Author's note: Hey, here's the next chapter! Chapter 26 should be up a little earlier than normal next week because I'm going on holidays on Friday so I want to get the chapter up before that. I can't update while I'm on holidays but good news is I'm getting internet installed at home the day after we get back so I can easily catch up, as well as begin to go back and edit previous chapters for spelling mistakes etc. Thanks for any new favourites and follows and thanks to Me (response below), rockstar54, Izout, Mrs. Ace Merrill, CacklingCactus and Entangler for their amazing reviews, I always appreciate them so much! Anyway, I'm hoping to get this chapter finished before the library closes so I better get cracking, enjoy and please review!
Me: Thanks for another awesome review! Sorry I never actually mentioned the word they carved on her arm, it totally slipped my mind that I had to actually write it lol but I'll slip it in at the start of the chapter. Yeah don't worry, Ace will be making sure Magnet's sorry, and he won't stay mad at Jesse, don't worry :') I'm glad you thought she tried to fight them off well enough, and I'm looking forward to writing about Ace and Eyeball training her so that'll be fun haha :D I'm very glad you like the chapter and I hope you like this one too, enjoy! Hugs!
Disclaimer: I do not own Stand By Me, just my OCs.
"Jesse, are you starting to get ready?" My aunt called from the bottom of the stairs, I looked to make sure the lock on the bathroom door was tight.
"Yeah, I won't be that long!" I told her, wincing as I pulled the bandage from my arm. It stuck and scratched various at various points along my cuts and the burn, pulling at the scabs to the point I had to try my best not to make any noise. Ace stopped by the pharmacy on his way to leave me home this morning and I got new bandages and some disinfectant for the cuts and burn ointment. I started with the burn because it was still looking a bit worse for wear, the ointment didn't sting so I hoped it would stay reasonably calm while I was out with Emily and Richard.
I turned over to the cut and filled the sink with water before pouring a reasonable amount of disinfectant in. I leant forward till my arm was under the water and gently washed around the cuts.
"Son of a bitch." I murmured as I looked down at the marks, they would scar for sure. It would only be a matter of time before Richard or Emily spotted them, as we got into summer the excuse of being cold wouldn't hold up as well, so I'd have to show them sooner or later. Preferably at the car before Ace and I left, I could jump in and tell him to floor it before they had a chance to respond.
For something that was supposed to be payback for scratching his car, this definitely wasn't an equal punishment. All Magnet had to go was put a fresh coat of paint on the hood and no one would know, I'd carry this word on my arm for months, maybe even years. Carrying the Cobra mark on my shoulder was one thing; it was small and was easily covered. The word "SCORPIONS" that spanned from my wrist to my elbow would be just a bit harder to keep under wraps.
After a few minutes I let the water out and dried my arm before wrapping it in a bandage again. I slipped a dressing gown on and put the old bandages in my pocket to dispose of at some other point. I had already washed my hair and face so I put the disinfectant and burn ointment in my other pocket before unlocking the door. I dived for my room door as Richard came out of his and Emily's room, I got the door closed in time thankfully and decided to get dressed.
By the time we were heading out I had managed to find a reasonable blue dress and wore a white long-sleeved cardigan with it, and white pumps. I knew Aunt Emily would have suggested the red dress I got for Christmas because we were going out to a restaurant, but it wasn't like we were going to The Plaza, so I dressed casual. Well, as casual as a girl can dress when she's trying to cover up the fact she was cut and burned on one arm.
Thankfully I made it through dinner without much fuss, I just kept saying I was cold and they left me alone soon enough. I had told Ace we'd be back late and I'd call from home when we got there, but we ended up staying late until about ten. What can I say? The place had great food.
Coming back through the middle of Castle Rock was like a blur as I sat in the back seat with my eyes drifting shut. I was just on the verge of sleep when Richard slammed on the brakes and I shot forward in my seat, I'd have hit the back of Emily's chair if I hadn't been wearing a seat belt.
"What the-?" I asked as I rubbed my chest where the belt had slammed against it, Richard had stopped the car in the middle of the road and opened his door without a word to get out.
"Oh my God." Emily breathed, I unbuckled my seat belt and leant forward to see what she was looking at, as my eyes landed on the figure Uncle Richard was half-helping, half-dragging towards the car, as the headlights shone on the two of them I slumped back in my seat and put a hand over my eyes.
"You gotta be kidding me." I whispered as Richard dragged Magnet over to the car, opening the door with some difficulty as he fought to keep him upright.
"Jesse, can you help?!" My uncle asked in frustration as I sat there staring at Magnet. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes before I leant across the seats to take Magnet's arm and pull him into the car. Yank him in more like, and I tried- and failed- not to gain any satisfaction from the grunt of pain as he fell into the car.
"Are you alright?" my aunt asked worriedly from the front seat as my uncle joined her once again.
"He'll be fine if we get him to the hospital, he's just got a stab wound in his leg and some broken bones, nothing to worry about." My uncle told her in reassurance, even though it sounded far from reassuring.
"He was stabbed?" My aunt cried, I looked down to Magnet's right leg where there was a stab wound on the top of his leg. It wasn't on the inside so he wouldn't have bled to death. Unfortunately.
"Yes. Jesse?" My uncle called from the front seat, I met his eyes in the mirror, "Can you put pressure on his leg to stop him losing too much blood?"
I turned to Magnet and let a smirk only he'd be able to see tug at one corner of my mouth, "Gladly." I said in a falsely sweet tone before I put my left hand down over the cut and pressed down as hard as I could.
"We'll take him to the hospital in Portland." My uncle said as he started driving out of town. I could feel Magnet's gaze bore angrily on my face as I kept pressure on his leg the whole way to the hospital.
Richard stopped in front of the entrance and helped Magnet out of the car; I took my hand off his leg and left him to it. I watched as Richard helped him in through the doors of the hospital.
"That poor boy, he must have been attacked." My aunt breathed.
"Yeah, poor him." I replied, although my voice didn't carry sympathy like hers. We both waited until Richard came out a few minutes later over to the car.
"I'm going to stay and make sure he's alright, would you two like to take the car home?" My uncle asked, my aunt considered it before she grabbed her bag.
"Not at all, we'll stay with you. Come on, Jesse." My aunt said as she got out of the car. I followed her out and over to the hospital, this felt all too much like the time Ace was sent to hospital. Only Magnet was conscious and I wasn't worried at all what happened to him.
"Does he know who did it?" my aunt asked Richard as we sat in the waiting room.
My uncle shook his head, "I haven't asked much, but I'll be sure to find out when he's been seen to. Whatever sick bastard did this to him should be locked up, he was walking back to his car and got jumped." My uncle explained, my aunt shook her head with a sound of disgust.
"He'll live." I said flatly, almost to myself but my uncle caught it and leant forward.
"What on earth has gotten into you?" he asked, I met his eyes before dropping my gaze, I wasn't up for a confession right now.
"Sorry, this just reminds me of when Ace was in hospital." I said, Richard stared into space for a few seconds before clearing his throat.
"And where exactly is Ace tonight?" My eyes flew up to meet his again, and I folded my arms.
"At his mom's, why?"
Richard shrugged, "I'm only asking." He said, then his gaze softened and dropped, catching sight of my arm. "You might want to wash that blood off and take that cardigan off."
I looked down to see my hand was covered in blood which was in the process of drying; some of it had gotten onto the cuff of my cardigan sleeve. I cursed and stood up.
"I'll go wash it." I said, hurrying to the bathroom. I closed the door and sighed as I realised there was no lock. I rinsed my hand over the sink and then started scrubbing at the sleeve of my cardigan; I jumped as the door opened.
"I thought you might want some help washing that off, blood's a tough thing to stop staining your clothes. You need to soak it and then take it home to wash." My aunt explained, I shook my head.
"I'm fine." I told her, rinsing my sleeve under the running water. She closed the door and went to take the cardigan off my shoulders.
"It'll be no problem-"
"Seriously, I'm fine!" I said a tad too defensively. Emily drew her hand back and stared at me.
"Why won't you let me help?" she asked, I rolled my eyes.
"For the millionth time, I don't need your help." I spat, feeling instantly guilty at the look of hurt in her eyes. I knew it was the only way to get her to leave.
"Okay." She said, before leaving me to it.
"Fuck." I muttered, I'd have to find some way to make it up to her.
I finished washing the sleeve and retreated to a stall to take it off and wring the sleeve out as tight as I could. I put the cardigan back on and rolled the left sleeve up, leaving my right down. I stepped out and groaned as I saw how weird it looked, but it would have to stay like that.
I went back out and sat with Richard and Emily, who were mostly silent. Finally after half an hour I remembered Ace would be waiting on me to call, so I made an excuse to ring him and went to one of the payphones away from where my aunt and uncle could hear.
"Hello?" A voice answered, I breathed a sigh of relief he was at least at home.
"It's me."
"Are you at home?" Ace asked, I winced.
"Not yet, we were on our way and my uncle spotted Magnet. We took him to the hospital and I'm stuck here till we find out if he's alright." I explained.
"Fuck." Ace muttered on the other end.
"My uncle wants to find out who did this to him, I told him you've been at your mom's most of the day. What if Magnet says otherwise?" I asked, Ace was silent for a few seconds.
"Is there any way you can make sure he doesn't?"
I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed, "Shit, I don't know. My uncle's dead set on finding out. I'll try and find some way to make sure he stays quiet. You did give him one hell of a beating though, I don't know what he'll do."
"He got exactly what he deserved."
"I know, problem is you might wind up paying for it."
We were both silent for a few seconds before I spotted my uncle making his way down the hall, "Shit, I gotta go. If you've got any bruises or anything don't come by the house, my uncle will know what you did. I'll meet you before work tomorrow." I said, Ace said goodbye just as my uncle came over and I put the receiver down.
"Donny's doing fine, the doctors got him sorted and he's staying in for the night." I raised my eyebrows.
"Donny?"
My uncle nodded, studying my face, "Yes, Donny Thompson, Ace might know him; they're around the same age."
I made my best attempt at looking clueless, "Ace has never mentioned him." Richard looked thoughtful for a second before he shook his head.
"They must not talk or anything, then. I've been sent to ring his house and let them know what's happening, I just want to talk to him before we go and then we can leave."
I nodded and left my uncle to it, walking back down the hall as he went to the phone. My step faltered slightly before I walked faster to get down to the rooms, and I was glad my aunt was too busy reading a magazine to notice me.
"Excuse me, is this Donny Thompson's room?" I asked a young nurse who was just in the process of closing the door.
"Yes, are you family or friend?" fucking neither, thank you very much.
"I'm his sister, Alice." I said, she seemed to buy the excuse and opened the door to let me in. Magnet watched me walk over to the bed; I ran my eyes over what was visible above the blankets and smirked.
"This reminds me of when I was here with Ace. Although I couldn't care less if you ever get out of here." I told him.
He made a face of mock hurt, "Wow, I got a stab wound in my leg, three broken fingers and some broken ribs, I don't think there's a part of me that wasn't kicked, but that really hurt." He said, and then raised a bruised eyebrow with a cut on it, "Haven't you any compassion for a sick guy?"
I snorted, "I'll hand it to you, you certainly are sick. But I'm going to cut to the chase, you say anything to my uncle or to the cops, I'll show them my arm and tell them everything that happened."
He grinned mockingly, "You have no proof."
"I don't need proof." I told him, "You're only a few months out of prison for assault and robbery; I hardly think someone will take your word over mine. And anyway, all it takes is a rumour that you and your friends took a knife to the arm of a seventeen-year-old girl in a store for no reason and you'll lose whatever shreds of hope you had at making a living in this town."
His eyes narrowed, "Well you make a good point. But anyway, I'm not gonna go squeal to your uncle or the cops."
That had my eyebrows rise, "You aren't?"
"No, not when I've got something better in mind." Magnet said, and suddenly any impression he was anything more than scum for not going to the cops was wiped away.
"And what exactly would that be?" I began to ask, just as the door opened.
"Jesse? What are you doing in here?" my uncle asked, Magnet's dangerous gaze shifted from mine to my uncle, his face relaxed into a smile.
"Don't worry, Sir. Jesse kindly came in to see if I was alright, isn't that right, Jesse?"
I narrowed my eyes at Magnet before nodding, "Yeah, sure."
My uncle patted my shoulder, "Well your sister said she'd get a car sorted to take her up as soon as she could, she said you were out in your car?"
Magnet nodded, "Yeah, I was heading back to it when I met you on the road. It was across the street, but I wouldn't have been able to drive. Thanks again for helping me, Sir."
"Not a problem." My uncle smiled before his expression turned serious again, "Jesse, I'd like to talk to Donny alone for a few minutes. Do you mind waiting with your aunt?"
"Sure, bye." I said hurriedly and went outside, praying Magnet didn't say anything. Whatever he had in mind for Ace, surely prison was worse.
Eventually my uncle came out after about ten minutes looking displeased, so I assumed Ace wasn't in trouble.
"How did it go?" My aunt asked.
"He said he was jumped as has no idea who did it or why they did it. He said most likely it was some boys who just decided to attack him. As if things haven't been hard enough for him, living in a town like this with a criminal record means you're always a target for abuse. Just not abuse this severe." Hand me the tissues, not.
Finally we went home and I went straight to bed, trying my best to get some sleep. My brain kept me up for some while as I wondered what the hell Magnet had planned now. Eventually I decided it was all talk, and closed my eyes to catch some sleep.
"What the fuck was that? Get up and try again." I was seriously starting to re-think being worried about Ace's well-being as I glared at him from the ground.
"Fuck you." I spat as I stood up, Eyeball had been laughing most of the time we had spent out here as I insulted them every time they teased me. When I went and told Ace what Magnet had said at the hospital, he and Eyeball took it upon themselves to start training me to be able to fight right away. So far I had spent most of the night on the ground in the back garden while they kept ordering me to get up and give it another shot. Which I got increasingly willing to do the more pissed of I got.
I stood up and once again Ace's arms went tight around my torso, Eyeball waited until I had no chance of moving my arms before he started towards us from where he had been standing a few feet away. I leant back as much as I could on Ace and used his hold for support as I kicked both my legs up as hard as I could towards Eyeball, hitting him in the stomach as hard as I could before landing back on my feet. That part I was fine with, it was getting away from Ace that was the problem.
Eyeball had stumbled back slightly from the impact, and I hurriedly tried to get my arms free from Ace before I just gave up and let my feet fall out from under me, I landed on the ground hard but finally I had gotten out of his grip.
"Finally using your head." Ace said, the closest thing I had gotten to a compliment since I was dragged out here in the dark, apparently this was a better way to make me more prepared. Bullshit.
"I don't see why I can't just use a knife." I muttered.
"Did you use yours the other night?" Ace asked, my silence was enough of an answer and he nodded, "I thought so, you gotta be able to fight without the knife." He said, crossing behind me and I anticipated another attack. When we got out here they came as a bit of a surprise, but now I realised every time I couldn't see his shape it was because he was going to sneak up on me.
Sure enough one arm went tight around my throat, to the point where my breath I had been taking was cut off.
"Relax, think it through." Ace told me, I made myself focus enough to realise I had two weak spots to go for. I elbowed him in the stomach and kicked my heel into his shin as hard as I could.
His grip slipped slightly and I elbowed him again, managing to get a rib this time. A sharp pain shot up my elbow as it made contact with his rib, but I succeeded as his grip slipped enough for me to get my head out. I stood ready to catch my breath when Eyeball took the chance for revenge, tackling me again and sitting up this time to bring his fist back. Yay, more punches to block.
I held my forearms up over my face and my palms covered the front of my head, his fists made contact with my forearms but not like a real fight, I had told them to be careful at least on the burn, it was only beginning to settle down and feel normal today.
I shifted onto my side as his fists came down and took one of my arms down to throw the elbow into his face; well, close to his face. Another bargain of the deal was no one got any broken noses or bad bruises training, but I suspected it would wear off as we practised more and they had to make sure I could actually do stuff.
I scrambled out from under him and stood again, I took a slightly defensive pose as Ace stepped over, but he chuckled and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
"That'll do for tonight." He said, I let out a sigh of relief and leant into his side. Eyeball even seemed relieved as he started for the back door. It was cold as hell; I was in serious need of a warm shower.
I sat on the bed a while later and rubbed my hair dry with the towel as I heard the front door close, Eyeball must have left. I continued to dry my hair as Ace came into the room and pulled his shirt off.
"You did well, for your first real practise."
I snorted, "I'll need to do a lot better. I don't know what the hell Magnet is going to do next but I'd rather not get any more scars." I answered, staring down at my arm. It didn't need bandages anymore except for over the burn, which the ointment was helping greatly with.
I felt the bed sink under Ace's weight as he sat down on his side, his arms went around my shoulders, not as tight as earlier but it still hugged me against him. I dropped the towel as my hair was finally dry and leant back into him, covering his hands with mine and leaving my chin on his arm.
"You'll be fine." He told me, I rolled my eyes at his confidence.
"Easy for you to say, you've got muscle and strength, most of which you can't even use against me because I'd be too weak to take any of it." I argued.
"We'll keep working till you've got abs of steel that'll break someone's knuckles if they try and land a punch on them." I laughed at that, and turned to meet Ace's eyes.
"You sure we'll be alright if something happens? Not just me, you as well?" I asked, he pressed a kiss to my shoulder and nodded.
"I'm sure. Don't let him get to you; we can handle whatever he decides to do, if he even does anything." Ace explained, I leant my forehead against his cheek and closed my eyes.
"I won't worry then." There was a slim chance I wouldn't worry, non-existent wither. But Ace wasn't worried, and I was determined to feel the same.
"Good. Now shut the fuck up and kiss me." He ordered, I smiled and lifted my lips to his.
I wouldn't worry. I wouldn't.