Renegade Runaways :: Chapter Twenty
Kayla stirred from a light sleep when she felt Hope moving next to her. She sat up, suddenly nervous for her sister-in-law's wrath. She'd been up all night checking Hope's vital signs every hour to make sure the dose John had given her wasn't too much for her tiny frame. She spotted Marlena not far from them, passed out at the foot of the bed.
"Marlena," Kayla whispered, "Marlena! Wake up."
Marlena stirred and stared groggily at Kayla, "Hmm?"
"She's waking up," Kayla announced. If she were Hope, she would be irate. All of her closest friends had just betrayed her. They were done for.
Hope opened her eyes. Her head ached. She rubbed her temples, unaware of where she was. She slowly sat up and was surprised to find Marlena and Kayla in a strange bed with her.
"Where's Bo?" Hope asked, "Where are we?"
Kayla's heart pounded. They couldn't lie to her anymore. They had already crossed that line.
"He left," Marlena spoke softly, almost soothingly, "He went with John and Steve to save Caroline."
Hope closed her eyes. She attempted to gather her thoughts, but they were jumbled. She remembered fighting with him in the woods. She remembered the silent car ride. She stood from the bed and rushed out of the room.
"Hope," Kayla called after her, "Shit."
"Let her go," Marlena stopped her, "She can't get out."
Hope ran through the house trying every window and every door. None of them would open. She didn't recognize anything about the place. She didn't remember seeing Bo leave. She didn't remember the last thing they said to each other, or if they'd even said anything to each other at all. Panic filled her. She rushed back to the bedroom where Kayla and Marlena still sat.
"Where the hell is he?" Hope questioned.
"I don't know," Kayla replied, "They didn't tell us where they were going. I just know they went after my mother."
Hope's hands shook, "Get me out. How do I get out?"
"We're not going anywhere." Marlena replied, "We can't. We're locked in here."
"We're prisoners?!" Hope replied incredulously, "How are the two of you okay with this? With any of this?!"
"We're safe here," Marlena reassured, "No more running. No more bullets. No more fighting."
Hope's chest tightened. There was no way in hell she would just fall asleep while Bo ran straight into the line of fire, "What did he do to me?"
"He didn't do anything," Kayla quickly defended her brother, "We did it."
She stared at them impatiently. She felt nauseous. She was ready to kill Bo. She couldn't believe he actually left her locked in a safe house.
"I wrote a prescription for Rohypnol," Marlena confessed, "Steve picked it up from a pharmacy and John drugged your tea that I gave you last night."
Hope's jaw dropped as betrayal hit her like a train. She reeled from shock and disbelief.
"I convinced Bo to let it happen," Kayla sighed, "And made sure you were medically stable all night while you slept it off."
Hope shook her head. She couldn't bare to look at them. She felt speechless.
"Hope," Kayla begged, "Please, I know you have every right to be upset. I would be too. We just wanted you to be safe. Bo is only trying to protect you."
Hope nodded sarcastically. She threw her hands up in surrender. She had no words. She left the room. Bo leaving her behind pissed her off, but not knowing where he was or if he was safe ate her alive. Before she knew it, she was throwing things. She'd never been one for violent temper tantrums, but she couldn't help herself. She hated this place. She threw vases, pillows, artwork, picture frames, and dishes. She threw whatever she could get her hands on.
She stormed about the house until her hands quit shaking. Her heart raced. She couldn't breathe any more. Tears burned her eyes. She clutched her chest, unsure of what was happening to her body.
"Hope?" Kayla called to her from the hallway. Her and Marlena rushed towards Hope, guiding her to the couch.
"I… can't… breathe…" Hope heaved as she gasped for air.
"You're having a panic attack," Marlena replied. She ran to the kitchen, searching for a paper bag.
"Hope, you have to slow your breathing. You're going to pass out," Kayla warned.
Hope's blood boiled underneath it all. Bo was going to get himself killed. She couldn't handle it.
"Here," Marlena replied breathless as she raced back to Hope and Kayla on the couch. She handed Hope a paper sack, "Breathe in here. Slow. Deep. Breaths."
Hope did as she was told. She closed her eyes, focusing on gaining control of her breaths and the soothing circles Kayla rubbed on her back.
"Hope, I know this is a lot to swallow," Marlena began.
"Shut up," Hope snapped. She threw the paper sack at her and jumped up from the couch. She refused to cry. Anger felt better, "How can you two just sit here and let them all run off to get themselves killed?"
"We're just trying to do the right thing," Marlena replied, "We're holding them back. We don't like it anymore than you do."
"What are our other options?" Kayla asked, "Sit here in this house while we wait for Shane and the ISA to figure it out? What about my mom?"
Hope's thoughts raced, "What if my husband ends up in a pit again? What if they all end up in a pit? You two will be sorry."
"Hope," Kayla sighed, "Have a little faith in them. They're good at this. We're not. I save people's lives. I don't take them."
"You two may not be good at it, but I am." Hope replied. She suddenly felt sad. She was sad that it had come to this. She was sad she had just gotten Bo back in her life and now she didn't know where he was. She feared for his safety.
"He loves you," Marlena whispered, "So much. This was very hard for him."
Hope glared at Marlena, "Don't."
Marlena sighed. She was running out of options. She respected Hope's feelings and her reaction. She threw her hands up, deciding to back off.
"Shane promised to keep us updated," Kayla attempted to give Hope positive news, "Hopefully we'll hear from him soon."
Hope ran a hand through her hair. Bo could be dead soon and the last thing she remembered of him was an argument. Tears threatened her again, "I need to be alone."
Kayla and Marlena watched her go in silence. They both flinched when one of the bedroom doors slammed.
"I feel awful," Kayla confessed.
"Me too," Marlena agreed, "I can't decide if she's more upset that we all set her up or upset about the fact that Bo is in danger and she doesn't know where he is."
"She just got him back," Kayla replied knowingly, "He chose a mission over her all over again. I know all too well how awful that feels."
Marlena nodded, "Unfortunately, I do too."
"They'll never change," Kayla replied.
Marlena shook her head, "So do we accept them as they are or move on with our lives?"
Kayla shrugged. Both options hurt like hell. Worry creased her features. She wasn't only worried about Steve. She was worried about her brother and her mother.
"They'll be okay," Marlena replied as she watched Kayla withdrawal into herself, "So will Hope. We'll fix this."
Kayla nodded, "I sure hope so."
Marlena glanced around the room at the mess Hope had left behind. There was no order in their lives. It was fitting. The two of them sat in silence, waiting to learn what would happen next in the adventure that had turned deadly.