A/N: Wow! 22 reviews in two days! Based on what I have recieved from my wonderful readers I am going to change the end of this story. Of course I'm not going to tell you what's going to happen because really what's the fun in that?
Random thought: Do you think Amy realized that she planned on having Luke and Lorelai get married on Rory's orginal court date? I was watching A House is Not a Home and Lorelai tells Luke the date of Rory's day in court and it happens to be on June third. Did anyone else catch that? And, why does "Will you marry me?" get a "What?" Lorelai to Luke season one "what" Luke to Lorelai season five "what?" and now Lane and Zach. Anybody else wonder that?
Anyway on with Collide.
Chapter 50: Who You'd Be Today Part III
Previously on Collide:
Harris ran his fingers over her cheek. She cringed and turned to run from the house. She was stopped by Ricky. He held her by her upper arms and spun her around to face Harris. Audrey started to scream out but Harris clamped his hand over her mouth.
"No, no, Miss Connecticut. You don't want to wake the neighbors. You know, Ryan Turner used to be a lot more fun to hang out with before he started dating you," Harris seethed. "God you're a good looking girl. It's a shame I have to do this."
He brought his hand back and swung it foreward, snapping Audrey's head sideways. Contact after contact. Audrey tasted blood in her mouth. Tears stung in her eyes. She prayed that Babbette or Andrew or someone would come by and save her. She doubled over in pain as Harris repeatedly punched her in the stomach. She gasped for breath and crumpled to the ground. Harris lifted his foot to make contact with her when someting tackeled him.
Squinting through her swollen eyes she saw Ryan wresteling with Harris. Fists were flying, dirt being kicked up and grunts of anger. Audrey looked over at Ryan and he made eye contact with her.
"Audi run!" he commanded.
Audrey picked herself up and ran limply to the house. she collapsed on the proch steps. She wished that her father, brother, Jess or Marty had been home to come save her like they had many times before. If they were at least home she'd feel safer. From the safety of the steps she watched Ryan battle Harris.
"YouEVER touch her again you bastard, I will kill you!" Ryan yelled. "You stupid, mindless asshole! Get the hell out of here before I call the cops."
"You and me," Ricky said, pointing to himself and Ryan. "We're through!"
"That's fine with me!" Ryan yelled back. "Get the hell out!"
Harris and Ricky stumbled back to their car that was parked around the corner. Ryan spit out the blood that was pooling in his mouth from the hole he now had in his tounge. He walked back to the porch where Audrey was sitting, crying softly clutching her sides. Her face was badly beaten, Ryan could barely see the bright blue of her eyes through all the swelling. Her lip was split. She looked terrible. The sight of her so hurt only angered Ryan more. He hadn't been there to stop it until it was too late.
"Audi? Audrey talk to me," he whispered, taking her fragile self into his arms. "Audrey?"
She closed her eyes and fell into him. She had gone to Dreamland, that magical place where you feel no pain, no hurt, no tears are in Dreamland. Dreamland is full of cotton candy clouds, chocolate milk rivers, and butterscotch. Ryan shook her calling her name. She remained unresponsive. Audrey was basking in the bright morning sun of Dreamland. She didn't want to come back.
"Audrey! No Audrey! Audi, I need you to wake up!" he whispered frantically in her ear. "Audrey, baby girl, please."
He pulled her carefully to the ground and listened for her breath. She was, but it was labored. He carefully laid her on the gorund and rushed back into the house. He frantically searched the house for the phone before he remembered he had his cell in his pocket. He dialed 911 and began pacing. Tarah had heard the commotion and met Ryan in the living room following him as he went out to Audrey. He sat on the ground next to her cradling her head in his lap.
"911 emergancy services. How may I direct your call?" the operator asked.
"My girlfriend was just attacked and she's not responding to anything. She's breathing but it's ragged," Ryan said. "Please hurry."
"Sir, I need to know the address of where you are."
"1147 Hollow Road, Stars Hollow. Please hurry."
A few minutes later the ambulance arrived at the Danes's house. A team of three paramedics rushed to Audrey, who was cradeled in Ryan's lap. Two carefully move Audrey and the other talks to Ryan. He does his best to give them the information they need. Tarah comes out with Audrey's phone and the papers that Lorelai left. Ryan rode in the ambulance with Audrey and Tarah drove Audrey's car. Word spread quickly and most of the population of Stars Hollow sat in wait for news on Audrey's condtion.
"Who are the gaurdians for Audrey Danes while her parents are out of the country?" the doctor asked coming into the waiting room.
"We are," Sookie said, pointing to herself and Jackson.
"Please come with me. We need to speak privately."
Sookie looked worried as she and Jackson went with the doctor to a private family waiting room. Sookie sat donw on the couch and Jackson put his arm around her as they braced themselves for the worst. The doctor opened Audrey's chart and looked over his notes.
"I have some good news and some bad news."
"Is she going to be all right?" Sookie asked, panicking.
"Audrey is going to be just fine. The hits she sustained to her chest bruised her ribs which was why she was having difficulty breathing. She'll have to wear a brace for most of the summer. Now I have to ask, and I know it's going to be difficult for you to answer but, has this ever happened before?"
"No," Jackson said.
"We suspect that it was her boyfriend that did this to her," the doctor said. "Has he ever lifted his hands to her before?"
"Never," Sookie replied. "Ryan Turner loves that little girl more than anyone in the world. He was trying to protect her from what I gather. If you want to know what happened I suggest you talk to him. No when can we take Audrey home?"
"We want to keep her for a couple hours just to make sure nothing else is wrong and you can take her home this afternoon."
"Thank you Doctor," Jackson said, shaking his hand.
"Can we see her?" Sookie asked, standing.
"Yes, she's in room 522. Please only allow two at a time as not to overwhelm her."
Out in the waiting room Ryan sat stairng at his shoes. He was meantlly beating himself up over what has happened to Audrey. "This is all my fault," he sighed. "I should have done more to stop this from happening. I should have protected her. I should have taken you both and gotten as far away as possible until this was over."
"Ryan none of this is your fault. You had no way of knowing that Ricky and Harris were waiting for you," Tarah said rubbing his back. "I'm sure that Audrey wouldn't want you talking like this."
Suddenly Pat Benetar's Love is a Battlefield, blasted in the quiet waiting room. Reailizing that it was Audrey's phone Tarah looked down at the caller id noticing that it said Mom.
"Hello?" Tarah said.
"Audrey what the hell is going on?" Lorelai screeched. "Luke and I get back to the hotel with an urgent message to call home. What is going on?"
"Mrs. Danes, this is Tarah. AUdrey's hurt. Umm, I'm going to give you to Ryan," Tarah said.
Tarah passed the phone to Ryan. He sighed and said, "Hi Lorelai."
"Ryan what the hell is going on? Tarah said Audi's hurt. What happened?"
"It's hard to explain but two of my former friends were a tad upset about something that had happened between Tarah and her ex boyfriendand they beat the hell out of Audrey. I'm so sorry Lorelai."
He continued to talk to Lorelai. Telling her what had happened the past few days. He told her about what happened to Tarah and what Audrey did to help her which is what led to her attack.
"Ryan is Sookie there?" Lorelai asked.
"Yeah she is. You want to talk to her?"
"Let me to talk to Sookie, Ryan," Lorelai demanded.
Ryan stood up and walked over to Sookie. "It's Lorelai, she wants to talk to you."
Sookie had a very serious look on her face as she listened to her best friend.
"Right. Of course she's going to stay with us, I wouldn't let her go home by herself. We'll see you in a couple days."
Sookie hung up the phone and handed it back to Ryan.
"What did Lorelai say?" Ryan asked.
"Audrey will be going home with us," Sookie said. "Her parents should be home in about four days."
The doctor came back out of Audrey's room and said to the gathered bunch, "Miss Danes is stable and alert. You may go in and see her two at a time. Please try to not upset her."
Sookie and Jackson went in first. Sookie sat next to Audrey, taking her hand and caressing it softly. Jackson stood behind Sookie with his hand on her shoulder.
"Hey popcorn," Sookie said quietly.
"You haven't called me popcorn in fourteen years, Aunt Sookie," Audrey giggled weakly.
"How are you feeling?" Jackson asked.
"A little loopy. The stuff they gave me made me a little sleepy," Audrey said, yawning.
"That's to be expected honey," Sookie said. "Listen you're going to come stay with us for a couple days, until your Mom and Dad get home."
"No, their vacation. They needed it. They should stay. I'll be fine."
Audrey's thoughts went back to the few days when she seriously thought her famly was going to be ripped apart. Luke and Lorelai need the time away from town to fall back in love with each other. Audrey felt so guilty that she runied it for them.
"Audrey, you mean more to Luke and Lorelai than any vacation or trip," Jackson said. "I remember when Chip was so sick Luke and Lorelai barely left the hospital."
"I don't want to be a burden Aunt Sookie, Uncle Jackson."
"You're never a burden to us kid," Sookie and Jackson reassured.
"Can I see Ryan and Tarah?"
"Of course popcorn. We'll see you later."
Sookie and Jackson left the room as Tarah and Ryan came in. It was breaking Tarah's heart seeing her best friend like this. Hurt and in pain.
"Hey baby," Ryan said, softly. "Oh baby. I am so sorry."
"Ryan stop it! I'm fine!" Audrey snapped. "Don't treat me like that! God Ryan!"
"I'm sorry Audrey," he said, going to her side and grasping her hand. "You're like this because of me. You're hurt because of me. You wouldn't be like this if I had done something to stop Ricky from calling Harris."
"Ryan none of this is your fault. I chose to help Tarah take on Ricky. Ryan there was nothing you could have done to stop Harris or Ricky from doing this to me. We could have gone to Maine and he still would have found us becasue he wanted to hurt us."
"Will it hurt if I kiss you?" he asked.
"No it won't."
Ryan leaned over and gave Audrey a deep meaningful kiss. His hand gentely caressed her cheek. Her bright blue eyes stood out from the horrible black and tan bruises on her face. He hated seeing her like this. He hated seeing the girl that he loved more than anyone in pain. What gives guys the right to treat girls like a punching bag?
Four days later, Tuesday morning, Luke and Lorelai arrived back in the states. Audrey was moved home. She was placed in her room and told not to move. It took a lot of pursauding for Luke to not go ouit and find Ricky and Harris and kill them both.
"Mom, I'm fine really, "Audrey argued. "Go back to Rome. Go spend some more 'alone' time with Dad."
"Audrey, I have spent all the 'alone' time I've ever needed with your dad. We are here to take care of you. I'd hate it if anything else were to happen to you while we are away."
Wednesday afternoon Audrey receieved a call from Holly's mother.
"Audrey, dear have you heard from Holly this week?" Mrs. Matthews asked.
"I talked to her on Thursday when she told me about her audtion but she hasn't called me about how it went," Audrey replied. "Why do ask?"
"Holly never came home," Mrs. Matthews replied.
"What can I do?"
"If you hear from her, can you please, please send her home."
"Of course Mrs. Matthews. Please keep me updated."
Despite her parents' protests, Audrey and Ryan drove out to Woodbury to help the Matthews' with their search. Audrey called New York City Hospitals, shelters, the YMCA, the YWCA, she even contacted some of Jess's friends in the city for other places she could have gone. But it was turning up useless. Audrey was worried. The police were doing everything they could to locate Holly butshe had been gone almost a week. It was very unlikely that they would find her. OR if they did find her it was very unlikely that she would be alive.
Audrey sat in her room Thursday night, a week after she had slept with Ryan and almost a week since her own attack. She sat in her room, her rib cage bandaged, her once flawless face riddled with bruises that she decided to change her platform for the Miss America pageant.As much as she hated to admit she knew Holly was gone. They were now just in the waiting game, waiting for the call.
The call that Audrey and the Matthews had been dreading, praying that would never came early Monday afternoon. Audrey had arrived about twenty minutes eariler with food from the Dragonfly and coffee from Luke's. They were just getting ready to dig into the food when the phone rang. Everyone in the Matthew's house froze. No one wanted to answer the phone.
"Corrine Matthews," Mrs. Matthews said.
"Mrs. Matthews this is Dect. Mac Taylor. I'm from the New York City Crime Lab."
A mixture of joy and fear encased Mrs. Matthews's face. "Oh my God! Did you find Holly? Is she all right?"
"Ma'am, I hate to tell you this over the phone. I would like you to come to the lab as soon as you can. We have found your daughter, Holly. We need you to come to the lab as soon as you can."
"It's not good news is it?" Mrs. Matthews asked, her face falling, tears brewing in her eyes.
"I'm afraid not."
"I'll be there soon. Thank you sir."
Mrs. Matthews barely got the phone hung up before she collasped to the floor enveleoped in sobs. She hugged herself tightly. Her daughter was gone. Audrey began to cry also. Her best friend on the pageant circut was gone. A beautiful girl, full of love and joy had been taken from them.
Audrey stuck around the house while Mr. and Mrs. Matthews drove into New York to bring Holly home. Audrey wandered outside to Holly's garden. The small walled garden was Holly's favorite place in the entire world, next to the stage. She could hear Holly's crystal bell like laugh in the faint breeze. Hanging from the old tree in the middle of the garden was a rope swing. Audrey bent over to smell the roses and when she looked up she saw Holly watching her from the swing.
"Audi, don't be sad for me," Holly said. "I've met so many amazing people on this side."
"Holly how can you be gone? You were going to be in the chours of Phantom of the Opera. You were going to Julliard," Audrey asked, trying not to cry.
"I guess it was my time. Don't worry about me, Audrey I'll be fine. You want to know the cool thing about heaven? If you haven't found your soul mate on earth they're waiting for you here. I met mine. He's so sweet. He plays baseball on the East Side Heaven team. His mansion of gold and silver is right nextdoor to his grandparents."
"Holly I miss you so much," Audrey said, tears trickling down her cheeks. "What's his name? This wonderful guy?"
"Christian. Christian Danes, your twin brother," Holly said her eyes filled with stars.
Audrey couldn't help but smile. The few times that she was able to see her brother she knew that Holly was going to be just fine. Appearing in the garden next to Holly was Chip. He took hold of her hand and kissed softly.
"Hey little sister," he said, drawing his thumb across her brusied cheek. "Don't cry. Don't be sad about Holly. She's safe now. No one is going to hurt her anymore."
"Hey Audi, win Miss America for me," Holly whispered into Audrey's ear. "I'll be seeing you."
Audrey watched as Holly took her brothers handand walked away vanishing before her eyes. She climbed into the swing and listened to the wind. She could still hear Holly's beautiful voice singing in the garden. As she swung back and forth shebegan to hum Holly's song.
Think of me
Think of me fondly when we've said goodbye,
Remember me once in a while promise me you'll try
When you find that once again
You long to take your heart back and be free
If you ever find a moment
Spare a thought for me
A/N: Ok so I lied. Get over it. I have no other parting words for you. Other than this:
Next time on Collide:
Audrey sings for Holly at her service. Her campaingn for her new platforms begins and she and Ryan have a fight.
The pretty blue gray button is calling you!