AN: Sorry for the delay. I only write when I'm in the mood and I tend to write based on my moods too…
XXX
No matter how hard she tried, she could not open her eyes. She was awake. Felt alert and could hear a lot of surround sound, but she could not open her eyes.
'I hate these kinds of dreams,' she thought as she tried again with no luck.
"Wake up," she could feel his lips at her ear. "Wake up, my beautiful girl."
'Jonny,' she thought happily.
XXX
"What now?" Estella asked, looking at Race like he must have all the answers. Everyone was quiet after Jonny's exit.
"We need to work together," Race announced. "Dividing and conquering won't cut it any longer. I'll go get the boys back and make sure Jonny understands. Benton, can you call downstairs and get us one of the conference spaces so we can spread out?"
"Yes," he agreed. Benton liked this plan.
"I need to go check on my mother. I'll meet you down there." Estella told them. She took Jessie's phone with her as she left the room. It made her feel better to have it.
XXX
Hadji sat down on the bed next to his brother. Helpless, he placed a hand on Jonny's shoulder to provide some comfort. "Tell me what I can do?"
Jonny did not respond, but he did finally lift his head up from his hands. That was when Hadji noticed something dangling from Jonny's finger. It looked like a keychain.
"What's that?" Hadji asked, trying again to get his brother to talk.
"It's lame," Jonny shrugged, but Hadji noticed that Jonny did not seem interested in looking away from the object.
"Doesn't seem lame," Hadji commented softly.
Hadji's questions were like a shot of adrenaline to Jonny. He stood from the bed and shoved the keychain into his front pocket. Then he walked over to the minibar and grabbed a bottle of water.
"Have you eaten anything today?" Hadji tried a third time.
"Yeah," Jonny nodded. "I'm fine. How much of the list did you get through?" he changed the subject. "I never got a chance to ask. I want to get through the rest quickly."
Hadji stood then and was quiet until his brother turned around and met his gaze.
"Hadj…" he prompted and then slammed his water bottle down on the dresser when he got no answer. "Fine," he sighed. "No. I haven't eaten anything today, but I'm also not hungry at the moment." He pulled the keychain from his pocket again and then wrapped it in his hand. "This…it's just a stupid keychain that I bought for her yesterday, but she really liked it anyway," he smiled and paused. Hadji stayed silent, waiting for Jonny to finish. "I'm sorry that I lied, okay?" he apologized. "I felt desperate. I FEEL desperate. You can help by giving me an update and then tackling the rest of this list together. I think that's everything, right?"
"Thank you." Hadji did not need to hear more. "I didn't find anything to go on while you were gone. Only the last three names are left. Let's go through them together and find her," he responded with confidence.
"Great," Jonny grumbled and ran a hand over his face, but Race walked in and interrupted them before they could get started. "Shit," he mumbled under his breath. "I need a Dramamine for this."
"Jonny," Race started.
"I really don't want to go another round," Jonny said quickly.
"Neither do I," Race assured him. "We're working together in one of the conference rooms downstairs. No excuses. Hadj, can you please head down and help your dad get set up? I need a moment with Jonny."
Jonny walked out onto the balcony and waited for Race to join him. He needed the fresh air. The room smelled like her.
"What's up?" Jonny asked in resignation once they were alone. His hands were braced on the balcony and his eyes were closed.
"Give it to me?" Race demanded and held out his hand. "I didn't want to ask in front of your father. He's worried enough already."
"What?"
"Give me my gun," Race clarified. "Now or I'll take it away from you," he warned.
Jonny's head dropped low between his shoulder blades, but then he reached into his waistband and handed Race the gun. He thought about apologizing again, but knew it would come out sounding hollow. In the back of his mind, he also knew that he could sneak back into Roth's room later and get another gun if he really needed one.
"Come on," Race encouraged.
"I'll meet you down there," Jonny responded. "I need a few minutes."
"For what?" Race insisted. Jonny had not made eye contact once and it had not gone unnoticed.
"To get my shit together," Jonny admitted. "…so I don't lose it again in front of everyone."
"You have nothing to be ashamed of…"
"Yeah well…," Jonny turned around and walked back into her room. "I still need a few minutes," he sat down on the bed again. "I'll meet you down there in ten."
"Look me in the eye and say it again," Race told him firmly.
Jonny looked up at him like he had three heads.
"Look me in the eye and give me your word," Race stood over him. "I need to hear you say it again. Give me your word."
Jonny met his steady stare. "I'll be down in ten minutes and I won't sneak away again. I promise."
"Alright," Race nodded with satisfaction and placed a hand on Jonny's shoulder. "Take your time."
XXX
Estella paused outside her mother's room. She did not know what to say to make this okay for her or anyone else for that matter.
The door opened as she was about to knock. "Jack," she stepped back in surprise. "What…"
Jack placed a finger to his lips and closed the door softly. "She's resting. Sarah's with her."
"Thank you," Estella heaved. Her entire body slumped and Jack pulled her into his arms.
"No thanks needed," he soothed. "I need to do something and this made the most sense. I'm no use on the computers. My particular set of skills are obsolete."
"You're not even close to obsolete," Estella huffed, stepping back and swiping at her eyes. "We're all working downstairs. Come with me and help us."
"The best thing I can do for my son is stay out of his way," Jack sighed. "Let him focus."
"That's ridiculous," Estella shook her head. "If anything, you're a calming presence for him. Besides, we need as many eyes and minds as we can get."
"Yeah…okay," he put a hand on her back and led her toward the elevator. "I need the distraction."
XXX
In the quiet of her room, Jonny could not help but get lost in another memory.
"It's so pretty," she whispered. She was standing in the middle of the street in downtown Rockport with her head bent back to stare up at the sky.
He pulled her back against his chest tightly. "Why are we whispering?"
"I don't know," she shrugged. "It's past midnight and snowing. There are no stars. You could hear a pin drop out here. I love it."
"Mmm…I'm starting to hate the winter actually," he commented, kissing her hat-covered ear and leading her back to the sidewalk.
"Since when?" she asked. "Skiing, snowboarding… you love all that…"
"I know," he sighed. "I think it's all these layers of extra clothing you have to wear. It depresses me," he then grinned.
"You horny little bastard," she laughed out loud and smacked his chest.
"Your horny little bastard," he shot back.
"Damn straight, baby. Now get me home or my dad will be pissed."
'Get up. Keep it together, Quest. She needs you,' he told himself again. He had lost count of the number of times he had to say that to himself.
Jonny reran every piece of information he knew back through his head as he made his way downstairs. After the last few hours, the thought of being stuck in a room with his family was not appealing. They were putting him under a microscope and he hated it. He wanted to work alone, but he pushed through that feeling. He knew this is what she would want him to do and it was the least of what he was willing to do for her.
When he pushed through the doors of the conference room, his first thought was that it looked like a command center. Everyone was huddled in front of a computer, except Race. Race was at the whiteboard mapping out a timeline of what they knew so far. Each of them paused and looked up at him expectantly.
"What's everyone working on?" he deflected.
"Let's take this from the top so we're all on the same page," Race called them all to attention. "We know she was taken from a public beach in a black van. The van was quickly ditched. I spoke with the owner of the house across the street from where the van was found. She said there was a blue sedan parked there last night that she did not recognize. It was gone in the morning."
Jonny's head shot up at that because it was new information for him, but he did not interrupt Race.
"All of the bridges and docks were closed in under thirty minutes. The coastguard has been alerted and has already cleared the water around the island. We've reviewed all the toll booth footage from the forty minutes before the bridges were closed. There were thirteen blue sedans that crossed in that window. Only one was driven by a man. He didn't even come close to the description Mary gave," Race ran a hand over his face and sighed.
"We should still check in to this guy," Jonny interjected.
"I called in a favor to the I-One field office in Jacksonville," Race shrugged. "They're sending someone over to check it out, but we pulled the DMV file. Victor Chan. Five-three. This isn't the guy. She's still on this island," he finished firmly.
"Anything from Jade's guy?" Jonny asked.
"No," Race said quickly and then started to hand out tasks. "Jonny, finish going through the list. Hadj, Benton, go through DMV records and pull car rentals within a seventy-five mile radius for blue sedans. Extrapolate any owner or renter with a criminal record and all males six foot or over. Stel, keep going through the footage and log the license plate of every blue sedan you see so we can cross reference the ones on the road to the list Hadji and Benton compile. Benton, please have IRIS do the same independently so we don't miss anything. Dad…sir, please go through all the footage and look for anything out of the ordinary or that doesn't feel right. I trust your eye. I'll be right back to help with that. I need to make a few calls first," he then announced and left the room.
Jonny got set up and waited five minutes before following. He found Race three doors down, leaning against the wall and rubbing at his eyes tiredly. Jonny got right to the point.
"What did Jade's guy find that you didn't want to say in front of everyone?" Jonny demanded.
"He didn't find anything to go on," Race responded wearily.
"Okay, so no fingerprints obviously," Jonny shook his head. "…but what about the syringe? What was in it?"
"Pavulon," Race closed his eyes.
"What's…"
"It's a muscle relaxer," he huffed and then pushed off the wall. "Come on, let's get to work."
XXX
"Jonny," Sarah said softly.
She was sitting to his left and when he turned she rubbed the side of his face lovingly. He was so engrossed in his computer screen that he had not heard her approach. When he looked up, everyone was eating. The food smelled great, but the thought of eating made his stomach turn.
"You need to eat, angel."
"I'm fine," he told her and then turned back to his computer. Jonny had spent another hour going through Race's list with no luck and had spent the last three obsessively double checking everyone else's work. Each time his eyes flicked down to the lower corner of the screen, the clock taunted him and his heart skipped a beat.
'Ten hours,' he thought frantically and his head dropped into his hands. 'It's been ten hours.'
"I'm yours, Jonny. I love being yours." He could not get her voice out of his head.
'I need you,' he thought. 'I need you now.'
"Angel…" Sarah whispered and stroked his hair this time.
"Sweetheart," Jack cut her off and told her with a look to leave it alone.
"I'm fine," Jonny repeated and then lifted his head and gave Sarah a weak smile. "I'm not hungry. I'll be right back."
"Jonny," Benton stood in alarm. He was worried that Jonny would bolt again.
"I'm just going to the bathroom, Pop."
XXX
Tyler rushed through the hotel lobby with no real purpose. He was just looking around for a familiar face. He impulsively caught the first flight he could back to Florida when Theresa called him. He was no computer hacker, but he knew he was highly intelligent and logical. He could not resist the chance to come through for her and prove his worth.
When he began flirting with her back in September, it was for sport alone. It was something that his fraternity did every year with the incoming freshman girls. However, he quickly realized she was different. No matter how much he flirted, she never softened. It drove him crazy. He had never had to work that hard for a woman's attention. Before he knew it, he was finding excuses to bump into her or work her name into conversations. He was constantly trying to find out more about her from Theresa. The more he learned about her, the more he wanted to know. The more time he invested, the more time he wanted to spend with her. The harder she played to get, the more he wanted her. He was starting to care for her, even though she punched him the face. He had never met anyone like her.
"Tyler," Theresa came running up to him and threw her arms around his neck.
"Hi," he returned her hug awkwardly. "Any news?"
"No," she teared up and then gestured for him to follow her. She walked back over to their group of friends huddled around the television in the lobby. "The news just keeps repeating the same information and that's only asking people to call if they see her. I have no idea what's going on. This is unreal."
"Hey man," Greyson slapped Tyler on the back in greeting. "I can't believe you came back here."
"I didn't really think about it," Tyler admitted. "I was on a plane before I realized what I was doing. I want to help."
"Good luck with that," Greyson huffed. "Jess' family has been hunkered downstairs in one of the conference rooms for hours. We offered to help, but they declined."
"I have to try," he announced, walking away and heading straight for the stairwell. He was nervous as he made his way through the lower level and fleetingly wondered why hotels always had the ugliest carpets imaginable. The advice his grandfather had given him years before kept repeating on loop in his head. 'A real man never backs down. Never shows weakness or fear even if that's exactly what he feels.' Tyler knew that his grandfather would be rolling over in his grave if he knew how Tyler handled the situation with Jessie and her family yesterday. If he saw him walk away with his tail between his legs.
He heard voices coming from the fifth door he approached and walked in without knocking. He took a deep breath when every head popped up to look at him and then another when Race stood and crossed his arms.
"Get out," Race ordered. "We don't have time for this."
"I want to help," Tyler stood firm.
Race seethed and then took a few steps towards Tyler.
"Roger," Estella warned. "Calm down."
"Unless you have new information, you are of no use to me," Race continued. "Do you know anything? If you know something, you better tell me right now?"
"I don't know anything," he admitted. "I just want to be a resource."
"No," Race turned his back. "Get out."
"Listen…"
"This is your last chance to leave on your own," Race threatened. "The only reason you're still standing is because my mother is here, but…" Race stopped when he noticed Jonny over Tyler's shoulder and addressed Jonny instead. "He's leaving now. He doesn't know anything."
Jonny bristled. "I heard. Now get out."
Tyler almost left at that point. Race was standing in front of him with arms crossed, looking like a leaner, but much scarier version of The Rock. Jonny was behind him, blocking the doorway even though he had just told him to leave.
Jack stood, hoping to defuse the situation. "You're in a no win situation, young man." Jack scoffed and gestured to Jonny and Race. "Let's go. I'll walk you out."
"I don't need a damn babysitter," Tyler shot back.
"Don't talk to him like that," Jonny ordered. "Just get out, you scumbag. If you actually do want to help, stop wasting our time."
"Please let me stay and work through what you have," Tyler asked one more time.
"Why?" Jonny asked incredulously.
"I just want her safe and protected. Because I care about her. A lot."
"You care about her," Jonny laughed. It was one of those tired laughs that held no humor. "Is that why you harassed her for three months? Because you care so much?"
"I didn't…"
"Are you saying that my girl lied to me?" Jonny challenged. Everyone in the room was standing now. "Did she not ask you to back off SEVERAL times?"
"Jonny…," Hadji tried.
"Are you telling me that you DIDN'T corner MY GIRLFRIEND two days ago and beg her to spend the night with you?" he continued louder. "She told me that it made her skin crawl."
"I…," Tyler started to defend.
"SHUT YOUR MOUTH," Jonny screamed.
"That's enough," Race cut in with authority. Then he walked up behind Tyler and pulled his arms behind his back like a perp. When Tyler struggled, Race applied pressure to the inside of his right wrist until he calmed down.
"That hurts."
"Stop struggling or I'll stop being nice," Race told him. "Jonny…move. Now."
Jonny's eyes never left Tyler. "I can see why you'd be confused," Jonny shrugged.
"Jonny," Race tried again. "Move."
"I mean, then you decide it's a good idea to proposition her in a stairwell. Now that encounter was romantic, right? The real turning point in your relationship?" Jonny could see the discomfort in Tyler's face and knew that Race was applying more pressure. "She does tend to punch the people she likes most in the face…GET OUT," he finished his diatribe and then moved away from the door.
"Go," Race pushed him forward.
Tyler walked a few steps and then stopped about five feet away from Jonny. "Look, she's…"
"MINE," Jonny growled and had Tyler pinned against the wall in a heartbeat.
Race knew what would happened before it did. He saw Jonny's face drop and his upper body tense. Race was not fast enough to prevent it, but he wrapped his arms around Jonny and pulled him off Tyler before he could do any real damage.
"SHE'S MINE," Jonny screamed at Tyler as Race dragged him out of the room. "I TAKE CARE OF HER. I'LL PROTECT HER."
"Get off me," Jonny fought Race's hold. "Get off me."
"Not until you calm down," Race continued to force him away from the room and toward the elevator.
"Just let me be alone with him for five minutes," Jonny heaved. "He won't come back after that."
"I don't doubt that," Race agreed. "…but tell me how that helps right now?"
Race felt all the fight go out of Jonny's body then, which made it much easier to deposit him on the elevator floor. Race stared down at him as he tried to catch his bearings.
"Go splash some water on your face, kiddo. And don't even think about going back on your word to me. Be where I can find you."
XXX
Jonny almost went to his room instead of hers. Being in her room hurt. Felt suffocating, but it was something he needed to feel. He could not allow himself to feel any comfort until he knew she was safe.
He woke up slowly. The sun was up, but only a small sliver of light was making its way through his dark curtains. His entire body felt heavy and he was tempted to go back to sleep, but then his eyes focused on the reason he felt so heavy. She was curled into his side. Her head on his chest and a leg draped over his. A sheet just barely covered them. He vaguely remembered pulling it over her before falling asleep.
'She looks so amazing naked,' he thought fleetingly. Not for the first time, but this morning was different.
Then he caressed her hip softly. Fingertips only, to see if she was awake. She did not stir. He was happy to lay in the quiet with her and playback every moment of making love to her.
'Finally,' he thought.
Over the last six months, they had had a few false starts and a few planned evenings that were interrupted, but last night it finally happened. They were left alone unexpectedly and took advantage.
They only had a couple more hours before their family was home. He could not decide if he wanted to stay in bed or get up and make her breakfast. Actually, he definitely wanted to stay in bed, but was not sure she would be up for it and knew she would think it was romantic if he made her breakfast.
He could feel her waking up before she did. Her breathing changed and she got a little restless. He ran the palm of his hand up and down the soft skin of her back until she was fully awake.
"Morning," she whispered and he felt her smile against his skin.
"I love you so much," he whispered back. "So much."
"I love you more."
"Okay," he agreed and gripped her tighter as she giggled happily against him.
"What are you thinking?" she asked.
"I'm trying to decide what to make you for breakfast," he hummed.
"Hmm…you're making me breakfast?"
"I am…any requests?"
"Pancakes."
"Done, love."
"This will require getting out of bed," she pointed out.
"The one major flaw in my five-year plan," he quipped and then pinched her butt.
"Jonny," she squealed and ended up on top of him in her rush to get away from his hand. He froze and swallowed at the sight of her straddled across him. She just gave him a little grin. "What?" she asked.
"I could stare at you all day, baby."
"I'd let you, but now I REALLY want pancakes so….," she teased and then rolled off him and out of the bed. He just watched as she sauntered out of his room butt naked.
"Where are you going?" he called after her.
She turned around and leaned against his doorframe confidently. "I'm gonna go take a long shower, while my sexy-ass man makes me breakfast. How lucky am I?" she bit her lip and then walked away.
He could not stop smiling. He felt light and insanely happy. He got up after a few more minutes of enjoying the quiet. When he walked past her room and heard the water running, he barely resisted the urge to join her.
He lost track of time and the amount of batter he had wasted by the time she joined him. He heard her laughing softly behind him.
"How long have you been watching me?" he asked without looking up. He was busy trying to transition the pancakes that had just finished intact over to the plates he had set up on the kitchen island.
"Only this last batch," she smiled at him, walking over and jumping up to sit on the island next to his handiwork. She wrapped her arms around his neck when he came to stand between her legs. Then she nodded down toward the pancakes. "What were you going for there, baby?"
"Hearts," he scrunched up his face. "It DID NOT work out the way I envisioned," he laughed.
"A girl could get really used to this treatment and definitely this view," she admired, looking him up and down. "Is this what it'll be like when we're on our own? You making me breakfast in your boxer briefs?"
"Only every other day," he winked. "I want to be watching you the rest of the time."
"Sounds fair stud," she flirted back and he got lost in her eyes for a moment. "Did you even shower?" she then teased, bringing her hands forward down his chest and abs.
He pulled her head between his hands and kissed her deeply before answering at her ear. He enjoyed the way the skin of her cheek felt against his stubble. "No," he whispered. "I like smelling like you."
She moaned softly at his words. "It's the craziest thing…," she breathed heavily. His lips were now attached to her neck. "…but…umm…I'm not hungry for pancakes anymore," she swallowed noticeably. "Take me…take me back to your bed, Hotshot."
"If you insist," he growled, pulling her forward sensually to wrap her legs around his waist. She moaned again. Into his mouth this time. He kissed her hungrily and tried to walk in a straight line back to the stairs. She made the journey feel impossible. She made every cell in his body come to life. He could feel the heat emanating from her as she tried to find friction against his abs.
"Jonny," she panted against his lips. "Please."
He lowered her until they were at eye level and pressed her against the entryway to the kitchen. His hands gripped her hips. Her hands froze in his hair. He paused because he thought she was going to say something, but when she only stared at his lips with hooded eyes instead he gave in to his instincts. Lips met and then he rolled his hips into hers repeatedly.
"Oh," she called out in surprise and then threw her head back against the wall. He buried his head in her shoulder and tried to control his breathing. He continued to thrust against her with purpose. Seeking every sweet sound that escaped her lips. He lived for them. He thought the sounds she made were the sexiest thing he had ever heard.
Those noises were also going to be his complete undoing. It felt too good. He was getting lost too quickly in his own pleasure. "Baby, I love you. I can't…hmm…I can't get close enough," he mumbled incoherently as he pressed into her again.
"You can definitely get a little closer," she reminded him playfully. Her words were enough to pull him out of his lust filled haze and to pull her away from the entryway, but he knew there was no way he would make it to his bed. He started kissing her again and then changed direction to the living room. They crashed down onto the couch without ever coming up for air.
He secured her legs around his waist and then ran his hands under her shirt. She arched into him wantonly. He needed air.
"You taste like mango," he said out of breath and licked the skin from her neck to her ear. Then he shifted down her body and started kissing every exposed inch of her stomach.
She tried to pull him back up to her lips, but he was anchored to her skin and refused to move. "God…Jonny," he felt her tense and then relax. He knew that was her way of relinquishing control of her body to him. He loved it when she just laid back and trusted him to make her feel good. He knew how to tease her. How to make her come undone. He had had several years of practicing this part.
He folded her shirt back in small increments. He did it deliberately and slowly trailed behind the fabric with his tongue and his words.
"You have no idea how many times I've fantasized about doing this with you on this couch," he admitted against her skin. "How many times I've wanted to push you back and strip you down."
"God…yes."
"Make you say my name," he continued.
"Jonny."
When he finally exposed the undersides of her breasts, he sucked on each one hard and then blew on the damp skin.
"Touch me," she begged, arching her back again and trying to remove her shirt.
He sat back, straddling her stomach and holding her shirt firmly in place.
"Baby, stop teasing me," she breathed out. "I can see how much you want me," she bit down on her bottom lip and stared at the bulge in his boxers with glazed eyes. "Come inside me," she told him softly. "I need you."
"I need you," he laughed, but there was nothing funny about it. He reached for the waistband of her shorts.
"Outside gates are open," IRIS then announced, bursting their bubble.
"Noooo," he groaned, rolling off the couch and landing on his knees.
She sat up with a huff and cupped his face. "Our luck could only hold for so long, babe. That will teach you to tease me next time," she plopped back down into a prone position and adjusted her shirt.
"Hey," he said soberly after a beat and waited until she propped her head up on an elbow to meet his eyes. "Thank you for the best night of my life," he held her gaze.
"So far," she added quietly. "I'll give you better. That's a promise."
"So far," he agreed.
Race found him kneeling in front of her bed unfocused and breathing rapidly. Not because of the nature of the memory, but because the thought that he had been trying to outrun all day was starting to catch up.
"Jonny," Race called out softly. "I brought your computer."
"He's gonna hurt her," Jonny stated coldly. "…if he hasn't already," his voice broke on the last word.
"You don't know that," Race insisted.
"I know this has nothing to do with our family," he stood slowly and an incredible calm took over his body that made no sense given how scared he felt. "If it did, we would've figured it out by now. She wasn't taken for revenge or leverage. It was random and the fucker drugged her. He's hurting her and we're just standing here. What's the plan?" he looked at Race hopefully. "How are we getting her home?"
"He did not get off this island with her," Race told him again confidently. "We need to keep going through the footage with a fine tooth comb. I know that's where the answer is."
"Have you…" Jonny paused and blew out a quick breath. "I didn't want to say anything before and couldn't bring myself to look, but what about registered sex…"
"Taken care of," Race cut him off. "There are three in the area. Police and parole officers have already cleared it."
"Okay," Jonny sighed. "Okay. This guy is obviously smart, right? He wouldn't have been able to elude us this long if he was dumb or impulsive…if I was this guy," he cleared his throat before continuing and began pacing the room. "I'd want to know where the blind spots were on this island so I could move around without anyone knowing. I'm gonna map out the blind spots," he announced and held his hands out for his computer.
"Alright," Race nodded and handed it over slowly. "That's smart."
"So much for not losing my shit again," Jonny sighed. "Sorry."
"Don't sweat it," Race shook it off. "He's an asshole and I'll get rid of him, but I need you to breathe, okay? Count to ten, eat something and keep your head on straight. I need you focused."
"Right. I know," Jonny took a deep breath, as instructed. "I'm gonna work out on the balcony. I could use the fresh air. I'll be here when you get back, Race."
XXX
The sun was starting to set. Jonny stared at it while his computer reestablished its connection to IRIS and he could not help but think that she was watching it rise when she was taken. The thought of her out there alone was hard enough, but out there alone in the dark a few days before Christmas was so much worse.
'Stay strong for me, baby. I'm coming. I promise you that I'm coming.'
AN: Some action next chapter. I think.