They walked a short distance away from the group. Charlie whispered in Andrew's ear "how far along are you?"
Squeezing Charlie's hand before dropping it to his side afraid Itchy would see them Andrew replied "about six weeks."
Nodding "that's what I figured too" Charlie leaned in close inhaling deeply.
Taking a step back "Charlie don't," Andrew's eyes darted around the darkening yard "they might see us."
"I don't care," Charlie hissed "I love you. You're my boyfriend. I'll show you affection regardless of their stupid rules."
"I love you too," Andrew leaned forward his head resting a moment on Charlie's chest. He jumped startled by the sudden clatter of the gate opening. He tried to pull away only to have Charlie pull him close and hold him fast. While his heart beat an irregular rhythm Charlie's remained calm and steady. Soothing to his frayed nerves.
"What's the matter with you two?" Emmaline demanded coming along side them.
Chuckling in relief Charlie released his death grip around Andrew. "I refuse to let them dictate how I treat my boyfriend. He's mine not their's."
"Charlie you're the one who said we need them to survive." Emmaline looked from her brother to Charlie sighing "are you jealous?"
"No," he grumbled staring stonily ahead past her irritated visage.
"You don't have to be," she insisted "Itchy doesn't like Andrew. He just wants to make a baby. Once he..."
"Oh is that all," Charlie drawled "that guy is not laying a hand on Andrew."
"So you are jealous," Emmaline teased despite the stormy look Charlie gave her "we have months before that becomes an issue." Her voice was light, teasing meant to diffuse the situation.
"This is no joking matter," Charlie growled.
"I know it's not," she hissed keeping her voice low "you have to understand how things are here." She jumped backwards as Charlie growled at her "I know you don't like it but it means their survival and ours if we are to stay here."
Andrew closed his eyes as fear gripped his heart. He had hoped to be home before the baby came. "Charlie" he said his lover's name unsure what he thought he could do "maybe she's right. Maybe we should just play along...."
"No," he said the word with a fierceness that caused both siblings to jump in surprise. "We're not staying here. We're going home."
"What if we can't?" Emmaline asked being the first one to recover from her shock. "We have to be realistic. There's a very real possibility that we're stuck here."
Charlie's mouth set in a stubborn line "I won't give up hope. We were sent here. There's every reason to believe it can reversed. We are going home."
"I hope you're right," she pulled him into a fierce hug "they're getting ready to lock down for the night. I'll buy you a few minutes to say goodnight." Turning to Andrew she ran her hands through his hair "you should wear it down more often."
"I love you too sis," he pulled her close. Once Andrew released her she slipped off towards the house. Turning to Charlie he said "she's right you know. We need to play by the rules until we figure out how to get home."
"I don't like it," he muttered allowing Andrew to pull him close.
"I know but it's only for a little while," Andrew soothed looking deep into Charlie's eyes.
Shivering in Andrew's arms Charlie muttered "just the thought of that guy touching you makes my blood boil." He leaned in close capturing Andrew's mouth pressing their bodies together.
Pulling apart Andrew smiled "so you are jealous," his voice light, teasing.
"Maybe a little," Charlie admitted. Taking a step back he sighed "we better go inside before Itchy comes looking for us."
***
Emmaline skidded to a halt as she came face to face with Itchy's glowering face. That wasn't his real name of course but Andrew's nickname was what stuck in her head.
"Where's your brother?" he demanded.
"He'll be along shortly," she told him flashing her eyes at him "you and I can be alone for a while."
Pushing her away from him he scowled "if you were older I wouldn't hesitate. You're nothing but a
child."
"Age is only a number. What difference does it make?" She stomped her foot emphasizing her words. If she were at home any number of guys would have jumped at the chance to sleep with her. What was wrong with this guy?
"Pregnancy for someone your age is almost always fatal," he told her pushing her aside
"Maybe for a girl born to this world it would be. I'm not from this time." She had said it several times before. They never believed her. It was good in a way because the thought of having a baby and raising it here was too awful to contemplate. She understood all too well Andrew's anxiety and Charlie's fixation on going home. Sighing she moved closer to him. Moving the way she had seen her mother do with her father a hundred times. She promised to give Charlie and Andrew time and that's what she was going to do.
Shoving her away from him she landed hard on the floor. "I told you no," he shouted as his anger bubbled over.
"Maybe you should remember how this feels when my brother refuses you," she snapped as her own anger rose "you don't even like him."
"What is wrong with you people clouding a biological function with feelings and attraction?" he asked mystified.
"If feelings and attraction mean nothing than why forbid my brother and Charlie from being together?" she demanded.
"Girl come here" a female voice from behind them demanded sending shivers down her back. She knew she had been pushing the limits now she was going to pay for it. She turned to the red-head prepared to face whatever punishment she dealt out.
Instead of addressing the young girl the woman said to Itchy "go get the lovebirds." Itchy nodded a slight smirk of anticipation brightening his features.
Emmaline shivered facing the older girl "please don't" she bit her lip as the girl slapped her hard across the face.
"You have helped your brother for the last time. If you persist you will receive the same punishment Charlie will get."
"What punishment?" she cried watching as the leader uncoiled a long weathered whip. Eyes round with fear she gasped "you can't. They've done nothing wrong but love each other."
***
Itchy stood and watched the young couple holding each other. His stomach twisted in disgust. Love, attraction even jealousy were foreign things to him. They had no business in the struggle to survive. As soon as they learned that the better he thought.
They looked up at the same exact moment. Itchy laughed as their faced fell in shock. "You should have heeded our warning," Itchy said sternly "now it's time you face the consequences of your actions." Roughly he grabbed Charlie by the shirt pushing him ahead of him. Andrew rushed forward as Charlie fell to knees.
"Leave him be," Andrew shouted at the man "he's done nothing wrong."
"You poor deluded little fool," Itchy laughed "you've done everything wrong. There's no room for feelings. I thought your sister understood that. I was wrong. Now she get's to share in your punishment."
Gathering his feet beneath him Andrew charged screaming "keep your filthy hands off my sister."
Without thinking Itchy back handed Andrew sending him flying backwards. Eyes wide Itchy hurried to help Andrew up. "Don't you touch him," Charlie yelled pushing the mans hands away as he inspected Andrew's bruised face "are you alright?" he asked cupping Andrew's face tenderly in his hands.
"I think so," Andrew mumbled through a split swollen lip.
"The baby?" Charlie asked in concern "do you think it's ok?"
"I think so," Andrew nodded "I don't think I fell hard enough to hurt the baby."
Leaning down Charlie offered a hand to Andrew to help him up "we've got to get inside" an edge in his voice as the noises of the nocturnal creatures raised their voices in chorus.
Nodding Andrew took his hand accepting his help. Despite Andrew's efforts Charlie refused to release his hold on him as they walked towards the house. Andrew leaned into him drawing momentary strength and comfort from him.
"I've got you," Charlie murmured in his ear "no matter what they do to us always remember I love you."
"That's enough," Itchy growled pushing them apart as they entered the house.
Charlie came to an abrupt stop as he took in the scene that awaited him. The leader was snapping a long leather whip through the air. The two women were setting up some sort of restraints. He swallowed guessing what awaited him. He could feel Andrew leaning into him shaking as he too came to the same conclusion.
"Bring him" the leader ordered snapping the whip once more through the air smiling in satisfaction.
Itchy forced his way between Charlie and Andrew forcing Charlie forward towards the restraints. Grabbing his arms he said harshly "come on lover boy time for your punishment."
"No" Andrew cried moving in front of Charlie as if to protect him "you can't do this. He hasn't done anything wrong."
"Stand aside" the leader ordered his voice hard and cold "if you weren't pregnant you'd be getting the same."
"Why?" Andrew cried as Itchy grabbed him pulling him away from Charlie as the women fastened him to the restraints.
"We warned you what would happen if you persisted down this course. Feelings are not tolerated. They are unnecessary distractions."
"Love is unnecessary but hate, jealousy and anger are essential?" Andrew asked "no wonder your world fell apart."
"Enough," the man shouted "stand aside or suffer the consequences."
"No I won't" Andrew struggled in Itchy's arms refusing to budge. Flinching as the whip bit through his skin along his left shoulder.
"Andy please," Charlie pleaded "think of the baby."
"I can't let them do this to you" he cried turning to Charlie twisting in his restraints "I love you..."
"I love you too baby," Charlie told him "now move out of the way." He watched the struggle in Andrew's face as he fought his desire to protect him over the desire to protect their unborn child won out "it's ok I understand." Charlie told him wishing he could ease the pain he knew Andrew was in.
Andrew felt a gentle tug on his hand. Looking down he found Emmaline by his side a bruise red and swollen on her cheek "what happened?" he demanded.
Tears flowed from her eyes as she buried her face in his shoulder "I tried to buy you time. It didn't work."
"They hit you," it was seldom anyone ever heard his voice rise in anger. The room fell silent as all eyes turned on him.
"I'm ok Andy" Emmaline assured him afraid he'd do something reckless.
"Emmie get him out of here," Charlie yelled at her urgently trying to protect him and his unborn child.
Caught off guard Emmanline was able to use that moment to pull him aside. As the whip cracked Andrew turned ready to run back to Charlie only to find Itchy blocking his path. Unable to do anything he cringed as the whip cracked the air around them and Charlie's muffled cries turned to screams of agony.
When the torture finally ended Andrew rushed forward ready to catch Charlie before he hit the floor. His back cut to ribbons Charlie tried to stand up only to fall back panting. "Take it easy," Andrew told time "I'll take care of you."
Emmaline rushed to get water to clean the wounds before they could become infected. While she was gone the leader stepped in front of Andrew "this is your final warning. Next time we'll kick you out and you can fend for yourselves out there with the mutants."
"I'd rather take my chances with them than stay here with you monsters," Andrew shouted holding Charlie in his arms "this is no way to live or raise children."
"That's your choice" the leader said stepping away.
Itchy followed the leader saying "you can't let them go, at least not the progenitor."
Shrugging the man looked back at the little group huddled together "you can go with them if you like." His voice was even despite the underlying anger "don't think I missed the broken lip."
Itchy hung his head knowing that he was getting off easy. It was still a capital offence to harm a progenitor. "It won't happen again," he muttered.
"I know it won't," the leader stared straight at him "either they conform to our rules or they have to
leave."
Nodding Itchy moved away. He could feel his chances of ever having his own child slipping away from him. He watched the girl walk past him with disinfectant and salve. Maybe the girl was right and she could handle a pregnancy without ill effects. What did he have to lose?
Indira felt as if she were living inside a morgue. Her mother was barely keeping it together and her dad was still fighting with the idiots running Moonlight Falls to gain access to some worthless portal. She tried to concentrate on the only thing she could control her classes. Even that was becoming increasingly more difficult as the days lengthened into weeks then months. She could feel her agitation rising as she glanced up from her computer frowning as she found her young cousins watching her. "What do you want?" she snapped.
Looking at her like a couple of scared rabbits it was Connie who asked "how can you study when your brother and sister are gone? Don't you miss them?"
"Of course I do," Indira shouted at them "I just don't see the sense of wasting time when I could be
doing something constructive."
"Maybe you could give mom a break from sitting with Aunt Drew," Michelle suggested.
"Why don't you?" she demanded "if it weren't for you none of this would be happening."
"We said we were sorry," Connie shouted at her.
"Sorry isn't good enough," Indira retorted "because of you they could be dead."
"I'm sorry," Michelle cried fleeing from the room crying.
"Take that back," Connie demanded watching her sister "It was my fault. I was the one that talked Shell into doing it."
"Then you should know better than to do something you have no idea how to reverse," Indira told her. She had no patience for stupid mistakes or people even if they were related. "This is all your fault," she repeated slamming shut her lap top and stomping from the room.
Taking refuge in Charlie's apartment she sat on the couch that some old lady must have thought was the height of fashion. Wiping angrily at the tears that persisted on falling despite her best efforts to stop them.
"So the Ice Queen has feelings after all," Randy said coming up the stairs after her.
She glared at him having forgotten he was staying out here. "Despite popular opinions I do have feelings," she glared at him getting up to leave.
"Hold your horses Ice Queen," Randy said blocking her way "I just came up here to see if you wanted to talk."
"Why would I want to talk to you?" she tried to duck around him only to have him grab her arm preventing her from leaving.
"Everybody needs someone sometime," he quipped.
"Spouting stupid lines will get you no where," she growled.
"It's better than taking out my anger on two little girls like you did earlier," he informed her "you should apologize."
"Why should I?" she crossed her arms tossing her head in defiance "if it weren't for them my brother wouldn't be missing."
"So?" he questioned "it's not like you were on speaking terms with him."
"That's different," she mumbled holding her arms tight around herself.
"I don't get you," he flung his arms up in the air "you didn't want anything to do with our family when they were here. Now that they're not you act like you're falling apart without them." He turned to go back the way he had come.
"Don't go," she put a hand out to stop him. The entreaty in her voice and the genuine tears in her eyes had him stopping, turning towards her.
The next thing he realized she was in his arms sobbing, clinging to him like she were drowning. He gingerly wrapped his arms around her at first feeling awkward until it felt natural for him to be their holding her tight. The thought both alarmed and excited him. Distant memories of that faraway kiss filtered through his mind.
"You've always been here for me," she mumbled nuzzling his neck running her fingers lightly up his back.
"As of yet you haven't listened to me," he told her as she pressed her lips to his sensitive skin along his collar bone. Her touched ignited a fire within him that he didn't even know existed.
"I'm sorry" she said softly kissing along his jawline until she reached his lips brushing them lightly with her tongue.
"What do you think you're doing?" he asked feeling his reserves slipping as he filled his senses with her touch and smell.
"Want me to stop?" she asked kissing his soft lips and when he opened his mouth to respond to her question she slipped her tongue inside his mouth.
His hands gripped her small waist as their tongues fought each other. Briefly he told himself he should stop this, whatever this was, before it got out of hand but his defenses slipped powerless to stop her.
