Episode 415
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“I can’t believe that I let you talk me into doing this. You should
really be in a hospital right now,” Don frowned over at his friend as
Don drove down the road not really sure what Brant had in mind after he’d
convinced Don to leave the hotel. “This isn’t a good idea.”
“Leaving Angela alone with that madman isn’t a good idea Don,”
Brant inhaled slowly hoping that the pain meds that Don had given him would
kick in sooner or later. He pressed his hand over his abdomen feeling the
tightness of his wound sending sharp pains over the center of his body. Still
he wasn’t about to dwell on that at the moment when the love of his life
was out there and in harm’s way. “I have to find her. I was so close
and if I lost her again…”
“Brant, I know that you shouldn’t be out here,” Don pressed
the brakes on the car, “In fact I’m turning this around so that
we can get you to the hospital.”
“If you do that Don, then I swear I’m never speaking with you again,”
Brant warned him sharply trying to ignore the stinging in his arm.
“It would beat the hell out of losing you,” Don reminded him pointedly
with a simple shake of his head, “Beside you don’t even know where
we are going. Kevin’s the one that knows the island. He’s the one
that will be able to find her and…”
“She’s the mother of my children,” Brant snapped at Don before
glaring over at him. “Look man I can appreciate and respect the fact
that you’re looking out for me, but damn it if it was Stephanie out there
you know full well you wouldn’t quit searching for her until you were
positive that she was safe.”
“Brant that’s not fair,” Don frowned over at his friend feeling
the weight of Brant’s words.
“Look Don,” Brant paused feeling his head swirling with a dizziness.
“I don’t mean to be an ass and maybe it’s the injuries talking,
but…”
“I know Brant,” Don finally relented knowing full well that he couldn’t
argue with his friend’s logic however misguided it may be at the point
in time. “We’re going to find her.”
“I hope so,” Brant revealed leaning his head against the glass of
the window beside him. He pressed his forehead down and exhaled slowly, “That
man plans on hurting her. I could see it when he had the knife to her throat.”
“We’ll find her Brant,” Don promised hoping that his words
would ring true. “We just have to find where they…”
“What?” Brant replied sitting up straighter as he noticed the car
turned over on the side of the road.
“That looks a lot like the car Craven was driving,” Don noted wondering
if he and Brant had found their first lead. Pulling over to the side Don took
in a breath. “I should go check it out. You’re in no position to
be…”
“If she’s in there, I’m not staying here,” Brant announced
boldly pushing the passenger side door open and stepping out. He stumbled
as the door swung open and fell to his butt.
“Brant!” Don called out his name seeing Brant go down. Don rushed
around the car hoping to pull Brant to his feet again, but instead he watched
Brant use his good arm to pull himself up against the side of the car.
“I’m all good,” Brant waved his hands around in the air dismissively.
“Brant, you shouldn’t be out here and this goes against everything
that I believe as a doctor,” Don frowned back at Brant wondering why
in the world he’d let Brant manipulate him into taking Brant out here.
“We need to check in the car,” Brant attempted to move forward only
to feel Don’s hand press into his chest.
“You stay here,” Don warned sharply, his concerned blue eyes fixed
on Brant. “I’ll go look at the car, but I need you to wait for me.
If she’s in there, then I swear I’ll get her out, but I need you
to stay put. You won’t make it.”
“Don I…” Brant attempted to move forward only to feel himself
falling again. Reluctantly he sank back against the side of the car and groaned.
“Just hurry…”
“I will I promise,” Don nodded moving in closer to the overturned
car. He felt his pulse quickening, his heart hammering in his chest and he
hoped above hope that he wouldn’t find Angela inside in the very same
way he’d discovered Stephanie right before she’d given birth to
Matt. Closing his eyes Don remembered that horrific moment when he’d
saved his wife just in time to have his son, yet it wasn’t enough to
save Stephanie. That pain ate away at him and Don just prayed that his friend
wouldn’t have to experience something like that.
“Don’t let me be right on this one,” Don pleaded to the heavens
above ready to investigate the scene further. He carefully descended down
the ditch relieved to find the car was empty. There was a lot of blood on
the front seat however and that in itself caused Don to worry.
“Don,” Brant’s voice roused him from his search. Looking back
over his shoulder he spotted his friend over by the car holding up what looked
like some kind of shirt. “Come here! Look at this!”
Don glanced over the car one last time before jogging over to his friend.
He moved in closer to Brant realizing it was a woman’s pullover of sorts.
“Where did you get that?”
“It’s Angela’s,” Brant explained with a small breath thinking
about the last time he’d seen her, “She was wearing it when we were
at the beach house, which can only mean one thing.”
“Brant, there’s something I need to tell you--about the crash over
there,” Don hesitated remembering the blood he’d seen.
“Don, look there’s blood on the ground,” Brant pointed to a
trail in front of him. He followed the line with his eyes seeing it taper
off onto the beach. “She could be in trouble…she could be…”
Don glanced down to the shirt in Brant’s hand seeing that it too had
blood on it. Worry swept over him and with a deep breath Don surveyed the
area hoping for some kind of clue about the situation.
“We have to follow the blood evidence. You know like CSI,” Brant
blurted out with a small laugh while staggering forward. “You can be
Nick Stokes and I can be Grissom…”
“No way,” Don shook his head and frowned, “I wouldn’t
be Nick if you paid me. He’s a fruit.”
“Fruit or not, it’s up to us to solve the mystery of where my girl
is at,” Brant slurred moving forward in a haphazard walk. “I’m
going to rescue her and then I’m going to sleep.”
“Brant wait up,” Don frowned reaching out to slide his arm around
Brant’s shoulders, “You’re in no position to comb the beach.”
“We don’t have to comb the beach,” Brant dropped his head forward,
his eyelids growing heavy with the movement. “We just have to follow
the blood evidence.”
“I’m leaving you in the car. You can’t go with me because if
there’s trouble,” Don warned his friend knowing full well Brant
wasn’t up to taking care of himself let alone looking for someone else.
“If you put me back in the car, then I’m going to shoot you Don.
I’ll shoot you in the ass just like that crazy Cori girl did to Diego
at Sarah and Kyle’s wedding,” Brant snorted with amusement. “God
that was funny, wasn’t it?”
“Diego didn’t think so,” Don reminded him thinking about the
whole backlash of the wedding fiasco, “but yeah it was a bit amusing.”
“I’m sure it hurt like a bitch,” Brant snickered again before
pulling his head up. “Don. There’s blood right there! Forward march!”
“Brant,” Don opened his mouth in protest before stopping himself.
He secured his hold around Brant’s torso before taking in a breath and
hoping that whatever they found at the end of the trail of blood wouldn’t
wind up being something that neither one of them would live to be haunted
by.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Would you listen to me for a second?" Kyle questioned glancing
over at one of his best friends after he gave him time to cool down a bit.
Russell’s green eyes glanced over at him as Kyle threw his hands up in
the air and watched the way Russ looked at him. “I didn’t want to
hit you and in a way I’m sorry I hit you Russ. It’s just…”
“I was being a jerk,” Russ interrupted seeing the way that Kyle
was looking at him and Russ nodded before turning back to the wheel knowing
that they had planned to go talk to Martha to see if there was a place that
Kevin would ultimately go. Squeezing the wheel tighter he shook his head before
taking in a deep breath. “I’m just scared about Avery and I know
I shouldn’t have said the things I did. You were just protecting your
wife and I would have done the same for Avery. I’m the one that is sorry.
She’s your wife and I should have known better.”
“Alright, but just for the record here--we are going to find Avery. Nothing
bad is going to happen to her and I can promise that to you Russ. We’re
going to find her,” Kyle promised his friend confident that he would
find Avery. He could feel it deep down that she would be okay and he understood
his friend’s worry. “We’ll find her Russ. She’ll be back
in your arms in no time.”
“Let’s hope that’s true,” Russ pulled the keys out of
the ignition taking a moment to himself praying to God that it was true. He
spent too much time away from Avery already that he wasn’t ready to spend
anymore of his life without her. Whispering a silent prayer he finally opened
the car door and saw Kyle’s worried hazel eyes staring out at him. “Let’s
go inside. I have a connection here that knows the island just as well as
Kevin does.”
“Alright,” Kyle simply nodded not knowing how to help his friend
anymore than he could. Russell was obviously upset about Avery and while deep
in his heart Kyle wanted to blame Kevin for all of this--he knew who was really
to blame.
Moving through the heavy rain, Kyle followed Russ into the bar looking around
once they moved in. The place always looked different each time he showed
up and it was shocking to see how fast it could transform around them. Despite
the thunder and the rain outside the bar came across as a tropical safe haven
full of life and warmth as the
two men weaved their way through the crowd.
“Martha,” Russ moved through the bar quickly pushing through the
people to reach the bar. He placed his hands over the top wooden frame of
the bar and motioned Martha closer to him. Russ watched her stop everything
to come over to him knowing he was worried.
“Hey sugar, where’s the fire?” Martha questioned with a wide grin. “I never thought I’d see your beautiful green eyes on that side of the bar especially when the last time you were really, truly here you were on my side working up the crowd before your speedy exit.”
“I’m sorry about that Martha,” Russ apologized with a creased
brow, “but I need your help right now. You know Kevin and his attachment
to this place. His history here…where would you find him? Where would
be the first place he would go to find Angela?"
“Did you try his house on the beach kiddo? Cameron’s? Angela’s
place? Her office?" everything Martha suggested seemed to be a place
that Russell had already visited. “I don’t know what to tell you
kiddo, it almost seems like they would be easy to hunt down around here.”
“So you don’t know of any special place that the two of them shared?"
Kyle questioned seeing Martha hold her hands in air not knowing of anything.
Cussing to himself, Kyle took a seat at the bar knowing that they had to find
Avery and they had gone in circles around the island already. Dozens of times
it felt like. Whether it was to find Kevin or Avery and it was frustrating
to come up so short.
“I don’t know what to tell you boys. There are so many hidden places
around here on the island, that even after all these years I know only a few
with all of the caverns and secret hideaways that make this up place,”
she explained seeing the way that Russell’s eyes seemed to light up with
the answer she just gave him as he motioned Kyle to follow him. “Did
I give you an idea?"
“Yes, thank you Martha. We’ll be back,” Russell pulled Kyle
out into the rain while thinking about the time he spent with Angela while
he was on the island. There were so many events that took place that he couldn’t
believe he hadn‘t thought of it sooner. Turning to Kyle in the rain he
saw the way Kyle was looking at him and it was obvious that he was as confused
as could be. “Listen…while I was on the island Angela and I spent
a lot of time down by the caverns. It’s by the waterfalls. There are
a few springs and other bodies water around here and there are a ton of caverns
as well. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier, but there
are so many hidden places that anyone could easily just slip into that to
avoid a storm. There is no telling what kind of people can hide out in there
especially when something like this kicks up and pulls you away from the beach.”
“So you want us to go looking through some caverns?" Kyle looked
around the area knowing that there would be a lot of ground to cover all over
this island. “How many of them are there? And where would I find them?"
“I have no idea how many of them there are, but I can think of one I
know of right away,” Russ motioned Kyle into the car seeing the way that
Kyle looked over at him as he spoke up again. “I know of a few and we
should check them out. They are dark and hard to find, but I think we should
look.”
“Hey,” Kyle simply shrugged his shoulders before taking in a long
breath pressing his hands over his knees while taking in a long breath. “I
go where you go Russ. Wherever you need me--I’ll be there.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Darkness engulfed Avery as she found herself gasping for air. She couldn’t
place where she was or even what time it was now that she opened up her eyes
and felt the dust fill up her lungs. She felt a sudden jolt of pain in over
her arm causing her to turn her head to get a closer look at the source of
the ache. She coughed feeling the dirt that surrounded her laying a veil over
her face now that she’d realized that she was trapped beneath what appeared
to be a wall of rocks.
“What the…” Avery tried to think back to how she’d wound
up in this position in the first place. Suddenly it all came back to her in
vivid color. She’d seen Kevin enter the cavern, watched him disappear
for what felt like far too long of a time and then decided to investigate.
After that things were a bit hazy. She could vaguely remember him snapping
at her, his trying to drag her out of the cavern before the roof came crashing
down.
“Oh my…” Avery coughed again remembering how Kevin had pinned
her down on the ground using his body to shield her from the downpour of rubble.
She could still remember the echo that vibrated in the walls of the closed
in area like it was still happening--as if she was about to be hit with another
rock shower, except unlike before this was only her memory getting the best
of her. She could still hear the sound of Kevin’s grunting when the stones
slammed into his muscled contours and then she could visualize the way that
she’s felt closed in, trapped beneath it all and then…
“Kevin,” Avery pushed herself up off of the floor realizing that
she must’ve hurt her hand in the chaos. There was blood in her palm and
it looked as if she’d dislocated her finger. She took in a breath seeing
the way that it was pointed in another direction than what it should be and
she cringed. Bringing her hand in closer for inspection now that the cavern
was filled with darkness she strained to assess her damage.
“You can do this,” Avery urged herself knowing full well that she
couldn’t leave her finger in such a state. Taking in a breath she curled
the fingers of her other hand around her wrangled finger and did her best
to push it back into place. She heard it snap as she let out a loud, vibrating
scream, pain rippling over her whole arm. Still as tiny shudders carried over
her, she could see that she’d done the trick. Her finger looked good
as new even if it hurt immensely.
“I have to get out of here,” Avery thought aloud attempting to pull
herself out of the rubble, but she was still rather shaky. The impact of the
downpour had her a bit disoriented, but soon her thoughts turned to the man
who had kept her alive.
“Kevin,” Avery blurted out realizing that she hadn’t given
any real thought to where he could be or to what kind of position he would
be in. “Kevin, where are you? Kevin!”
Avery managed to pull herself up to mock upright position realizing that once
the ceiling had caved in, the cavern was far more shallow than it was earlier.
The whole cavern had transformed right before her very eyes and as she heard
the rumble of thunder outside of where she was trapped, building in an intensified
echo that shook her to the core. She dropped down to her knees again straining
to see further than the rocks in front of her, but everything was difficult.
The cavern left no real telltale signs of anything other than the fact that
it had trapped her within it’s shadowy walls.
“Kevin,” Avery spoke up again hearing the sound of her voice bouncing
off of the walls now that she was unable to find him. She pushed herself forward
crawling through the cavern just a few feet when she heard a sound. She sat
up straighter listening before she thought she spotted a darker pile to the
left. Switching directions she wiggled herself through the small opening only
to discover Kevin laying on his back on the cavern floor.
“Kevin,” Avery called out to him with a breath of relief. She noticed
a line of blood trickling down his left cheek and immediately she pushed forward
beside him. “Kevin, can you hear me?”
“Avery?” he questioned with a gurgled sound, his brown eyes narrowing
as he tried to focus on what was right in front of him. “is that you?”
“Yeah, it’s me,” she nodded quickly reaching out to touch the
side of his face, “You scared me there. Thank God you’re alive.”
“I sure got my ass kicked though didn’t I?” Kevin offered up
a small smile attempting to ignore the pain that now flooded over him. His
brown eyes opened wider and he stretched his arm out to touch the side of
her face gently, “You’re hurt.”
“No I’m fine,” she shook her head firmly bringing her hand
up to wipe at her face, “It’s just dirt and maybe a few scrapes.”
“What’s this?” he asked reaching for her hand and feeling her
wince.
“Let’s just say I saw the Lethal Weapon movies a few too many times
and I know how to fix something when it’s broken,” Avery pulled
her hand away from his just enough to refrain from shuddering in pain. “I’ll
be alright, though I’ll be even better when we get out of here.”
“Did the rocks block the entrance?” he questioned attempting to
see the area where they’d first come into the cavern.
“I’m afraid so, but maybe together we can push them away and still
get out of here,” Avery suggested sliding over to give him some more
room. “Can you move?”
“I think so,” Kevin started attempting to sit up only to feel his
head connect with the rock that lingered over him. He fell back to the cavern
floor and groaned.
“Kevin, hey,” Avery reached out to him seeing his eyes cross and
he let out a groan, “talk to me.”
“I’m fine,” he lied behind gritted teeth. “Though I might
need a little help with these rocks. They kind of caught up on me.”
“I can help with that,” Avery assured him reaching for the first
stone in front of her. She pulled a few more off of his legs before glancing
up at him again, “Kevin, you’re going to have to stay awake for
me. After you hit your head…”
“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” Kevin tried to regain his bearings.
Using his hands he pressed his palms out over his head and ran his fingers
over the slick wall of rock that was over him. He inched his upper body towards
the left and attempted to pull himself up when he groaned. “Avery, my
leg is still under rock here…”
“I pulled all the stones off Kevin. I don’t see anymore,” she
replied leaning in over him to take another look as it was rather dark in
the cavern. That’s when she saw it. A horrified gasp fell from her lips.
“What?” Kevin questioned straining to see through the darkness.
“What is it?”
“Kevin,” Avery began fighting to suppress the shudder that carried
over her in seeing the thick, wooden spike that shot up through Kevin’s
upper thigh. She moved in closer for inspection seeing that it had pierced
him from bottom to top going all the way through his muscled form with enough
of the bloody stick towering over his thigh.
“Avery, what is it?” Kevin questioned straining to see what had
caused her to tense up beside him. “Avery, what’s there?”
“Kevin, I have to be honest I don’t know if watching all those movies
can help me fix this,” Avery blurted out realizing that things had gone
from bad to worse in the blink of an eye now that it was evident that the
two of them were very trapped together in the cavern with no obvious exit
around the corner.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Seth stood in the middle of the lobby feeling as if his heart had been ripped
out of his chest now that the reality of the situation carried in upon him.
He stumbled back at bit reaching out to the back of one of the chairs hoping
like hell that he could hold onto something real now that Andy’s words
swirled in his mind like tiny daggers that shot through him piercing his heart
moment by moment.
“I’m sorry Seth. There was nothing we could do for the baby,”
Andy offered up stepping aside to leave Seth with the truth about what had
happened to the woman he loved.
“Seth,” Sarah spoke his name finding herself overcome by her own
tears. Thinking about her best friend’s dreams for a family and a life
with the man she loved, it was then that Sarah realized just how unfair life
truly was. Blake had everything she’d wanted kept just beyond her reach,
but once it was hers--once she had her dream, it seemed to shatter like glass
right before her very eyes.
“Why?” was all Seth could question, his voice raw and broken as
he no longer could hold back on his tears. “How could someone do this?
How could they want to hurt Blake?”
“I don’t know Seth,” Sarah stepped over beside him reaching
out to touch his arm gently, “I don’t know why they did what they
did, but when they didn’t stop…”
“Blake didn’t deserve this,” Seth blurted out thinking about
the night he and Blake should’ve had ahead of him. “We were finally
going to be able to be married. This morning I was holding her, making love
to her and…”
“I’m so sorry,” Sarah broke into full blown tears, “I
tried to go out there and save her, but…”
“Why her? What the hell has she done in this world that would cause someone
to do something like this to her?” Seth questioned blankly, his heart
breaking as he thought about how hard Blake had been trying for them to have
a family with one another. “She wanted a baby more than anything. This
was something that she’d been hoping and praying for, yet…”
“I don’t know what kind of monster could do this, but…”
Sarah started seeing something happening behind his dark eyes.
“This happened because she loves me--because everyone in my life winds
up getting hurt. First my sister and now Blake and our…” Seth choked
up at the words, “Our baby is gone. Oh God…”
“Seth,” Sarah reached out to embrace him feeling him fall to pieces
in her arms. His head sank into her chest as his tears overtook him.
“Why her? Why couldn’t it be me instead? Why them?” Seth continued
to break down unable to contain himself any longer. “I promised that
I would always keep her safe, that I would always protect her, so how could
God let something like this happen? Our child was innocent just like Blake
is. Neither one of them deserved this…”
“I know Seth,” Sarah offered up not knowing the right words to comfort
him, but given what he’d lost, she couldn’t help but ache for him.
“Blake’s going to be crushed,” Seth thought about the woman
he loved knowing full well how this was something they’d both been hoping
for all this time, “We talked about having a child and now…”
“You’ll have each other through this,” Sarah reminded him thinking
about her fallen friend, “Andy saved her tonight…”
“I know, but with our child…” Seth trailed off feeling his
words losing their meaning now that Andy stepped into the area again to keep
a close eye on Seth and Sarah.
“It’s going to be okay Seth,” Sarah replied feeling like the
biggest jerk in the world for trying to make it sound as if losing something
so very important was nothing more than a trivial mishap considering she knew
full well how hard Seth and Blake were wishing for a child. She hugged him
closer to her thinking about how she’d neglected her own unborn child
since the moment she’d discovered she was pregnant. If anyone didn’t
deserve parenthood, it was Sarah and she was well aware of that. She was the
last person who should’ve been a mother and it would’ve been justice
if something like what happened to Blake had happened to her. It would be
a fitting punishment for Sarah but not for Blake. Sarah glanced up again and
spotted Andy out of the corner of her eye.
“Seth,” she whispered his name feeling him falling to pieces now
that his world had been shaken apart.
"This can't be happening," Seth blurted out unable to accept what
Andy had just told him. Despite the reality he‘d been presented with,
it was all too much to bear--to much to take. He pulled away from Sarah and
tried to find some kind of ground to stand upon now that his world had been
shaken. He stepped backwards feeling a staggering breath escape from his lungs.
He shook his head before his eyes shifted between Sarah and Andy. Bringing
his fingers up through his hair Seth couldn't help but find himself lost in
the moment--lost in the idea that everything he could've asked for had been
right in front of him only to slip away. It felt like he'd lost Jade all over
again, but this time Blake was still alive. "I need to see her…"
"Seth, I want to help you, but…" Andy began eyeing Seth closely
as the darkness clouded over Seth's features.
"Listen to me. Blake needs me right now and I want to be with her,"
Seth snapped at Andy his pain and frustration transforming into an anger--to
an inability to deal with the fact that she'd needed him and he wasn't there.
"I need to see her!"
"Seth calm down," Sarah offered up reaching out to touch his arm
gently.
"Look, I'll let you know when she can have visitors, but right now…"
Andy began again only to find himself the recipient of a glare from Sarah.
"You go do whatever it is you need to do in order to make damn sure
that he can be with Blake," Sarah warned him in a menacing tone. "They
need one another right now."
"She just got out of surgery," Andy replied in a pointed business
as usual tone, "Given the trauma she just went through…"
"Listen jack ass this isn't a request this is a demand. Do what you have
to in order to let him be with her," Sarah warned sharply seeing Seth
move around the room his hands trembling as she turned to Andy again. "Do
it now."
"I'll see what I can come up with," Andy raised a curious brow before
turning down the hallway and leaving Sarah to be with Seth.
"Seth," Sarah called out to him watching him pace around the room
in a moment of disbelief.
"This is everything she wanted," Seth informed her thinking about
all of the dreams that he and Blake had with one another for the future. "We
were supposed to be married tonight."
"I know," Sarah nodded in response seeing his brown eyes filled
with tears.
“I was running behind because I bought her this,” Seth reached
into his pocket and withdrew the ring he’d picked up for Blake. “With
all the bad luck we’ve had over this last year I thought we could start
fresh--that this would be the key to our being able to begin anew. I believed
that we could finally be able to love one another without anything holding
us back. We were going to have it all…”
“You still can Seth,” Sarah offered up squeezing his arm gently,
“Blake is still here and she loves you.”
“Sarah this baby was everything to her. When she knows she was pregnant
only to lose our child because of some monster who wanted to hurt her,”
Seth trailed off unable to complete his thought, “How could someone do
this to her? Why would they want to hurt her when she’s done nothing
but try to help the world around her?”
“I don’t know. I just wish that I’d gone out with her…that
I’d seen the car sooner,” Sarah felt a shiver carry over her. Guilt
ate away at her insides until she heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
“Seth,” Barbara spoke up in a small voice, her eyes revealing the
deep remorse she’d felt over the situation that had fallen upon him and
Blake, “I’m here to take you to see Blake.”
“Go on,” Sarah whispered in the back of his ear watching Seth fight
to pull himself together again. He stood up taller and followed after Barbara
as Sarah wondered how someone could do something so horrible to her friend.
Now as she tried to piece the scene together again in her mind, she knew that
she had to find a way to remember something that would help Blake--something
that would ensure that the person who hurt her would spend the rest of their
days behind bars for what they’d done. It was the least she could do
in order to help her only friend.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“So why is it so strange that your father for once has an interest in
how his family is doing? From what I’ve seen from Douglas…anything
is possible coming from him,” Kellen dropped down on top of the couch
next to Kipp as he brought up the topic of Kipp being freaked out about Douglas
being worried about JT. “Even if you hate someone, when they are part
of your family--your blood, you worry. No matter how much of an asshole they
are.”
“What about with your brother Cary?" Kipp questioned seeing the
look that Kellen gave him before taking in a deep breath while shrugging his
shoulders. “That’s exactly my point.”
“Right, but in a screwed up crazy way I cared about my brother. Always
hoping that there was some way that he would change and be my big brother.
Not some crazy psycho. You know, even comparing your father to him though
is ridiculous. Did Douglas come home everyday and physically attack you and
JT?" Kellen questioned seeing Kipp shake his hands and Kellen rested
more back on the couch before raising his hands up a bit. “Then really--even
if you hate him--there is not much of a resemblance between Cary and Douglas.
I don’t even know if Cary was my full brother Kipp because I didn’t
know my dad. I would love to have a dad one day--even if I knew he was an
asshole. I’d love to just know that I had someone to call my father.
I never had that, so maybe that’s why I don’t see where you are
coming from.”
“That’s not what I’m trying to say…it is, but it’s
not,” Kipp took in a long breath feeling bad now that Kellen said something
like that. Trying to play out his words in his head, he thought of ways to
explain what he meant. Kellen’s life compared to his was almost no comparison
and it was hard to explain things to him like this. “You see, it’s
hard to see Douglas caring because when he cares, he shows it the wrong way.
He plays rough and hurtful dad to show you what’s wrong and what’s
right. If you fell of your bike and scraped your knee--he’d end up yelling
and screaming at you to toughen up. While his intentions I suppose were to
try and make you stronger. That sort of a thing is the way that Douglas is.
He takes a situation and makes it worse to make it better.”
“Okay…that makes sense in a sort of kind of way,” Kellen wrinkled
his nose thinking about the way Kipp worded that and he let out a small laugh.
There were ways of further explaining since he was a little confused about
the whole situation, but he wasn’t going to ask because he knew Kipp
was already having a hard time admitting his father was somewhat of an okay
guy. “So why is he upset about JT? If he’s worrying that bad…should
I be?"
“Why would you have to worry about JT?" Kipp pondering the thought
while his eyebrow arched up looking over at Kellen as they spoke. “JT
shouldn’t effect your life because he doesn’t effect mine and he’s
my brother.”
“While that’s nice honey--JT was my best friend growing up. I spent
a lot of time with him and I care about him. I still talk to him and I think
it would be nice to know how he is doing,” Kellen informed him resting
up on his elbows on the side of the couch while his blue eyes searched Kipp’s.
Wrinkling his nose a bit, he could see that Kipp wasn’t happy with his
answer and he slightly snorted. “When we were teens we had each other’s
backs. We were the same age and he was my only friend at the time. I still
to this day consider him and Heather my best friends.”
“Which I find so hard to believe considering the personality differences,”
Kipp made a noise of disgust as Kellen sat up more and turned on the couch
to look him over. Shaking his head he took in a deep breath and folded his
arms in front of him while Kellen looked him over. “What?"
“The personality isn’t much of a difference. The only difference
is that I’m gay and he’s not,” Kellen pointed out seeing the
way that Kipp frowned more and he laughed at the sight. “Is there something
more bothering you or something?"
“No…sort of,” Kipp fought to explain how he felt while looking
at Kellen. Heather was Kellen’s best friend and he knew that the two
had slept together in the past and he knew a slim bit of information about
JT, but Kellen spending that much time with JT worried him. “Did you
two do something? If so…”
“Honey…stop right there,” Kellen cut Kipp off throwing his
hands up in the air letting out a hearty laugh. Reaching out for Kipp’s
hands, he held onto them tightly before shaking his head slowly. “While
JT is a very good looking young man like myself…you can be friends with
someone without doing anything sexual with them. As I stated earlier…the
big difference between him and me is that I’m gay and he’s not.
I mean…not like I didn’t try…”
“Oh shut up,” Kipp reached out to push into the center of Kellen’s
chest knocking him off the couch as Kellen started up in a bit of laughter
before standing up slowly. “I just don’t need you thinking that
my brother is better than me at things.”
“Why would I compare the two? He’s one of my best friends and you’re
my boyfriend,” Kellen pointed out with a small sigh knowing that his
boyfriend lacked confidence at times, but he should have never been jealous
of his own brother. Especially since he had just made it clear that JT was
‘just’ his friend and that was it. Ignoring the comment all together
after Kipp simply shrugged, he pulled out his cell phone and looked for JT’s
number in his contacts. “Maybe I should call him and check up on him.
If you are right about Douglas, then that means there is something to seriously
worry about with him.”
“Put the phone away,” Kipp stood up from the couch and reached out
to grab the phone from his hands. Placing Kellen’s phone in his back
pocket, he felt Kellen go to move for it and he placed his hands over Kellen’s
arms to hold him back from getting his phone. “Listen…this is the
thing about Douglas. My guess…is something that JT is doing is going
to effect his life somehow and that’s why he’s acting the way he
is. It probably has nothing to do with how much JT is in danger.”
“Don’t you think it would be good for me to know about that myself?
I think it would be smarter for me to check if he’s in any danger or
not--not just assume,” Kellen pointed out seeing the look that Kipp gave
him and he shrugged his shoulders before taking in a deep breath. “Please
give me my phone.”
“I think that…,” Kipp started to feel the phone vibrating in
his back pocket and the loud vibrating sounds of someone singing about how
disgusting someone was with a few dozen cuss words placed in there. “Who
is that ringer for?"
“Uh…oh hey…that’s Sarah,” Kellen clapped knowing
that song that he thought was polite enough to be on his phone while he was
in public. He could tell that by the look on Kipp’s face he was amused
and he excitedly reached for his phone. “Hey…hey…give me the
phone.”
“Only if you’re nice,” Kipp warned seeing the way Kellen sighed
before pouting and looking toward the ground. Thinking if over for a minute,
he nodded before taking in a long breath. “Good boy.”
“Yeah, yeah. You owe me,” Kellen pointed out before answering the
phone once Kipp dropped it in his palms. Clearing his throat, he tried his
best to be polite toward her. If that was even possible. “Hello. Kellen
here.”
“Hey…it’s Sarah and right off the bat I know you wouldn’t
want me calling you, but this is kind of serious,” Sarah took in a long
breath and it was evident by the way she was talking that she was shook up
and something serious was wrong. “I wouldn’t have called you if
I didn’t think it was right too, but I need you here.”
“What’s wrong and why do you need me there?" Kellen was a bit
emotionless not knowing what was going on as he held a finger up in the air
to motion Kipp to wait a second. His eyebrows tightened together as he took
in a long breath before shaking his head. It shocked the hell out of him that
she actually called him to begin with, but now that she was upset it shocked
him even more. “Sarah? What’s wrong?"
“Blake was in an accident Kellen. I saw the whole thing and she’s
really hurt,” Sarah informed Kellen hearing him let out a worried gasp
and she was still shaking. Her body was still shaking from the worry of seeing
what she did. Actually being there and not being able to stop what happened
killed her inside. It was her best friend she witnessed getting hurt and it
killed her inside. “I’ve tried to call Kevin and he won’t answer
his phone. I’ve called him a good dozen times and nothing. I’ve
tried getting a hold of Blake’s family and still nothing.”
“Do you need me to keep trying to call Kevin or something? I’m sure
if I keep calling…,” Kellen went to continue seeing Kipp moving
over toward him seeing now that Kellen was upset. Something was wrong and
Kipp wanted to know what it was because he had a sense of worry that washed
over him. “Sarah, just tell me what I need to do.”
“Well…Seth is a wreck and he needs someone here. I know you are
both of their friends Kellen and they could really use you here,” Kellen
heard what she suggested and he automatically started to get ready while he
was still on the phone with her while he slipped his shoes on quickly. “I
don’t know how to get a hold of their family, but I know you are good
with this kind of a thing. Seth needs someone…”
“I’ll be right there. We’re going to be right there I promise,”
Kellen informed her grabbing his leather jacket from the closet before grabbing
Kipp’s jacket and tossing it at him. “Just meet me by the elevators
in twenty minutes. What level?"
“The third floor,” she informed him as he took in a long breath
looking down at his watch. “And Kellen…thank you.”
“Yeah, it’s no problem. Thanks for calling me,” Kellen was
almost shocked with his own words as he hung up his cell phone and moved over
toward the table to pick up his keys. “Get your shoes on we have to go
to the hospital. Blake was in an accident and Seth needs someone there.”
“Blake is hurt?" Kipp saw the way that Kellen nodded as he took
in a long breath and moved toward the door. Quickly putting on his shoes,
he followed Kellen who was already half way to the car and he took in a long
breath. “Do you need me to drive?"
“No, I have this,” Kellen got in the car seeing Kipp do the same
as he pulled out of the driveway and looked to the time again. “I hope
she’ll be okay.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Grady popped his head back into the hotel room only to discover Heather standing
by the window all by herself. He carefully closed the adjoining door behind
him to the suite Heather was in as his green eyes fell upon the empty sofa.
He glanced over to Heather again seeing her lost in the moment as he stepped
forward.
“Where did everyone go?” Grady couldn’t help but question as
he nearly started Heather in the process. “I thought Brant was in a dire
state or something.”
“Brant’s following his heart in going after Angela,” Heather
explained not bothering to turn around to face Grady. “He and Don left
a little while ago in search of her.”
“Then obviously the shooting wasn’t as hard on him as he lead everyone
to believe, but then again that doesn’t really surprise me since Brant
just loves to play possum when the mood strikes him,” Grady couldn’t
help but roll his eyes at the thought.
“You should just lay off of Brant,” Heather snapped turning around
to face him finally with a glare. “He’s a good guy who follows his
heart Grady.”
“That’s a purely subjective statement and you know it as well as
I do,” Grady responded with a pointed expression. His green eyes swept
over Heather as he shook his head, “Then again Brant does seem to have
that kind of effect on otherwise normal, rational women when it gets down
to it.”
“Brant’s an incredible person Grady and if you’d stop hating
him for five minutes you would see that,” Heather huffed wrinkling her
nose at him.
“Truth be told when I look at Brant Ashford I see a man who simply has
found a way to get the women in his life to turn into violent, overly aggressive,
WWE wannabes when they decide to throw down on each other,” he frowned
over at her. “It never ceases to amaze me how a beautiful woman would
want to toss away everything she’s worked for in her life just so that
she can tackle the honor of being the object of Brant’s obsession. I
really don’t get it.”
“Talk to your future sister-in-law about it. She’ll tell you exactly
how it goes,” Heather snubbed her nose at him once again. “Although
when she was married to Brant she seemed a bit more interested in protecting
you if I recall correctly. Come to think of it I seem to recall her spending
more time with you than with the man she married.”
“You’re just fishing for ammunition on Avery and I’m not about
to issue it to you,” Grady shook his head at her finding himself surprisingly
displeased with Heather’s direction in their conversation.
“There was once a time when you loathed her more than I did,” Heather
tossed back at him with a huff. “I remember all the things you did because
you despised her.”
“And look where it got me,” Grady reminded her with an outward groan.
“I nearly lost my brother and my sanity for taking out my frustrations
about myself on Avery. You’d think if nothing else you’d learn a
little something from my mistake on that front.”
“I didn’t try to initiate a fight with her tonight, but…”
Heather’s eyes darted towards the carpeting as her frown intensified.
“You two just tend to bring out the worst in one another,” Grady
finished for her. “Yeah, I kind of get that, but at the same time I’m
pretty sure that neither one of you really needs to be hung up on a guy like
Brant.”
“This isn’t about…” Heather protested as her green eyes
met Grady’s once again.
“Yes it is, but I have to tell you it shouldn’t be,” Grady
interrupted with a frown. “I mean I can get why Avery might be bitter
about Brant since he was so controlling and manipulative with her. He tried
to destroy her professionally when she wouldn’t succumb to his advances,
but even then I don’t get why she would want to argue with you. Then
again after Brant tossed you out on your ass, I can’t see why you’d
want to think about having him back after all the public humiliation he unleashed
out on you.”
“I don’t want him back Grady,” Heather frowned over at him.
“You should know that.”
“What I see is a woman who is married to my best friend,” Grady
stated plainly as he crossed the room to look out the window for a moment.
“Kyle loves you with all that he is and he believes in that love between
the two of you otherwise he wouldn’t have made you his wife.”
“Grady, if you’re doubting my love for Kyle for one second,”
Heather started as he turned around to stare her down boldly.
“Should I have reason to doubt it?” he arched a speculative brow.
“Of course not,” she shook her head adamantly. “There’s
no reason what so ever for you to believe that I love anyone other than Kyle.”
“Heather we both know there’s plenty of reason why I should be concerned
starting with what I witnessed between you and Brant when Don brought him
here,” Grady eyed her suspiciously. “Although I’m sure Kyle
was oblivious to what was taking place, I saw the expression on your face
when you thought Brant might be leaving this world.”
“I care about him Grady. I’m not even going to try to deny that,”
Heather argued placing her hands on her hips firmly. “He was special
in my life…”
“Even so Heather. The more you and Avery carry on about Brant, the harder
it is for the world to believe that you’re over him,” Grady added
bluntly.
“I am over him,” Heather insisted with a huff. “I am.”
“Then maybe it’s time to let go of this vendetta you have against
Avery,” Grady suggested with a small shrug. “You know as a sign
of good faith.”
“You’re just saying that because you and Avery are pals now and…”
Heather curled her lip in a pout as Grady walked over to the mini bar area
and pulled out a bottled water from the refrigerator behind it.
“This has nothing to do with my relationship with Avery and everything
to do with my best friend’s happiness Heather,” Grady stood upright
placing his hands on top of the bar. “Kyle loves you more than anything
in this world. He would have to if he would be willing to deck Russ to defend
your honor. So with that thought in mind I think you owe it to him to be honest
about where your heart is.”
“It’s with Kyle,” Heather marched towards the mini bar ready
to get a drink for herself as their eyes connected, “and only Kyle.”
“Good,” Grady smiled, satisfied with her answer, “that’s
exactly what I was hoping to hear.”
“It’s the only answer you would hear because it’s the truth,”
Heather vowed as Grady bent down to retrieve a bottle of water for her as
well. “I know I’m not perfect, but I absolutely love Kyle with all
that I am. I have loved him most of my life even if we weren’t able to
be together.”
“Kyle’s the kind of guy that when he falls for someone, he falls
hard and Heather, I’ll be honest when I tell you that he’s never
been this way about anyone other than you. That’s special,” Grady
popped the top off of his drink. “It’s important that you know how
much he loves you.”
“I do,” Heather promised softening her tone, “which is why
I don’t want to lose him Grady. I mean he’s out there encountering
heaven knows what and there’s nothing I can do to help him.”
“Kyle’s a smart man,” Grady reminded her point blank. “He
and Russ are both very motivated and far too strong to let anyone stop them
in finding Avery.”
“Which is why I’m worried,” Heather added bringing her fingers
up through her soft, blonde hair. “Kyle pushes forward with his everything
when someone he loves is in danger, but doesn’t realize the risk himself.”
“Kyle’s beaten the odds from day one. He’s not about to let
anything happen to him or Russ,” Grady softened his tone a bit. “You
have to believe that.”
“I’m just afraid Grady,” she confessed with a pained expression
on her face. “My husband is out there taking on a madman we know next
to nothing about and I’m terrified.”
“Hey,” Grady stepped in closer to her. “It’s going to
be okay.”
“I’m just not so sure of that,” she replied feeling tears threatening
to overtake her.
“I know it’ll be okay,” Grady promised nudging her arm gently.
“I mean hey if Kyle can come out of gunfire without a hit on him in the
past, then this is small potatoes.”
“When I saw Brant I realized that wasn’t the case, but Kyle didn’t
see it that way,” Heather sighed as she closed her eyes again. “I
just can’t afford to lose him.”
“You won’t,” Grady assured her. “In fact, what do you
say we get out of here for a while and find a way to unwind?”
“I don’t think that’s possible with Kyle out there Grady,”
Heather informed him with a worried expression.
“Maybe not, but I don’t think sticking around here is going to help
either. Deana and I were just going to go downstairs to get some dinner or
something,” Grady explained realizing the genuine fear behind Heather’s
eyes. “Why don’t you join us and then after we’re done I’m
guessing Kyle will return.”
“I wish I had your faith about things,” Heather couldn’t help
but offer up a smile.
“Trust me it took a very long time to get to where I’m at and I
still doubt most everything, but I’m good at the art of faking it,”
Grady explained walking over to the door and opening it for her. “So
what do you say? How about dinner?”
“I suppose I can work that into the program while we wait,” Heather
decided hoping that whatever was happening with Kyle wouldn’t lead to
more danger than any of them was really willing to face.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Rolling his eyes, Ken slowly followed behind Rex and Wendy as they got their
tour of the Eiffel tower. The worst part about the whole thing is that they
didn’t even have lunch yet. Usually they ate and talked for what seemed
like hours, but after they ate they always went home. Now he was stuck following
Rex talking like he knew everything about Paris, France. Even when Ken tried
to put his input, somehow he said the name of the city wrong. How did he know
that? Rex felt the need to blurt out and stop him from talking just to correct
him. Since then, he didn’t feel like putting his input in. He was just
going to follow them just like he had been doing for hours, looking and being
bored. Beyond bored. And kind of ticked off to be honest.
“Are you still back there?" Rex questioned in a small laugh seeing
the glare that his nephew seemed to shoot him and he held his hands up in
the air before laughing. “Sorry for asking, but you’ve been so quite
that I was starting to wonder how it was going back there for you.”
“I’m just taking in all the sights to see,” Ken lied through
gritted teeth seeing the look that Wendy gave him from where she was standing.
He knew that if he was being honest he would get yelled at later and with
all that had been going on--he wasn’t in the mood. At all. All he wanted
now was just to go back to the hotel. Hell, forget the hotel. He wanted to
go home. As bad as that sounded, at least at the mansion there was a chance
at not running into someone that day. Whereas here, it was sure that he would
run into Rex everyday. “I’m having a good old time uncle Rex.”
“That’s good Kenneth because the tour is about an hour longer,”
Rex informed him and deep down Ken was cussing to himself. His feet hurt and
he was getting sick of Paris already. Paris was the most romantic city in
the world…well, that was what he was told. It was supposed to be the
perfect place to take Wendy to show her how much he loved her and as of right
now he damned himself for even wanting to go. He saw too much of France already
and he’d only been in one city. The only thing this trip furthered him
to believe is that he never wanted to come back here again. Unless he knew
that the whole city was blocked from his family. It seemed no matter where
he went that his family was always there wait. “You should keep up.”
“I’m keeping up, don’t worry about me. At all, I’m just
walking behind you and looking. Looking at…stuff,” Ken didn’t
care to say the right thing anymore.
This was getting ridiculous and as he felt a buzzing in his pocket he felt
relieved. Relieved to finally have someone help him break free from this close
insanity that started to rage up inside of him. It was starting to grow and
he was sure that if he got the chance that he would try and throw his uncle
over the side of the Eiffel tower and he could only imagine what kind of bad
news that would bring toward his family’s name. Maybe that was actually
a good idea.
Beyond his thoughts, he realized that if he didn’t answer soon enough
the person would be gone and he would be stuck inside of his thoughts once
more. Which while some might suggest that was a good thing, he knew that it
wasn’t something he was very fond of. Especially with having people with
him and being stuck in that position. It sucked.
“Hello,” Ken finally answered his phone and stepped away from the
small crowd of people he was with. He moved as far to the corner as possible
making sure he placed his distance between them. Maybe if he was lucky they
would actually forget him and leave him there. Then again--he was really wishing
and hoping there. Knowing them they would wait for him just so he could continue
on with them on this very boring trip.
“Kenneth…thank God I got a hold of you,” the sound of Annie’s
worried voice filled his ears as his eyebrows tensed together and any thoughts
he was having before left him when he heard the worry behind her voice. “I’ve
been trying to get a hold of you for a while and thank God I could now.”
“Annie, what’s wrong?" Ken suddenly found himself becoming
worried as he saw Wendy approaching him and Rex watching from afar as his
worries rose. “Annie?"
“You sister Ken…she was in an accident. She’s been hurt,”
Annie explained as best as she could from what she was told about the accident
that took place. “She was hit by a car and bruised up pretty badly. You’re
her big brother and I didn’t know what else I could do with you away.”
“You did the right thing Annie, I will be home as soon as I can,”
Ken explained hanging up the phone after his goodbyes as he worriedly ran
his fingers through his hair and turned to Wendy holding her hands in his.
“I have to go home. Blake has been hurt and I have to go. I can’t
stay here I have to take the first flight home to get to my little sister.
Annie didn’t know much, but I have to go.”
“Blake is hurt?" Rex stepped forward clearing his throat and moving
in closer to him as he patted his pockets down looking for his wallet. “If
Blake his hurt we need to go right now. I’ll pay them for all of this
and I think we all should leave.”
“You’re coming?" Ken questioned seeing the worry behind his
uncle's eyes and he knew that this was something that Rex was being genuine
about. “You pay them and we’ll meet you at the hotel alright? Pack
as fast as you can.”
“Okay…if my niece is hurt--there is nothing keeping me here,”
Rex informed them reaching out to squeeze Ken’s shoulder before letting
out a worried breath while turning on his heel to talk to the people who were
giving the tour.
“I’m sorry Wendy, but Blake is more important. I need to make sure
she is okay,” Ken informed her seeing her nod knowing that she wouldn’t
be the one to fight it since he knew that when her brother was injured she
would be the same way. Running his fingers through his hair nervously, he
didn’t know what was wrong with Blake and how she was and that’s
what scared him the most.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ria checked her watch again wondering how in the world it was that time could
be going so slow when she wanted more than anything to be able to see Kevin
again and talk with him about the discovery she’d made. While she knew
full well that everything would change after she delivered the news to him,
she was also well aware of the fact that he couldn’t be kept in the dark
about something so very important.
“Which is why you’re flying out there,” Ria reminded herself
as she checked the time again. It seemed as if everything was moving in slow
motion after she’d learned the truth about Kevin’s daughter. It
made everything else in her world seem irrelevant and as she stewed over how
she would break the news to him when she finally connected with him again,
she wondered what kind of effect it would have on their lives together.
“I love you so much Kevin, but I know how long you’ve waited for
this,” Ria’s heart sank as she thought of the way Angela had been
with Kevin over the last few months. While Angela might not know who she was,
there was something about the idea of Kevin and Angela bonding again that
had Ria more than concerned.
“We’ll get through this,” Ria hoped to encourage herself as
she stood up ready to head to the gate towards where her flight was.
She took two steps forward as her phone rang. She practically leapt out of
her skin as she feared it would be Kevin returning her phone call. She promised
herself she wouldn’t give him the news over the phone, but still she
knew she couldn’t lie to him either. As she pulled her phone out of her
pocket, she let out a breath of relief in realizing that it was Trisha. With
a sigh, she pushed talk and raised the phone to her ear.
“Hey Trisha, what’s up?” Ria questioned looking to the clock
again. “I’m just about to board my plane.”
“I don’t think now’s a good time Ria. Something came up,”
Trisha’s voice was laced with concern. “I know that you wanted to
go meet up with Kevin, but…”
“But what?” Ria’s heart dropped at the sound of her sister’s
tone. “Trisha, what’s going on?”
“It’s Seth…” Trisha paused with heavy emphasis as Ria’s
thoughts returned to her best friend.
“What’s wrong with Seth?” Ria questioned worriedly. “Did
something happen?”
“Ria, there was this horrible accident and Blake…” Trisha’s
voice grew broken as it was clear she was choked up on her emotions.
“What about Blake?” Ria asked hearing her sister sniffle. “Trisha,
what’s happening?”
“Someone tried to kill her,” Trisha finally blurted out. “She
was run down by a car and rushed to the hospital. Seth just found out and
from what I understand it looks bad Ria. Really bad.”
“Oh my,” Ria gasped hearing the call for her flight. She tipped
her head up turning to look at the gate number just beyond where she stood.
Her thoughts returned to Kevin, but as Trisha spoke up again, she found her
heart with Seth in that moment.
“Ria, he’s going to be a huge mess. He really loves her and…”
Trisha continued painfully.
“I’m on my way to the hospital now,” Ria decided turning around
and heading towards the door out to the parking lot. “If you see Seth
before I do, just try to talk to him and help him through this.”
“I will,” Trisha’s voice softened a bit, “and hurry Ria.
I don’t think he’s going to be doing well at all given how much
I know he loves her.”
“I realize that,” Ria agreed hanging up the phone as she realized
that her priorities had been shifted for a while. Although she knew she needed
to see Kevin, her best friend took top priority in that moment as it was clear
Seth’s world was crashing down around him. She just prayed that it wouldn’t
be beyond repair when all the pieces were laid out before him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“I think we’re on time,” Kipp pointed out to Kellen who seemed
to be getting even more impatient as the elevator moved up the levels. It
had to be one of the slowest elevators they had been on. Or maybe it was slow
because of the emotional worry the both of them were in over Blake. Either
way, you could tell that Kellen was upset with so much worry that his face
was already extremely pale. He had checked his watch over a million times
already and you could see that he was aggravated. “She’ll be okay.”
To be honest--neither one of them really knew what was going on with Blake.
They didn’t know what kind of condition she was in, how things were going
or what was happening. All they knew is that they were both upset.
“Sarah,” Kellen called out to her seeing how she was sitting on
one of the chairs in the hallway waiting for them to arrive and she stood
up once she got a sight of him. Moving over toward him and Kipp--she wasn’t
quite sure how to react at seeing them. “Have you heard something on
her? How she’s doing?"
“She’s hurt,” was all that Sarah could say as she rubbed at
her arms knowing that the sight of her friend getting hit by that car haunted
her every time she closed her eyes. She wished she could have saved her from
it, but now she damned herself for even leaving Blake like that. “I didn’t
mean for it to happen. I’m like bad luck or something because she should
have never been the one hurt.”
“What happened?" Kipp stood forward seeing the way that Kellen gulped
down as he stared out at Sarah. She took in a long breath and wiped at the
small tears over her eyes. Kipp caught on that she was still really shaken
up about the whole thing and he reached out to place his hand over her shoulder
to comfort her somewhat. “Sarah?"
“We went out--you know, it was a girl’s night out. Just like we
always have them. We got back to the cars and she was telling me ways on how
to fix my life. Which…we don’t even have to go there,” Sarah
half laughed seeing the smirk that pressed in over Kellen’s young features
as she continued. “I went to the car and she was looking the other way.
A car hit her straight forward and buckled her leg. The person in the car
knew what they were doing. They went straight for her and it was obviously
planned. I saw the whole thing and I couldn’t do a thing about it.”
“Hey…” Kellen gulped down seeing Sarah start to cry and it
was a side he hardly knew of Sarah. Sighing he reached out to do something--he
thought of hugging, but he didn’t know if that would be a terrible choice
so he just simply squeezed her shoulder while nudging her softly. “It
wasn’t your fault.”
“Yeah, but of the two of us--I deserve it. Blake has done nothing wrong
in her life and she didn’t deserve this,” Sarah shook her head slowly
and when they both heard someone call out her name they turned to see Douglas
stepping out of the elevator. Kellen moved away from Sarah enough to see Douglas
wrap his arms around her tightly squeezing her in his arms. “Doug…”
“I’m so sorry honey,” Douglas muttered feeling her head resting
against his chest. When she had no one else to go to she called him and his
worry grew for her every moment he wasn’t with her. Squeezing her in
his arms tighter, he saw both Kipp and Kellen staring out at him. “You
heard?"
“Yeah,” Kellen simply lowered his head and moved across the hallway
to see if he could find Seth who could tell him about what happened and how
things are going. There was so much information they were lacking that it
made them both nervous. Glancing over at Kipp, he could see the glare he was
giving his father while he talked to Sarah seeming to calm her down while
she was upset. Doug placed a kiss over her lips and it seemed to make Kipp
either more confused or pissed off. He couldn’t tell. “What’s
wrong?"
“My father…I don’t get him,” Kipp informed him with a
small glance before turning away from his father to look into the open door
before him seeing the empty hospital bed. “I just don’t get what’s
going on with him right now. He’s acting strange.”
“Maybe he’s changed for what he thinks is the better,” Kellen
suggested seeing the way Kipp glanced at him and obviously that wasn’t
the right answer to give. Looking back to Sarah and Douglas he realized that
they actually looked like a real couple and maybe it was a good thing. Not
really, but maybe Douglas was changing for the better in Kipp’s life
and it could make him feel better in the long run. “It’s possible.”
“Not for Douglas Mahoney,” Kipp refused to believe that his father
was changing based on the years he had already spent with him. “I’m
sorry, but I’m not going to believe that. He hasn’t changed yet
and he never will.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Barbara stepped aside allowing Seth to enter Blake’s room all by himself
now that the weight of the moment had swept over him. He felt himself frozen
in place lost in the idea of what could be waiting or him--in what he was
about to face even though he was sure that his heart wasn’t strong enough
for it. At first glance he was right. Seeing Blake laying out on the hospital
bed looking battered and beaten he knew that it was something that he couldn’t
take. Her face was swollen, her eyelids bruised and there were cuts on her
face. Her blonde hair was pushed away from her face, traces of blood around
the edge and as he moved in beside her, his heart sank. Seeing her like this
felt so wrong, so completely out of place and yet.
“Oh Blake,” Seth sank down to the side of the bed unable to contain
his deep despair in finding her in such a position. He could see the results
of the hit and run taking it’s toll over every inch of her leaving her
wounded beyond mere words. The woman he loved who was far more beautiful than
anything he’d ever known seemed so helpless and lost as she lay before
him unconscious. He reached for the chair that was positioned by her bed and
took a seat.
“I’m so sorry,” he mouthed reaching for her hand realizing
just how slender her fingers were now that they rested in his palm. She was
so petite and vulnerable and he’d taken for granted that she’d been
able to take care of herself. She’d needed him tonight--needed him more
than she’d ever needed anyone before and he hadn’t been there. He’d
failed her by not picking her up at that community center and bringing her
home. Why hadn’t he thought to make his way over there? Why hadn’t
he gone over to surprise her with roses and shower her with gifts as he’d
done in the past? Why tonight of all nights did this happen to her?
“Blake, I’m so sorry,” he confessed in a pained tone, his words
tearing at his insides. He leaned forward to press a kiss over her hand careful
not to hurt her as he held onto her. “I swore to you that you’d
never feel any pain again--that in being with me you would be safe, but tonight
I let you down. Blake, I let you and our baby down. I wanted so much to make
your dreams come true and because I wasn’t there when you needed me,
we lost them. We lost our baby and I failed you. I’m so sorry and I know
saying it doesn’t make up for what’s happened.”
Seth choked up unable to hold back his tears any longer. He reached out to
her stroking her long, blonde hair gently as she lay motionless before him,
“God knows that I could’ve done so many things differently. I took
for granted that we had all the time in the world with one another, but I
never gave you what you needed. I should’ve pushed for us sooner--should’ve
fought harder for what we had before it came to this. Tonight I swore to you
would be a night we would never forget, but never in a million years did I
dream that we would be here together in this position having to let go of
the miracle our love created. Blake, I can’t even begin to apologize
for all of this. I wish I’d been there…that I could’ve been
the one that car hit instead of you. I just wish…”
Seth stopped himself feeling a moment of despair overtake him. “God,
please don’t take her from me. Don’t let tonight destroy everything
we had ahead of us. Please I can’t lose her too.”
Seth lowered his head thinking back to when he’d been at the hospital
with his mother watching her disease steal a part of her little by little
over the years. It ate away at her life force and after he’d lost her,
there had been Jade. He’d promised to keep her safe and keep her protected,
but he’d failed her too. She’d died because he hadn’t been
able to live up to his promise to see to it that his sister would always be
safe. He’d sworn after the rape that the world wouldn’t be able
to scar her again as it had, yet Susan Hastings had stolen any chance for
a future that Jade had ahead of her. His sister had died and there wasn’t
a damn thing that he could do about it--much like what happened tonight with
the hit and run.
“Our baby should’ve been able to make his or her way into this world
Blake. I wanted that dream just as much as you did,” Seth confessed knowing
full well what a family would’ve meant for them, “You would be an
amazing mother. I know that our child would’ve loved you so much.”
Seth glanced at her battered face hating that someone had been given the chance
to harm her like they had. It was so unfair, so out of the realm of what should’ve
been. Nothing about the night made sense. Nothing about Blake being here felt
right. They should’ve been at the chapel exchanging vows and planning
for forever, not being shut into this situation with her fighting for her
future.
“Blake, I love you so much,” Seth whispered bending in closer to
her. “I need you, so please, please keep fighting for me. Come back to
me.”
Closing his eyes Seth thought back to when he and Blake had first met--back
to a time when it seemed that the forces of nature were aligned against them.
He could recall how terrified they both were at the time--how it seemed like
the end for each one of them, yet they’d been able to reach out to one
another back when neither one of them knew that they would find love with
one another. It was that first meeting that changed things forever.
“It’s going to be okay,” Seth promised her wondering if his words were in fact true as he held her in his arms.
“How can things be okay? How can anything ever be okay? I’m going to die here in some dirty auto shop in the arms of a stranger,” Blake cried out as another object came crashing down, “oh…”
“Hey,” he touched her face, lifting her chin to meet his concerned eyes as his grease covered finger brushed up against her soft skin, “you’re not going to die in here and the name is Seth.”
“Seth,” she repeated with tears in her eyes, “I’ve been through a quake before in Los Angeles. I know what these things can do and we need to get out of here.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Seth motioned towards the door, “but maybe if we get back down there, it’ll be okay.”
“Back in that pit,” her eyes widened with fear, “uh uh. No way. There is no way in this world that you’re getting me back down there when,” she protested as another sound crashed from behind them and Seth picked her up tossing her over his shoulder climbing down into the pit with her.
“Let me down. Let me down right this instant,” she argued with him as he held her over his shoulder, “I don’t know who you think you are but…”
“We’re going to be safe here,” Seth promised placing her on the floor once again as he looked up to the world above them.
“How can you say that?” she motioned to the car overhead, “if that things falls, we’re history.”
“No, we’re not,” he explained shaking his head, “if that car falls, it’s not going to fall in here with us. If anything it’ll shield us from what’s going on up there.”
“How do you know that? How many earthquakes have you been through?” she questioned in a panic thinking back to when she’d experienced the last earthquake in Los Angeles.
“Well, none, but…”
“You don’t know anything then. You’re hardly an expert,” she huffed back at him, her hands trembling at the sounds that rose above them.
“Hey,” he reached out to her touching her back gently, “it’s going to be okay miss. I swear to you that I’m not going to let anything happen to you. You have my word on that,” he finished feeling the fear rushing through her as he pulled her into his arms drawing her against him tightly as her shivers raged over her.
“Back then I swore to you that I would keep you safe and that’s
always what I wanted for us Blake,” Seth whispered returning to the moment
and seeing her laid out before him. “I wanted so much more for us. We
had so many dreams--so many things we wanted…”
Seth took in a breath and thought back to another time when he and Blake almost
lost one another in the past. His mind went back to when he was in the hospital
after the airport explosion after contemplating leaving town and putting his
life with Blake behind him in order to let her find a future with Zack. He
remembered the grief that Blake had felt in losing her best friend, but more
so he remembered the way that she’d come to him when it seemed all that
they’d had with one another was lost.
“The point is that Caitlin told me a long time ago that happiness
doesn’t come along every day. I’d asked her once how she could even
think about finding someone in her life after what Jimmy had done to her.
Time and time again he’d hurt her in so many ways that no woman should
have to face. She’d been through the worst of the worst and yet when
I was feeling down about being unlucky in love, she reminded me that in being
afraid to live, you were just letting life pass you by. In closing yourself
off and hiding away from love, you were only giving yourself the greatest
disservice of all because you weren’t really following your heart. You
were only half alive when you were too afraid to take a stand. I didn’t
understand it before, but I do now Seth. I’m not afraid to take a stand
for what I believe in anymore--for what I feel in my heart…”
“Blake…” Seth began watching her lip quiver with the moment.
“Seth, please,” she placed her finger over his lips to silence him,
“I need to say this--I need to quit stalling because if I don‘t,
then I could miss out on something wonderful and I don’t want that to
happen. Time and time again I’ve played it safe. I’ve hidden behind
what everyone wanted me to be--far away from where it was I was meant to be
in this world and the truth to the matter is that I was never really living
my life until I met you. You were the last thing I was looking for when that
earthquake hit, but when I found you, well I knew you were someone special.
I knew that I couldn’t ever forget you even when I tried to. With Zack,
well there was something special between us and there’s always going
to be something there, but Seth the truth to the matter is that Zack is my
past. He’s a man I thought I loved at a time in my life when I didn’t
know what real love was. I thought that he and I had this thing between us…I
thought that we could make it work, but I was young and impulsive. We make
great friends, but he’s not the man who made me see life for what it
truly is. He’s not the one that I dream about--the one that I want to
share my life with--the one who I want to spend my future with. Seth, I’ve
waited all my life to find my prince charming. I spent endless hours trying
to imagine his face--to think about what it would feel like when he swept
me off my feet and saved me from the nightmare that was my life. Countless
times I prayed that the day would come that my white knight--my handsome prince
would ride up on his horse and take me away from the castle I’d been
locked away in. It was so ridiculous at the time, yet it had me really believing
in romance. Of course I didn’t know the half of it until you came into
my life. You made me want to challenge myself--to really become a better person
and when I fell in love with you, well that was the greatest thing that had
ever happened to me. It was the first time in my life that I was really me.
I didn’t have to pretend to be something I wasn’t and when we were
together, it was as if everything was as if it was meant to be. I didn’t
have those dreams about the faceless prince anymore because the true prince
in my heart was the man who had stepped into my life.”
“Blake I…” Seth started up again hoping to get a word in as
she shook her head at him again, keeping her finger over his lips.
“Seth, please let me do this. I know that I sure as hell don’t deserve
a second chance especially not after what I put you through, but the fact
to the matter is that losing Caitlin reminded me of something very important.
Once in a lifetime love doesn’t happen everyday and if you wait for things
to happen, then you’re only shortchanging yourself. If you don’t
reach out and grab the happiness that comes your way, then you’ll live
your life without ever knowing--without ever feeling and I don’t want
that. I don’t want to go through the motions when all I can think about
is sharing my life with you. I love you Seth Alexander and when I went to
that airport to find you it wasn’t because I felt you were my second
choice. I went there seeking you out because as far as I’m concerned
you’re the only choice. You’re the man I want to spend my life with--the
one that I want to share my hopes and dreams with and spend forever loving.
Seth, when you told me about the things you wanted for us, I treated you so
poorly and if I could take that moment back I would. I would do whatever was
necessary to keep you from ever having to experience the pain I put you through,
but I promise if you give me another chance to prove myself I won’t let
you down. I won’t make the same mistake twice…Seth, I need you.
I want you and I hope to God that you want me too.”
“Blake, for you to even ask that…” he finally spoke up watching
her rise up from the bed where she sat.
“Seth there’s more,” she explained taking note of his questioning
eyes, “There’s a lot more and if you’ll just let me finish.”
“Don’t I get a say in this,” Seth questioned watching her fish
around in her pockets for something.
“Not this time,” she shook her head at him before withdrawing a
small box, “I know this is really unconventional, but since you’ve
gone out of your way to make everything wonderful for me, it’s time that
I took the initiative and did something wonderful for you.”
With that, she reached for his hand before moving beside him at the bed. Reaching
out to touch his cheek gently, she brushed her fingers against his bronzed
skin, her eyes never straying from his, “Seth, I know this is taking
a leap of faith here considering all that I’ve put you through, but I
need you to know. I made my decision and there was really no decision at all
to begin with. You are my heart, the other half of my soul and my one true
love. Without you life just isn’t worth the effort. Things just aren’t
the same without you and I’m taking a tip from my best friend Caitlin
in making things happen for me. I’ve wasted far too much time already
here in being childish, but no more. Seth, I know what I want--I know what
I need and it’s a life with you if you’re still willing to give
me that,” reaching out for the small box, she opened it to reveal a ring
she’d carried with her. She bought it on a whim when she’d made
up her mind, but now, well now she was as sure of her love for him as she
was the air she’d breathed.
“Blake is this…” Seth’s eyes widened in confusion and
then understanding at what was happening.
“You told me not too long ago that you had dreams about us having a family
together--of my being your wife and our living our lives together and I’d
like a chance to explore that--to see what it is that you had thought about
for us. If you’re willing to show me what you have in mind, then I can
show you what it is that I’ve had in mind for us. Together, we could
have something amazing--that is if you’ll have me,” she gulped feeling
her pulse leaping up into her throat, “if you’ll make all of my
dreams come true and be my husband Seth.”
“I wanted that more than anything Blake. I still do,” Seth revealed thinking about how much they’d grown with one another. Squeezing her hand in his he leaned forward saying a silent prayer to the heavens above that this disaster wouldn’t destroy them by taking her from his life forever. They would mourn their child with one another and it would be a pain that would forever haunt them. Seth turned his dark eyes to gaze over at Blake once again making a silent vow to find the person responsible for shattering their world. Once he did he swore to himself and to the memory of their lost child that he would make them pay for what they’d done to hurt their family.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“It’s getting late. Maybe they are like us and they have been looking
all over for you and I, but we keep missing each other,” Kyle suggested
seeing the way that Russell was looked at him as they moved through the wet
sand on the beach. Out of the corner of his eyes he could see a waterfall
that had a long line of lightening flash right above it. It’s too bad
the times they were having on the island. If it wasn’t raining and none
of this was happening--it might actually be a nice travel spot. Following
Russell toward the waterfall he stumbled over a few things before reaching
for Russell’s shoulder. “I was born in Chicago for a reason. I’m
a snow person. I’m not used to this tropical shit. I mean I like it--I‘m
just not used to it.”
“You get used to it eventually with the time you spend here,” Russ
explained moving around the rocks of the waterfall that led behind the waterfall
into the cavern he went to with Angela. Kyle slowly followed behind making
sure that he wasn’t about to fall. “This has to be like somewhere
they are at. We’ve searched everywhere.”
“You even said there are plenty of them on the island,” Kyle pointed
out moving through the dark, wet and musty smelling cavern looking around
him. While most people said they found them pretty nice, he wasn’t impressed.
Maybe if it was sunny or something, but the sound of the storm didn’t
help any. “It doesn’t look like they are here.”
“Avery,” Russ called out and there was a strong echo that filled
the air as Kyle looked around. A moment later Kyle stepped in a dark spot
sending him down into what he thought was a puddle of water. “Kyle.”
Moving over toward the pool of water that Kyle had slipped into and underneath
the water, Russ reached under grabbing a hold of Kyle's hand. Tugging harder
on his hand, he pulled him up above the water hearing Kyle taking in a long
breath before helping Russ pull himself out.
“What happened?" Russ kneeled beside Kyle was looking down at his
jeans that had obviously gotten torn somehow. Tapping Kyle on the face he
saw Kyle’s hazel eyes staring out at him as he wiped at the water on
his face. “You have to be careful in these things. They have unexpected
areas when you are in the dark.”
“Tell me about it. I stepped in that and fell right through. My jeans
got caught on something while I was under and I couldn’t pull free for
a minute,” Kyle informed Russ pressing back his very wet hair while he
felt his heart hammering in his chest. While most say to expect the unexpected…that
was just insane. There was no way that anyone would catch him doing this again.
Not after something like that. “Wow, okay…lets hope that if they
are in one of these that they are much safer around them than I am.”
“Kevin lived here--he knows this place like the back of his hand,”
Russ frowned moving out of the cavern after Kyle to make sure that Kyle didn’t
end up falling through something again. Looking around the area he knew that
something had to be wrong. There had to be a reason that hadn’t found
Avery yet. “I have a bad feeling Kyle. Something is wrong. I can just
feel it in the pit of my gut. There is a reason we haven’t found Avery
yet.”
“It’s because we haven’t looked enough Russ. Avery is okay--I
promise you that. She’s going to be okay. We’re going to find her
and everything will be just fine,” Kyle tried to insist seeing the aggravation
and worry behind Russell’s eyes. While he was trying to be optimistic
himself he wondered if he was wrong. If his feelings were incorrect. Something
was up about this whole situation and he didn’t know how to handle it.
They should have found Avery by now, but it was no use to express his worry
to Russ. He had to be strong for Russ and show that he felt nothing was going
to be wrong. “I promise you Russ that we are going to find her.”
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Kevin, I don’t know if I can do this,” Avery confessed her
dark eyes filled with worry now that she stared down at the gaping wound in
Kevin’s leg. While he’d tried to talk her into helping him get the
wooden spike out of his leg, she couldn’t help but feel herself shuddering
at the sight in front of her. “It’s just too much and…”
“Avery, I would do it myself, but I’m stuck here,” Kevin spoke
up behind gritted teeth feeling the pain vibrating through his entire side
now that the piece of wood had impaled his thigh. Closing his eyes tightly
he pressed his fingers up over the rock formation that hovered over him, “If
I was able to slide out of here and sit up, then I would more than readily
take that out of my leg, but I’m not going to be able to move until that’s
out.”
“I know Kevin, but…” Avery stopped herself taking in a long
breath, “You have no idea what this looks like.”
“Maybe not, but I can tell you what it feels like,” Kevin spat out
with a groan. “Avery, I can’t stay here because if I do it’s
going to get worse. You need to help me get that out of my leg so that I can
work on getting us out of here.”
“Kevin, I understand what you’re saying, but…” Avery paused
tilting her head just enough to meet his pleading eyes. Taking in a small
breath she brought her fingers in over his thigh, “Kevin, this is going
to hurt…a lot.”
“Our dying in here is worse than that I’m sure,” Kevin slid
his arms down back to the ground beneath him. “Avery please. You have
to help me.”
“I will,” she promised her eyes returning to the hole in his leg.
Taking in a small breath she moved forward reaching out to touch the pointed
tip of the wooden stick that found it’s way into his leg. It was nearly
three inches in diameter and while she couldn’t quite see the length
of it, the apparent size had skewered his thigh from top to bottom indicating
that he would need some emergency help sooner rather than later.
Fighting the urge to throw up, Avery tried to distance herself from the situation
at hand long enough to give Kevin what he needed. While she’d watched
plenty of surgical shows on television, nothing prepared her for seeing her
friend in such a state. Reaching out to the stick, she had her fingers just
over it before thinking twice. She inched back just enough to peel the small
jacket she’d been wearing over her t-shirt off and bunch it into her
palm. She glanced over at Kevin again seeing him laid out on the ground preparing
for what was about to happen.
“I’m so sorry,” Avery mouthed reaching for the stick and hearing
Kevin let out a sharp, vibrating yelp. Her hands stopped and she practically
leapt away from him, feeling her whole body trembling at the sound of his
tone. “Kevin, I’m so, so sorry.”
“Is it out?” he questioned with a labored breath.
“No,” she shook her head honestly feeling a frown creep in over
her lips. “You scared me and…”
“Avery, I need it out of my leg,” Kevin snapped back at her, his
brown eyes more commanding then they were earlier, “I don’t care
what you have to do. Get that damn thing out of my leg!”
“Okay,” she nodded wearily moving in beside him again to access
the situation. Seeing that there was some kind of spike near the top of his
thigh, she realized she couldn’t just lift his leg over it and pull him
off of the wooden ‘stake’ that had pierced him. “Kevin, it’s
got an edge to it. I’m going to have to break it and then…”
“Just do it,” he spat out curling his fingers into fists and dropping
his head back on the rock floor beneath him. “Break the damn thing if
you have to. Just get it out.”
“Okay,” she whispered focusing in on the piece of wood once again.
Reaching for it, she wrapped it around her jacket before using both hands
to snap it in half. She felt Kevin’s body shudder and tense beneath her,
his voice coming out in a pained undetermined sound.
“Keep going,” he instructed hearing her drop the piece she’d
just pulled out of him onto the ground far beyond where they were. He reopened
his eyes caught up in a whirlwind of pain as Avery focused on him.
“Kevin, we’re going to need to roll you off of this, which means
you’re going to have to help me get your leg out of this,” she explained
reaching out to curve her fingers around his massive thigh just beneath where
the remaining part of the piece of wood was. “I’m going to need
you to work with me on this by trying to raise your leg and…”
“Okay,” Kevin gritted his teeth in again feeling her position herself
between his thighs. Closing his eyes he counted to ten mentally before looking
up to her.
“You can do this,” she instructed in a soothing tone starting to
raise his leg only to hear him cry out in agony.
“Not so fast,” Kevin blurted out unable to deal with the pain that
carried up into his hip and down his leg. “Slower.”
“Kevin the slower we are about this, the longer it’s going to draw
this out. It’ll hurt more,” she explained her dark eyes meeting
his again, “We can do this on the count of three, okay?”
“Okay,” he panted finding it hard to breath now that he felt trapped
in the cavern that surrounded them.
“One…two…” Avery’s eyes fixed on him once again.
“Three,” Kevin finished doing his best to lift his straining leg
up while the piece of wood that had lodged itself inside of him slide in a
thick, painful movement through the muscle of his leg.
“You’re almost there,” Avery pulled on his leg urging him to
roll in towards her and away from the cavern wall. “Just a little more.”
“This hurts like a…” Kevin blurted out unable to repress the
agony he was feeling now that he’d been trapped in such a tentative position.
“It’s out,” Avery offered up a breath of relief watching Kevin
roll onto his stomach and away from the blood soaked piece of wood he’d
collided with earlier. Turning her attention to his leg, she noticed that
he was still bleeding heavily and that caused her great concern. “Kevin,
we need to get you out of here. We need to get to a doctor and…”
“I know,” he nodded attempting to sit up only to fall back onto
the ground in agony. “Shit!”
“What’s wrong?” Avery questioned watching him reach out to
cup his leg with his hands, a solid rumble of pain falling from his lips.
“I can do this,” Kevin tried to force himself up again, but it was
no use. His leg had been throbbing with pain and even as he tried to take
a look at what damage had been done Avery realized he’d lost a lot of
blood.
“Let me try something,” she reached for her jacket again seeing
that it had collected dirt in the crash. While she’d intended to use
it to wrap Kevin’s leg she thought of all the germs and possible infections
that would be awaiting him should she use the jacket to wrap him up in. Taking
in a breath she pushed her hands down to the bottom of her t-shirt and raised
it up over her head.
“Avery, what are you doing?” Kevin blinked back at her surprise
behind his dark eyes.
“I need to get some kind of tourniquet on it,” she explained tearing
a piece of material from her t-shirt in the hopes of accomplishing her mission.
She leaned forward wrapping the bottom half of her shirt around his thigh
tightly before moving back. She checked to see if she’d secured it before
she slipped the rest of her t-shirt back on her. “See mission accomplished.”
“I’m not so sure what to say considering that…” Kevin
winced watching Avery move away from him. “Where are you going?”
“To see if there’s a way we can get out of here,” Avery informed
him slowly moving around the cavern in the hopes of finding some kind of exit.
As they’d predicted the rocks had fallen in front of the entrance keeping
them trapped from within, which would only mean trouble. She scanned the cavern
again before spotting her fallen purse near the majority of the ruins.
“Avery,” Kevin’s voice echoed through the cavern as she returned
to him.
“I think I can help,” she whispered knowing full well that they
were in more trouble than she cared to admit. She tore into her purse and
pulled out a pill bottle that she’d had inside. She popped the top off
before extracting a pill and offering it to him, “I hope you don’t
have trouble swallowing these without water.”
“What is it?” Kevin asked readily accepting the pill she’d
given him.
“Vicodin,” she explained drawing in a breath, “I had some after
I had Erin due to the injuries I got when Bruce tried to kill me.”
“You carry that kind of stuff in your purse,” Kevin questioned choking
down on the pill and watching her nod.
“Yeah, considering that I don’t exactly live a normal kind of life,”
Avery revealed turning her attention to her bruised finger as well. She contemplated
popping the pain pill, but instead opted for something else--something a little
less effective to keep her alert.
“What’s that?” Kevin asked with a heavy breath seeing her take
the pill in her hand.
“Something that will keep me from losing any notion about the weight
of the situation. I need to find a way to get us out of here.” she informed
him worriedly.
“You never should’ve been in here in the first place. I told you
to wait in the car,” Kevin reminded her with a heavy breath. “I
wish you would have listened.”
“I wish I would have too because if this had happened and I was out there
I could call for help,” Avery paused a sudden thought occurring to her.
“Wait, my cell phone.”
“You have it on you?” Kevin’s voice perked up watching her
nod.
“I put it in my purse and…” she paused after shuffling through
the contents of her purse. “It was here earlier, but…”
“But what?” he questioned worriedly.
“I must’ve lost it when Heather and I were fighting,” she realized
knowing full well that things went from bad to worse. Frowning another thought
occurred to her, “What about you? Where is your cell phone?”
“I have no idea,” Kevin revealed honestly closing his eyes and sinking
back onto the floor of the cavern, “Brant and I got into a fight ourselves
and my cell phone was a casualty.”
“Damn it,” Avery mouthed thinking about the predicament that they’d
gotten themselves into. “Now what?”
“Now we need to focus on getting us out of here and…” Kevin’s
eyes grew wide before Avery watched his head drop down to the ground.
“Kevin?” she spoke his name moving in closer to him. Touching the
side of his face she could feel that he was burning up. She nudged him a few
times before realizing that he’d passed out on her, undoubtedly due to
the fact that he’d already endured a great amount of pain.
“Oh God no. Please wake up. We have to get out of here. Kevin we have
to find a way out of here,” Avery pleaded with him hearing the sounds
of the storm picking up outside of the cavern. As the thunder raged on Avery
began to wonder if they’d ever truly be able to see the light of day
again. Now as she surveyed the darkened space around them with her worried
eyes, she feared that she could very well wind up losing everything that mattered
to her now that she and Kevin had found themselves in the wrong place at the
wrong time.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“Any luck?” Brant questioned forcing himself to pull his head up
after Don had carried him along the beach to where the blood trail ended.
The winds had kicked up around them and the rain was now falling upon them
with a frenzied tempo. Don glanced at the thunderclouds overhead and knew
full well whatever clues they’d been given were no more now that the
storm opted to change their plans in altering their search.
“Brant, it’s getting bad out here,” Don mouthed seeing lightening
flash across the sky. He felt Brant’s knees go out and he quickly scooped
Brant up in both of his arms hugging him in close to him.
“Don,” Brant’s dark eyes widened before he offered up a thunderous
laugh, “my I never realized just how strong you are.”
“Brant, we need to get back to the car,” Don frowned feeling Brant’s
head drop on his shoulder.
“You make a good teddy bear,” Brant mumbled incoherently into Don’s
shoulder. “No wonder you got laid so much in college. Girls are suckers
for strong arms and a big chest. Of course I didn‘t have any problems
since I have a big…well, you know…”
“Brant, we need to get you back to the car,” Don frowned not wanting
to hear another word from his friend.
“Did you know Angela has a pet name for it?” Brant snorted again
shaking his head into Don’s shoulder, “She plays with it so much
that she’s taken to naming it. I’ll admit there are a lot of women
with some strange habits, but my Angel baby is the first one to name my penis.”
“Brant, I really think we should skip over this one for right now,”
Don paused thinking about what his best friend was telling him. However, he
couldn’t resist the surge of curiosity that carried over him. “Okay,
I’ll bite, what does she call it?”
“She calls it…” Brant’s head flopped forward his nose
crashing into Don’s shoulder with a heavy thud.
“Brant, are you drooling?” Don questioned pulling back from Brant
long enough to see his friend’s head swirling around in a lopsided movement.
“Drool? No, not me,” Brant waved his hand dismissively around in
the air. In the haphazard movement however he wound up striking himself across
the cheek and groaning. “Damn that hurt.”
“Brant, I’m taking you back to the car. It’s settled!”
Don frowned wondering why he’d thought he could carry Brant out with
him onto the beach. The blood trail was washed away and nothing remained of
the situation other than the storm that threatened to overtake them. Looking
to the car again Don pondered what kind of time he could make if he tossed
Brant over his shoulder.
“When I get back to the hotel I’m going to bed,” Brant slurred
sounding more and more out of the reality around him by the passing second.
“I’m going to sleep the rest of the day then tonight I’m having
sex. Angela and I are going to have lots of sex when we get back together.”
“Brant, you’re lucky to keep your head up. I seriously doubt that
you’ll be able to get your di…” Don stopped as he noticed a
few drops of blood just beyond where he and Brant stood.
Carefully standing Brant up straighter, Don felt a moment of hopefulness carry
over him. He saw that Brant’s eyes were glazed over and he took in a
breath.
“Brant, can you hear me?” Don questioned waving his hand around
in front of Brant’s face.
“Tonight I’m going to do a little dance, make a little love,”
Brant babbled to the familiar tune, “get down tonight. Angela and I are
going to get…”
“Stay here,” Don instructed pressing Brant up against the side of
a rock formation that was directly behind where they stood. Once he was certain
that Brant was braced up against it properly, Don turned to search where the
blood droplets lead to. Unfortunately in the few seconds it took to set Brant
up against the rock formation, Don realized that the rain had washed all but
one drop away. “Damn it!”
Don moved forward looking around the beach again before cursing. Thunder roared
above and another bolt of lightening shot down across the sky “Brant,
we have to get back to the car. I’m sorry, but it’s not safe out
here this close to the water and…”
Don spun around only to discover that Brant was no longer where he’d
left him. Frowning Don moved forward seeking out any sign of his best friend,
but he came up empty. He turned around the corner of the rock formation half
expecting to find Brant face down in the sand, but much to his dismay Brant
wasn’t there either.
“Where are you?” Don questioned surveying the area once again before
hearing a loud, pinched scream from inside the rock formation. Immediately
Don searched the rocks and found an entrance he’d overlooked in his search
for Brant. There was another sound and within a matter of seconds he found
himself inside the cave standing over Brant, who now had Angela at his side.
“I found her,” Brant grinned widely up at Don, an eagerness carrying
over him. “I really found her.”
“Brant, thank God you’re alive,” Angela reached out to embrace
him hugging him tightly as her own tears carried over her. “I thought
I lost you…that Craven killed you and…”
“Nope,” Brant shook his head as she released him. He moved back
enough to pull his shirt up over his face while speaking up behind the fabric.
“I got shot, but Don fixed me up. See.”
“I see, but…” Angela watched Brant struggling to pull the shirt
back down again. Instead it got hooked over his head somehow and he let out
a loud scream.
“Don help! It’s trying to eat me alive!” Brant wailed horrified
by the predicament he’d gotten himself into. His arms flew around frantically
trying to pull the fabric away from his head with hefty gasps as Don moved
forward.
“Don?” Angela questioned tipping her head to the side as she tried
to keep her breathing smooth and even. “What’s happening to him?”
“After he got shot I tried to fix him up,” Don explained pushing
Brant’s shirt down over his head and back onto his body again while Brant
let out a loud sigh of relief, “I gave him painkillers and a sedative.”
“You mean he was shot and you didn’t take him to the hospital?”
Angela snapped unable to believe that Don had let Brant run around in such
a state. She watched him swatting at something that wasn’t in the air
in front of him before she noticed drool hanging from the side of his mouth.
“Don, how could you?”
“Yeah how could you Don?” Brant repeated reaching out to swat at
his friend, but instead landed face forward on the ground beside Angela.
“He’s a wreck,” Angela frowned seeing Brant shuffling to pull
himself up off of the ground, but after a few attempts he still kept missing
it.
“Hey, he wanted to look for you because he would rather die than lose
you,” Don offered up in his own defense.
“He’s got a point there,” Brant raised his head enough to spit
out the dirt that had gotten into his mouth in the fall. He carefully crawled
over in beside Angela and reached out to touch the side of her face gently
now that they were beside one another, “I love you Angela and I wouldn’t
wanna…see…”
“Brant?” she questioned seeing his eyelids close again.
“I don’t wanna lose you…because I…I loooooooooovvvveee…”
Brant’s brown eyes reopened and he swirled his index finger around in
the air before bringing it in over her nose with a buzzing sound. He giggled
before leaning in closer to her, “you.”
“I love you too but I don’t think you should be out here. You’ve
been shot and…” Angela started worried about the man she loved as
he leaned forward kissing her with a sloppy kiss.
“Don’t worry. I’m here to save the day because I love you,”
Brant murmured again dipping in to kiss her. His fingers tapered off into
her hair while his nose nuzzled the side of her neck. “Baby, I’m
going to treat you so good because I love you. I couldn’t be back at
the hotel being shot because you need me.”
“Of course I need you, but…” Angela felt his head drop down
on her shoulder and a small snoring sound erupted from between his lips. “Brant!”
“Huh? What? Huh?” he questioned sitting upright in a panic. He turned
to look at her, realization dawning in on him as he smiled, “Angela you’re
safe. I rescued you. You’re here…”
“Yes I’m here, but obviously you’re not fully here are you?”
Angela questioned glancing over at Don. “Don, you have to get him to
a hospital. I know you don’t think there’s anything to worry about,
but with him getting shot like that…”
“I know and now that we’ve found you we can do that. You can just
help me take him to the car and then…” Don started seeing Brant
rubbing the side of Angela’s face like he was petting her. Brant urged
her to meet his eyes again as Brant smiled widely.
“I sure do love you Angela Meloni. You’re the beautifulest woman
I’ve ever met,” Brant ran his finger over the center of her swelled
bottom lip, “I love you so much that I would die for you. I love your
kisses and your eyes and your…”
“Brant, we know you love her buddy, but we need to get you to the car,”
Don sighed stepping forward ready to pull Brant off of the ground. He looked
to Angela and sighed, “You didn’t hurt yourself in that accident,
did you?”
“No,” she shook her head and thought back to the crash, “Was
Craven in there when you arrived?”
“No one was, but with the blood inside I wasn’t sure what we’d
expect to find,” Don revealed moving to pick Brant up only to feel Brant
swat at his hand.
“I’m staying right here with Angela. I’m not leaving without
her,” Brant proclaimed throwing his arms around her shoulders and squeezing
her in closer to him. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too Brant, but…” Angela let out a pinched wail,
a sudden cry erupting from the back of her throat that caused both Don and
Brant to jump in surprise.
“That is not my fault,” Brant blurted out releasing her shoulder
almost immediately.
“Brant, it’s not you. It’s just that…” Angela glanced
up at Don with a pleading expression, “I’m on the ground here because
I’m in labor Don. I was hoping it would wait, but my water broke during
the accident and…”
“Okay, now that is my fault,” Brant waved his hand around in the
air again before looking over at Angela. “Sorry.”
“Brant, I just…” Angela bit down on her words feeling another
contraction carry over her.
“You’re kidding right?” Don’s blue eyes widened as Brant
slumped down on Angela’s shoulder once again.
“Do I look like I’m kidding Don?” Angela snarled at him, finding
it hard to stay focused now that she’d felt as if her body was being
torn into pieces.
“Oh God. We’ll find a way to fix this. We’ll solve this situation
I hope,” Don started to pace around the area in an attempt to come up
with some kind of plan. “Okay I can pick you up and take you to the car,
then come back for him.”
“Okay,” Angela nodded bringing her hand over her abdomen and taking
in a breath, “that sounds good.”
“You’re having my babies…” Brant mused kissing the side
of her neck. “I love you.”
“I love you too, but…Don we‘ve got a problem. Oh God I…”
Angela began feeling another contraction carry over her. Unable to repress
the pain that carried over her, she stretched her hand out and reached for
the first thing that she could grip onto, which happened to be the center
of Brant’s pants.
“Son of a…” Brant squealed his eyes opening wide, with no more
trace of drowsiness behind their depths. It was clear he was in nothing short
of agony as Angela clamped her fingers onto him not ready to offer up any
kind of release while the contraction carried over her. Brant’s face
turned red and his eyes seemed to cross as Don felt a shudder carry over him.
“Oh yeah we’ve got a big problem,” Don realized knowing full
well that things had just gone from bad to worse with this newfound complication
on the situation. On the bright side Brant would be feeling fortunate to have
Angela back when the drugs wore off and reality hit him that she was safe,
but then again as Don watched the way that Angela had squeezed the life out
of him, Don had to wonder if Brant would truly ever want to get his head clear
enough to remember such a painful moment in time. Angela finally released
Brant and Don let out a breath.
“Thank you,” Brant whimpered falling face forward onto the ground
again.
“Brant I…” Angela’s eyes widened realizing what she’d
done to him.
“Let me just get you to the car,” Don stepped forward watching Angela
writhe in agony once again.
“Don I can’t. I can’t move,” Angela burst into tears unable
to ignore the pain that carried over her. “I can’t do it.”
“Okay, then we’ll do this here. I‘ll go grab some things from
the car and call for help,” Don decided searching the area.
Angela nodded biting down on her lip. She glanced over at a now whimpering
Brant before turning to Don again, “Please hurry.”
“I’ll do my best,” Don vowed knowing full well that this was
probably the last place in the world that Angela wanted to have her children,
but fate wasn’t about to give her a choice.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
...to be continued...