Chapter Eleven: Gone

Skitz surveyed the area and sighed unhappily. She didn't like being here, but she supposed she didn't really have a choice. When Bobby asked you to come to a hockey game, you certainly didn't refuse; especially when he was the one playing and threatening you with a large stick.

"I really don't see how this is any fun," The red-head grumbled to her counterpart, Angel. "It seems like a waste of time to me."

"I couldn't agree with ya more," Angel said, equally uninterested. "I was gunna spend the day with Melanie, but no you just had to drag me down to hell with you."

Huddling away from the cold on the bleachers Skitz rolled her eyes, "You owed me, asshole. I was the one who got Melanie to come to your house three days ago, so I wouldn't be bitching if I was you."

Her comment was followed by a few minutes of welcomed silence.

"Can I please leave?" Angel finally broke down, grabbing onto Skitz's arm and tugging on it insistently. "Common' I hate watching Bobby play hockey, he gets kicked out halfway through the game regardless!"

Skitz puckered her lips together, drawing her eyes away from Angel and back to the hockey rink, "What do ya mean? He seems to be doing fine now."

Angel looked back to the game too, and began cackling, "You might want to eat those words."

Out on the ice some poor player on the other team was stupid enough to illegally check Bobby. In response, the Mercer brother threw down his stick and gloves and tackled the taller guy to the floor, his fists pounding down against his face.

"Oh Bobby," Skitz sighed, her breath fanning out in front of her face, "Can't follow the rules for five minutes."

Angel grinned victoriously, "So, can I go?"

"And what? Leave me all alone?" Skitz glared at him, "That sucks, you dick."

"You don't have to be alone," Angel disagreed. "You can go down to the players bench and talk to Bobby."

"That's allowed?"

"Technically, no, but we're all too damn poor down here to care much for rules."

Skitz shrugged then, "Fine, leave me to deal with the hot-head."

Angel jumped from his seat excitedly, "You're the best, really! Honestly, I don't know what I would do without you!"

Skitz smacked his arm angrily, "Get your black ass outta the way and go find your woman, if she can even be called that. She's still only like what, eleven?"

"Aw, fuck you," Angel said hastily before running down the bleachers, "I'll see you at home."

Skitz waved him and his parting words away before turning her attention back to Bobby. He was slouching against his team bleacher, pulling off his helmet with a scowl on his face. So he was thrown out of the game.

Pulling her thin coat tighter against her body, Skitz hopped down from her seat, absently observing that the indoor rink she was in now was exceptionally nicer than the outdoor one Bobby took her to on Christmas. It was fairly larger, with smooth ice and a collection of bleachers surrounding it. There were even two areas for the benched players of each team to sit when they weren't on the ice. A waist high plastic divide separated those areas from the rest of the seats.

When Skitz finally reached one such area she found Bobby was one of only five other players sitting out. He was swearing angrily under his breath and she figured that if he was given the chance to, he would wait until after the game to beat the shit out of the other player that checked him.

"Hey hot-head," She leaned over the plastic divide, her head resting just a few inches from his own slouched form. "That was a killer right hook."

Bobby let out a huff air before angling his body towards her, "You saw that, right? You saw how he checked me? That bastard deserved it!"

Skitz smirked, propping her head on her hands, "I should have brought you your stress ball," She mused with a small smile.

Bobby felt a grin of his own stretching across his face, "You are such a bitch." He muttered before leaning over the divide and cupping her face with his hands. "And you're lucky that I like you, or else I would beat the shit outta you for that comment."

Skitz rolled her eyes, "Always so proud and defensive. Would it kill you to be humble every once and awhile?"

Pulling her lips to his, Bobby muttered a quick 'yes' before attempting to lift the small teenager over the waist-high wall and into his lap.

"MERCER! What in the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Bobby felt Skitz flinch against his lips at the unfamiliar voice before she pulled away from him. "I don't think I'm allowed in there." Her dark eyes were smoldering in the harsh light and her choppy hair tickled his cheek.

Grunting in response, Bobby turned away from her to the middle-aged man that ran the team, "Fuck you, I'm not in the game anymore, remember?"

"Then get the hell out of my rink!" The man snapped in response, his eyes focused on the game. "And I mean now."

Bobby smiled back to Skitz, "He doesn't have to tell me twice," He murmured before quickly bending down and peeling off his skates. When that was taken care of, he hopped out of the players bench. "Let's go."

Skitz humored her older companion and let him drag her out of the indoor rink and into the cold outside. The sun was beginning to set and she studied Bobby's choice of clothing with a critical eye. She didn't think his jersey and jeans would keep him very warm now.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Will you warm me up?" He grinned, showing off his perfect teeth and gathering her up in his arms. "This works."

Skitz snorted, "Smooth move," she said simply while wrapping her arms around his muscled waist.

They stayed like for a long time, just hugging themselves against the cold, but it wasn't long before Bobby bent down and captured Skitz's lips.

Skitz chuckled, "Is this what it's always about for you? Kissing?"

Bobby buried his head into her hair, smelling the light lilac embedded in her locks, "Maybe…"

Skitz detached herself from their embrace and grabbed his hand, dragging him down the street and towards Evelyn's house. "Guys are all the same!" She ranted playfully. "I think I should just deny you of any kind of affection from now on."

Bobby groaned, "I don't like the sound of this!" He complained loudly. "After everything I've done for you!"

"I already said thank-you for saving my life, a while ago, actually." Skitz observed, "So really, I don't owe you anything."

"That's what you think!" Bobby grinned. "Do you know how hard it is to behave for you?"

"Behave?"

"Yeah, any other girl I've ever dated was never treated with this much respect without giving something up by now."

Skitz let out a loud laugh while trudging across the snowy street, "Aren't you just a stand-up guy. I suppose it won't be long before you start pushing for more from me, huh?" Her tone grew bitter at the end and she tried to suppress the ugly memories and thoughts clouding the back of her mind.

Bobby swore briefly, grabbing her arm again and spinning her towards him smoothly, "I didn't mean it like that."

Skitz twisted uncomfortably in his grip, "Then please, enlighten me, what did you mean?"

"I mean that you aren't like anyone else I've ever liked, not in a long shot. I would never try that stuff on you; I care too much." He looked deeply into her eyes, pulling her to him again. "Okay?" He breathed coolly.

Skitz bit her lip as Bobby brought their faces closer together. It was only when their noses were touching that Skitz gleefully tore away from him and continued walking down the street. "I told you, no affection!" She scolded happily. "Did you think I was kidding?"

"A guy can dream, can't he?" Bobby replied grumpily.

"Dreamin' isn't gunna get you anywhere, Bobby Mercer!" She said in a light voice. "You should know that by now."

Bobby didn't answer, instead choosing to begrudgingly continue down the street, a good four inches between him and the girl who had so abruptly changed his life.

-x-

It took them ten more minutes to make it back to Evelyn's house just in time for dinner. The table was set and Jerry was already sitting patiently at his designated seat. He was idly chatting with his mother while Angel was starring at his empty plate dully. When Bobby and Skitz finally entered the house he looked up and scowled.

"Jeeze, way to take your fuckin' time!"

"ANGEL! Language!" Evelyn snapped from the kitchen.

"Naw, that's okay Evelyn, I think we kinda deserved that one," Skitz allowed. "Angel is one-hundred percent right!" She began walking towards the kitchen, passing by Angels chair and pulling it backwards roughly.

Both Angel and the chair toppled over in a messy pile, "DAMMIT SKITZ!"

"Stop bitchin'," Jerry grinned, standing over his younger brother and offering him his hand. "It was funny."

Bobby ignored the chaos and took a seat, his bright eyes locked on Skitz moving through the kitchen to help Evelyn bring out the food. He felt Jerry's curious gaze on him, but didn't care. He figured it wouldn't take the kid long to figure out what was going on between him and the red-head regardless.

It was the sound of the door being kicked down that tore his gaze away from Skitz.

"HELLO, I'm looking for a Bobby Mercer," An unfamiliar voice echoed through the halls of the house. The sound of stampeding footsteps had the Mercer brothers out of their chairs in an instant.

Evelyn calmly walked out of the kitchen, the only evidence of her anxiety being her hands wringing themselves around a wash cloth. "Can we help you boys?"

The men that had invaded her home were large and thick-muscled with, surprisingly, dark black suits on. They were all very tall and seemed identical standing next to each other.

One of the suited men stepped forward, looking at Bobby instead of Evelyn. "We're looking for the girl, Bobby. Where is she?"

Bobby froze, "What are you talking about," he hissed, his fists clenching. "Who're you with?"

"You know, that is a rather rude welcoming, especially when you were the one that called us."

Bobby paled, "William sent you."

"Of course he did. Did you honestly think that after you called he wouldn't look into the situation?" The tall man chuckled humorously, "You're not as smart as you look."

"Bobby, what's going on?" Evelyn snapped. "What do you want?" She directed the question at the men standing uninvited in her living room.

"We're here for Kirk's daughter."

It was then that Skitz stepped out of the kitchen, her eyes dark and unreadable. "I'm guessing you mean me," She said slowly.

The man grinned stepping forward, "Ah, there she is. Come with me."

Bobby pushed the man back roughly, Jerry and Angel coming to stand next to him, "Get the fuck out of here. You aren't taking her anywhere."

"Hey, hey, this was your deal. You brought this upon yourself."

"Bobby," his mother warned dangerously, "What is he talking about?"

"I would like to know the same thing," Jerry muttered, glaring at his older brother.

"Look, we have places to be, so if you would please just give me the girl peacefully," the man gestured towards Skitz with his hands, "We can avoid any confrontation."

Evelyn went to stand in front of Skitz protectively, "What do you want with her? What's stopping me from calling the police right this moment?"

The man groaned, "Shit, I thought this was gunna be easy," he pulled out a silver gun from the folds of his suit. "This is what's stopping you. Give me the girl. Now. I don't want to hurt you or your sons, ma'am, but I will do what I have to. And so will my men."

The other men in suits pulled out identical guns.

Bobby glared at them all, "No! THIS ISN'T WHAT WE AGREED ON!"

"Son, no agreements were made." The man unlocked the safety on his gun and directed it at Bobby's head.

"JESUS, don't get your boxers in a bunch, I'm fucking coming."

The man looked up, his black hair falling in his eyes before he roughly pushed it back. His brown orbs looked at Skitz expectantly, "I see someone is smart."

"Oh, go fuck yourself," Skitz snapped, pulling away from Evelyn. She began walking towards the men, past the Mercer brothers, when Bobby grabbed her.

"No! You're not going with them. I told you I was gunna keep you safe!" His eyes were filled with fury as he wrapped his hands around Skitz's shoulders. "You can't go."

Skitz looked at him blankly for a moment, "We both knew from the beginning that it was a promise you could never keep."

The man with the gun growled irritably, reaching out his hand and grabbing Skitz's hair. He yanked her back into him, the gun still trained on Bobby.

"Don't touch her!" Bobby growled, jumping out at the man. Angel and Jerry gripped both of his arms and struggled to pull him back, the guns pointing towards them a swift reminder of how messy the situation could get.

"Bobby, stop, we can't do anything," Jerry said firmly. "Let it go, not right now, we'll get her back, don't worry."

The eldest brother didn't say anything, only jerked himself away from his brothers. "Don't worry, Skitz," He said darkly, "You won't be with them long."

The man gripping her hair chortled before dragging her along towards the front door, his men staying behind, and their guns still trained on Bobby's family.

It was only when they heard the slamming of a car door that the men stowed their weapons away and swiftly left, leaving the Mercer's in a stunned silence.

Bobby, ignoring his brother's calls, rushed out after the men. But it was too late; the nondescript black car was already halfway down the street.

Skitz was gone.

A/N: Ahh, it has been wayyy tooo long since I've updated. I am sorry for that. I just had knee surgery, so I was kinda delayed. Anyways, next chapter should be out in a week or so. And I've just realized how I like never put one of those, "I DON'T OWN FOUR BROTHERS" thing on any of my chapters. Though I feel as if that is really not needed, considering this site is called FANfiction. Annyywhoo, until next time my friends.