Some Things Never Change
Chapter 1. You Had A Bad Day
Author: j_rock873
Rating: R
Summary: This is a sequel to "What's A Girl Supposed To Do?". This will have a sad ending. In this chapter, a marriage ends and an evil plan is revealed.
Disclaimer: I own Zoe's husband, David. I know I didn't give him a last name in the first story. I will give him one now. I also own Officer Morris. The rest belong to the show.
Reviews: Yes, I want them.
Author's notes: Just the usual. Words in italics are personal thoughts while all capital letters required special emphasis.
Chicago, Around two years later, Thursday night, 11:30 PM
Jessie and Katie had just finished celebrating their two year anniversary. They were lying in bed while talking about the fun they had earlier.
"Did you have a great time tonight, Jessie?"
"I can't believe you even had to ask," Jessie said with mock disgust.
"I know you did, but I had to make sure."
"I can't believe you convinced me to ride that Ferris wheel again."
"Well, have you conquered your fear yet, Billie?"
"Yes, thank you for helping me with that."
Jessie was leaning in to kiss Katie when they were interrupted by a loud banging on their door.
"Damn, what's with all that noise? It sounds like they're going to break the door down."
"I thought you were supposed to call the electrician to fix that broken doorbell?"
"I did, Billie. He's coming tomorrow. Who do you think it is?"
"Considering what time it is, I would assume it's Zoe again. She and David probably had another fight. I wish she would take our advice and leave him already."
"Yeah, I know. It's just hard for her. He was the first guy that she cared about after getting over me. So, do you want me to get it or should you?"
"You get it, heartbreaker," Jessie scoffed before laughing.
Katie hopped out of bed and was heading to the door when Jessie stopped her.
"Uh, Katie?"
"Yeah?"
"Don't you think you should get dressed first?"
Katie blushed as she realized she wasn't wearing anything and put on the silk robe Jessie had gotten her for their anniversary. The pounding on the door had started again after a two minute break.
"I'M COMING! NO NEED TO BREAK THE DOOR DOWN!" Katie shouted as she opened the door.
"S-Sorry I f-forgot my k-key," Zoe babbled as she dodged Katie and headed to the couch.
She didn't even look up after sitting down.
Katie prepared for another night where Zoe would cry on her shoulder before crashing in the guest bedroom. Somehow, this time it felt different. Zoe continued staring at the floor. Normally, she would have looked up by now.
"So, Zoe, how bad was the fight this time?"
She tried looking down at Zoe, hoping that she would look up at her. It unfortunately didn't work.
"REALLY bad. This was the last straw. I'm leaving him for good," Zoe said through loud sobs.
"What make it different this time?"
Zoe slowly looked up until she was looking eye to eye with Katie.
"OH MY GOD, ZOE!"
Katie was so shocked that she immediately began turning pale.
"JESSIE, COME IN HERE QUICK!"
Jessie had been sitting in her bed, waiting for Katie's return. I wonder what's taking so long? She was checking the clock when she heard the scream. She leapt out of bed and laughed before putting on an almost identical silk robe Katie had gotten for her.
"WHOA, no need to shout, girls," Jessie calmly exclaimed until she saw Zoe.
Jessie arrived to see an extremely upset Zoe. When she saw Zoe's face, she almost lost it. There was the girl, who she had begun to think of as a real sister, sitting there battered and nearly hysterical. She had a black eye, a quickly growing bruise on her left cheek, and a cut lip. They also noticed she was holding her back and forced her to stop. They lifted up the back of her shirt to discover at least three bruises. Jessie quickly led her to the bathroom and began cleaning up Zoe's face. We're going to get that no good, s.o.b.!
A year and a half ago, Zoe's dream marriage had began to slowly unravel, but as the time went by it picked up speed. The problems started when David lost his job due to company downsizing. Zoe did her best to be supportive in every possible way. In his mind, he took the constant advice as her not believing in him. He began drinking every night. This would cause a fight, and at least three times a week, Zoe would end up spending the night at Jessie and Katie's place. They had even given her a spare key and always had a clean pair of pajamas ready. David would always apologize the next day, and Zoe would always take him back. It was a really destructive cycle.
"You'll crash here tonight; and then tomorrow, we'll head over to your place. We'll grab enough to last for at least a few days."
"Th-Thanks, Katie. Th-Thanks, Jessie," Zoe mumbled as she made her way to the guest bedroom.
"No problem, Timex," Katie and Jessie replied at the same time. Zoe smiled a little at the fact that Katie got another family member to start calling her that.
"Do you really think she'll be ok, Billie?" Katie asked with a worried look.
"She will be, now," Jessie stated with confidence.
B&W Zoe: (is still smiling as she thinks of Jessie and Katie) "I don't know what I would do without those two."
B&W Jessie and Katie: (Jessie just rests her head on Katie's shoulder and begins to cry) "She shouldn't have to put up with this." "Don't worry, Jessie, everything will be ok from now on." (Katie smiles while holding Jessie)
Friday morning, 9:00 AM
Zoe, Jessie, and Katie made their way to Zoe and David's home. When they arrived, they were greeted by a police officer.
"Excuse me, miss, do you live here?"
"Not for much longer. Who are you?"
"I'm Officer Morris. That must make you Zoe Jones."
Zoe just shivered at that name these days.
"Yes, I am. I'm sorry for the all the noise last night."
"Don't worry about that. The neighbors were worried about you after hearing the fight and seeing that both of you disappeared."
"B-Both? Where's my husband?"
"They saw him take off with a suitcase about twenty minutes after you left. He hasn't been seen since then."
"Is there anything else, Officer?" Katie asked as she rested one hand on Zoe's right shoulder, which Zoe quickly took a hold of with one of her hands.
"No, that's it."
Zoe sighed as he drove away.
They entered the house, which now looked like a war zone. None of them knew what to say as they looked around the destruction. The coffee table was broken in half, picture frames were lying shattered on the floor, and the screen on the tv looked like it had been kicked in. Zoe leaned down and picked up one picture frame, glanced at it for a few seconds, and then threw it back down; shattering what was left of the frame. Zoe turned around, buried her face into Jessie's shoulder, and began crying.
"Be careful, Zoe," Jessie requested as she nodded for Katie to pick up the picture.
Katie frowned as she looked at the picture. Jessie stared at her with a puzzled look. Once again, the silent conversation kicked in.
"What is it, Katie?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yeah."
"It's their wedding picture."
Katie slowly held up the picture in front of her.
"I shouldn't have asked."
Jessie let out a groan.
"Yeah, probably not."
"Hey, that's no reason to act like that toward me."
"I'm sorry, Billie. I didn't mean for it to come out that way."
"It's ok."
Jessie smiled as Katie wrapped her arms around her and Zoe. Then they made their way into the bedroom. They saw that David had taken all of his clothes while Zoe's were scattered on the floor and bed.
"That asshole," Zoe snapped as she angrily picked up her clothes and filled two suitcases.
"What did you expect after seeing the living room, Zoe?"
"I don't know, Jessie. I just didn't think it would come to this."
11:00 AM
They arrived at the Sammler/Manning home to see an anxious family waiting for them. Zoe turned to Jessie, who was riding up front as Katie drove, and began to yell at her.
"You told them, DIDN'T YOU? I thought we promised that I would be the one to tell them about David?"
"Actually, Zoe, I talked to them. All I told them was that you had something important to tell them."
"I'm sorry for shouting at you, Jessie," Zoe mumbled as she lowered her head.
"It's ok, Zoe."
"What did you want to tell us, Zoe?" Lily asked as she ran to greet her daughter. Please tell me you finally left David. She stopped halfway after seeing the black eye and bruise on Zoe's left cheek, "OH MY GOD, ZOE! What else did he do to you?"
By this time the rest of them had reached the trio. Jake's face was as red as it could possibly be at that time. Everyone could see the anger building up inside him as he clenched his fingers.
"Well?" Lily asked her again.
Zoe just looked over at Katie. Can you tell them, Katie? I just can't.
Katie nodded at her before speaking, "David obviously beat her up. Along with the black eye and bruise on her cheek, she has at least three bruises on her back."
Grace walked over and gave her a hug while the rest just watched. She never thought that when she came home from New York for a visit that she'd have to see Zoe like that.
Zoe screamed out in pain, "GRACE! STOP IT! It HURTS too much for you to hug like THAT."
"WHERE IS HE?" Jake roared while looking down at the ground.
"Dad, calm down, or you'll give yourself a heart attack," Grace commented with worry written all over her face.
Jessie spoke up this time, "We don't know. The cops haven't seen him since he took off last night. Since all of his clothes were gone, I'm assuming he's on his way out of state, maybe even the country."
"Not if we have anything to say about it, he won't," Judy interrupted her.
A hotel room in Chicago - at the same time
David was looking over his passport and plane ticket when the phone rang.
"Is this, Mr. Jones?"
"Yes, it is. May I help you?"
"This is the woman who's going to help you with your financial problems. That's if you follow my rules."
"Yes, Miss?"
"Nevermind that, just make sure you meet me in the Bahamas before the weekend is over."
"So all I have to do is kill a few girls?"
"Yes, do you think you could handle that?"
"What are the girls' names? Do I know them by any chance?"
"Yes, you do know them. It's your wife's sister and her wife," the mysterious voice said as she laughed.
"You mean Jessie and Katie Sammler?"
"Yes, one hundred thousand, fifty thousand each."
"Only a hundred thousand?"
"Fine, two hundred thousand, happy now?" Not like you'll get to actually spend it anyway.
"Yes."
"Ok, make sure it looks like an accident. I want proof of their death. Remember to hide the gun at the designated spot before you get to the airport. A friend of mine will pick it up, and then we'll meet on a boat that we own."
"No need to worry, I'll see you soon."
B&W mysterious woman on the phone: (sits there in disguise so no one will recognize her if the plan fails) "Those two have no idea that their lives are about to end, and they'll never see it coming." (then lets out a laugh)
B&W David: (sits there and begins to smile) "Soon I'll be long gone from that bitch and her loving family. I also won't have to hide my true feelings for her sick, lesbian sister and her disgusting wife."
