Chapter 24 "The Beginning"
A/N: Wow, after two and a half years of working, this is it. The FINAL chapter..DA-MN! Can't believe I made it this far. When I first started I didn't even know if I would complete this fic. It's been an experience for me. I learned so much from creating these characters
A/N: #2: While this part is over, have no fear there will be a sequel. I just want to take this time to thank those who read this piece of work and MAJOR thanks to those who have reviewed, suggested and supported me as I wrote this. So thank you White Kittie for all your countless reviews and ideas, Tab, for your ever-faithful comments that I do good. Zaz, for wanting me to get my work up FASTER, props for that. And to all the rest of you guys, thanks, I appreciated every one of the comments.
Time for the final curtain call....
*****
SEATTLE
THE NEXT MORNING
HOTEL GRANDE
Ming shut her suitcase with a quick 'snap' of the cover. She picked it up off the tiny bed that she had slept in for the past few days. Her eyes held some satisfaction in knowing that she was going home. She had done what she came here to do, and she was successful.
All except for one thing. How far was this success? Ming wanted more then anything for Cree to come back home with her, but this wasn't an ideal world. Cree had grown up hard, and had established a life for herself here in this city. As much as Ming loved her, she couldn't force her into doing anything. Maybe when she left she could, but she wasn't a child anymore. She owed it to her to have her make up her own mind.
She looked at her watch. There was still time, two hours to be exact before her flight out. She had told Cree she'd meet her at the address Cree had given her of the apartment she was staying in. She wanted to talk to her before. Cree had to know that she could stay if she wanted, that leaving was NOT something that was a given. Her baby had grown up, and as such she needed to make her own decisions.
*****
SECTOR 10
"Here boo" Cindy handed Cree an old bag of hers to finish stuffing some clothes in. She watched Cree continue to pack the meager amount of clothes she had accumulated since her stay here. "So you got yourself a plan?"
Cree looked up momentarily from her packing "I don't know" her voice as honest and lost "I want to see them again, I want to go home-"
"Cept now you gots two homes" Cindy finished for her
"Don't know what to do"
"What do you feel is right?"
"Wish I knew" Cree finished "But I have to try and see what comes out of things myself" she zipped up the bag.
A knock was heard on her front door. Cindy left the bedroom she shared with Cree and went to go answer it. "Hey suga" she greeted Cree's mom. "You leavin' today?"
"Yeah" Ming answered, still standing in the doorway. "Okay if I come in?"
"More then that boo" Cindy responded, letting the older woman walk into the living room.
Cree came out of the bedroom, to see who it was "Hey" she greeted her mom when she saw her
Ming smiled warmly and stepped over to her and kissed her forehead "Hey"
"What time is your flight?" Cree asked
"Eleven" Ming answered back
"We should get going then-"
"Cree"
"The lines at Seattle are bitchin'-"
"Cree baby stop" Ming halted her with a hand in the air. She looked at her with all the wisdom of a mother who had parented her kid through childhood; the same look was there from when Cree was five. "Are you sure you wanna do this?" Cree started to answer, but Ming raised her hand again "Think about it before you answer baby. I WANT you to, but that doesn't make it law anymore. You don't have to. This isn't like that time you wanted to where your karate robe to school, this is life altering. Your life-"
"Mom I know" Cree interrupted "I-"
"What about Ty?" Ming broke in "Long distance things are hard to do. Believe me, dad and I made it work, but it was strained. Distance does matter."
"I've known him for three days momma" Cree spoke out "Three years I haven't seen you Jade or dad. I NEED to go"
"Need is not the same as want" Ming put both hands on Cree's face. "Look me in the eye baby and tell me you WANT this, and I'll believe it. But don't live a lie to make me happy. You know how I feel bout lyin'" her voice took on a slight edge like it did when she interrogated people.
"I WANT this" Cree repeated, "I want my life back. Don't want those people's lies to be true-"
"Which people?"
"The ones back at-" Cree had no real name for the place that she had squatted in for the past three years. "They told me the only time I would see my family again is in my dreams" an angry tear slid down her cheek.
"Baby-" Ming's voice became sad
"Mom, promise me something." Cree wiped the moisture off her face "no therapy. For now. I lived it, I don't want some quack telling me how I should feel, okay-"
"When you're ready-"
"I'll tell you, just not-"
"I won't" Ming reassured "Promise you right now baby" she kissed her again, tenderly on both cheeks. "You still want to go?"
Cree nodded "Yeah" she looked over to Cindy, "There's just a few things I have to do first"
****
JAM PONY
"You, work, not eat-" Normal threw a box at Scott. "Where the fire trucks is Cree?"
Cree emerged a few seconds later as if on cue
"You're late" Normal pointed at her with one raised finger "You must be getting as popular as Max. These idiots are already starting to cover your ass with lame excuses. So far this morning I've been told your dog died, your aunt is sick, and my personal favorite from the moron in the corner you had to feast on the brains of the living because you were bitten by a werewolf last night"
"That pretty much covers it" Cree responded
"Your smart mouth will not be tolerated missy" Normal went on. "You show up on time or you don't show up at all."
"Normal" Cree stepped over to him " I haven't worked here that that long but there's something I always wanted to say to you-" she paused "I quit"
Everyone behind Cree praised her bold action
"Oh you do?" Normal looked at her behind his thick glasses "Well I don't let people off that easily. You have to give me a legitimate reason for leaving my place of business"
Cindy had come with Cree to see her tell off Normal, and now stood behind her.
"It's like this boy" Cree began "I got too involved with one of the co-workers-"
"Oh now I see" Normal broke in "And now you're mad at one of these losers so poor little you can't HANDLE any work in the vicinity of him." His voice went completely anal "Well let me tell you somethin' girly girl, I don't care WHAT guy-"
Cree interrupted him this time by turning over to Cindy and lip locked her like they had been doing stuff on the fly secretly all this time.
*Lick it now lick it good,
Lick it****just like you should
My neck, my back, like my ******
Just like that*
Normal's eyes got huge, so did Sketchy's, Scott's and any other guy within a five mile radius of the scene.
Cindy for her part, caught on the meaning and joined in to make it more real. It only lasted six seconds, but to Normal it was an eternity.
Cree pulled away, turning to Normal with a smug smile on her face "Sorry Normal I'm more of a woman's woman"
"Can't expect me to take you back after that boo" Cindy faked an argument, crossing her arms like an upset girlfriend, trying to hide the grin on her face.
"Alright" Normal cut in "You gave me a reason, not get the hell outta here-" Normal waved her away "One lesbian around here is more then enough thank you"
"That was outstanding" Sketchy commented once Normal was out of their range "I didn't know you two-"
"Boy push your eyes back in yo' head" Cindy jumped him "My girl isn't like that. It was all an act-"
"If I pay you cash-"
"Sketch, keep the dolla dollas ideas to yourself aiight?" she turned to Cree "Believe you got a plane sistah angel"
"Leaving?" Sketchy sounded so forlorned "why?"
"Got some REAL family business to attend to" Cree returned, holding out her fist "Nice chillin' with you boy"
Sketchy returned the hand gesture "Come back if you want, most fun I had around here in a while"
"Kay" Cree returned, "Maybe I'll take you up on that one day" she turned and left with Cindy
"Why didn't I bring film today?" Sketchy sighed, watching them go.
*****
SEATTLE CITY JAIL
"Warren on your felt" Sung banged on Jack's cell. "Visitor"
Jack turned to see who it was "Hey hey Cree-" he looked her over, in her black leather jacket "I remember that one-"
"Enough shit head" Cree barked back "I didn't come here to reminisce-"
Jack looked amused "Then why did you come?"
"To see why the hell did I ever go with you in the first place" she stared him down in the cell "Place we first made out musta been dark"
"Musta seen a lot of darkness in your time-"
"Keep it up dipwad. Between that and jacking off it's the only time you come close to gettin' your ya yas out" she spoke with an even tone. She was scared, angry, pissed. But now SHE was in control. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he still bothered her. That could be dealt with later.
"You changed Cree" Jack
"Boo hoo-" Cree faked a crying sound "I don't give a shit bout what you think of me anymore." She stared him down like the slime he was "You had such power over me, and the sad thing was I let you. I wanted something so bad it made me blind. Well this time both my eyes are open. See I don't give a damn if you stay in this jail cell pissing your life away or get raped by steel head transvestites. I'm done with you. You tried something, it didn't work. It's over-" she stared him down even harder "Goodbye Jack" she turned then and left, without saying anything else. Whatever control Jack Warren had on her left with each step she took
*Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be countin'
Don't be shamed to cry*
"Hey girly girl I'm not done with you!" Jack stood up from the cot "Get back here! Cree!" he watched her leave, erasing herself from his life
*You gotta be,
You gotta bad, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm you gotta stay together
All I know all I know love will save the day*
*****
SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Ty sat there on the plastic chair of the waiting area, watching people pass by.
The FAA announcer came over the intercom "Flight 23 to LAX will begin boarding in five minutes"
He felt someone slide into the chair beside him
"Hey" Cree's deep voice filled his ears. He had just gotten use to having her around and now she was leaving. "Don't look so whipped"
Ty turned to her "That has nothing to do with you leavin'"
She hit him "Shut up" silence hung in the air "I need to go home ya know?" she tried to explain to him how she felt.
"I figured" he answered "I'd would too if I hadn't seen my family-" he laughed a bit and reached for her heand "But I'm a manly man, I don't do the whole melodrama thing"
"Oh so I got a manly man huh?" Cree cocked an eyebrow at him, laughing, which was followed by a sigh "I'll call-"
"You'll still live with your mom?"
"Yeah, I want to see the house again. Kinda miss it after-" she trailed off. "You could visit"
"If chief ever gives me time off"
"Just let my mom talk to him. She can be quite intimidating as a cop"
Ty laughed at this "My number is still available"
The announcer came on again "Attention passengers Flight 23 from Seattle to LAX is now boarding at Gate 12."
Cree stood up, grabbing her bag, she felt so robbed by the announcer's time limit. "Guess it's time to go-" She tried not to make this sound like a melodramatic movie.
"Guess so"
"I'll call when I get in"
"Better" Ty informed. He held out his arms a second later "Have a hug?"
Cree relinquished a moment later, drawing her arms around him. She kissed him, or at least tried to, but he pulled her back "You haven't kissed any other women before Cindy right?"
"What would you do if I did?" she asked
"Frankly I'd be a little turned on-"
She laughed and kissed him for real this time.
"Take care of yourself in LA" Ty pulled back and said this "No hot star boys better hang with you-"
"With my connections?" Cree shot him a look "You have nothing to worry about" she sighed
"You'll be fine" he reassured her seeing her look "Just go-"
She slung her bag over her shoulder, a look passed between them. She stepped over to Cindy
Cindy smiled "Hate to see you leave boo, but can't say it's a bad thing"
Cree fell into the hug she offered
"Thanks for the kiss sugah. Game or not, it was hot" her voice got chocked "take care aiight?"
Cree laughed through a chocked voice, turning to Logan
"Logan-" she laughed dryly and hugged him when he offered it "Thanks for everything"
He kissed her on the forehead "You're welcome back at my place anytime okay?"
Cree nodded "Better be wedding pictures next time I come kay?" she looked at him in a mock warning.
The last person she had left was Max. What could she say to the woman who had helped her through so much? Given her a chance to get her life back.
"Never knew what you would get into when you said I sang good huh?" she remembered the first time she and Max met at Crash.
"Wasn't a bad thing" Max told her
"Nope" Cree came over and hugged her, which Max returned, "Always wanted an older sister" she paused
"I have 11 sibs aleady, but I can always use another"
Cree tried not to cry.
FAA WOMAN: Final boarding for Flight 23 at LAX
"Bye guys" Cree waved at the group of people moving with her mom to the gate entrance. Max watched her walk through the gate with Ming.
*****
"I'm still standing, I'm still strong!"
~trailer for "Antwon Fisher"
*****
SPACE NEEDLE
MAX: (V.O) "Our lives are never simple. Meeting Cree made me aware that I'm not the only one with problems. Wish it could've been under better circumstances, but I'm glad we shacked up.
Max smiles to herself. "Also glad of another shack up. Logan and I danced around each other for such a long time until now. Can't say that it'll be all clear from here, but that don't mean I can't enjoy every minute of the in-between." Her smile broadens "Speaking of which I got some recon to do with a certain cyber journalist" she stands "Manticore made me hate re-con, but Logan's warming me up to doin' it his way-" pause "Cree where ever you are now take care of yourself girl, you're awesome-"
(V.O fades into a song)
*Love - Devotion
Feeling - Emotion*
= = = =
LAX
"Hope you had a good flight" the attendant at the gate smiled at Ming and Cree as they walked through into the airport.
Cree walked ahead. Her eyes found two sets of familiar ones looking at her. Her breathing grew rapid. She threw her bag down onto the terminal floor and ran.
Jade was the first one she reached and the sisters locked arms around each other.
"I knew you weren't dead" Jade didn't let go "I never believed it-" her voice was muffled by her crying
Don't be afraid to be weak
Don't be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence*
Cree hugged her for a long time, only breaking apart to look at her baby sister "You grew up twit" she sniffed
"So did you"
"Can we do it together for the rest of the time?" Jade asked
Cree, laughed and nodded through her tears. Her eyes looked to her dad "Sorry I came home so late daddy"
"I'll excuse it this time" Peter's hard voice cracked and he embraced his daughter hard. He kissed her long on the forehead.
*If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don't hide
Just believe in destiny*
Peter looked up to his wife "This time I don't care that I was wrong"
Ming stepped over to him "told you I'd deliver"
"Daddy" Cree's voice, more mature then Peter remembered broke in. She had grown so much. Her eyes, her features, she looked like the woman he knew she would one day become. "Not now"
her eyes still had that look that could wrap him around her little finger. "Can't we just go home?"
*Don't care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don't give up and use the chance*
Peter looked at his oldest daughter "Yeah, baby girl okay" he hugged her "Let's go home"
*To return to innocence*
*****
END
There ya have it. Two years of work done. Feel like I finished a 'phase' or something. The ending, I worked on it a lot, cause while I wanted something to tie everything together I didn't want all sap and mush. That wouldn't be real to the story.
Thanks again for reading this, and the sequel will begin production soon, when exactly I don't know.
The songs used were:
"Lick my neck, my back" Khia (on DA soundtrack)
"Love Will Save the Day" Singer Unknown
"Return to Innocence" Enigma (the inspiration for the fic)
*ENDING REMARKS* This story was about the issue of Sexual Slavery, a very real problem in our world. The accounts of brothel life and abuse are rooted in actual accounts of slavery from referenced sources. Every year women and girls are subjected to the same treatment as Cree did in this fic. But unlike her, they don't all come out on top. Many die, or never escape that life.
While it may seem impossible to do anything, we CAN do something. We can educate ourselves on this horrible crime, bring its existence into the limelight. Not knowing of these crimes going on right under our noses is almost a crime in itself.
For more information on sexual slavery, including the references used to describe the brothel in this story please visit my website at: http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/anuglytruth
To all the girls and women out there: Be aware, be educated, be careful, be strong.
Peace ya'll
Mystic
A/N: Wow, after two and a half years of working, this is it. The FINAL chapter..DA-MN! Can't believe I made it this far. When I first started I didn't even know if I would complete this fic. It's been an experience for me. I learned so much from creating these characters
A/N: #2: While this part is over, have no fear there will be a sequel. I just want to take this time to thank those who read this piece of work and MAJOR thanks to those who have reviewed, suggested and supported me as I wrote this. So thank you White Kittie for all your countless reviews and ideas, Tab, for your ever-faithful comments that I do good. Zaz, for wanting me to get my work up FASTER, props for that. And to all the rest of you guys, thanks, I appreciated every one of the comments.
Time for the final curtain call....
*****
SEATTLE
THE NEXT MORNING
HOTEL GRANDE
Ming shut her suitcase with a quick 'snap' of the cover. She picked it up off the tiny bed that she had slept in for the past few days. Her eyes held some satisfaction in knowing that she was going home. She had done what she came here to do, and she was successful.
All except for one thing. How far was this success? Ming wanted more then anything for Cree to come back home with her, but this wasn't an ideal world. Cree had grown up hard, and had established a life for herself here in this city. As much as Ming loved her, she couldn't force her into doing anything. Maybe when she left she could, but she wasn't a child anymore. She owed it to her to have her make up her own mind.
She looked at her watch. There was still time, two hours to be exact before her flight out. She had told Cree she'd meet her at the address Cree had given her of the apartment she was staying in. She wanted to talk to her before. Cree had to know that she could stay if she wanted, that leaving was NOT something that was a given. Her baby had grown up, and as such she needed to make her own decisions.
*****
SECTOR 10
"Here boo" Cindy handed Cree an old bag of hers to finish stuffing some clothes in. She watched Cree continue to pack the meager amount of clothes she had accumulated since her stay here. "So you got yourself a plan?"
Cree looked up momentarily from her packing "I don't know" her voice as honest and lost "I want to see them again, I want to go home-"
"Cept now you gots two homes" Cindy finished for her
"Don't know what to do"
"What do you feel is right?"
"Wish I knew" Cree finished "But I have to try and see what comes out of things myself" she zipped up the bag.
A knock was heard on her front door. Cindy left the bedroom she shared with Cree and went to go answer it. "Hey suga" she greeted Cree's mom. "You leavin' today?"
"Yeah" Ming answered, still standing in the doorway. "Okay if I come in?"
"More then that boo" Cindy responded, letting the older woman walk into the living room.
Cree came out of the bedroom, to see who it was "Hey" she greeted her mom when she saw her
Ming smiled warmly and stepped over to her and kissed her forehead "Hey"
"What time is your flight?" Cree asked
"Eleven" Ming answered back
"We should get going then-"
"Cree"
"The lines at Seattle are bitchin'-"
"Cree baby stop" Ming halted her with a hand in the air. She looked at her with all the wisdom of a mother who had parented her kid through childhood; the same look was there from when Cree was five. "Are you sure you wanna do this?" Cree started to answer, but Ming raised her hand again "Think about it before you answer baby. I WANT you to, but that doesn't make it law anymore. You don't have to. This isn't like that time you wanted to where your karate robe to school, this is life altering. Your life-"
"Mom I know" Cree interrupted "I-"
"What about Ty?" Ming broke in "Long distance things are hard to do. Believe me, dad and I made it work, but it was strained. Distance does matter."
"I've known him for three days momma" Cree spoke out "Three years I haven't seen you Jade or dad. I NEED to go"
"Need is not the same as want" Ming put both hands on Cree's face. "Look me in the eye baby and tell me you WANT this, and I'll believe it. But don't live a lie to make me happy. You know how I feel bout lyin'" her voice took on a slight edge like it did when she interrogated people.
"I WANT this" Cree repeated, "I want my life back. Don't want those people's lies to be true-"
"Which people?"
"The ones back at-" Cree had no real name for the place that she had squatted in for the past three years. "They told me the only time I would see my family again is in my dreams" an angry tear slid down her cheek.
"Baby-" Ming's voice became sad
"Mom, promise me something." Cree wiped the moisture off her face "no therapy. For now. I lived it, I don't want some quack telling me how I should feel, okay-"
"When you're ready-"
"I'll tell you, just not-"
"I won't" Ming reassured "Promise you right now baby" she kissed her again, tenderly on both cheeks. "You still want to go?"
Cree nodded "Yeah" she looked over to Cindy, "There's just a few things I have to do first"
****
JAM PONY
"You, work, not eat-" Normal threw a box at Scott. "Where the fire trucks is Cree?"
Cree emerged a few seconds later as if on cue
"You're late" Normal pointed at her with one raised finger "You must be getting as popular as Max. These idiots are already starting to cover your ass with lame excuses. So far this morning I've been told your dog died, your aunt is sick, and my personal favorite from the moron in the corner you had to feast on the brains of the living because you were bitten by a werewolf last night"
"That pretty much covers it" Cree responded
"Your smart mouth will not be tolerated missy" Normal went on. "You show up on time or you don't show up at all."
"Normal" Cree stepped over to him " I haven't worked here that that long but there's something I always wanted to say to you-" she paused "I quit"
Everyone behind Cree praised her bold action
"Oh you do?" Normal looked at her behind his thick glasses "Well I don't let people off that easily. You have to give me a legitimate reason for leaving my place of business"
Cindy had come with Cree to see her tell off Normal, and now stood behind her.
"It's like this boy" Cree began "I got too involved with one of the co-workers-"
"Oh now I see" Normal broke in "And now you're mad at one of these losers so poor little you can't HANDLE any work in the vicinity of him." His voice went completely anal "Well let me tell you somethin' girly girl, I don't care WHAT guy-"
Cree interrupted him this time by turning over to Cindy and lip locked her like they had been doing stuff on the fly secretly all this time.
*Lick it now lick it good,
Lick it****just like you should
My neck, my back, like my ******
Just like that*
Normal's eyes got huge, so did Sketchy's, Scott's and any other guy within a five mile radius of the scene.
Cindy for her part, caught on the meaning and joined in to make it more real. It only lasted six seconds, but to Normal it was an eternity.
Cree pulled away, turning to Normal with a smug smile on her face "Sorry Normal I'm more of a woman's woman"
"Can't expect me to take you back after that boo" Cindy faked an argument, crossing her arms like an upset girlfriend, trying to hide the grin on her face.
"Alright" Normal cut in "You gave me a reason, not get the hell outta here-" Normal waved her away "One lesbian around here is more then enough thank you"
"That was outstanding" Sketchy commented once Normal was out of their range "I didn't know you two-"
"Boy push your eyes back in yo' head" Cindy jumped him "My girl isn't like that. It was all an act-"
"If I pay you cash-"
"Sketch, keep the dolla dollas ideas to yourself aiight?" she turned to Cree "Believe you got a plane sistah angel"
"Leaving?" Sketchy sounded so forlorned "why?"
"Got some REAL family business to attend to" Cree returned, holding out her fist "Nice chillin' with you boy"
Sketchy returned the hand gesture "Come back if you want, most fun I had around here in a while"
"Kay" Cree returned, "Maybe I'll take you up on that one day" she turned and left with Cindy
"Why didn't I bring film today?" Sketchy sighed, watching them go.
*****
SEATTLE CITY JAIL
"Warren on your felt" Sung banged on Jack's cell. "Visitor"
Jack turned to see who it was "Hey hey Cree-" he looked her over, in her black leather jacket "I remember that one-"
"Enough shit head" Cree barked back "I didn't come here to reminisce-"
Jack looked amused "Then why did you come?"
"To see why the hell did I ever go with you in the first place" she stared him down in the cell "Place we first made out musta been dark"
"Musta seen a lot of darkness in your time-"
"Keep it up dipwad. Between that and jacking off it's the only time you come close to gettin' your ya yas out" she spoke with an even tone. She was scared, angry, pissed. But now SHE was in control. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing he still bothered her. That could be dealt with later.
"You changed Cree" Jack
"Boo hoo-" Cree faked a crying sound "I don't give a shit bout what you think of me anymore." She stared him down like the slime he was "You had such power over me, and the sad thing was I let you. I wanted something so bad it made me blind. Well this time both my eyes are open. See I don't give a damn if you stay in this jail cell pissing your life away or get raped by steel head transvestites. I'm done with you. You tried something, it didn't work. It's over-" she stared him down even harder "Goodbye Jack" she turned then and left, without saying anything else. Whatever control Jack Warren had on her left with each step she took
*Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers they may cause you tears
Go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be countin'
Don't be shamed to cry*
"Hey girly girl I'm not done with you!" Jack stood up from the cot "Get back here! Cree!" he watched her leave, erasing herself from his life
*You gotta be,
You gotta bad, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm you gotta stay together
All I know all I know love will save the day*
*****
SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Ty sat there on the plastic chair of the waiting area, watching people pass by.
The FAA announcer came over the intercom "Flight 23 to LAX will begin boarding in five minutes"
He felt someone slide into the chair beside him
"Hey" Cree's deep voice filled his ears. He had just gotten use to having her around and now she was leaving. "Don't look so whipped"
Ty turned to her "That has nothing to do with you leavin'"
She hit him "Shut up" silence hung in the air "I need to go home ya know?" she tried to explain to him how she felt.
"I figured" he answered "I'd would too if I hadn't seen my family-" he laughed a bit and reached for her heand "But I'm a manly man, I don't do the whole melodrama thing"
"Oh so I got a manly man huh?" Cree cocked an eyebrow at him, laughing, which was followed by a sigh "I'll call-"
"You'll still live with your mom?"
"Yeah, I want to see the house again. Kinda miss it after-" she trailed off. "You could visit"
"If chief ever gives me time off"
"Just let my mom talk to him. She can be quite intimidating as a cop"
Ty laughed at this "My number is still available"
The announcer came on again "Attention passengers Flight 23 from Seattle to LAX is now boarding at Gate 12."
Cree stood up, grabbing her bag, she felt so robbed by the announcer's time limit. "Guess it's time to go-" She tried not to make this sound like a melodramatic movie.
"Guess so"
"I'll call when I get in"
"Better" Ty informed. He held out his arms a second later "Have a hug?"
Cree relinquished a moment later, drawing her arms around him. She kissed him, or at least tried to, but he pulled her back "You haven't kissed any other women before Cindy right?"
"What would you do if I did?" she asked
"Frankly I'd be a little turned on-"
She laughed and kissed him for real this time.
"Take care of yourself in LA" Ty pulled back and said this "No hot star boys better hang with you-"
"With my connections?" Cree shot him a look "You have nothing to worry about" she sighed
"You'll be fine" he reassured her seeing her look "Just go-"
She slung her bag over her shoulder, a look passed between them. She stepped over to Cindy
Cindy smiled "Hate to see you leave boo, but can't say it's a bad thing"
Cree fell into the hug she offered
"Thanks for the kiss sugah. Game or not, it was hot" her voice got chocked "take care aiight?"
Cree laughed through a chocked voice, turning to Logan
"Logan-" she laughed dryly and hugged him when he offered it "Thanks for everything"
He kissed her on the forehead "You're welcome back at my place anytime okay?"
Cree nodded "Better be wedding pictures next time I come kay?" she looked at him in a mock warning.
The last person she had left was Max. What could she say to the woman who had helped her through so much? Given her a chance to get her life back.
"Never knew what you would get into when you said I sang good huh?" she remembered the first time she and Max met at Crash.
"Wasn't a bad thing" Max told her
"Nope" Cree came over and hugged her, which Max returned, "Always wanted an older sister" she paused
"I have 11 sibs aleady, but I can always use another"
Cree tried not to cry.
FAA WOMAN: Final boarding for Flight 23 at LAX
"Bye guys" Cree waved at the group of people moving with her mom to the gate entrance. Max watched her walk through the gate with Ming.
*****
"I'm still standing, I'm still strong!"
~trailer for "Antwon Fisher"
*****
SPACE NEEDLE
MAX: (V.O) "Our lives are never simple. Meeting Cree made me aware that I'm not the only one with problems. Wish it could've been under better circumstances, but I'm glad we shacked up.
Max smiles to herself. "Also glad of another shack up. Logan and I danced around each other for such a long time until now. Can't say that it'll be all clear from here, but that don't mean I can't enjoy every minute of the in-between." Her smile broadens "Speaking of which I got some recon to do with a certain cyber journalist" she stands "Manticore made me hate re-con, but Logan's warming me up to doin' it his way-" pause "Cree where ever you are now take care of yourself girl, you're awesome-"
(V.O fades into a song)
*Love - Devotion
Feeling - Emotion*
= = = =
LAX
"Hope you had a good flight" the attendant at the gate smiled at Ming and Cree as they walked through into the airport.
Cree walked ahead. Her eyes found two sets of familiar ones looking at her. Her breathing grew rapid. She threw her bag down onto the terminal floor and ran.
Jade was the first one she reached and the sisters locked arms around each other.
"I knew you weren't dead" Jade didn't let go "I never believed it-" her voice was muffled by her crying
Don't be afraid to be weak
Don't be too proud to be strong
Just look into your heart my friend
That will be the return to yourself
The return to innocence*
Cree hugged her for a long time, only breaking apart to look at her baby sister "You grew up twit" she sniffed
"So did you"
"Can we do it together for the rest of the time?" Jade asked
Cree, laughed and nodded through her tears. Her eyes looked to her dad "Sorry I came home so late daddy"
"I'll excuse it this time" Peter's hard voice cracked and he embraced his daughter hard. He kissed her long on the forehead.
*If you want, then start to laugh
If you must, then start to cry
Be yourself don't hide
Just believe in destiny*
Peter looked up to his wife "This time I don't care that I was wrong"
Ming stepped over to him "told you I'd deliver"
"Daddy" Cree's voice, more mature then Peter remembered broke in. She had grown so much. Her eyes, her features, she looked like the woman he knew she would one day become. "Not now"
her eyes still had that look that could wrap him around her little finger. "Can't we just go home?"
*Don't care what people say
Just follow your own way
Don't give up and use the chance*
Peter looked at his oldest daughter "Yeah, baby girl okay" he hugged her "Let's go home"
*To return to innocence*
*****
END
There ya have it. Two years of work done. Feel like I finished a 'phase' or something. The ending, I worked on it a lot, cause while I wanted something to tie everything together I didn't want all sap and mush. That wouldn't be real to the story.
Thanks again for reading this, and the sequel will begin production soon, when exactly I don't know.
The songs used were:
"Lick my neck, my back" Khia (on DA soundtrack)
"Love Will Save the Day" Singer Unknown
"Return to Innocence" Enigma (the inspiration for the fic)
*ENDING REMARKS* This story was about the issue of Sexual Slavery, a very real problem in our world. The accounts of brothel life and abuse are rooted in actual accounts of slavery from referenced sources. Every year women and girls are subjected to the same treatment as Cree did in this fic. But unlike her, they don't all come out on top. Many die, or never escape that life.
While it may seem impossible to do anything, we CAN do something. We can educate ourselves on this horrible crime, bring its existence into the limelight. Not knowing of these crimes going on right under our noses is almost a crime in itself.
For more information on sexual slavery, including the references used to describe the brothel in this story please visit my website at: http://www.angelfire.com/extreme3/anuglytruth
To all the girls and women out there: Be aware, be educated, be careful, be strong.
Peace ya'll
Mystic