[Okay, I'm SO aware that I owe apologies! Life is VERY hectic at the minute, what with university coursework and assignment deadlines, and Christmas...throw a social life in the mix and you have a very belated next part to the story. I know I thought I'd manage better but it really is a nightmare keeping up with this uni stuff! So, I'm not sure how long until the next part but...Happy Reading! ^_^]
Keith hurtled through the door, cursing his stupidity. Of course he should have noticed how she was feeling. He was useless, never paying attention to her when she needed it. He barely noticed that the door was unlocked, open for him to hurtle through. But he did notice the absence of sound. There was a rustling coming from the kitchen, but that was the only noise he could detect in the entire house.
"Maggie? Belinda?" he shouted, making his way through the house noisily. "Hey, guys, come on! Are you in here?"
He opened the door to the kitchen, carefully making sure that nothing nasty was going to jump out and take him out. But even as the door hit an overturned chair nothing attacked. The feeling of dread spreading, he located the rustling noise.
"Jesus, Tammy," Keith murmured, picking up the tiny creature. "Where's Maggie, Tam? Is she hiding?"
He looked around, slowly going mad inside. He knew Maggie wouldn't have left Tammy to roam around downstairs alone, not for the first time. And Belinda had come running back here so fast that there was no way she couldn't have been at home when he got here. The only logical conclusion was that...that... He shuddered, not wanting to think about it. His mind pinged frantically back and forth, wondering if there was any other explanation.
"Maggie?" He called out desperately, wanting more than anything to hear someone call back to him. "Belinda? Are you there? Belinda?!"
"They're not here."
Keith turned around so fast he thought his neck would crack. Standing in the doorway was Andrew, tall and sinister. He smiled at Keith, a smile that chilled him to the bones. "Where are they? What did you do with them? I swear to God, if you've hurt her-"
"'Her'? Don't you mean 'them'? Surely, you're not putting your girlfriend before your sister, are you? Because that would be insa-"
"Shut up and give them back. Now." Keith was seething, wanting to punch him more now than ever before. He could envision his fist going through Andrew's face, blood spurting and -
"Oh, come on now. I'm sure you wanted to punch me much more that time I kissed Belinda. And that time she and I went on a date."
"Look, I don't want to talk about this with you. I just want my sister and girlfriend back. And you gone would be another good start."
"Oh, because I'm terrified of you. Your girlfriend's scarier than you are!"
"Just. Give. Them. Back." Keith seethed, his fists shaking. He refused to sink into this conversation. He just wanted Belinda and Maggie home, safe and sound.
"Ah, now, therein lays the problem. I don't really want to. And you can't really say that Bel can be 'given back' can you. She's a person you know. And I really must go now, I think she wants to talk to me."
"Now wait a second-" Keith shouted, lunging forward as if to grasp hold of Andrew, who disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Come back here you-"
He went on to use some very colourful and unprintable words, until he finally gave in and sank onto the settee, head in hands. He fought back tears as the telephone rang and he reached to answer it. Jack's worried voice immediately filled his ears.
"Keith? Where are you guys? I'm waiting at the bus stop and the bus you were supposed to be on just left. You could have called to say you missed the bus you know."
"I-" he swallowed convulsively, trying not to let the tears overspill. "We were at the bus stop - hell, I got on the bus - and Belinda took off before I could stop her. I got back here about 10 minutes ago and Andrew- Andrew's got both of them. Jack, I- Jack, what do I do?"
"He what?! That's it, I'll be right over, okay? Don't go anywhere, don't move anything and don't do anything stupid. I mean it, let me get there first, okay? Good, I'll be right there."
Keith couldn't move as the dial tone sounded in his ear but he didn't care. Again. Every time he thought he was doing something right, everything flipped back on him and Belinda was the one in trouble. It wasn't fair on either of them, but especially not on Belinda. He wished he'd never got her involved.
Twenty minutes later Jack was slamming through the front door, breathless. He looked around frantically, as though he might catch a glimpse of either Belinda or Maggie even though they were long gone.
"Wha...what's going...on? Where...did he...take them?!" Jack gasped, evidently trying to get his breath back. "Do you know? Where are...they?"
"I'm...I'm guessing he took them back to his world. I- I don't think they're in immediate trouble. He's just got them in hand for the minute. I'm worried though. He wouldn't have taken them if he didn't have a plan."
