Don't Dwell in the Past

And I did. Find his location, I mean. And the time.

It was really weird.

After Rob departed for his office, swearing to me that he wouldn't tell Krantz, I went down to the pool to do a few laps. Well, I changed and all, too, making sure that there weren't too many men in there. I didn't want the same thing as last time to happen.

Whoever decided to make the locker rooms co-ed is really messed up. Yeah, we work together and all, but what about the self-conscious people? Well, I suppose they could always change in their office and then go down to the pool, but that's pushing it, you know? I really should talk to Dr. Krantz about that. After all, he DID make a Day Care center in light of my children.

I did my few laps, which amounted to ten. Then, as I was getting out of the pool, I slipped and fell, bumping my head in the process. To put it lightly, I conked my self out.

- § -

I was walking down the road, with my boyfriend (A/N: Remember, she dreams in the missing person's point of view). Then, out of nowhere, this really creepy guy comes. He says to us, "It's a little late for two children to be walking around in the middle of a city, don't you think?"

(A/N: Remember, she dreams in the missing person's point of view).

Now that kind of freaked me out. His sinister sneer and all. Jack, my boyfriend, said, "Hey, buddy, leave us alone. We were just heading to my car." The way the guy grinned even more made me really anxious to get out of here.

Then the guy pulled out a gun. He said, "Follow me and nobody gets hurt." Jack looked at me with worry all over his face . . . and fear.

I looked at him, wondering if we should follow him or make a run for it. My eyes were wide and I could tell I probably looked pitiful.

Then Jack gave me the gesture. The one where he rubs his nose slightly, like he has to sneeze, only he doesn't. That's when I knew he had a plan.

He whispered something in my ear, "I'll distract him, you run."

The guy heard him whispering and said, "No talking," and turned back around. Then, a second later, he said, "Maybe I should separate the two of you..." And he proceeded to do so.

That's when I recognized him. He was the guy from the wanted posters. He was the rapist that had escaped. But...what did he want from me? When he could have prettier, sexier women? It really didn't make sense. While I did realize I was a girl, possessed a set of boobs, and had a uterus, I just didn't see what he wanted with me, the average girl. Like I said, there are so many other really beautiful women. Why not go and get them?

That's wrong. Wishing something like that on someone else. I should know better.

We were still walking. The guy had put me next to him, his arm on my shoulder. Eww.

Then I heard Jack say, "Now!"

And he jumped on the guy, wrestling him to the ground, fully aware he had a gun that was loaded.

I ran.

I ran as fast as I could. I was so close to getting to a nearby restaurant, but somebody had grabbed me. I knew it wasn't the rapist. When someone had grabbed me, probably one of the rapists sidekicks, I saw that Jack was still wrestling with him. Then I saw, right in front of my eyes, the guy I love being shot.

The rapist had shaken Jack off of him and took that opportunity to lift his gun and shoot him. He got Jack right in the shoulder. Jack, seeming to barely feel it, went back and jumped on the guy. Then evil man pointed his gun and shot his left thigh. Jack staggered back and fell to the ground.

I so badly wanted to go over there and help him, but I couldn't. Mr. Sidekick was holding me back and steering me into an alleyway. Instead, I screamed, "Jack!"

He looked at me and said, "Chan! No!" In his eyes, I saw fear. Major, major fear. But . . . not for himself, but for me. He was afraid of what would happen to me. And that's when I knew.

. . . I was up shit's creek without a paddle.

That was the last I saw of him. I was pulled into an alleyway. Mr. Rapist hadn't shown up yet. He...my GOD, if he killed Jack, I would make sure that, if it was the last thing I do, I would kill him. Seriously KILL him, hoping he'd go to hell...

When the sidekick, who told me his name was Harry - obviously a fake name in case I escaped - said, "Well, aren't you perdy," I literally lost it. Forgetting that I could be the rapist's next victim and be killed. I kicked and screamed and thrashed about.

Then the rapist came into view. "Your little boyfriend's been taken care of. Now its your turn."

When he saw the fear in my eyes, which had widen considerably, he said, "I'm only jokin'...for now. See, missy, if your little friend doesn't show up by midnight, you won't be a virgin no longer." He snickered. "Or alive."

I didn't think about his threat that he would rape and kill me. I could only think about this 'friend' that was supposed to show.

"F-friend?" I stuttered out.

"Oh, yes. Friend. The woman you babysit for? Lightning Girl?" he explained.

I gasped. "What do you want with her?"

"She put me in jail in the first place. AND she put many of my friends in the big house. Basically, revenge. And maybe I could get some fun out of it, if you know what I mean," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

And I did know what he meant. "You SICKO!" I screamed.

"All done in a day's work," he simply said.

Then he knocked me out.

- § -

I woke up with a start, to find out I was in Rob's office. When he saw I was awake, he came right over.

"Jess," he whispered, figuring - and he was correct - that I would have a horrible headache and yelling would only make it worse. "You alright?"

I looked at him like he was nuts. "No," I croaked out. My head hurt like hell. I went to sit up, instantly regretting it. My head started pounding more.

"Lay back down," Rob advised me, helping me lay back down.

"Unngh," I mumbled.

"Can you tell me what happened?" he asked. "I just found you like that by the pool. What happened?"

"Um, I slipped and fell," I said, as embarrassing as it sounds.

"Oh," he said. I guess he thought someone had knocked me out or something.

Then I remembered the dream. "Rob!" I said really loudly. He jumped at the tone I used. Normally, I would have laughed, but this is serious.

"Yeah?" he said.

"What time is it?" I asked. Please don't be midnight...

"Why?" he asked skeptically.

"BECAUSE," I yelled. I didn't mean to. I was just frustrated and kind of scared.

"Okay," he said, glancing at the wall clock, "10:37."

"How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Umm," he said, "well, I found you at five, so five and a half hours."

Then I remembered my kids. "Wait, what about my kids!"

"Oh, they're in Krantz's office. Annoying the hell out of him."

Considering the circumstances, I still managed to suppress a laugh. "I know where she is, Rob."

He looked at me, his fog-colored eyes penetrating my brown ones. "And the time?" he asked, just to make sure.

"Yep," I said, not taking my eyes off of his.

"Alright," he said. "Shall we?" He gestured toward the door.

"Sure," I said.

We told Dr. Krantz that we were going out to the movies. He asked if I was well enough to do that and all I said was, "Dr. K, I've done the knocked out thing before." He looked at me skeptically, but then said, "Be back by 2, please. I don't feel like babysitting all night."

Then we went out the door and toward the alleyway. The one where they were holding an unconscious Chandler. And we had to find her boyfriend, too. From what I remember, she was thinking that she loved him...

Well, if she lost him, she would be devastated.

I'd send Rob to find him. But knowing him, he'd probably go after me.

Great.

Ten minutes later we arrived. I was staring at the corner - the one that led into the alley.

The rapist wanted vengeance. He wanted to rape and kill me, not Chandler, but if I didn't show, he'd do it to her. I couldn't let that happen. Chandler was actually like a sister to me. I cared so much for her and I couldn't let anything happen to her.

I turned to Rob. We were standing a block from the alley. "Rob, you find a way on top of the building near the alley. I have to go in by myself."

He was about to protest but I said, "Rob. I know, okay? You don't want me to get hurt. I know. But its either me getting hurt or a little sixteen year old girl who deserves nothing like this. Nothing." I was on the verge of tears, I could tell. I told myself they were tears of anger. "Please, Rob. Just do it. You can watch over me from there."

Rob knew this was serious. I could tell by his face. "Okay," he said, "but before we separate, I have to do something..."

I looked at him strangely, "What do you mea—?"

I really didn't get to finish my question.

You want to know why?

Rob kissed me. He captured my lips with his own in a mind-reeling kiss. And, somehow, that kiss managed to give me the strength I needed to go through with this.

After we broke apart he smiled and said, "Jess, I have a bad feeling about this whole thing. I really do. So, just in case something happens to one of us, I want you to know that I truly and sincerely DO love you, Jess."

I looked up at him. A smile formed on my face as I said, "Everything will be fine."

Except that it wasn't. Rob was right. Something horrible was going to happen and I should have known.

How could I have been so naive?

Disclaimer: All of the characters you recognize belong to Meg Cabot, the ultimate writer of our time. All of the other characters you don't recognize, and the plot, belong to me.