~Chapter 4: To the rescue~

Ahkmenrah bypassed people who were looking at him as if to ask for a picture.

He had felt nervous the whole night and luckily, it was closing time. The last lot of people dawdled about, taking picture', finding lost friends and buying stuff at the gift shop.

Ahkmenrah would have happily agreed if he were in a better mood, but anyone near him could sense his frustration rippling off of him.

It had been a week since Suzanne' last visit.

After separating after the Journey to the Stars show, Ahkmenrah had only talked to her briefly at the end of the night. He heard from Larry the next day the he and Tess had dropped Suzanne off at her father' house. He reassured Ahkmenrah that Tess and he had personally spoken to the man, who apologised for everything and seven invited them inside. Ahkmenrah heard how the house was clean and how Suzanne' mother had passed away when she was a little girl, but he still couldn't help but be nervous. Larry then told him that Suzanne had mentioned that she would come by in a few days to show everyone she was ok.

After five days, Tess had returned to the house but came away, telling the two that Suzanne would not open the door for her and told her to go, because she was busy cleaning. Tess also alerted the police, but they said that at the time they went, only the father was home and Suzanne had been in her bedroom, asleep with a bad cold.

Yesterday, she said how she knocked numerous times on the door and peered in the windows, but was ignored, even though a car was in the driveway and a TV was blaring from inside.

Ahkmenrah had waited until tonight and was tempted to leave when he'd heard the news then and there. But instead, the three concocted a plan. Tess would stay behind, helping to clean up with Nicky, and if Dr. McPhee questioned them, they'd say they were waiting for the guys to get back with coffee and take-out.

And Ahkmenrah and Larry would drive out to where Suzanne lived and personally see for themselves what was going on.

Of course, before they could go anywhere, Ahkmenrah had a feeling that Suzanne' father would more than likely close the door on their face' straight away if Ahkmenrah stayed in his formal robes.

"Hey, there you are," Larry moved aside from the doorway he'd been standing in and signalled Ahkmenrah inside the staff room, "I found some clothes, sorry if they don't fit, but hopefully, you know, they'll do."

Larry left Ahkmenrah to undress and the young man was glad he had, as he quickly stripped and almost frantically attempted to cloth himself without looking at what he was doing. He thought he'd made good time, but before reaching the door, had to take off his jumper and put it the right way out and right way round and then tie his shoelaces he had forgotten about.

"Come on, we have a good couple of hours before the boss gets suspicious."

Ahkmenrah zipped up his jacket and marched out behind Larry as they bid goodbye to Tess. He briefly looked around and noticed everyone staring at him. He did think he must have looked a little odd. But at least he felt comfortable. And he knew he would be a lot warmer than if he was wearing his robes.

As they got outside, he pulled the collar of the jacket higher and was glad he'd been right about it, appreciating the extra warmth.

Larry opened his door for him and ran around to other side of the car as Ahkmenrah and he climbed in at the same time.

"Seatbelt," Larry quickly buckled himself in, Ahkmenrah following suite, "first night out on the town...sorry it can't be something more exciting."

"Tonight is not about excitement Larry," Ahkmenrah watched as Larry started the car and backed up so he had room to turn around, "it's about helping Suzanne. I just hope we've made it in time."

"Think positively, she's probably awaiting her white knight to rescue her as we speak."

Ahkmenrah hoped so.

A short while later...

The trip hadn't been too long. It'd been a 20 minute drive to Suzanne' street. As they pulled up outside, Ahkmenrah had a good look at her house. Small, white and covered in snow, It looked like every other American house he had seen. But he knew not to judge something by it's outside appearance, as what lurked within could hold a terrible secret.

He followed Larry up the short path and slowly up the icy steps, standing just behind Larry as he knocked on the door.

He'd heard the TV inside suddenly quieten before footfalls came from the other side and the door opened. Ahkmenrah had been expecting the figure. The man was well into his fifties, his brown hair splattered with streaks of grey and his beard unkempt. His clothes were scruffy and he looked like he'd just been woken up. His left hand still held a half empty bottle of some brown liquid.

"I told you before buddy, Suzanne is not well," his voice slurred and he didn't sound very happy to see Larry, "she's asked for no visitors!"

"I know that sir, and we respect that, but truly, we're her friends and we just want to make sure she is ok." Larry was calm and tried to rationalise with the man, whilst Ahkmenrah peered over his shoulder to look down the hallway. He saw a small, fragment of light against the wall, suddenly disappear, as if a door had suddenly closed.

"You are not her friends, you helped my daughter when she ran away from home," the man sneered at Larry and then Ahk, "I could call the police on you two right now for trespassing and harassment."

Ahkmenrah could no longer bite his tongue.

"Sir, we just wish to see if Suzanne is al right, surely, that's not a crime, is it?"

The man, not even surprised at Ahkmenrah speaking up, scowled at him.

"Listen you, I don't want you or anyone from that museum near my daughter," the man stepped backwards and grabbed the edge of the door, "if you knock on my door again, I WILL call the police."

Larry was going to speak again, but he stepped back as the wind from the door shutting pushed him back.

"We can't force our way in- hey where are you going?" He turned to see Ahkmenrah going around the left side of the house , glad the gate had been left open.

Ahkmenrah didn't really want to give up, nor did he want to talk to that man again.

"Larry," he whispered over his shoulder, making sure that the man inside could not hear him, "distract him, I'll find her."

He didn't even give Larry a chance to reply, disappearing down the side.

He crept underneath the closest window, knowing it was the one leading into the living area where Suzanne' father was lurking and quickly over to the small, middle one.

Judging by the distance he'd looked whilst glimpsing past the man, he thought that this room was the best bet in finding Suzanne.

He carefully glimpsed inside, looking around the darkened room and squinting to try to make out everything. Bed. Desk. Chair. A chest of drawers.

Finally, he spotted a small, crumpled figure, sitting on the floor by her closet door, her knee' pulled up to her chest and her face hidden.

He could see she was slightly shaking and heard Larry and Suzanne' father begin to talk again at the front of the house.

Ahkmenrah tapped on the window ever so lightly, knowing if he was caught or heard by her father, then not only would the man call the police, but it could play out a lot worse for Suzanne. He saw her still and lift her head up slowly, the darkness in the room meant he could not see her face clearly. She raised a hand and waved it towards him, though not in invitation, but waving him away.

He could not hear her voice, but knew she was telling him to leave.

But he couldn't. He wouldn't. Not now he'd seen first hand what the brute was like. And how she was sitting there, even more afraid and upset than the first time he'd met her.

He could still hear Larry trying to calm the man down at the door and rationalise with him and thought the best course of action was to try and draw as much attention away from himself as he could. He choose not too break the window but placed his hand against the frame and tried not to get wince as his cold hands met even colder glass.

He pushed upwards as hard as he could and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt a budge. Although it wasn't that much, he managed to pry open the small gap of the window with his fingertips, Suzanne not budging from her position as he opened it fully.

"Suzanne, are you hurt?" Ahkmenrah was surprised at the desperation in the question in his own voice, but shook it off as the stress of the night.

Suzanne tilted her head slightly upwards, but still did not reveal her face, though Ahkmenrah could tell she had been crying.

"Please, please just go, Ahk. Please," she tried not to whimper as she whispered as loudly as she felt confident enough to, to him, "Ahk , please go. If he catches you here, he'll just make it bad for you and he'll be even angrier."

Ahkmenrah felt another tug at his heart, something a lot stronger than the first night he'd met her. He looked around and saw that no one was around, hearing her father' and Larry' voices still quarrelling on the front porch. He'd never hoisted himself into anything before, but tried to do it as gracefully and quietly as he could. When he eventually managed to place one foot on the floor, he grabbed hold of the radiator, a little shocked to find it was off and the room was as cold as it was outside. He stood straight and crept over to Suzanne, quickly kneeling in front of her.

"Suzanne," he placed his hand out in front of him and gently touched the back of her', "Suzanne you can trust me, if something' happened-My God."

When his hand had touched hers, she eventually looked up to face him and the sight startled the word' away.

Along with her original wounds still fresh, a long, red and bloody gash marred her cheek, along with a purple bruise forming her right eye and temple.

"Look what he done to me," she grimaced and more tears fell from her face and she turned her head back down, "I made him mad and I done this. Please Ahk, go before you make it worse."

Suzanne heard Ahkmenrah inhale sharply but did not look up, in fear he too was mad. But the next moment, his hands were pulling her arms apart and he placed' both his palms against her wet face. She couldn't look away as he kept a firm quick and she looked into his eye, full of sadness and determination.

"Suzanne, this is not your fault," his voice was gentle but still a little stern, "you are not responsible for your father' actions."

She made to speak again, to argue with him, but she was silenced as his hands released her face and instead, he pulled her body against his. The side of her face was pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped around her back tightly, protectively. For a moment, she stilled, unsure of what she wanted, until her hand' moved of her own accord. She clung onto his coat tightly and her eye' stung, as for the first time, in a long time, she was being comforted when she needed it.

"Suzanne, please get up, I'm not leaving without you." Ahkmenrah sounded so far away and yet so close, his voice breathy as he tried to control his racing heart. He was sure, with her head right to it, she could easily hear it thumping wildly.

Instead, she pulled away and looked at him, her tears stopping and she sniffed once.

"Ok."

She whispered and nodded, allowing Ahk to quickly pull her to her feet.

"We'll go to Tess'..is there anything you need?" He hurriedly whispered as he heard the front door slam down the hallway, meaning that Larry and Suzanne' father were done arguing.

She sensed his worry and reached quickly for her black bag on her bed.

"Just this."

On impulse, his hand shot out and grabbed hers when her eyes widened in terror. The footsteps came loudly down the hallway and drew closer to her room.

Suzanne allowed him to pull her to the window and he wouldn't stand for any argument as he practically shoved her to the window, Suzanne doing it as quickly as she could, not caring if it was a slightly ungraceful landing.

Ahkmenrah was half way out the window when he heard her father jingle the keys and place them in the lock of her door. He was sure that he would have fully fallen out of the window, if it hadn't been for a sudden strong grip on him, preventing his body hitting the ground.

"Come on buddy," Larry steadied Ahkmenrah as they both stumbled backwards until he managed to get his feet right, "before the big boy gets here."

They hadn't even fully managed to de tangle themselves from on another before they quickly ran to the car. The last thing Ahkmenrah heard from the house was the yell of Suzanne' father, cursing her and yelling at her to come back.

Fortunately, Suzanne was already at the car and looked ready to run for her very life. She opened the door and Ahkmenrah practically jumped in behind her, shutting the door and immediately turning to the driver' seat to find Larry starting the car.

"Hurry Larry." Ahkmenrah did not wish to rush his friend, but a light came on in the window by the door and a shadow moved across it.

"Yeah, already ahead of you," Larry pushed his down on the accelerator and turned the wheel, "Seatbelts."

Ahkmenrah did not have to be told twice and quickly clicked in his belt buckle, turning to Suzanne, who was not only belted in, but a lot closer than he'd originally noticed.

Her body was still pressed to his side and her hand clung onto his coat, but her eye' were gazing out the back of the car where she could see her father just run out of the house.

Ahkmenrah shifted his hand and clasped it into hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She turned around and met his gaze, a look in her eye that Ahkmenrah could not distinguish.

She looked so thankful and exhausted, but something else glistened in her eye. He was so close, he could feel her heart beating in the pulse in her hand and it matched his.

A sudden bump and they looked towards Larry, who had swerved to miss something and they clung onto one another for the rest of the trip, Ahkmenrah not letting go of her hand.