Okay, here's the next update for Derailed =) I know you've all been dying to find out what happens. Let's just say... you won't be happy with me in the end ;p I know, I'm a horrible person. I apologize for the lack of updates. As I said before, I've been bombarded with last minute babysitting. Seriously... last time, I didn't know I was babysitting until I woke up =( Anyway, with the rugrats running about, I don't have a chance to write anything. No writing, no updates. It sucks, I know. Anyway, yesterday I had off, so I worked on my book and my Supernatural fic. Sadly, I didn't get much done... maybe a chapter each. I've just been getting such bad headaches =( I've been going to bed early... once without dinner ^^; Well, that's enough of my pity party. Onto the update!
Shiro: Finally! I thought I was gonna have ta listen ta ya whine all fuckin' day! DX
Ichi: That's not nice, Shiro. You should be more supportive.
Shiro: I wasn'? Hmm... I gotta work on that. Next time I'll slap some sense inta her. =D
Ichi: *facepalm* Patience, Ichi, patience.
Chapter 12
Stark stops for the third time, looking back for the two that have yet to show themselves. Hallibel is getting irritated with his constant stopping, turning to chew him out and catching the worry upon his brow. It's rare to see worry on Stark's face and it scares her.
"What is your problem?" she inquires.
"... The twins are gone," he states. "They fell back to talk to each other about three hours ago, but they've yet to rejoin us. Didn't any of you notice?"
"They probably took a different route," Szayel states. "You know Shiro, always eager to explore. I'm sure they're fine. They'll rejoin us at camp."
"Hey, Grimmy... wasn't there an old mine around this mountain when we were little?" Nelliel questions out of the blue. "Where was it exactly? I never went exploring in it, but I remember you getting in trouble an awful lot for doing that."
Grimmjow looks heavenward to think, tapping his chin. Finally he smiles and turns back to Nelliel, pointing out the direction of the mine... and freezing. His blood runs cold at his revelation. They pasted an old shaft around the time the twins fell back. Grimmjow, having gone so many times his feet make an automatic path, weaved away from it without thinking. Shiro would've likely headed straight toward it, thinking it was the way they all went considering they would've left footprints on the other side.
"Oh shit," he mutters. "I'm going back, you guys keep going forward and set up camp near the lake."
"I'll go wit ya!" Gin states. "An' I think Szayel should tag 'long as well, they might need medical attention."
As much as he hates to think it, the sly male might be right. Grimmjow nods and grabs the pink haired man's wrist, the trio rushing to locate their lost friends. Each one is wracked with nervousness and concern. Gin prays he finds his lover alive and in one piece, his steps taking him past Grimmjow more than once. He falls back each time, unsure where to go and knowing he wants to get there fast.
Ichigo is huddled against Shiro, the two shivering in the cold the earth around them hands out. He catches the sound of footsteps, yet brushes it off as his imagination. They already called themselves hoarse about fifteen minutes ago, so shouting for help won't bring much more than a raspy squeak. When he hears the sound again, he becomes more alert and strains his hearing. Shiro is asleep next to him, so he won't be much help.
"Did you find the trail?" someone asks
Ichigo's breath hitches, he knows that voice. That's the stalker that beat him up! He carefully pulls Shiro down one of the tunnels to avoid being seen. He's quiet about it, but their injuries make it difficult and he has to be careful he doesn't cause Shiro to cry out in pain. Once they're out of sight, he stops to listen.
"No, I haven't found anything," a second voice sighs. "Hurry up, we need to get back before that butler notices we're gone."
"What difference does it make? We're not the only ones that got lost, you know. Two of the workers went off ahead of them, they took that shortcut to get to the resort faster for help. They could be the mysterious stalker, too."
"Shut up, you idiot!" the first man hisses before stopping. "Hey, look... a mine shaft. Do you think someone fell down it?"
"There's the path beyond it!"
More footsteps can be heard, a shadowy figure leaning over the edge of the hole. They sit there for a long moment, Ichigo holding his breath to keep from making sound. After too long, they pull away. He can see them staring ahead in caution, obviously having heard something that makes them uneasy. After a moment, the figure gets up and hurries off. A second set of feet follows him.
"Ichigo!" Grimmjow calls.
"Shiro! Baby, where are ya!" Gin shouts in panic.
"Oh for the love of... that's not going to help anything," Szayel remarks snidely. "Your panic will only make them panic, so calm down!"
Ichigo lets out his breath, relief soaking the exhale. He shakes Shiro awake, stumbling to the middle of the hole. Grimmjow leans over it on the opposite side of the figure, his toothy grin lighting up against the shadows cast over his face.
"Ichi!" he says in alleviation. "Thank god you're alright! Hang on and I'll send down a rope, okay?"
He's shoved aside by Gin, the silver haired man searching for Shiro with eyes wide open. In most cases he looks like a sly fox, so Ichigo can't help chuckling at the sad puppy look. Ichigo points toward Shiro's hidden body and gives Gin the okay sign with his fingers. The other heaves a sigh and yelps when Grimmjow grabs his face and thrusts him backward. When the rope is dropped down, Ichigo wraps it around Shiro's chest first. The bags go up after Shiro is safely topside, and then Ichigo fights through his blurry vision to tie the rope around himself. Grimmjow and Gin pull the smaller male up carefully, Szayel already tending to Shiro. Once they're all together again, Grimmjow sets the bag on his back and lifts Ichigo into his arms. Gin carries Shiro. The group heads toward their other members, Gin's eyes glancing around the area carefully.
"Someone was here," he murmurs to Grimmjow. "Don' know who, but they were near the hole."
"Yet they didn't pull the twins up and bailed before we got here," the blue haired man remarks. "What does that tell you?"
Gin is quiet at the question, not wanting to speak the answer aloud. He glances down at his lover, the snowy haired male out cold in his arms, and holds him closer with a kiss to his forehead. Grimmjow says nothing as well, too absorbed in taking in Ichigo's injuries. He'll need bandages back at camp and a bath in the lake, they can't risk infection.
Ichigo sits patiently beneath a tree, cradled by it's upturned roots as Szayel gathers some soap and alcohol. The pink haired man insisted he stay with Ichigo and tend to him as he gets cleaned up. He doesn't mind so much, the pink haired medic is far better than the girls. He carefully pulls off his shirt and works on his pants, the other helping out when he notes the trouble he's having. Szayel helps Ichigo into a small pond filled by the lake's underground channels. It's in a private area covered in brush and isn't deep enough for him to drown himself in when his head nods from the possible concussion. His companion starts washing him up, sticking to less intimate areas and making sure to stay completely professional. Ichigo knows he's not Szayel's type, but that doesn't make him any less self-conscious.
"How's your head?" he asks.
"It hurts," Ichigo mutters. "And my vision is still swimming a bit."
"That could be from blood loss, you two were down there quite a while."
He nods and settles back into the waters. This bath won't last long, Szayel won't want to risk him losing anymore blood, so he needs to enjoy it while it lasts. When he's cleaned of dried blood, Szayel pulls him from the waters and sets him on a towel. He helps Ichigo dry off, patting his cuts with alcohol afterward. He starts to bandage the other after slipping a pair of boxers onto him. The minute Ichigo is finished, he helps him dress and supports his weight back to the others.
Grimmjow immediately takes the orange head from Szayel, letting him use his lap as a pillow once they sit on the grass. Ichigo is exhausted, it's easy to see. Both he and Shiro still haven't regained use of their voices, both snoozing against their lovers after being fixed up. The girls finish making dinner, but let the twins sleep longer. They'll just warm it up later.
When Ichigo rouses, he's curled up on a couple sleeping bags with Shiro. Everyone else is sitting around the campfire on logs and rocks, talking about the possibility of the stalker following them. Ichigo moves away from Shiro and forces himself to walk over to Grimmjow. He sits between the others legs, using them to keep him upright as he settles on the grass.
"I heard them," Ichigo remarks. "The people you're talking about. One of them is the stalker that beat me up. They were trying to find your trail. They said two of the workers on the train separated from the second group, they took a short cut to the resort to get help."
"... I forgot about that damn short cut," Grimmjow comments. "Damn, we could've made far better time on that path."
"Good job, Grimm-kitty," Nnoitra scoffs. "Not that it matters much, we would've ended up camping anyway."
Ichigo rolls his eyes, glad his dizziness has finally passed. Nelliel hands him a bowl of soup, a small smile on her face that attempts to hide her worry. He returns it and takes the bowl, his hunger getting the best of him as he downs it beside the heat. He's ready to throw in the towel, send the others onward and just sit in wait of this stalker. Even though he's injured, he'd gladly take a beating as long as this would all stop.
That night, Ichigo is kept close to Grimmjow and Gin refuses to allow Shiro out of his sight. This doesn't settle well with the older twin, who's now grumbling about 'just one mistake' and 'stupid overbearing lovers'. Ichigo can't sleep, kept awake by the unknown, his overactive imagination, and the thunderous sounds of the wild. With an irritated sigh, he slides from the sleeping bag and carefully crawls out of the tent.
Stark is awake when Ichigo makes his way out of the camp, a frown touching the corner of his lips. He stands to follow the younger male, yet hesitates. Ichigo looks completely run down, his skin is pale and his eyes have bags under them. His recent ordeal took a lot more out of him than the group initially thought. He allows Ichigo a little leash for now, hoping he knows enough to stay in sight of the camp.
Ichigo sighs and looks up toward the heavens, soaking in the serenity of a peaceful night. It isn't often he gets moments like these. When he used to camp as a child, these were his favorite times of the trip. He stopped going, the childish wonder gone and replaced by an imagination any child would kill to have. The nights became filled with dangerous enemies and predators, the days settling with vicious fish and deadly insects. Needless to say, his paranoia won out. Now that he's back in the trees, he can remember the allure he felt as a child. He steps forward, blindly making his way into the forest. An owl hoots within the trees to his left, however Ichigo ignores it. The noise is good, that means there are no predators nearby. Not that a stalker is a predator to the animals here, but at least he doesn't have to worry about a wolf or something. He sighs and finds himself near a small pool of water, likely a spring hidden in the middle of nowhere. A deer or two are drinking from it, one not even old enough to lose it's spots. When they see him, they lift their heads slightly in caution. They probably haven't seen a human in forever, as they go right back to their drink as Ichigo roams the clearing. He sighs in content as the crickets chip loudly, surrounding him in the sounds of nature and calming his imagination greatly.
"To think all this started because Shiro couldn't take no for an answer," he mutters. "When we get home, I'm drugging his pop! Let's see how he likes it!"
"Now that sounds like a grand idea."
Ichigo's face pales at the voice, one he knows well... one he pairs with pain. He turns quickly, gasping at the sight of two shadowed figures in the trees. They steps forward, the smaller male immediately moving back. He sucks in a sharp breath and yelps as the ground beneath his foot gives way, sending him toppling backward into spring. The deer leap back into the forest, agitated at the noise. His spill doesn't stop the men approaching him, his heart slamming harshly into his ribcage as he watches. His ankle throbs, twisted a little worse when the ground shifted, and the orange head knows he won't be able to run away. He might as well be stuck back down in that mine shaft.
"Grimmjow's little bitch," the unfamiliar man remarks. "What an opportune situation this is. We had hoped to catch him off guard... but gathering a bit of bait is even better! We can string you up in a mine and have him rush to your rescue."
"What the hell is this all about anyway?" Ichigo bristles. "Did he sleep with your woman or something? News flash! I don't think there's a single woman he hasn't slept with! Did he happen to fuck you and now your pissing yourself with envy at all his other one night stands? Are you seriously that stupid? I've about had it with you two! Kill me if that's what you want, go shoot him for all I care, just LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!"
"My, my... Grimmjow's bitch has bite," the unknown man remarks. "He always did know how to pick them."
"Alright, that's it," Ichigo hisses, completely fed up. "I'm not, nor have I ever been, Grimmjow's bitch! We slept together, big deal! Who hasn't that nympho slept with? If I see you two skulking around me again, I swear to every religion out there I'll kill you myself! And don't think I can't! Now turn around and start walking!"
The two don't move, but Ichigo can see the large grins on their faces. He growls in irritation, tugging at his vibrant locks. For some reason, no matter how many times he tries to drive people away, his attitude frequently only gets them more interested. The step into the waning moonlight, the orange headed male studying them carefully. For some reason, he gets the feeling he knows these two... but can't recall where he's seen them. It doesn't matter though, they're already dragging him from the spring waters forcibly. He tries to call out, however they're quick to knock him out. As his world turns black, Ichigo can only promise he'll show these two just how formidable he can be. He doesn't need anything to come save him, he'll be sure to beat that into their heads before the coming day is over.
Grimmjow turns in his sleep, his arm reaching for his lover... only to find that spot empty. With a sudden inhale as he stirs from his sleep, he lifts himself up on his forearms. He gazes around the tent, rubbing slumber from his eyes and willing himself awake. There's no Ichigo. Panic has him jolting like a bucket of ice water has been thrown on him, his cyan orbs wide as he hurries from the tent. Stark is sleeping on his watch, however Hallibel has joined him not long ago. The look in her eyes is shock when Grimmjow comes barreling from his shelter.
"What happened?" she wonders.
"Where's Ichigo?"
"... I thought he was in the tent with you," the blonde remarks carefully.
"Would I be out here if he were!" Grimmjow snarls.
She backs down quickly, Grimmjow's outburst rousing the rest of the group. Gin makes Shiro stay put, yet peeks out to gather what information he can. Hallibel immediately shakes Stark until his eyes open. He groans in annoyance, yet the look on their faces tells him something is wrong and he forces himself awake.
"Where's Ichigo?" Hallibel asks.
The question is all he needs to hear, his face turning white. He had thought Ichigo was smart enough to stay close, he gave him a longer leash because of this... apparently he was wrong. That boy, if they manage to find him, won't get to breath a bit. The others will smother him with much unneeded attention, never removing their gaze from him. The worst will be Grimmjow... that's if they find him, anyway. Chances are good... they won't.
*Cues dramatic music* How's that for a chapter ending? Lol! I know, I'm horrible ;p And yet you keep coming back for more. So... which of us is worse? ;p Anyway, I have writing to do today... and an appointment to look at college classes =( Not my favorite thing to do. I would much prefer to write all day. I was supposed to take my temps test, but I guess that'll have to wait... again... for the third freaking time! DX Oh well... my life sucks, I knew that already.
Shiro: There's that whinin' 'gain... Should a smack her?
Ichi: It's your funeral. =(
Shiro: ... Maybe I'll con Grimm inta doin' it.
Ichi: At least he's actually thinking this time. *sighs*
