Admittedly a long chapter but it had to come to a natural stop for me as do all my chapters, and any way you've been waiting long enough for it! AJ5 ;-) don't forget to R&R!
Chapter 7.
'Kris!' Cate yelled as the headlights came straight toward them slamming into Kris's side of the car, the impact slamming it off of the road, rolling down the incline to the ditch below the road. The sound of the crash was deafening then the crunching metal as the car rolled then nothing and darkness. Cate started to come round choking on her seatbelt as she unbuckled it, which took longer than usual. Cate looked around; the car had rolled but had managed to land on its wheels rather than its roof, small blessings. Cate turned to Kris who was slumped against her door out cold, Cate checked for a pulse, steady and strong, Cate breathed a sigh of relief as she tried to open her door. No go, the crash had jammed it no way that was opening she then reached across Kris trying her door but again no go Cate grimaced as she looked to the windscreen which had smashed and splintered in all directions. Cate leaned forward across the dashboard using her arm to push the windscreen out it crashed onto the hood of the Cobra. Cate climbed across the dash and out onto the hood of the car which now looked very sorry for itself. Getting off the car Cate stood and nearly fell over again as pain shot through her leg, leaning against the car wing she did the best she could to check herself for injury. There was no blood on her legs that she could see, no cuts; tracing her hand down her leg to her knee the source of pain was found.
'Achilles had his heel I have my knee.' Cate said as she quickly and forcefully shifted and twisted her knee. Even the crack sounded painful as Cate cried out but the relief was also evident. Looking back in to the car Cate looked at Kris still out cold she could see a trail blood on the side of her friends face. Not sure how to safely get her out of the car Cate looked up the incline back to the road checking for her gun still in its holster Cate pulled it and headed up. Logically she knew that whoever had smashed them off of the road would have come down soon after to finish them off rather than wait for either her or Kris to wake up and come for them. Cate made her way back to the road, it was deserted no sign of the vehicle that hit them, just broken glass and tyre marks. Cate turned and raised her gun when she heard the approaching vehicle lowering it again when the siren filtered through followed by the flashing lights. 'The cavalry, thanks Angels.' Cate smiled with relief as she waved down the ambulance. The paramedics jumped down from their rig and rushed over to Cate.
'Down here guys my friend needs your help a little more than I do right now.' Cate pointed down to the smacked up Cobra below them. They all hurried back down to the car as another car arrived on the scene pulling in quickly behind the ambulance. Julie's Pinto's headlamps beamed down to where Cate and the paramedics were looking over Kris. 'You need to know that she's pregnant guys.' Cate explained as one of the paramedics climbed into the car.
'Cate!' Kelly called out as she and Julie neared her sister and Kris. Cate turned to see them and smiled with relief that they were there with them. Kelly rushed straight to her little sister wrapping her arms around her. 'Are you all right?' Kelly asked still with her arms wrapped around Cate.
'Just about I think, I'm more worried about Kris.' Cate explained as she held on to her sister. Julie moved round the car to see if she could help the paramedics with Kris, which they gladly accepted.
'What happened?' Kelly asked finally breaking away from Cate. Cate answered as she watched over the paramedics with Kris.
'We were driving back as you know, nothing and no one around us, the road was quiet then out of nowhere we get smashed in to.'
'When I heard you shout to Kris and then the phone going dead…' Kelly trailed off thinking back to a short while ago.
'Yeah I know, headlights just appeared to the side of us a bam!' Cate showing Kelly as best she could with the light from the ambulance and Julie's car, the damage done to the front wing of Kris's car. Kelly approached the car looking at the damage.
'You're lucky you're both alive.' Kelly said quietly as she stood away from the car back to the side of Cate just as Kris was moved from out of the car to the waiting backboard to help carry her up to the ambulance. 'How is she?' Kelly asked.
'Lucky to still be alive with what looks like minimal damage but we won't know everything for sure until we get her in.' One of the paramedics explained as he passed the two sisters.
'You ok?' Julie asked as she joined her friends.
'Yeah thanks.' Cate half smiled.
'Well let's get you to the hospital as well to make sure of that.' Kelly said as they turned to follow after Kris. Kelly slipped her arm around Cate's waist helping up the incline to Julie's car.
'I'll ride with Kris.' Julie handed her car keys to Kelly. 'Meet you there.' Kelly just nodded as she watched her young friend get loaded into the ambulance and checked over again as the paramedics prepared to take her in. Kelly turned to the Pinto and her sister who had propped herself on the hood of the car with more light Kelly could see the damage done to her little sister from the crash. Cupping Cate's head in her hands Kelly tilted her head to the light from the open ambulance. Cate had a cut above her right eye that had bled a fair amount but seemed to have now stopped; bruising was beginning to form on the cheekbone on the same side also.
'Looks like you smacked your head pretty hard.' Kelly grimaced.
'Would explain the buzz.' Cate smirked before sharply breathing in as Kelly lightly touched the bruised and cut area.
'Sorry. Anything else hurt?' Kelly asked looking her over noticing other small cuts, nothing worse than the cut above her eye.
'I hurt my knee a little.' Cate admitted.
'Your bad one?' Kelly asked as Cate nodded in response. 'You seem to be walking ok on it.'
'Yeah, I twisted it back, made one hell of a crack I can tell ya, hurt like a son of a bitch.' Cate grimaced thinking back on it and the still throbbing pain.
'Well let's get you in and checked over properly.' Kelly smiled leading Cate round to the passenger side of the little orange car.
'We really need to get Julie a new car.' Cate said making a face as she got in to the car, not really to her style.
'She seems to like it.' Kelly smiled as she helped her sister in to the car.
'She would.' Cate smirked.
By the time they arrived at the hospital Kris had all ready been taken through to an exam room with a medical team looking after her, Julie pacing the waiting area. As Cate and Kelly entered in to the waiting area Julie bee lined for them.
'They're still with Kris.'
'Any news on the baby?' Kelly asked to which Julie shook her head.
'Nothing yet, Kris started to come round on the way here which was good, certainly pleased the paramedic.' Julie smiled slightly at the relief she felt when Kris finally started to wake up. A nurse approached Cate as she was about to take a seat in the waiting area.
'You'd better come with me.' The nurse smiled Cate groaned as she followed after her.
'I'd better…' Kelly gestured with her thumb to Cate to follow after her to Julie who nodded understanding.
'I'll stay here for Kris and call Bosley.' Julie said as she headed to the pay phones.
By the time Kelly had caught up with Cate she was sat up on a bed having a penlight shone into her eyes and other checks done.
'So you're not feeling dizzy at all or nauseous.' The doctor stated rather than asked as she looked over the notes she had been making whilst with Cate. 'The cut above your eye just needs cleaning and probably a small bonding strip, the rest of the cuts and scratches are superficial. Anything else hurt?'
'Her knee.' Kelly answered for her sister who rolled her eyes at her big sister. The doctor turned to Kelly inquisitively. 'I'm her sister and she's had a lot of trauma to her right knee recently which she hurt in the crash.' Kelly explained knowing full well her sister wouldn't. The doctor turned back to Cate her eyebrow raised wanting an acknowledgement from her. Cate sighed and nodded.
'Yeah I twisted my knee but twisted it back and it seems fine now.' Cate explained.
'Does it still hurt?' The doctor asked.
'Yeah some not as much as it did before I twisted it back.' The doctor nodded as she listened.
'Ok well lay back and we'll just check it over just in case.' Cate did as she was asked, the doctor with Cate's help pulled and pushed Cate's jean leg back to reveal the knee and the surgery scarring that now covered it. 'You weren't kidding about the trauma.' The doctor noted as she felt the knee and gently bent Cate's leg to feel the knee joint move. 'Well it all feels fine we'll have an X-ray done to be absolutely sure but it should be fine, I'll get you something for the pain. Other than that you seem to have gotten off lightly, let's hope the same for your friend.' The doctor warmly smiled as she turned to leave the room.
'Do you know anything about our friend's condition?' Cate asked desperate to know that all was well with Kris and the baby.
'I'm sorry I don't, but I'm sure someone will tell you something soon. I'll have a nurse come and take you up for an X-ray in a moment.' The doctor smiled again nodding to the sister's as she left the room. Cate breathed in deeply as she lay back on the bed, Kelly moved to the side of her sitting up on the bed.
'You think Kris and the baby are ok?' Cate asked turning to Kelly who looked to her hands before facing Cate.
'I don't know Cate, I really don't we can only hope and pray that they will be.'
'I'll hope you pray.' Cate said as she looked up to the ceiling. An hour later the three Angels sat together in the waiting room for news on Kris.
'So everything's ok?' Julie asked.
'Yes Julie, everything's ok I promise.' Cate said, it was the third time Julie had asked in the space on fifteen minutes. 'Nothing is broken everything feels bruised and the rest is minor and nothing to worry about.' Cate explained as she flicked through a month old magazine. 'Stop worrying.' Cate said looking up to her friend smiling at her to which Julie smiled back.
'Has anyone called David?' Kelly asked breaking her silence.
'Bosley said he would, wanted us to concentrate on us for now, he'd handle the rest.' Julie explained just as a doctor came round the corner heading towards them.
'Are you all with Kristine Munroe?' He asked as he approached them.
'We are yes.' Kelly immediately answered standing up to meet the doctor who smiled warmly to her.
'Good because she's asking for you all.'
'She's awake, will she be ok, what about the baby?' Julie asked standing quickly next to Kelly. The doctor looked down to the floor as Julie asked her final question.
'Oh no.' Kelly solemnly said folding her arms across her chest looking away to the wall trying to hold back the tears for now, she needed to be brave when facing Kris, had to be the rock for her to lean on, the big sister in Jill's absence. The Angels took a moment before speaking again.
'Which room is she in?' Cate asked, the doctor looked to her and indicated which way.
'This way please, I'll show you.' The Angels nodded and followed after him. 'Miss Munroe has a slight concussion, a cut to the side of head which has had to be stitched there is a lot of bruising from the seatbelt and steering wheel across her chest. Apart from the loss of the pregnancy she's fine, we'll be keeping her tonight, possibly tomorrow as well, we'll see how she is.' The doctor smiled to the Angels before he left them letting them enter in to Kris's room alone. Kelly took the lead, taking a breath Kelly opened the door to the room and entered in with Julie and Cate following after her. Kelly walked straight round to Kris's side gently placing her hand on Kris's forehead as she leaned down kissing Kris's head.
'Hi.' Kelly softly said. Kris looked up to Kelly her eyes glistening.
'I lost the baby Kelly.' Kris sobbed Kelly quickly sat beside Kris pulling her into her gently rocking her as Kris cried. Julie turned away from the scene leaning into Cate who put her arm around her friend comforting her watching as her sister looked after Kris, her heart crumbling further than it had already adding to it Kris's loss.
After a few moments Kris settled back down into the bed Kelly handed her the tissue box from the bedside cabinet, Cate and Julie took seats in the two-seater couch to the side of Kris's private room.
'Do you remember what happened Kris?' Kelly gently asked brushing strands of Kris's hair away from her eyes.
'It's sort of a blur I remember driving back from the impound with Cate and you calling on the car phone then a bright flash of light and nothing.' Kris said as she coughed slightly clearing her throat. 'You ok?' Kris asked looking over to Cate who nodded as she answered.
'Yeah I'm fine.' Cate said noticing the change in Kris's body language.
'Good now get out.' Kris calmly but sternly ordered. Cate turned her head slightly towards Kris, had she just heard what she thought she did?
'Kris.' Kelly gently spoke trying to calm the storm that was brewing behind Kris's eyes.
'I mean it, leave.' Kris ordered again.
'Kris, honey we know you're upset but please don't start taking it out…' Julie tried to make peace when Kris cut her off.
'I lost my baby Julie, I'm a little more than upset.'
'It's not Cate's fault Kris.' Kelly said in even tones trying to keep the room calm and not really succeeding.
'From where I'm laying Kelly it is.' Kris snapped looking Kelly straight in the eyes.
'Kelly.' Cate called her sister who looked round to her, Cate shook her head telling her older sister not to fight as she stood up and walked out of the room. Julie looked to Kelly then Kris before she left the room after Cate.
Cate walked to the nurse's desk where Julie caught up with her placing a hand on her shoulder.
'She'll come round Cate, she just needs some time.' Julie tried to explain.
'It's all right Julie, I know.' Cate said as she nodded and thanked a nurse who handed her a small sheet of paper.
'What are you going to do?' Julie questioned concerned as Cate started walking looking up at the directions panels on the hospital walls.
'I'm going to pick up this prescription the doctor has written for me, get a cab and go home.' Cate explained as she headed towards the pharmacy. 'I'll be ok Julie, you can go back to Kris, really, I'm ok.' Cate said as she continued on.
'Yeah I will.' Julie said picking up her speed a little to walk along side Cate.
Kelly stayed beside Kris as Julie left the room. She breathed in deeply before turning back to Kris.
'I don't want to talk about it Kel.' Kris said before Kelly could speak but she was going to anyway.
'Kris please, don't take your pain and anger out on Cate you both could have been killed tonight.'
'Somebody was killed tonight Kelly.' Kris angrily retorted.
'I know Kris and I am, we all are so sorry for that and we'll make sure West pays for that as well but we're family Kris, we're stronger together.'
'Don't give me that crap Kelly!' Kris snapped. 'Cate's been hunting West for months, she's been breaking apart his rings of crooks across the country, more than likely pissing him off one break at a time and now here we all are together again West and the Angels fighting to kill. Well he fought and won didn't he.' Kris ranted, Kelly could see should would get nowhere with Kris in her current state of mind. Sighing heavily Kelly stood up from the side of Kris's bed walking towards the small window in the room wondering what to do next. 'It's not fair.' Kris practically whispered. Kelly turned seeing Kris quietly sobbing she moved back to her side wrapping her in her arms.
'It's not fair Kris, none of what West has done to us is fair and we'll make him pay for it we will.'
Back at her home Cate stepped out of her shower feeling a little more refreshed than she had when she arrived home. Drying off Cate walked the short distance from her bathroom to her bedroom. Sitting on her bed she opened the paper bag the pharmacist had put her prescription in to. Pulling out a slimmed line box she opened it pouring out the tube of ointment the doctor had prescribed for her knee. Reading through the directions Cate applied the amount of ointment to her knee to help with the pain, faster reacting than popping a couple of pills. Once done Cate changed into fresh clothes. Completely unaware of the eyes that were watching her home from the shadows of a black Sedan parked across the street.
'Do we move now Mr. West?' The driver asked fidgeting to move.
'Not yet Nicky we still have a couple of guests yet to arrive, they'll be along soon.' West said from behind his newspaper he casually read in the back seat. Nicky nodded keeping his eyes on the road and Cate's home.
'Looks like someone's home.' Nicky said as a yellow cab pulled up. 'The older sister.' Nicky explained as Kelly got out of the cab and jogged to the front door letting herself into the house.
'Just one more to arrive and they shouldn't be much longer.' West explained turning the page of his newspaper.
'Cate?' Kelly called out as she shut the front door the lock latching after her.
'Back here Kel.' Cate called back from her room. Kelly walked through the house tossing her purse down onto the armchair as she passed it.
'How you doing?' Kelly asked as she entered into Cate's bedroom.
'I'm ok, showered, refreshed, ready for another round.' Cate smiled to her sister, Kelly knew it was a front. 'How's Kris?' Cate asked putting away clothes and tidying things slightly in her room trying not to face her sister as she asked.
'She's angry, upset as you know, can imagine.' Kelly sighed sitting on the foot of Cate's bed. 'Cate, Kris didn't mean..'
'I know she didn't Kel but I can't say that I blame her.'
'It's not your fault Cate.' Kelly flatly said.
'I know, I know its not.' Cate said turning to Kelly 'I just…it's too much Kelly.' Cate sighed sitting beside her sister. 'There's only so much we should have to put up with and I'm tired of having to pick and carry on again afterwards.'
'I think you should talk to Kris.'
'She doesn't want to hear anything from me right now Kel.'
'But she should and you know what she should hear about.' Kelly turned in to her sister facing her.
'I'm not going to tell Kris about my problems, what would it accomplish?' Cate asked standing taking a few steps away.
'It would help her understand, it might help you both deal with the loss you share.' Kelly quietly explained.
'Kelly, I just don't want to share that…'
'Why not?' Kelly cut in.
'Because I'm just not ready to, it took me months just to tell you and I don't want to tell Kris just so that she might stop being angry with me and then what pity me? No, Kris needs to work through this at her own pace, I'll be there for her and in my own time I'll tell her but not now.'
'I think you're wrong Cate, I really do but it's your decision I can't force you to tell anyone nor will I tell anyone you know that but your best friend needs you right now and I think you're the only one who could possibly have an understanding of what she's going through.' Kelly explained in calm tones, she wouldn't argue about this, it wasn't a subject that should be argued over. The room fell silent for a moment when Cate breathed in deeply turning to Kelly.
'So what's next?' Kelly stood walking to her sister as they headed out of her bedroom.
'Well we track down West and fast.' Kelly explained.
'No need Miss Garrett, I'm right here.' West said sat on one of the dining room chairs as hands came from either side of the bedroom doorway grabbing the sister's splitting them up. 'Careful boys these two are feisty ones.' West smirked as he watched events unfold before him.
Kelly was first to react a split second before Cate as she stomped her foot down on her captors foot as he loosened his grip on her Kelly elbowed him in the ribs, not far away from her side Cate was doing the same thing unfortunately for the sisters they were outnumbered and in confined space as another of West's thugs grabbed around her throat and threw her back against the wall holding her there squeezing her throat managing to lift her feet a few inches off of the floor, Kelly struggled to free herself and for air.
'Kelly!' Cate called trying to get to her when a man's knee planted firmly into Cate's stomach, Cate doubled over before she was grabbed and thrown down hard on to her back on the floor.
'Carl.' West called to the man pinning Cate down, he turned to West who tossed him a set of handcuffs. Throwing Cate over onto her front Carl pulled her arms round her back cuffing her hands behind her back. Then pulling her back keeping her seated down on the floor. 'Joseph release your grip on Miss Garrett's throat.' West then ordered.
'What do you want West?' Cate asked struggling against the cuffs feeling them cut into her wrists.
'What do I want? I want you to stop chasing me and breaking apart my business very rude Miss Fox, very rude and annoying.' West said as he stood up straightening his tie. 'So the question is what will it take for you to stop?' Cate watched as he walked over to Kelly her stomach tightening with fear. 'Apparently death is the most likely answer but to just kill you is no fun, no suffering is far more entertaining.' West smiled to Cate then turned to Kelly as he placed his hand upon her shoulder smiling at her, Kelly knew what was most likely to happen next and tried to prepare for it as West punched her hard in the stomach Kelly doubled over coughing gasping for air. 'Now let's not be fools here Miss Garrett you and I have some unfinished business as well.' West said as he grabbed Kelly by her hair pulling her back before back handing her, Kelly went with the hit stumbling forward tripping over her own feet as she fell to the floor. West walked slowly over to her grabbing her roughly by her upper arm he pulled her up to her feet and swung her face first in to the wall, Kelly slid down again to the ground, she had to fight back enough holding back, Kelly took a breath and spun diving for West knocking him back and sending them both crashing through Cate's low wooden coffee table. Kelly took the upper hand of the situation sitting on top of West pinning him down she managed to land a couple of punches to his face but that was all she got before he grabbed her fist the next time it swung and repaid the favor by punching Kelly hard to the side of her face the blow felt like it rattled Kelly's entire skull as she fell off of the side of West.
'Stop!' Cate yelled out trying to get up to help, to do something only to be pushed back down again. West stood up looking down over Kelly who pushed her upper body from the floor shaking her head, trying to shake off the hit. West then turned to Cate smiling.
'Stop, you want me to stop.' West said as he took a handkerchief from his inside pocket wiping the blood that was trickling from his split lip away. 'You're right why should I have all the fun. You know Miss Fox you're not the only one who has been doing some digging and finding things out, I did my own amount of research about you. What could I possibly find to use against you I wondered then I found it.' West continued on Cate listened as she looked over to where Kelly was still trying to gain her senses after the punch from West. West nodded to his man who guarded the side door of the house, the man opened the door allowing another to walk through. 'Now this took some doing I won't lie but I managed eventually and it turns out he hates you more than I ever could!' West laughed. Cate turned and looked at the man who had just entered the house, her eyes widened as she saw whom West had found, for the first time in a long time Cate felt fear soak through her.
'Bobby.' She quietly said as if a ghost had walked in the room, Kelly turned looking towards him also with shock.
'Hey sis.' Bobby replied a sick, twisted grin spreading across his face.
