"Did you enjoy your nap?" The voice was firm and I was almost sure anger was hidden in the question.

I squinted, knowing full well I still wouldn't be able to see anything.

"I asked you a question. I expect an answer!" The voice was stern.

My head was spinning, and I could have sworn the side of my face was wet. The smell of blood was all around, making me sick. I felt like at any moment I was going pass out.

I wasn't sure where I was or how long I had been there. All I could hope was that Katie was somewhere safe. Whatever the hell was going on, I could handle it as long as I knew she was okay. Maybe if I was gone long enough Katie would be able to call Javi and Kevin. Although both of them were mad at me. I wasn't exactly sure they'd be in a hurry to find me.

A light came on. It wasn't bright. I registered it as the kitchen light. I tried to see who turned it on, but I could only see a dark silhouette. I looked to my left and nearly screamed.

Katie was there tied to a chair, just as I was, her head slumped over.

"Katie! Katie!" My heart was beating so fast. I tried to get my wrists free, but I only managed to hurt myself.

"Don't bother. She's out cold." The silhouette came into view. "Her name is Kaitlin, not Katie. Katie is a stupid name."

The voice sounded somewhat familiar. As she came into view I knew I had seen her before. Her red hair definitely looked familiar, I just couldn't place it. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"You'll know soon enough, Brianna."

"How do you know my name?" Suddenly it clicked. "You. You were that woman at the school. At Katie's graduation." I shook my head. God, please tell me this was a dream.

She nodded. "My name is Natalie, Brianna. You remember me?"

"What do you want?"

"To see you, both of you." She stared back and forth between Katie and I. "So beautiful."

I tried so hard to hide my frustration because I wasn't sure how she would react to threats. "What are you doing? What do you want?"

"I just told you," she chuckled. "I know you aren't hard of hearing, so try to pay attention."

"Why did you want to see us?" I asked, still feeling wetness run down my cheek.

"To see what the big fuss was all about. You girls are beautiful, I'll give you that, but...I don't see anything extra special. Why did he pick you?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm the reason you are here, don't you know that?"

"What?" She couldn't be saying what I thought she was saying. I looked closely and shook my head. The hair was the same as mine, the eyes were same as Katie's... She couldn't be.

She left us.

Javi's POV

"Really?"

"Yeah, I think that would be best., I sighed, leaning against the door frame.

"Was it something I did?" she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Actually, I think it's something I did."

"What did you do?"

If only I knew how to answer that question. If only I knew what I had done wrong.

"Not sure."

"Is it..." She stopped for a moment. "Is it Brianna?"

I simply nodded.

"So it is my fault," she said, standing up and walking over to the side of the bed.

"It's my fault. Not yours."

"She knows that nothing happened..."

I cut her off. "She knows. She just..." I didn't know how to explain it to Lanie without making Bri look bad.

"I get it. Don't worry. I probably should have known better," she smiled and began to start gathering her clothes.

I nodded and left her to it. I knew Beckett would allow Lanie to stay with her. It was a more suitable place, now that I thought about it.

After Lanie left I sat on the couch, throwing my head back. How did everything get so complicated so fast? I wanted to talk to Bri, but I still hadn't figured out what I was going to do about the situation. I still wasn't sure how everything ended so badly. Bri knew my past with Lanie, I just figured she would know it was in the past and nothing more.

Maybe I should have talked to her first. I really didn't see her as the jealous type. Why would she be? I wasn't a cheater; she knew that. I had been seeing her and only her. Just the way I wanted it. Ever since that first night we kissed, I knew I wanted her. Just her.

She was the only woman I had been with that was almost like me. She was smart, independent, and so laid back. Where'd that stress ball of a woman from earlier come from?

I had tried to call her countless times, but she had her phone turned off. I didn't think she was that mad at me, but now I was starting to get upset with her. Did she really think ignoring me was going to be beneficial for her?

"Not today," I muttered, grabbing my car keys. I was going to fix this, and she wasn't going to stop me.

Brianna's POV

"Do you want to hear a story? It's a beautiful story. In fact, it's a love story."

I didn't say anything. I just looked down at the ground.

"Oh come on, don't be that way. I mean..." Natalie came over closer and bent down in front of me. "It is a mother's job to tell stories to their children, isn't it?" She moved a piece of hair behind my ear. "It's a lovely story, but I should warn you. It doesn't have a happy ending." She looked over to Katie. "Well Kaitlin is already asleep, so why don't we go ahead and start."

She sat down in front of me on the ground and crossed her legs.

"What do you want?"

"Hey! I'm telling you a story. It's not nice to interrupt!" she spat. "Just sit there and listen. Maybe you'll learn something."

In an instant her face lit up. All traces of bitterness disappeared. What the hell was wrong with her?

"Once upon a time there was a princess. She was a lonely princess. For the King and Queen only had one child. The princess wanted nothing more than to be loved. She wanted warmth and light. Instead she was locked away in the fortress. She wasn't loved, only kept away and nearly forgotten. This went on for years and years." She looked up at me and shook her head.

"Years later the princess was able to leave the fortress and mingle with others. She was scared at first. She wasn't used to the company. She met a friend who helped her, who showed her that there was nothing to be afraid of." She hesitated, her gaze focused on something Brianna couldn't see. The gun was clenched in Natalie's shaking hands. "One day the princess was with friends, when before her appeared a prince, the most handsome prince you could ever imagine. His hair was dark and silky. His eyes sparkled like emeralds." She smiled at me as a tear slid down my face. "The prince was smart and sweet. He was kind and offered the princess love, warmth, and many other things."

I shook my head. What the hell was she doing? Why was she telling me this?

"After a short courtship, the prince asked the princess to be his bride. Of course she agreed. The princess had never been so happy. She loved him, completely and truly loved him. He loved her too and showed her in every way he could." Her smile widened. "They married in a small and private ceremony. It was perfect. The princess felt like she finally belonged, that she now had a the life she always dreamed of." Her eyes narrowed and her smile faded. Every muscle in her face turned. She stood up and started pacing in front of me. More tears streamed down my face. I looked over to see that Katie hadn't gained consciousness yet. If I had to be thankful for anything, it would be for that.

"Not too long after the Prince and Princess were married, the Prince decided he wanted a family. The Princess was scared. She didn't think she would make a good mother. She did know that she was a wonderful wife. That's the life she wanted, not a life with children. She didn't understand why the Prince would want such a life. All she knew is that in order to keep him happy, she needed to give him what he wanted."

"Stop!" I yelled, not wanting to hear anymore. "Just stop!"

I didn't look at her, but I heard a gasp. "Why would I stop? How else will you learn?"

"Learn what? That you are a psychopath?" I squirmed, trying to get my wrists free.

"Don't!" I felt the barrel of the gun touch my forehead and I immediately stopped moving. "Just don't!" She moved my head with the gun until I was facing her. "Sit here, be quiet, and listen. Do I make myself clear?"

I nodded.

"Good." She looked to the ceiling. "Now, where was I?" She tapped her foot on the floor a few times. "Oh, that's right. The Princess wanted to give the Prince what he wanted, even though she was very scared. She thought giving him such a gift would make him love her even more." Her eyes seared into mine. "The Princess was naïve."

I tried my best to try and block everything she was saying. I knew it was all a play to get into my head, but it was like I was being blocked from thinking of anything else. My brain responded to her voice and made me hang on her every word.

"The Princess gave the Prince a daughter. A daughter who he had always wanted. The Princess tried to act as if their new family was what she wanted, but she felt as if everything was falling apart. Years later the Prince told the Princess he wanted another child to make their family complete." Her eyes shot to Katie. "The Princess obliged. Two daughters were given to the Prince."

She walked over to Katie and ran her fingers through her hair. "The Princess gave the Prince everything he wanted, and do you know how he repaid the Princess?"

She came back over to me bent down. "Well, do you?"

My answer came in the form of a glare. "What, love wasn't enough for the selfish Princess?"

My head hit the floor after she kicked the legs of the chair out. "The Prince gave all his love away to the two daughters and forced the Princess to leave. He just let her go. The woman he claimed to love was no longer enough for him. He used her to get the two daughters!"

My head was pounding I was sure I was going to pass out from the smell of the blood.

"Why are you so damn special?" She asked bending down over me. "What makes you two better than me?"

'We aren't crazy for one.' I thought as I tried stay conscious. My head was killing me and I was feeling weaker and weaker by the second.

She moved away for a second and I tried my best to move my wrists and ankles, but they just wouldn't budge. My waist was also tied down. There was no way I was making it off this chair on my own.

"I think we have a visitor." She bit her lip before a smile crept across her face.