Puzzling Pieces
By Cheer
Ch. 49 – Stuck in the Middle
"Come on, Tay. Please? I been doing better." Stacey begged, batting her big blue eyes. It was midnight and her and Tabitha were trying to convince their personal bodyguard to let them go prowl the snack area. Taylor didn't let Stacey up unless she had a nurse at her side, even if it was two weeks from her surgery and things had improved somewhat.
"No. I can't let you. Sorry." Taylor said, watching Tabitha pack her stuff, as tomorrow she was getting discharged.
"Please. I'm hungry." Stacey moaned dramatically, her big eyes welling up with tears as she pouted, her lower lip sticking out. Taylor sighed and scratched his bald head, he hated to see a girl cry. It was one of his weaknesses.
"No." He said, not looking at her. She burst into full fledged tears now, sniffling and Tabitha stood, hands on her hips, glaring at 'the villain' that had made her cry.
"Come on, Tay." Tabitha sighed, sounding exasperated now.
"Fine, you got twenty minutes so you'll have to haul some butt." He said, shaking a finger at her. Stacey nodded, wiping her eyes and nodding, her eyes doe like.
"Get outta here so I can help her get some clothes on." Tabitha pointed to the door and Taylor looked at her, his head indignant at her attitude. He shut the door mumbling something about how she was becoming more and more like Storm. The door shut, the two girls looked at each other and they burst into laughter. "You are so good at commanding those tears; I still don't know how you do it." Tabitha said, truly in awe at how quick Stacey was able to recover.
"That was too easy. If only we could get Storm to cry, he would cave and voilà. They would hook it back up." Stacey giggled, her mind obvious working on a plot.
"Oh, Stacey, she would kill you." Tabitha shook her head, dismissing it immediately.
"Not me. I'm innocent." Stacey batted her eyes mockingly at Tabitha and the two burst into another set of laughter. They looked at each other and shut up as Taylor rapped quietly on the door. Stacey slipped on one of her oversized cheerleading championship sweatshirt and then put on a robe, going as fast as she could, her scar still very painful at any little tug or movement.
"Innocent. You know we aren't going to pull this off..." Tabitha whispered, her whisper somewhat doubting.
"What? My Storm and Tay idea?" Stacey laughed, earning a slap from Tabitha.
"No, you sure we shouldn't just get our snacks and come back?" She asked, looking at Stacey slip on her shoes.
"No, I am tired of being here. Once you leave, it leaves it more open for Brian and Mia to come here and no….I mean, I guess Mia is asleep still but…oh never mind. We're wastin time." Stacey frowned, hoping her best friend was not going to cop out now. They had planned this ever since they had the news that tomorrow was Tabitha's last day of staying in the same room. Stacey didn't care who would be mad at her, she wasn't staying around for anything to happen. They opened the door, Stacey going back to her beaten, sad look that Taylor had caused her.
"We'll be back." Tabitha promised with a nod.
"You got twenty minutes and that's it. Then you are to be back here. Got it, ladies?" Taylor asked, his arms folded.
"We understand." Stacey nodded defeat idly and as though she was still not happy as she could be.
"Good. Now go." he said, softening a bit. Tabitha couldn't shake him like Stacey could and the fact that it was a weakness made him annoyed with himself. He sighed and sat down, his eyes fixated on his watch.
"That was almost too easy." Tabitha giggled, making Stacey giggle. They stopped by a small broom closet, where Tabitha had stashed a bag of Stacey's clothes earlier. "You sure this is the best thing?" She asked, knowing in her heart it was putting her best friend in danger.
"Yes, Tabby. I can't sleep knowing Brian doesn't believe me. I can't keep pretending that things will all be ok and I can't keep sleeping in that room, having those nightmares and seeing all the flashbacks. It makes me so sick he doesn't believe me." Stacey sat down, breathing harder as she was talking and walking, it taking a lot out of her energy. She looked sincerely sad, thoroughly frightened, and it killed Tabitha the same way it did Storm to see her so sad and fearful.
"I am going with you." Tabitha said, decided against the plan they had worked so carefully on that she was to stay there, pretend to not know where Stacey had disappeared to.
"No, Tabby. Please. Just keep it how we planned." Stacey looked her best friend in the eyes pleadingly. Tabitha sighed, handing over the cheerleading duffel bag and sighing as she did so.
"I'm gonna be worried sick." Tabitha admitted, her eyes filling with tears as Stacey hugged her.
"No, you are not. I'm fine. I can manage, and some fresh air will do me a world of good." Stacey nodded, looking behind her to make sure Taylor hadn't followed. She walked out the doors after changing into street clothes, then stood outside the dark, back entrance to the hospital. She took a deep breath, feeling Tabitha's eyes boring into her and took off at a comfortable pace.
"Where's the girl?" Taylor asked, looking up from the hall chair. Tabitha shrugged, getting into bed with a yawn.
"She said she would be back in like five. She stopped to go to the bathroom." Tabitha said, pretending her eyes were too heavy to keep open. Taylor looked at her, not buying it.
"Tell me the truth, seriously or I'll call your sister." Taylor ordered, sitting in close range to Tabitha, making her eyes pop back open. He was about to call Storm and tell her Stacey had went AWOL when he heard a high pitched scream.
"Stay away from me. Let me go!" Stacey was yelling, her voice sounding strained.
"No, hell no. You stupid or what?" Brian asked, his grip on his sister's arm tight. He shot Taylor a go to hell look as he walked his sister in.
"Let go of her." Taylor jumped up.
"Make one move towards me and you're back in jail." Brian nodded, breathing hard, his stance defensive as Stacey wriggled and cried, looking at Tabitha with big eyes and tears streaming down her sunken in cheeks.
"Think I care? Get your hands off of her." Taylor stood up. A police officer and a nurse, accompanied by a doctor walked in. The police officer was quick to pin Taylor's arms behind his back and the nurse gathered Tabitha's already packed things.
"Wait, what's goin on?" Tabitha asked, sitting up, looking at Taylor who was mouthing off to the cops and making promises to Brian as he was led out.
"Brian, I don't feel good." Stacey whimpered, making Brian roll his eyes.
"I'm not gonna fall for the I'm so helpless routine, sis. Cut it the crap." he ordered, frowning, not acing himself at all.
"You sound just like her!" Stacey cried, tears streaming down her face.
"So what?" he asked, not really caring anymore. He was exhausted, overworked, and just tired of the whole hospital routine. Tired of having to fight for his sister, tired of fighting Storm and her whole entourage.
"I don't feel good, let me go! Please!" Stacey cried in desperation as Tabitha was being wheeled out.
"Quit with the melodramatics, Stacey.' Brian ordered, his tone harsh, making the nurse and Tabitha even jump.
"I'm not playing." She whispered, turning a sheet of white as Brian felt her struggling arm go limp. She had passed out, he realized. He ran out, pushing past the nurse, the cops and everyone.
"Someone get a doctor! She went unconscious!" Brian yelled, making Tabitha's already clouded eyes tear up more. She felt for her cell phone and tried to dial it with it still being in her robe pocket.
"It's all your fault." Tabitha screamed, lunging for Brian. He raised his hand, meaning only to protect himself but to the others, it looked much worse.
"You touch her and you die, right here. Cuffs or no cuffs." Taylor broke free of the police officer and faced Brian, his tone so low that it made Brian stop to think.
"I wasn't gonna touch her." Brian said, shaking his head, as the doctors rushed into Stacey's room.
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"Go away." Stacey muttered to Brian, a few hours later after she had been taken care of and was resting. She woke up to find her brother pacing beside her bed.
"I have custody of you. Like it or not, I am your brother, your guardian, your family." Brian's eyes flashed in anger.'
"Here's an idea for you, brother dear. Just go get Mia's drug stash and off me now. Better than me waiting for you to pick my day of fate." Stacey spat, her anger making her monitors beep with an increase in the rhythm.
"Cute, you are so cute." Brain rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, so cute your fiancé wants to kill me." Stacey murmured, no hate in her voice but with put sadness.
"Enough, Stacey. It's over and done and it wasn't her." Brian sat down sighing, his tone no longer in yelling mode. He looked at his sister.
"You can't ever change my mind. You made your choice." Stacey said, her tone undetectable.
"I didn't. You know, Strom is the one who did this to Mia. She didn't even wait for solid proof that Mia was innocent." Brian sighed, running a hand through this hair. His words made Stacey laugh.
"She didn't wait for proof because she had proof. She believed me. She also saw the bitch in Mia that we know she is. You can't take my word for it. I'm glad she did it to her." Stacey looked towards the door, her voice cracking.
"So, you admit Storm did it." Brian jumped up.
"No, I could only hope she did it." Stacy smirked, loving Brian's look of hurt. "How's it feel, Bro?" Stacey mocked the affectionate name, making it anything but affectionate.
"You'll loose that attitude when you come back home. Storm has been a bad influence." Brian sighed, making Stacey glare at him.
"You got drugs that make people loose their opinions now?" She asked, not caring how much she hurt him.
"Brian, come quick!" Vince came rushing in the room, making Stacey jump almost out of her skin.
"What?" he looked up, looking like he wasn't sure if he wanted to leave.
"Dom, he's in Mia's room and asked for you." Vince said, his voice almost sounding raspy.
"Will you watch her?" Brian asked, making Stacey close her eyes in pure hatred in light of not being able to disappear. Tears streamed out of her closed eyes, making Vince feel really horrible. He gave a nod and had already been briefed as to what had happened.
"Hey, why all the tears?" Vince asked, playing with Stacey's blonde locks, making her pull away from him.
"You're on their side, on his, what do you care?" Stacey asked, her voice cracking as she broke into full fledged tears.
" We still don't know what side he's on." Storm walked in, looking over her shoulder as she snuck in. "Don't worry, Kid, he's still not on my list either." Storm assured Stacey, seeing her shocked look at the two of them even being in the same room together. "At least not my good list, maybe a hit list." She bent down and whispered in Stacey's ear with a smile, then turned serious.
"What's wrong, Storm?" Stacey asked, looking into Storm's intent eyes.
"I just hate to see you so miserable." She sighed, giving Stacey a hug.
"I'm okay. I'm worried bout Tay, though." Stacey tried to play brave, knowing she really did have Storm worried. Storm gave her a quizzical look as Vince went to stand closer to the door to keep an eye out.
"Why Tay?" She asked, looking at Stacey so funny it made the sixteen year old giggle. "I gotta tell ya, it's cute how you and Tay go on and how you got Mr. Tough Guy to soften up for those blue eye s of yours." Storm laughed, really finding it amazing Taylor had a heart with Stacey.
"It's all my fault. I guess I shoulda stayed in bed and all and now he's in trouble…" Stacey trailed off. Vince coughed, cleared his throat, and pulled at his collar. He hadn't told her what all had went down, just simply that Stacey needed to see her to keep her will going at this point.
"Stacey, what are you talking bout, Darlin?" Storm asked, sitting in the chair, her feet tired from working all day.
"Ok, he's gonna be back soon." Vince checked his watch, shooting Stacey a look.
"No, Storm, don't go. Please." Stacey begged, grabbing Storm's hand in an attempt to keep her there.
"I have to but I'll be back and I got my own eyes around, ok, kiddo?" She asked, kissing Stacey's forehead. Stacey nodded, then yawned. Storm walked out, around the corner, waiting for Vince to come around, as he had promised once Brian returned. "Why'd you help me out?" Storm hit him with the question as soon as she saw his partial body rounding the corner.
"Your welcome." Vince said sarcastically. "You don't waste time, do you?" He asked, his head down as he walked. He knew if she found out where Taylor was likely at now, she might just kill him right there.
"Why waste time? Why bullshit?" She asked, heading out the door. She stopped abruptly, looking him in the eyes, her eyes full of hurt, anger and confusion. "I need to know why you helped me out." She said, trying to not be so obvious about her still attracted ness to the boy.
"I don't know to tell you the truth. Maybe I felt Stacey needed you." Vince looked away, rubbing his beard.
"Maybe, but you still helped out the 'wrong' side." Storm said, in a taunting manner, making Vince scoff and roll his eyes.
"Come off it, Storm. It's not a damned competition." He said, finding himself irritated with her attitude., feeling she should be more grateful than questioning.
"Hey, it's your crew member that's playing like he's ruler of the earth, more like ruler of a piece of property than a scared, scared little girl." Storm threw her hands up, waking away now, her long trench coat swishing as she kept a brisk pace.
"He's doing the right thing, and you know it!" Vince called after her. She looked at him, like he was some person with a lot of nerve and she kept walking after a long stare to make him doubt if he was right. "Hey, this would all be fine if you hadn't played God and tried to kill Mia." He said, making her stop, her back still to him. She turned around and in a rather clam, frightening way, walked up to him.
"It's my profession to protect my family, if I had went after her. At least I can go to bed every night knowing I believe the right people and don't keep them in danger." Storm said, her voice in a low growl.
"Oh yeah, that's funny. You go to bed with how many hits a night on your conscience? You think playing God makes you a good choice for a sixteen year old to live with? You're nothing but a mafia wanna be who thinks the world should bow at her feet." Vince snarled, his anger even shocking him. He hadn't meant to be so harsh but he could tell from her stunned expression that clearly showed him his words had been like a slap in the face.
"You just wait and see who's the wanna be." Storm said, choking on her rage to keep it inside.
"Storm, I-"
"I have nothing more to say to you." Storm walked off, feeling numb and yet like she could take on the whole world.
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In the downtown area about the same time….
"Matty, how bout you come down and spring me outta jail?" Taylor asked as soon as Matty had answered his phone, his tone annoyed and irritated sounding.
"Taylor, Taylor, you seem to be making this a habit." Matty attempted to joke as he grinned, his plane touching down as he was making his way back to LA to make sure things were going okay and to check on his sister.
"It's not funny, Matty." He said, his time getting short.
"Ok, I'm sorry. Where ya at and I'm on my way." Matty said, turning serious. He took down the directions and went the pain staking process of exiting the LAX airport. "Damn people. Learn how to drive." He cursed, his rented car not driving to his satisfaction and the people driving slow making him more and more agitated. He laughed to himself realizing he was more like Strom then Benny would want to admit. Then his thoughts turned to his sister and he became worried, not hearing from her in days, which for her and his relationship, was not normal.
"Damn, take long enough?" Matty was greeted by a grouchy Taylor after waiting for him to be let free.
"Hey, you want to go back in there?" Matty asked, trying his hardest not to grin. He was in an odd, good mood and Taylor and him often carried on like this in the worst of times.
"Don't even go there." Taylor shook his head, throwing his jacket around his arms as they walked out in the rather cool windy California air.
"So, what's eating at ya?" Matty asked, throwing the keys to Taylor, letting his drive.
"Nothin," Taylor frowned.
"My ass. I know you well enough to know a lie." Matty retorted.
"You and Storm, you two really need to stop.' Taylor ignored his comment.
"Where we goin? Tabitha is out and so is Storm." Matty said, earning a look of irritation again from Taylor.
"You're so bright." Taylor complimented sarcastically. "Stacey, ok? I need to check on her." he said, saying it rather under his breath.
"For someone who couldn't stand her and the fact she wasn't 'family' and Storm freakin out to save her, you sure seem to have grown to like the girl." Matty raised a skeptical 'Storm' eyebrow.
"She reminds me a lot of Arianna." Taylor grimaced at the mention of his younger sister who had died a long time ago of cancer. Matty was quiet, knowing it was a sore subject Taylor even hated to mention and he felt bad for getting the conversation to the point it was at now.
"Yeah, I'm sorry, Tay." Matty sighed, not knowing what else to say. He couldn't fathom loosing his sister. He couldn't even try to imagine how it would feel, Storm was a half of him, she was part of how he acted and how he survived. The drive to the hospital was quiet from that point on. "You talked to Storm lately?" he asked as the two got out of the rental car and headed up the long walk to the hospital.
"No, she's in that I can handle my own shit mode again and is keeping her distance. I would love to kill that Vince guy, Matty. I think he really broke her." Taylor said, opening the door harder than he had meant to.
"Yeah and Brian's bout to be mine if he keeps giving Storm shit." Matty added, not really wanting to get out of his good mood he was in.
"I'll take him too." Taylor grumbled, his fist balled. He was tired, his back ached, and he was ready to beat in someone's face since his only assignment had been to watch the girls.
"Easy, Cujo, damn." Matty patted his best friend on the shoulder.
"Be ready for a fight cause this isn't gonna go over well." Taylor warned as the two stepped off the elevator to Stacey's floor. They found an upset, almost hysterical Tabitha outside the main door that led to the hallway that Stacey and her had been on.
"What's wrong, Tabs?" Matty asked, knelling beside her in concern and lifting up her face.
"They won't let me see her. I have to see her, make sure she's okay. She isn't gonna stay in there, she even told me she's kill herself before she lets them keep her." Tabitha said, her breaths small wheezes from being so worked up.
"Hey, hey. We're here and no one is gonna hurt her, let alone is she gonna hurt herself. She won't have to cause we're gonna solve it somehow." Matty assured her in his calm tone he often used to soothe Storm on the bad days. It seemed to work, her breathing was slowing and she was calming down.
"Is Brian in there now?" Taylor asked, taking a deep breath, holding something in his jacket pocket, making Matty fret he was going to pull out a gun on him and just waste him.
"Yeah." Tabitha nodded.
"Go wash your face and come back, k?" Matty asked, sending her to the bathroom to grill Taylor. "You got a gun in there?" He asked, his whisper a hiss almost. Taylor rolled his eyes and just laughed with a small grin.