Outlaw Star Fan Fiction ❯ Revenge ❯ Chapter 12

"Let's go to your office first," Gene suggested as soon as he and Fred got to Fred's business.

Fred nodded, and led the way. He knew what awaited him in his office, and no matter how much he prepared himself for it there was no way he was ready. Shaking nervously, he rested his hand on the doorknob, and opened the door.

Finding the dead man was still a shock. Fred took a cautious step forward, and another, then ran to the body. "No," he whispered, taking his guard in his arms. "Oh God, no!" He clutched his guard to his chest, praying desperately to feel him warm, alive, but the guard was ice cold. "You can't be gone. Wake up!" he cried, shaking the body and staring into lifeless eyes.

"Fred," Gene called.

Fred continued to whisper, "No!" with increasing hysteria.

"Fred!" Gene shook Fred's shoulder.

"Don't leave me," Fred ordered his guard, even though it was too late.

"Come on, Fred, he's dead." Gene tried to pull Fred away, but he shook him off and clung desperately to his guard.

"No, he can't die! I still need him." He broke down and sobbed. "He can't be dead, he just can't."

Gene caught hold of Fred again, and forcefully removed him from the body. Fred tried to pull away, but even though he was bigger, Gene was much stronger. The outlaw pulled him into the display room, and pinned the still-struggling Fred in his arms.

When Fred continued to fight, Gene realized he wasn't going to give up, readjusting his grip as Fred came close to worming free. He now held Fred's head to his chest. Bending his head down so his lips met Fred's ear, he whispered, "Come on, Fred, calm down."

Gene tightened his arm around Fred's waist, and loosened his grip on his chin, letting his fingers caress the other man's neck while he cooed calmingly in Fred's ear. "Calm down, Fred. There's nothing you could've done."

Fred's struggling lessened, but whether it was because he was calming Fred, or that Fred was getting tired, Gene couldn't tell. Even when Fred's screams of denial turned into sobs, Gene didn't let go or stop talking to him.

Finally, Gene relaxed his grip and moved his hand to caress Fred's tear-soaked cheek. "Shhhhhhh, Fred, it's alright. It'll be alright."

Fred let his head fall on Gene's shoulder, and stared out into space.

*_*_*_

"What the hell is happening?" Harry asked his reflection in the bathroom mirror, staring at himself in despair.

Then he walked to the shower and turned it on, letting the water wash the blood off his hands. The blood belonged to Jim. He'd been too harsh as he cleaned Jim up, breaking the blisters. Jim was unconscious through the ordeal, but he still moaned in pain.

Ron had injured the boy like that, and it made Harry sick. His own brother, whom he loved and trusted, did that. Was Ron really his brother any more? Was he even Ron anymore?

Ron had never acted this way. He'd never hurt anyone like this before. Yes, Ron had killed many people, but he never tortured them.

And he had never touched Harry like a cheap whore. Ron had always been reverent and gentle, but now it was as if Harry was no more than a hooker. Feeling dirty, Harry turned the hot water up.

Ron was different than the Ron in Harry's memories, different than the Ron before the events at the Galactic Leyline. When he thought about it, Ron had changed entirely after the Leyline. How could such a small moment of time change a man?

Harry didn't know, because he had no memory of the Leyline. His memories stopped right before they entered and began again in the ship's computer after they left. Was he the same Harry that died at the Leyline? What had happened that could destroy the Ron he knew, and how did it affect his former self?

The revelations and questions were suddenly too much. Harry sank to the bottom of the shower, crying in confusion and despair. And he remembered a song that comforted him like nothing else.

Oto no nai mahiru

Kaze wa tada akarui

Sukoshi nemutasou ni

Hanabira ga yureta

Nani ge nai kono omoi

Nee, hito wa donna kotoba de

Yondeiru no

Shiroi suna no tsuki

Toji kometa hanashi o

Hikari furasu you ni

Kikasete ne sotto

End of part 1 Revenge