Authors Notes: Wow. Okay, so I was taking a walk through my neighborhood and this just came to me. Little disturbed, but what can you do?
I had planned on making this part of another story, but I think it can stand on two legs.
Be warned- This is pure Alex, no Bobby in sight. I think it's healthy for their relationship, though.
And the names of her family? Joey I read in another story and it just fit as her older brother and Katie? I don't know where Katie came from, but I think it fits too. Joey, Alex and Katie.
Now, as for the title, I stole that little baby from Bryan Adams. Did I say stole? I meant burrowed. I'm all over the place, aren't I? The lyrics to the song will be at the end of the story, for those of you who care.
Rating: I'd say PG-13 to R. R to be safe. It deals with some pretty serious stuff. Well, in my day it would be R, but I don't know, kids know and talk about a lot more these days (I'm all of 19 BTW, but still- alot has changed since I was 12!) Language too, that gets a little out of hand. So yeah, R. You know, to be safe. Which is, actually, what this story is all about.
Summery: Twelve-year-old Alex teaches a would-be kidnapper not to mess with her or her sister. Started out as a charactor builder, what-would-she-be-like-when-she-was-young kind of story and took a turn somewhere along the way. Well, what can you do?
Don't push me- I'll fight it.
"Come on, Katie!" Alex Eames hurried her little sister, who was trying to keep up with Alex's longer strides.
"Slow down, Alex, I'm tired." Katie whined, as only a eight year old could.
"Well so am I, but Dad is going to kill us as it is. We were supposed to be home before the street lights came on- look the suns all the way down now." Alex snapped back.
"Not my fault." Katie replied sullenly, though truthfully.
Everyday when school ended, the sisters stayed for the After-school program that didn't let out until four. When Alex turned twelve, she was permitted to walk her sister the four blocks home; and on Fridays they were aloud to skip the after-school program all together and go to the park where Alex had soccer practice until five. The street lights came on at five-thirty though- as soon as the sun started to go down, and there was a strict rule that they be in the house at that time.
Practice had ended on time- but Alex had stayed a little longer than usual because every Friday- as soon as the elementary kids were finished- a group of four boys showed up to do drills. The boys were around fourteen and fifteen, her brother Joey's age. Tomboy Alex didn't watch for their looks, though- she watched because these kids had talent. She watched to learn- a fact that hadn't escaped the older boys notice.
So today, the practiced as usual and finished at five. Alex gathered her stuff and went to find her usual spot where she could see Katie and the boys at the same time; but there was a hitch in the normal routine. The boys were leaned up against the face, watching for her approach.
"Not bad out there, kid." One of the guys said with a Spanish accent. Alex heard the other kids call him Net, though she doubted this was his real name.
"Yeah?" she asked, pleased.
"Sure. Noticed you trying out the old switcher-oo." The one who played goalie said.
"Passing it to one kid while looking like your ganna pass it to another." Star, who Alex noticed always played off Net explained at her blank look.
"You got that from always watching us, yeah?" This from Net.
"Oh, uh, yeah. Look, I didn't mean to steal your plays or anything-" Alex hastened to explain, but they all laughed.
"Shit, how do you think we learned it? Watching the Soccer players on TV do it. Ain't nothing wrong with imitation in this sport." Net replied and Alex looked relieved.
"Your Joey Eames' little sister, aren't you?" Goalie asked.
"Yeah." Alex said with pride.
"Want to kick the ball around?" Net asked.
Alex knew she shouldn't, knew she would more than likely get in trouble for being late, but also didn't care. Not only that- she was a cop's daughter and was more cautious than other twelve year olds. But, they were in a public park, they're were people all around if she called out for help, what could happen? Besides, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. So she dropped her bag and walked around to the opening in the fence.
"Just for five minutes, though, I have to get home or my dad will be on my case all night." Alex said, repeating something she heard Joey say constantly. It did the trick, she got a mixture of laughs and 'I know what you mean's.
Five minutes turned into ten and she perfected faking out the players so no one knew who she was going to pass it too. Ten turned into fifteen, and they taught her how to fake the goalie out too, so she pretended to kick for a goal, but passed it to Net at the last minute. Fifteen turned into twenty and they all ragged on her when she kicked the ball to far to the right. She threw out a joke, smiling good-naturedly and ran to retrieve the ball. Twenty turn into twenty five and they all cheered when she finally got the ball passed Tommy, the goalie who was all over the place. Twenty five was threatening to turn into thirty when-
"Alex! I think we're supposed to be home!" Katie called from behind the wired fence of the soccer field. Alex- who never wore a watch, looked at the sun, which was already started to set.
"Shit! Sorry guys, I gotta jet! Thanks again!" Alex said, running to grab her stuff.
"See you later, Kid." Net called, dribbling the ball down the field as Star tried to take it from him.
"I know it's not your fault." Alex said angrily. It was her fault and she knew there was no way of getting out of trouble now. She just hoped her dad wasn't so mad that he didn't let Alex go to the park on Fridays.
"I can't walk anymore." Katie said stubbornly, stopping with a pout.
"Come on Katie, we're almost home! The longer we wait the more upset Dad'll be." Alex said crossly.
"So? I'm not the one who'll get in trouble. This is all your fault." Katie replied, mimicking a sneer she learned from Alex, who learned it from Joey.
"Fine, stay here then, I'm going home. I hope the holly's dogs aren't loose again." Alex threw the threat out and she turned to keep walking.
"Alex! Wait for me!" Katie screamed, though she was still in Alex's sight.
"Come on, then." Alex said with a sigh.
They rounded the corner to their street and Alex paused at the canal that ran along behind their house. It was creepier at night, sure. But it wasn't forbidden and it would cut off minutes, meaning they would only be five or ten minutes passed curfew.
"Wait Alex, I don't want to go that way." Katie said.
"Ugh! Katie not now, this is the only way we might get home on time. You don't want to stop going to the park do you?" Alex questioned, taking her hand and pulling her along.
"The alligators back here eat kids." she protested. Alex had heard the same stories growing up, but never once saw an alligator.
"People made that up. Have you ever seen one?" Alex asked.
"Hey there." A man called out as they passed before Katie could reply.
He was standing at the foot bridge that connected their neighborhood to the next, a more wealthy one. As a child Alex, and the street kids she grew up with always thought of that neighborhood as the 'Rich kids houses', though she knew now they were really only middle class. There were some nice homes in there, but most were average. That didn't mean the kids from each neighborhood got along any better, though.
All of Alex's defensives went up when she saw the man, though there was nothing about his outward appearance to suggest something was wrong. He looked to be from thirty to thirty five, clean shaven and well dressed. But there was just something off to Alex about a man his age stopping two girls their age to chat; for his greeting was not one of a passing hello, rather a hey, stop and chat for a minute.
"Hello." Alex said politely. She took Katie's hand again and started to pull her along.
"What's your names?" he asked, taking a step to compensate for the one Alex took in the opposite direction.
"Katie!" she said friendly, obviously not having the same concerns about the man as Alex did. "That's my sister Alex." she suppled when Alex didn't offer a reply. She nudged her little sister to be quiet, but Katie just looked questioningly back, not understanding.
"Really? My daughters name is Katie too!" he said laughing and Katie joined in.
"Sorry, but we're supposed to be home." Alex said. "Come on, Katie." she said, pulling on her hand.
"Oh sure. I just wondered if you wanted to see some puppies I have." he said with a nod back towards the foot bridge behind him. Alex then noticed the beat up brown van he had and her heart almost stopped. As a cops daughter, she new this to be the oldest trick in the book, and now knew for certain what she had only been wary off a minute before. This man was planning on kidnapping her and her sister.
"Puppies? I want to see them, can we Alex?" Katie asked, looking up at her in excitement.
"No." she said sternly, heart beating so wildly in her chest that she was afraid they'd hear.
"Oh pleeease Alex, we're already late, we might as well." Katie whined.
"I said No. I'm sorry but we were supposed to be home, our father is probably out looking for us right now." Alex said, tugging on her little sister hand.
"How about I give you a ride?" he asked nicely, reaching out an putting a hand on Katie's shoulder, stopping movement.
"Let her go!" Alex yelled, panic finally rising. Katie looked in alarm at her older sister, then back at the man.
"Come on kids." he said, starting to pull Katie and Alex, who was holding her hand like a lifeline, towards the car.
"No! Someone help!" Alex screamed, trying to get the attention of the people in the houses that ran along the canal, like theirs. In her panic, she looked around to see if her Father was indeed out looking for them, but no one was in sight.
"Shut up you little brat!" the man snarled, all facade of goodness now gone.
Katie now knew something was terribly wrong and tried to get free on the mans firm grasp. "Alex!" she screamed, starting to cry.
"Let her GO!" Alex screamed again, this time swinging her bag, full with her shoes and a extra soccer ball into his head. It did the trick, he released Katie to grab the side of his face in surprise and Alex gave a silent and quick thanks to her love of soccer, the pulled Katie out of his reach.
"Run!" she instructed, pushing her sister in front of her. Katie didn't need to be told twice, and took off like a shot, still crying her eyes out.
"Not so fast." The man recovered quicker than Alex anticipated and now she was in her sisters place. "Let go." she said, struggling against her captor.
"Your going to pay for that, you little bitch." he snarled at her, picking her up so she was eye level.
"My dad's a cop! You do anything to me and he'll kill you!" Alex screamed in desperation, hoping to scare this man out of taking her.
Unfortunately, this only hurried him along. He tossed Alex half over his shoulder and practically ran across the foot bridge and towards the van.
"DAD!" Alex screamed, full panic mode now. She now wished she had never snuck her fathers files out of his desk to read; she knew all of the thing that happened to girls her age who were kidnapped. Most were never found, and those who had been were found killed. Not to mentioned raped. The word was almost always added after the way the girl would have been murdered was listed, but Alex never knew what it was until she went to the library to look it up. She now wished she didn't.
The man mistook her for spotting him and turned around, giving Alex a better, closer view of the van she was sure she's be killed in. It was brown and unmarked, the license plate was from out of state and Alex noticed the tags were expired. Would he take her to the state it came from? Alex wondered as the chance of seeing her family ever again was getting smaller and smaller. DO1-234, that was easy enough to remember, she thought idly.
'This is all my fault.' she told herself, but was consoled on the fact that at least Katie got away. 'I don't want to go.' she added, wanting to cry.
'Why are you making it so easy for him? I thought you were a fighter?' he dad's voice rang in her head and Alex realized with a start that that was exactly what she was doing.
Angry now at her own stupidity, she lined her foot up just right, pulled back as far as she could and brought it down with as much force as she had in her twelve year old, soccer playing body. The results stunned Alex.
"Ahhhh!" the man screamed out, dropping Alex and falling to his knees. His hands flew between his legs and he laid with his face in the ground, sounding like he was crying.
Alex found herself suddenly free, but stood there a moment. The man was still on the ground, and the panic she had felt flared into anger . He was going to hurt Katie. He tricked her little sister so he could kidnap her, and probably rape and kill her. Alex also knew people kidnapped kids to sell them, but she knew this wasn't that kind of bad guy.
So, one last time, she raised her foot and kicked him as hard as she could- this time in the face. "That's for touching my little sister, you sicko!" she yelled over his cries, then finally took off.
She flew across the footbridge and started home, half expecting to see her father coming down along the canal from the other way. Surely Katie had gotten home by now and told them what happened.
Alex suddenly stopped short, hearing a muffled cry. She took a step forward then reached into a bush and pulled out Katie, who was crying silently and smelled as if she wet her pants.
"Katie! Are you okay?" Alex asked.
"Alex! He didn't get you!" Katie began crying even harder and latched onto Alex.
"Hey, I'm alright." she said, picking Katie and started awkwardly half walking, half jogging toward home. "We sure showed him, didn't we?" Alex she, pretending to be jovial to calm her sister down.
"I waited for you to catch up but you didn't. I thought he got you and I couldn't help." she cried out loudly.
"You did the right thing, Katie! I told you to run and you did; I'm so proud of you! You were awesome!" Alex said encouragingly and it finally seemed to be doing the trick.
"I..I am?" she asked sniffily.
"Hell yeah! Your a true Eames. We showed him not to mess with us, didn't we?" she asked as they finally, finally reached home.
Alex burst through the door, almost throwing Katie on the couch as her arms finally gave out.
"Alex? Is that you? We were just starting to get worried." she heard her mothers voice say from the kitchen.
"Hurry up, I'm starving." Joey called out.
"Its ten minutes passed curfew, what took you so long to get home?" At the sound of her fathers voice, however stern, Alex finally felt safe.
'Ten minutes? Could it that really have been only ten minutes? It felt like days.' Alex thought to herself.
"Dad!" she called out, not able to say anything more.
He heard the panic in her voice, though and soon he was kneeling in front of her. Her mother was wrapping her arms around Katie and Joey stood behind his dad, watching his sister shake as the adrenaline rush finally began to subside leaving her physically exhausted
"My god Alex, what happened?" her father asked.
Alex glanced at Katie who was now crying again at the sight of their mom and pulled her dad away so she didn't make her sister relive the experience.
"A man tried get us, dad. We were walking home along the canal and he stopped us at the foot bridge." Alex said as calmly as possible, then told him what happened
When she finished her story, he went to the cabinet above the TV, took his keys out and unlocked it. He then pulled out his badge and gun, and walked just as quickly to the door.
Alex went to follow but her dad put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her.
"I want to go with you. I'll show you where it happened." she said.
"You will stay with your mother. I know where the footbridge is." he said, then he was gone.
Alex turned to watch her mother lift Katie off the couch and take her to the bathroom, probably to wash her up.
"Alex." Joey said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at her older brother, her idle, her best friend up until a couple of years ago when it was no long cool to have your little sister tailing along. "You did great." he said.
"Joey, this was all my fault." Alex said, on the verge of tears and hating herself for it.
"No it wasn't. " he said firmly. She explained how she stayed almost a half hour later than she should have, playing soccer with the older kids and how she took the short cut to save time.
"So? You took on a man, a man Alex, who had at least fifteen years and probably a hundred pounds on you and you got away. Do you know how cool you are?" he said proudly and Alex, who always craved his attention, finally smiled.
"First of all, you got Katie away. Do you know how many kids- hell adults even, would just think of their own hides and run when they had a chance? But no, he had ahold of Katie and you got her free at the risk of getting caught yourself. Did you panic? No- you kicked him where you knew him to be most vulnerable and got away. Not only that- you got a description of his van down to the licence plate numbers." Joey went on, boasting proudly.
"You are going to be a great cop some day, Alex." he said, knowing that would win her over, knowing how much she desperately wanted to follow in her fathers footsteps when she grew up.
"Thanks Joey." she said, voice horse from all the screaming she did.
"Hey, lay some skin on me." he said, holding out his hand. She smiled widely, slapping his hand.
"Ow!" he said, waving his hand, pretending it had hurt and she laughed.
"Alex, baby, are you alright?" her mother asked, returning after putting Katie in bed.
"I'm okay mom." Alex replied easily, back to her old self after her brothers talk.
"Are you sure? Did he hurt you?" her mother asked unconvinced, running her hands along Alex's shoulders and arms.
"I'm fine mom. I swear." she said.
"Oh Alex, I'm so proud of you. Katie told me what happened. You were so smart not to trust him." she said, eyes watering.
"Thanks mom. I'm going to go wash up, okay?" Alex was never much for flattery and she just got her weeks full from Joey.
"Do you need my help, honey?" Mrs. Eames asked worried.
"No, I can do it mom." Alex assured her, heading to the bathroom.
After showering and dressing in her pajama's, Alex re-emerged to find her father and mother sitting at the dinning room table. They looked up when she walked in and her father beckoned her over.
"What happened? Did you find him?" Alex asked anxiously.
"He was already gone when I got there, but I radioed in the description of the van you gave me, and Karl and John spotted him on the highway, probably heading back home." Her father explained. Karl and John were like uncles to her and in a way she was glad they were the ones who caught him and not her father. She knew her fathers temper, and doubted he would be able to control himself when confronted with his children's would-be kidnapper.
"So they got him, right?" she asked.
"He tried to get away, but yes, they caught him. He's in jail now." he father replied.
"Did he admit to it happening?" Alex asked, already sensing the answer. Mr. Eames sighed, shaking his head.
"So I'll have to make a statement and testify in court, when it comes to it." Alex answered knowingly.
"Let's not jump to conclusions. They just got him into interrogation and they could brake him." her father replied.
"Bet he lawyers up." Alex said."I don't care, dad. If it comes to it, I'll write down what happened, I'll pick him out in a line-up, I'll testify in court. I'll do whatever it takes."
"I do not want you to go through that." her mother said angrily, though Alex didn't know who she was angry at. "All you should be talking about is boys and clothes at this age but instead all I hear out of you is cop terminology. And now you have to testify in court? Joe she's only twelve years old!" she turned suddenly to Mr. Eames.
"He tried to hurt Katie. She was falling for that old puppy trick hook line and sinker. If dad hadn't taught me all the tricks men like that use to lure us to their vans or whatever, who knows where Katie and I would be right now." Alex said defensively before her father could reply.
"She has a point, honey." Mr. Eames said gently and Mrs. Eames sighed in defeat.
"I'm going to go check on Katie." she said warily, leaving Father and daughter alone.
"I was always afraid telling you all the ways people could hurt you would turn out to do more harm than good. I'm still not sure I screwed you up in the long run, but today I'm happy I did it. You did great, Alex honey." her father said, breaking the silence.
"It was all my fault dad." she said. "It wouldn't have happened if I had come home on time like I was supposed to."
"Well, I don't know about that. Who's to say he wasn't waiting there all day, just waiting for someone to come along?" he asked. Alex hadn't thought of this.
"Either way, if I was on time I wouldn't need to take the short cut." Alex replied after a moment.
"Well that is true. But Alex, regardless of what time you were there, or why, the point is you used your head."
"I was so scared, Dad." She whispered, cutting him off in what looked to be the same speech Joey gave her.
"Well there now, and your mother thinks your not normal." he said with a smile. He reached out and gathered her to him, and she hugged him fiercely in return.
"I froze for a minute." she went on, using the term her dad uses for rookie cops who get their first turn of action and freeze, not knowing what to do as all their training flies out of their head.
"Everyone freezes, Alex." he said and she was comforted by the fell of his chest vibrating with every word. "But you got passed it and took action. If it weren't for your quick thinking and bravery, you wouldn't be here. And I don't want to scare you, but it's the truth."
"Your not scaring me, I already know that. When I saw his van and imagined being put in it and taken away, probably never seeing you guys again, I just freaked out." she explained. "I heard your voice in my head." she added, telling him what she imagined he said.
"Now I know I screwed you up! But, I guess it turned out for the best." he said with a chuckle. "Now you go on to bed, and we'll see what we can make out of the morning, eh?" he added, setting her down.
"Sounds good." she replied with a smile. "Night dad."
"Night Alex." he said, ruffling her hair.
End notes: Well, there you go. Told you it was weird. What did you think? Too long, should I cut it into two chapters?
Okay, now to tell you all the things I bullshitted through:
I like soccer, I do. But, besides the times in school when I had to, I never played it. So all those moves I was talking about? No idea what they're really called or when soccer players use them. I tried to look it up, but I had no luck. the only thing I was sure on was 'dribbiling' Don't ask why that stuck with me. PE in School- what can you do? So if theres a soccer player reading this? Hope I didn't offend.
And My dad? So not a cop. Despite all the cops shows I watch- CI being the top dog, I don't really like cops. They scare me. So, whatever cop terms they don't talk about on TV I bullshitted through.
And apologies all around to the poeple who don't the way I throw bullshit, or the word bullshit, around. I Love you guys!
Oh, and heres those lyrics I promised you-
Got to fight another fight - I gotta run another night
Get it out - check it out
I'm on my way and I don't feel right
I gotta get me back - I can't be beat and that's a fact
It's OK - I'll find a way
You ain't gonna take me down no way
Don't judge a thing until you know what's inside it
Dont' push me - I'll fight it
Never gonna give in - never gonna give it up no
If you can't catch a wave then your'e never gonna ride
You can't come uninvited
Never gonna give in - never gonna give up no
You can't take me I'm free
Why did it all go wrong? - I wanna know what's going on
And what's this holding me?
I'm not where I supposed to be
I gotta fight another fight
I gotta fight will all my might
I'm getting out, so check it out
Ya, you're in my way
So you better watch out
Bryan Adams You Can't Take Me
Fits pretty well, wouldn't you say? So that's where I got the title from.