#connor rutherford

[dandylion240]

Connor glanced over his shoulder towards the bed where Ralphie lay still and quiet. An unnatural state for the boy who always had something to say and an infectious laugh. The parents were outside the door talking to the overworked doctor. “We found a single piece of candy,” he said.

“Is that all,” Sage slumped in his hard backed chair. He had hoped they’d have found something useful, not more candy. “The police already had that analyzed and found nothing.”

“For normal human drugs and poisons not for spells,” Caleb reminded him. “We’re hoping that Devan might be able to find something that might help us.”

“Maybe it’s not even related,” Sage pulled at the blanket covering his son. “How could it be when so many other kids have gotten sick. Even Ralphie and he’s never had any of the candy.”

[dandylion240]

The doctor gave an infinitesimal nod of his head before he caught himself. “I wouldn’t say that’s all we’re doing,” he said a shade defensively.

Connor’s mind was working in overdrive as he tried to work his way through this maze. The worst thing was he was trying to see his way through the workings of a devious mind. One that wasn’t afraid of hurting an innocent child to accomplish their task. There was no doubt in his mind who that was. “Would you be willing to work with a sage from the realm of magic?”

“Why would I?” the man snorted “there’s no reason to believe your son is under a spell. This isn’t some fairytale.”

“Perhaps not,” Connor maintained an air of casualness while inside he was seething with fury. “But my husbands are merman and Caige is their son. So I’m not willing to just dismiss spells or potions in this instance and you’d be wise not to either.” He let his words hang in the air. An implied threat between them. He’d seen his father, Nathan do that in the past, a trick he hadn’t realized he’d inherited from him until now. 

“Put like that,” the doctor nodded, “I’d be remiss in my duties to dismiss the possibility.”

[dandylion240]

The door behind them opened and they stepped apart, bracing themselves for the worst. “How is he?” Connor asked before Caleb was able to find his voice. 

Running a hand through his hair the doctor let out a tired sigh. “Not well.”

The words though uninspiring had them both weak with relief. “But he’s alive,” they both said in unison. 

“For the moment,” he swiped a hand over his eyes. “I just don’t understand. He should be awake. Running. Laughing. Playing. Yet he’s getting weaker.”

Connor could hear the sorrow in the doctor’s tone and knew he was doing everything he could for Caige and the other children. It was a marked change from a few days ago. “We know you’re doing everything you can for our son,” it felt odd to bond over their combined helplessness. 

[dandylion240]

The steady beeping they’d all but tuned out seemed to slow, skip a beat then speed up only to slow down again. An alarm sounded moments before a couple of nurses rushed into the room. One went immediately to Caige’s side while the other dealt with the two men. 

“You’ll need to wait outside,” she said, motioning them towards the door.

“What’s happening?” Connor demanded, his eyes on the nurse removing the pillow from beneath Caige’s head.

“Please,” the nurse urged, “we need room to work.”

Reluctantly they were forced from the room as more hospital personnel pushed their way inside.

[dandylion240]

“If it is contagious there’s no place we can send them where they will be safe,” Connor said “it’s only a matter of time before it leaves the island.”

“The only place I can think of would be the mervillage,” Caleb said.

Sage seemed to come out of his trance at the mention of the mervillage. “I’m not leaving,” he said.

“Please Sage,” Caleb said using his best persuasive manner. “The kids need you and you’re the only one who can go with them.”

“What about you?” Sage demanded.

[dandylion240]

“We’ll be in touch,” the younger officer said, taking a step back eager to get away.

“That was a waste of time,” Connor mumbled as the officers walked away presumably to continue their inquiries. 

“We don’t need them,” Caleb said in a commanding tone. 

Watching his husband in puzzlement Sage asked “what are you thinking?”

“Mathias lives here on the island,” Connor said, nodding on the same wave link as Caleb.

“I’m sure he’ll help us,” Caleb said with certainty. They had their childhood bond of friendship despite Karissa’s attempts to destroy it.

[dandylion240]

“Sage,” Caleb’s gentle voice intruded upon Connor’s thoughts “why don’t you go sit with Caige?”

Sage’s eyes darted between his husbands “aren’t you coming with me?”

Connor stepped forward, wrapping his arms around him. “We’ll be in there shortly. Caleb and I have a few things to discuss.”

Sage nodded sadly, somewhat relieved that he wasn’t going to have to deal with finding a new primary care doctor or contacting the imposing war god who had rescued Mathias. “If you need me…”

“We know where to find you,” Caleb gave him an encouraging smile. 

[dandylion240]

“I don’t,” Caleb said “but like you said at the hospital they weren’t looking for anything supernatural. For all we know all the candy was filled with the wasting spell.”

“But wouldn’t other kids be sick right now?” Connor asked as he pulled the candy from the bottom of the jar. 

“How do we know there aren’t?” Caleb asked 

“We don’t,” Caleb sighed “I’d prefer that no one else is affected. It’d be awful if more parents were in the same position as we are watching their son waste away in their sleep.”