Eh, I am just not fully confident in this Chapter, honestly.
Stick with me guys, I promise I will be back to just a Haleb story line in the coming chapters. Let's get on with this wedding, shall we? :)
"This is getting boring so I'm done playing games bitches. Tag along to find out more - A" Aria whispers.
They all exchanges glances once more, but remain silent.
"Absolutely not." Caleb finally says, as he can tell that the girls are actually thinking about it. They all turn and look at him in confusion "No. You are not going to some abandoned warehouse to meet with this A - or whatever they think they are doing."
Hanna shoots Caleb a look. "Don't look at me like that Han, I will not let you do this. I don't care what A has or doesn't have. You will not go there alone. I'm sure Ezra and Toby feel the same way I do." he nods in the direction of the other two boys that shake their heads in agreement.
"Yeah I agree. I mean this could be dangerous. A meetings haven't always been nice and friendly." Ezra says with a look towards Aria.
"But did none of you hear that? A is tired of playing games...maybe if we go, they will finally leave us alone..." Hanna pleads
"Or they will kill us all and we won't have to worry about it anymore." Emily deadpans
"Not helping Em." Ali says under her breath "Look, I agree with Hanna maybe if we go then we can finally end this...hold that A has on us."
"Yeah, I don't want you guys going into this alone and being blindsided." Toby says "As much as I want this to end FOR you, I don't want it to be the end OF you."
Spencer glances up from the phone she still holds in her hand "Fine. We won't go. Han, we will help you with your dress, A can have those sketches."
"Yeahhh, we're not gonna believe that, sorry." Toby says and now Spencer shoots him a look "What? You don't think we've learned from our mistakes before? You girls will try to play superhero and do it yourself, and it's not going to happen."
Hanna stands in a daze her eyes fixed on the floor then suddenly she looks up "Wait. He just said end for us...and A just texted you guys too..." she shoots her gaze up to Aria who stands directly in front of her "You've been getting texts too, haven't you?" Aria gives her a deer in the headlights look but remains silent. Hanna turns her icy stare to Spencer, and then Emily and Ali on the other side of the room "All of you have, haven't you?" They remain silent "HAVEN"T YOU?" she screams making everyone jump.
"Han, you had so much going on...we didn't want to make you anymore paranoid. Our texts started after yours did and you two were so freaked out, we didn't want to make it harder on you."
Hanna gasps "Oh my god." and throws her hand up to her forehead "This whole time...I thought that A was just after my family...but you guys have been targeted too...and you've been busting your asses for us, but wouldn't tell me.." she begins to cry "Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"We didn't want you to worry about us and Kenzie. You and Caleb have enough on your hands with a newborn so we've been handling the situation as best as we could." Aria says as she reaches out for Hanna's arm.
"I need...I just need some air." Hanna says as she backs out of the room throwing her hands up as she heads for the stairs
"Hanna wait..." Spencer calls out
"We got it." Aria says as she and Ali follow behind her up the stairs.
Caleb stands still, frozen as he holds Kenzie and when the door closes upstairs he jumps. Spencer and Emily round the bar and come to him "She's been very emotional since having Kenzie..she'll be crying here in a minute so don't get your feelings too hurt that she's pissed right now." He gives them a nervous chuckle "You, uh...you've been dealing with this too? You should've told me." he walks over to put a Kenzie down on her mat behind him and turns back to the girls, "I wouldn't have said anything to her..but I wouldn't have asked you to keep such a close eye on the girls, either had I known..."
He turns to Toby and Ezra, his eyes wide with panic "I'm sorry...had I known, I would have never asked them to come here every day."
Toby walks over to where Caleb stands and puts his hand down on his shoulder "No man, you need to hear it all."
"A hasn't been sending us threatening texts like Hanna has gotten; A has been sending us texts ABOUT Hanna." Emily says really quietly "It's not the same person, or the same motive. We think they are only out for her. We just happen to be collateral damage so to speak."
After Hanna? Collateral damage?
He swallows hard "What do you mean?"
"We didn't tell her because we didn't want her to freak out...we've been trying to figure out who's been sending them, but so far we haven't found out anything..." Spencer adds
"They've been coming from a burner phone, we traced as much as we could." says Toby with a shrug
"A couple of the texts came from an online text app that was sent from an IP address at The Brew...I've been looking through the security footage but there are at least 30 people on laptops at all times so it's been tough." Ezra says
"How do either of you even know-" Caleb asks in confusion but is cut off by Toby
"What can I say? You rub off on us after time?"
They offer Caleb a reassuring smile and laugh to lighten the mood but he doesn't buy it. He sighs "So pretty much what you're saying is that they are up there telling Hanna about it now and her mama bear instincts are going to kick in and this is a battle with her I won't win, right?"
"Pretty much…" Spencer says "Look, we wouldn't let anything happen to her so if we have to go and see what's up then we will. We just wanted you to know that this A or whatever might not deal with us…they might want to deal with her specifically."
He stands there as he hears the door from upstairs open and the sound of feet coming down the hallway as a very fast pace. "Hanna, wait…Hanna!" Ali yells pleading.
"Here we go" he whispers and straightens himself up, Spencer and Emily do the same, following his lead.
As she rounds the stairs she calls out "Caleb!" and as she turns the corner into the living room where they stand "This person is just after me…they aren't after the girls…just me…" she stops when she notices the girls expressions "but apparently you already knew that…why am I the last one to know?"
He reaches out to grab her hand and pulls her into his arms.
"I just found out too…don't be mad with them, they were just trying to protect you, and protect Kenz" he kisses her forehead and turns his attention back to the others "What do you suggest we do?"
They all exchange planes, then look to Toby. He rolls his eyes "Okay, here is what we can do."
It is just starting to get dark when the girls pull up outside the old warehouse. The clock on the dash of Spencer's SUV reads 6:50 PM.
"With a few minutes to spare…" Hanna says with a chuckle "How did we end up here? I don't know what I did to get this started again, but I am so sorry. Before we go in, I uh just want you ladies to know" she stops to steady her breathing and to choke back the tears that threaten to surface "I want you to know that I love you all so very much and I appreciate everything you have done for me.."
"Hanna-" Emily starts but is cut off
"Please, Em…just lettme get this out before the dam breaks." she says with a nervous chuckle as she wipes the stray tears from her eyes. "If something happens in here and one of you gets hurt, I will never forgive myself so…don't play the hero. If it goes sideways please take care of my daughter…and Caleb." she out a sob "Please just make sure they are taken care of and let them know that I love them."
Ali reaches out and puts her hand on Hanna's shoulder "We are not going to let anything happen to you…Hanna Banana"
They all share a laugh through their tears as they all hold hands. Hanna glances back at the clock that now reads 6:55 P.M. and she sighs "Well, it's now or never…let's go kick some A ass." She says as she swings open the door and the girls follow suit.
They walk quietly into the warehouse they grasp each other's hands. Looking around the warehouse is completely empty except for machines that no longer work and are covered in cobwebs. They each look in different directions, keeping an eye out for any movement that may take them by surprise.
"Why does A always have to come out to play in places that give me hives?" Emily whispers to Ali who stands beside her.
"Because we can't exactly catch up over dinner and a movie…" Spencer whispers back in response.
An alarm goes off, making the girls cover their ears as it echoes through the empty warehouse. "What is going on?" Aria yells as she looks around at the other girls. Suddenly the sound cuts off, leaving their ears ringing. As they take their hands off their ears and look around.
"I think A just hit the snooze." Hanna whispers
They hear a noise of movement behind them makes them swing around to see a hooded figure between them and the door. Alison and Spencer move in front of Hanna and Aria and Emily stand on either side of her. The figure turns and moves towards them, with their head down, their face in the shadows.
"Who are you?" Alison calls out
"And what do you want with us." Spencer says as she throws out protectively in front of the rest of the girls.
The figure walks slowly towards them, not saying a word until they are a few feet away from the group. Slowly they tilt their head up, but not enough to show their face. "Last time I checked, I just wanted her." The male voice says as he points at Hanna behind the group. "But she doesn't go anywhere without the rest of you…or….Caleb" he says, throwing extra disgust on his name.
Hanna stands there completely still, she slams her eyes shut as he speaks…thinking back into her mind.
I know that voice, I know that voice…
"Come on Hanna…don't play dumb, you know exactly who I am…" he says as he walks towards them again, very slowly veering to one side as if to go around them. They turn as a unit around with him, keeping Hanna in the middle.
Suddenly she gasps as his voice registers and she throws her eyes open and looks at him.
"There it is…who am I?" he asks. She remains silent and stands staring at him unable to find her voice. "WHO AM I HANNA?" he screams and it makes them jump back in defense.
She swallows hard and forced the words out of her mouth "Travis..." she whispers then clears her throat to speak louder "Travis."
"Wait. Travis as in Travis Hobbs, Travis?" Spencer asks as she glances towards Hanna who shakes her head yes. Spencer turns her glance back to him as she still stands in front of them. "Why are you doing this? You were always so nice."
He drops the hood from his head and stares back at them "Bingo." And a sly grin creeps onto his face "Bet you never thought you would see me again, did you? You see, that's part of the problem…I was always so nice. So nice in fact that certain…people…felt that they could just use me until it was no longer convenient for them and then they do away with poor NICE Travis." He says as he walks around them again, making them all move around with him.
"That was a long time ago, and why are you just now getting pissed about that?" Ali asks in her bitchy Alison tone.
"And it was - " Hanna starts but he cuts her off.
"Mutual? No, you see I put my neck on the line for you and your mother-all of it was for you. And everything was all fine until Caleb rolled back up into town and all of a sudden there is no use for Travis. So, you technically didn't give me any choice."
"And it was years ago, why the sudden need for revenge?"
"Oh, baby. You've got this all wrong…it may have been a long time ago, and I have had years to stew over this…but you see there was so much drama that surrounded the five of you while you were here…so getting revenge was pretty pointless. You wouldn't know who it was behind it. Plus, you weren't the one that I wanted revenge against."
Hanna swallows "Caleb is."
"Exactly. Then you two left town and I had no idea where you went, so I let it go. The next thing I know you're back and you're getting married and having a baby and living the life that I should have had with you…WE should have had together." He shakes his head "and that REALLY pisses me off." He says through gritted teeth.
"It was so easy to hide behind A…since you had so much experience with it…but I didn't quite think it through because you girls have dealt with A for so long…after I messed with you in the hospital, everybody started babying poor Hanna and there was not a moment that I could get to you." He says as he takes a few forward "Because trust me…I had so much more planned." He takes another step forward and they step back as a group "Even now, I knew I would never get you here alone without your minions coming too…but why don't you send them on out of here so we can talk more privately?"
The girls look at each other as Hanna swallows, never taking her eyes off of Travis "Girls, I've got this…"
"What? Han, no!" Spencer says as she swings her head around "We are not leaving you here alone."
"Spence, just go. I will handle it" Hanna says as she lets go of Aria and Emily's hands "Just GO." They shoot each other questioning looks and Hanna nods her head "Just go, remember to do what I said earlier. I will be fine. Just go."
Come on girls, just like we talked about...don't play the hero.
The girls turn back towards the door and start to walk out, offering one last glance in Hanna's direction before they start to run out of the warehouse. Hanna watches them as they get out of the door, before turning her stare back to him.
"What is it that you want Travis? And just for the record, when Caleb came back - he didn't want to come in between us. He said you were a nice guy and I was the one that told him there was no you and I with him here."
The girls run out of the building and to Spencer's SUV parked out in front of the building. Caleb now sits crouched in the backseat with his laptop in his hand. He looks up as the girls make it to the car. He opens the door and climbs out "What's going on? Where is Hanna?" he asks
"It's. Travis." Aria says in between deep breathes.
"Travis?" he asks, confused "Travis? What does he want?"
"Don't know…but I think he is still pretty pissed about what happened in high school How far out is Toby?" Spencer asks as she looks around
"He had them park down the road so they wouldn't be noticed and come in through the woods when I told him you had went in. What did he say he wanted with Hanna?"
"He didn't. He just asked to talk to her alone and she told us to leave." Ali says as she looks back to the warehouse
Caleb looks at them and then back to the warehouse "Okay look, I am going to see what is going on. You stay out here. My laptop is right here and Toby's tracking device is pulled up, they should be getting here soon...just stay with it and be careful."
They shake their heads in unison and Caleb turns to hit to the large bay doors of the warehouse. He walks lightly and as he gets closer to the building he can hear the muffled voices inside. He stands near the door that is propped open and listens.
"Why mess with my baby Travis?" Hanna asks "She is just a baby.."
"Oh come on, all I did was move her from one crib to another..I didn't actually harm her in any way. I just wanted to see if Caleb could find her. I was hoping that he would choke and you would think he was a terrible father and then I was going to swoop in..be the shoulder you could cry on. When he was gone I was going to make sure you knew you could always come to me." He reaches out to stroke her face but she moves quickly out of reach of him. "Hanna, come on...I would never hurt you, you know that. I love you."
He reaches for her again and this time she moves but he catches her arm and it makes her scream. Caleb moves at lightening speed from his spot outside the door and moves inside the building. "TRAVIS!" he screams as he looks around, he spots them standing in the center of the warehouse. He slowly makes his way around the machines to where they stand. Travis has both arms wrapped around Hanna, holding her to his chest but his glare bores into Caleb as he rounds a conveyor machine. "Hanna, are you okay?" he asks calmly as he holds his hand out in front of him as if to calm Travis down.
Hanna shakes her head yes as he speaks to Caleb "Well, how did I know good ole lover boy would come to her rescue?"
"Look, you have made it clear that this is about me and not her...let's just let her go on out with the rest of the girls and you can deal with this with me."
"Caleb! What are you doing?" Hanna cries
Travis looks from Hanna and then back to Caleb who gives him a 'its now or never' look. He looks back down at Hanna and lets her go, pushing her a little towards the door. She reaches for Caleb's arms and he grasps her face in his hands "Are you okay?" he asks and she shakes her head yes "Look, go on out to the car with the girls." he says as he directs her towards the door never taking his eyes off of Travis standing in front of him
"Caleb, no please don't do this. I love you."
"Hanna I love you too, just GO!" he yells at her as he glances in her direction.
Suddenly Toby appears in the doorway "Rosewood PD! Hands up!" he yells into the building and they all throw their hands up. Hanna glances at Caleb and exhales who returns her look of relief at the sight of Toby.
Took you long enough Officer Cavanaugh.
Travis shoots a glance in their direction and then turns to run out the back of the building. Toby runs behind him, chasing him through the warehouse. He has just reached the back door leading out of the warehouse and opens it Lorenzo clotheslines him, knocking him square on his back on the asphalt. When Toby reaches them he flips him onto his stomach and begins to read him his rights as he slaps handcuffs on his wrists. They picks him up off the ground and walk him back through the warehouse and out the front doors. When he passes Hanna and Caleb who now stand in each others arms, Hanna crying to Caleb's chest he gives them an icy glare.
They follow behind the officers out of the building and the girls run to them, hugging them both. Once Toby has Travis situated in the back of the car he walks up to the group, giving Spencer a hug as he walks up to them.
"Hanna, we have a female officer here that will take out down to the station and get the wire off of you. We don't know what we have right now but we should have enough to charge him."
She shakes her head but never says anything.
"Can I ride with her?" Caleb asks
"Yeah, you can ride with her. Spence you can follow us to pick them up from the station once we've gotten all the statements. You girls will have to turn over your phones and have to give some statements yourself. We just want to make sure we have enough to keep him. It won't take us very long and we can get you out so you can go get Kenzie from your mom's, Han. Let me round up the guys and we will head out." he says as he walks off from the group.
"So it's really over?" Emily asks as she rests her head on Ali's shoulder as they all face the squad car in from of them
Hanna hugs Caleb tighter to her as she watches Travis through the back window of the police cruiser "Yeah..it is." . She glances up at him and kisses his chin "I am so sorry about this."
Caleb chuckles "Hey, it was just another day in Rosewood." he says then kisses her forehead.