Author's note: I'm picking the story up a few lines from last chapter.
Thank you everyone for reviewing it, you really made my day! This chapter
will probably be less interesting than last chapter, what with that
cliffhanger last chapter! LOL! Hope you like it anyway!
Peter entered the roof and was assaulted by emotions. Fear, pain, regret, guilt. He had to shake his head to see straight, it was so blinding.
"Hello?" He asked gently, not wanting to scare the person. The image turned around sharply, scrutinizing the intruder. Peter gasped when he saw the young brown haired girl with deep piercing eyes.
"Dawn." He whispered.
The girl cocked her head curiously at Peter.
"No, it can't be!" Peter said, grabbing onto the wall for balance. "I saw you! I was up here when you jumped! You're dead! Stop haunting me!"
A slow smile spread across her face, but did not reach her eyes. "I'm not haunting you Detective." She strained her memory. "Caine?" Peter nodded.
"God the look on your face! Seeing a ghost is an understatement!" She laughed without mirth. "And I'd probably play along, but I'm afraid you'd die of shock." Here she took a deep breath and sighed. "You're right. Dawn Knite is dead and I'm not her. I'm Eve, Eve Knite. Dawn's twin sister?"
Peter let out a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. "Twins", he laughed at himself, but sobered quickly.
"How did you know my name?"
"It's in the paper," Eve said coldly. " 'Hot shot Detective Caine unable to save a suicider'."
"Oh", was all Peter could think of. "What are you doing here?"
"Enjoying the view", she said in a sarcastic tone that reminded him of her twin and stung.
"Can you enjoy it standing further away from the ledge?" He asked her, taking a step forward.
"Not the same", she said. "And I wouldn't advise you to take any more steps. Sudden movement can make a person. Jumpy."
'God they're so alike!' Peter thought silently.
"You've been drinking?" Peter asked, indicating the bottle of beer.
"Helps numb the pain", she said quietly, taking a step closer to the ledge.
"Why numb it if you're going to jump?" He asked her gently.
'God! What am I doing? I don't know the first thing about negotiating with troubled suicidal teens! I mean, look what happened to Dawn..'
"Wow, you are a Detective, aren't you?" She asked laughing. "Maybe if I get drunk enough it will give me the courage to jump." She peered over the ledge and examined the area bellow.
"Is this where she jumped?" She asked him. "Was she standing here?"
"Yes", Peter whispered, sliding a step closer. 'Almost there.'
"I want it to be just right. I even get the same cop trying to get me to come down." She muttered to no one in particular.
"You want what to be just right?" Peter asked, determined to save her this time, to keep her busy until the real negotiators get here.
"My death", she said flatly. "Me and my sis' were. Close. Sometimes we could get vibes from the other, know what's happening with the other. It was like we were connected, like we shared a bond or
something, you know?"
"Yeah I know", Peter mumbled without thinking.
She looked at him curiously, taking her eyes off the ledge. "How?"
"Me and my Pop, we also have that going for us", Peter said, feeling a bit guilty at the moment for the way he acted earlier. Eve looked bored again and she decided that the view from the ledge was more interesting.
"If I do it just right.. Maybe we'll somehow meet. Maybe we'll combine or something. All I know is that I can't live without her", she turned now with determination to Peter. "She was like my second half! She made me complete; she was the Ying to my Yang and all that crap! She made life bearable and now she left me all alone in the cold! I can't take it anymore! Not without her!"
"I know it hurts right now, but believe me it will get better. Slowly life will start to look up and you'll realize it wasn't worth killing yourself for." Peter said evenly.
"How would you know?" Eve asked him, shaking her head. She turned towards the ledge. It was the same voice from his dreams, beckoning for an answer, pleading.
How would you know? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW???
"Because I've been there!" Peter shouted, trying to quiet the voice down. Eve lost her balance for a moment, but soon regained it. Peter smiled, as he finally understood.
"Because I've been there", he said to her. "Because I know what it feels like to lose it all and to feel like life isn't worth living. Because I was there on that ledge once, because I wanted to kill myself too!" He said to her, taking a final step forward. He sat on the ledge next to her, trying not to look down.
"But I didn't kill myself, I gave life a second chance and it changed my life forever." He completed, staring into her eyes.
"What made you change your mind?" She asked curiously, but he could feel the desperation in her voice. She needed something to hold on to.
"A man", Peter smiled at the memory. "He changed my life. Gave me hope, meaning. If it wasn't for him.." He let the sentence hang. Eve sat down on the ledge as well.
"Why did you want to kill yourself?" She asked him gently, asking him to open up.
"When I was a kid, I grew up with my dad at a. Place", he said fondly. "It was like home to me. One day that place was destroyed and I lost my father. We also shared that bond and suddenly I was alone in the world. I was only 12 at the time and I didn't know what the hell to do. I went to an orphanage, but I felt. Lost. I was confused, in pain. I felt like I couldn't take the rain much longer", he said, remembering his child-hood phrase. "And I wanted to end it all. I don't know why, maybe I thought I'd be with him or something, all I knew is that at the time it made sense. But then, I met Paul." He smiled. "He was different and he gave my life meaning, hell he even adopted me! If I wouldn't have met him I would have killed myself back then."
Eve nodded her head.
"I feel the exact same way. It's like life will never be the same without her, you know? Like it's not worth it."
"I know", Peter said gently. He lifted her chin with his hand and looked into her eyes.
"But it will get better. It will never be like before, I know, but it will be better than now. You'll find new stuff to live for and you'll learn to live again." Peter said. Eve turned away, not so sure.
"You wanna tell me why you want to kill yourself? Why Dawn killed herself?" Peter probed gently.
Eve looked at him unsure.
"Hey, I just told you my life story." Peter said smiling. "The least you can do is tell me yours."
Eve nodded solemnly and took a deep breath. "Well, where should I start? Oh I know! Once upon a time, there were two twin sisters. Now these little girls had a home, food, cloths- the works. But the only problem is, their mom's a drunk and their dad beats the crap out of them."
Peter felt a chill run through his body and he wondered if it was his reaction or hers. He nodded for her to go on.
"At first it was just a slap here when we didn't behave, slap there when we disappointed him. There was a reason and as long as we stuck to the rules, we were out of the woods. But when we were about ten, it got worse. He'd start hitting us and punching us and kicking us for no reason. If we cried, it got worse, if we begged it got worse if we talked it got worse.
"And you know what our precious mom did?" Eve laughed miserably. "She'd tell him: 'not in the face! You don't want people to notice it!'". That was till we were about thirteen. We'd take the blows, mainly because we had each other. We became closer; we'd talk only to each other, afraid that it would slip around others. When we were thirteen, I noticed that she'd stay away from me as well. It was as if she was blocking me out with a brick wall. I asked her what's going on, but she never said a word. He'd keep hitting us of course, but it was. Different somehow. About a week before Dawn killed herself, I found out. She was in so much pain that she couldn't take it any longer. She told me what he was doing to her behind close doors." Eve paused. "Stuff a father shouldn't do to a daughter."
Peter tried hard to control himself. He felt the rage boiling inside of him, but he said nothing.
"I asked her why he only did her and you know what she said?" Eve asked Peter, her eyes filled with tears. "She said it was because she convinced him she was both of us. Once she would be Dawn, then she would be Eve and he couldn't tell. She protected me from that bastard all this time", Eve shook her head. "I told her we would run away, we'd go some place were he'd never find us. I thought that she agreed, but apparently she didn't. After she killed herself I left. I couldn't stand it any longer, couldn't stand HIM. I tried to get by on my own, but."
"But you miss her", Peter finished.
Eve nodded, swallowing her tears. "Wow. I came here to escape my life and I end up spilling my guts to a stranger. Are you sure you're not a priest or something?"
Peter thought of his father again. Maybe he could help her.
"No, but I know one I think that could help you." He finished and extended a hand to her. Eve hesitated a moment before taking it, as Peter escorted her down.
"I guess you're my 'Paul', huh?" She asked him, trying to lighten the mood.
"God forbid. Luckily, there's only one Paul and he's taken", he smiled at her. "But I can be your 'Peter'."
"Lucky me", Eve smiled. "Where are we going?"
"To my dad's", Peter said flatly.
"Your foster dad?" Eve asked confused.
"No, my real dad."
"I thought you said he was dead."
"I thought so too, it's a long story."
-END PART 3-
What do you think?
-Ivy-
Peter entered the roof and was assaulted by emotions. Fear, pain, regret, guilt. He had to shake his head to see straight, it was so blinding.
"Hello?" He asked gently, not wanting to scare the person. The image turned around sharply, scrutinizing the intruder. Peter gasped when he saw the young brown haired girl with deep piercing eyes.
"Dawn." He whispered.
The girl cocked her head curiously at Peter.
"No, it can't be!" Peter said, grabbing onto the wall for balance. "I saw you! I was up here when you jumped! You're dead! Stop haunting me!"
A slow smile spread across her face, but did not reach her eyes. "I'm not haunting you Detective." She strained her memory. "Caine?" Peter nodded.
"God the look on your face! Seeing a ghost is an understatement!" She laughed without mirth. "And I'd probably play along, but I'm afraid you'd die of shock." Here she took a deep breath and sighed. "You're right. Dawn Knite is dead and I'm not her. I'm Eve, Eve Knite. Dawn's twin sister?"
Peter let out a breath that he didn't realize he was holding. "Twins", he laughed at himself, but sobered quickly.
"How did you know my name?"
"It's in the paper," Eve said coldly. " 'Hot shot Detective Caine unable to save a suicider'."
"Oh", was all Peter could think of. "What are you doing here?"
"Enjoying the view", she said in a sarcastic tone that reminded him of her twin and stung.
"Can you enjoy it standing further away from the ledge?" He asked her, taking a step forward.
"Not the same", she said. "And I wouldn't advise you to take any more steps. Sudden movement can make a person. Jumpy."
'God they're so alike!' Peter thought silently.
"You've been drinking?" Peter asked, indicating the bottle of beer.
"Helps numb the pain", she said quietly, taking a step closer to the ledge.
"Why numb it if you're going to jump?" He asked her gently.
'God! What am I doing? I don't know the first thing about negotiating with troubled suicidal teens! I mean, look what happened to Dawn..'
"Wow, you are a Detective, aren't you?" She asked laughing. "Maybe if I get drunk enough it will give me the courage to jump." She peered over the ledge and examined the area bellow.
"Is this where she jumped?" She asked him. "Was she standing here?"
"Yes", Peter whispered, sliding a step closer. 'Almost there.'
"I want it to be just right. I even get the same cop trying to get me to come down." She muttered to no one in particular.
"You want what to be just right?" Peter asked, determined to save her this time, to keep her busy until the real negotiators get here.
"My death", she said flatly. "Me and my sis' were. Close. Sometimes we could get vibes from the other, know what's happening with the other. It was like we were connected, like we shared a bond or
something, you know?"
"Yeah I know", Peter mumbled without thinking.
She looked at him curiously, taking her eyes off the ledge. "How?"
"Me and my Pop, we also have that going for us", Peter said, feeling a bit guilty at the moment for the way he acted earlier. Eve looked bored again and she decided that the view from the ledge was more interesting.
"If I do it just right.. Maybe we'll somehow meet. Maybe we'll combine or something. All I know is that I can't live without her", she turned now with determination to Peter. "She was like my second half! She made me complete; she was the Ying to my Yang and all that crap! She made life bearable and now she left me all alone in the cold! I can't take it anymore! Not without her!"
"I know it hurts right now, but believe me it will get better. Slowly life will start to look up and you'll realize it wasn't worth killing yourself for." Peter said evenly.
"How would you know?" Eve asked him, shaking her head. She turned towards the ledge. It was the same voice from his dreams, beckoning for an answer, pleading.
How would you know? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW???
"Because I've been there!" Peter shouted, trying to quiet the voice down. Eve lost her balance for a moment, but soon regained it. Peter smiled, as he finally understood.
"Because I've been there", he said to her. "Because I know what it feels like to lose it all and to feel like life isn't worth living. Because I was there on that ledge once, because I wanted to kill myself too!" He said to her, taking a final step forward. He sat on the ledge next to her, trying not to look down.
"But I didn't kill myself, I gave life a second chance and it changed my life forever." He completed, staring into her eyes.
"What made you change your mind?" She asked curiously, but he could feel the desperation in her voice. She needed something to hold on to.
"A man", Peter smiled at the memory. "He changed my life. Gave me hope, meaning. If it wasn't for him.." He let the sentence hang. Eve sat down on the ledge as well.
"Why did you want to kill yourself?" She asked him gently, asking him to open up.
"When I was a kid, I grew up with my dad at a. Place", he said fondly. "It was like home to me. One day that place was destroyed and I lost my father. We also shared that bond and suddenly I was alone in the world. I was only 12 at the time and I didn't know what the hell to do. I went to an orphanage, but I felt. Lost. I was confused, in pain. I felt like I couldn't take the rain much longer", he said, remembering his child-hood phrase. "And I wanted to end it all. I don't know why, maybe I thought I'd be with him or something, all I knew is that at the time it made sense. But then, I met Paul." He smiled. "He was different and he gave my life meaning, hell he even adopted me! If I wouldn't have met him I would have killed myself back then."
Eve nodded her head.
"I feel the exact same way. It's like life will never be the same without her, you know? Like it's not worth it."
"I know", Peter said gently. He lifted her chin with his hand and looked into her eyes.
"But it will get better. It will never be like before, I know, but it will be better than now. You'll find new stuff to live for and you'll learn to live again." Peter said. Eve turned away, not so sure.
"You wanna tell me why you want to kill yourself? Why Dawn killed herself?" Peter probed gently.
Eve looked at him unsure.
"Hey, I just told you my life story." Peter said smiling. "The least you can do is tell me yours."
Eve nodded solemnly and took a deep breath. "Well, where should I start? Oh I know! Once upon a time, there were two twin sisters. Now these little girls had a home, food, cloths- the works. But the only problem is, their mom's a drunk and their dad beats the crap out of them."
Peter felt a chill run through his body and he wondered if it was his reaction or hers. He nodded for her to go on.
"At first it was just a slap here when we didn't behave, slap there when we disappointed him. There was a reason and as long as we stuck to the rules, we were out of the woods. But when we were about ten, it got worse. He'd start hitting us and punching us and kicking us for no reason. If we cried, it got worse, if we begged it got worse if we talked it got worse.
"And you know what our precious mom did?" Eve laughed miserably. "She'd tell him: 'not in the face! You don't want people to notice it!'". That was till we were about thirteen. We'd take the blows, mainly because we had each other. We became closer; we'd talk only to each other, afraid that it would slip around others. When we were thirteen, I noticed that she'd stay away from me as well. It was as if she was blocking me out with a brick wall. I asked her what's going on, but she never said a word. He'd keep hitting us of course, but it was. Different somehow. About a week before Dawn killed herself, I found out. She was in so much pain that she couldn't take it any longer. She told me what he was doing to her behind close doors." Eve paused. "Stuff a father shouldn't do to a daughter."
Peter tried hard to control himself. He felt the rage boiling inside of him, but he said nothing.
"I asked her why he only did her and you know what she said?" Eve asked Peter, her eyes filled with tears. "She said it was because she convinced him she was both of us. Once she would be Dawn, then she would be Eve and he couldn't tell. She protected me from that bastard all this time", Eve shook her head. "I told her we would run away, we'd go some place were he'd never find us. I thought that she agreed, but apparently she didn't. After she killed herself I left. I couldn't stand it any longer, couldn't stand HIM. I tried to get by on my own, but."
"But you miss her", Peter finished.
Eve nodded, swallowing her tears. "Wow. I came here to escape my life and I end up spilling my guts to a stranger. Are you sure you're not a priest or something?"
Peter thought of his father again. Maybe he could help her.
"No, but I know one I think that could help you." He finished and extended a hand to her. Eve hesitated a moment before taking it, as Peter escorted her down.
"I guess you're my 'Paul', huh?" She asked him, trying to lighten the mood.
"God forbid. Luckily, there's only one Paul and he's taken", he smiled at her. "But I can be your 'Peter'."
"Lucky me", Eve smiled. "Where are we going?"
"To my dad's", Peter said flatly.
"Your foster dad?" Eve asked confused.
"No, my real dad."
"I thought you said he was dead."
"I thought so too, it's a long story."
-END PART 3-
What do you think?
-Ivy-