Title: Cuts Like A Knife

Author: Stress

First written: May 12, 2002

Edited and replaced: January 21, 2005

Summary: Part I of the Soul Mates Series; She thought that life couldn't get any better. She had friends and a family that loved her – she was taken care of and had no complaints. But that was before he came into her life. And, no matter how hard she tries to escape his grasp, he'll never let her go.

Manhattan

Stress stopped dead in her tracks. "It can't be...It just can't be..." she mumbled as she slowly turned around to face the owner of the voice.

And sure enough, Rip was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, with a less-than-happy expression on his face. "Hi there, long time no see, eh, Jess?"

Stress paled under Rip's gaze but stood up straight to face him anyways. "Hi, Rip. How are ya?" She took a step forward, trying to block her new friends from his view in case Rip got violent. She shot him a huge, meaningless grin, hoping to draw his attention to only her, as she waved her friends back.

"Don't be cute with me, li'l girl. Who's this Cowboy?" Rip could barely control his anger as he walked over to Stress, ignoring the four girls who were backing away slightly to give them space. "How dare she act like I'm nothing? Don't her li'l friends know about our relationship? Is she hiding me? She better not be..." he threatened silently as he waited for Stress to answer his question.

Stress cowered as she listened to Rip ask about Jack. She recognized the strain in his voice; Rip's temper was boiling and about to bubble over. She had to calm him down, she had to. "Don't worry, Rip. He's just a friend," she replied as she tentatively put her hand on his arm.

Rip shook her arm off of his, his blue eyes flashing menacingly. "Friends? Just like me and you are friends, right?"

"No, Rip. You know I love you. I could never like any one else," she whispered as she kept her back to her friends. She couldn't bear to let them see her act this way, so weak and vulnerable. Yet that's how Rip always made her feel.

Rip grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her close to him. "Look into my eyes and tell me that you love me and not this Cowboy," he ordered.

Gip made to step forward, rolling up the sleeves of her grey button down shirt as she went. No one grabbed and talked to one of her friends like that. It took Bookie, Martini and Stripes to grab the back of her shirt and keep her in place. "Gip, I think this is something that Stress has to do by herself," Martini whispered quietly so that Rip wouldn't hear.

Gip scowled but stopped struggling against the others. "You mean we let him hurt her?"

Bookie looked over at the scene that was taking place only feet away from her. "No, we ain't gonna let him hurt her," She turned her head slightly so to look at Martini but still have one eye on Stress. "Martini, come with me to the distribution center. We need to get Jack or someone in case she needs help, alright?"

Martini nodded and started to back away, quietly so as to draw no attention to her movements. Bookie mimicked her motions and soon they were gone. Gip and Stripes stood their ground, ready to jump into action in case Stress needed their help.

Meanwhile, Stress was still being held close to Rip's chest. "He means nothing to me. You're the only one who ever will," she said, barely able to stare into Rip's eyes.

It was enough though. "Good, just wanted to make sure that you didn't forget it. And just to make sure..." he sneered at her , his lips curled in an evil grin, as he began to drag her away from Gip and Stripes and toward a secluded alley.

"Rip, wait, no..." she whimpered, as she dug in her heels. She let out a tiny cry of "Ouch" when he tightened his grip on her wrists and pulled her even harder towards the break between blocks.

"Stress--" Gip called as she tried to follow Stress and Rip into the alley. She stopped when Stress looked over her shoulder and shook her head. "I'll be fine Gip. I'll see ya later," Stress hoped that the immense fear she felt wasn't evident in her voice. She didn't want her friends to get on Rip's bad side and get hurt as a result of it. It was one thing for him to take his frustrations with her out on her, but she would NOT let Rip touch her friends.

Gip and Stripes watched in shock as their friend was pulled into a nearby alley. They waited for a few moments until Gip couldn't bare it any longer and crept towards the alley. Stripes sighed and let her go. "I guess I'll just wait here for the other's by myself."

When they got to the alley, Rip threw Stress aimlessly at the ground as easily as if she were a rag doll. "Ouch," she cried as she rubbed her sore shoulder that she had landed on.

Rip, a crazed look in his icy eyes, laughed cruelly as he loomed over her. "Did you miss me?"

Now that she didn't have to worry about her friend's safety Stress figured it was time to fight back. "What do you think, Rip? You think I missed being violated by you?" she spat out as she backed away from him, her disgust and repulsion at him written on her face.

Rip stopped at first, not comprehending the biting words that Stress had just tossed at him. "Oh, you'll pay for that one, Jess," he remarked as he started to walk towards her, pulling his switchblade out of his pocket as he spoke.

She began to shiver as he walked towards her, slashing the knife through the air. "He wouldn't stab me would he?" she wondered to herself. Shaking the thought out of her head, Stress looked at him with fire in her eyes. "For your information, Rip, the name is Stress, not Jess. I left that name behind me when I left Queens."

"I think not. You will always be me 'li'l Miss Jess', whether you want to be or not." He continued to laugh his high-pitched cruel laugh as he pulled her to her feet and wrapped his arms around her. Once she stopped fighting against their proximity, Rip leaned down and began to kiss her hungrily.

Stress responded half-heartedly, fighting back the reflex to gag. When she was unable to stand his tongue in her mouth any longer, Stress bit it.

"God damn you, Jess. What are you trying to pull. Do you want me to hurt you?" he cried as he raised his hand to swing. He couldn't believe how much she had changed in the five days they were apart. When she had left Queens she was obedient, quiet and shy around everyone. Now she was outspoken, friendly and defiant. He didn't like the change.

Stress ducked her head as fear spasmed across her face. Rip dropped his hand and redrew his knife. He chuckled to himself as he saw her flinch at the presence of the switchblade. "Well, maybe she hasn't changed to much," he noted as a glimmer of Stress's former self slipped through the tough facade. "Now, just to make sure she remembers who the boss is," he thought to himself as he pushed her to the ground, using his body weight to keep her arms down, and, with his right hand, raised his knife.

"This is it. This is the end," Stress said to herself as tears sprang to her eyes. Because Rip had her hands pinned to her side, Stress was unable to wipe the tears from her eyes so she turned her head away from Rip instead. She did not want Rip to see her cry. She did not want Rip to see her weak. She wanted to die proud.

Rip softened for a second as he wiped her tears with his left hand and hid the switchblade, still clutched in his right hand, behind his back, out of her line of vision. "'Remember, this is just like our first time together. Remember, Jess? Remember, in our alley?" he said eagerly, a boyish grin coming to his face. A boyish grin that might have made his handsome face all the more attractive was it not for the deranged look in his eyes.

When she realized what Rip's plan was for her, Stress shuddered. She wasn't sure which was worse: Dying or being violated again by Rip.

The shudder did not go unnoticed by Rip. "Now, now Jess. You know that you want this as much as I do." Once more he brought out the switchblade, this time to place it against the seam of her pants on her left leg. "You know what, Jess. I told' you that I didn't like girls in pants. It makes things all the more harder for me," he sighed as he slit open the first pant leg across the seam and positioned his knife to do so to the second.

Gip felt nauseous at the sight before her. She had watched the entire encounter from a safe distance. Every time she was about to run forward and save Stress from this psycho's clutches, he would draw out his knife and position it in a manner that was way too close to Stress for Gip's comfort. But when Gip realized what this guy was going to do to her friend, she couldn't let it happen. She looked over her shoulder and saw Stripes still waiting where she had left her. "Damn, Bookie and Martini haven't been back yet. I guess I'll have to take care of this myself." She checked to make sure she still had her knife concealed in her boot and stepped into the shadows of the alley. She paused for a moment when she saw that Stress had gotten some of her nerve back and had landed a kick at Rip just as he was unbuttoning his pants.

"Jess, you know that wasn't a smart thing to do. I guess we're going to have to do this the hard way!" he roared as he grabbed her head with the one hand that wasn't clutching his groin, and slammed it into the ground. Upon first contact, Jess lost consciousness and fell over to the ground, helpless.

Gip cheered her friend as Stress fought back, but gasped when she saw Stress get knocked out. "Aw, damn. He's killed her!" Blinded by an incredible anger, Gip ran forward just as Rip bent over Stress and began to strip her out of the rest of her clothes. "You've killed me pal!" she screamed as she jumped on his back.

Rip, three years older, thirty pounds heavier and a head taller, flipped Gip off of his back and grabbed her head. Just like he had done to Stress only moments earlier, Rip proceeded in knocking Gip out. With a cold look at her unconscious body, he snarled, "Girly, I'm gonna take care of you after I finish with me 'li'l Miss' over here."

Just as he yanked his own pants off, Rip heard a whole mess of footsteps approach the alley. Confident that the lack of sunlight in the corner he was in would hide him from the eyes of any intruders, Rip continued with his business.

Until he felt someone in the background sneak up behind him. "Touch one hair on that girl's head and I'll personally make sure you never walk again."