Puzzling Pieces
By TempestRaces
Ch. 53 – Cold Shoulder
"That's it! I'm done!" Storm walked in and threw her phone at her father, her voice a raised in a roar of sheer frustration.
"Done with what?" Benny asked as he caught his daughter's incredibly thin Motorola Razr V3 and looked up at her in shock.
"This whole mess. That girl, despite everything I told her and everything we went through to try and get her hearing set up, has run off with Tess. She called me a few minutes ago with a text message that said she was gone. I didn't want to go near the hospital lest I end up implicated so I don't know if she was already gone when she sent it or if she was trying to get out and she got caught on the way and I don't care. I'm finished."
"What made her run off?"
"I don't know. I apparently don't even merit a courtesy call. Let alone Mom, after all she's been going through to try and work this out and take care of Tabitha. That's it for me. I'll take my sister on the trip I promised her and mom can either go fight for Stacey, should she ever turn up again, or not. It might just be time that girl learned to take the advice she's given." Storm spun on her heel and went to leave the room.
"So, do you want me to try and trace this number or not?" Benny asked, holding up Storm's abandoned cell phone. He figured it wasn't the time to point out how long it had taken Storm to learn to listen to the good advice she was given, and how, not two weeks before she'd been busily ignoring it all while she ran herself ragged and other people told her to slow down.
"Do what the fuck you want. That's not her normal cell number or the number to the phone I gave her so I don't know how far you'll get tracing it anyway." With an angry hand gesture Storm stormed out of the room and up the stairs.
She started throwing her stuff into her duffle as soon as she got into her room. She paused midway through her clothes and went to the room they'd given her sister. She knocked, and without waiting on a response, let herself in. She found her sister watching a DVD.
"Hey Storm." Tabitha had looked happy on her sister's arrival but that changed when she saw the look on her sister's face. "What's wrong?" Tabitha was good at picking up on her sister's moods and she asked her question nervously, upset by the look on Storm's face.
"Stacey took off with a friend of hers from her school here. She didn't tell me where she was going and I have no idea why she did it or where she is."
"Are we going to find her?" Tabitha sat up, her worry showing on her face.
"No, we are not. We are going home to New York for a few weeks. I'm sorry Tab. I know you're worried about your friend, but she's gotta learn that she has to have some concern for people other then herself. Her friend Tess is a minor same as she is. I bet she didn't consider the trouble that Tess could get in over this, let alone how bad it's going to look on both her brother and mom when they go to court over her and she's not even around to testify on her own behalf. She opened this can of worms on her own and I'm pretty well fed up of closing them for her."
"We can't just leave her! What if she comes back and no one is here?"
"Then she should have thought of that before she didn't even call to explain what was wrong. All we got out of her was the text message she sent me that didn't even really say anything." Storm saw Tabitha go to interject but she held up her hand, stopping her sister from speaking. She knew what the girl was going to say. "That girl has been through a lot. I know this. But she acted out of line this time and I'm done cleaning up her messes. I just start to get this under control, on her request none the less, and then she does this shit. If she comes back and I'm here I'm more likely to kill her then welcome her with open arms anyway. It's best if I take a breather. If you don't want to come with, that's cool. You can go to Miami with mom if you want."
"You don't think I need to be with mom in court? I really wanted to go to New York this summer but what if they want to talk to me about my mom?"
"You can fly down to be there. I can charter a plane. One of my best friends was a pilot and I still know some people who fly. It only takes like an hour by private plane."
"Why isn't he a pilot anymore?" Tabitha asked.
"Because he got killed." Storm's eyes turned dark, and it was clear that her mind was miles away from the current situation.
"How?" Tabitha breathed out, in shock.
"He made a mistake, a bad mistake and it ended up being the last one he ever made." Storm shook her head to clear it of her bad memories. The deaths of her cousin and friend still prayed heavy on her mind if she let herself dwell on them. Such a waste. "But that was a long time ago. His friends still fly me places by charter when I need a quick plane trip and can't wait on commercial air."
"We should ask mom what she thinks first." Tabitha was being the voice of reason while Storm was still to upset and angry to think clearly.
"You go do that while I finish packing, ok?"
"Sure." Tabitha scrambled off her bed and jogged out of the room. She'd never seen her sister so out of character. She went off in search of her mother.
xox
"Oh dear! I don't know what to do." Cara Miles rang her hands as she sat on the wing chair opposite her ex husband. "Why did she run off like this?" Cara had just been filled in on Stacey's disappearing act by Benny.
"No one knows. That is what has Storm so riled. She seemed pretty serious when she told me she was through. You know how she is with Tabitha, she lets her get away with a lot but she really seemed like she was done with Stacey this time. I have people tracing the number the kid called from but Storm says it wasn't the kid's number in the first place so I don't know how much good it'll do."
"Do we go ahead with the hearing or do we put it off until we know where Stacey went?"
"I don't know. We need to ask your lawyer I suppose. The whole legal system isn't something I'm all that familiar with when I'm not playing it to my advantage."
"Hmmm." Cara made a disapproving sound and looked away.
"Don't get all pissy on me now. You knew what I was when you married me and had three kids with me lady. You can't get up on a moral high horse now when for the first four years we were married and the whole two years we dated you had no issues."
"I live in a different world now Benjamin." Cara retorted primly.
"That may be true Cara Belle but you didn't start out that way and if your life hadn't been put in danger you'd have kept on living the life and never thought twice about it. Not to mention Miss Deserve, that you grew up enjoying all the privileges your father and then brother provided you with." Benny 'Chains' didn't get to such a level in his work without being astute. And practical.
"I don't want Tabitha growing up the way Storm did, or the way I did for that matter."
"I raised Storm alone for the first twenty years of her life. Tabitha couldn't be my Storm. You raised her different then I raised Storm. Maybe the way Storm ended up has its drawbacks, but for her and our life, she turned out perfect." Benny's eye's shone with pride when he talked about his older daughter. People could pick apart her personality all they wanted and he still knew she was ideally suited to her life and to her work.
"Well, she was a wreck when she came to me so I don't think you get to take all the credit for the woman she is today." Cara reminded defensively. The twenty year old girl who'd arrived out of no where on her doorstep one November day hadn't had much together and it had taken some time before she had. Cara knew she might not have had much to do with raising her first daughter but she'd had plenty to do with how Storm was today and she wasn't going to let the girl's father forget it. Benny had the good grace to look chagrined.
As Benny went to reply Tabitha burst into the living room. "Mama?"
"Yes dear?" Cara smiled at her youngest child.
"Storm's going home and she wants me to go with her."
"Home?" A frown marred Cara's face as her tone spoke of her confusion. They were home.
"Yeah, home to New York. She wants me to go with her. But what if Stacey comes back? And shouldn't I be with you in Miami? What if they want to ask me any questions?"
"Why is she going to New York?" Cara tried to get some clarification.
"She says because she needs a break and that it's time that Stacey learned that there isn't always going to be someone to clean up her messes for her if she keeps making them."
"Well, Stacey did do a very foolish thing. I don't want you thinking it's ok for her to do this, or that it would be ok for you to do it either. We all have the right to be upset with Stacey so I understand where your sister is coming from. I don't think the judge will want to ask you anything but it might be a good idea for you to be there. I'll leave the decision up to you though dear. You know what you want better then I do. You know that Storm has a temper." Cara reminded gently, trying to help her daughter make the right decision without making it for her. Tabitha was growing up far more well rounded then her older sister.
"Maybe I could go with you to Miami for now and then when the thing is over I could go stay with Storm? Like we planned before everything else happened."
"Of course. Why don't you run along and tell her that?"
"I will." Tabitha dashed off again. She was almost back to normal, having recovered with the strength of the young. She'd always been athletic and it hadn't taken long after the drugs were out of her system for her muscles to tone up and gain their strength back. She found her sister in her room zipping up her bag.
"What's it gonna be?" Storm asked Tabitha with a small smile.
"I think I should go with mom for now. When the trial is over I'll fly out to the city and meet you. Is that ok?"
"Sure." Storm sighed. "I'm sorry Tabitha."
"For what?"
"For putting this on you. I know you want to be there for your friend and I shouldn't have put how pissed off I am over what she did on you. I really do think that it'll be better for everyone if I'm not around when she comes back unless I've cooled off some. I don't have it in me to be patient with her right now. I'll come down to Miami if I settle down before it's all over. If not, you can come up any time you want. A'ight?"
"Sure." Tabitha ran over to her sister and hugged her around the waist. Storm was startled to realize how close to her height her sister had grown. She was only about five inches off. Storm hugged her sister back then shouldered her duffle.
"Kay then, I'm outta here. It takes me about three days to make the drive so I'll be on the road for the rest of this week. I have my phone if you need to call." Storm turned to the door to find her father standing in the doorway.
"Do you?" He asked.
"Do I what?" Storm asked, eyebrow cocked.
"Have your phone?" Benny asked, holding it out.
"Oh yeah. I forgot that part." Storm took the phone back and slid it into the belt clip. "Ok, now I'm set."
"I'll be joining you home soon enough anyway. I'm not goin to Miami. Too much risk of someone recognizing me and tellin the wrong person. Better if I'm not around." Benny said and Storm nodded.
Matty came up behind his father and saw Storm with her big green bag. "Where you goin?"
"Home." Storm answered.
"This is home."
"No it's not. It's a vacation house. I'm goin home to BK." Storm shortened Brooklyn and shifted her bag on her shoulder. A strange look crossed Matty's face but passed quickly to be replaced with a look of happiness.
"You driving up?"
"Yeah."
"Got room in that car for your brother?" Matty asked with a quirky smile.
"Always." Storm answered, walking his way. "Why? You comin?"
"Yeah, I think so. I should really check in with work." He also didn't want to leave his sister alone in their big family home. He knew he'd worry about her getting depressed and have no one to turn to.
"What about Taylor?" Storm asked, almost as an afterthought. "You gonna leave him here?"
"We'll see what he wants to do." Matty turned to go back toward his room, his gait still a bit stiff and uneven. "Why don't you find him and tell him what's up while I pack?"
"Ok." Storm left her room and headed down the hall toward Taylor's assigned room. She knocked and waited for a reply.
"Come in!" Taylor's deep baritone called out. Acting on his request Storm pushed the door open. Taylor was lying on his bed watching the TV. He wasn't wearing a shirt. When he saw who was in his room he jumped up and scrambled to pull on his tee shirt.
"Don't cover up on my account. You ain't got nothing I haven't seen before." Storm smirked.
"I thought it'd be Matty." Taylor grumbled as he sat down after pulling on his grey tee shirt.
"He sent me. We're leaving, driving home to New York. We were wondering if you're staying here or coming with." Storm leaned insolently on the door frame and watched as Taylor frowned in concentration.
"Why are you going back to New York? The court date is less then a week from now in Miami! I thought we were all going to Miami so we'd be there for the kid."
Storm walked into Taylor's room and shut the door behind her. She crossed the room and sat beside him on the bed. "Stacey ran off with Tess. No one knows where and she didn't even bother to call mom." She caught Taylor's look. "Or me." She admitted the real reason she was upset. She refused to admit to anyone how much Stacey's lack of concern for her feelings had hurt her. But as usual Taylor saw right through her. "All I got was a text from someone else's phone. All the work, stress I went through, and that kid throws it all away on an impulse. I mean, damn Taylor, what was she thinking?"
"I'd guess she wasn't. Why aren't you out there finding her?"
"Because I found her one too many times. Not even a phone call Taylor! I didn't even merit a fucken phone call!" Storm roared. "I put up with her brother, his friends, that bald throwback to evolution who runs their team, everything for so long. Just to make sure she was ok and safe and they weren't mistreatin her. I found her, killed her kidnaper, tried to kill that stupid bitch that was in on it, put up with all the fall out from that and…" Storm just shrieked again in frustration. She had no words. "I think Miss O'Connor needs to learn to think before she acts and if we keep chasing her down and cleaning up behind her it's never gonna happen. Even pops left me to fend on my own a few times to teach me a lesson or two. Moving adult men on your own ain't fun when you're a seventeen year old kid."
"You shouldn'ta shot them then." Taylor grumbled, not having any sympathy for Storm being left to clean up her own messes in that sense. Storm simply shrugged in answer, effectively shrugging off Taylor's opinion on her teenage antics as well. Taylor continued. "You realize that she is on medication to ensure her body doesn't reject her heart, right? Medication that she wouldn't have been able to steal to take with her. What if she dies?"
"What do you want me to do Taylor?" Storm asked in anger, not appreciating Taylor making her feel like a villain. She'd done a lot to make sure Stacey made it home from Carter's alive, including taking a bullet. Her brother had been shot over proving Mia was involved in the situation. She'd put her whole life and family on the line over Stacey and the fact that Stacey had so little concern for those people around her who cared for her had just pushed Storm over the edge. "I can't find her if she doesn't want to be found. She called me from someone else's phone."
"Did you try calling hers?"
"No. I can't deal with her right now Tay. I'm too damn pissed off. If you want to stay here and try to help pop find her then I'll understand. I can take care of Matty fine and I'll just have to stop for the nights since Matty shouldn't be driving right now and couldn't drive my car even if he wasn't hurt. I'll give you her phone number, the one for her real phone and the one I gave her and her friend Tess' information. Maybe you can do something with it."
"I'll come with you guys but I want to make sure that Benny understands how serious it is that Stacey be found." Taylor's face was grim. He'd come to care for the blonde girl over the time he'd been guarding her and he didn't want to think of her out in the world alone as she started to get sicker and sicker without her medicine.
Storm hadn't thought of the drugs that Stacey needed to get every day just to live herself. It just upset her with Stacey even more so then she had been. She'd done something rash and stupid and now other people were again left to worry and save her from the hot water she'd gotten herself into. She was almost 17 and by that age Storm knew she'd been much more adept at taking care of herself. She'd been much less dependant on people, and hadn't caused half as much trouble for them either. Stacey had had a pretty normal life up until about six months ago as well, so she couldn't blame how she was on her childhood either.
"I'll go tell him all about it while you pack." Storm said as she stood up off Taylor's bed.
"Ok, it won't take me long."
Storm only nodded as she left the room. She found her father back in the living room. She walked in and sat across from him. Her mother was in one of the other chairs. "I know I said that we should just let Stacey realize how foolish she was on her own, but if she doesn't get her medicines she could die."
"Shit. I never thought of that." Benny rubbed his forehead, feeling the beginnings of a huge headache coming on. Cara gasped when she realized what Storm said was true but remained silent, a horrified look on her face.
"Me neither. Taylor did. He's coming with me and Matty but he wanted to make sure someone knew how important it was to get Stacey back into a hospital and back on her medicines. Preferably she'd go right to Miami General where Mia isn't." Storm dropped her little hint. Even as mad as she was at Stacey she still only wanted the best for her, even if she wasn't talking that way at the moment. She knew that Stacey wasn't going to find what was best for her with her brother right now, but it wasn't going to be found with her either, not if she only had murder on her mind. "You're lookin for an Onyx black RX-7, 94 if I remember correctly, fully tinted windows, vanity plate of spooledu. Stacey's own two cell phone numbers are written on this paper. This is Tess's phone number."
"Point taken Storm. I'll get her back and over to Miami. Nothin for you to sweat. I'll take care of finding Stacey before I head home myself. Take some time to regroup back home. Check up on everything while you're there."
"Take a vacation Storm. You need one." Storm imitated her father sarcastically. "Oh, but don't forget to work while you're on it."
"You'll enjoy it and you know it." Benny grinned, knowing playing boss would make his daughter happy. "Here, take this." Benny slipped the huge ring off his finger and handed it over to his daughter. "Everyone will know you're in charge 'til I get home."
"Everyone will likely know that anyway. I don't need that." Despite her words she took the jewel from her father and slid it onto her thumb.
One corner of his mouth quirked up in a satisfied smile. "Just to be safe?"
"Somethin like that." Storm answered and turned to leave the room. "I'll see you home in a few then?"
"Yeah, when your mother leaves for Miami on Sunday I'll leave for home."
"Ok." Storm met Matty and Taylor in the foyer. "Ready?" She asked them. They both nodded and Storm opened the door. She found Brian with his arm raised. He'd clearly been about to knock when she'd opened the door. He lowered his arm awkwardly, his displeasure at being at the Demaret house again plain to see. He was accompanied on the step by Dom and Vince. "What are you doing here?" Storm growled.
"Stacey's missing and something told me you would know where she is." Brian said, fighting not to yell at the young woman in front of him.
"Somethin told you wrong 'cause I don't have a clue as a matter of fact. She texted me to tell me she was taking off but the call was from someone else's phone and that was the first and only thing any of us heard about it." Storm deliberately left off the part where she knew Stacey had taken off with Tess. It hadn't taken much digging to figure that one out so she figured if they wanted to know they could find out themselves.
"So where are you taking off to if not to go with her." Dom asked gruffly.
Storm only answered because she didn't want to deal with them anymore and she figured if she told them the god's honest truth they'd leave her alone. "We're going home. My brother has to get back and I'm just plain done with this drama. I was only putting up with you idiots over Stacey and this time she made her bed, she can sleep in it." Storm looked from Brian to Dom and finally to Vince. "You're issues are with my mother now. She's still going to Miami to fight for custody to the best of my knowledge, but you won't be seeing much of me anymore."
"You really don't know where she is?" Vince asked, hoping to appeal to the caring side he knew Storm had but kept hidden from most of the world.
"Not an ever loving clue." Storm answered with a sigh.
"And you're not going to find her?" Brian asked, in shock. Didn't Storm know what could happen to Stacey if they didn't find her within 48 hours? She'd die. The doctors had been more then brutally honest about that fact. She might last 72 but after that her body would slowly kill of her new heart until it stopped functioning and she died.
"Why should I? As you're so fond of pointing out she's your sister not mine. I have my own sister, family and business to worry about. I'd willingly make Stacey the focus of my life if she wasn't turning around and throwing everything I do for her in my face so often. She tried to run off once, even after all I told her about staying put. Then she tries again and manages after all I told her about staying put. She'd have been moved to Miami in no time and everything would have been fine. But no, she had to run off to god knows where with another minor child. She didn't even bother to tell my mother why she felt the need to do so, even after all the work my mom went through over this whole situation. It seems that Miss O'Connor would rather go it on her own so more power to her."
"Tess's parents are less then amused. They're worried about both girls. Her brother swears he doesn't know where they are and I believe him. But he also swears he didn't help them get away and on that count I don't trust him. I think he's lying."
"Your problem, Brian. I'm out of that girl's life. That's how you wanted it and I'm giving you your wish. I don't know what will happen in court when she's not even here to speak for herself but that's not my problem either. Good luck finding her." Storm moved to leave the house and push around the three men on her step.
"We got no where to start from Storm. She never even let any of us know she was leaving. At least you got a message." Vince pleaded as Storm brushed by.
"Yeah, after all I been through for her I got a text message. Forgive me if I don't see it as that much better then if she'd just took off without telling me anything. She knew I was on her side. She knew I woulda fixed whatever set her off. But rather then trust me she took off. My mother's been going through hell trying to take care of my sister, who was hurt and sick too if you'll remember, and worrying about Stacey all while trying to prepare to move states again and go to a hearing. Stacey clearly went to the O'Connor school of concern for anyone but themselves and I've had it up to here." Storm slashed across her throat with the edge of her hand. "With both of them." With a pointed look at Brian she started down the steps and away from them all, leaving her brother and friend to follow.
"She'll die Storm. They give her 48 hours, 72 at the outside. Then her body will start to attack her new heart." Brian's voice cracked.
Storm paused and took a deep breath. She turned slowly around to face them again. "Why should I get her back anyway Brian? If you expect her to live with you she'll just run again. Why do you think I should spend the rest of my life chasing this girl down for you? She's never going to want to stay with you. Not to mention the fact that you steadfastedly refuse to accept the truth and admit that, brainwashed or not, Mia was the one drugging both your sister and mine. She's the one who shot Matty, Stacey and herself and if she does wake up and doesn't get the help she needs she'll just look to kill Stacey again. Why should I spend the rest of my life protecting Stacey from Mia and chasing her down to bring her home to you knowing she'll just run away? It'd just cycle like that ad nauseam. It's not how I wish to spend my life."
"So you'd rather know Stacey died because you wouldn't help us find her?" Vince asked, trying to use the guilt he knew that Storm would feel over that possibility.
"I don't want her dead, but I don't want to be cleaning up behind her for the rest of my life and getting begged for my help one second and shit on the next by her brother either. There came a time in my life when I made the same foolish mistake one too many times and my father said to me, 'Stormianna, it's time you learned that if you fuck up this many times people get sick of fixing it for you and you get left to fix it on your own. I'm not going to clean this one up for you so I suggest you figure out a way to get yourself outta this shit you got yourself into.' And he threw me to the wolves so to speak. I fixed my own mistake that time and I never made that mistake again. Had he kept on running behind me and making all my idiotic, self-created issues go away who knows where I'd be today."
"Were you 16, scared and sick?" Dom asked, picking up like Vince had that their only chance to get her help was to guilt trip Storm into giving it.
"I was about to turn 17 and I'd just stolen off one of the bosses of the Russian mob for about the twentieth time and got caught for about the fifth. So yeah, I was 16 and terrified."
"How'd you fix it?" Dom asked, wondering how they could use what she was telling them to get her to help them.
"I told him that if he was better at protecting his shit it wouldn't get stolen so much." Storm smirked at the memory. Ivan, the man she'd been pilfering from, was about six foot four and weighed in at round about three hundred pounds. What had made her think it was a good idea to tell him what she had she'd never know. She caught the disbelieving looks she was getting from everyone, Taylor and Matty included since they'd never heard the story themselves. She knew without being told that both of them would have freaked out. "I didn't say I was smart about it, I just said my pop made me fix it on my own. I get arrogant when I'm threatened or backed into a corner, and I never admit I'm wrong if I can help it."
"How is that fixing the situation you were in?" Dom asked in disbelief.
"He was impressed by how brave I was, and how good I was to have been able to steal off him in the first place. His shit wasn't exactly out there; I was just good with a lock pick and good at concealing myself. He gave me my first job, securing his places better. Worked out great for me in the end. I worked for him for years, from the time I was 16 until about 22. But the fact is had my dad cleaned up that mess for me we likely would have ended up in a war with the Russians, not allied with them like we are today."
"I don't see how that's relevant to Stacey's situation." Brian said with a frown.
"Don't you? If she doesn't learn better ways to deal with her issues then running away then someone will always be chasing her down. I understand why you want her back, because I know she needs those pills, but do you really want to be chasing her forever?"
"Of course not." Brian retorted quickly. "But I don't want her dead either."
"She'll be found. I'm just not going to be the one who does the finding, and I can safely say that if she ever does anything like this again both she and you will be on your own. As for Tess and her family, that's on you Brian. I'm not having anything to do with that little issue. Had you not forbidden Stacey from having any visitors and kept throwing your opinion she was making up the stuff about Mia in her face she'd likely still be in her hospital room. I guess I'm mad at Stacey for being so stupid but I'm utterly fed up with you for the same thing. I can see Stacey's motivations even if I still want to throttle the life out of her over it, but I can't see any motivation for you other then sheer selfishness so I'm done helping you. If you think back over all the times I've helped you I haven't ended up with anything but bullet wounds and huge doses of a judgemental attitude." And a broken heart. It went unsaid, but hung over their heads. Everyone aware of it and no one willing to draw attention to it.
"That's your final decision?" Vince asked, a resigned look on his face.
"Yeah, that's it. Good luck with finding her though." Storm pushed past them, her patience for talking at an end. Matty and Taylor followed her and Matty climbed in the back of Storm's car, stretching his legs out across the whole rear seat. Taylor took shotgun and Storm got into the driver's seat. They pulled out of the driveway and watched as the three men on the step stood and watched them leave.
xox
Benny Demaret hung up his phone and looked at it in thought. They'd found the cell phone the girl had used to text Storm tossed into a ditch along a state highway. A state highway that didn't lead anywhere but Mexico. Benny sighed. Mexico. Federales. If the girls got across the boarder the amount he could do about it would be cut in less then half. He had Mexican ties but not enough to help him patrol the whole place for two girls in an American car. If they weren't careful and at least one of them didn't speak good Spanish they were as good as carjacked anyway, if they ended up in the wrong place.
Benny didn't figure they'd ever make the boarder. He knew where they were headed by the time Storm's car had started. He had debated telling Stacey's brother he'd found her, just so that he didn't get the cops involved, but in the end he didn't. If Storm was right about one thing it was the fact that she'd done a lot for Brian but rather then realize he owed her at least some courtesy he continually talked down to her until he needed something from her again. No, he'd get the girl back and use his contacts to have her shipped to Miami right away. Then he'd post a guard on her at all times so there would be no further escape attempts.
The issue of who would have custody of her would be settled by some judge no one knew in Florida and then the whole part of their lives could close so they could all move on. It would be harder, he knew, if Cara won and not Brian. Stacey would become a part of her mother and sister's life, leaving Storm little option but have contact with the young lady she claimed, at least for the moment, to be ready to kill.
Storm had always had a quick temper, even as an infant, and Benny had no doubt she'd calm down. It'd take time but she'd come around. But someone had to impress upon her young friend the enormity and seriousness of what she'd done. Benny also had a feeling that perhaps the best thing to really drive home how badly she'd messed up to Stacey would be coming back to find that Storm, Taylor, and Matty had all left her behind. He'd seen his own daughter sick and it just about killed him every time. But that didn't change the fact that when she made herself sick by eating too much candy or drinking too much liquor he didn't fuss over her and tell her it would all be fine. He let the stomach ache and splitting headache teach her a lesson better then any rant he could ever go on could.
xox
"Stacey this was a really bad idea." Tess said worriedly as they flew along the highway out of L.A.
"I don't know what else I can do." Stacey sighed. "What if Mia got to me and no one was around?"
"Why didn't you just tell someone she was waking up and you were scared? What if you get sick in Mexico? I don't know where I'd take you. I've only been to Mexico once and we went to one of those all inclusive places on vacation. We didn't just drive around the whole place."
"I can't go back now. They all know I left by now and if I go back Brian will never let me out of his sight again. I can't live the way they were making me anymore." Stacey fought her tears as one escaped and rolled down her pale cheek.
"I don't want you to think I don't understand Stacey. I get it that you were really scared, I do. But now I'm really scared. What if something happens to you and I can't get you someplace to get help?"
"I'll be fine." As Stacey made her overconfident statement her cell phone rang. She looked up at Tess in panic. "Should I answer it?"
"I don't know? Can they trace cell phones?"
"I don't know. I thought you thought they could. Isn't that why you made me toss Nat's out the window when I was done?"
"I just said that because I thought that's why you were worried. I don't know for sure if they can or not. Whose number's calling?" Tess asked as she divided her attention between the road in front of her and her friend.
"I don't know. I don't recognize it." Stacy said as the phone rang for the fourth time. She took a deep breath and answered the phone, figuring she'd just toss it out the window when she was done if she got a bad vibe about whether the person could use it to find her or not. "Hello? Who is this?"
"Where are you young lady?" Benny asked the female voice on the other end of the cellular link. He could tell she was scared from the tone of her voice and all he could think was good enough for her.
Stacey didn't recognize the voice on the other end of the line. She just knew it was an older man and it wasn't anyone her brother knew. "Who is this?" She asked again.
"Mr. Demaret that's who. Now where are you? Do you realize the shit you caused running off?" Benny forced his voice to be firm and slightly annoyed, to let the girl know everything was not alright.
"I had to run off! Mia was waking up. I had no choice." Stacey said in panic, her knowlage of who Storm's father really was not making her very happy to be talking to him.
"You had time and ability to contact that other little girl in the car with you who is in just as much trouble as you are for her part in this little farce so you had time to contact someone who woulda been smart enough to think up a good, safe plan instead of this harebrained scheme you two cooked up."
"We got away so I guess it wasn't too harebrained." Stacey protested hotly, not appreciating the way Benny 'Chains' was insulting her intelligence.
"Well sweetheart, two things. One, we can trace cell phones. Not that we didn't know where you were before anyway, but we sure do now. And two, what in the name of god were you going to do about the drugs you need to take everyday for the rest of your live just to survive huh? Did that little detail ever enter your pretty yet obviously vacant little blond head!" Benny's ire was peaked by the 'so there' attitude Stacey had continued to exhibit up until that point.
"I never thought about my drugs." Stacey admitted in a small voice.
"I didn't think so. Are you going to turn the car around on your own, or do the guys I have right on your tail need to pull you over and escort you back?"
"We'll turn around." Stacey caved in and the tears began to fall in earnest. "I know she's going to kill me."
The tone of her voice reminded Benny of the last time Storm had gotten herself into hot water with the Russian man who'd ended up her friend. He knew she now realized how rash she'd acted and he knew that she had several more unpleasant realizations waiting on her back in the city. He really did feel for the kid, and now that she was suitably chastised he didn't think he had to keep up the hard ass routine. "Kid, she's not gonna kill ya. She's not even awake yet. She just showed signs of regaining consciousness. Besides that we had a guard on her the whole time."
"I'm still scared." Stacey had no idea why she was admitting all this to a man she didn't even know, other then the fact her friend trusted her father with an absolute certainty.
"I know. But there's a plane waiting to take you to Miami as soon as you get back to town. Then you won't have to worry about anyone getting around you but your brother. I know he's annoying better then anyone but he won't be able to treat you the way he does here while we're in Miami, ok?"
"Ok." Stacey's voice was still small and scared. "Why didn't Storm call me instead of you?" She asked, scared she knew the answer was her older friend had been too angry to deal with the issue herself.
"We'll talk more when you get back to the hospital. Don't talk to anyone but the guy in the car behind you. He's going to make sure you get onto the plane and end up out of the state before your brother knows we found you. Got it?"
"We got it."
The girls headed back the way they came, both worried about what waited for them in LA.
"I bet they told my parents what I did." Tess worried as she drove.
"How would they know you were even with me? No one saw you in the hospital."
"I don't know how I just have this feeling that I'm in deep shit. I hope I don't take Blade down with me."
"I think you're overreacting. They couldn't know you were with me. Well, I mean Mr. Demaret could, but he wouldn't tell your parents. He's the kind of guy who's just happy when he gets his way. We're going back so he'll be chill."
"You're brother won't be and he knows by now you're missing, you didn't take yourself and Storm and her friends aren't with you. I'm so dead." Tess moaned.
"I'll take the blame for it. You only did it because I didn't really give you a choice. You knew I was going alone or not and you just didn't want me to get hurt trying to pull it off all by myself."
"That's kind of you to say now Stacey but my mom and dad are not gonna see it that way. But maybe you're right and only this Mr. Demaret guy knows about it."
It took them another few hours to get back to L.A., both of them always aware of the car behind them, watching their every move. They did as instructed and went right back to the hospital, pulling up to the front door. Stacey did as she had been told, waiting in the car for the dark man in the black sedan behind her to get out and come around to her door, opening for her. "Ok, follow me." He said gruffly, his eyes shielded from view by mirrored sunglasses.
"Thanks for trying Tess. I hope you don't get into trouble over it. I'll see you when I come home from this court thing." Stacey said and got out of the car, her whole posture screaming dejection. The man helped her along into the hospital and Tess watched her go, frowning in concern and worry. There was nothing she could do at this point and she knew it. They'd tried and they'd failed. She'd known it was a bad idea from the start. She could only hope that things would go according to plan for her friend in Miami and in a few weeks she'd be back and safe from all the issues she'd been dealing with.
She started her car back up and headed home, ready to take her punishment for what had been, on reflection a pretty stupid, yet very noble idea.
xox
Stacey was ushered straight up to the roof where a helicopter was waiting for her to airlift her to Miami. As she climbed on she saw Cara Miles and Tabitha sitting in the aircraft.
"Stacey!" Tabitha called out. "I'm so glad you're ok."
Stacey felt more then a little guilty as she realized she'd abandoned the girl who'd been her friend since she could remember. "Yeah. I'm ok." Stacey looked at Cara. "I'm sorry for not thinking before I did what I did."
Cara nodded. "It wasn't very bright sweetie." She held her arms open to Stacey, knowing with a mother's instinct the girl couldn't take much more. Stacey flung herself at her adopted mother and sobbed on her shoulder. It took her a few minutes to get it out of her system and compose herself. By then the helicopter was in the air. Stacey looked around the interior of the helicopter.
"Where's Storm?" She asked in curiosity. She'd expected to regret Storm's presence, figuring she had quite the talking to coming. She hadn't expected her not to be present if her mother and sister were.
"Well…" Cara started and trailed off, not sure how to tell Stacey about Storm's trip back to the north east.
Stacey looked from Cara to Tabitha and saw the nervous looks on their faces. "Well, where is she? Is she ok?"
"She's fine dear." Cara assured Stacey before she could get herself any more worked up. "But I'm afraid she was pretty angry with what you did."
"I'll tell her I'm sorry when I see her again." Stacey said, wondering when that would be.
"That might help sweetheart, but she and Taylor took Matty home to New York and I'm not sure when she plans on coming back. Her father's joining her there in a day or two and I'm just not sure if she has any plans to leave again in the near future."
"She left me?" Stacey asked in shock.
"She had to go cool down." Tabitha interjected. "Like the time I accidentally broke her model car. Only she was a lot more mad, so she had to take longer to cool off."
"She doesn't care if you win or not anymore? That means she's not going to be around for my court doesn't it?" Stacey asked, her lower lip trembling.
"I'm afraid that she won't be coming to Miami, no." Cara tried to break the news gently. "But don't worry dear, you know when she gets mad she gets very upset. She'll calm down. You'll just have to give it time. In the mean time we have a lot of things to discuss about the case. Do you think you could talk for awhile now, or would you like to try and rest for awhile first?"
"I think I'd like to rest please." Stacey said.
"Of course. I'll wake you when we arrive."
Stacey pulled her legs up under her and tilted her head back against the head rest. Taylor, Matty, and Storm had all left her. They told her they were going to make sure things worked out and then they just left? But you just left them, a little voice nagged in her head. She fell asleep, worrying about what was to come.
xox
They'd been traveling about three hours when Storm had told them she was too tired to drive any farther. She wasn't exactly lying. She wasn't physically tired but she was mentally exhausted. Taylor took over the wheel, having learned to drive her car back when they'd been dating. Matty decided to move into the front and let his sister curl up in the back. An offer she took him up on, despite thinking he should stay in the back so he would have lots of room to be comfortable. She was feeling selfish. She forwent her seatbelt so she could curl up on her side across the seat with her back to her brother and friend.
Taylor and Matty exchanged looks but let it go. They alternatively talked about inane topics and listened to the local radio channels at low volume. Storm slept on in her curled up position in the back. As they drove day gave way to dusk and finally the darkness forced Taylor to turn on the headlights as they flew through the gathering shadows. Still Storm slept on.
Or did a credible impression of it, Taylor mused to himself as he drove. He knew from previous experience if she didn't want to deal with an issue she was quite good at pretending to be out of it so no one would bother her. But when she started to make low noises in her throat he was convinced she was really asleep.
"We should stop for the night soon Taylor. I'm ready to get out of this car." Matty said as he stretched.
"Yeah, me too. Damn thing isn't very comfortable for long trips." Taylor said and groaned. He pulled into the next motel he saw and parked at the door to the office. Matty moved to get out. "I'll go get us a room." He walked in and came out with two keys a second later. "All they had left was a room with two doubles."
"It's cool. I'll be fine on the floor."
"Don't be stupid Taylor. One of us will share with Storm. She doesn't take up much room. She's a very still sleeper." Matty informed his friend and then blushed, realizing that Taylor likely already knew that.
When they parked Taylor and Matty got out. Taylor leaned into the back to try and wake Storm but she wasn't having it. He finally handed off her bag to her brother with a sigh and reached into the back, picking her up easily and kicking the car door closed. Matty opened the door to the room and Taylor carried Storm in, tossing her onto one of the beds. She grumbled in her sleep and simply rolled over to turn her back to him again.
"She's good at the old cold shoulder routine, huh?" Matty asked, chuckling. "She's giving it to you even in her sleep. You share with her tonight and I'll take my turn tomorrow, ok?"
"Whatever." Taylor said as he pulled off his shoes and turned back one side of the sheets. He pulled Storm's boots off and manoeuvred her coat off her too. Then he put her under the blankets and got in the other side himself, facing away from her.
"Night Taylor."
"Night Matty." Taylor answered and put his head down on the pillow. It didn't take long before both men were sound asleep. Unfortunately for Taylor it wasn't long after before Storm started to have one of her infamous nightmares. "Shush." He told her as he tried to calm her down. She finally responded to his familiar voice and went back to a restful sleep, leaving Taylor awake with his thoughts, which were anything put pleasant.
xox
Benny again found himself looking at a phone. Only this time it was his house line and he also had a scrap of paper with the Toretto household's number written on it. It fell to him to call them and tell them the girl was safe, but also was already in the air en route to Miami.
He picked up the phone and dialled. The phone was answered almost instantly. "Hello."
"Brian O'Connor?"
"Yeah, this is Brian. Who's this?"
"Benny Demaret, Storm's father. I just wanted to tell you they found your sister. She's fine and already been moved to Miami. No one wanted to chance her running off again and she's much less likely to do so from there." Benny paused, wondering if Brian would have anything to say. When the younger man didn't join the conversation he went on. "I just thought you should know so you could stop worrying. She'll be landing on the helipad of Miami General any minute now." Benny hung up.
Brian hung up and sat staring at the phone for a full minute. Dom couldn't take it anymore.
"Well, who was it?"
"The father, Benny what's his name. They found Stacey and then moved her to Miami. She's already gone." Brian was in shock.
"Well then I guess you have some packing to do. You're going to have to go to Miami and meet her, try to win your case. Remember what we talked about?"
"Yeah." Brian stood up with a sigh and went to pack. He did have to go to the hearing. But he also wondered what the point was. Why did he want to get custody of his sister just to spend his time wondering if she was going to run off again or if she was miserable? But family was family and the fact remained that Stacey was his sister. The only thing he could do was fight for her. Wasn't it?
AN: I guess Princess is going next so I will leave it there. Goodnight! (Oh, don't forget to review.)