Disclaimer: The typical, I dont own Harry, or anything else from Jim Butcher's incredible mind! Anything not found anywhere in the book is possibly mine
Hey, this is my first shot at a fan fic, so please please read and review!!! Thanks a bunch
The phone rang.
Why does it always have to do that at the most inopportune moments?
It rang again.
She'd kill me. If I stopped now to answer the phone, she'd never let me live it down. Ever. She was just getting into it, sweat dripping down her neck and across her shoulders. She had heard the phone too, jumping slightly at the noise, making her back arch gracefully, pushing harder against me.
It rang once more.
She'd forgive me. I think. She had that look in her eyes. A fierce concentration towards the power we were creating.
But Murphy could be calling. The thought of her voice alone was enough to get me to think about stopping. Hell's bells I hate it when Thomas is right, I am attracted to her.
"Sorry Molly." I said softly, trying to hold back the excitement in my voice as I let the power between us fall.
Molly shrieked as she was thrown upwards. As soon as I let my magic fade, Molly's downward force that had been countering my own launched her into the air towards the ceiling of my small apartment. She landed with a grunt on a mass of grey fur. Mouse had been lying on the floor near her and was kind enough to cushion her fall slightly.
"You ass!" she called as she tried to straighten herself out.
We had been working on air magic for the past few weeks. Powerful stuff, but a little less painful to mess up on than fire magic was. It started out with her trying to defy gravity, using the air around her to push against her feet and force her into the air. Lately thought, I've started pushing against her, making it more difficult for her. Today had been the longest she had lasted yet. That was until I let go, throwing her off balance and launching her towards my ceiling.
I made it to the phone on the fifth ring and answered it while trying to avoid the flying candle headed towards my head from an angry teenager. Hell's bells that girl had an arm.
"Hello" I answered laughing.
"Hello Hoss," came a solemn old voice from the other end of the line, "Good to hear you laughing again."
"Cant help it! Teaching the kid to fly." I replied. "What's up?"
Ebenezer was silent for a moment. I wasn't a good sign.
"I've got a favor to as you." He finally said.
"Off the record?" I asked. There were times in the past he had asked me to help with something going on with the war; something I wasn't supposed to know about or do. It was our way of keeping a few steps ahead without the council coming down our throats.
"Actually, this has got nothing to do with them." He replied, "It's personal."
Out of everything he could have ever asked me to do, this worried me the most. Ebenezer had helped me out when no one else would, so I couldn't say no. But any time he asked me for help it was usually pretty serious, and I didn't want to let him down.
"Ok" I said slowly, "What can I do?"
Ebenezer shocked me. He laughed; nothing big, but he laughed.
"It isn't that bad Hoss." He said, "Well, it is, but shouldn't be too dangerous. Nothing you cant handle." He paused again, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I just don't know what to do. Or how to help her."
"Huh?" I asked. Now I was thoroughly confused.
"My niece came by the other day." He said finally.
"Niece?"
"Ya, my baby sister's daughter. She died giving birth like your own mother did. I had not even know they survived."
"They?" I asked. Wow I was talking intelligently all of a sudden.
"Twins, but as I understand it the other died a few years back. But that's not the point."
"Then what is?"
He paused again.
"She's dying. Slowly. And there's nothing I can do about it." He replied morosely.
"I'm sorry. But do you think there's anything I can do about it?" I asked, scratching my giant dog behind his ears. I have an issue with seeing women in need. I usually see it, jump in head first, and then crash horribly. So to keep me from over reacting I scratched Mouse's ears. He seemed to like that at least.
"I really don't know Harry. And I do not think she would accept your help even if you could." He said proudly. "Anyways, that's not what she asked of me. She needs help finding someone and asked if there was anyone I trusted in Chicago that would help."
"Oh," I said. Intelligent as always. But that sounded easy enough. "Who'd she want to find?"
"She would not tell me." He answered, "Something to do with me being on the Council."
"Umm, Sir, I'm on the council too." I said slightly confused.
He laughed again. "I know, but given your position with them, I do not think she will mind too much."
"Ok," I said without much hesitation. "What do you need me to do?"
"Meet her, talk with her. Help her find her friend. And if you can help heal her, but I do not believe anyone but herself can do that."
"When and where?" I asked, grabbing a pencil and looking for some paper. Mouse trotted over with a note pad in his mouth. I smiled and patted his head as he dropped it on the table by the phone. Ummm doggie slobber!
Ebenezer gave me a brief description of her. Young, pretty, and talented. This could get interesting. He also told me that she would meet me in an hour at McAnally's.
"I'll do what I can." I said after writing it all down.
"I know you will. Thank you." He replied sincerely. "Keep in touch."
"'Course."
We hung up, and I barely had a moment to move before I was flung across the room by an unseen force of wind and dropped rather unceremoniously on the couch. Hell's bells Molly was getting strong. I'd have to remember not to piss her off too much in the future. She was definitely a force to be reckoned with.
"Hey!" I hollered, "What was that for?"
She smirked at me. Hell's bells that was creepy. Nothing good could come of that.
"Molly?" I asked, backing away slightly.
She sauntered towards me, both hands held suspiciously behind her back. I kept retreating until I was backed up against the wall. She was still coming at me slowly.
"You." She said.
"Me," I replied, "Me Harry, you Molly. We're friends right?"
She kept coming.
"Common," I mumbled, trying to sound confident. "Molly, stop right there."
She didn't, but I guess that shouldn't surprise me. The girl had a mind of her own.
"You ass!" she yelled, taking her hands out from behind her back.
I hate to admit it, but I froze. Literally. While I was on the phone Molly had the great idea that she wanted pay back. She had gone to the kitchen and filled a pitcher with ice water. And then promptly dumped it on my head. I always heard pay back's a bitch, but this was just cruel. It was December for Christ's sake. But I had to laugh, it was a good prank. She was laughing too. At least she was nice enough to throw me a towel.
"That's for dropping me on my ass." She said, thankfully with most of the anger gone from her voice.
I rubbed the towel through my hair, chunks of ice falling to the floor.
"And who's going to clean up this mess?" I asked in the most accusatory voice I could come up with, "Hmmm?"
"Your maid service." She replied. I nodded and chuckled; they would. "So who was on the phone?
"Hmmm?" I asked. Back to intelligent I see. "Oh, favor for a friend. I should get you home before I have to meet the client. Err, friend. Whatever."
"Oh. Can I sit in on this one?" She asked, packing up her things and putting her coat on.
"Nope." I replied as I walked into my bedroom, closing the door so I could change into dry clothes. I grabbed a pair of jeans, a white shirt and dark red hooded sweater. Hell's bells I hated December snow. I finished my outfit with my mother's pentacle, my other wizard jewelry, and my trusty cowboy boots. After that I met Molly by the door, grabbed my duster and staff, and opened the door for her like a gentleman. "It'll be boring anyways."
"Whatever. I've got a date anyways." She answered, throwing her stuff in the back of my Blue Beetle. Well, slightly blue beetle. It was starting to look like a clown car.
"Date?" I asked laughing. "I hope it's not anyone I know."
Molly started to get a rosy tinge around her cheeks. Oh god, I didn't think I wanted to know it was anymore. But of course, I asked.
"Who is it?"
"Ummm, well." She stalled.
I glanced at her as I turned down a back road I had found in one of my many trips to the Carpenter's house. Her face was really turning red. It was embarrassing her. That made me curious.
"Spit it out already."
"Carlos." She mumbled.
The car screeched around a corner that I had no right to turn at the speed I was going. Carlos, as in my best friend Carlos. Eww, did not need to know that. But I had asked. Why do I always have to ask these stupid questions?
"Oh," I replied. It was the best answer I could come up with.
We rode the rest of the way to her house in silence. I was trying not to think about Molly and Carlos together. But that didn't work. Hell's bells that was annoying. Thankfully it didn't last long. We were at her house in another five minutes.
The Carpenter's had an unnaturally picturesque house, complete with a white picket fence. I pulled into their driveway behind Michael's white truck and stopped long enough for Molly to get her things. Charity's face could be seen behind a curtain of one of the front windows, and I waved to her. She might not have liked me, but we had come to an understanding.
"Just be careful, Molly." I said quietly before she shut the car door.
She was startled for a moment before smiling gently. She knew I cared about her like a little sister. And I didn't have time to talk her out of it at the moment. Maybe I'd just threaten Carlos in the morning. That would probably be easier.
Molly waved as she shut the door and headed through the snow, up the shoveled path, and into the house. She was a good kid who just got off to a rocky start. But she was improving. Her power and aptitude were getting better, and she was actually beginning to use her head in situations. She'd make her own choices in life. I could only tell her my opinions.
I looked down at clock in the Beetle. Surprisingly it still worked after all these years. 7:35. Ten minutes till I was supposed to meet Ebenezer's niece. I'd just make it if I hurried. Diving in head first to help the woman in need. I'm getting good at that. Well, time to get going, can't do anything from my freezing cold car.
I pulled out of Michael's driveway and headed to McAnally's.
Time to go play Wizard.
Thanks again for reading... I should be able to get a chapter out at least once a week! Hope you liked it! read and review!