After the Fire: Part 4:
That Night
Outside a Paris Theater
The group decided to take in a play. Jonathon Larsons' musical _Rent_ was still playing and they managed to get orchestra seats. Cat found a baby-sitter and tried to convince Bray, that Lane would be fine. Finally they were dressed and ready to leave. The baby-sitter, Elysse had arrived early so Bray could meet her and instantly everyone liked her. Bray gave Lane a kiss on the cheek, and told her "I love you." she said smiling. The group piled into an oversized taxi and were on their way.
They arrived fifteen minutes before curtain and found their seats. Bray tried to take the aisle seat, but Richie made her move. He took the aisle seat instead and settled down to wait. Right before the show began Bray stood, "I better call the barge and check on things."
Richie took her hand, "Bray, she'll be fine. I promise you." he said gently pulling her back to her seat.
"But what...." she protested pouting.
"I promise." Richie said as the lights dimmed and the overture began.
The same scene played out at intermission and Cat found her sneaking off to a phone after the show. "Bray we're going home. She'll be in bed by now." Cat reasoned as she motioned to the waiting taxi.
Methos kept noticing Mary looking around after the show, and had even seen her talking to a relatively nice looking man at intermission. "Something bothering you?" he said as he put his arm around her waist and helped her into the taxi.
"No." She said as a smile crossed her face as she spotted her Watcher friend.
Methos followed her gaze and saw the young man Mary was talking to at intermission get into another taxi. "Ok." He said as he smiled and reached for Cats' hand. He looked at Cat who smiled and winked letting him know she'd tell him later.
Bray was uncomfortable on the way back to the barge. Richie put his arm around her shoulder, "Bray? Is there something wrong?" Bray looked into his eyes. Her eyes were worried and he could feel it as her gaze cut through him.
"I don't like this feeling. Something's wrong. I know it." she said as they pulled up to the barge. They got out of the taxi and Methos paid the driver. Richie and Bray saw the slightly open door at the same time. Bray ran aboard scared to death. Richie, followed by the others darted after her. "Lane! Lane!" she screamed as she entered the barge. On the other side of the bookcase she found the source of her fear. Elysse was lying on the floor unconscious. "No!" the words barely escaped her lips. She knelt beside the girl feeling for a pulse. She was alive.
Richie knelt beside her, "Help me get her to the couch." He commanded.
Then Bray and Mary began to bark orders left and right, "Get me a cold cloth. She's got a bad bump on her head. We need to bring her around so we can find out what happened."
Cat stood in the doorway unnoticed as everyone started doing as they were told. Finally Methos spotted her and went over to her. "Are you ok?"
"No, I'm not." Cat said as a tear ran down her cheek. She turned and walked out and up to the top of barge. Methos knowing what was bothering her, let her go and then went back to help Bray who was now trying to bring Elysse around.
After a few minutes, Elysse confused came around. "How are you feeling?" She asked.
"What happened?" Elysse responded.
"We were hoping you'd tell us." Richie said as she sat up.
"*Where* is Lane?" Bray said almost hysterically. "Tell me where she is!"
Joe seeing how upset she was went to her side and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Bray there's no use in getting so uptight, it won't help."
"Joe, I'm responsible for that little girl and I want to know!" Bray snapped.
"Bray, snapping at everyone is not going to help anything." Richie said.
"Bray why don't you go and check on Cat. She's topside and I think you could use the air until you can calm down." Methos added.
"Damn it Methos, I'm not leaving till I know about Lane!"
"Well, it won't be anytime soon. Someone needs to call an ambulance, she's out again." Richie said checking to make sure she was *ok*.
Within minutes the sirens were in range. Cat came down and saw Bray sitting in a far corner. "Come on. Let's go and talk. Ok?" Cat said and Bray nodded and they went around behind the bookcase, away from the busy scene. Cat watched as tears fell slowly down Brays' red face. "You're blaming yourself for not being here, aren't you?" Bray nodded and sniffed back her tears. "There was no way you could have known what would happen."
"But I did. I felt it in the pit of my stomach all night." Bray whispered, wiping away the tears. Cat hugged her and Bray cried on her shoulder.
The police arrived and everyone headed on deck to talk to them. Bray followed Cat around the bookcase. "What the?" Bray said noticing for the first time the note on the desk. "Cat, look at this." she said unfolding the paper.
Cat walked back to Brays' side, "What does it say?"
Bray read the note, "Meet me in Le Jardin de fleur tomorrow at midnight. We'll discuss this then."
"How could someone do this to a little girl? She's not even one of us!" Cat said. "We need to tell the police." She said with the note in her hand.
"No!" Bray pleaded. "We can't. I'm going tomorrow. I have to get Lane back if it's the last thing I do."
"But Bray, we don't know what can happen. We need to let the police know."
"Did you let the police know when Megs was kidnapped?" She said knowing she had struck a sensitive cord with Cat. "No, you and Methos took off to save her on your own."
"And look what happened to her! Fine," Cat said standing up. "If you want to make the same mistake that I did and loose Lane forever, fine! So be it, but I'll have absolutely nothing to do with it. Is that understood?" she said not even waiting for an answer. She stood up and walked back through the crowd of Immortals, Watchers, and police and slammed the door as she went outside.
A few minutes later, Mary came up and found Cat sitting on the ground crying. "You should let the police know." She said sitting down next to her.
"What are you talking about?"
"I overheard what you two were talking about." Mary said absently picking at her shoe. "I didn't tell anyone, but you two should."
"I'm not going to do anything. Lane is Brays' responsibility not mine."
"Is this just about Lane, or is there more?"
"I don't understand what your talking about."
"Yes you do. You're thinking of Megs aren't you?"
Cat shook her head and then nodded. "It happened all the same way. A kidnapping, a note, me and Methos going to rescue her with no other help, and then Megs winding up dead when it should have been me."
"You're right, it was all your fault!" Mary exploded. "There I finally said it! Because you and Methos were stupid, my best friend is dead and I'll never see her again, where as you are sitting here drowning in your pity when I want to take your damn head myself! Forget it, your not worth it. I'm leaving." She said as she walked off. Cat just sat there and cried even more.
Walking the banks of the Seine, Mary had the feeling she was being watched. Without even looking she knew who it was. She had seen Chance at the theatre twice and when they talked at intermission, she agreed to meet with him later that night, even though it would be late, to discuss Bray. She stopped on the other side of Notre Dame and waited for him to catch up.
"I tried calling out to you when you were leaving the barge, but you were ignoring me." He said once he caught up with her. "Is everything ok?"
Mary shook her head. "Lane was kidnapped tonight while we were at the theatre."
"I'm sorry." He said as he put his arm around her shoulder. "Do the police have any leads?"
Mary shook her head. "No, but Bray found a note and it said to meet the kidnappers tomorrow. Cat went off bringing up what happened to my friend Megs and all hell broke loose."
"Megs was your friend that was killed a while back right?" Mary nodded. "I'm sorry."
"It's in the past now."
"Is it? It seems to me that your blaming yourself for what's happening now because of what happened then. Am I right?"
Mary nodded. "I guess so. I've always been the strong one of the group, and for six months I've been holding all my anger and sadness in, trying not to let anyone see it. Especially Cat, but tonight it just started to come out."
"Why not let the rest of it out? It might make you feel better."
"I can't. Cat's upset with me, Bray and Richie are too worried about Lane, Adam is probably dealing with Cat right now, and Joe would never understand."
"Then why not let it out to me? I'll be your shoulder to cry on." He said as he turned her around to face him. "I'm here for you. Just us, no Immortals, no worries that it might bring up bad memories for you, nothing but just getting it all out. It seems to me you really need it."
Mary nodded and finally did let it out. Chance pulled her to him and she placed her head on his shoulder sobbing uncontrollably, letting loose on six months of emotions. When she was finally finished, she looked up at Chance and smiled. "Thank you." She said.
Wiping the last few tears away, he smiled back at her. "No problem. So do you want to head back to the barge, or what?"
Mary shook her head. "No, not really. Though I have no other place to stay."
"Yes, you do. I have a room at the hotel by the barge. It's a double and you can stay in the other bed if you'd like."
"Are you sure you don't mind?" he shook his head. "Can we stop by the barge and let me get a few things?"
"Sure. Besides, with the seven of you living in that barge, I think it would be good to loose another person, even for a night." He said as they started to walk back to the barge holding hands.