being overheard. He hated being locked inside this iron cage. On display for everyone to see. He bit his lip as it began to tremble. He needed answers to the many questions in his head, answers he knew Charlie didn't have. Where were they? How did they get here? Could they go home? If they could go home, how could they prevent this future from ever happening? A part of him wanted to doubt everything Emmaline told them about time travel. How could his cousins send someone through time?
"I want to go home," the words escaped before he could stop them from forming. He flinched from the angry glare Charlie shot at him.
"Don't you think I want to go home too?" Charlie snapped at him. He regretted his harsh words as soon as they were uttered as he watched Andrew drop his hand cringing like a whipped puppy.
"I'm sorry," he said reaching through the bars to awkwardly pull Andrew into a hug "I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on you. I'm not mad at you." He kissed Andrew's forehead best he could from where he sat outside the cage.
"I know," Andrew mumbled resting his head on the bars wishing it were the comforting shoulder of his boyfriend "I didn't mean to imply it was your fault."
"I know you didn't baby" Charlie squeezed him as tight as the obstructing bars would allow "we'll figure it out. I promise I'll get you home."
Holding a hand to his still flat stomach Andrew nodded "I don't want to raise our child in this place."
Multiple emotions flitted across Charlies handsome face as a weight settled on his shoulders like a heavy cloak. They had been in this place a little over a week. Andrew was still in quarantine. As yet he showed no signs of infection which could only mean one thing. He was indeed pregnant. Pregnant with his child. Under any other circumstances he would have been ecstatic. "Neither do I," he ran his fingers through Andrew's hair.
A loud clatter interrupted them. Jerking his head up Charlie found himself looking into the hostile eyes of the man who had wanted to shoot Andrew the day they arrived here. "Step away from the bars," the man ordered rattling the bars again to emphasize his words.
Ignoring him Charlie turned back to Andrew pulling his face close to the bars. He pressed his lips best he could to Andrew's "I love you" he murmured before the man knocked Charlie away from the cell.
"That's enough Romeo," the man barked towering over Charlie as he struggled to his feet. "If he's a progenitor he's the property of the group not your sole possession."
Andrew gasped backing away from the bars out of easy reach of the man who kept a gun within easy reach. He heard Charlie cry out as the man back handed him across the face. Cringing by his bed he cried out "Charlie don't antagonize him."
Harsh bitter laughter greeted him "it's a good thing he's a progenitor. He's too weak for anything else."
"You leave him alone," Charlie shouted as the man took a step towards the cell door. Charlie stood spitting blood from his split lip onto the floor.
"You're in no position to make demands," the man sucker punched the younger man sending him moaning to the floor. Kicking him in the side, the man knelt beside him grabbing a handful of hair yanking Charlie's head back "you're lucky you got to him first otherwise you'd be last in line."
"Don't you touch him," Charlie shouted through clenched teeth.
"Don't worry," the man hissed harshly "he's of no interest to me in his current condition. Tens months from now it'll be a different story," he released Charlies hair letting his head drop. He stood up straight winked at Andrew before walking away.
"Charlie?" Andrew asked keeping his voice low. Cautiously he moved towards the bars close to where Charlie lay on his side. "Are you alright?" he asked reaching through the bars trying to touch the man he loved but he lay just out of reach.
Panting in pain Charlie grasped Andrew's hand closing the gap between them.
***
Sometime later Emmaline came inside dropping to Charlie's side she shook his shoulder. "You've got to get up," she told him "hurry before they come to get you."
Bleary eyed Charlie moaned lifting his head up. Dried blood crusted his mouth "what's happening?" he mumbled through swollen lips.
"The head honcho wants to go on a raid," she informed him her green eyes worried as she surveyed the damage to his face "he was looking for you."
Weakly he dragged himself to his feet leaning heavily on the bars. Holding his side hoping it would stem the tide of pain that wanted to engulf him. "Ok" he grunted taking a wobbly step forward "better not keep him waiting."
"You can't go," Andrew gripped his hand that held onto the bars "you're hurt."
"Baby I have to," Charlie gave him a lopsided grin "until we know what's happening or find a way home we need these people."
Visibly shaking Andrew looked away unable to watch his only love leave him behind. "I love you," he said almost to low to be heard. He knew they owed these people their lives. It didn't mean he liked it. He shivered thinking about Itchy and how eager he had been to blow his brains out. Even worse were his insinuations of them being together in the future. For that one reason he was glad he was inside this cage. Anything to keep the guy away from him. "Be careful" he said locking eyes with Charlie before dropping his hand.
"I will," Charlie said stepping closer to the cell. Following his example Andrew did the same. He let Charlie's strong arms wrap around him drawing him closer so they could kiss between the bars "I love you," Charlie said stepping back "somehow we're going to survive this. I promise I'll get you home."
Fear knotted Andrew's stomach as he realized the depth of that promise. He knew Charlie would sacrifice himself to protect him. Helplessly he watched them leave telling himself they would all go home together. Holding his stomach he promised the baby he was carrying that he would protect him or her with everything he had until he drew his dying breath.
***
Randy threw his pen at Indira, hitting the side of her head above her ear, bounced off clattering to the floor. She lifted her face from the book she was reading to scowl at him. "Answer the damn phone," he grumbled having grown tired of it's incessant racket. All he wanted was twenty minutes of silence to still his pounding head. It had become abundantly clear it had been a mistake to agree to rent a house with the irritating girl.
Glancing at the display she set her phone aside "it's just my mother."
"Don't you think you should at least answer it?" he asked "it could be important."
"Doubtful," she mumbled. It had been months since she had seen or spoken to her family. She didn't need them. The sooner they got that through their thick skulls the better.
Thirty minutes later her phone went off again. Indira simply ignored it. Lunging forward Randy swept it up "hello," he growled at the caller. "Yeah she's here," he tried to hand the phone to her but she waved him away glaring at him.
"Sorry she's being her usual charming self," he told whoever was on the other end "I'd like to say I'd have her call you back but that's doesn't seem likely." He nodded a few times as he listened his face tense as his voice lost it's sarcastic tone. "I'm so sorry. I hope you find them. If I or my family can help don't hesitate to ask."
Indira looked up a questioning look replacing her usual disdain. "What?" she snapped as soon as he tossed her phone at her.
He gave her a withering glare "now your interested in what your mother has to say." Walking towards the door he said "call her back." He walked onto the porch slamming the door behind him.
Staring at the place where Randy had stood moments before. Reaching for her phone she pulled up her mom's number. Hesitating she sighed letting the phone drop into her lap. It was probably an elaborate trick to get her to call home. Well if they thought she was going to fall for it they have another thing coming. Picking up her book she went back to studying for her business ethics class.
An hour later Randy came traipsing back into the house. She looked up from the book demanding "where have you been?"
"What business is that of yours?" he growled. Since the night she had tried to seduce him things had steadily gotten worse between them. He objected to everything she did that reminded him of why he didn't like her or ever would.
"I can't sleep when you're out till all hours of the night," she gave him her usual disagreeable look "have you been drinking?" she sniffed the air with distaste.
"So what?" he asked "I can't have my friends over in my own house, now I can't drink with them outside my house."
"I don't like your friends," she told him nostrils flaring.
"What gives you the right to dictate who my friends should be? You don't even pay rent, yet you think you can dictate to me who and what comes into my house." He took an unsteady step forward "you're nothing but a fool who has the utter gull to think she's better than the rest of us." He gave her a piercing look that could have melted the polar ice caps "we'll honey you're not. You can read all you want about business ethics but if you don't have any personal ethics you're a sorry human being."
"How dare you say that to me," she jumped to her feet offended.
"Easily" he slurred "you don't even have the common decency to call your parents."
"They're like children always wanting my attention," she dismissed it "they call all the time."
"You're parents aren't the joke you think they are. They deserve your respect." He walked away towards his bedroom.
Following him she watched as he threw clothes into a duffel bag "where are you going?" she demanded.
"I'm going to offer my assistance to your parents. Since they're only remaining child is a spoiled brat only concerned with appearances and what people might think." He picked up his bag and walked past her towards the front door.
"What are you talking about?" she asked anger in her voice causing her words to come out cold and harsh "tell me."
"Why should I?" he demanded "your the one refusing to talk to your parents." he put his hands up miming quotation marks "they're too childish to know what constitutes an emergency." He rolled his eyes "they've only been trying to contact you for the past week to let you know your sister and brother disappeared." He walked out of the house leaving her standing open mouthed in the living room.
"Wait" she called as she ran after him "you can't say something like that and just leave."
"I don't see why not. It's not like you cared before. Why should now be any different?" He wondered if he was finally getting through to her inner core.
Crossing her arms she asked "how do I know this isn't some trick to get me to come home?"
"This is ridiculous" he shouted slamming the car door shut "either come with me and support your family in their time of need or pack your shit and get the hell out."
She stared at him willing him to back down. Tell her it was all a bad joke. As the seconds ticked by something in his demeanor convinced her this wasn't a trick "Fine I'll go but I have to pack first."
Looking at his watch "if your not packed and out here in ten minutes I'm leaving without you."
***
"Sweetie you have to eat," Jennifer coaxed her baby sister into sitting up.
"I'm not hungry," she protested pushing the tray of food away.
"Eat," she ordered picking up the fork attempting to force feed her "you need to keep your strength up."
"Did you call her?" Drew asked for the hundredth time. Lying back onto the pillow ignoring her sisters attempts to get her to eat. Closing her eyes as the tears began to flow.
"I spoke to her roommate," Jennifer informed her "he sounded like a nice young man."
"I didn't even know she had a boyfriend," she mumbled as fresh tears spilled out "what did I do to make her hate me?" She wished Caleb was there to hold her. To tell her everything would be ok. He was her rock "have you heard from Caleb or Chase?" she asked sitting up drying her eyes on the backs of her hands.
Looking to the floor Jennifer slowly shook her head "they're still in negotiations with the vampires. Without Uncle Adam there to speed things along the vampires aren't letting anyone into the castle or near the dimension portal."
"They have to let them. It's the only way" she gripped Jennifer's arms like a vise grip.
"Shh everything that can be done is being done," Jennifer assured her "you need to concentrate on keeping your strength up."
Glaring at her sister Drew let out an exaggerated snort "alright I'll eat." She took a bite of the stale sandwich grimacing as it stuck in her throat "mmm delish."
"Don't complain," Jennifer chided "a chef I am not but it's your fault for letting it get cold."
***
Caleb tried to hide the fascination he felt for the supernaturals assembled in the room of the conference hall. He felt his spine tingle as a werewolf elder growled in displeasure showing several sharp teeth. The glittery wings of the fairy that arrived as the werewolf growled. Witches weren't that dissimilar to humans and vampires had never seemed scary to him before. Somehow he expected them all to be like Adam, his wife's Uncle. Caleb turned questioning eyes towards Drew's Aunt who remained silent as the gathered supernaturals argued among themselves.
The verdict once again was a resounding no. No they wouldn't give them access to the dimension portal. Caleb felt like he had been banging his head against the proverbial wall. He could understand their distrust of humans. They had been living in near isolation for centuries after humans had hunted them almost to extinction. Still that was ancient history, couldn't they give them the benefit of a doubt?
This was too important to hold on to petty disagreements and prejudices. All of their futures hung in the balance. Caleb looked towards Beverly who had touched his hand indicating they should leave. He followed her from the room without a word. Once they left the conference hall though he was unable to keep quiet "why are they being so difficult? So pigheaded? Can't they see we mean them no harm?"
"Give them time," she advised him her green eyes moist with unshed tears "trust isn't earned overnight."
"I know it's just so frustrating" he felt like screaming "I have children somewhere in the stream of time, in a future that shouldn't exist. There isn't time to deal with all these road blocks."
"Oh Caleb," she pulled him into a hug squeezing him tight "I understand more than you know."
He could feel the tremors in her small frame. For the first time he seemed to remember that her husband and son were missing. Coming to Moonlight Falls emphasized how bad things were. Time seemed to be moving differently across sim nation. While he expected that Adam wouldn't age being a vampire he wasn't expecting Beverly to appear so young when she should be an old woman. Her son Keenan was still the same fifteen year old boy he had met when Adam came to help him get rid of Andrew's imaginary friend. Time seemed to have stopped here. Heath had tried to explain how certain towns closely connected with Moonlight falls like Midnight Hollow and Dragon Valley time had virtually come to a stand still. They hadn't noticed it right away since the majority who lived in these towns were supernaturals with longer lifespans than the average human.
Caleb looked up shaking his head as Heath joined them "I take it the elders refused your request."
Nodding Caleb could feel his frustration rising again as his hands curled into fists. "I don't know what else we can do. Unless they give us approval to enter the castle and to use the portal there's no hope of fixing this mess."
Heath looked around as supernaturals filtered from the room. Keeping his voice low he said "Alanon is working on something to help us."
Caleb gave his wife's cousin a sharp look of hope and pain. He had to do something otherwise his kids were doomed in a future that shouldn't exist.
