Hearts That Bleed
Summary: Your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life. For Benjamin Gates, it's his worst nightmare come true, when he finds that someone has kidnapped his bride-to-be, leaving behind only a note. What happens when old enemies cause so much pain and heartache that it feels as if your heart will bleed?
A/N: This is my first attempt at a full length NT story. I have been known on occasion to take a while to update, so please stick with this, I promise that it will be good. Also, I tend to get easily inspired by the number of reviews I get per chapter.
Chapter One
Benjamin Gates, wasn't a man who loved easily. Living the kind of lifestyle that he did, finding someone to love just always seemed unimportant. That was of course, before he met Abigail Chase. After that, everything that seemed most important, felt less and less like it mattered. It had been a year to the day since Ben had met Abigail, and while their meeting was unlike that of those special meetings in love stories. Ben knew that what he and Abigail had was special, and it was something that he would hold dear to his heart until the day that he died.
Ben pulled his tie tighter, and brushed his suit jacket and pants to get the wrinkles out of it. He smiled at his reflection in the mirror. Today was his day, today was the day that Abigail Chase would become Abigail Gates. Today, was a great day.
"So...we have a good news, bad news scenario," Riley said, as he pushed the door open.
"Should that scare me?" Ben asked, as he turned to look at Riley.
"Okay, well let me rephrase that. We have a bad news scenario," Riley said, shaking his head.
He hated this. He didn't want to ruin his best friends day. He didn't want to hurt him. Although, it would be quite difficult to have a wedding...without the bride.
Ben shook his head, he knew he wasn't going to like what his friend was about to say. He didn't however know just how much these few words would change his life so drastically.
"I'm assuming that I don't want to know this, but hit me," Ben said, as he took a seat in the chair behind, figuring that standing up wouldn't be the smartest move.
"She's gone Ben," Riley said, knowing he didn't have to mention names.
"What...Do...You...Mean...Gone?" Ben spaced his words out, that was the only thing keeping his head from exploding at the moment.
"Well, what I mean is...she isn't here. Like she was, but now she's not," Riley said, almost wishing he had the ability to think before he spoke.
Ben loved his friend's sense of humor. He loved Riley's inability to think before speaking, except when it came to something, or someone that meant more than anything to him. At this moment Ben felt like he could scream at Riley. Although he knew that wouldn't do any good.
"Why is she gone?" Ben asked, his fingers were now gently massaging his temples.
"This was what I found in her room Ben," Riley answered, the look in his eye, told Ben that he really wasn't going to like what he was about to read.
Dear Benjamin Gates,
By now, you've probably realized that your fiancée is missing. I can assure you that she is alive, although that could change quickly, if you don't cooperate. Now, there is something that I want from you. Step one, Mr. Gates. Is to answer your cell when it rings.
Signed An Old Friend
Ben could practically hear the menacing laughter that he was sure his 'old friend' gave off, while writing this. Who could have done this though, Ben wondering. Ian, was in jail, there was no one else.
"Ben, who do you think has her?" Riley asked, as if he had read Ben's thoughts.
"I don't know Riley, but when I find out..." Ben let his sentence trail off. He knew he didn't have to finish it. He knew that Riley knew exactly what Ben would do to get Abigail back in one piece.
Meanwhile
Abigail woke up, she no longer had on her flowing white wedding dress. Instead she had a pair of sweatpants, and a ratty old t-shirt that looked like it should have been thrown out long ago. She let her hand hold the side of her head that was pounding. She tried to remember, why her head hurt, and why she was no longer at the church getting ready for her wedding.
"Hello Abigail, glad to see your awake. I was scared for a moment that I had hit you far too hard," his voice was deep, and sounded so familiar. He looked familiar too. Like someone she knew, only different.
"Who are you?" Abigail asked, keeping her voice low, as to not make her headache worse.
"Oh, you haven't figured it out yet?" he asked, a sly grin was on his face.
Slowly she pieced together who he reminded her of, but it couldn't be the same person. Ian was in jail, and he didn't look exactly like him, he just more resembled him.
"Obviously not," she bit, getting sick of his game already.
"Well then, maybe you know my brother. Ian Howe," he laughed menacingly, at the horrified look on his face. "And if your fiancée knows what's good for him, and everyone he cares about, mostly you. Then he'll do what I say. Otherwise, you just might not make it out of this in one piece. Quite frankly, that would be a shame, since your so damn pretty."
Abigail bit her lip to keep from saying something that could get her injured any worse, and just prayed that Ben was already working on a plan to get her out of this alive.
"I'm gonna kill him," Ben screamed finally. The silence in the room finally getting to him.
"Ben, killing him isn't going to solve anything. You cannot kill him, not until you get Abi back," Riley pointed out.
"Good point," Ben said, shaking his head agreeing.
Both men where pulled from their conversation when Ben's cell started to ring. Grabbing it quickly, and pulling it to his ear.
"Benjamin Gates?" the voice sounded so cold, and yet so familiar.
"Yes," was all Ben could or would say, anything else might get Abigail hurt, and he wouldn't be able to take that.
"I have something you want, and if you want her back in one piece, you'll do exactly what I say. Understand me?" he asked.
Ben felt his face turn red, as he tried to keep his anger in check.
"Yes, what do you want?" Ben asked, he was willing to do just about anything for Abi.
"Well, by now your probably saying that I sound so damn familiar right? Well that is probably because you know my brother.....Ian Howe," he paused letting that information sink in.
Ben's face went white at the mention of his name. He was screwed, royally screwed.
"By your silence, I'm assuming that you do know him, and that you've probably already figured out what I want," he grinned into the phone.
Ben could feel his stomach turn.
"You want me to break him out," Ben said coldly.
"Damn right I do. I also want his part of your treasure. Now, I don't expect this to happen in a matter of hours. So I want you to meet me at an abandoned warehouse on the corner of fifth and eighth streets. I want you there within the next hour, otherwise I'll send you a piece of your fiancée...
"I'll be there," Ben interrupted him.
"Who was it?" Riley asked.
"Ian's brother, and he's gonna hurt Abigail, unless we break Ian out of prison, and give him Ian's half of the treasure," Ben said, as he watched Riley flinch at his words.
"We're screwed Ben," Riley said simply.
I don't really know how this idea came to me, but I have a few plans for it. Please Read and REVIEW, as reviews make me very happy.