Against All Odds
"I believe that every single event in life happens in an opportunity to choose love over fear."
― Oprah Winfrey
"Kylee, did you hear me?" Phil yelled from the kitchen. "Now," he added for emphasis. He grabbed the plates out of the cupboard and sat them on the island in the center of the kitchen. He could still hear the video game running in the living room. He inhaled deeply, his temper wearing thin. "Kylee Rue!" He yelled louder than he originally planned, but his outburst was effective, his teenage niece finally paused the video game.
She sauntered into the kitchen a few minutes later, just as Phil was pulling the frozen pizza, he had picked up at the market, out of the oven. "What?"
"Did you clean up like I asked?"
"Not yet, I'll get to it." She replied, impatiently. The seventeen year old crossed her arms over her chest.
"It's not an option, Kylee; you'll do it after dinner or I'll disconnect the x-box."
"Then I can just go to my room and get on the computer." She responded in that know-it-all kind of way that only a seventeen year old would dare to use. Pretty soon reality will hit her like a ton of bricks and she will realize she doesn't know everything after all.
"I'll disconnect that and lock up the power cord until you do what I've asked."
The girl had the nerve to growl at him. Really, he wanted to laugh, but he knew better. If he wanted her to listen to him, he had to be tough. He had always acted more like an older brother to her and that was coming back to bite him in the ass. "Why don't you do it yourself?"
Phil closed his eyes and counted to ten. He was trying to remember what it was like being seventeen, hating the entire world and everyone in it, trying to sympathize with her. He was failing. "Because, I told you to do it and if you are going to live in my house you are going to do what I say." He stated, cutting the pizza.
"You can't tell me what to do, you're not my father."
"Well, you father isn't here, now is he?" Phil slammed the pizza cutter down on the counter, his temper flaring. "I told you to do it, it will only take you five minutes, and then you can do whatever you want. What's the big deal?"
"I told you I'd get to it; you're the one making a big deal out of it." She retorted, flopping dramatically in one of the tall stools beside the island. "Not everything has to be done right away."
" I know you, if you keep putting it off, you will never get around to it." Phil put a piece of pizza on a plate and sat it down in front of her. He ignored her irritated huff as she pushed the plate away and continued, "besides, if you would just do what I asked, when I asked you to do it, we wouldn't have to fight about it all of the time." He concluded, grabbing two slices of pizza for himself and pouring them both a glass of Pepsi.
"If you didn't nag me all the time about it, I wouldn't have to fight with you," she countered.
He sighed, knowing he was becoming too frustrated to continue the fight with her. "Kylee, you will do what I ask, as long as you live under my roof, when I ask you to do it, or you will being living a very boring life. If you do not clean up, like I asked, you will not go to the dance Friday night." Phil took a bite of pizza.
Kylee stared at him, clearly taken aback. She was not used to him acting like a parent, but it was something she was going to have to get used to now that he was her legal guardian. "You can't do that!" She yelled, jumping to her feet.
"Just watch me."
"Fine, if you want to treat me like a slave and demand that I do things in order to live here, than I will just leave!" She stomped over to the back door and grabbed her purse off of the hook by the door.
Phil shrugged his shoulders, "Have fun, make sure you're back by ten or I'm locking the door. I have to work early tomorrow." Phil never looked up as the teenage brunette yanked the door open.
"Don't wait up; I'm never coming back here!" She slammed the door in her wake.
Phil grabbed his plate and made his way to the living room, knowing she would be back by nine o'clock.
He would have her, regardless. No matter what had to be done, how much work it would take, she would be his. He watched as the small brunette left the coffee shop, her friends heading in the opposite direction. She didn't even look back as she began the long walk toward her car.
She was perfect.
Phil was pacing. It was twenty minutes after midnight and Kylee still hadn't returned. He found himself running to the door every time he heard a sound outside, hoping to find Kylee getting out of her car in the driveway.
There was no such luck. He had called all of Kylee's friends; none of them had seen her since eight-thirty when they left the café on Lafayette. Her friends had told him that she had told them she was heading straight home. They said she had calmed down and said she was coming home to apologize.
So where had she gone?
Had she changed her mind? Had she lied to her friends about where she was going? Why would she do that?
Phil sat down on the couch and tilted his head back; releasing a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Where are you Kylee," he whispered, gently rubbing his temples with his fingertips.
Kylee might have a short fuse, much like himself, and she might overreact, but she was not irresponsible. She always came home, even when she threatened to leave. She was just hurting, much like himself. He had probably been too hard on her.
Now he was worried sick. He was supposed to be taking care of her and he didn't even know where she was. Could he be a worse Uncle?
Should he call the police? Should he file a missing person's report? It had only been four hours since she left, the police would probably say she ran off to a friend's house.
But Phil didn't think any of Kylee's friends would lie to him to cover for her. He was rather popular amongst his niece's friends.
Maybe he should call the police, it couldn't hurt.
He stood up and walked to the refrigerator, grabbing a Pepsi, as he decided what he was going to tell the cops.
He jumped when the phone ring.
He quickly grabbed the phone off of the cradle and looked at the name on the caller ID.
Kylee.
"Hey, Kylee, where are you? Are you alright? Where have you been?" He answered quickly, a flood of unanswered questions spilling out of him as soon as he hit the "okay" button.
"I'm sure she's been better, Phil," an unknown voice retorted. It was deep and distorted.
"Who is this? Where is Kylee?" Phil heard nothing but the crackling cellular connection and the thundering of his own heart.
"Don't worry; I'm taking good care of your niece." The voice said. Phil could hear the distinct sound of traffic in the background, as well as a quiet sobbing. Then he hear his niece's voice, 'Uncle Phil, help me.'
Phil's stomach clenched. His niece was in trouble and he could have prevented it. He growled, pissed. His fist collided with the wall, leaving a large hole in its wake. "You better not hurt Kylee. I swear, I will find you and rip you limb from fucking limb."
The person on the other line laughed, only making Phil angrier. "I won't hurt Kylee, for now. You see, Phil, I need you to do something for me."
Phil began to pace. What could this person want from him? "Anything."
"Yes, I knew she'd be perfect. Such a pretty little thing, I knew someone would be willing to protect her. I need you to find someone for me Phil. Someone very important to me… and I need you to bring them to me."
They wanted him to kidnap someone? What irony, a captive for a captive, "Who?"
It might have been risky, but he had to save Kylee.
"You will find that I have already left the information for you at your martial arts studio. It is in a sealed manila envelope. Oh, and Phil, do hurry. I'm sure you'd like to see your precious niece again."
With that the line went dead.
an. I think that is the perfect place for a cliffhanger ending, is it not? I hope this story will catch your guys' interest. I've had a request to write PunkAJ and this idea seemed perfect.
disclaimer: I do not own cm punk or aj lee. I only own kylee and this kind of crazy plot.
next chapter: phil finds his target, but just what has he gotten himself into?
by the way, follow me on twitter (imaginethattx) for updates on all of my stories and to see the OC model for Kylee.
I think that's all for now. I hope you all enjoy this. And don't forget to leave me some love! xoxox danie.