So I got my driver's permit...and here's the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own House of Anubis.
Tuesday, June 28th, 11:30 A.M.
When Patricia Williamson opens her eyes, she doesn't know where to begin.
"You," she starts slowly, "like me?"
Eddie laughs. "Still your first priority, isn't it?"
"Don't laugh at me," mumbles Patricia. "But you do, don't you?"
Eddie looks at her. Nods slowly. "Yeah, I do," he admits.
Patricia is quiet. Stays quiet. "Do I like you back?"
"Well, I'd assume you knew the answer to that," teases Eddie, but his voice is timid.
"I'm being serious here, Slimeball," Patricia snaps. "I-I want to know."
"Well, I'm sure you're expecting this, but, you know the answer," Eddie replies, and he grins when she scowls at him. "C'mon, Yacker, just finish telling me what you remember."
"No." Patricia keeps scowling. Tries to stay angry.
But it's all Eddie's fault that his smile is so damn contagious.
"The Yacker Williamson doesn't want to yack?" Eddie says. Gasps mockingly.
Patricia rolls her eyes. "Shut up, you idiot."
Eddie chuckles. Lets the comment roll off him. And then just like that, just a second later, his face falls somber. He becomes serious. And he reaches for Patricia's hand again.
"Tell me something," he says softly. "Do you really hate me?"
The answer's yes. Why wouldn't it be yes? Eddie Miller is a nuisance. He's an annoying prat. He's found a way to get under Patricia's skin, the way he teases her whenever he gets a chance, or the way he always finds some way to bug her every day.
And then she realizes something.
"I don't think I'd ever hate anybody more than I hate you," she informs him. Watches as his face falls. Smirks when she sees how vulnerable he is. And then she continues, "But...I hate my sister, too."
"Your twin sister?"
"Yes. Piper has always...found a way to get under my skin without ever trying," Patricia says quietly. Pauses. "She never did anything to deserve my hate. You still get under my skin, and you do try. You deserve my hate. And somehow, you're not too bad, so I guess I don't really hate you."
"So...you might like me," Eddie responds smugly.
Patricia makes a face. "Oh, don't read into it too deeply, you arse."
"Still as charming as the day we met," Eddie jokes. "Remember? I was just sitting in the break room when you and Joy walked by. And then you rudely made me nearly fall off the couch, said some nasty words to me, and you were out the door."
"Alright, first of all, you were asleep in the break room, and I only started yelling at you because you were blocking the bloody path out of the room," Patricia snaps.
Eddie just grins. "Guess I made an impression, if you remember all that."
"Yeah, a bloody idiotic one," Patricia gripes.
Eddie shifts forward.
Patricia realizes he's still holding her hand.
"So if you can remember that," Eddie says, "surely you can remember three days ago, can't you? I know you technically don't have to do it, but will you do it for me?"
"For you? No."
"Okay, then, for Joy."
"...fine."
Patricia shuts her eyes.
One, two, three, and then she starts to speak.
Saturday, June 25th, 10:13 A.M.
"Bait. I'm the bloody bait."
"Well, you're taking this differently than I expected," Eddie notes.
Patricia frowns at him.
Eddie quickly quiets.
"I just don't understand," Patricia rants. She glares at Eddie. "Why am I bait? I get that this Rufus guy wants to get to you, but the guy chooses to drag an innocent person into this when-"
"To be fair, you did kill one of his men, so innocent wouldn't be right-"
"Don't try to turn this on me, Slimeball-"
"Patricia," Eddie cuts her off. "As much as I'd like to listen to your ranting-"
"Don't be a sarcastic arse-"
"-we have a pretty pressing situation here," Eddie finishes. "Right now, you've got to get out of here. Rufus is going to think you're going to go to the police station like Joy told you to, or just stay in your apartment. We need to get you away from both."
"So, what, you just expect me to follow you?"
"You're not exactly right to take charge," Eddie replies, and his lips quirk into a smile; his eyes scan her body up and down, and Patricia realizes she's still just wearing a towel.
"Quit staring," she snaps. Lays a finger on the gun.
Eddie raises his hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm only human," he says, and he stands up, prompting Patricia to do so as well. "But even though I like you better this way-"
"I will shoot you-"
"-you'd better get changed. And preferably something you can run in."
"Hold on, who says I'm going with you?" Patricia snaps. Glowers.
Eddie hesitates. Opens his mouth. Closes it. Steps forward.
Patricia touches the gun.
One.
He's close to her. Really close.
Two.
His breath is warm above her face.
Three.
His eyes flicker to her face. To her eyes, to her lips.
He could kiss her.
Maybe he will kiss her.
Why does she want him to kiss her?
Damn him for being so bloody attractive. Damn him for being so close to her and messing with her good judgment. Damn him for liking her in the first place and messing up everything she's ever known. Damn him for being him.
"Please," he whispers, and his eyes lock with hers. "I'm saying this as a guy who really cares about you and really doesn't want you to die. I'm saying this for Joy, for Piper, for everyone who wants you alive. I know this all sounds unbelievable and you probably don't believe it, but everything I told you is true. You're in danger. So are Joy and Fabian. Please just say you'll leave here with me."
Patricia exhales. Stares deeply into his eyes, which look misty. Lets her eyes flicker to his lips. Finally speaks. "Alright," she says softly, and she meets his eyes. "But that doesn't mean I trust you."
He's relieved. "Okay," he says.
But they're still close.
So close.
And Patricia might not like the guy, but she sure as hell is attracted to him.
He doesn't back away. Keeps his eyes on hers. His breathing becomes erratic. Patricia stares back. Doesn't back away. Lets him stay there. Lets him wonder just how this is going to play out. Lets herself wonder the same thing.
His hand reaches over and takes hers. Takes her hand away from the gun. Gently intertwines their fingers, but keeps his eyes locked with hers. His other hand gently goes to her chin. He's nervous. Nervous that this is happening. Nervous she might not let this happen.
But she lets him. Just stares. Doesn't move. Doesn't protest.
He leans forward. Keeps his eyes open. Watches as hers close. He keeps leaning. Gets close, so close. He gives himself three seconds. Three seconds, and he'll kiss her. Just three.
One.
He closes his eyes.
Two.
Her breathing becomes erratic.
Three.
His lips touch hers.
The kiss starts gentle. The pressure Eddie gives to her lips is minimal. Fleeting. And then Patricia kisses him back. Matches the pressure he's giving carefully. Reaches for his cheek with her free hand.
He lets go of her hand. Places both hands on her shoulders.
And things get complicated.
Eddie tilts his head. Slowly begins to deepen the kiss. Patricia doesn't resist; she's entranced by the way his lips work against hers. She matches his movements. Kisses him as hard as she can. The feeling he gives her is euphoric. It's dizzying. It's...
"Patricia," he whispers urgently against her lips.
She doesn't answer. Kisses him more roughly, which he doesn't object to; rather, he kisses back just as roughly, clinking his teeth against hers. She gently tugs on his lower lip while he explores her mouth, probing every part of it he can reach.
Her fingers go to the nape of his neck.
His hands grip the sides of her face.
"Patricia," he mutters again and breaks his lips away.
"What?" she mumbles, her breath hot against his lips.
"We...have to get going," he says.
Patricia opens her eyes.
Eddie opens his eyes too.
Patricia blinks as if seeing him for the first time. Maybe she is, in a metaphorical sense. Because when she looks at him, she doesn't see a man she hates. She sees a man who she might...like. And that might be a problem, considering who he is.
"I'll go change," she says.
He nods awkwardly.
Tuesday, June 28th, 12:00 A.M.
Eyes open.
"This doesn't make sense."
Eddie looks embarrassed. "Er, what doesn't?"
"Us." Patricia is blunt. Always has been.
"And...why not?"
"Not us right now, but us three days ago," explains Patricia. "The stuff I've been telling you? I knew most of it already and I was just recounting details. I just don't know if we got through or not."
"And?"
"And what happened between us...us kissing...took place before we tried to get through," Patricia says quietly. "It should've, anyway. So why don't I at least remember that?"
"I don't know," Eddie answers honestly. "I really don't."
Patricia huffs. Wants to hit him.
But she just closes her eyes instead.
Tuesday, June 28th, 12:00 P.M. (afternoon)
"Where are you taking me?"
Eddie keeps his hands on the wheel. Eyes trained forward.
"Somewhere," he replies vaguely.
Patricia rolls her eyes.
They reach a warehouse. Small and gray, it looks ordinary.
But Patricia doesn't notice the building. She just notices the way Eddie's body tenses and the way he lets go of the steering wheel a little too roughly. There's a bad memory he's fighting, she decides.
Which brings her back to her first question.
Why is he taking her there?
"This is a safe house," he announces. "I need you to stay here."
"What about Joy and Fabian?" Patricia is skeptical. Always skeptical.
"I'll find them, but I need you to stay here," Eddie says firmly. "Come on."
Patricia opens the car door. Exits.
The place looks empty.
It should be empty...
BANG.
The shot comes from inside.
Eddie is startled.
"Who's there?" he yells. Whips out a gun Patricia hadn't noticed he had.
Eddie kicks down the door. Patricia follows him inside.
There's a man standing there. There's a smirk on his face and a gun in his hand. He slowly walks over to Eddie. Grins at him. Shakes his head. "Put the gun down, Miller."
Patricia watches as Eddie does what he says.
"Rufus," Eddie mutters, but his voice isn't cold. It's not authoritative. His voice is apologetic. Knowing. Not like a man who is supposed to be arresting someone. "Sorry I took so long."
Three men surround Patricia. Grab her arms. Force them behind her back.
Patricia's mouth falls open. "You lied to me," she tells Eddie stiffly. Angrily.
Eddie doesn't meet her eyes. "I had to," he says.
"So this is the girl," Rufus muses. "Well, great work, there, detective," he says to Eddie teasingly. He then looks at Patricia. "So you're the bitch who killed one of my men this morning, eh? Funny how things work out."
"He threatened my sister," Patricia snarls.
"He was doing his job to intimidate Alfie Lewis," Rufus snarls back. "Now he's still alive, and so is your pathetic sister. But don't worry about that for now, because I'm not killing you for that."
Patricia struggles. Aims a kick at him.
Rufus doesn't budge. Just smirks at her. "But don't think I'm not going to kill you, either," he says. "I might very well have to, if your friend here doesn't cooperate." He opens what looks like a closet door, and an unconscious Joy hits the floor.
"Joy!" Patricia's voice is frantic.
"Tie her in the chair," Rufus demands.
The three men sit Patricia down despite the struggle she gives into a chair, where they bind her arms and legs with rope. Eddie then goes over to Joy and lifts her up by her arm, setting her into a smiliar chair, but leaves her the way she is.
"Hold out your gun, Miller," Rufus orders.
Eddie does.
"Fire it," says Rufus.
Eddie does.
BANG.
This wakes up Joy.
"What the hell?" is the first thing out of her mouth. "What was that for?!" She sees Patricia. Her eyes widen. "Fuck," she whispers. "They got you too."
Eddie presses his gun to Joy's temple.
Rufus laughs. "Joy, is it?" he says. "Since you did your part so well of calling a friend here, I thought you would enjoy seeing her at least once before I kill her."
Joy's eyes widen. "You said no one would listen in to my call."
"I lied," Rufus says smugly. "I told you to call your friend to get a key for you to save your little boyfriend, didn't I? Well, I did not let you to warn her about Eddie. Now, instead of just hearing your friend is dead, I've decided to let you watch her death."
"You bastard," Joy spits. "You said I could save him!"
"I lied about that too." Rufus shrugs. "But I'll give you a wager. You tell me the password, I spare your friend here, and I might even give you the key to save your boyfriend."
"Don't give it to him, Joy," Patricia calls.
Joy looks at her. "Patricia, this is just money we're losing," she pleads. "I'd gladly lose all the money in the world if it meant I wouldn't have to lose you or Fabian."
"Joy, listen to me, he's just going to kill us anyway."
Rufus slams his fist on a table nearby. Glares at Patricia. "That's enough talking," he says coldly. "You"- here he looks at Joy- "had better give me the password in the next three seconds, or you might as well kiss all your friends goodbye."
"Joy, don't do it!"
"One," Rufus counts.
"Joy," Patricia pleads. "Don't."
"Two," Rufus continues.
Joy closes her eyes. Squeezes her eyes so tears drip down her face.
"Three," Rufus finishes. Looks at Joy expectantly.
"I'll never tell you the password," Joy spits out. "Go ahead and shoot me."
Rufus smirks. "It's not you we're shooting."
His icy blue eyes fall on Patricia.
Eddie takes the gun away from Joy's temple. Aims it at Patricia.
"Tell us or she dies," Rufus warns.
Joy looks at Patricia. Pleads silently.
Patricia shakes her head.
"Go ahead, Slimeball," she says at Eddie. Mocks him. "Shoot me."
Eddie frowns. Grits his teeth. "Shut up," he mutters.
Rufus signals him not to shoot yet.
Patricia laughs dryly. Glares at Eddie. "Shoot," she repeats.
"Stop talking, damn it," Eddie growls.
"Oh, now you can't even shoot," Patricia says, and she raises her voice. "Well, you're pathetic. And you know what? I was wrong to trust you. I never should have. And now you're standing there like a dumb animal who can't even work a gun."
"Shut up."
"You can't tell me what to do," Patricia snaps.
"Damn you! SHUT UP!" Eddie yells.
"MAKE ME!" Patricia yells back.
Eddie looks at Rufus for clarification.
Rufus nods at Eddie. "Go ahead, Miller," he says calmly. "Shoot her."
Eddie clicks the gun into place.
Faces Patricia.
And then he swivels around and shoots.
BANG.
Rufus cusses angrily as the bullet grazes his arm. Glares at Eddie.
"You-"
He's cut off as Joy stands up, no longer threatened. Knees Rufus in the groin. Slaps him across the face. Screams obscenities at him as tears streak down her face, which she never moves to wipe.
"Where's Fabian?" she demands.
Rufus laughs. He's in pain. Blood drips out of his mouth.
"Dead," he says. "Or as good as dead."
The three other men in the room attack. One of them shoves Joy off Rufus; the other helps him up. The third man whips out a gun clicks it into place to shoot Eddie, but Eddie shoots first.
BANG.
The shot lands in the man's neck. Blood spurts. Gushes. Explodes.
A few drops land on Patricia's face. The blood's still warm. Still has the essence of life. But Patricia knows the man, no matter how warm the blood is, is dead. Soon enough his blood will become cold. Cold just like the man he is, dying on the floor.
Joy, meanwhile, is yanked upwards by her neck by one of the men. The man slams her against the wall. Spits in her face and demands the password. Joy struggles. Insists she won't tell him. But her red face soons becomes purple. She's soon gasping for breath.
Soon, she won't be able to tell him at all.
The man unsheathes a knife now. Brings it to Joy's face. Uses the silver tip to carve a thin line in Joy's cheek. Small droplets of blood appear. The man keeps insisting Joy to speak. Joy continues to gasp for breath. The man begins to carve a deeper line in her cheek.
"LEAVE HER ALONE!" Patricia screams. Struggles in her chair.
BANG.
The man falls forward. Joy drops at the same time he does.
But the man is dying. Eddie's shot must have hit a major organ, because the man is blubbering. Blood spills from his mouth. He trembles on the floor. Joy, however, isn't dying. She slowly regains her breath. Slowly turns a normal color.
BANG.
The man who helped Rufus up falls. A direct gunshot to the head.
"Your game's over, Rufus," Eddie says. Aims his gun at the man.
Rufus laughs. A deep, dry laugh. "Miller," he says calmly. "Don't tell me you're-"
"-A double agent? I am," Eddie says. "Now come with me; you're under arrest."
Rufus takes out a gun of hiw own. Aims it at Eddie. "I don't think so."
"Put the gun down, Rufus," Eddie says.
Rufus smirks. "Alright."
He lowers his arm. Lower, lower, lower-
BANG.
He's pulled the trigger.
Shot a bullet.
Right at Patricia.
A hot stab of pain is what she feels first. Her breath is knocked away. Her heart rate picks up speed. She's been shot. Eddie really didn't betray her. Joy didn't give away the password. Fabian might be dead.
And she's been shot.
"PATRICIA!" Joy's voice is wounded. Frantic.
Eddie yells at Rufus. Shoots angrily.
BANG.
The bullet doesn't hit him. He's run out the door.
Eddie hurries to Patricia's side. Starts to untie the rope.
Until Joy slaps him across the face.
"What the hell?!" she explodes. "You- you- you were a double agent?!"
"Yes, and ow," Eddie says, rubbing his cheek. "What was that for?"
"Um...self-defense?"
Patricia hears this all. Wants to laugh. She might've if she could. But right now everything is wrong. She's in pain. So much pain. Too much pain. And when she puts a hand on her abdomen her fingers are stained with red. She's bleeding.
There's so much blood.
Too much blood.
Eddie unties Patricia. "Yacker, stay with me," he pleads.
Patricia crumbles on the floor. Shakes her head.
You lied to me, she wants to say.
Eddie moves to pick her up.
"Hey, don't touch her," Joy interrupts.
"We have to get her to safety," Eddie argues.
"I don't trust you." Joy's blunt now. Maybe she picked that up from Patricia.
"I know! But-"
"Hey! What are you guys doing here?!" The voice is cheery. Familiar.
Too familiar.
Amber Millington then enters the warehouse.
"Amber?" Joy's voice holds disbelief.
"Yes, it's me," Amber says. Sighs. "Is my uncle late for an appointment with you guys? I love the man, but honestly, he is so late to everything. But hi! It's great to..." She stops. Sees Patricia. "Oh my God you're bleeding. Ewwww!" she shrieks.
"Who's your uncle?" Eddie asks in a low voice.
"You don't know? His name is Rufus Zeno. You know, business tycoon?"
Joy groans. "Just our bloody luck."
But Patricia doesn't hear the lament. All she hears is Amber's reply to Eddie's question. Rufus is her uncle. Alfie is her boyfriend. Rufus tried to kill Piper to scare Alfie. Intended to kill Alfie as well.
"Ask her if she's still dating Alfie," Patricia croaks softly.
Only Eddie hears, but he listens.
"Amber, are you still dating Alfie?" he asks.
"Huh? Oh, yes, I am," Amber replies happily. "He's really not too bad as a boyfriend, you know. I mean sure he's forgetful and a bit too idiotic, but he's also so loyal and sweet that he's worth keeping."
Patricia hears her, but fainly, because she's tired. Her eyes are closing. There's so much pain. So, so much, and it's making her tired. Making her want to close her eyes and never wake up. And it will be easy to do so. So, so easy...
Her eyes catch sight of a panel sticking in the wall.
"Amber." Patricia's voice is stronger. "What's that?"
She gestures to the panel.
"Oh, that," replies Amber breezily. "It's my uncle's storage compartment. He keeps his guns and weapons and explosives in there, because he works as a supplier for the army and such as part of his business."
Joy gasps. Explosives. That might mean...
"Fabian," she whispers. Her face goes pale.
Eddie catches on. "Can you open it for us?" he asks Amber.
"Oh, you need a code for that," Amber replies.
"...Do you know the code?"
"You know, I think I might," Amber says thoughtfully. "It's only four numbers long, and I've seen him type it in so many times. Here, come with me!" She leads Joy and Eddie over there. Patricia stays on the floor. Dying.
Patricia is about to close her eyes when she hears footsteps.
Rufus is coming back.
She opens her mouth. Calls to the others.
But all that comes out of her mouth is a whimper. A soft one.
Rufus stops in front of her. Sees Patricia dying. Smirks. And then he grips his gun and walks past her, towards his niece and the two people with her, never breaking a brisk walk.
"I think I've got it," Amber informs Eddie and Joy.
She presses in one number.
Rufus uses his gun to hit Joy in the back of the head.
Joy crumples to the floor, unconscious.
Amber presses in the second number.
Rufus hits Eddie in the back of the head.
Eddie crumples to the floor, unconscious.
Amber presses in the third number.
Rufus yanks her away from the panel.
"Amber," he growls.
"Uncle Rufus, hi!" Amber sputters. "I was just-"
"Being foolish. Like always," Rufus snarls. "Come on, you're going home."
He leaves. Drags Amber away.
Patricia looks towards the panel. One more number. Just one more...
She stands up. The pain stabs her where she was shot. Blood continues to drip out of her wound with every movement she takes. Patricia lets that happen. Grits her teeth as she moves towards the panel and her friend.
There are explosives in that room.
Fabian is in that room.
She has to get there. She has to save him.
Patricia starts to count.
One.
Reaches the panel.
Two.
Stares numbly at the numbers punched in already.
Three.
Reaches out. How can she guess a number?
Wait. Three.
Could it be-?
Patricia exhales. Stares at the panel. Then down at Joy. Then at Eddie.
And, finally, she hits the number three.
Story's almost done! Before I leave to wash dishes (because I have to), thank you to my reviewers! You guys are too nice to me, I swear.
Dancing Through Daisies- Responding to you here because your PM is off. So, um, wow! Your review just made me freak out so much because you were so sweet and nice about this story! You actually like this story?! That's so nice of you! Thank you so much!
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