Once
Once
A.N. Okay…so let's say that there was an assassin holding me hostage and he threatened to destroy the Twilight movie if I updated my story….or we could just admit that Alex is lame and a loser. Personally, I like the first one better. Lol
I'm sorry for the late update!! As I said…lame and loser.
A.N. 2: So this chapter is mainly starting as a flashback, in which we meet Ethan Sawyer and his obsession and just how evil he is…don't panic…Cedric is in the chapter!!
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Christmas Evening
"You sure you don't want me to get Montoya to cover for me? It's Christmas after all, and I don't see you very often."
Brooke looked at her older brother from her spot on the couch.
Aidan leaned against the kitchen door jam, all 6'7" towering in the hallway. His dark brown hair was spiked now, different and shorter from the summer, and his face held the evidence of a 6 o'clock shadow. His firearm was snugly fit into his shoulder holster, and his plainclothes uniform was slightly wrinkled. His face—so much older than his 30 years, thanks to years on the police force—held a look of concern.
For the millionth time since arriving home, she plastered a smile onto her face. "And force Romeo to give up a romantic evening with What's-Her-Name-New-Boobs? Thanks, but I'd rather dodge that bullet if I could. Frank and his floozies."
Aidan's face held a look of mock-scolding. "He doesn't date floozies, Brooke." A wise-cracking grin appeared on his face. "They're bimbos."
Brooke chuckled and shook her head. Frank Montoya was Aidan's partner and best friend. He'd been there to watch Brooke grow up, and she had come to think of him as a surrogate brother. He even used to smuggle her cake and chocolate when she was in trouble. Of course, Aidan didn't exactly know that. He always liked to think she had become remorseful of whatever trouble she had gotten into, but the truth was, she was always just suffering from a chocolate hangover.
Frank's taste in "loose" women was a constant source of jokes between the three of them.
She shook her head once more before returning her gaze to her brother. Under his easy smile, that look of concern was still in place. Something in Brooke faltered, and she feared that she hadn't been fooling him at all.
The moment she had departed from Hogwarts for the holiday season, Brooke had promised herself that she wouldn't worry Aidan with her broken heart or the fact that she cried herself to sleep. She'd told herself that she wouldn't let Cedric Diggory enter her thoughts and that she would just be Brooke. But since she'd spotted her brother in the crowd and felt his massive arms envelope her in a familiar bear hug, she'd fought the urge to tell Aidan everything. To hear him say that it would be alright and her heart would mend.
But she'd kept silent.
"I'm just worried about you, Brooke," Aidan said, drawing back her attention.
She smiled and shook her head. "I'm fine," she insisted.
"You're not fine, don't give me that," he said, pushing away from the door jam and walking towards her. He took a seat on the edge of the couch. "Something is wrong, and for some reason, you won't tell me. But it's obvious, Brooke. I've been watching you for the last two weeks. You smile and laugh and try to pretend that everything's alright. And I start to believe you. Then, for a split second, something just…falters. And I am so terrified that you're going to fall apart. But then I blink, and you're Brooke again. If I didn't know you as well as I do, I'd think I'd imagined it." He stared at her, and Brooke forced her gaze to stay on her lap. "Why won't you talk to me, Bumble B? I can't help you unless you tell me what the problem is."
The use of his nickname for her had tears stinging the back of her eyes, and she held her lips together tightly. No, she hadn't fooled Aidan Stokes at all.
She slowly raised her eyes to meet his identical ones. Concern clouded them. Just tell him, she thought. My heart's broken. I can't breathe. Help me. Instead, she cracked a half-smile.
"The problem," she said, "is that you're a paranoid homicide detective who's been playing single-parent to his little sister for too long." She shook her head. "You ARE imagining things, Aidan. I really am fine."
Aidan stared at her, and she wondered if he saw her façade faltering now.
"Now, go. Catch me a bad guy."
Her bear of a brother sighed, running a hand down his face. "No rest for the wicked," he muttered, rising to his feet. He ruffled her hair as he walked to the door, grabbing his jacket from the chair. Shrugging his arms into the sleeves, he turned to her. "Brooke…you know I'm here to talk. Always." She hesitated a moment, then nodded. "Set the alarm behind me." He winked at her as he closed the door behind him, and Brooke rose to her socked feet. She made her way to the door, throwing the lock as she watched Aidan climb into his SUV. She turned to the keypad and punched in the 4-digit code that had been drilled into her head since she was ten. The lights on the keypad flashed and beeped 3 times before emitting a short beep that indicated the house was now secure.
Brooke braced her hands against the wall, tears burning her eyes. Would this ever stop? This hollow ache in her heart? Would it ever fade? Sighing she ran a hand through her hair, making her way across the living room towards the kitchen. The sudden need to eat her weight in ice cream was overwhelming, and she recalled a pint of Ben & Jerry's in the freezer.
As she passed the large mirror on the wall, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on its end as a reflection flashed in its glass. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to scream, but a foul smelling cloth cut it off. Strong arms wrapped around her, pressing against her chest and mouth. She reached up, struggling, her nails digging into the arms of her captor. But against her will, she inhaled the fumes that soaked the cloth, and she felt her eyelids begin to feel heavy. Her arms slowly stopped struggling, sliding until they hung limply at her sides. A rough hand slowly caressed her cheek as she darkness surrounded her, and all too quickly, she succumbed to it.
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Soft, jazz-like music pulsed in her ears, and Brooke fought like hell to open her eyes. Her mouth felt cottony, and a bitter taste assaulted her taste buds. Her body felt heavy, and she struggled to raise her arms, move her legs, but wouldn't. With every movement, they jerked against something, and it was in that moment she realized that it was rope.
She was tied to a chair.
Panic overtook her then, and she struggled against her bondages, her breathing fast and terrified.
"Sleeping Beauty awakes…."
Brooke froze at the sound of the voice. HIS voice. The voice she hoped to never hear again.
Her eyes snapped open, and she gazed up at the smirking face of Ethan Sawyer. A terrified sob lodged in her throat, and tears of fear welled in her eyes.
He was leaning against an old computer desk, arms crossed over his chest. He wore a black suit, the tie hanging loosely around his neck. His blonde hair was gelled but disheveled, and his eyes…
His eyes stared at her. Cold. Calculating. Obsessed.
"Beautiful Brooke," he said, shaking his head. "I've missed you. It's been hell these past few years, not seeing you. Only having my pictures to get me through; to remind me of your face. Not that I'd ever forget but…" His lips twitched. "You can't imagine my torture."
Brooke shook her head, tears spilling over her cheeks. This isn't happening, she thought. You're not here. This is a dream.
Looking around quickly, she took in her surroundings, and realized with a jolt that she was in the cellar of her brother's house. Multicolored Christmas lights were draped all over the ceiling and walls. A stereo sat on the computer desk. The wall behind Ethan was plastered with her face—pictures of her smiling, walking down the street, getting the morning mail after a jog.
Her skin crawled. He'd been watching her.
Ethan cocked his head to the side. "No hello? Aren't you glad to see me?"
Brooke stared at him in panicked fury.
He clucked his tongue. "You're behavior is appalling, Brooke. I thought that the time apart…I thought you'd finally see the truth. That we belong together. But…seeing you now, I know that you need some convincing." He pushed away from the desk and walked towards her, and Brooke felt her pulse quicken. "I so want you to just…agree. Of your own accord." He crouched in front of her, raising a hand and pushing her bangs out of her eyes. She flinched away from his touch, and saw the anger flash in his eyes. "But you won't."
The blow came suddenly, and Brooke cried out as her face twisted against the force. She tasted blood, and felt her panic mingle with anger. Her tongue traced her split lip as she turned her head to glare at him defiantly. The blow came again, his fist knocking her face to the other side. Her vision swam as he sighed. "Brooke, Brooke, Brooke…." He crouched down in front of her, grabbing her chin in his hands and forcing her to look at him. "Why can't you just get it?"
He turned from her suddenly, striding to the computer desk and bracing his hands against its surface. Brooke struggled against her restraints, heart racing as she stared at Ethan's back. His shoulders were tense, almost shaking with his fury, and she struggled even harder, trying to remember the self-defense tricks Aidan had taught her. She concentrated hard on how to hold her wrists, close enough together that she could wiggle the rope loose. The rope sagged a bit, and she froze, her eyes darting to the figure in front of her. He was calming himself, but his shoulders remained tense. She steadied her breathing as she squeezed one hand further underneath the rope, her fingers grazing her back pocket. She strained harder until she could slip her fingers into the pocket. Her heart raced as her hand closed around her razor thin cell phone and slowly pulled it out until both hands could firmly hold it.
She flipped it open silently, and could only pray that it was still on vibrate. Her thumbs traced over the worn keypad, and she held her breath as she held down the button that would immediately speed dial her to Aidan's cell phone. She heard nothing, holding her finger over the speaker as her heartbeat thundered in her ears. Please let this work, she prayed, hoping that the reception would go through.
She snapped her gaze up when Ethan turned, staring at her. She willed herself not to shake in fear, and held his gaze with defiance.
Ethan sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I don't like hurting you, Brooke. But you have to see."
Brooke felt a slight vibration against the thumb that covered the speaker, and she felt her heart leap in hope. Aidan was on the other line. She drew a shaky breath. "See what?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Why are you doing this, Ethan?"
Ethan stared at her, a smile slowly creeping up across his face. "What we could be, Brooke. What we SHOULD be. Don't you get it? From that first moment I saw you at the community center…the way you were so kind, so beautiful. I knew…I knew that you were meant to be mine." He walked towards her and Brooke shut the cell phone with a quiet snap. His eyes narrowed at the sound, and he reached behind her, wrestling the phone out of her grasp. He gritted his teeth as he threw the phone to the side. "Why are you making this difficult? Why can't you just let it be us, Brooke?" He slugged her again, yelling in anger.
"Because you're psychotic," she screamed, angry, frightened tears streaking her cheeks. "Because you imagine things when they aren't there. You get off on hurting a girl when all she did was be nice to you out of pity."
"Shut up," Ethan whispered, voice trembling in anger.
"You just...are absolutely insane, Ethan. And go ahead. Beat me. Cut me. Kill me. Do whatever the hell you want to do, but you've got to face the fact that the only feelings that I have for you are repulse and pity."
His fist hit her in the side then, and she cried out, doubling over against her bonds. He hit her again, again, and again, until she saw black spots dance before her eyes. Her body screamed and she slumped forward as he stomped to the desk again, trying to catch her breathe through the pain.
"Beat you, kill you," he was muttering. "All in good time. Now cutting you?" He laughed, and Brooke felt a chill go up her spine. She raised her eyes, already beginning to swell from the bruises, and saw him turn, holding something shiny in his hands. A sob escaped her lips as she recognized the butcher knife Aidan used for steaks. "Cutting you…sounds like it might just be the solution to the whole problem."
Brooke sobbed again, struggling against her restraints. As he walked towards her, she opened her mouth and screamed.
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Brooke jerked awake, the scream that threatened to escape her lips lodging in her throat instead. A hand caressed her back suddenly, and she jumped.
"Brooke," a voice said softly, calmly, and she opened her eyes to look up into Cedric's face. He sat next to her bed in the hospital wing, his chin resting against her pillow. His hand was pressed against the side of her face, his thumb gently caressing her cheek, careful of the healing ointment Madame Pomfrey had spread over her cuts and bruises. He cracked her favorite crooked smile, leaning closer towards her. "You're alright…it was just a nightmare."
Brooke stared at him for a moment. "Why did you let me sleep?"
"Because you were exhausted."
"Cedric, I asked you to make sure I didn't fall asleep."
Cedric laughed. "And then I would have been forced to experience the wrath of Madame Pomfrey. She insists that you need rest."
Brooke sighed, raising her hand to enclose it in Cedric's. "You're still here," she whispered. He frowned at her. "I was so afraid I'd wake up and you'd be gone. Changed your mind or just decided to leave."
Cedric shook his head, leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against her lips. "Not in a million years, Stokes," he whispered, resting his forehead against hers. He saw her smile softly, and he returned it before pulling back slightly. "I'm in this for the long run."
Brooke smiled. "Good…I'll hold you to it."
Silence settled between them for a long moment, and Brooke looked up when Cedric's finger traced her cheekbone. "Will you tell me about him?," he asked, and Brooke stared at him, already knowing who he meant.
She'd been hysterical after he forgave her for the horrendous lie that had sentenced them both to a miserable month and half, and when he inquired about her battered state, she became even more hysterical, and could only struggle out Ethan's name and the words "nightmare" and "attack" before Cedric shushed her, rushing her to Madame Pomfrey. She didn't remember much after that, except for the sagely woman nursing over her and holding onto Cedric's hand with all her might, making him promise that he wouldn't leave her side.
She swallowed, staring at up at him. "What do you want to know?"
Rage welled in Cedric's eyes, and Brooke gave his fingers a squeeze. "Who was he? How did he…why did he do this to you?"
Brooke shrugged. "He was a worker from the community center in my hometown. I volunteered there a few years ago, just helping some of the older people out. I saw him once, maybe twice the whole time I was there. I guess that's all it took for him to make up this…deluded reality, I think is what the doctor called it. He stalked me for a while. Sending notes, leaving messages. He got pretty scary there, for awhile. But when we got the authorities involved, he disappeared. Up until a few months ago, he stayed gone."
Cedric nodded. "He was the one you're brother wrote to tell you about."
Brooke nodded. "Yeah…he somehow slipped through the cracks and made his way back. He got into the house somehow…I don't know how long he was there…." Her skin crawled at the thought that he could have been waiting it out in the cellar, the one room of the two story house that she and Aidan never used. "He waited till Aidan left and just…got me. He was convinced that if he could just talk to me, he could get me to believe that we belonged together. When I didn't listen…well…" She smiled sadly and waved a hand dramatically at her beaten form. Cedric's face contorted in fury and Brooke shook her head. "Please, Ced…don't…"
"I should have been there with you, Brooke," he said softly. "I should have protected you."
"Cedric, you couldn't have done anything. Ethan Sawyer is smart. If Aidan didn't leave when he did…" Her voice trailed off. "You couldn't have done anything Cedric. You didn't even know." She smiled her sad smile again. "My lie did its job."
Cedric closed his eyes, leaning his forehead against hers once more. "Deep down, I think I knew you were lying," he whispered. "But seeing your face and…hearing you say it…it broke me. After being home, all I could think was that if I could just see you…if I could just talk to you….I was very close to hopping a plane and tracking you down."
Brooke looked at him. "I wouldn't have stood a chance, you know…if you had gone through with it. It was taking everything in me to put on a strong face for Aidan, but if you had shown up on my doorstep, my weeks of hard work would have gone straight down the drain." Her fingers twisted into his hair as she searched his face. "Why didn't you?"
He smiled. "Because I'm a lousy coward."
Brooke laughed softly, pressing her lips softly against his. "No…you're my hero. The thought of you…it was the only thing that kept me going while he…well…while it was all happening. All I could do was just think, 'if I can just make it through, I can tell him.' I couldn't imagine…leaving you like that. Leaving you at all."
Cedric kissed her again, gently cradling her face in his hands. "Then let's never leave each other, Brooke. Does that work for you?"
She smiled, nodding against his lips. "Yeah…that works for me just fine."
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Ok…so…I'm not so sure I really like this chapter…I think it left a lot unsaid…but I don't really want to rewrite it, because then I'll have to wait to post the next couple chapters…which would then result in my death by sporks by Beenie's hand. So yeah…I'm gonna leave it like this…and let me know what y'all think…because I am now off the write the next chapter!
