- - - - -
Title: The Darkness Within (8/8)
Author: Rhiannon Langly  (fmacgirl@yahoo.com)
Rating: PG for language
Classification: Langly/other.  Angst.
Spoilers: LGM series 1x04: "Like Water For Octane"
Archive: Countermeasures, my own site, anywhere it's
wanted.  Just let me know first.
Feedback: For the love o' god, send it.
Summary: Langly confronts his own fears about never
finding love, as the Gunmen try to help a young
woman and Yves revenge their past.
- - - - -

I woke up to the sound of an alarm blaring in my ears
and flashing lights.  The intercom fizzled.

"Don Juan, you'd better get up, unless you want to be
turned into a test subject..." Frohike blared at me. 
The words were teasing, but I recognized his tone. 
Something was seriously fucked up here.

I jumped out of bed, still naked, and pulled on a pair
of jeans and a t-shirt, then hit the intercom button.

"Frohike," I said, yawning, "What the hell is going
on?"

"Langly, you'd better get your ass down here.  Now."
I bit my lip.  Something was very wrong.  My memory
was in a blur and I couldn't seem to remember the last
few hours I spent awake.

[There was the bombing, and then the bathroom, and
then, oh fuck, MEL!]

"Melinda?" I turned around so fast that I got whiplash
from my hair.

There was no one in my bed.

I hit the intercom.  "Frohike, Byers, is Melinda down
there with you?"

Byers said, agitated: "What are you talking about?  We
thought she was with you.  It's not going to matter if
you don't get down here NOW."

"I'm coming."
As though she had shrank like our towels in the wash,
I rummaged through the sheets.  There was nothing
there.  I pressed my nose to the pillow.

[Well, she's been here.  Thank god I didn't dream that
part.]

"LANGLY!" The intercom crackled with the wrath of
Frohike.

- - - - -

I rushed into the Nexus, only to run smack into Yves,
who was holding out a plain white envelope.

"I believe this is for you.  Too bad there's no time
to read it now," she said, biting her lip.  "We need
to get out of here.  Apparently your van left a trail
that was as easy to follow as a bleeding animal."

"Great metaphor," Byers said, leading me, still in
shock, out to the van.

"Where the hell's Melinda?" Frohike asked as we got in
and drove out of the warehouse.

"I don't KNOW.  I woke up and she was gone."

"She pulled a Modeski on you, eh?" He smirked a
little, until Byers gave him a withering look that
read: Don't talk about her, asshole.

"It's not LIKE that," I protested.  "*She's* not like
that, not someone that uses peop..."

[Foot, meet your friend Mouth.]

"Langly!" Byers hissed.  "Don't say it..."

I bit my lip and twirled the envelope in my hands.
We drove through Capitol Hill again, strategically
avoiding the wrecked building on L St.  When there's
an emergency of this caliber at HQ, we take our backup
and get the hell out...but we don't just drive around
aimlessly.  If there's a problem with the government,
then we hide where they're least likely to look.  As
payment for a service (I say it was Frohike lending
him his video collection), Mulder gave us a pass to
the Fibbie parking lot, so we park the van there and
take off on foot.

I struck off to the Mall alone, despite Byers'
insisting that we all "stick together."  Screw that. 
I needed to read what was in the envelope before my
thinly stretched sanity was completely lost.

The envelope was labeled "Ringo," in a messy but
feminine hand.  Inside was one sheet of computer
paper.

- - - - -

Ree--
I'm sorry I had to leave you after last night. 
Afterwards, as I lay there, I kept hearing them, that
the bombing didn't kill all of them, that they were
coming for me.  And they were coming for you and Yves
and the boys too...I'm rambling.

So I had to leave.  I'm dangerous to have around right
now, even for you guys and your tight security
systems.

Kinda kiss and run, no?

I can't really tell you where I'm going for a while. 
These guys won't stop looking for me. I'm sure they'll
look for me with you guys, but if they don't find me,
they'll leave you alone.  I'll be trying to stop them
on my own, or maybe they'll just forget. (doubt it)
On the CD is an uplink to a secure e-mail.  I'll keep
you posted as to my safety.

When it won't put you guys in danger, I'll come back
to you.

I love you...please know it's for the best.

-Mel

- - - - -

I started crying, right there, under a maple tree in
one of the most crowded places in America.  The old
Ringo would have never done anything like that.  But
hell, things had changed, hadn't they?

"Ringo?"

Yves had walked into my line of vision, holding out a
Kleenex.

"Thanks, Yves.  You don't know where she went, do
you?"

She shook her head.  "I have no idea.  Regardless,
Ringo, I *know* she'll be back.  I don't think she'd
be able to stay away.  She told me she loved you.  I
can only wish I could feel that strongly about
someone."

She offered me a hand up, which I gratefully accepted.
"I was coming to tell you...Frohike went back to the
warehouse.  They tore things up a bit, hacked the
system, but everything's ok.  By the way, you left
this in the van."

Mel's CD spun on her finger.

"I could go for a beer right now," I said, taking the
CD.

"*After* you fix the system," she said.

The van pulled up on the street and honked.

"All right," I said, as we ran over to the opened
door, where Byers was waving for us to get in.  "I can
wait."

- - - - -


FIN


- - - - -

It's FINALLY done, although I suspect it never will
really be finished.  First fic: that big jump, no?
I didn't intend for Melinda to end up being Langly's
Suzanne.  She headed that way herself, and who am I to
say no?

It's funny that to me, the Mary Sue in this story
feels more like Langly than Melinda, in terms of being
more like me.  I tried my hardest to stay in
character.

Thanks to: Susi, Snakelady, Phil, the LGG board and
LGMfanfic list, Erynn and Sally...and Mom, for not
bitching at me about computer time over spring break
so I could type this up.

Too much musical influence here to name.  See my site
for a complete playlist.  I *will* thank the Ramones,
the Romantics, and Stevie Nicks for her new album...

Feedback always welcome.

I'll be back.

-Rhi  (http://www.envy.nu/langlified)