Lisa Ch. 05a: Only Human

"What?" Jim demanded.

"Why was it, again, that we had to litter the parameter of our property with bear traps?"

"Littered? The property is littered with traps? But why?" Jessica asked.

"You know damn well why those traps are there!" Angus thundered. Jessica shrank. "And you take a good hard look at Ginger Jessica, 'cause if you try to make a run for it, you'll be joining her!"

"Scott, get her out of here!" Riley ordered as Jessica seemed to collapse even closer to the ground.

"But they're dangerous," Jessica said.

"Excuse me?!" Angus demanded, grabbing Jessica by her arm and yanking her to her feet. He grabbed her by her forearms and pulled her to him.

"Did you say something?"

She was too close. He hadn't fucked her in so long, and she smelled so good. Damn her. She stared at the red stubble on his chin. And there was just something about her look that made his pecker almost jump out of his pants. He felt out of control. Maybe, if he got her alone, got his rocks off, the feeling would subside and he could feel more in control.

"I said, did you say something!" Angus repeated himself.

"Would you care to repeat yourself Jessica," Riley asked.

Jessica shook her head.

"Pardon?"

"No, " Jessica whispered.

"Then I suggest that you stay out of our business." Riley said.

"Maybe I should take a little alone time with Jessica, " Angus said increasing the pressure on her arms, "make sure she gets the picture."

"She gets it," Scott said fearing a repeat of the incident a few weeks past. "We were about to go in the house, right Jessica?"

Jessica bobbed her head vigorously.

"Angus ..." Scott urged when he hadn't released Jessica.

"Next time, you won't be so lucky!" Angus replied. His need was so strong that he nearly doubled over in pain.

Jessica moved beside Scott, relief flooding over her.

"Can I bring Baby with us?" she whispered to Scott.

"Good God Jessica, just get moving!"

"That's just great!" Jim growled at Angus once Jessica was out of hearing range. "Now she thinks I killed the dog!"

"You pretty much did." Riley said moving to crouch over the dog's body and inspecting the wound.

"W .. w ... what?" Jim demanded.

"Whose bleeding heart idea was it to take Jessica off her leash?" Riley asked.

"Jesus Christ Jim, the way you argued about it you would've thought that you were the one on the leash!" Angus said.

"You know Angus, sometimes it's a good idea to try and put yourself in someone else's place!" Jim replied.

"Give me a break ..." Angus began.

"Let's not rehash that." Josh said eager to avoid the turmoil that the whole leash debate had caused, "Things have gotten better with Jessica since then, let's just be satisfied with that."

"Yeah, things have gotten a lot better. She's also talking to us a lot more now ... in case you haven't noticed." Jim added in an indignant tone.

"She's talking alright," Angus said, "about things she has no business talking about. Did it ever occur to you that nothing would work better for her than to have those traps removed? "

'That's right,' Angus continued to himself, 'she's just trying to find a way to screw us.' He desperately wanted to rekindle the anger he used to feel about Jessica. To his consternation, all he was able to summon was fear. He feared the day that Jessica successfully escaped. He'd have to kill her. He'd have to hunt her down and kill her. Not for politics anymore, just for his sanity. "D'you think?" Josh asked feeling a sense of disappointment. With her nightmares happening less frequently, and her general attitude change he had hoped that she'd decided to just be content there with him ... them.

"While we're on the topic of bleeding hearts," Riley said, turning to Josh. "What the hell were you doing, letting Jessica go in the corral with Ebony?"

"She asked ... she sounded so sure about how Ebony would behave ... "

"Since when has Jessica been able to do whatever she asks to do?" Riley asked completely dumbfounded by Josh's reasoning.

"She was right though, " Jim said, "Ebony was fine. She's told me that before Ebony just needs a good pet ... "

"It seems to me that Jessica could sell you swamp land!" Angus said with disgust. It was all Jim's fault. His soft hearted ways led Angus to the point where he could no longer dehumanize Jessica. Without that , he was succumbing to emotion.

"That's uncalled for," Jim exclaimed, "Riley, I thought we'd agreed that there'd be no more sniping ... he's sniping."

"You know what Jimbo, when I decide to snipe, you'll know it. The bullet will take half your head off."

"Hey, that's enough!" Riley interrupted. "We're family, so let's start acting like it!"

"Right." Angus grumbled, "What do you want me to do with the body?"

"I'll take care of it," Riley said.

"Fine. I'll go reset the trap just in case someone else should try to wander where they are not supposed to be!"

Angus stalked off.

"It's no mystery why Jessica wants nothing to do with him!" Jim muttered and marched off in the opposite direction.

Jim's words ricocheted in Rileys' mind.

What he'd really meant was it was little wonder to Jim why Jessica wanted nothing to do with Angus, and what he'd left unsaid in Riley's presence, was 'and Riley''. And what had he said before that? Jessica was talking to 'them' more. Jessica wasn't speaking to Riley any more than usual. So she and he had had some positive interactions. Real communication, that did not make.

In fact, if he didn't pry things out of her, she'd barely say two words to him. Maybe it was just an exaggeration on Jim's part ... but then she had told Jim that Max was deaf and blind ... what were the chances that she would have told Riley directly if he'd been near her at the time? Slim to none. Riley felt jealously growing.

"Those two are like oil and water," Josh said as he watched Jim go in the house and slam the door behind him.

"We'll have to do something to repair that rift between them. It's not good the way things are right now." Riley said, but frankly he couldn't blame Angus for his reactions.

Josh nodded his head. "I don't know how we'd do that. They're on opposite sides of the road, and I don't think either one can even see the other one's side."

"We used to all be on the same side Josh."

"We still are, in a lot of ways. But when it comes to Jessica, Angus refuses to bend. That's going to be a problem."

Riley nodded his head.

"What's his problem, anyway?" Josh asked, "I thought we all wanted a relationship with Jessica."

"Angus wants anything but," Riley said. "Beth really hurt him."

"Seriously? He's so hard on Jessica because of Beth?" Josh exclaimed finally seeing some reason behind Angus' behavior. Now it all made sense.

"Well, that makes it easier. We just have to convince him that Jessica isn't going to do to him, what Beth did."

"Oh yeah, that's easy." Riley said with a snicker.

"Okay, not easy, but doable."

"Let me know when you figure out how. I'm going to go check on the dogs. I've gotta figure out what to do with Max." Riley said and turned to leave.

"You may want to check if he's blind and deaf," Josh replied.

"What?" Riley asked.

"I know it's a long shot, but Jessica seems convinced that he's blind and deaf."

"He is blind and deaf. I checked it out earlier with Jim."

"I'll be damned!" Josh exclaimed. "Well, you may want to tell Angus to check if there's water in his fuel line ... another one of Jessica's theories that may be true."

"How the hell would Jessica know if there's water in the fuel line?" Riley demanded.

Josh shrugged. "She has been reading Angus' magazines a lot lately ... and she was right about the dog ..."

"Get rid of the body for me will you?" Riley asked, not even waiting for Josh's response. He found Angus returning from the trap.

"Water in the fuel line," Riley said.

"What?" Angus asked, secretly glad that his overalls were so baggy. His hard-on had not subsided in any way, and he didn't want Riley to guess what he was going to be doing in the bathroom in a few minutes.

"Is there a chance that there's water in your fuel line?"

Angus hesitated. "I hadn't thought of that."

"But it's possible?"

"It's possible, and pretty probable. I don't know why I didn't think of that myself. Thanks!" And he began to move toward the corvette.

"Don't thank me," Riley said, following Angus. How could Jessica possibly know these things?

"Huh?" Angus asked, the tone of Riley's voice catching his attention.

"It was Jessica."

"Jessica told you that?"

"She told Josh ... who told me. She also told Jim, and Josh for that matter, that Max is blind and deaf."

"How can he be blind and deaf without you knowing it?" Angus demanded.

"He is Angus. I checked when Jim told me. Now you have to check the fuel line."

"What is she up to?" Angus muttered.

"I don't know Angus. What I do know is that things are changing. I'd like you to consider the fact that Jessica and Beth are completely separate people, and you're in a completely different situation with Jessica than you were with Beth."

Angus looked down at his crotch. No obvious bulge. There was no way Riley could know about his current need, nor the dreams he'd been having about Jessica.

"What the hell brought that on?" Angus demanded.

"Jim's not the enemy Angus. And in your case, neither is Jessica." Riley held his palm up to Angus, as Angus seemed on the verge of arguing.

"For you, the enemy is Beth. And there's nothing you can do about that. But Jessica. Everything is different with Jessica. Yes, she may be scheming to escape. And if she does, you can blow her brains out and get your sense of justice. She can't hurt you like Beth did."

Angus stared at Riley. He cleared his throat. He was a little creeped out. It was almost as if Riley knew what he was going through.

"What are you getting at Riley?" Angus asked.

"It's alright to relax a little Angus. You're the one in control here, not Jessica. Enjoy that a little."

"Have you relaxed?" Angus asked.

"Enough to be interested in something more than just holding Jessica captive. I want some reciprocity from her," Riley said, but simultaneously felt surprised by the words he spoke. He hadn't consciously thought it through.

"I've been taking it easier on her Riley ..."

"I know. I'm talking about moving beyond that. Have you noticed anything about the way that Jessica interacts with the others?"

"You mean how she wraps them around her little finger?"

"The way she seems so much more at ease with them. You have to have noticed that."

"Maybe a little," Angus replied. In fact he had spent so much time avoiding Jessica that he hadn't noticed much. "What exactly do you want me to do?"

"Nothing specific, "Riley replied. "Just don't hold Beth against Jessica. That's all."

"Right. Okay. Can I go now? I've gotta go for a piss."

"Just check that water in the fuel line ..."

"I will," Angus replied, and headed for the house.

Ten minutes, and several jerk-offs later, Angus made his way back to the living room. Fantasies of Jessica fighting with him, and attempts at restraining her leading to unbelievable sex, made Angus feel more alive than he had in years. In his fantasies, Jessica never meant to really hurt him, it was just foreplay.

Maybe Riley's suggestion that Beth and Jessica weren't the same had merit. After all, sex between him and Beth had been fantastic, but not animalistic, brutal. With Jessica, that was what turned him on. So long as he was sure she wouldn't actually kill him. And unfortunately in reality, he was not sure of that. Not at all. He hated to admit it, but he wanted to be.

As he came into the center of the living room, he allowed himself to look at Jessica, really look at her. She sat on the sofa, and she looked very forlorn. The usual smoldering hatred, just below the surface, was absent. The Jessica that sat on the sofa now, could be the Jessica of his fantasies ... an unmistakable sense of vulnerability overcame him.

As vulnerable as Jessica looked to an unsuspecting eye Angus himself felt one hundred times more vulnerable. He was heading down a slippery slope, and he had to do something to save himself. In his mind's eye, a memory of Jessica in some past time, running away from him, played out. The anger that he'd felt then, came back to him. Good. He turned on his heel and headed out the door.

*********************************************************

"What's going on ... why's the dog in here?" Riley asked, closing the front door behind him. Jessica was curled on the sofa, hugging Baby, Jim sat on the sofa next to Jessica, and Scott and Josh stood in the kitchen. They looked like they'd been discussing something.

Scott motioned Riley over.

"That dog is not coming back in the house!" he said to Scott and Josh.

"This is not good," Josh said, "she's really upset about the puppies not having their mother ... I think she may be thinking about her own. Mother, that is." Riley turned to look at Jessica. She had her face buried on the dog's fur. Next to her, Jim shrugged his shoulders. Riley couldn't believe it, but he was actually feeling sorry for Jessica.

Any compassion he may have had for her when they'd first taken her, had been stomped out by Jessica's repeated attacks and attempts to flee. But the loss he'd felt at losing his family came back to him, and for a moment he wished he could ease Jessica's pain. Before he knew what he was doing, he had moved to the sofa and sat between Jim and Jessica.

"Jessica," he said, and wondered what he could possibly say to make her feel better. Jessica looked up and fear passed over her face. She drew Baby closer to her.

"I know it seems bad for the pups that Ginger is dead ... but I was about to start weaning them anyway. They would've been separated in a day or two, no matter what." Riley paused. This wasn't completely true. He wouldn't have weaned them for another few weeks at least, but it certainly wasn't going to hurt them to be weaned a bit earlier.

"Really?" Jessica asked as the fear in her expression gave way to relief.

"You bet," Riley answered.

"So, it's okay for them to not have their mother?"

"Perfectly."

Jessica nodded. She seemed relieved as she kissed Baby on the head. Riley sat watching Jessica. Another positive interaction with Jessica. What would it take to make it a full conversation? He was so reluctant to bring the whole Ebony issue up, because he knew that the positive would disappear from the interaction.

"See Jess, you were worried for nothing," Josh kneeling next to the sofa, running his hand over Baby's head. Jessica looked up from the dog, smiled and nodded. And that was the reason Riley couldn't let the incident with Ebony go. Even if Josh's brains had slid down to his dick, Jessica had to know enough not to ask to do stupid stuff.

"Jessica," Riley began, and instantly the smile disappeared from her face. Fear replaced it, and her eyes automatically looked to the floor. What the hell? A moment ago Jessica was smiling up at Josh, and one word from him, and she looked like Jack the Ripper had just spoken to her. Riley felt winded, like someone had just punched him in the gut. He couldn't remember the last time his feelings had been hurt like this.

"I guess I should be thankful that you don't just ignore me like Max does ... " Riley mumbled, maybe the dog could be a bridge for them. Maybe she'd be willing to share her observations about the dog's disabilities with him ... but his comment was met with silence. Jessica didn't so much as blink.

"Max might be deaf and blind Riley," Scott said from the kitchen. Riley felt his cheeks go hot. So he and Angus were the only ones Jessica hadn't shared her theory with?

"Really?" Riley said in a controlled voice, "And where did you get that idea?" He asked, never moving his eyes from Jessica. Scott looked from Riley to Jessica, to Jim and Josh, completely bewildered. Jim slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. Leave it to Riley to find a way to make a positive move on Jessica's part look bad. Would anything ever make this man happy?

"I told you that already," Josh said wondering why Riley was acting so surprised by the news.

"Yes. You did Josh, thanks. Jessica, look at me." Jessica forced her eyes up. "The next time you have something to tell me, do it yourself. Understand?"

Jessica nodded. Her eyes lowered again.

"I'm not done yet," Riley said, "and I expect you to look at me when I'm talking to you ... good," he said when she looked up again. "If you ever want to get permission to go horseback riding, you've got to stop doing stupid things. Hey," he said snapping his fingers in front of Jessica as her eyes began to slide away again, "I swear to God Jessica, if I have to tell you to look at me again during this conversation, you and I are going to have a little alone time where you can practice doing nothing but looking at me for hours and hours."

"I gave her permission to see Ebony," Josh interrupted.

"I know you did!" Riley snapped, "That's beside the point. Jessica, I don't want to see you on the inside of that corral again." Jessica snapped to attention. Now he had her attention. "Do you have something to say?"

"But ... when I can ride ... " Jessica's voice trailed off. Riley looked like was about to reach out and strangle her. "I asked Josh ... he said it was okay ..."

"So, because you were able to sweet talk Josh into letting you do something stupid, it's alright?" Riley demanded.

"B b but ... when I'm allowed to ride ... I need to go in the corral ..."

"If ... big if, you're allowed to ride. Don't take anything for granted Jessica. At the rate you're going, the only thing you'll be riding is the sofa."

"Wait a minute!" Josh demanded. "Jessica did what she was supposed to. She asked me permission and I gave it to her. Are you telling me now that my word means nothing?"

"I don't know about Jessica," Jim piped in, getting to his feet, "but I'm getting confused. Which is it Riley, can she ask us permission to do stuff or not? Are you the only authority here?"

'Shit', Riley swore under his breath. Jim, Josh and Scott stood glaring at him. Riley got to his feet.

"Let's continue this conversation with Jessica in the basement."

"No, I think this is something Jessica should hear. She's been sticking to the rules Riley. She's supposed to ask for permission to do something out of the ordinary ... and she did. It's only fair to her, and to us, to know up front what is acceptable and what's not." Jim said.

'So much for not disagreeing in front of her,' Riley thought to himself.

"Fine. You make a very good point Jim. Maybe it's not a problem with Jessica, but a problem with you numbskulls. Start using your brains, will you? Next week we'll be at ... work," Riley said.

He slid his eyes over to Jessica. No reaction. The others had looked to Jessica also fearing a negative reaction. But Jessica seemed unaffected by the knowledge that the men would be returning to their acts of violence. All four men looked at one another, unsure what to make of Jessica's apparent acceptance of this fact.

"And when that time comes, someone's going to have to stay here with Jessica. If you still want it to be you ... you'd better start making better decisions with her."

"Fuck!" Josh hissed.

Jim lowered his head in exasperation.

After the attack on Jessica's family, the clan had taken a break to let things cool down. When word had come that the clans would co-ordinate renewed attacks, it had been decided that Jim, Scott and Josh would remain behind with Jessica. They had been wounded during the attack on Jessica's family.

Although the wounds had not caused any permanent damage, none of the three had any desire to be active in the field again. Initially, none of them were going to participate. Jessica was so difficult to handle, it was questionable whether any one of them could be left alone with her. But as Jessica seemed to have mellowed, Jim, Scott and Josh worked hard to convince Riley that they'd be okay alone with her. They had succeeded but now it seemed Riley was willing to rescind the agreement.