Cal had a large smile and a stomach ache by the time he finished all of the food. "Damn... that was some delicious shit."

"It's McDonalds." Ryan said.

"I haven't eaten in four days," Cal countered.

"Touche."

"So... when can I leave?"

Ryan sighed and said, "When Gillian loves me again."

"I'm stuck here until I die..." Cal said, shaking his head and sighing.

"You really shouldn't have said that."

Evan looked around into the large room after he heard a thump and a yell from Cal. There he was, laying on the floor again, blood coming from what looked like his jaw.

"Why do you do this?" Evan asked madly.

"Why do you care?"

"He didn't do anything wrong!"

"He's done plenty of things wrong in his day..." Ryan said simply.

"Nothing that has to do with this! Let him go! Let him be with his daughter! Let him be with his girlfriend! What's wrong with you? What would every give you the feeling that this was neccesary? The poor guy has had nothing but shit given to him over the past four days. Let him go! I'm serious!" Evan was losing it now, and Ryan wasn't very happy.

"Watch yourself."

"I've got nothing to watch. I'm not a filthy bastard like you." He stepped far away from Ryan and watched cautiously.

Ryan was seething now. "Stop or I will kill him!"

"You can't even threaten me?"

.:.

"Ryan isn't a killer," Gillian said.

"Then what is he?" asked Eli.

"He's a good person..."

"Why did you two break up?" Ria asked curiously.

"I met Alec..." The subject was fragile for her, but she talked about it anyway. "I fell in love with Alec... so I left Ryan."

"Then why is he after Lightman rather than Alec?" Ben asked.

Gillian shrugged. "I don't know... because I'm divorced now? I work with Cal... we have a strong relationship?"

"But it's Alec's fault that the two of you seperated."

" I don't know, Ben. I would tell you if I did."

Ben gave in and nodded. "Sorry."

"All I need is to talk to him on the phone... then I can talk him out of this."

Ben nodded and said, "Hopefully Cal will convince him to get another call."

.:.

Cal was tied back up.

Ryan had become harsher and sharper.

Cal could see it.

He was right on the edge. He was in a very fragile condition. He was standing on the tip of the cliff, prepared to jump, but not quite sure. He was waiting for Cal to pull the trigger.

But Cal was ready. He didn't want to set Ryan off. He didn't want anymore pain. He pretended that it was nothing and that he was fine, but the beatings were catching up with him. What he could really use right now was a massage, but he knew that would never happen. He needed to keep Ryan calm and happy.

"Gonna ask another question?" Cal asked.

Ryan sighed inwardly and asked, "Does she love me? The truth."

"Not anymore..." Cal whispered.

Ryan had gone into this, thinking it was a brilliant idea. He had taken Cal thinking that things would work out and that he would get Gillian back.

But now, he was seeing the damage of his decisions. He had been a very large jackass by taking Cal and beating the shit out of him along with stealing Gillian's friend.

"Uh, Ryan..." Evan walked into the large room, glanced at Cal and then looked back to Ryan. "I dropped off the picture... and found this one."

Ryan yanked the picture from Evan and read it aloud. "Dear Ryan,

You've been sending us picture of what you have been doing to Cal. Well here is a picture of what you've been doing to Gillian.

She wants you to call. Please. And keep Cal safe, would you?"

Ryan flipped the picture over and saw Gillian crying. She probably hadn't known that the picture was being taken. She was sitting in her office.

"Can I call her?" Cal asked.

Ryan nodded solemnly. "Um, yeah." He tossed the phone at Cal and frowned.

.:.

"You sent him a picture of WHAT?"

"Of you crying," Ben said simply.

"What the hell?"

Loker took a deep breath and said, "It'll work. Trust us. It'll get it him. Seriously. It will."

The phone rang and she looked at Ben.

"It worked." He smiled and nodded towards the phone.

"Hello?" Gillian asked.

"It's Cal."

"I'm sorry, but I'd prefer to not talk to you. Either put Ryan on or I'm giving the phone to Megan."

"Alright," he said quickly. "Ryan. Take the phone. She doesn't want to talk to me."

"Hello?' Ryan asked.

"Ryan. What are you doing?"

"I haven't heard your voice in a long time, Gillian."

"At least twenty years," she whispered. "Why are you doing this?"

"I miss you."

"I don't want Cal to get hurt."

"It's a little late for that, babe."

"Don't call me 'babe.' Send Cal back home."

"He doesn't love you," Ryan whispered.

"Then why do you still have him?" she asked madly.

He was right. Cal didn't love her. Why did she want him back?

A/: Short chapter... This story is coming to an end. It seems to short! Thanks for reading and reviewing... and if you want to laugh at absolute ridiculousness ( er what I think is that) then read my story (Oscoliosistenderflanker)... it's about cal getting pregnant :P and Emily too... it's complete crap so if you DO read it, don't complain abot it not being in character or about the show... enjoy!