Haven, Maine, Thursday Fandom time
Mar. 4th, 2021 10:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
betterthanaplanThey met up the next day as planned. Duke let Nathan know what he'd heard from his contacts — nothing turned up on satellite surveillance. Nathan nodded. They'd both known it was a long shot, but they would take any shot they could get.
They rounded the corner of the building to see Audrey's deck furniture overturned, her front door hanging open. They both broke into a run, Nathan rushing right by the man lying collapsed on the floor in his rush to find Audrey. Duke wasn't quite so laser focussed.
"Manny!" He dropped to his bartender's side, carefully checking for a pulse. There was none. The man's skin was starting to go cold. "Dammit." He couldn't think about how he'd set the man up to die. Not right now. He could grieve for the man later.
He could grieve for everyone later.
"Had to be Arla that did this."
"She's got Audrey now," Nathan said. He was spinning in circles, both in his head and literally as he tried to find any sign of Audrey in the small apartment. "Okay, meteor storm started last night. That means they gotta be looking for that damn barn. If Audrey goes in. . . ."
"Troubles are gone," Duke finished.
Nathan rounded on him, their tenuous peace abruptly broken. "That's what you're thinking? You're not worried that we might have just lost Audrey forever?! You're thinking that today might be the day the troubles stop?!"
Duke watched him for a long moment. There was never any point in trying to reason with Nathan when he got like this. Instead, Duke reached up and smacked him in the face. Nathan immediately went on the offensive, grabbing Duke's shirt, his own fist raised. Duke lifted his hands defensively. "Hey! Wait!"
Miraculously, Nathan did.
"Did you feel that?" Duke asked.
". . . No."
"Which means that the troubles are still here," Duke pointed out. "That means that Audrey hasn't gone in the barn yet." Nathan calmed by degrees. Duke barrelled on. "Come on. They're looking for the barn, right? Now. Arla put a gun to Audrey's head. She had to lead her somewhere. Where would she take her?"
"I . . . ." Nathan shook his head. He was still stuck on his worry for Audrey.
"Where?" Duke pressed.
". . . Parker and I were just talking about where the other Audrey lost her memories The field with the imprint in it. Like a building had been there."
Duke nodded. "Yeah. Out at Kick'Em Jenny Neck. Can only get there by boat. Come on, there's a skiff we use for deliveries —" He dragged Nathan out onto the deck, then cursed as he looked down on the Gull's dock. "If someone hadn't stolen it."
"Arla," Nathan growled.
Duke ground his teeth in frustration. "Dammit!"
Duke was honestly a little surprised when they finally made it out to Kick'Em Jenny Neck and actually found Audrey. She was sitting at an old campsite, staring down into the unlit fire, and stood when she heard Duke calling for her.
"Over here!"
They rushed over, Nathan heading immediately in to pull her into a tight hug. Duke hung back, letting them have their moment. Audrey looked okay. She wasn't bruised, and she didn't have that empty look in her eye she'd gotten the last time she'd been abducted. Honestly, she just looked glad to see them.
"You're okay," Nathan said, burying himself in Audrey's hair.
"How did you get here?" she asked.
"Duke stole a boat."
"Borrowed," Duke corrected out of habit. "Where's Arla?"
"She's gone. But Howard —" Audrey turned, frowning at the empty campfire, then looked out over the trees. "The barn is gone. I've got to find Arla. She has my son!"
She started for the trees in the direction they'd come from. Before she could take more than a few steps, something barrelled through the sky above them, trailing smoke and flame. It roared past and out over the water, finally coming down and obliterating Haven's lighthouse.
It was the same one that had just been rebuilt from when the crack trouble was ravaging the town..
"Uh," Duke said. ". . . I'm sure that it's me, but — I thought the meteors were supposed to. . . ." He made a useless gesture over his head. "Pass over Haven. Wha — why is it hitting us?!"
"Because I won't go in the barn." Audrey stared out at the water, and the smoking ruins of the lighthouse. "And they're going to come faster and faster until I find my son and he tells us how to stop this."
Howard had apparently told Arla that James was at Haven Joe's bakery in town, so Duke took them back across the bay in the borrowed boat. The town was in utter chaos. Everyone was rushing around, staring at the sky as more meteors came crashing down into fields, onto buildings. Sirens filled the air as Haven PD did its best to maintain control.
Its best would never be good enough for this.
Duke made some calls, trying to track down the Gull's boat. "My skiff was abandoned at South Down Docks," he told Audrey and Nathan. "James and Arla left it."
"Waiter didn't see a car," Nathan said. "Doesn't know where they went."
"He said James was really sick." Audrey looked like she might be sick herself. "That he's getting worse and worse."
"If the barn kept him alive," Ntahn guessed, "maybe he can't leave it."
Duke flinched internally as a fire engine came blaring past, headed to another crash site down the road. Haven FD had its hands full, too.
"The whole town is getting bombarded," Audrey said.
"I'll put out an APB." Nathan pulled out his phone. "Contact the hospitals, doctors. . . we'll find him."
Duke didn't bother to point out that the hospitals and doctors and everyone would be busy trying to help the rest of the town. Nathan and Audrey hardly seemed to notice the chaos. Nathan was too focussed on Audrey, and Audrey was too focussed on her missing son.
"I'm, uh, going to check the security cameras at the docks," he said, holding up his phone again. Trying to ignore the little voice in the back of his head saying that Arla — and Jordan and the Guard — maybe had a point about Audrey. "You know, maybe they swiped another boat."
Audrey gave him a thankful look, and she and Nathan headed off, back towards the station. Duke watched them go. He listened to the sirens blasting all around them. Whatever they ended up doing, this needed to stop before the whole town ended up obliterated. He pulled out his phone.
Arla answered Claire's phone on the second ring.
"What?
"You have a problem," Duke said. "I hear your James is sick."
"How do you know that?"
"How do you think I know? Audrey Parker's running around looking for you."
"She's not in the barn?"
God, this woman was an idiot. "No. You see, you can tell by the car-sized rocks falling from the sky. And she's not going in until she finds James." He took a breath, recentering himself. Getting a handle on his anger. "So maybe there's a way we can both get what we need. You want James better, right?"
"You can't do that."
"But the barn can."
"I don't know where the barn is!"
"Audrey can summon the barn." She'd filled them in on that detail when they'd found her that morning. "And she'll do it to save James just like she did before."
"Why should I trust you, Crocker?"
Duke took a deep breath. He watched another fireball streak across the sky. "Because I know now that Audrey has to go in the barn."
The meteor struck maybe a few streets over. The impact was deafening, shaking the whole street. Duke only kept his balance by virtue of his sea-legs.
"I'm tired of living in a disaster movie," he said, and hoped she heard the honesty in his voice. "The troubles have to stop. You just meet me and bring James. I'll take care of the rest."
Duke brought them both back out to Kick'Em Jenny Neck. He and Arla had to all but carry James up the hill to where the barn stood. The waiter at Haven Joe's hadn't been wrong; the guy was in very rough shape.
"I told you Audrey could bring the barn," Duke said. "Be careful, she's close by." James groaned and coughed, and Duke's heart went out to the guy. "What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know," Arla admitted. "But this barn saved him last time. We just have to get him better and we'll figure it out."
She was a woman of very simple plans, really. When she wasn't murdering people to harvest their skin.
Up close, the barn just looked like any other barn. Weathered and ancient, unpainted, but in decent repair. There was nothing to indicate it hadn't always been there — except that he'd just been here maybe an hour ago, and hadn't seen it. He and Arla carefully lowered James to the ground.
"Right baby?" Arla said softly. "We'll figure it out. Just like we always do, huh? We'll be okay."
"You did all this for him?" Duke said, watching them. Her love for him was obvious.
"I did it for us," Arla said. She looked up at Duke. "You ever been in love, Crocker?"
Duke thought of Nathan. Of Octavia and Audrey. And Lucifer.
"No," he lied.
Arla bought it. "Well if you had then you'd understand."
Audrey and Nathan picked that moment to round the side of the barn, leading with their guns.
"Duke?" Audrey called, sounding surprised.
Arla stood, pulling her own gun. "Don't move!" she barked. "Crocker, get their guns!"
Duke started slowly towards them. Arla, anxious to get James the help the barn promised, didn't seem to notice his hesitation to obey.
"You're going to take him inside the barn and make him better, then bring him back out to me," she demanded.
Audrey shook her head. "No."
"Oh, you will. And by the way if you don't come back this time? I'll blow Nathan's brains out."
Duke had made it to Audrey's side by this point. He turned to face Arla. "No. You won't."
Arla frowned.
Duke pulled a bullet from his pocket and tossed it into the air, catching it easily. "Remember when you were Tommy?" he asked. "Gave me that gun with no bullets in it?" He held the bullet up between his thumb and forefinger with a smirk. "I didn't forget that."
He palmed the bullet again and approached her. She aimed at him and pulled her trigger, but nothing happened. Duke snatched it from her hand and tossed it aside.
Arla glared at him. "You used me to bring James to her?!"
"Yahtzee."
Audrey crouched down next to James, who didn't seem to have even noticed what was going on.
"I thought you wanted the troubles to stop!" Arla shouted.
Duke nodded. "I do. I want Audrey to stick around, too. It seems your James is the only one who knows how to make both those things happen."
"James?" Audrey called gently. "James. Hello. Hey, can you hear me? It's your mother."
Duke wondered if that felt as strange for her to say as it was for him to hear. She would really have settled in just fine in Fandom.
James didn't react. He was too far gone to tell them anything.
"He's not okay," Audrey said. "He's fading."
"Bring him into the barn," Arla said. "It can save his life."
Nathan shook his head. "Parker, if you go in there, you might never come out."
"Howard says this barn only comes when I'm ready," Audrey reminded him. "Maybe it only disappears when I'm ready to leave. I'm not ready to leave. Either of you."
Duke looked up, startled. She'd made her choice. He hadn't expected to be included in any tearful declarations.
James coughed and wobbled to his feet. He couldn't move very fast, but he was right by the door. He'd darted in and closed it behind him before any of them could react. Duke grabbed hold of Arla's arm before she could try to follow.
"Nathan," Audrey pleaded. "I have to go after him. He's my only chance!"
"Then I'm going with you," Nathan said.
Duke nodded. "Me too."
"You're not leaving me out here again," Arla said.
Audrey shook her head. "You're not going in!"
"How are you going to stop me once you're inside the barn?!"
Dammit. Duke groaned inwardly. "I guess someone's going to have to stay out here and watch the skin quilt."
And obviously, that someone was going to have to be him. That was what Duke was for, playing back up, running interference. Making the sacrifices no one else was willing to make. Audrey and Nathan headed for the door. Duke grabbed Nathan's arm before they could go in. "Nathan, you make sure she comes back out."
Nathan nodded. "I will."
Duke let him go and he joined Audrey in front of the doors.
"Ready?" Audrey asked, reaching for his hand.
"What's the big deal?" Nathan joked. "It's just a barn."
Duke swallowed and watched them. Committing them both to memory, in case this was the last time he saw them. The way he wished he'd taken a moment to commit Octavia and Lucifer, that last night on the Rouge.
Not that it'd be enough. No 'last time' ever was, not with people you loved.
Then Audrey led the way inside.
And all there was to do was to watch Arla and wait.
Duke leaned against the door and resisted the urge to check his watch. Arla paced.
"I need to know what's going on in there," she said.
"Settle down." Duke rolled his eyes. "You're not the only one with someone inside this damn thing."
"You love Audrey, don't you," she said. Duke opened his mouth — I love a lot of people — then let it shut. She shook her head. "At least admit it to yourself."
Duke had had enough. She'd tried to push him around as Arla, as Claire, and as Tommy. He was sick and tired of people trying to get into his head. He pulled his gun from the back of his pants and aimed it at her.
"Shut up!" he hissed. "I'm not taking advice from a walking purse!"
He heard footsteps approaching across the grass. A lot of footsteps. He looked up to see armed men — very heavily armed men — filing into place surrounding the barn. Jordan led the way.
"Hey!" Duke spun, aiming the gun at each of them. Jordan rolled her eyes.
"Relax, Crocker. If we wanted to kill you, this would be over already."
"How'd you find the barn?"
"We had every member of the guard looking for it," the guy to Jordan's right said. Duke recognized Kirk Bowers, apparently some kind of lieutenant in the Guard's hierarchy. "Now, where is Parker?"
"She's inside," Arla said. Duke whirled on her
"Did I say you could speak?!"
When had he lost so much control over the situation? Maybe when he'd gotten surrounded by people wearing the tattoo that meant they might kill him.
Jordan grinned. "She's already gone in. Good."
"I think we're going to wait here with you," Kirk said. "Make sure Audrey's still in there when it leaves."
Duke hissed through his teeth, brandishing his gun again. "If any of you come for this gun, I'll separate at least three of you from your troubles before anyone even touches me."
"This isn't about you, Duke," Jordan said, cool as you please. She was enjoying this. "When this is over we can all just walk away."
Duke snorted. "Hell hath no fury, eh, Jordan?"
That got to her. She scowled. "I'm not here because of Nathan."
"Right." Duke knew what it was like to love and lose Nathan Wuornos.
"When that barn disappears my trouble goes with it! I'll be able to touch people, be touched." Jordan looked at her gloved hands. "I just want to be normal again, Duke, I'd think you'd want that too."
"He'd rather have Audrey," Arla sneered.
Duke scowled "I told you to shut up!"
"Both you and Nathan." Jordan shook her head, looking amused again. "In love with a woman neither of you can have. It's almost . . . sad."
She turned and walked away. The rest of her Guard buddies stood there, guns ready. Duke kept his own raised, ready to fire if anyone even looked like they were going to raise a tattooed hand at him.
He was not going to die today.
They might have stayed like that all day, staring each other down, waiting for Audrey and Nathan to reemerge, but then Vince arrived.
Duke stared at him. "Vince?! Look, get out of here before you get hurt!"
Vince didn't look at him. He lifted his chin to Kirk. "Take the men and go."
"But —" Kirk started.
"Guns are not going to solve this, Kirk." Duke had never heard Vince sound so calm. So in control. "Go home."
Kirk nodded reluctantly. "Yes sir."
"What?!" Jordan spun on him. "Why are you listening to him?"
"'Cause he's the boss." Kirk swung his hand in the air, signalling the Guard members to move out. "We're leaving!"
All the gun men turned to go. Jordan stared after them. Duke slowly lowered his own gun as Jordan rounded on Vince.
"You're in the Guard," Duke said, looking Vince over with a new, reluctant respect.
Vince rolled up his sleeve. On the inside of his forearm, just below the crook of his elbow, the Guard symbol faded into view on previously blank skin. Duke sucked in a breath. Since when could the tattoos do that?
Would he even see the man who killed him coming?
"They work for me," Vince said. "Always have."
Dave and Dwight rounded the corner from the same direction Vince had come from.
"That explains a few things," Dwight said. Duke wondered again if he was a Guardsman himself.
"Vince. Please." Jordan looked desperate. "You're going to make sure Audrey goes away, right?!"
"It will be her choice," Vince said solemnly.
"I've lost too much!" Jordan insisted. "I won't let it all be for nothing!"
"Leave now, Jordan."
Jordan stared at him. Duke watched her carefully, waiting to see what she did. Finally, she turned and stormed down the hill. Duke relaxed a few degrees, then turned to Vince.
"So what does this mean for us, Vince? That tattoo. . . ."
"I'm not going to kill you, Duke."
Duke nodded, not entirely believing him. "I appreciate that."
"In fact, I'm the reason the others never went after you." Vince gave him a sharp look. "And believe me, they wanted to."
Duke believed him. He was a little surprised to learn Vince commanded enough respect that they listened to him. The barn doors opened before he could respond, though, and Audrey stepped out.
Alone.
Duke swallowed.
Audrey looked right at Arla. "James wants to see you."
Arla smirked. "I thought he might."
Audrey let her lead the way in, then followed.
Duke eyed Vince, and slowly tucked his gun away to wait again,
The next time the doors opened, it was Nathan who came out, carrying Arla's body. The seams of her patchwork skin were showing, and Duke had to look away as Nathan set her down against the wall of the barn.
"Is she —"
Nathan stepped back from Arla and looked up. "She's talking to James. She'll . . . be along."
"She'd better," Duke muttered. Vince gave him a knowing look, which he did his best to ignore.
They continued to wait a few more minutes in silence. Duke watched the occasional meteor streak across the sky, and wondered how much of Haven would be left by the time they were done.
If they'd ever be done, or if this eternal day would go on forever.
Maybe he was in Hell. Maybe all this had already happened, and this was Duke's Hell loop. Helping — and losing — one of his favorite people, over and over again.
This was a fucking shitty Hell loop. Lucifer would be ashamed.
Finally, the doors opened one more time, letting Audrey and Howard out. Audrey looked sad. And resigned. Duke's heart sank.
"What did James say?" Nathan demanded immediately. The ground shook as another meteor made landfall, not far away.
"He was wrong," Audrey said. "Killing him, it won't work."
James's plan had been to die? Duke grit his teeth. He wondered why he was surprised. That was a very Haven sort of plan.
Audrey stepped past Nathan, heading for Dwight.
"Goodbye, Dwight. I'm sorry about the mess."
Duke's heart broke. He reached up and tugged on his hair, then turned to look away. Audrey had made up her mind, then. She was going to go.
(He tried not to think that he shouldn't be surprised. Everyone left eventually.)
"I got it," Dwight told her gently. Duke heard the grass rustle under her feet as she moved down the line.
'"Audrey," Dave said. "You don't have to go away. There are other things we can try."
"No, Dave. Innocent people will not die to keep me out of there."
Duke closed his eyes. He slid his hand down across his mouth.
"I thought this might be easier this time," Vince said. "But. . . it's not. Goodbye, Audrey."
Vince and Dave had loved her once, too, Duke realized. He wondered if that was what he and Nathan would be like, the next time around. Trying to guide whoever Audrey came back as by degrees, bracing themselves for heartbreak all over again.
"Goodbye, Vince," Audrey said.
Two more meteors hit, leaving columns of smoke in their wake. Duke heard the rustle of grass in the strange silence after their roar subsided, and looked over to see Audrey heading his way.
No, he thought. No I'm not ready.
She stepped up in front of him, resting her hand over his heart.
Doesn't matter, he realized. Because she is.
"Duke." It was soft. Almost the way Octavia said it. Like it was one of the best sounds she knew. "You have always been so good to me."
He huffed a watery little laugh, looking away. Knowing he'd break if he looked at her.
"It was easy," he said. He felt the lump rise higher in his throat and shook his head. "Actually, it wasn't. But — you know me. I like a challenge."
There were tears in Audrey's voice when she spoke again, and Duke finally looked at her. She looked like her heart was breaking as hard as his was.
"I'm sorry I won't remember you when I come back."
Duke wanted to tell her it was okay. That his own mother didn't remember him, so why should she? But that was cruel. And it wasn't true.
Nothing about this was okay.
Audrey leaned up, and Duke leaned down to meet her. She kissed him on his cheek, and held him in place as she whispered in his ear.
"Especially Colorado."
She pulled back. Duke tried to follow, wound up resting his forehead against hers. He tried to remind himself that he still had other people, good people, amazing people waiting for him to come home.
It helped. But only a little. He wasn't sure anymore if he'd ever get home.
He trailed his hand down her arm as she pulled away, hanging on until the last possible moment.
Then she turned towards Nathan, and he let her go. With his hand and, as best he could, with his heart.
"Parker," Nathan said, desperate. "If we —"
Audrey stopped him with a kiss. She hung onto him like he was the last breath of air, the last sip of water in a vast desert. Then she pulled away.
"No."
Nathan tried to hold on. Audrey gently pulled his hands off of her.
"This is not goodbye," Nathan insisted. Duke tried to look away, but couldn't bring himself not to watch. Not to offer Nathan this understanding as he fell apart under the weight of his love for her.
Nathan turned to Howard. "Take me with you!"
"No. Nathan." Audrey shook her head, still pulling his hands from her. "Nathan, I won't be alone. Alright? I'll be with our son."
"Our son"
Nathan was the Colorado Kid's father.
Oh, Nathan. You sad, sorry fuck.
"I am going to die before I let you go," Nathan swore. Audrey let out a soft sob.
"I know."
She reached under his jacket and pulled out Nathan's gun. For a moment, Duke was sure she was going to shoot Nathan herself to keep him from following, but then she held the gun out to Duke instead.
"Duke!"
"Audrey!" Nathan groaned.
"Make sure Nathan does not follow me in!" Audrey shook the gun at Duke and he hurried over to take it. "Promise me."
"Audrey," Nathan begged. "Don't do this!"
Audrey ignored him. "Promise me that, Duke."
Duke nodded. "I promise, Audrey."
"Audrey." Nathan couldn't stop. "Don't do this!"
'
Duke took the gun and shoved himself between Nathan and Audrey, bodily blocking his ex from the woman they'd both come to love.
"27 years, Nathan," Audrey said, heading for the barn doors. "Then we'll get to do it all over again. Goodbye."
Nathan shoved against Duke. "We're not letting her go in there."
Duke shoved back. "Yes, we are." He raised the gun, pointing it in Nathan's face as he forced him back another pace. Nathan fought, and Duke grabbed him by the jaw with his free hand. "Listen! She's trying to help all these people. She's trying to help this town. And it is her choice. It's not yours. It's not mine." And this, this Duke believed with all his heart. He had to. Audrey choosing this, choosing to go into the barn to save the town, it was the same as him choosing to kill Nix. Maybe it wasn't what they wanted. Maybe other people had pushed them towards it. But in the end, it was their choice. Theirs alone. They chose their fates, even when it was the fate that the world wanted you to choose. "I hate it, but it's still her choice."
Nathan stopped fighting. He stared at Duke like he was seeing something entirely new. Duke wondered if he finally understood.
"You're in love with her, too."
Well. He understood that much, at least.
Duke nodded. His eyes burned with tears he refused to shed. This was Audrey's choice, and he would support it. No matter what.
"Yeah," he said.
Nathan's face crumpled. "Then how can you let her go? Look at her.Look at her!"
Duke knew it was a mistake. He had to let Audrey go. But he couldn't resist one last look.
She had paused to watch them, standing in the open door to the barn. Her hair seemed to glow in the sunlight.
She was beautiful.
Nathan's elbow slammed into Duke's jaw. He lost the grip on the gun and went down.
"Audrey, stop!"
Duke didn't entirely follow what happened next. But it was easy enough to guess. Audrey went into the barn. Nathan didn't get to her in time. He flew into a rage against the door when it refused to open for him.
He'd never been good at accepting loss with any kind of grace.
"I thought it was made clear," Howard said, soft and patronizing. "That won't work on the barn."
"That was made clear," Nathan agreed. Duke climbed back to his feet, watching them both warily. Wondering why it wasn't over, why the barn hadn't left.
Then Nathan aimed the gun at Howard. "What about hurting you?"
Duke's breath rushed out of him as Nathan glared daggers at Howard. A shot rang out, and Nathan rocked faintly on his feet. Duke looked past him and saw Jordan, her own gun raised. Nathan fired at Howard, then emptied his clip into him. Jordan fired again at Nathan and he started to crumple, even as Duke rushed forward. Howard collapsed to the ground behind them as Duke pulled his own gun and fired two shots into Jordan.
Well, he thought. That's one less trouble to return next time. He didn't feel the warm glow of a killed trouble, though. Jordan still lived. Lucky her.
Duke pulled back to look at Nathan. He was bleeding, and sagging in his seat, but still alive. The barn let out an alarming cracking noise, and Duke looked up in time to see portions of it vanish into blazes of painful white light. The same light blasted from Howard, through the wounds Nathan had given him. As Duke watched, Howard vanished and the barn began to crumple in on itself. The patch Arla's body leaned against snapped inward, taking her with it.
Several more meteors streaked across the sky, striking the ground with increasing strength.
"The meteors," Duke said. Despair filled his stomach. "They're not stopping. They're supposed to stop."
"Get her, Duke," Nathan breathed.
Duke stared at him, then looked at the barn.
"Go!" Nathan urged. "Save her!"
The barn was nearly gone. Howard had vanished. Nathan clearly still couldn't feel, and the meteors were still coming down.
Everything was falling apart. They were about to lose Audrey for nothing.
Duke leaped to his feet and rushed at the ball of light and handful of wood shards that were all that remained of the barn. He dove forward into the center of it —
And vanished.
Leaving Nathan alone, bleeding on the empty hillside, meteors still falling all around.
[NFB, NFI, OOC welcome. Adapted from Haven 3x13, "Thanks for the Memories". CW for a lot of self-sacrificial nonsense. Duke returns to Fandom tomorrow!!!!]
They rounded the corner of the building to see Audrey's deck furniture overturned, her front door hanging open. They both broke into a run, Nathan rushing right by the man lying collapsed on the floor in his rush to find Audrey. Duke wasn't quite so laser focussed.
"Manny!" He dropped to his bartender's side, carefully checking for a pulse. There was none. The man's skin was starting to go cold. "Dammit." He couldn't think about how he'd set the man up to die. Not right now. He could grieve for the man later.
He could grieve for everyone later.
"Had to be Arla that did this."
"She's got Audrey now," Nathan said. He was spinning in circles, both in his head and literally as he tried to find any sign of Audrey in the small apartment. "Okay, meteor storm started last night. That means they gotta be looking for that damn barn. If Audrey goes in. . . ."
"Troubles are gone," Duke finished.
Nathan rounded on him, their tenuous peace abruptly broken. "That's what you're thinking? You're not worried that we might have just lost Audrey forever?! You're thinking that today might be the day the troubles stop?!"
Duke watched him for a long moment. There was never any point in trying to reason with Nathan when he got like this. Instead, Duke reached up and smacked him in the face. Nathan immediately went on the offensive, grabbing Duke's shirt, his own fist raised. Duke lifted his hands defensively. "Hey! Wait!"
Miraculously, Nathan did.
"Did you feel that?" Duke asked.
". . . No."
"Which means that the troubles are still here," Duke pointed out. "That means that Audrey hasn't gone in the barn yet." Nathan calmed by degrees. Duke barrelled on. "Come on. They're looking for the barn, right? Now. Arla put a gun to Audrey's head. She had to lead her somewhere. Where would she take her?"
"I . . . ." Nathan shook his head. He was still stuck on his worry for Audrey.
"Where?" Duke pressed.
". . . Parker and I were just talking about where the other Audrey lost her memories The field with the imprint in it. Like a building had been there."
Duke nodded. "Yeah. Out at Kick'Em Jenny Neck. Can only get there by boat. Come on, there's a skiff we use for deliveries —" He dragged Nathan out onto the deck, then cursed as he looked down on the Gull's dock. "If someone hadn't stolen it."
"Arla," Nathan growled.
Duke ground his teeth in frustration. "Dammit!"
Duke was honestly a little surprised when they finally made it out to Kick'Em Jenny Neck and actually found Audrey. She was sitting at an old campsite, staring down into the unlit fire, and stood when she heard Duke calling for her.
"Over here!"
They rushed over, Nathan heading immediately in to pull her into a tight hug. Duke hung back, letting them have their moment. Audrey looked okay. She wasn't bruised, and she didn't have that empty look in her eye she'd gotten the last time she'd been abducted. Honestly, she just looked glad to see them.
"You're okay," Nathan said, burying himself in Audrey's hair.
"How did you get here?" she asked.
"Duke stole a boat."
"Borrowed," Duke corrected out of habit. "Where's Arla?"
"She's gone. But Howard —" Audrey turned, frowning at the empty campfire, then looked out over the trees. "The barn is gone. I've got to find Arla. She has my son!"
She started for the trees in the direction they'd come from. Before she could take more than a few steps, something barrelled through the sky above them, trailing smoke and flame. It roared past and out over the water, finally coming down and obliterating Haven's lighthouse.
It was the same one that had just been rebuilt from when the crack trouble was ravaging the town..
"Uh," Duke said. ". . . I'm sure that it's me, but — I thought the meteors were supposed to. . . ." He made a useless gesture over his head. "Pass over Haven. Wha — why is it hitting us?!"
"Because I won't go in the barn." Audrey stared out at the water, and the smoking ruins of the lighthouse. "And they're going to come faster and faster until I find my son and he tells us how to stop this."
Howard had apparently told Arla that James was at Haven Joe's bakery in town, so Duke took them back across the bay in the borrowed boat. The town was in utter chaos. Everyone was rushing around, staring at the sky as more meteors came crashing down into fields, onto buildings. Sirens filled the air as Haven PD did its best to maintain control.
Its best would never be good enough for this.
Duke made some calls, trying to track down the Gull's boat. "My skiff was abandoned at South Down Docks," he told Audrey and Nathan. "James and Arla left it."
"Waiter didn't see a car," Nathan said. "Doesn't know where they went."
"He said James was really sick." Audrey looked like she might be sick herself. "That he's getting worse and worse."
"If the barn kept him alive," Ntahn guessed, "maybe he can't leave it."
Duke flinched internally as a fire engine came blaring past, headed to another crash site down the road. Haven FD had its hands full, too.
"The whole town is getting bombarded," Audrey said.
"I'll put out an APB." Nathan pulled out his phone. "Contact the hospitals, doctors. . . we'll find him."
Duke didn't bother to point out that the hospitals and doctors and everyone would be busy trying to help the rest of the town. Nathan and Audrey hardly seemed to notice the chaos. Nathan was too focussed on Audrey, and Audrey was too focussed on her missing son.
"I'm, uh, going to check the security cameras at the docks," he said, holding up his phone again. Trying to ignore the little voice in the back of his head saying that Arla — and Jordan and the Guard — maybe had a point about Audrey. "You know, maybe they swiped another boat."
Audrey gave him a thankful look, and she and Nathan headed off, back towards the station. Duke watched them go. He listened to the sirens blasting all around them. Whatever they ended up doing, this needed to stop before the whole town ended up obliterated. He pulled out his phone.
Arla answered Claire's phone on the second ring.
"What?
"You have a problem," Duke said. "I hear your James is sick."
"How do you know that?"
"How do you think I know? Audrey Parker's running around looking for you."
"She's not in the barn?"
God, this woman was an idiot. "No. You see, you can tell by the car-sized rocks falling from the sky. And she's not going in until she finds James." He took a breath, recentering himself. Getting a handle on his anger. "So maybe there's a way we can both get what we need. You want James better, right?"
"You can't do that."
"But the barn can."
"I don't know where the barn is!"
"Audrey can summon the barn." She'd filled them in on that detail when they'd found her that morning. "And she'll do it to save James just like she did before."
"Why should I trust you, Crocker?"
Duke took a deep breath. He watched another fireball streak across the sky. "Because I know now that Audrey has to go in the barn."
The meteor struck maybe a few streets over. The impact was deafening, shaking the whole street. Duke only kept his balance by virtue of his sea-legs.
"I'm tired of living in a disaster movie," he said, and hoped she heard the honesty in his voice. "The troubles have to stop. You just meet me and bring James. I'll take care of the rest."
Duke brought them both back out to Kick'Em Jenny Neck. He and Arla had to all but carry James up the hill to where the barn stood. The waiter at Haven Joe's hadn't been wrong; the guy was in very rough shape.
"I told you Audrey could bring the barn," Duke said. "Be careful, she's close by." James groaned and coughed, and Duke's heart went out to the guy. "What's wrong with him?"
"I don't know," Arla admitted. "But this barn saved him last time. We just have to get him better and we'll figure it out."
She was a woman of very simple plans, really. When she wasn't murdering people to harvest their skin.
Up close, the barn just looked like any other barn. Weathered and ancient, unpainted, but in decent repair. There was nothing to indicate it hadn't always been there — except that he'd just been here maybe an hour ago, and hadn't seen it. He and Arla carefully lowered James to the ground.
"Right baby?" Arla said softly. "We'll figure it out. Just like we always do, huh? We'll be okay."
"You did all this for him?" Duke said, watching them. Her love for him was obvious.
"I did it for us," Arla said. She looked up at Duke. "You ever been in love, Crocker?"
Duke thought of Nathan. Of Octavia and Audrey. And Lucifer.
"No," he lied.
Arla bought it. "Well if you had then you'd understand."
Audrey and Nathan picked that moment to round the side of the barn, leading with their guns.
"Duke?" Audrey called, sounding surprised.
Arla stood, pulling her own gun. "Don't move!" she barked. "Crocker, get their guns!"
Duke started slowly towards them. Arla, anxious to get James the help the barn promised, didn't seem to notice his hesitation to obey.
"You're going to take him inside the barn and make him better, then bring him back out to me," she demanded.
Audrey shook her head. "No."
"Oh, you will. And by the way if you don't come back this time? I'll blow Nathan's brains out."
Duke had made it to Audrey's side by this point. He turned to face Arla. "No. You won't."
Arla frowned.
Duke pulled a bullet from his pocket and tossed it into the air, catching it easily. "Remember when you were Tommy?" he asked. "Gave me that gun with no bullets in it?" He held the bullet up between his thumb and forefinger with a smirk. "I didn't forget that."
He palmed the bullet again and approached her. She aimed at him and pulled her trigger, but nothing happened. Duke snatched it from her hand and tossed it aside.
Arla glared at him. "You used me to bring James to her?!"
"Yahtzee."
Audrey crouched down next to James, who didn't seem to have even noticed what was going on.
"I thought you wanted the troubles to stop!" Arla shouted.
Duke nodded. "I do. I want Audrey to stick around, too. It seems your James is the only one who knows how to make both those things happen."
"James?" Audrey called gently. "James. Hello. Hey, can you hear me? It's your mother."
Duke wondered if that felt as strange for her to say as it was for him to hear. She would really have settled in just fine in Fandom.
James didn't react. He was too far gone to tell them anything.
"He's not okay," Audrey said. "He's fading."
"Bring him into the barn," Arla said. "It can save his life."
Nathan shook his head. "Parker, if you go in there, you might never come out."
"Howard says this barn only comes when I'm ready," Audrey reminded him. "Maybe it only disappears when I'm ready to leave. I'm not ready to leave. Either of you."
Duke looked up, startled. She'd made her choice. He hadn't expected to be included in any tearful declarations.
James coughed and wobbled to his feet. He couldn't move very fast, but he was right by the door. He'd darted in and closed it behind him before any of them could react. Duke grabbed hold of Arla's arm before she could try to follow.
"Nathan," Audrey pleaded. "I have to go after him. He's my only chance!"
"Then I'm going with you," Nathan said.
Duke nodded. "Me too."
"You're not leaving me out here again," Arla said.
Audrey shook her head. "You're not going in!"
"How are you going to stop me once you're inside the barn?!"
Dammit. Duke groaned inwardly. "I guess someone's going to have to stay out here and watch the skin quilt."
And obviously, that someone was going to have to be him. That was what Duke was for, playing back up, running interference. Making the sacrifices no one else was willing to make. Audrey and Nathan headed for the door. Duke grabbed Nathan's arm before they could go in. "Nathan, you make sure she comes back out."
Nathan nodded. "I will."
Duke let him go and he joined Audrey in front of the doors.
"Ready?" Audrey asked, reaching for his hand.
"What's the big deal?" Nathan joked. "It's just a barn."
Duke swallowed and watched them. Committing them both to memory, in case this was the last time he saw them. The way he wished he'd taken a moment to commit Octavia and Lucifer, that last night on the Rouge.
Not that it'd be enough. No 'last time' ever was, not with people you loved.
Then Audrey led the way inside.
And all there was to do was to watch Arla and wait.
Duke leaned against the door and resisted the urge to check his watch. Arla paced.
"I need to know what's going on in there," she said.
"Settle down." Duke rolled his eyes. "You're not the only one with someone inside this damn thing."
"You love Audrey, don't you," she said. Duke opened his mouth — I love a lot of people — then let it shut. She shook her head. "At least admit it to yourself."
Duke had had enough. She'd tried to push him around as Arla, as Claire, and as Tommy. He was sick and tired of people trying to get into his head. He pulled his gun from the back of his pants and aimed it at her.
"Shut up!" he hissed. "I'm not taking advice from a walking purse!"
He heard footsteps approaching across the grass. A lot of footsteps. He looked up to see armed men — very heavily armed men — filing into place surrounding the barn. Jordan led the way.
"Hey!" Duke spun, aiming the gun at each of them. Jordan rolled her eyes.
"Relax, Crocker. If we wanted to kill you, this would be over already."
"How'd you find the barn?"
"We had every member of the guard looking for it," the guy to Jordan's right said. Duke recognized Kirk Bowers, apparently some kind of lieutenant in the Guard's hierarchy. "Now, where is Parker?"
"She's inside," Arla said. Duke whirled on her
"Did I say you could speak?!"
When had he lost so much control over the situation? Maybe when he'd gotten surrounded by people wearing the tattoo that meant they might kill him.
Jordan grinned. "She's already gone in. Good."
"I think we're going to wait here with you," Kirk said. "Make sure Audrey's still in there when it leaves."
Duke hissed through his teeth, brandishing his gun again. "If any of you come for this gun, I'll separate at least three of you from your troubles before anyone even touches me."
"This isn't about you, Duke," Jordan said, cool as you please. She was enjoying this. "When this is over we can all just walk away."
Duke snorted. "Hell hath no fury, eh, Jordan?"
That got to her. She scowled. "I'm not here because of Nathan."
"Right." Duke knew what it was like to love and lose Nathan Wuornos.
"When that barn disappears my trouble goes with it! I'll be able to touch people, be touched." Jordan looked at her gloved hands. "I just want to be normal again, Duke, I'd think you'd want that too."
"He'd rather have Audrey," Arla sneered.
Duke scowled "I told you to shut up!"
"Both you and Nathan." Jordan shook her head, looking amused again. "In love with a woman neither of you can have. It's almost . . . sad."
She turned and walked away. The rest of her Guard buddies stood there, guns ready. Duke kept his own raised, ready to fire if anyone even looked like they were going to raise a tattooed hand at him.
He was not going to die today.
They might have stayed like that all day, staring each other down, waiting for Audrey and Nathan to reemerge, but then Vince arrived.
Duke stared at him. "Vince?! Look, get out of here before you get hurt!"
Vince didn't look at him. He lifted his chin to Kirk. "Take the men and go."
"But —" Kirk started.
"Guns are not going to solve this, Kirk." Duke had never heard Vince sound so calm. So in control. "Go home."
Kirk nodded reluctantly. "Yes sir."
"What?!" Jordan spun on him. "Why are you listening to him?"
"'Cause he's the boss." Kirk swung his hand in the air, signalling the Guard members to move out. "We're leaving!"
All the gun men turned to go. Jordan stared after them. Duke slowly lowered his own gun as Jordan rounded on Vince.
"You're in the Guard," Duke said, looking Vince over with a new, reluctant respect.
Vince rolled up his sleeve. On the inside of his forearm, just below the crook of his elbow, the Guard symbol faded into view on previously blank skin. Duke sucked in a breath. Since when could the tattoos do that?
Would he even see the man who killed him coming?
"They work for me," Vince said. "Always have."
Dave and Dwight rounded the corner from the same direction Vince had come from.
"That explains a few things," Dwight said. Duke wondered again if he was a Guardsman himself.
"Vince. Please." Jordan looked desperate. "You're going to make sure Audrey goes away, right?!"
"It will be her choice," Vince said solemnly.
"I've lost too much!" Jordan insisted. "I won't let it all be for nothing!"
"Leave now, Jordan."
Jordan stared at him. Duke watched her carefully, waiting to see what she did. Finally, she turned and stormed down the hill. Duke relaxed a few degrees, then turned to Vince.
"So what does this mean for us, Vince? That tattoo. . . ."
"I'm not going to kill you, Duke."
Duke nodded, not entirely believing him. "I appreciate that."
"In fact, I'm the reason the others never went after you." Vince gave him a sharp look. "And believe me, they wanted to."
Duke believed him. He was a little surprised to learn Vince commanded enough respect that they listened to him. The barn doors opened before he could respond, though, and Audrey stepped out.
Alone.
Duke swallowed.
Audrey looked right at Arla. "James wants to see you."
Arla smirked. "I thought he might."
Audrey let her lead the way in, then followed.
Duke eyed Vince, and slowly tucked his gun away to wait again,
The next time the doors opened, it was Nathan who came out, carrying Arla's body. The seams of her patchwork skin were showing, and Duke had to look away as Nathan set her down against the wall of the barn.
"Is she —"
Nathan stepped back from Arla and looked up. "She's talking to James. She'll . . . be along."
"She'd better," Duke muttered. Vince gave him a knowing look, which he did his best to ignore.
They continued to wait a few more minutes in silence. Duke watched the occasional meteor streak across the sky, and wondered how much of Haven would be left by the time they were done.
If they'd ever be done, or if this eternal day would go on forever.
Maybe he was in Hell. Maybe all this had already happened, and this was Duke's Hell loop. Helping — and losing — one of his favorite people, over and over again.
This was a fucking shitty Hell loop. Lucifer would be ashamed.
Finally, the doors opened one more time, letting Audrey and Howard out. Audrey looked sad. And resigned. Duke's heart sank.
"What did James say?" Nathan demanded immediately. The ground shook as another meteor made landfall, not far away.
"He was wrong," Audrey said. "Killing him, it won't work."
James's plan had been to die? Duke grit his teeth. He wondered why he was surprised. That was a very Haven sort of plan.
Audrey stepped past Nathan, heading for Dwight.
"Goodbye, Dwight. I'm sorry about the mess."
Duke's heart broke. He reached up and tugged on his hair, then turned to look away. Audrey had made up her mind, then. She was going to go.
(He tried not to think that he shouldn't be surprised. Everyone left eventually.)
"I got it," Dwight told her gently. Duke heard the grass rustle under her feet as she moved down the line.
'"Audrey," Dave said. "You don't have to go away. There are other things we can try."
"No, Dave. Innocent people will not die to keep me out of there."
Duke closed his eyes. He slid his hand down across his mouth.
"I thought this might be easier this time," Vince said. "But. . . it's not. Goodbye, Audrey."
Vince and Dave had loved her once, too, Duke realized. He wondered if that was what he and Nathan would be like, the next time around. Trying to guide whoever Audrey came back as by degrees, bracing themselves for heartbreak all over again.
"Goodbye, Vince," Audrey said.
Two more meteors hit, leaving columns of smoke in their wake. Duke heard the rustle of grass in the strange silence after their roar subsided, and looked over to see Audrey heading his way.
No, he thought. No I'm not ready.
She stepped up in front of him, resting her hand over his heart.
Doesn't matter, he realized. Because she is.
"Duke." It was soft. Almost the way Octavia said it. Like it was one of the best sounds she knew. "You have always been so good to me."
He huffed a watery little laugh, looking away. Knowing he'd break if he looked at her.
"It was easy," he said. He felt the lump rise higher in his throat and shook his head. "Actually, it wasn't. But — you know me. I like a challenge."
There were tears in Audrey's voice when she spoke again, and Duke finally looked at her. She looked like her heart was breaking as hard as his was.
"I'm sorry I won't remember you when I come back."
Duke wanted to tell her it was okay. That his own mother didn't remember him, so why should she? But that was cruel. And it wasn't true.
Nothing about this was okay.
Audrey leaned up, and Duke leaned down to meet her. She kissed him on his cheek, and held him in place as she whispered in his ear.
"Especially Colorado."
She pulled back. Duke tried to follow, wound up resting his forehead against hers. He tried to remind himself that he still had other people, good people, amazing people waiting for him to come home.
It helped. But only a little. He wasn't sure anymore if he'd ever get home.
He trailed his hand down her arm as she pulled away, hanging on until the last possible moment.
Then she turned towards Nathan, and he let her go. With his hand and, as best he could, with his heart.
"Parker," Nathan said, desperate. "If we —"
Audrey stopped him with a kiss. She hung onto him like he was the last breath of air, the last sip of water in a vast desert. Then she pulled away.
"No."
Nathan tried to hold on. Audrey gently pulled his hands off of her.
"This is not goodbye," Nathan insisted. Duke tried to look away, but couldn't bring himself not to watch. Not to offer Nathan this understanding as he fell apart under the weight of his love for her.
Nathan turned to Howard. "Take me with you!"
"No. Nathan." Audrey shook her head, still pulling his hands from her. "Nathan, I won't be alone. Alright? I'll be with our son."
"Our son"
Nathan was the Colorado Kid's father.
Oh, Nathan. You sad, sorry fuck.
"I am going to die before I let you go," Nathan swore. Audrey let out a soft sob.
"I know."
She reached under his jacket and pulled out Nathan's gun. For a moment, Duke was sure she was going to shoot Nathan herself to keep him from following, but then she held the gun out to Duke instead.
"Duke!"
"Audrey!" Nathan groaned.
"Make sure Nathan does not follow me in!" Audrey shook the gun at Duke and he hurried over to take it. "Promise me."
"Audrey," Nathan begged. "Don't do this!"
Audrey ignored him. "Promise me that, Duke."
Duke nodded. "I promise, Audrey."
"Audrey." Nathan couldn't stop. "Don't do this!"
'
Duke took the gun and shoved himself between Nathan and Audrey, bodily blocking his ex from the woman they'd both come to love.
"27 years, Nathan," Audrey said, heading for the barn doors. "Then we'll get to do it all over again. Goodbye."
Nathan shoved against Duke. "We're not letting her go in there."
Duke shoved back. "Yes, we are." He raised the gun, pointing it in Nathan's face as he forced him back another pace. Nathan fought, and Duke grabbed him by the jaw with his free hand. "Listen! She's trying to help all these people. She's trying to help this town. And it is her choice. It's not yours. It's not mine." And this, this Duke believed with all his heart. He had to. Audrey choosing this, choosing to go into the barn to save the town, it was the same as him choosing to kill Nix. Maybe it wasn't what they wanted. Maybe other people had pushed them towards it. But in the end, it was their choice. Theirs alone. They chose their fates, even when it was the fate that the world wanted you to choose. "I hate it, but it's still her choice."
Nathan stopped fighting. He stared at Duke like he was seeing something entirely new. Duke wondered if he finally understood.
"You're in love with her, too."
Well. He understood that much, at least.
Duke nodded. His eyes burned with tears he refused to shed. This was Audrey's choice, and he would support it. No matter what.
"Yeah," he said.
Nathan's face crumpled. "Then how can you let her go? Look at her.Look at her!"
Duke knew it was a mistake. He had to let Audrey go. But he couldn't resist one last look.
She had paused to watch them, standing in the open door to the barn. Her hair seemed to glow in the sunlight.
She was beautiful.
Nathan's elbow slammed into Duke's jaw. He lost the grip on the gun and went down.
"Audrey, stop!"
Duke didn't entirely follow what happened next. But it was easy enough to guess. Audrey went into the barn. Nathan didn't get to her in time. He flew into a rage against the door when it refused to open for him.
He'd never been good at accepting loss with any kind of grace.
"I thought it was made clear," Howard said, soft and patronizing. "That won't work on the barn."
"That was made clear," Nathan agreed. Duke climbed back to his feet, watching them both warily. Wondering why it wasn't over, why the barn hadn't left.
Then Nathan aimed the gun at Howard. "What about hurting you?"
Duke's breath rushed out of him as Nathan glared daggers at Howard. A shot rang out, and Nathan rocked faintly on his feet. Duke looked past him and saw Jordan, her own gun raised. Nathan fired at Howard, then emptied his clip into him. Jordan fired again at Nathan and he started to crumple, even as Duke rushed forward. Howard collapsed to the ground behind them as Duke pulled his own gun and fired two shots into Jordan.
Well, he thought. That's one less trouble to return next time. He didn't feel the warm glow of a killed trouble, though. Jordan still lived. Lucky her.
Duke pulled back to look at Nathan. He was bleeding, and sagging in his seat, but still alive. The barn let out an alarming cracking noise, and Duke looked up in time to see portions of it vanish into blazes of painful white light. The same light blasted from Howard, through the wounds Nathan had given him. As Duke watched, Howard vanished and the barn began to crumple in on itself. The patch Arla's body leaned against snapped inward, taking her with it.
Several more meteors streaked across the sky, striking the ground with increasing strength.
"The meteors," Duke said. Despair filled his stomach. "They're not stopping. They're supposed to stop."
"Get her, Duke," Nathan breathed.
Duke stared at him, then looked at the barn.
"Go!" Nathan urged. "Save her!"
The barn was nearly gone. Howard had vanished. Nathan clearly still couldn't feel, and the meteors were still coming down.
Everything was falling apart. They were about to lose Audrey for nothing.
Duke leaped to his feet and rushed at the ball of light and handful of wood shards that were all that remained of the barn. He dove forward into the center of it —
And vanished.
Leaving Nathan alone, bleeding on the empty hillside, meteors still falling all around.
[NFB, NFI, OOC welcome. Adapted from Haven 3x13, "Thanks for the Memories". CW for a lot of self-sacrificial nonsense. Duke returns to Fandom tomorrow!!!!]