Deep, Dark Secrets

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye!

Chapter Four: Any Unforeseeable Problem

Jackson was just like Abby had always imagined. He had cared about her, unlike everyone else. He seemed to enjoy hearing about her life and frowned at every mention of Philippe. She could have sworn that he smiled slightly whenever he mentioned her mother.

He had in turn shared stories about his life and of when he had been with her mother. There was a wistful glance in his chilly blue eyes every time he spoke about Lisa. She had a feeling that if he could, he would stop at nothing to get her mother back. He clearly missed his broken family.

Jackson had told her how pleased he was with her accomplishments and how delighted he was that she was alive.

Abby had not wanted to leave her father when her time was up. There was so much more to discuss that they had not reached.

"I'll be back, I promise, dad. I'll come back!" she had yelled to him as Philippe led her from the room and the guards dragged him back to his cell.

She already missed him. The hour that she had spent chatting with him was the happiest time of her life that she could remember. It was unfair that they had been so cruelly torn apart by her mother's mental instability and Philippe's jealousy.

Abby knew that she would go back to visit. She still had power over Philippe. She could still tell her mother about Jackson being alive. Abby was considering spilling the information just to see the look on Lisa's face and to witness the destruction of her own family. She wanted Philippe out of her life and she wanted to be away from her mother. She just wanted to be with her father.

---------------------------------------------------

The following weekend, Abby had 'convinced' Philippe to take her to visit Jackson once more. He had attempted to talk her out of it, but had failed.

No one will keep us apart. He's my father and I want to see him.

It was the same procedure as the previous time. Abby had drifted off into her thoughts as she waited in the same dank room for the guards to bring her father. She had quickly snapped back to reality when he sauntered in with a wide smirk.

She was surprised at his facial expression and actions until she realized that Philippe was standing behind her.

"Shoo," Jackson almost growled at the psychiatrist, his cold eyes boring a hole into Philippe. "This is my time with my daughter."

"I'll make my rounds and come back," Philippe whispered to Abby and then shot a glare at Jackson.

They're both fighting over me…why? Why does Philippe even care about me? I'm Jackson Rippner's daughter, not Philippe Carter's daughter.

"How's my Abby today?" Jackson asked her sweetly.

"I'm doing much better now that you are here, dad," she replied happily as Jackson gave her a hug. He was not afraid to show affection towards her, unlike her mother.

"That's good sweetie."

"I missed you so much," she sighed sadly. "Philippe and mommy dearest were unbearable all week…"

"I'm sorry about that."

"You're here now and that's all that matters." She smiled brightly at him.

"Abby, I need you to trust me," Jackson said softly, his voice becoming very low.

"Why? What's wrong dad?" Abby was suddenly unnerved by his words. Had something happened to him over the past week? Had Philippe done something to him as repayment for her blackmail? He sure seemed vindictive enough…

"My little Abby, sweet Abby." He smiled at her with his icy eyes sparkling. "I'm going to take you home."

"What!" She was outraged. How dare he try to send me home! After everything that I've done to be with him? Doesn't he care about me in the slightest?

"You don't want to live with him anymore—you told me so. I'll take you away from here. How would you like to live with me?"

"Oh dad… but how? How can you get me away from them? He won't let me leave."

This is like a dream come true for me. All I ever wanted was to be with my father. Now, now he wants me too… Is this all just a dream or am I really lucky for once?

"I need you to pretend to be scared of me, Abby. I want the guards to come in. Don't worry—I won't ever hurt you. Just pretend. Do it for us. This way we can leave together," her father promised and pleaded. She hated to see him beg. He should know by now that I'll do whatever he asks.

"But Philippe—" she warned. Her step-father would all too eagerly stop any all plans that they made. He was determined to keep her unhappy.

"Will acquiesce unless he wants me to hurt you. I'm going to threaten you, but just know this—I will never hurt you. I swear I won't."

Something about his voice; the desperation, the compassion, the worry. It snared her and she believed him. Abby pitied him. He too had been hurt by Philippe and Lisa. He needed someone that cared about him as much as she did, if not more. Being locked up for fifteen years was not a punishment that she would wish for anyone—no matter how much she hated them.

"I trust you, dad," Abby told him sincerely with a wide smile. She always would trust him, unlike Philippe and Lisa. They had betrayed her trust by hiding Jackson from her. He had nothing to hide from her. He told her the truth.

"Good." His voice lost all feeling and turned cold. Daddy, what's going on?

An animalistic sneer crossed his pale face before he grabbed her by the throat. He yanked her out of her chair beside him and spun her into the wall. Her back harshly collided with the cement wall and she cried out in pain. You're hurting me!

The pain in her eyes was clear. But something had snapped in him. Jackson was no longer the father that she dreamed about and cared immensely for. He was a monster now. He was hurting her, even after promising not to. He was no better than the people she had been living with her entire life.

"Scream louder," he urged her, growing rougher in his movements. He slammed her repeatedly into the wall, rattling her head. "Fight me, Abby."

"No! Help!" Abby finally yelled, clawing at his iron grasp.

Dad, what are you doing? Daddy, please don't hurt me. You promised that you'd never hurt me!

"You think I can forgive you, Leese? I'll never forgive you! I gave you my love and you betrayed me! You're nothing more than a back-stabbing little whore, Lisa!" Jackson railed, knocking his helpless daughter around. He remained fairly close to her the entire time he was hurting her and it was all in plain view. There was nothing discrete about his abuse.

Lisa? Daddy, it's me, it's Abby! Please, please stop hurting me! I'm not her; I'd never betray you!

Two guards rushed in to pry Jackson from her trembling form. His fury scared her. He was lost in this game he was playing. He was harming her. Suddenly, he turned his attention and anger towards the men who had come to save her. He lashed out blindly and erratically.

He's truly insane… he's the perfect picture of a madman. Oh God, what have I done?

A head-butt rendered the one guard unconscious. The ex-manager deftly ripped the gun from the limp man's holster and reached towards his daughter.

Abby screamed loudly in fear when his cold hand grazed her skin. He pulled her tight against his chest. She tried to push herself away, but his thin arm had wrapped her throat; choking her. She gagged and swatted at him.

"Ssh, baby, daddy's got you. You're safe now. I won't hurt my Abby. I'll protect you," his silky smooth voice comforted and relaxed her.

It's all an act. He didn't mean to hurt me. It was all to call attention; nothing more than that. He loves me and cares about me. He'd never—

A loud click sounded in her ear.

Her cracking voice whispered to him. "Daddy—" she cried.

Jackson pressed the barrel of the stolen gun to her temple. Abby froze at the sudden pressure and threat.

Daddy, what are you doing? You won't hurt me, right? Please, daddy… I'll be a good girl.

"Get me Dr. Carter right now or else I'll blow her brains out," he warned the remaining guard, who seemed to be debating a course of action. "Don't test me. The results won't be pretty."

"Dad…daddy…" Abby twisted in his unrelenting grip.

"Ssh," he whispered, his lips caressing her unruly hair near her ear. "I won't hurt you, sweetie. I promise. It's all just for show."

"Rippner, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Philippe had arrived with reinforcements in the form of extra guards. Hatred consumed his face.

"Tell them to hit the road," Jackson ordered as he glared angrily at the guards.

Philippe solemnly nodded at the guards, humoring her father. They reluctantly behaved—Abby could see that they were just waiting for a chance to take him down. They want to hurt her father. Philippe entered the room completely and restrained himself from running to punch Jackson. She could see her step-father's clenched fists and it did not take a genius to realize that he had in mind.

"You always thought you'd won, didn't you?" taunted Jackson Rippner. "You thought you could easily steal my life away. Well, your time is up. I'm taking back what belongs to me. See her?" He stroked her hair gently; as if she were a beloved pet. "Who's daughter is she, Dr. Carter? Don't lie."

"Lisa's," Philippe hissed.

"Don't play games with me!" he raged. He roughly ripped her thick, dark hair and caused her to yelp.

"Dad, daddy," Abby pleaded with him. "You're hurting me."

"Ssh, sweetie," he crooned, his hold on her soft now. She could imagine herself as a newborn baby, cradled safely in his arms. "I'm just getting what you wanted, remember?"

"Abby," Philippe's voice conveyed his overwhelming concern as he tried to step closer.

"Uhuh," warned Jackson, cocking the gun again to make his point. "I will shoot her if you try and move towards me. Who hurt Lisa, Dr. Carter? Me. Don't test me. No one will take my daughter away from me."

"What do you want, Rippner?"

"Simple: I want my life. Release me and Abby and I will go on our merry way." Jackson was smiling brightly. She could feel it in his words. "Surely, you wouldn't deprive me of my parental rights? Otherwise, I will be sorely tempted to drag this into a long, very messy court battle. And I know you don't want that. Besides, why should we bother to upset my wife anymore than necessary?"

"Lisa is not your wife, Rippner. Not since you died!" snapped Philippe. "She still thinks you're dead!"

"All the more reason to release me. Abby will go with me. Tell my wife that she simply ran away. She'll get over it."

"Philippe, please," begged Abby in a childish voice. Jackson was scaring her slightly now. She still wanted to be with him, but what did that entail? "He's my father and I want to live with him. What are you so afraid of?"

"Abby, you know I can't do this. He's a killer!" Philippe was pleading with her to stop what she could tell he deemed 'madness'. She knew the way his mind worked.

"No, he's not!" she protested in his defense. "Mother is the killer! She's the one who belongs locked up in your precious institution!"

"What lies have you feed her innocent mind, Rippner? How have you poisoned her?" Philippe demanded to know.

"Poisoned her? He laughed harshly; a cold sound escaping. "I merely told her the truth!"

"Your distorted version of it without a doubt," snorted her step-father.

"I hate you! I just want to be with him! He loves me, unlike mommy dearest. He cares about me!" Abby called out.

"He's not capable of love or compassion, now are you, Rippner? Or should I say, Jack the Ripper?"

The gun swiveled to face Philippe. "Care to repeat that?"

Abby knew that they would just keeping picking on each other all day, unless she did something. Jackson was distracted, so she jerked his arm upwards and caused him to accidentally shoot the ceiling when he misfired because of her actions. He let go of her and Philippe swooped in to pull her towards him.

"No! Daddy!" she cried out as he attempted to drag her towards what he viewed as safety. She did not want to leave her father. If she left this room without him, she knew deep inside that she would never see him again. "Daddy!"

Jackson growled low in his throat and fired the gun. Abby screamed as she was knocked to the floor.

Philippe had fallen beside her and his chest was heaving. The blood from the bullet wound above his heart was spreading rapidly. He was dying, thanks to Jackson. He was killing the last person that stood between him and his family.

Her father stepped on, rather than over, Philippe and pulled her up from the floor. Abby clung to his shirt, shaking slightly.

"Good-bye, Dr. Carter," he smirked and another round entered Philippe's bent body. The hand clutching at the bullet hole fell to the floor, landing in the growing pool of blood. He was dead. Her father had killed him.

The guards returned and Abby vaguely remembered Jackson dragging her from the room and eventually to Philippe's car. He had stolen the keys from the dead psychiatrist's pocket.

Philippe's dead…my father killed him. He killed a man. He's going to take me home now. We're going to finally be a family. No one else is left to stop us.

A mounting feeling of despair and fear was rapidly filling Abby. Something was terribly wrong. How come dad was so calm and unremorseful? Sure, Philippe had destroyed his life, but why was he was cold and cruel about it? Why?

Unfortunately, things were about to get far worse before they improved.

Author's Notes:

I'm hoping that the length of this chapter helps to make up for the long wait. I'm on vacation, but I finally have a somewhat stable enough internet connection so that I'm able to update. Enjoy! The final chapter will be up on August 25th. Thanks so much for all the reviews!

J-Bird – Jackson's insane and he has no morals. All he cares about his obsession and there's nothing and no one that will stop him. He's not capable of love. Abby will be as ruthless as her father when she finally learns the truth. She's the only one who can break the cycle of abuse and death. Thanks:)

Kizua – Abby never quite sees that her family might have reasons and she should listen to them. Abby's a bit of sociopath (very similar to Jackson) and is pretty much only concerned about herself. Abby is not someone to feel very sorry for because her view is warped. She's written that way because she takes after her father so much. I don't feel very sorry for her, except for the fact that she was essentially one of Jackson's victims and he made her who she is. Thanks for the review and enjoy the rest of the story!