Date: 10/16/2000
From: SouthernSlider

How time flies. Monday already. Hope your weekend was a knock-out.
--------------------------

United We Slide, Divided . . . We Disappear

 

Chapter Twenty-five

Maggie spun around at the sound of the turning
doorknob. “Quinn! Oh, thank God, you’re all right.”
she yelled running to him. Her eyes fell on the bottle
clutched in his hand. Thank goodness Remmy had
insisted she stay here while the others went in search of
him.

“Maggie,” he said without a hint of feeling.

“Quinn, it’s going to be okay,” she answered.
He looked like hell, she thought. He obviously thought
Colin was dead. She lead him over to the sofa.

As he sat down, Maggie reached for the bottle,
but his vice-like grip refused to relinquish it. She didn’t
press the issue, but removed her fingers and patted him
on the shoulder. “Quinn?” He wouldn’t look at her.

“Quinn, Colin is alive,” she said plainly, then
waited for a response. He didn’t move for a moment,
then slowly turned his head to face her.

“No, Maggie.” He mistook her statement of fact
as wishful thinking. “He’s gone just like all the others.
I want you and Remmy to go too. I’m going to erase the
coordinates of this world from the timer. When it’s
time, leave and never come back.” He started to untwist
the cap on the bottle. Maggie slapped her hand over his
and stopped him.

“Quinn! He is alive. I have seen him. He and
Remmy are out looking for you right now.”

He froze at her words. She couldn’t be right.
There was no one else on that island. She only said that
to torture him. He wanted to lash out at her for her
cruelty, but he deserved it . . . deserved every mean joke
she could possibly play on him.

“No, Maggie. But go ahead. Say whatever you
want.”

“Quinn, listen to me!” She grabbed him by the
shoulders and turned him toward her. “Please, listen to .
. .” The door opened and Colin’s tall frame filled the
doorway. Maggie released a relieved sigh. “Perfect
timing.”

Colin stopped where he was and stared at his
brother. He wasn’t sure what to expect; he wasn’t even
sure of what he felt himself. He waited to see what
Quinn would do.

“Quinn. Look. Look at the door,” Maggie said,
slightly tugging at him to turn.

He saw the familiar face. It had to be a
hallucination. He wouldn’t let himself believe it. He
wouldn’t give in to it.

Maggie could feel the tension, but she wasn’t
about to let either one of them blow this. She knew
Quinn’s mind was fragile at this point, so she hoped
Colin would take the first step. She frowned in his
direction and motioned behind Quinn’s back for Colin to
come forward.

Colin stood for a moment, searching for
something -- anything -- in his brother’s face: shock,
relief, anger. There was nothing there. Did he care that
little? That’s what he had accused Quinn of doing -- not
caring. It had been wrong of him to do so. He had to
take the first step if they were to mend things between
them.

When Colin came forward, Maggie stood and
backed out of the way. “He’s quite despondent, Colin.
Be careful,” she said quietly as she passed him. Colin
nodded then sat down in her place. What could he say?

Quinn looked up and followed his brother’s face
as he sat. Their knees touched. A tingle formed at the
point of contact. He was real. He wasn’t dead after all.
Quinn closed his eyes and fought to control the
trembling that was emerging deep in his body. When he
opened them again they locked on to Colin’s.

The silence was deafening. Maggie held her
breath waiting for one of them to speak, hoping it would
be positive. Colin stared into his brother’s eyes wanting
to say something, but unsure of what it was. Quinn felt
relief and dispair at the same time.

He should grab Colin and hold on for dear life,
but he couldn’t seem to move. He guessed he was afraid
of the reaction. Yes, Colin had come to him, but why?
Did he want to make amends? He doubted it. More
than likely, it was to tell him it was over between them
for good. They would never be brothers again. It would
be as if Colin had really died. He clinched his teeth and
dared his emotions to surface.

“Hallelujah!” came a shout from the doorway.
Maggie turned to see Remmy and Kelly enter. She ran
to the man’s out-stretched arms. “Oh, sweetheart. Does
that not look wonderful? Just look at those two. Q-ball
and Farm-boy together again!”

“I’m not so sure, yet, Remmy,” she whispered.
“Neither one has spoken a word. I don’t know if this is
good or bad.”

“Well, hell, girl. It had better be good . . . and
quick. We’ve been through too much the last few days.
They’re gonna kiss and make up or the Cryin’ Man is
going to do some serious head-knockin’.”

Kelly stood to the side and took in the scene with
mixed emotions. It was wonderful to see Colin re-united
with his brother; if only she could do the same with
Wade. Wade. Her beloved little sister lost forever
because of this man, and according to Colin, he didn’t
care enough to dedicate his life to getting her back.

The hair on the back of her neck started to rise.
Her anger was surfacing and there was nothing she could
do to squelch it. She tried to tell herself to be happy for
Colin. He loved his brother, but her own selfish needs
were too overwhelming. He had taken her sister away
from her. How could she not hate him for that? Her
entire body quivered.

“Look, Remmy. Maybe we should leave them
alone. They have a lot to say to each other, and they
might do a better job if we were out of the picture,”
Maggie suggested.

“I don’t know girl. Don’t you think that might
be a little dangerous? Without referees, there could be
some serious blows.”

“Maybe that’s exactly what there should be.”
Remmy turned and frowned at her remark. “I mean . . .
it would clear the air. They could start over. You know
they love each other. Both of them have been devastated
by this rift between them, and when Quinn thought him
dead . . . well, you see what it’s done to him.”

“Maybe you’re right, girl. Why don’t we all go
get a drink downstairs,” Remmy said. He opened the
door for Maggie and Kelly to exit, but Kelly had already
left the pair and headed for the sofa. “Kelly?” She
didn’t answer him.

She stood directly in front of Quinn and stared
down at him in disgust. When he looked up and saw
who faced him, his eyes blinked several times while his
mind absorbed the sight before him.

“Kelly?” he whispered in shock.

“You bastard.” she said. There was no emotion
in her voice, but her pent-up feelings were transferred to
her arm. She drew back and executed a resounding slap
across his face that left a bright red hand print on his
cheek.
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SS

Woo hoo! Smackdown time!

Date: 10/16/2000
From: DieselMickeyDolenz

Quinn's had this coming to him for a long time! Great chapter, SS. BTW, congratulations on UGA's resounding win this weekend. I hope you get Carter back before the 28th. We've got the week off. It should be quite a game in Jax.

DMD

woo-hoo!

Date: 10/16/2000
From: sweetone

I just love your writing style. Can't wait for the next one.

SweetOne

"The healthiest relationships are
those that breathe---that move
out and then move back together."

The Suspense Is Killing Me

Date: 10/16/2000
From: sliderlynn

I have gone through the entire day at work, waiting to
get home to read your story.The suspense of this whole
thing is killing me.I must agree with Sweetone,I love
your writing style.But I like the fact that you are a
Charlie/Colin fan, like me.It is nice to read a story
written by some one that likes/loves the same character
as I do.Southern Slider THANK YOU from the bottom of my
heart, for a story on COLIN MALLORY !!! I can't wait
for the next chapter !!

Whoa....

Date: 10/17/2000
From: dellyone

Got to agree with DMD, Kelly laid the smackdown on Quinn. Bwahahahahahaha, nothing like a slap to the face to get your attention. ;-)

dellyone

Original URL http://www.scifi.com/bboard/browse.cgi/1/5/1095/2901
Nominated by DieselMickeyDolenz