A/N: I would apologize for being late but at this point do y'all really expect much less of me! 🤣 Pls don't hate me. 👉🏼👈🏼 🥹 BIG THANKS TO @zentthefirst FOR ALL YOUR HELP!! ❤️
Beakley's voice echoed through the halls as I got ready for bed. She wasn't yelling. She was explaining to the girls why it was a poor decision to come with them, loudly. It only stopped when she took the girls home. I passed them in the hallway and Lena went to bolt toward me. Only the look on my face held her in place.
No one wanted Beakley to lose it on all of us.
When I returned to Scrooge's room it had been less than an hour, but he wasn't in there. I crawled up into my spot and tried to stay awake. My eyes slid shut, and I barely noticed the weight shift. He pulled me so close to him that I could barely breathe.
"I know you're awake, Love." For some reason, it felt threatening, so I didn't move. "We'll talk in the morning."
I thought I would never get to sleep because he didn't let go and proceeded to crush my ribs. Eventually, my consciousness gave way.
Scrooge was falling into a vast black pit. I wasn't scared, upset, or even trying to help. I was relieved and might've been the one to push him. Our family surrounded me. The kids were screaming at me to help him, but I just smirked.
I sat straight up. I watched Scrooge sleep. It was hard to breathe despite being free from his death grip. It was one of the rare times I had woken up before him, and the only time I had woken up because of a nightmare. He seemed pretty in the early morning light. That wasn't a word I would normally associate with him. I had been doing that more often. Words that shouldn't describe him did. It was funny. He was bolder; his temper was shorter, and he acted heartless. He acted like he was from the negaverse.
I shook my head. That had to be why I had that dream. Of course, I would be completely torn apart if I had to watch him die, but I wasn't. I was completely at ease, and that made me uneasy. I walked to my room and pulled out my ring.
I headed towards the kids' rooms and heard harsh whispers from Webby's bathroom. I pushed it open with no warning.
Violet and Webby were on the floor, surrounded by the hue of a purple glow stick. Webby was crying again. Violet moved over and I sat beside Webby.
"I don't know why she would do that," she said between sobs. I just wrapped an arm around her. "She just killed him."
"Who?" I whispered.
"My dad. Why would anyone want to hurt him?" she sobbed.
"Webby, it's just a bad dream," I mumbled.
She curled up in my arms. I could tell she had been crying for a while. Her breathing was heavy, and it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. Violet was yawning, too.
"Is Lena here too?" I asked. Violet nodded. "Where?"
"In Webbigail's bedroom," Violet yawned.
I picked her up, too. She looked grateful. I made my way to Webby's room and placed them on a pile of Webby stuffed animals. I went to head out when Lena slid down the ladder from Webby's bed to the main floor.
"The whole house heard Mrs. B send you home," I said, leaning on the doorframe.
"It was an emergency!" She spun.
"Shhh," I nodded to the sleeping girls. "I love Webby too, but her dreams are just bad dreams. They don't warrant pissing off Beakley. Besides, if she finds out, she'll be doubly pissed at me for not kicking you out."
Lena shook her head. She stepped closer and lowered her voice.
"Yeah, what's up with you two, anyway?" I gave her a look. She was deflecting. "No, that's not why we came. There's something wrong with Mr. McDuck."
I shifted. She wasn't wrong, but I didn't really want to talk about him. She caught my hesitation and ran towards me.
"You've seen it too. What do you know?"
"I don't know what you're talking about Lena," I brushed her off. She balled her fist, but tears formed at the corner of her eyes. "Lena?"
"I know he's Webby's hero, Beakley's bff, and you're whatever, but why won't anyone believe me when I say there's something wrong with him!" she snapped.
"Lena, you're gonna wake the whole house," I said sternly. "You need to head home."
She looked beyond baffled. She looked upset, and I didn't know what she wanted from me.
"You don't even wanna know what happened?" I locked my jaw. She crossed her arms and lowered her voice. "He threatened to lock me in the Other Bin because I was too much like my aunt."
"I... I don't believe that," I whispered. He wouldn't say something like, regardless of the reason.
"Go ahead, don't believe me but I am not a liar. Unlike you," she mumbled, turning back around.
"Lena, you two shouldn't be here when the sun comes up," I said, sternly.
"We won't be," she stomped.
I walked to the boys' room. Dewey and Louie had got home with Launchpad well past midnight and they were all snoring. Expect Louie, who pulled his head under the pillow when I walked in. I walked over to him.
"What do you want?" he whispered.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"You let an attempted murderer sleep down the hall from me. What do you think?" he spat.
"If you want to point fingers, you almost got him killed first," I mumbled.
"Harsh but touché." He leaned up and looked at me. "Why are you upset?"
"Sorry. I'm just on everyone's bad side," I hummed.
"What do you mean?" He sat up a little.
"Mrs. B's, Lena's, yours. Can't get too much worse, can it?"
"Oh man, you just jinxed it. Call me when Uncle Scrooge kicks you out." He rolled over.
"Great." I rolled my eyes.
I went to walk off, but a hand grabbed my leg from the bottom bunk.
"I'm not mad at you," Dewey whispered.
I squatted beside him.
"Thanks, Blue."
He scooted over and made room for me. I took a random pillow from the floor and curled up next to him. He curled into my chest and passed out almost instantly. I wondered if he had done this with Donald when he was younger. I didn't remember falling asleep.
I was staring at Goldie from my position in the swivel chair that was usually pointed at the monitors.
"You don't think I've tried that?" she grumbled.
I couldn't make out the other person, but she was clearly annoyed.
"No, by all means, give me another stupid idea," she said, rolling her eyes.
That kind of annoyance was usually only reserved for me. Or maybe Scrooge.
"That's it! I'm moving on to the next phase," Black heron announced as she click-clacked across the floor to the cell. A very buff man-I recognized as Steelbeak-followed her.
"You should trust him more," Bradford growled.
"You're trusting him too much!" Heron snapped. "He's gone too far. He's not making progress, and he took the sword."
"Because she would've noticed something suspicious by now? It's a good thing she hasn't," Bradford argued.
Heron clicked a button on the cell door, and it opened. Steelbeak stepped in and grabbed Goldie. She put up as much fight as she had, which wasn't much. The other person struggled to help her, but was easily discarded. A sickening sound filled the air as they hit the back of the cell.
"Awe, you're cute," Steelbeak mocked Goldie, who clawed at her throat for air.
"Eat up. You're going to need it." Bradford put something in the cell.
"Bradford! Where are they taking her?!" I recognized the Scottish accent.
"I wouldn't be worried about her," Bradford chuckled.
I jumped awake. I couldn't catch my breath. The sun was beaming in their room.
Everything clicked into place. Goldie's annoyance. Scrooge's mood swings. Beakley's concern about something being off. Scrooge's self-centeredness. Gladstone suddenly rises to his favorite nephew. Della's and Scrooge's head butting. The slight contrast in his physical features-that I thought was due to the youth fountain. The never-ending smell of whisky and random cologne. Scrooge's slight lapse in memory. His interaction with Webby, when he seemed confused and hesitant around her and by extension Lena. My nightmare.
I watched Dewey and wondered if he or any of them had noticed. I couldn't lay there anymore. I stood and started down the hallways. My eyes darted around each room in search of a camera. I couldn't find one. I had never seen one, even by accident. I forced myself to act like I wasn't panicking. FOWL had been watching me. No, from the sounds of it, Bradford and Heron had kept tabs on this Scrooge. Maybe they were even protecting me.
My Scrooge was locked up in that cell. He probably thought I was mad at him. I hadn't done a great job of proving otherwise. He also probably thought I was an idiot and didn't really know him because it had taken this long for me to notice.
I didn't know what to do. I didn't think Donald would believe me. Beakley and I weren't on speaking terms at the moment. Gladstone might believe me but probably would deny it because this version of his uncle liked him. Della would probably pummel him before I could finish explaining.
I made my way downstairs and started breakfast, still contemplating what to do with my newly discovered information. The door opened and I jump.
Gladstone and Donald walked in and set the sword on the table with a groan. Donald looked like he had walked through a furnace and Gladstone had bags under his eyes, which could've been the closest he'd ever come to death given his luck.
"Used the sword last night," I hummed. Gladstone groaned and Donald passed out on the counter. "Didn't think it through."
Gladstone shook his head and Donald started into a story I couldn't make out. I heard the words 'started as a dare' though.
"No one can understand that, Donny," Gladstone said. Donald lifted his head up.
"I said if you're such a smart guy, then you wield the damn thing." Donald punctuated it by slamming his head on the counter.
"Well, you learned a lesson at least," I said, handing them breakfast.
"Don't make a bet with myself, got it," Gladstone said, digging in.
"And don't listen to Della," Donald added.
They groaned in silence and ate the rest of their food. I spent that time trying to figure out a way to tell them what I found without tipping off FOWL. I was too late. They walked out back towards the houseboat. Scrooge took their place immediately.
"What happened to them?" he asked, walking around the counter to me.
I forgot how to talk. Taking the fountain of youth water was smart. I thought it reversed his age, but he didn't have any scars. Scrooge was covered in years' worth of them. Yet this Scrooge's body and hands were smoothed and uncallous. After a second, I motioned to the sword on the counter.
He chuckled, "That explains it."
I spun to face the stove despite being about done with the pancakes. He wrapped me in a hug from behind. I wanted to pull away but couldn't, so I kept moving to keep from tensing too much.
"Something wrong?" he asked. As much as I wanted to call him out, I could get more information by playing along and I didn't know how FOWL would react to my discovery. "You pretended to be asleep last night."
"Jetlag," I mumbled. He kissed my temple. I tried not to jump.
"You disappeared this morning." It wasn't really a question.
"Nightmare," I hummed. He kissed my neck, and I jerked a little too hard. His grip tightened.
"A nightmare? What about?" he asked, but I could tell he wasn't interested. I thought about it.
"The negaverse," I lied.
"Oh?" He was suddenly interested and his humor was unfiltered. He kissed my shoulder. "Care to share?"
I had the jarring realization. He wasn't just similar to Nega-Scrooge. He was Nega-Scrooge.
His humor was him admiring his handy work. He thought he could traumatize me so easily. Anger flared in me and I couldn't move.
Thankfully, I didn't have to answer him. Beakley walked in. The tension was instantly thick. She made a plate and stared at us. Scrooge didn't let go of me. He seemed to make a silent alliance with me against whatever she was going to say.
"Okay then," she huffed. "I'll start. We need to talk about last night and talk about Mr. Mallard's plan to guard the harp."
I bit my pride. I needed her to know I was on her side.
"I left the house unguarded. I was in the wrong. I've made a lot of poor choices recently. I'm sorry," I apologized.
She seemed surprised.
"Well, that's a start, but an apology will not get you very far," she hummed. "I need to know you will not go awol again."
"I promise I only want what's best for the family." I emphasized the last word.
"Alright. We will talk after breakfast."
I didn't know if she caught my sentiment, but she walked into the dining room.
"Why the change of heart?" Scrooge hummed.
"I don't want a stir unnecessary tension and if that means me sucking it up then," I shrugged.
"Another family fu- good morning, Uncle Scrooge, ____," Della said, busting in the door. "Meetings in ten. I'll get the boys."
She paused and looked at the sword and laughed. She grabbed it and headed for the door. I felt Scrooge start to lunge for it, but he stopped himself.
I cleaned our plates and pulled him to Scrooge's office. Beakley was in there, standing to the side of Scrooge's desk. Her breakfast was discarded, and she was studying some papers. Nega-Scrooge walked to his seat, and I walked to the opposite side of the desk from Beakley. Launchpad walked in behind us.
"Mr. McDee! ____! Mrs. B! Boy, is good to see you three." He collapsed in a chair.
"It's not a toy, Della!" Donald said, walking in with the rest of them. He practically threw the sword onto the table.
"Launchpad! Mission report!" Beakley said.
"Let us get in the room first," Gladstone scoffed.
I shot him a 'please shut up' look, and he frowned.
"Well, uh, it was easy. We found the harp thingy in the, uh, it was like a tower. She was locked up there since their people didn't like to hear the truth," he pieced together.
"She?" Della asked.
"Yea, there was a woman attached to the harp. She was beautiful," he hummed, practically drooling.
"Men," Della gagged.
"There cool now. I mean they were before, but now the merpeople get to have feet," he shrugged.
"Okay, now I'm lost," Gladstone mumbled.
"Just now?" Nega-Scrooge shot back.
Beakley groaned. "Launchpad, is the harp safe with Mr. Mallard?"
"Totally! Darkwing can handle anything!" He patted his pockets. "He even gave me this cool flip phone in case of emergency and it hasn't gone off once."
"I'll be taking that." She popped it out of his hands. "FOWL has accessed our security cameras. I looped the footage so they won't be privy to this conversation, but they will catch on soon. From here on out, we can not talk strategy in possible compromised settings."
Nega-Scrooge straightened in his chair. He must've not known they were keeping tabs on him.
"Meetings in the basement. Got it," Della mumbled, with a shiver.
"We also need to make sure everyone is on the same page moving forward. No more solo missions," she ignored Della and glared at me.
"It's working so far because FOWL's not expected us to keep doing it!" Della argued.
"Della, Mrs. B has a point. We aren't at the top of our game. We need to stop the in-fighting," I said.
"Agreed. It's only going to get us hurt," she nodded. "No more secrets between us. We discuss everything. Like what we think FOWL's next move will be."
She was one to talk about keeping secrets.
"Here," Nega-Scrooge said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "We have everything they are looking for, so what's stopping them from coming and getting it?"
"Uh, we are," Della said.
"I think your uncle means, why haven't they?" Beakley corrected.
"They don't have everything," Donald said. We all looked at him. "Whatever they want from _____ they don't have."
"Alright then. I think we need to keep someone with you 24/7. We don't know what they want, but we can't let you be alone to give them the chance," Beakley said.
"Oh, that's going to drive me crazy," I laughed.
"I rather you be mad and safe than controlled by the likes of FOWL. We'll take shifts."
"You can't be serious!" I stamped.
"I think until we can trust you again. It's for the best." Beakley crossed her arms.
"Whatever," I sighed, annoyed, but nodded.
"I'll go first," Nega-Scrooge said.
I sent her a pleading look. Anyone but him. She shrugged.
"Sounds good. I'm going to call Mr. Mallard for a quick progress report. As for the rest of us, we need to lie low. FOWL will be looking for another chance to attack. Everyone stay on high alert and report all possible threats to me."
She filed out of the room. We all looked at each other. They seemed to be waiting for me or Nega-Scrooge to dismiss them.
"My job is to just sit in a mansion and not do anything. I can live with those orders," Gladstone laughed, breaking the silence.
"When did you two start agreeing?" Della asked.
"Yea. Did I miss something?" Donald asked.
"Wait, are you and Mrs. B fighting?" LP asked.
"We had a disagreement, LP. We're cool now." Everyone looked at me. "What? I admitted I was wrong."
"Why?" Della asked.
"Look, we need to stay unified and breaking each other's trust is not a good tactic."
A moment passed, and no one said anything.
"Well, that's good. She's scary," Launchpad laughed and grabbed Della. "The SunChaser needs some small repairs."
"Define small?" she asked, worried.
Donald left without a word. Gladstone was behind him, making plans for the day. That left me and Scrooge. I wasn't letting him out of my sights, despite the orders for me being the one under surveillance. Although the thought of being alone with him was terrifying.
"I think you just lost Della's respect and, for some reason, Donald's," he laughed.
"They'll get over it," I mumbled.
"How about we go put the sword up?" he smirked, turning to it.
I didn't want to go to the Other Bin with him. What choice did I have? If I left him, Beakley would be pissed. If he left me, I would be worried he would stab someone for fun. When we got him downstairs, I could... Do what? Lock him in a vault? Kill him? Those weren't ideal options. Beakley just said don't piss off FOWL.
"Let's." I reached the hilt, but he took it first and slung the sword on his back.
"Wouldn't want to expose you to that, Love."
He waited for me by the door to lead the way and I paused in front of the painting of Scrooge that was already opened. He motioned for me to go first. Half of me screamed to hit him, the other half knew I wouldn't be able to get past the Sword if he used it.
I made my way up and didn't wait for him. I nearly ran down the stairs to the first level. The door clicked shut, and I came to a stop on the balcony. I looked up and Nega-Scrooge was smiling dangerously.
"What's the matter, Love?"
"Don't call me that," I growled.
He looked surprised only for a second. He chuckled darkly as he descended the spiraling staircase, looking evil.
"What gave me away?"
"You mean besides the way you talk to Della and Gladstone?" He sneered at the mention of Della. "When I found the fountain water, I knew something was wrong. Scrooge changed his mind, and he keeps his promises."
"Yet you didn't mention it?" he chuckled and walked closer.
"We've been a little busy and we haven't been alone together," I defended myself.
"Not from my lack of trying." He stopped inches in front of me. "Though I meant when Agent 22 said 'report all threats.'"
"She knows something's off," I ignored him.
"Agent 22, doesn't know anything I don't want her to know. As for the brat?" I didn't know who specifically he meant, Della or Lena, but his eyes flickered to the nearest vault. "No one would miss her. After all, her lineage speaks itself."
He unsheathed the sword slightly. I stubbled backwards at the power. I grabbed the guard rail. It groaned in protest at my weight. He raised the blade to my throat.
"What are we going to do now?" he hummed.
"Looks pretty obvious to me," I bluffed, looking at the sword.
"Oi, that's far too simple, Doll! Where is your facetiousness? All they want is a good show. I think we're doing a good job of that. It would be poor sportsmanship to kill you now," he rambled. His voice got dark with every word.
"Poor sportsmanship?" I asked, confused.
"I meant wasteful. Don't misinterpret," he growled, pressing the blade closer.
"Why?" was all I could manage.
"For all Finch is worth to me, your magic is invaluable," he purred. "Though unlike that imposter, I would not be afraid to put it to use."
"What?" I gasped.
"I love how in the dark you are about your own power. It makes this easier," he grinned.
"No!" I tried to blast him, but the sword absorbed my magic. He chuckled.
"Now that pathetic display is over. We are going to go back upstairs like nothing happened." He pressed the blade to my throat, and I nearly toppled over the balcony. "Or I will see how long it takes those nosey brats to find you."
"What about Scrooge? My Scrooge," I growled.
"What about him?" he hummed and looked me over, not moving the blade.
My mind raced. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to blast him into small pieces. The sword's magic was effecting mine and I couldn't stand being this close to it.
"What do you say?" He lowered the blade. "I would make it enjoyable for you."
"Fuck off," I growled. He chuckled.
"I saw you two in Guatemala. I was a little jealous." He sheathed the sword and gripped my face softly. "You should take that as a compliment. I don't get jealous easily. Though I have to admit, I was surprised by the way he treated you. He always acts like an overprotective prick. No wonder you enjoyed him letting loose."
Adrenaline rushed through me. I twisted us, so that he pressed against the rail. The rail protested, and the sword scattered to the floor.
"What's stoping me from killing you here and now?" It was only slightly rhetorical.
"You're not a murder, Doll." He smiled cruelly. "Beside you have to think what that would mean for him. FOWL will only allow that pathetic version of me to continue breathing if I continue to check in."
"Why are you acting loyal?" His face twitched. "I saw your reaction. You didn't know they were watching you. And you've already admitted to having different goals."
"Doesn't matter," he shrugged. "If they stop contacting me, they'll just replace me with another member of your fractured family?"
I blinked and stepped back slightly. That meant it would start over again. The mistrust and shifting views. We didn't need that. A hand ran up my arm lightly. Despite everything I knew, I wanted it to be Scrooge.
"No need to fret, Doll. That won't happen while I'm here," he chuckled.
I know I couldn't trust him, but I wanted to. It would be a relief to know that no one else would be snatched and their doppelgänger trying to pull apart the family.
He leaned into my ear. "I can only imagine his reaction to seeing you enjoying my touch."
I grabbed his wrist, and the railing gave slightly. I didn't even need magic, just a push. Just like my dream. I would be content to do it too. The rest of the family would wonder why. Would they believe me? Eventually. I pressed harder.
"Love!" he gasped.
"Don't you dare call me that," I hissed.
"What are you going to do about it?" he sneered.
He was right. I couldn't kill him. I panicked. I had to do something. He wasn't above hurting, maybe even killing, the kids or me. I pressed harder and the railing bend a little more.
"If you go back upstairs without me, FOWL will kill him. They need you, not him," he hummed.
He seemed unfazed by the predicament, but we both knew I had the power as long as the sword was on the ground. Though he was right. There was no telling what FOWL's reaction would be. I let go but didn't move.
"Think about hurting any of them, and I'll kill you without a second thought," I glared.
"You don't have to try so hard, Doll," he hummed suggestively.
"Shut it," I mumbled.
He picked up the sword. I knew bringing the sword back upstairs would tip FOWL off, but maybe it would tip Beakley off, too.
I pressed forward, marching up the stairs in front of him. At the top, I took a deep breath. I knew as soon as we step back into the garage, I would have to watch my act again. Scrooge scared me as he walked up behind me and pressed against my ear.
"Now be a good girl and smile for the camera," he whispered. A shiver went down my spine.
"Yea right, Oldman," I scoffed.
I pushed him out of the painting and to the ground. He started to swear at me. I composed myself and I made my way to him and offered a hand.
"Can fight a dragon but can't walk downstairs," I laughed, and he grabbed my hand hard. I whispered as he stood. "Got to put on a good show."
"I agree," he shot back. He spoke up. "Yet still ended up with you."
He pulled me into a kiss. I stumbled forward and used him to balance. When I realized what was happening, I balled my hands into fist. Unfortunately, my hands wrapped in his clothing, which made him hum in approval. He pulled away with a grin. It took everything in me not to hit him.
I couldn't act suspicious, so I let him lead me back into the house. It was almost time for lunch. Time seemed to tick away rather slowly. Beakley had joined us in Scrooge's office. She brought us lunch but I knew better. She didn't trust me, and having "Scrooge" as my chaperone probably was her ideal choice either. Though she did notice the sword's displacement but didn't mention it.
I needed something normal in my life. Something that wasn't murderous bad guys and a devious duplicate of my fiancé. I needed something mundane, which was hard, considering my circumstances.
"Should we go to the Bin?" I asked no one impractical. Nega-Scrooge and Beakley both gave me a funny look. "What? It's been a few days since we've been. I'm sure there is a mountain of paperwork for both of us. If we don't keep up appearances to the outside world, FOWL might see that as weakness."
"If you want to go and sign papers all day by all means," Beakley scoffed. "I'll be here doing real work."
"You have your ways of being helpful. I have mine," I said. "Let's go, Scrooge."
LP drove us to the Bin and Nega-Scrooge gave me the side eye the entire drive. We stepped out of the car and LP pulled it around to the garage. Nega-Scrooge grabbed my arm.
"What are you up to?" he snarled.
"Can't a girl be bored?" I asked.
"If you were bored, we could've done something a lot more fun than this," he smirked.
"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."
I pressed into the building, and instantly he was mobbed with emergencies. I slipped past the rambunctious group of secretaries and went to his office. There was a lot of work to do. I sat down and started in.
I worked until my mind was numb and I had forgotten there were deeper problems than over-budgeting, off-schedule, and understaffed. Nega-Scrooge hadn't come in yet when I saw the sun setting. Not even to take a dip in the Money Bin, which was something I thought no Scrooge could resist.
I walked down the hall, and he was surrounded by interns. He was telling a heroic story that had all of them fawning over him. I was surprised they were buying into it. I slid to the elevator and made it to the lab before anyone noticed my intrusion.
"Fenton! Am I glad to see you?" I pulled him into a hug.
"Whatever it is, I assure you that it's Gyro okayed," he said, looking scared.
"I'm not here about whatever that is," I laughed. He relaxed slightly. "Remember that project in St. Canard? The one that would let people travel different dimensions."
"The Ramrod?" he asked. I nodded. "What about it?"
"I need to know if it's up and running again."
"We'll Gosayln has contacted me," his voice faded, and he turned to a computer. He looked puzzled. "The energy required would drain the whole city we would know."
"Maybe it's not here. Maybe it's somewhere else?"
"Let me see," he hummed.
He typed in some numbers. A map of the globe appeared.
"There are several spots using that amount of power, but we can rule most of them as known military facilities that have been up and running for years. That leaves these three locations using an above average amount of electricity." He pointed to three spots on the map.
They were ruffly in the area of Hollywood, China, and Egypt.
"Thank you! Can you get these to Beakley?"
"No problem!" He smiled, then frowned. "Is everything okay?"
Before I could explain, the elevator opened up.
"There you are, Love." I held in a gag. "What are you doing down here?"
"I was giving Fenton my new phone number, seeing as my old phone broke," I spat.
"Of course." Nega-Scrooge narrowed his eyes.
Fenton shifted uncomfortably.
"I was going to go over the newest Gizmoduck updates." Fenton turned towards the parts that were scattered across the table. "I just added a scanner that can detect specific life forms. It involves measuring their biometrics, brain activity, magic levels, universal energies."
"Universal energy?" Nega-Scrooge stepped closer.
"Well, with the Ramrod and ____, you never," Nega-Scrooge interrupted him.
"____?" His eyes cut to me.
FOWL hadn't told him everything about me. I wondered what else he didn't know. Fenton, on the other hand, looked horrified.
"You know, in case of emergency. It would make it easier to find her," Fenton mumbled, rubbing his arms.
"Sounds interesting." Nega-Scrooge glared at me. "I think we should head home now, Love."
"Sounds good to me." He pulled me to the elevator. His grip tightened.
"What were you really doing?"
"I can't talk to my friends?" I shook him off.
"I would hate to see your friends get hurt because you can't hold your tongue," he hissed.
"I think I'm the only one between the two of us that can," I shot back.
He didn't speak on the trip back. Launchpad sent me a worry look. Nega-Scrooge stomped into the house the second the car stopped. Launchpad turned around to face me.
"Um, is Mr. McDee alright? He was being a little rough back there." His eyes locked on the bruises on my arm.
"Thank you for the concern, LP. He just wants to be finished with FOWL for good."
"Me too," he relaxed slightly.
I got out, but the car was still running. I walked up to the window.
"You coming in?" I asked.
"Nah, I'm going home to beige the Darkwing marathon."
I beamed. "You deserve some you time."
"Yea," he frowned. He looked back at my arm. "But call me if you need backup, alright?"
"Enjoy your night off. You've earned it." I patted the car and headed in.
I went to the kitchen. Dinner was made and eaten. Beakley was cleaning the plates. I ate slowly and watched her. If I helped, then it meant I would be alone with fake Scrooge sooner. She looked up at me.
"Long day?"
"The longest," I groaned.
She cleaned a glass and leaned on the counter. She looked pensive. "I respect your efforts to regain my trust."
"Anything for family, right?" I sighed. She paused.
"There was a time I wouldn't agree. They were too much of a liability," she said.
"Sorry, I'm a liability," I mumbled into my food.
"I didn't mean," she sighed. She was trying to be sincere and I couldn't wrap my head around it. "I know you're under a lot of pressure. I'm trying to show you that you don't have to handle this alone. Trying too, is what got you into this mess."
"Thanks for the reminder."
"_____!" I looked up at her. "I'm saying I understand why you did what you did, but you don't have to. You can trust us. You can trust me."
"I do trust you," I said.
There was a moment of silence. I could feel her eyes on me and I tried to hide my arm.
"What's this?" She touched the bruise.
"Scrooge and I got into a spat," I shrugged.
"He hurt you?" She knit her eyebrows together. "I knew something was off. We need to figure out-"
I didn't know how FOWL would react to this. I had to stop her.
"Beakley, he grabbed too hard. What's the big deal?" I knew how that sounded and I couldn't look at her.
"So much for trust," she said, putting down her towel. I grabbed her hand.
"It was an accident," I countered.
She rounded the counter. She could see it on my face and I could see it on hers. She knew that there was something wrong with Scrooge.
"I know how you two are. He would never hurt you. You know that," she whispered.
"They're watching," I whispered back.
"I know, but you're not in this alone. If you need me," she whispered.
"I have to keep up appearances but the kids," I barely mumbled back.
"Let me handle them," she beamed and walked out.
I was done with my meal and I started at the plate. If I stood I would be going to bed. To bed with that poor copy of Scrooge. I cringed at the thought.
I don't know how long she was standing there before I looked up. Webby hugged the doorframe.
"Webby?" I shifted, shaking my rigidness away.
"Can you tuck me in?" she mumbled.
"Of course," I said, taking her hand.
She pulled me down the hall. We pasted Nega-Scrooge in the hall. He glared as she pulled me to her room. I tried to shake him from my head as I watched her fall asleep. Though it was hard. I couldn't avoid him forever and every second I wasn't with him could be one he was hurting my family. It was a lose-lose situation. Still, I didn't move from the warm spot on Webby's bed. Beakley was probably keeping an eye on the kids and the rest were experienced enough to handle themselves so any ramifications for falling asleep would be one's I would deal with in the morning.
Word Count: 6089