A/N: I had no idea when I started this it would become this long. But, hang in there! We're getting to the end and I hope you are still enjoying!
Twenty-One
The drive to the cabin was painfully silent and painfully bumpy. Nathan drove faster than he should have, unable to get the picture of Casey and Carter together out of his mind. Gripping the wheel and clenching his teeth, he sped as fast as his car would allow him on the rocky road through the dark woods.
Allison wasn't much company. She didn't know what bothered her more – the idea of Carter and Casey together, or how Stark was acting like a mad man to get to them. Confused, she silently mulled over her thoughts, pierced by the occasional desperate prayer that Nathan wouldn't fly off the road and into a tree.
Suddenly, Nathan's headlights flashed on something that reflected back. He finally slowed down, narrowing his eyes to try and see what was in front of them.
"I think we're here," he said, pulling up behind Carter's police cruiser. They parked and got out quickly.
"We're where? There's nothing here!" Allison exclaimed, sounding frustrated. Nathan scratched his head and looked around. The moonlight shining through the trees illuminated more trees and a clearing.
"This doesn't make any sense," he said to himself.
"Casey! Carter!" Allison yelled, walking forward and looking around. "Casey? Where are—ow!!"
Nathan looked over and saw a silhouette of Allison sprawled on her back, rubbing her head. "What happened?" he asked, running over to help her up.
"I hit something," she moaned, still rubbing her head. Nathan looked up and reached his hands out in front of him.
"The cabin must be camouflaged."
"Glad you figured that out now."
His hands touched something hard and he stood up, moving them along the rough invisible surface.
"You should try being a mime. You're pretty good at this," Allison joked.
"Funny. There's got to be some sort of deactivation switch around here somewhere. Why don't you help me?"
"Fine," she sighed, stepping up to the cabin and placing her hands on it. As soon as she did, the air began to shimmer and a dark object was suddenly looming in front of them.
"Smart man," Stark muttered to himself, unable to hide a small smile.
"What do you mean?"
"You can't get in unless there's two of you," Stark explained as he rushed over to the porch. "Keeps out surprise intruders."
Allison was right behind him and they entered at the same time, pausing in the open doorway. The cabin was obviously built for romance, that much they could tell right off the bat. But Casey and Carter were nowhere to be seen.
"This place is really something," Allison chuckled.
"Something creepy," Nathan replied.
"Should we go inside?" Allison asked, feeling like she stepped into a combination of the Love Boat and The Twilight Zone. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, they heard a groan come from behind a closed door.
Nathan's eyes grew wide as saucers. His face turning red, he stormed toward the door.
"Nathan, wait!" Allison called, hurrying behind him and letting the door shut.
OoOoOoOoOo
Jack was confused and disoriented. Where was he? What happened? As he struggled to open his eyes, he thought he heard voices. Allison's voice to be specific.
Nothing new there he thought to himself. He dreamt about her all the time. But her voice was followed by Starks, which would have made it more of a nightmare. Turning on his side, Jack noticed someone else lying there. It wasn't…was it?
Feeling suddenly dizzy, Carter let out a soft groan. Immediately after, angry footsteps came storming toward the room he was in. The door flew open and the next thing Jack knew, Stark had grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him in the air.
"You're dead meat, Carter," Nathan hissed more than yelled right in Jack's face. He didn't think he'd ever seen the man so angry. He tried to fight back, but he still felt so sleepy.
"Nathan, stop it!" Allison cried from behind him.
"Allison?" Jack mumbled, things coming slowly back into focus. He put his hands on top of Nathan's and tried to pry them loose, but the other man was much stronger than him.
"I never did like you," Nathan growled. "And out here, no one can hear you scream." Thoughts came flying to Jack's head. Screaming. Yelling. Nathan. Casey.
Jack's eyes grew wide as he looked back at Allison. "You didn't shut the door, did you?"
"What?" Allison asked.
"What?" Nathan echoed. Understanding dawned on Nathan's face and he dropped Jack like a sack of potatoes. Turning, he faced Allison.
"Ally?"
She shook her head, and looked back behind her. "Oh my God! Where did the door go?"
Jack groaned as he laid back on the bed and covered his face. Just then, Casey began to stir. Jack glanced up at Nathan and noticed the man's face a mix of anger and concern, his hands fisted by his sides. Allison rushed over to Casey.
"Ally? What are you doing here? What's going on?" Casey mumbled.
"You slept with Carter?" Allison whispered to her sister, looking scared. That seemed to wake Casey up.
"I what?" Casey looked over at Jack, totally shocked.
Jack held his hands up defensively, "We didn't do anything! Remember? You were yelling and then there was music?"
"Is that true?" Nathan asked in a quiet voice. Casey looked up at Nathan and narrowed her eyes.
"Why are you here?" Nathan's response was to crack his knuckles and leave the room.
"I think instead of arguing, we need to figure a way out of here," Nathan told the ladies. Casey shook her head.
"Carter, can you give us a minute?" Allison asked Jack, putting her arm around her sister's shoulders.
"You want me to go out there with Stark? Didn't you hear what he said?"
"Don't tell me you're scared of him, Carter. I thought you were manlier than that," Allison said with a smirk.
"I'm not scared," Carter said, standing up. "I just…don't want to have to break out all those self-defense moves they taught us at the academy."
"Carter, it will be fine. You know he's not going to do anything."
"If he does," Jack said, walking slowly to the door, "promise me you won't leave my body behind in this crazy cabin?"
Jack walked out to the living room, Allison's tinkling laugh behind him. He shut the door, noticing Stark sitting on the couch staring into the fire, his face blank.
Though Stark was usually the last person in the world he wanted to be around, Jack didn't see any other option than to go and sit next to him. So he moved to the couch and sat as far away from Stark as possible.
They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring into the fire. Finally, Jack spoke up.
"So, you wanna talk about it?"
"No."
Jack paused. "You wanna talk about something else?"
"No."
He paused again. "Do you still want to hurt me?"
"More than ever."
"Can I ask you something?'
"No."
Jack decided he would anyway. "Why did you get so mad in there? I mean, I know what you walked in was a little incriminating, but I don't get why--"
"Shut up, Carter."
"We're going to be here a while, Stark. Maybe you should learn to play nice," Jack smiled over at him. The look Nathan gave him made him smile even more.
Turning back to the fire, he closed his eyes and tried to figure out how in the heck they were going to get out of there.