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Chapter Fourteen:
Cutting Ties

Ana was silent as she and Misha walked back to her cell. Her mind was a complete mess, a jumble of contradicting thoughts. All she wanted was to go home to her family, to their safety and comfort. But then there was the small voice in the back of her mind that was growing louder by the day. A voice telling her that she did not belong. That she was an outsider. And that they only way to make things better was to take drastic measures…

They stopped outside the door and Ana held her hands out so that Misha could remove her handcuffs. When she was free, she stepped into the cell, waiting for the door to be locked behind her.

"Ana."

"Don't talk to me," she snapped, keeping her back to him. "You are already putting me through enough. Don't add more of your filthy lies to the mix."

"I'm sorry," he murmured, closing the door. He felt nauseous. Ana was a shadow of her former self. The person who had been so vibrant and alive. He didn't care that they had all been working towards this for years. What they were doing to Ana was wrong and he could no longer sit back and witness what was happening.

He had to get Ana out.

"Ana!"

The voice hissed urgently, ripping Ana from her slumber. Not that she was sleeping extreme heavily- her surroundings were not all that comfortable.

"Ana!" The voice hissed again. Whoever was speaking was now shaking her.

She opened her eyes, squinting into the darkness. As her eyes focused, Ana saw Misha's face, looming towards her. Instinctively, she cowered slightly, fearful that she was going to be dragged off again.

"Ana, come on. Get up." Misha glanced over his shoulder.

"What do you want?" she whispered.

"I'm getting you out of here." He went to grab her hand, but she tore it away from him.

"What?"

"I am getting you out of here," he repeated. "But we have to move fast."

Ana sat up straight. "Why should I believe you?"

Misha's face fell slightly. "Trust me, Ana. Please."

"You have got to be kidding me." Ana retorted, letting out a sarcastic laugh. Misha flinched.

"Ssh!" He glanced over his shoulder again. "If mum and Elena hear you, I am dead."

"Is that supposed to deter me from being loud?" Ana asked. "If so, you need to find a new technique."

"Ana, I am trying to help you here." He paused, taking in her doubtful expression. "What have you got to lose? I'm either here to take you to Elena, which puts you in no worse position that you already are. Or I am really here to help you. So please, come with me."

Ana took a few excruciatingly long seconds before standing.

"Fine," she said. "I'll come."

"Here," Vaughn placed a sandwich in front of Sydney before sitting beside her at the table. Jack was standing by the kitchen bench, muttering into his phone.

Sydney shook her head. "I'm not hungry," she mumbled.

"Sydney, please eat something," Vaughn pleased, rubbing a hand down her back.

"I can't," she whispered back. "I just can't."

"That was Weiss," Jack said, taking a step towards the table. "They've still got nothing."

Even though Sydney did not expect anything but, it still ripped her apart to hear that.

"I can't take it, I can't live with this anymore," she stood abruptly. "Ana is…she is probably…" She suddenly turned on her heel and walked out the back door.

Vaughn and Jack glanced at each other before following her out. They found her standing on the edge of the back porch, looking up at the inky black sky.

"Sydney?" Vaughn said gently, coming up beside her.

She furiously wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't want Billy or Lexi to hear me. I don't want to make the situation any harder for them." She broke off as the tears suddenly spilled out of her eyes.

"Oh Syd," Vaughn sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"I keep thinking that we'll never see her again. She is in the clutches of a Derevko," Sydney said. "We have to face facts. What are the chances of her survival?"

"Extremely high," Jack broke in.

"Dad, please don't sugar coat this."

"I'm not Sydney," Jack replied. "You are forgetting that Elena does want to kill Ana. That would go against everything she believes in. She believes that Rambaldi wanted either Ana or Billy to kill the other. Which means for that to happen, Ana will need to resurface, and when that happens, we will be waiting."

"Stop the car," Ana demanded.

"Huh?" Misha glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes.

"I said stop the car," she repeated. "We are far enough away. I can look after myself from here."

"You don't want me to take you closer to home?"

"I said stop!"

Slightly surprised by Ana's vehemence, Misha did so. However, instead of climbing out of the car, Ana remained seated, staring out the front windscreen.

"Ana?"

She turned to him. "I want to say thank you," she said, though the words sounded extremely forced. "For getting me out of there."

"Don't thank me," Misha replied, quietly. "I don't deserve it."

Ana let out a soft snort. "That being said, there is something else that I want you to hear. I never want to see you again- unless it's to see your sorry ass being thrown into prison. What you did to me- and I am not talking about the past couple of days. I am talking about the lie that you based our relationship on. That was despicable. Unforgivable." With that, she opened her door and stepped out of the car. "Good luck, Misha," she said, slamming the door. "Because you are going to spend the rest of your life, looking over your shoulder and hoping that you will never have to pay for what you did."

Not giving Misha a chance to reply, she turned and walked off, breathing a sigh of relief when she heard the car pull off and drive away.

She had no idea where to head. She couldn't go home. She wasn't completely sure why, but she had this intense feeling telling her that she couldn't return home. That she didn't fit in. she wasn't a part of the family. Now was the chance to start over. On her own she could create a life that was hers.

'Let them know that you are ok,' she suddenly thought. 'And then you will be able to cut ties entirely.'

A few feet ahead Ana spotted a pay phone and let out a small laugh. Well, she had to call them now, didn't she? Talk about a sign.

Same place, it was completely vivid this time. The concrete walls, and cyclone wire. It was like some kind of warehouse. Ana had no weapons this time. She appeared to not want to hurt me. But something clicked and suddenly we were fighting. I don't know who won. I woke before—

The phone ringing stopped Billy from writing. He leapt from his desk chair and out to the hall, picking it up before it had time to ring twice. He didn't know why, but he had to answer this call.

Sydney sat up slightly. "Was that the phone?"

Jack had left a few minutes prior, but Sydney and Vaughn had remained sitting out on the porch. The atmosphere of the house had been getting more and more stifling and the crisp night air was a welcome relief.

Vaughn cocked his head to one side. "I don't know. If it was, it's not ringing anymore."

Sydney sunk back into his arms. "It wouldn't have been good news, anyway," she muttered.

"Hello."

"Billy?"

"Yeah…." Billy's ears pricked. "Ana?"

"Yeah, it's me."

"Holy sh…are you ok? What has happened? Where are you? Hang on, I'll just go get mum and dad—"

"No!" Ana almost yelled. "Don't do that."

"Why?"

"I can't talk to them. I just wanted to call and let you know that I got away and I am fine."

Billy frowned. "What did they do to you, Ana?" She didn't reply. "Ana?"

"I'm not sure." She paused. "It's weird. I can barely remember a thing."

"Where are you now?"

Ana hesitated. "You don't need to know that."

"Huh?" Billy was downright confused. "Why not?"

"Because you just don't."

"Well, when are you coming home?"

"I'm not."

"What!"

"Please don't sound like that. I can't come back. I can't explain it…but I need to be alone."

"Ana…"

"Billy, don't. Can you please let mum and dad know that I am safe?"

"Ana, can I at least see you?"

"No."

"You are going to need clothes. Money. I can bring those to you. I promise, not a word to mum or dad until you are gone."

Ana exhaled loudly. "Ok. Fine."

"Well, I am going to need to know where you are."

A minute later, Billy hung up the phone and headed straight to Ana's room, the fact that he had left his journal wide open on his desk completely forgotten.

A/N: Three more chapters to go...