A story in the Grains of Time Saga. For an introduction to this saga, I recommend reading my mini-guide
“We're being followed,” Nick muttered in a low voice as they crossed the street. Throwing a casual look behind her, Amanda noticed the two men in sunglasses looking so casual you could spot them a mile away.
“Yep. Wolfgard's men?”
“Wouldn't surprise me.”
Exchanging a glance, they took a right turn, heading into a less crowded street. The men followed, speeding up just a bit. Still looking casual, they followed into the alley and suddenly found themselves looking at the Seine.
“Where did they go?”
“You looking for us?” Nick smiled as the two men turned in surprise to find the object they'd been following suddenly behind them. Not bothering to answer, the guy simply threw a punch, which Nick barely managed to dodge. The other guy went for Amanda, who muttered under her breath something about new clothes. Nick couldn't quite make out what it was, but his mind was more focused on not getting his lights punched out.
Taking a few swings of his own, Nick managed to get his attacker down and on the ground. Brining out his gun, he kept it firmly pointed at the guy. Amanda seemed quite capable of taking her opponent out, taking the first punch, but then delivering a few swift kicks and he was down.
“Talk,” Nick ordered. The guys exchanged looks, but neither showed any inclination to open their mouths. The rousing of a motor made both Immortals look up as a jeep came charging right at them.
“Shit!” Nick cursed, realising they were trapped between the river and the advancing car. Either was an umcomfortable option. He and Amanda excanged one quick look, and dived for the river.
The water greeted them with a cold splash, the spring had done little to heat it up yet. Behind them the jeep pulled over, and the two guys quickly got in. Seconds later the car speeded away, its tires almost smoking.
Amanda broke the surface, gasping for air. Bloody cold. Treading the water, she scouted for Nick. He came up a few seconds later, barely a metre away. Coughing slightly before taking a deep breath, he brought much needed oxygen into his lunges.
The sky had clouded up, and looked heavy with rain. And just as Amanda an Nick managed to crawl back on land, the first drops began to fall. By the time they got back to the Sanctuary and noticed Joe Dawson waiting outside, it was pouring.
******
“Most kind of you to come and identify the bodies,” Wolfgard said as he glanced into the rear-view window, “I'm afraid it's a rather grisly sight.”
“Of course.” Rachel threw a glance out the window as they drove past some houses. It had started to rain, a light trickle against the car window. But the dark clouds promised more than trickles to come.
“Rather unusual method of killing, beheading,” he continued, pulling up. “We haven't moved the bodies yet, I'm afraid.”
As they exited the car, Frank grabbed hold of Rachel's arm. “There's not enough cars here to be a murder scene,” he whispered. She nodded, having realised the same thing. There were no police cars anywhere in site. It wasn't closed off. It bore no signs of being a murder scene. Pulling her coat closer, she felt the sword hid in a pocket there. Not the best defence, but it was something at least.
“Shall we?” Wolfgard opened the door. When he saw their hesitation, he sighed. “Please. Don't make me call my friend and tell him Nick and Amanda should lose their heads. They're so attached to them, I'm sure.”
“So they're not dead?”
“Not yet. I might use them for research. Immortals are fascinating research objects. Their healing rate.. Fascinating. Now.. shall we?”
Exchanging a glance, Rachel let out a sigh and stepped through the door. Frank followed swift, a hand on her back.
“Follow me please,” Wolfgard began walking down the hallway.
“What do you want from us?”
“What else? Immortality. Our friend Dr. Jonas contacted us when a friend of his came to him with a deadly sick daughter. Yes, Henry Adams. I'm sure you remember him. He believed he had the cure. Immortality. He'd come across an unusual case of Immortality, one that could be passed on.”
Wolfgard smiled when neither of the two spoke. “I believe he was right.” He paused, pushing open the door to a large room. Several medical appliances were placed around the room, even an operating table.
“He thought he could get the Immortality from you, miss Goldstein. That you were the key. He was wrong.”
Pulling out a gun, Wolfgard pointed it straight at Frank.
“But he wasn't too far off.”
******
“Pascal!!” Amanda called out to the manager as she ran into The Sanctuary, “Where's Frank and Rachel?”
“They went out.”
“No..” Nick groaned, just a few steps behind Amanda. “Pascal.. Where did they go?”
“I don't know, ” Pascal shrugged. “They just called me over to watch the kid and headed off in a hurry.”
“They're gone,” Amanda told Joe as he entered, limping as fast as he could. “Wolfgard must have gotten to them. We weren't the targets.”
Joe shook his head. “I came as fast as I could, Amanda. I was out the door only seconds after you called this morning, but cars only drive that fast. We've been after Wolfgard for years. I can't believed we missed him again. Damnit!”
Amanda took a calming breath, looking down at her clothes. She was a mess, wet from both the Seine and the rain. Nick was soaking wet too, and looking at his cell phone with a sad expression. The water had probably ruined it. Sighing, he walked over to the bar and grabbed the phone there to call Myers.
“Where's mum?” David walked into the room, causing everyone to freeze. Looking at all the faces in the room, he knew something was very, very wrong.
******
The memories came to her as she slipped into darkness. Crystal clear, as if it had been yesterday, Rachel could see the day she'd died her first death
She was dying. Even as she felt the glass cut into her, she knew she was going to die. It was a strange feeling, both of calm and desperation. Jack was there, lifting her up, carrying her out. She would not die alone. It was a small comfort, but it was something. He could tell David for her, tell her son why she would not be there to see him grow up.
Pain throbbed through her body as she struggled to speak. It hurt, every word burning in her throat, but she pushed the pain away. Jack was growing desperate as she spoke, not wanting to accept her plea. He had to.
“Please, please, Jack, please, please..” she urged him.
“All right, I'll tell him, I will, I'll tell him, all right?” She closed her eyes briefly in thanks. David would know. Jack would tell him. She could die now.
And there was the light, the brightest light she'd ever seen, yet it didn't hurt to look at. She felt warm, the pain was suddenly very far away. She was far away. And there was someone there.
“Rachel!” a voice called out, a very familiar voice.
“Frank? Is it.. Frank?” she muttered in surprise, looking at him. She felt faint, as f she was about to fade away.
“Rachel? Rachel?” He grabbed her hand as she turned to go. His touch felt real and wonderful, but she knew she couldn't stay.
“I have to go, Frank.”
“No!” He clung onto her as if his life depended on it. The pain lessened as he held her, the light seemed to embrace them both. Even as she was dying, she felt more alive than ever. He held her so gently, and he looked so beautiful. There was light around him, around her. Looking down at her hand, she saw a spark of blue lightning.
“Rachel! Rachel!”
And she died.
******
Awakening with a gasp, Rachel stared into the face of Wolfgard. He was standing over her, but the gun stayed pointed at Frank, who laid a few metres away. They'd both got ejected with some drug, she hadn't dared fight it for fear of Frank's life. Obviously to make them remember. She refused to consider the memories. Not now. Later.
“Do you remember now?” Wolfgard asked, looking delighted. She refused to answer, instead getting on her feet. Frank began to stir, and Wolfgard walked over to him.
“Do you remember?”
Frank didn't bother to answer, struggling to get on his feet. He threw a glance at Rachel, but she didn't look at him, but rather Wolfgard.
“No matter. You're a pre-Immortal with the ability to give other Immortality,” Wolfgard locked eyes with Frank “Your wounds heal faster than mortals, you have no kids.. Once you become a full Immortal.. I will unlock how you do it. It will make me rich beyond dreams.”
“No!” Rachel shook her head. “If you shoot him, you'll kill him!”
“Not for good.”
“Don't do this!”
“Don't worry, he'll wake up again.” Wolfgard held the gun steadily pointed at Frank. “It will hurt of course, but pain is a small price to pay for such a gift.”
“He's not Immortal!” Rachel cried out, wondering if she was fast enough to get in the way of the bullet, “You will kill him!”
“He will wake up again,” Wolfgard said confidently, and pulled the trigger.
The shot hit Frank squarely in the chest, and he staggered at the shot of the impact. Then the pain hit him, and the feeling disappeared from his legs. The floor came into view, and he realised he must have fallen over. Funny, he hadn't felt himself fall. He felt blissfully numb.
“Frank!! FRANK!!” Rachel screamed, running to him as fast as she could. “Frank!”
He tried to say something, but it was barely a whisper, and she couldn't make out the words.
“Now we just wait,” she heard Wolfgard mutter behind her. She turned, furiously
“You think I'm an idiot? I knew you weren't a cop, I was one, remember? I called the French police as we left The Sanctuary when I couldn't get hold of Nick and Amanda. The cops should be arriving any second!”
Staring at her, Wolfgard realised she wasn't bluffing. She didn't even bother to see his reaction, kneeling down by Frank's side again.
There was so much blood. Behind her she heard Wolfgard slip out. The bastard. She would deal with him later.
“Rach..” Frank grabbed hold of her hand. “I know. It's okay. You deserve it.”
“Shut up, Frank. I'm not going to let you die, so you can tell me later.” Taking off her coat, she pressed it against his wound. He groaned in pain, but his eyes stay focused on hers.
“I know,” he whispered again, “About your Immortality. I remember now.”
A part of her went cold, and she wanted to look away from his insistent glance, but couldn't.
“I saw you dying,” he let out a quick breath, “You.. And David. And I couldn't..”
She finally regained control of herself, and pushed all confused thoughts away. “Listen to me. You will survive. I will not let you die, so just shut up and save your strength.”
Her voice sounded more confident than she felt, as she heard the sirens approach. It wasn't fair that this should happen to her again. It wasn't bloody fair! She had lost Jack, she couldn't lose Frank. He couldn't die. She.. She.. Oh damnit, she loved him. She had pushed him away, lied to him, kept secrets from him, but she loved him.
She hadn't even told him. He couldn't die.
If all of the strength and all of the courage
Come and lift me from this place
I know I could love you much better than this
~~~~~~
Waiting. She hated that most of all. The endless waiting where all kinds of scenarios went through her head. He lived. He died. He stayed in a come forever.
He had to live.
She tried calling Nick and Amanda at the Sanctuary, and to her surprise, they answered. Sounding out of breath, as if he run to answer the phone, Nick listen to her explanations of what had happened and promised they would all be at the hospital ASAP. He didn't mention what had happened to him or Amanda, but she figured she would hear about it soon enough.
And so she waited again. The hospital was loud, in a quiet sort of way. It was as if she heard everything through a silencer, as if the noise had been turned down before it reached her. The doctors told her little or nothing as they hurried past. It was relieving in one way. If they had nothing to tell, he was still alive. If he was dead, they would tell her.
Finally, Amanda and Nick came walking into the hospital hand in hand, both looking like they were about to fall over. Their clothes were messed up, covered in mud and still wet. The rain hadn't removed the mud and dust from them, rather just messed it more up. Amanda had blood on her forehead, probably from a cut that had healed itself.
Nick was carrying David with his other hand, and Rachel felt herself lighten up at the sight of her son. He looked very happy to see her, jumping down and running into her arms. She held onto him for dear life, and he stroked her back like he'd seen Frank do.
“Hey,” Nick greeted her with when she let go of David. “How is he?”
“They don't know.”
“I'm so sorry,” Amanda offered, meaning it. “Is there anything we can do?”
Shaking her head, Rachel sat down on the chairs. David climbed up on her lap, clearly wanting to comfort her.
“We just have to wait,” she said in a small voice.
Exchanging a look, Nick and Amanda sat down beside her. And they waited, as the rain stopped, and started again.
******
Rachel woke suddenly, barely withholding a gasp. She'd been dreaming, seeing her own first death played before her eyes again. The whole of it, not just the version she had clung onto for so long.
She wondered why she had forgotten. It was probably the pain which had clouded the memories. Or maybe she just hadn't wanted to remember. Glancing over at her friends, she noticed they were both sleeping. Amanda with her face against Nick's shoulder, Nick with his arms around Amanda. They looked at peace, drawing comfort from each other's arms.
She wondered what it was like, knowing you could spend an eternity together. Forever was a long time. Right now, she would give anything for just one more day with Frank. Just one more.
“He's not going to die, mum,” David told her. She looked down at him, surprised. She wasn't even aware he was awake.
“I hope not,” she answered truthfully.
“He's an angel too,” David whispered in her ear, “When I was in that boat shed, I saw him. Remember mum? It blew up, but he told me I wasn't going to die, and I knew I wasn't.”
Rachel tried to focus on her breathing, as her lunges seemed to momentarily forget their task. Her lips felt dry, her throat closed by a big lump. No. It wasn't true. No.
The memories were real. She really had seen him that fateful night. But surely.. No. No. He couldn't have.. No. Bastard. What gave him the right.. What gave him the bloody right to do that!!!
“Don't worry, mum.” She gave David a smile, but inside she felt turmoil of emotions. He seemed so confident she didn't want to discourage it. She only wished she shared it. She let him hug her, be confident for both of them.
And so she waited in the quiet loud of the hospital. At least waiting she had hope. Desperate hope, but hope nevertheless.
And she waited.
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
~~~~~~
Amanda woke with a small yawn, feeling warm and comfortable. Nick was breathing into her hair, slow and steady. His eyes remained closed, and he looked strangely peaceful. He was gorgeous like that, almost innocent. She kissed him lightly on the lips before getting up. David was sitting a few chairs away, but there was no sign of Rachel.
“Where's your mum?”
“She went in to see him.” He pointed towards a door down the hall. She gave him a smile as she walked down to where he pointed and pushed the door open.
Frank looked deadly pale, was her first impression. But the heart monitor was ticking steadily, so he was alive. Rachel was sitting by the bedside, holding his hand. She looked collected, but there was something vulnerable in her eyes.
“How is he?”
“Not good. The blood loss.. They don't know if he will live.” Rachel took a deep breath. “And he won't wake up again if he dies, will he?”
Amanda let out a sigh. “I can't know for sure, but I don't think so.”
She looked over at Frank, studied him. There was definitely a feeling of something severed, something missing.
"He gave me and David Immortality.” Rachel didn't bother forming it as a question.
“I think so. I don't know how, but.. There has been.. legends about objects granting mortals Immortality.” Amanda chose her words carefully. “There was this crystal called the Methuselah Stone..” Tracing off, she was suddenly bombarded my memories of Rebecca, her old teacher who had died because of that particular legend.
“It doesn't matter,” she hurriedly continued, “Frank will live.”
“But not forever,” Rachel whispered, mostly to herself. Amanda didn't know what to say, so she said nothing. She had loved mortals too. It hurt to see them grow old. But.. The memories were always worth the grief. It just didn't feel like it when your heart broke.
“Will you and Nick take David home and give him some rest?” Rachel hugged herself unconsciously. “I'll stay here.”
“Sure. I could use a change of clothes.”
“Amanda?” Rachel asked as the blonde was about to walk out. She turned in the door.
“If something ever happens to me.. You and Nick will take care of David, won't you?”
“Of course.” Amanda smiled warmly, and walked out the door. And bumped straight into Nick who was standing right outside the door.
“You sneak! You were eavesdropping!”
He raised an eyebrow. “Now where would I pick up a nasty habit like that?”
******
Sitting in the quiet room, Rachel found herself breathing in sync with the heart monitor. As if it would help his heart beat, somehow. She wanted him to live so much it hurt. With Jack it had been so fast, over in a minute. None of this long, agonising waiting.
She had lost Jack. It wasn't fair that she should lose Frank too. She wanted him to live so she could deck him and kiss him senseless. She wasn't sure what she wanted to do first, both being high up on the list. He wouldn't dare leaving her again.
The shot replayed itself in her mind, and she didn't seem to be able to change tracks. The cold room, the echo of the shot, the medical instruments. She frowned. There had been a lot of medical instruments there, specialised equipment. If he'd had an alias as a cop, why not a doctor? Nick had mentioned a doctor Jones he and Amanda had found dead. Maybe.. It was simple, but simple was often the best hiding place.
“I'll be back,” she told Frank, and kissed his hand.
She wasn't really surprised to find Nick in the hallway. She had sensed him, after all. The Immortal warning system wasn't half bad, sometimes.
“I just need some air,” she lied without hesitation. Someone needed to look out for Frank.
“I'll be here,” he smiled at her, dipping back into his magazine.
She headed down the corridor to the nurses station feeling more and more confident she was on the right track with each step. “Excuse me.. Is doctor Jones on call?”
“No, I'm afraid not.”
“I wanted him to look at.. my fiancé,” she managed to keep her face straight, “Is there any way I could reach him? Maybe his home address? I'm just so worried.” There was enough real frustration and worry in her voice for the nurse to soften up.
“I shouldn't, but.. Here.”
“Thank you.” She said in earnest and walked out clutching the little note.
******
Wolfgard was not having a good day. The Watchers were hot on his trail, and his carefully laid plans seemed to crumble before him. Time to disappear again and wait it out. Impatience would get him killed. And he wasn't particular keen on dying.
He entered his latest hideout with a frustrated groan. It was the silence that first tipped him off that something was wrong. Jack should have been there to greet him at the door. Walking into the living room cautiously, he came face to face with Rachel.
Jack was lying passed out on the floor. There was a bullet hole in her coat, he must have tried to shoot her. The idiot. To think the guy had actually been a Watcher for ten years.
He reached for his own gun, but Rachel had him pinned against the wall within a second. She took the gun away, tossing it on the floor. Suddenly her sword was raised, glittering in the light. He stared at the steel edge of it in disbelief.
“This ends here and now.” There was steel in her voice. “I will not have you chase after any of my friends, or my son.”
“You're here to kill me?” Maybe he had underestimated her. He hadn't thought her the killing type, too much sense of right and wrong. She pressed the cold steel against his neck. His eyes widened in terror and he found himself unable to swallow. One drop of blood fell to the floor soundlessly. He had underestimated her.
“I could kill you,” she said in a dangerously low voice, “But my son will not have a killer as a mum. I will not do that to him. If I ever see you again though..”
Without lessening her grip on the sword, she used her other hand to call Joe Dawson.
“Joe.. This is Rachel Goldstein.” She smiled grimly as she saw Wolfgard's forehead break into a coldsweat. She had a feeling he feared the Watchers much more than anything else. It was better they dealt with him.
She had life to deal with, not death.
I am drunk in my desire...
but I love the way you smile at me
I love the way your hands reach out and hold me near...
I believe...I believe
this is heaven to no one else but me
and I'll defend it as long as
I can be left here to linger in silence
~~~~~~
Rachel felt deadly tired as she walked up to the hospital. Wolfgard Jurgensen would trouble her no more, she was sure of that. The look of horror he had given her as the Watchers had arrived assured her of that. But there would be others.
There would always be others. But maybe, just maybe, she would get a break for a while.
Two Presences greeted her. Nick and Amanda, she'd come to recognise them by now. As she walked down the hall, she heard laughter.
Astonished, she stopped. She could hear Nick's voice, a soft chuckle from Amanda.. And Frank. Frank's voice. She ran the rest of the way, feeling a silly smile plaster itself on her face. He was alive.
He was smiling just as silly when she entered the room. David was sitting in bed with him, and waved merrily at her. She just stood in the door a while, drinking in the sight.
“Come on David,” Amanda grinned, “Let's give your mum a moment.”
“You did the right thing,” Nick whispered as he passed Rachel, patting her on the shoulder. And then it was just her and Frank. They were both quiet for a while, wondering what to say.
“So.. Were you worried?” he finally asked.
“You idiot!” she half cursed, half smiled. “What do you think? You're a complete asshole, Francis James Holloway!”
He lowered his head slightly, detecting real anger in her voice.
“Giving me Immortality.. I never asked for it!”
“I didn't know I was doing it,” he defended himself with. “But I had these dreams.. Nightmares, you know, and I just had a feeling I could help. If I'd know.. I'd still do it!” Okay, that didn't come out just as romantic as he'd planned
She took a calming breath and walked over to the bed. “You are a complete ass, you know,” she remarked and kissed him until she had to come up for air.
“I know.”
“And when were you going to tell me you'd bought us a house?” she continued, but the anger was gone from her voice. He shrugged.
“When I'd got you really drunk so you would think it was a good idea.”
She laughed, not because it was really funny, but because it was so him. Frank's answer to everything; get pissed.
“Okay. On one condition.”
“What?”
“I take the bullets from now on.”
He chuckled softly, taking her hand.
“I promise.” And she leaned forward to kiss him again, this time lightly, as if they had all the time in the world.
She knew they hadn't. But they had tomorrow, and right now she couldn't have wished for more.
When David entered the room later, both were asleep. Climbing up on his mother's lap, he waved goodbye to Amanda and Nick who were going home. Rachel stirred slightly, but dozed off again after muttering some uncomprehendable words. Her hands stayed locked with Franks.
And David sat there, watching them.
******
“I think he has a small crush on you,” Nick grinned as they entered the bar, pushing through the masses.
“Who?”
“David.”
She smiled softly, giving Pascal a wave as they passed. “He's adorable.”
“Should I be jealous?”
“Oh, absolutely.”
He chuckled, and couldn't resist giving her behind a light swat as she opened the door to the back rooms. She gave him a glare, but there was a small gleam in her eyes.
The room was dark. Closing the door behind them, Nick leaned against it. He watched through half closed eyelids as Amanda threw her coat off. Her blonde hair and white top lit up in the dark.
“Are you happy, Amanda?” he suddenly asked as she walked up to him.
“Yes,” she simply answered.
But for how long? He wondered silently as he stared into her deep brown eyes. Seeing Rachel almost lose Frank had reminded him that he too could lose his heart. He needed to know she was there, to assure himself he hadn't lost her. Yet.
Amanda seemed to sense his need. Taking his hands and bringing them to her waist, she leaned into his embrace. He held her for a while, taking in her scent and the feel of her skin so he would remember it even a thousand years later. Lifting her up, he kissed her deeply and urgently, reassuring himself she would be there tomorrow.
Tomorrow was all the forever he needed.
