Home » The Archives » Chapter 14 » New Beginnings
| Re: New Beginnings [message #2306 is a reply to message #2305] |
Mon, 30 July 2012 18:01   |
Lillehafrue
Messages: 478
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northeastern USA
Karma:
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TB Pilot
Evil Genius |
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Dominic read over the email once more and rubbed his face with one hand. Two words kept jumping off the screen at him: back soon. Back soon. Luke would be back soon. The previous day's events had made Dominic realise just how much he had missed his friend. With Nikki gone and then Luke, his two best friends on the island, Dom had found a gaping hole where they had been. But he had missed Luke even more, and at first he had thought it was simply because the man had been shot and Dom had gone out of his mind with worry. But as Luke's recovery proceeded swifter than it should have, Dom began to realise that it wasn't just the worry.
He turned around to check on Joshua, who was still happily watching something bright and nonsensical on the televiewer, and then sat back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. Memories of the rescue flashed before him and he shut his eyes tightly against them. All that space, seeming to go on and on forever... He shuddered and felt fresh tears on his cheeks. And then that damn spider! It looked like the very same one that had climbed on him months before... although it couldn't possibly have been. Even so, it had come along at the very worst of times, and Dominic cursed his own irrational fears. He fought against another self-depreciating tirade and instead crossed the room to the vidphone. He didn't even check to see the time difference, and placed a call.
***
Luke hummed as he continued to tidy up the kitchen. It was nothing more than straightening cups and wiping down surfaces, but it was at least a way to kill the time. His visit to the doctor that morning had put him in good spirits, and the email he had sent to all the crew on the island had been chirpy and cheerful. I'll be back soon! he had written.
Just then the phone rang, and he tossed down the cloth he was holding. He strode quickly to the receiver and pressed the answer button. The face he saw stopped his words of greeting, and he frowned.
"Dom, you look awful!"
"Yeah, I know."
Luke's frown deepened at the lack of a retort from his friend. He knew that something was definitely wrong.
"What's up, bud?" Luke asked, softening the tone of his voice. Dominic's eyes looked suspiciously watery.
"I... " Dom stopped and gulped, before opening his mouth and trying to speak again. He tried once more, before he buried his face in his hands.
"Dom, you're scaring me here. What's wrong? Or do I have to call Dianne to come and get it out of you?"
At the sound of Dr Tracy's name, Dominic's head shot up, and the look of terror in his eyes made Luke wish he hadn't said a word.
"No, please!" he said. "I... It's a long story."
Dominic recounted a coded tale of the rescue and his panic attack, Jeff's subsequent talk with him and the re-emergence of the spider. Luke shook his head in sympathy and tapped a nearby table with his fist.
"Damn, guy," he said. "That's rough."
"I didn't know what to do," Dom said.
He wiped his nose on his sleeve, at which Luke suppressed a smile. It was such a child-like gesture, and for a moment he could see the family resemblance between Dominic and his son.
"Then when I got your email," Dom continued, "I realised how much I wish that you were here."
Luke felt a tiny pang in his chest, as if his lungs had begun to hurt again, but it passed quickly.
"Aww, man. I wish I was there too to help you through this."
"I just don't know what to do, Luke," Dom said. "I need your help."
Luke sat forward in his chair.
"Well, first things first: change your shirt. You've got nose gunk all over it."
Dominic chuckled, causing further bubbles of 'nose gunk' to protrude from his nose. He blushed and wiped them away with a little chuckle.
"Secondly, go see Dianne and tell her how you're feeling. You're not fit for duty and she needs to know that."
At first, Dom looked as though he was going to protest, but he nodded in agreement.
"Thirdly, arrange to see Anna."
At that Dominic did protest, but Luke quickly shushed him.
"No, you need to," he said firmly. "If your fears hinder your work, then you need to try and work through them. You can't go on any more 'business' like yesterday's until you get everything sorted out."
Dominic exhaled and seemed to deflate in his chair, and suddenly a little blond head appeared on the screen.
"Hi, Wuke!"
Luke smiled and waved back as Joshua waved at him.
"Hi,kiddo!" he said.
"When you come back?" Joshua asked. "I wanna see Wommel!"
Luke chuckled, and so did Dominic, who gave Luke his first genuine smile of the call as he hoisted his son onto his lap. Luke gave a little shrug.
"I'll be back soon, Josh; I promise."
"Miss you!" Joshua said with another wave.
"I miss you, too," Luke said, and his eyes flicked back up to Dominic.
"Thanks for listening to me," Dom said.
Luke held up a hand.
"I haven't finished yet," he said with a smile. "Fourthly: go and hang out on the beach with some of the crew. I'm sure the company would take your mind off things."
Dominic hesitated before he nodded.
"I guess you're right. Thanks, Luke."
"No problem, Dom," he said. "Call me any time."
"I will."
The two exchanged goodbyes, and Luke sat back in his chair as the image of Dom and Josh disappeared from the screen.
"Damn... " he said.
***
An hour later, Dominic found himself walking along one of Tracy Island's luscious beaches. He had a heavy picnic basket in one hand and his young son running off in front. By his side walked John, who was throwing a stick for Joshua to chase after.
"My son isn't a dog," Dom said, but he did so with a smile.
"No, he's not very good at fetching," John said as Joshua picked up the stick and continued to run onwards.
Dom chuckled. Dianne had given him the rest of the day off after their talk, and said that she would get in touch with Anna to arrange an appointment sooner rather than later. He looked up to the clear blue sky, and tried to put all thoughts of the previous day out of his mind.
98% pure evil...and loving every minute of it.
 
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