May 9th, 2008

Week 18

Two weeks in darkness. Occasionally, Charles would come down to the basement with a flashlight with some food. Dave was very reluctant to eat any of his food, but after a few days without food, Dave had to eat something. His wrists wouldn't stop bleeding because he tugged at the ropes constantly.

"Shit." Dave growled as he pulled at the ropes again. They got caught on a nail. Dave pondered this for a moment. In all of those movies the victims sawed the rope in half with a nail. He wondered if it would work. There would be one way to find out.

Dave started to rub the rope against the nail. Above his head he could hear Charles walkig around. His heart pounded in his chest. He wondered how Randi and the girls were doing. She was probably panic-stricken. He was so worried that the baby would be hurt do to this. For all Dave knew, Charles had Randi and the girls at a different location torturing them like he was with him.

"Asshole." He mumbled as the ropes came apart. "Oh my god." Dave grinned brightly. It actually worked. Those damn movies were correct. He heard the basement door open up. His heart pounded as he stood up. His bones cracked as he moved. He had been in that position for so long. He hid behind a pipe. How could he get out of here?

"Fe fi foe fum. Where did Dr. Malucci go?" Charles smiled putting down a tray of food. He walked over to the cover and picked up a golf club. "He couldn't have gotten too far now couldn't he?"

Dave pressed his boy harder against the pipe. He thought of his girls. What would they do if his brains were bashed in? He could see them sobbing over his casket. They had a hard enough tine with Aaron and they had never met him. He had to get out. He looked at the stairs and bolted for them.

"You can't run far." Charles chuckled as he watched Dave run upstairs. Dave looked around him. Where was he? He wasn't in Chicago. He didn't recognize what he saw out the window.

"I'm coming, Randi." Dave whispered heading for the door.

"Oh no you're not." Charles said swinging the golf club and hit Dave in his knee.

"AHHH!!!" Dave screamed and collapsed to the floor.

"Scream, baby, Scream." Charles yelled and continued to pound on Dave's legs. Tears sprung from Dave's eyes as he screamed out of pain. He could hear the bones in his leg breaking. He could feel them breaking. Dave trembled as Charles finally stopped; "Now you won't run away from me." He laughed.

"Fuck you." Dave grunted. Charles snickered and grabbed Dave's legs and started to pull him back down the stairs. The white blinding pain soon made his legs go numb. At least he couldn't feel the pain anymore. Charles tied Dave back up. Tears streamed down Dave's face. He wanted to go home. He had to go home.

"I'll check on you later." Charles said as he walked back up the stairs. Dave whimpered slightly. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to be with Randi.

May 16th, 2008

Week 19

Randi stood by the window. Her heart hung low in her chest lately. Everyone was saying he was dead, but Randi couldn't think that. She had three children and one on the way. She couldn't think that Dave was dead somewhere.

"Would you like some dinner, Randi?" Elizabeth stood in the doorway caressing her own pregnant stomach.

"No thanks." She said. Elizabeth walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her friend. Who knew Randi and Elizabeth would be this close many years ago?

"Come sit down and eat with the family." Elizabeth said, "You need to have a proper dinner. You have a baby to feed."

"I know he's alive, Elizabeth." Randi said softly.

"Okay, say that he is. Would he want you sitting here not eating and jeopardizing the health of your child?" Elizabeth asked.

"N-No." Randi whimpered. Her entire body trembled. "I c-can't do this anymore, Elizabeth. I can't…function. What am I going to tell this baby when he asks where his father is?"

"Dave is coming home, Randi." Elizabeth said softly.

"They say if they don't find the missing in forty-eight hours, then they're dead." Randi said. "It's been three weeks."

"It's been three weeks and Dave is fine." Elizabeth insisted.

"Mommy, can we eat now?" Ella stood in the doorway; "Lori is getting fussy." Elizabeth nodded.

"Go sit and we'll eat." Elizabeth took Randi's hand. "Come on."

"We were supposed to find out the baby's sex this week." Randi said as she walked ito the kitchen. Andrew and the four girls were sitting at the kitchen table patiently waiting.

"You can find out next week or the week after that." She said.

"I know." Randi said softly as she sat down. Elizabeth dished up her and Randi some of the pasta.

"Momma, am I finally getting a brother?" Ireland asked.

"I'm getting a brother." Ella smiled, "I get to pick out his middle name." Randi shrugged as she began to eat. Small talk, great.

"I don't know baby. We'll find out soon enough." Randi said. Elizabeth smiled softly.

"Have you picked out any names yet?" She asked her.

"Not really. If it's a girl she'll have my middle name and if it's a boy…Dave…Dave really likes Harrison." Randi said softly.

"Sounds very nice." Andrew said glancing at his girlfriend.

"Yes it does, Randi." Elizabeth patted Randi's hand. The doorbell rang and Randi's heart stopped, "Do you want me to get it?"

"No." Randi pulled herself up and walked to the door. One of the detective's on Dave's case.

"Good evening, Mrs. Malucci." He said taking his hat off.

"Is he dead?" She whispered. Riley shrugged.

"I don't know ma'am." He said. Randi's lips quivered. "Charles was spotted in Deerfield at the local super market."

"In Deerfield? That's forty minutes from here." She said, "Was Dave with him?" Riley shook his head.

"We're taking our time. We're setting up surveillance and trying to track him. If Dave is alive, we don't want to put his life in any more danger than it already is." Riley said.

"Get him!! I don't care what it takes! He's been gone for three weeks!! That's long enough!!!" Randi cried. She started to break down, "This is ridiculous! You're not doing your job! You're supposed to get him." Riley nodded slowly.

"We are doing our jobs, Ma'am." Riley said, "We will bring him back."

"Dead or alive." Randi whispered. Riley nodded.

"I promise we'll bring him back." He said. Randi narrowed her eyes.

"He has four children. He needs to come back." She said.

May 23rd, 2008

Week 20

Dave grunted as he pulled himself into a chair. His legs were still useless, but at least Charles allowed him to put them in splints. Maybe they would heal correctly after all. Since he couldn't walk, Charles took him to the upstairs and let him rest in the living room. Being locked in a basement for three and a half weeks made a man very thankful for the light and comfort of a couch even if he was still being locked in a house and kidnapped.

"Would you like some coffee?" Charles called out from the kitchen.

"Fuck off." Dave growled. Charles chuckled.

"So no cream and sugar?" He asked.

"Shut the fuck up, you dill weed." Dave said. He hated it when Charles tried to make small talk with him. Dave looked out the window. A police car was coming up the driveway. Dave's heart pounded in his chest, "Could I have a sandwich instead?"

"A sandwich? Bologna?" Charles asked. Dave nodded as he watched several more cars came up the driveway.

"Yeah. Bologna and cheese. Ah…Mayo on the cheese side and mustard on the Bologna side." Dave said trying to keep Charles away from the windows. They found him. They knew he was here.

"This isn't some restaurant, Dr. Malucci." Charles said.

"Oh come on, man. Just make it." Dave said.

"Fine fine." Charles said. Dave's lips trembled as he saw an ambulance pull up behind the cars. He could get help and medication. Guns were being drawn and pointed at the house. Tears of joy flowed from Dave's eyes. Charles stepped out and put the sandwich on the table, "What are you crying for?"

"Charles, come out of the house unarmed!" Someone yelled through a megaphone.

"Oh fuck." Charles raced to the window, "Oh fuck. How did they find me?"

"M-Maybe you shouldn't have gone out so much or maybe you should have taken me out of Illinois." Dave said as the news choppers flew above them.

"Shut up!!!" Charles cried. "I'm not giving up my fight this easily."

"What fight?" Dave asked, "You didn't leave a ransom note or anything. You just wanted to torture Randi. Why? Why her?"

"It's none of your god damn business." Charles hissed. Dave watched the panic in Charles' eyes. Good, Dave thought, He should get scared.

"Come out of the house now unarmed." The person on the megaphone yelled. Charles ran his hand through his hair.

"Shit." Charles grumbled.

"Just go, Charles. Give up now." Dave said.

"NO!" He yelled.

"Randi is probably out there waiting to see you." Dave said. Charles turned and looked at Dave.

"Do you think she is?" he asked. Dave nodded.

"Probably if I know Randi." He said, "She's probably out there wringing her hands waiting." Dave knew he could play on Charles' love for Randi. Charles looked back at the window.

"Do you think she'll take me?" Charles whispered.

"Maybe. There's only one way to find out." Dave said. Charles stood there, debating this. Dave stared at him.

"You stay here." Charles said going to the front door. Dave took in a shuddery breath. Is this finally ending? Dave looked out the window to see Charles step onto the porch. The police rushed him and dragged him to the porch. Dave started to sob into his hands.

"Dr. Malucci?" The police and paramedics came into the house.

"In h-here." He whispered. They all walked in. The paramedics rushed him asking him so many questions. "Broken legs."

"Get him out of here." The police said. One of the paramedics helped Dave into a wheel chair.

"Come on." She said pushing Dave outside. The air felt so wonderful on his flesh. It reminded him that now he was free.

"Dave!!!" the hairs on Dave's neck stood on end. He looked over at the crowd of people. Randi pushed forth. More tears rushed through Dave.

"Randi!" He cried. She ran to him and through her arms around his neck. She sobbed hard. Dave held her tightly. He thought he would never feel the warmth of her body again. He thought he would never smell the lavender perfume she always wore.

"Oh Dave." She sobbed. Randi pulled away and looked into his eyes. She had missed those eyes, but they were different than she had remembered. There was something new in them.

"I love you, Randi. I love you so much." Dave's body trembled as he put his hands on her belly, "You're s-so big now."

"Twenty weeks. The baby has been so worried. It's sensed what was going on. The girls are beside themselves." Randi said, "They broke into a tearful cheer when they heard we were coming to get you." Dave's heart thumped loudly in his chest.

"I've missed them so much." He whispered. Randi smiled tenderly at the man she thought she had lost.

"Let's get you to the hospital and all fixed up. Then you can see the girls." She said softly. Dave nodded. Randi leaned over and kissed Dave's lips softly. His lips burned with desire. He never thought he would be able to kiss his queen again, but now…now he was safe and he would never leave his family again

Note: If you want to be updated when this and my other fics are updated or to participate in general discussion about them then join http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TAK_Update/