Love Never Goes Out of Style/Chapter 23
After the initial shock of getting hit wore off, Daniel came to, looking around him. Bobby was still on the ground, having also gotten knocked out by the guards.
Alejandro was having slightly better luck, no doubt as a result of his recent experience at having to defend himself from his would-be hijackers. He wrestled with the other guard against the wall and was making some progress, until the second guard came and hit him in the back of the head with his gun, causing him to fall to the ground as well.
Betty had seen what was going on outside the plane and watched in horror as Matt was in the cockpit, trying to find out what the hold-up was from the pilot he had hired.
"So sorry, Mr. Hartley. I don't know what was causing the delay earlier, but we have our clearance finally. Let me just radio Jason and Harold to come back on board and we'll be ready for take-off momentarily. You and the young lady will want to fasten your safety belts when I start to taxi."
"Great. Thanks, Carl. I need to go find her something to put on. Switzerland might be a little cold just in a towel. Are there any women's clothing on board by chance?"
"There may be a ladies uniform in the back. I can't say for the fit, but you might find something there, in the galley."
"Thanks. Tell those two to come on board. They should already be inside by now."
"Very good, sir. No worries."
Matt went back to see Betty trying to sneak off the plane. He ran to stop her. "Betty, stop, honey. Don't you want to put some clothes on? The pilot just told me there is a stewardess uniform in the back. Come on, let's go look together."
Betty glared at him, crying hysterically now, no longer able to even pretend to be calm, "Daniel's hurt. So is Bobby and someone they had with them. Your hired jerks just knocked them out with their guns."
"Well, at least they didn't shoot them. So…Daniel made it here, huh? I'll give him some credit. I didn't think he had enough sense to even get this far." He looked out of the plane and smiled, seeing Daniel on the ground, appearing unconscious. "Now maybe you'll actually be able to move on."
Betty's eyes widened, and she struggled to get away from him, "You are really nuts, Matt! What are you thinking? You can't think I'm going to go along with you!"
He sighed, still holding onto her wrists firmly, but sitting down in a seat, shaking his head, "No, I guess my mom really screwed things up for me, calling your stupid boyfriend and threatening you like that, didn't she? Here everything was going so well, too.
You were already pissed at Daniel, and it was just like old times, but then she had to go and mess everything up! This would have been so much easier if she would have stayed out of things. Now…I guess you'll have to know that if you don't come with me willingly, I'll leave one of my hired 'jerks' behind to finish him off once and for all."
She pulled hard against him and landed on her bottom on the floor. He laughed, shaking his head as he pulled her up, "You never were particularly graceful, were you, sweetie?"
She took a deep breath, wiping away the tears, and trying to stay strong, "No. I'm not. And I'm never going to be. You don't want me, Matt. Your mother was right. I'd be a terrible hostess for all the big parties and events you'll be throwing. You need someone who can do all that stuff for you. It's just not me. You don't want me, Matt!"
"Oh, but you're wrong, Betty. I do want you. I've always wanted you, honey. You're my first real love. I told you that. All those other women I slept with meant nothing to me. Until I met you, I never had to chase a woman before. They were always too easy, especially once they found out who I was.
I never knew if it was really me they cared about or my money. But with you…you didn't even know who I was. You just thought I was this goofy sports guy. It was fun. You made me work for it. Well, until you came onto me that one time when I was trying to play hard to get."
"Matt…don't. That was a long time ago. Things have changed. I told you; I don't love you anymore. I'm not sure I ever really did. This is over. You need to face facts and let me go. I promise, I won't press charges. Just leave. Let me make sure Daniel is alright. Please?"
He gave her a sad smile, stroking her cheek, "Betty…you know this could have been so much easier if you had just kept in touch with me when I left. I tried to call, or email and I never heard back from you. You just acted like I was never planning on coming back and went on with your life."
"What was I supposed to do? You left me."
"But I'm back, now, Betty. I never stopped loving you."
"Well, I stopped caring about you, Matt. You hurt me. But I got over you and now I just want to move on. You can, too. If you stop this right now. You have to know this isn't going to end in your favor. Even in your sick, twisted little mind you have to somewhere realize…the further you take this, the more likely you are to really get hurt.
Please, Matt. You have good in you. I know you do.
Where's the sweet guy I used to know? You have to be in there somewhere. Let me go."
He pulled her to him by her waist and shook his head, "Sh…Betty. Come on, now. Daniel assaulted me once. I didn't press charges at the UN or at the restaurant when he took you away from me by force. As far as I'm concerned, I rescued you from him. You see, it's all in how you present things. And believe me, my lawyers will present things in my favor should I ever even see a day in court."
"You won't hurt Daniel if I agree to go with you?"
"Of course not. Why should I? He'll never find us where we're going. He'll stop looking for you the minute another girl with a pulse comes along. You know, that's Daniel, right? The man-whore? I'm sort of surprised he finally saw what I saw in you a long time ago. He always seemed too shallow to see your real beauty."
"You mean, the beauty you were showing in all those insane paintings you did of me?"
He seemed agitated, "You were never supposed to see those. Those paintings were my own private thoughts."
"Of me. Dozens of them, all making me out to be some kind of monster! On huge canvases, too! I had nightmares about those for weeks, Matt. How can you say you love me if you really see me like that?"
"I don't anymore. You ripped my heart out when you kissed Henry. But I've forgiven you. It's all water under the bridge."
She saw Daniel move slightly, but one of the guards was headed towards him, "Okay! Matt, you win. Tell your man not to hurt Daniel and I'll come with you."
Matt smiled, "Good decision, Betty. Hang on." He went to the door and yelled out for both the guards to come inside.
"But, sir, what about this guy?"
"Don't worry about him. Miss Suarez wants to leave him behind. She's done with him. She's anxious to start her new life with me, now."
He spoke loudly enough for Daniel to hear. Bobby was waking up, too. Matt signaled Betty to come to the door, and whispered in her ear, "Make him believe you want to come with me, or I'll tell Jason to shoot him, right now. Your brother-in-law, too. Make it convincing."
Betty nodded, biting her lower lip, and trying to fight back the fear she felt for Daniel, Bobby, and herself at this moment. "I…Daniel, just walk away. I want to go with Matt. He's not a bad guy. I…never stopped loving him. You need to move on. Find somebody else. Go, live your life. Maybe get back together with Amanda, since she's free.
Bobby, tell Hilda I'll call her as soon as Matt and I are settled. I'm fine. He hasn't hurt me or anything. But we need to leave now. Please…go. Tell papi and Justin I'll talk to them soon, too. And tell Christina and William I hope they'll be very happy with all that Swiss chocolate…"
Matt narrowed his eyes at her, and pushed her back on board, then signaled his men to come back on board, as the pilot was starting to taxi off. Betty couldn't help sobbing as she saw Daniel and Bobby running desperately after the plane as it taxied away.
Daniel made it to the window of her seat and put his hand on the glass. Betty held hers next to his and blew a sad kiss to him. She could see his lips mouthing her name but couldn't hear him. She mouthed, "I love you."
She could tell he said, "I love you. I'll find you." As much as he tried to keep up with the plane, it was moving too fast and he fell, trying to catch up to it.
Bobby looked at Daniel, as he walked up to him and helped him to his feet, "Did you believe any of that garbage she was saying about really wanting to go with him and telling you to get together with Amanda?"
"Of course not. He's forcing her to say that crap. She just mouthed that she loved me. She was trying to save us from his hired guns, that's all. Come on, we have to find out what his flight plan is exactly and have Alejandro take us wherever in Switzerland he's taking her…wow, is he okay? Alejandro?"
Betty pretended to sleep on the plane, so she wouldn't have to talk to Matt and she could try to gather her thoughts. She was happy that Daniel was up and clearly alright, since he had been able to run after the plane.
She held onto the sight of him, re-assuring her that he loved her and would find her. She knew he would try; she was sure he would do everything in his power, but how would he find her?
This place Matt had in mind to take them was somewhere in the Swiss Alps, she knew, since she had heard him talking to the pilot. But it sounded very remote. She wondered how she was going to make her escape if Daniel was unable to get to her right away. She shivered in the flimsy stewardess's outfit Matt had given her to put on.
Betty felt him put a blanket over her, and realized that Matt honestly didn't seem to want to hurt her. He did care about her, albeit in his selfish and clearly delusional way.
She was frankly more concerned about Daniel and how he could get seriously hurt if he did find them and Matt still had his hired guards around.
Betty didn't want anything to happen to Daniel or Bobby. She had seen Bobby up too and only hoped the other man helping them had also recovered. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach, and wondered if they were already flying over the mountains.
Daniel and Bobby had managed to revive Alejandro and they made their way back onto the plane. Hilda tended to their cuts and scrapes, with the first aid kit on board. They radioed Alejandro's friend in the control tower and got Matt's coordinates and took off for Switzerland immediately.
While Hilda fussed over Bobby, Daniel called the others to fill them in on what had happened. Tyler and Amanda said they would meet up with Christina and Stuart to 'question' Victoria Hartley about her son's possible whereabouts in case the plane didn't follow its flight plan as Daniel strongly suspected it wouldn't.
Christina assured Daniel that they would get the information out of 'the bitch if we have to water board her'!"
Daniel laughed slightly, "You know how to do that? Were you or Stuart with the Scottish equivalent of the CIA or something?"
"Well, if I told you that, I'd have to kill you." She took a deep breath, "Listen, Daniel?"
"Yes?"
"We'll get her back. No matter what it takes. It might not be easy, but I have no doubt."
"I know. It's just…I had her and I let him get her from me again. This time, he stole her right from under me, too. I should have…."
"What? Rushed two armed guards and gotten yourself shot or killed? Known he was going to hit the room service bloke and kidnap her?"
"Yes! I told her to stay with me. I didn't keep her safe, Christina. It's my fault she's with him."
"No, it's Matt's. Daniel, he's the bloody wanker that took her. You did everything you possibly could. You were able to chase them through London in nothing but a towel and got a plane to give chase in and even found out he's taking her to Switzerland.
So, stop beatin yerself up. We'll save that fer the likes of him, once we get Betty back. Chin up. Stiff upper lip and all that. You don't have time ta feel sorry fer yourself now. Let's rescue the girl, first, alright?"
"All right; I know you're right."
"Of course I am! You worry about followin Betty's plane and we'll take care of Victoria!"
Betty had come to the end of her rope. She felt ill and finally got up to run to the bathroom. She splashed water on her face as she heard Matt outside, "You're not trying to escape out of the bathroom, I hope." She heard him say.
She opened the door and looked at him. She tried to figure out what to say to make him snap out of whatever dark hole his brain had slipped into at that moment.
"Matt, tell me what happened. Talk to me. Why are you doing this? I don't understand what you hope to accomplish. This isn't you. This isn't the Matt I know. Why would you do this? You're a sweet, handsome, rich man. You don't need to do something like this to get a woman."
He shook his head, staring at her as he ran his hand down her arm slowly then held her by her arms. "Betty, you have to know. I really don't want to hurt anyone. But…Daniel? Why him?
The guy always pissed me off the whole time we were going out. He always came first. No matter how close you and I got, if he called, off you would go running to help him. It got so annoying!
When we were practically living together, and saw each other all the time, you acted like I was bothering you, on top of you all the time. Then you told me I needed to find something else to be passionate about. So I did…I went and helped others. I thought that would impress you. You inspired me to do something. I really hoped it would show you I was a better man than him. But did it matter to you? No…he still came first.
You just let me leave. At first, all you cared about was your precious career. Then, it seems you and he finally stopped circling around each other like vultures and pounced on one another. And it didn't matter that I was better than him in every way.
I'm richer, I'm younger; I stopped sleeping around long before he did. I noticed you; fell in love with you before he did. Yes, I went off to save the world. But did you care? I only did what you "inspired" me to do, Betty! But you acted like you didn't even miss me! Then you went off with him!
And when he pisses you off, and we get back together to talk, he acts like a lunatic and shoves me to 'kidnap' you and run off with you and because I saved you from him then now I'M the crazy guy? Can I help it if my mother is insane?"
"No, but Matt, you didn't 'save me' from Daniel. In the first place, I didn't want to be 'saved'. I was in a hotel with him. I was practically naked. What about that would make you think I didn't want to be with him?
I'm sorry but I can't help who I love. So, because I fell in love with Daniel, you're going to punish me now? How is that showing me you love me? I'm sorry about your mother.
You have terrible parents. They're both selfish and unfeeling. They clearly didn't teach you that you can't just have everything and everyone you want. But Matt…don't make things worse. You don't need those guys with guns, threatening people."
He was getting frustrated. His eyes clouded over, "You weren't listening to me, Betty. You wouldn't even give me a chance to explain that I had nothing to do with my mom's craziness! You could have avoided this whole thing if you would have just agreed to go have coffee with me when I came to your hotel room. You're the one who attacked me."
"Because I was with Daniel already! Yes, I was angry with him earlier, but we had made up and he was in the shower! He told me earlier you called him and were trying to play some mind games with him…"
Matt was just getting angrier, "I don't want to talk about Daniel Meade for one more second, Betty! He's a spoiled jack ass and he doesn't deserve you! He never did! He didn't deserve that job his dad gave him, either. Wilhelmina earned it, not him.
But you spent every waking minute helping him keep it. And what did he ever do to thank you for all your hard work? Nothing! He just kept screwing every woman in sight and treating you like his little slave.
He's not worth another second of your time. You're with me now. The sooner you get used to that the smoother things will go. Just forget about that loser, okay? You're never going to see him again.
Sooner or later he'll give up looking for you and you're going to see what we had was special. We just need some time alone. Without him or your work or my mother interfering, that's all. Now, rest and relax. We'll be there soon. Are you feeling any better?"
"Not really. Are we still going over mountains?"
"Yes."
"The Alps?"
"Maybe. You told me you always wanted to learn to ski. Now's your chance, sweetie. Wait till you see this place. It's beautiful. Up on a mountain with a great view. You're going to love it!"
"That's great, Matt. Thank you for remembering. That was thoughtful of you." She leaned forward, looking at the front of the plane, where the two guards sat, playing cards, having a beer.
"Are those two going to be with us all the time? Won't that make things a little…I don't know, cramped? How am I supposed to rekindle my feelings for you with them as our audience? I'm not into putting on a show for a couple of morons with guns!"
He shrugged, "They were a necessary evil to get you to come with me and away from all your distractions. Once we're up in our little hideaway, it'll be just you and me. I'll finally have you all to myself after all these years and you'll see how great we can be together again, like we used to be in New York."
"Great, Matt. I'm looking forward to it."
He smiled leaning closer, "Well that's good to hear. It's about time, Betty."
She knew she just had to bide her time until she was alone with Matt. Not make him suspicious in the meantime. Let him think she was giving in to him. Then she would find a way to escape. She sighed, closing her eyes and picturing Daniel's hand on the outside of the plane, telling her he loved her.
Daniel was pacing up and down the plane that followed Betty. Hilda came up behind him, and put her hand on his shoulder, "We're gonna find her, Daniel."
He nodded, "I know. I just…miss her. I hate to think what kind of threats he's filling her mind with right now. I hope she's not too scared. I wish I could know what was going through her mind right now. I love her so much!" He fell to a seat, crumbling. "I just want her back!"