ChapterEighteen

This chapter was written by Melissa.

Layla arrived at Rodi's, it had been a long, strange day. She had experienced so many different emotions within the last twenty-four hours. She had been heartbroken when she learned that Cristian had betrayed her with Jessica. She had gone to see her sister, to find solace, someone to listen to her and she had received a miracle that she didn't think was possible. Van was awake, the doctor had examined her and although she was weak, her muscles atrophied, the doctor believed that she would make a full recovery. Layla felt overwhelmed by the happiness and relief that she felt by her sister's recovery conflicting with the pain and loss of losing Cristian.

She stopped by Rodi's for a drink, something to help her wind down after a long day. She walked in and saw Brody sitting at the bar, downing a shot of Vodka. She took one look at his face and knew that he knew about Jessica and Cris.

"Rough day," she said as she sat next to him.

"You know?" He asked as he pushed a shot glass towards her.

"Yes, I know all about Jessica and Cristian," she said as she downed the shot glass. "In truth, I think a part of me always knew that he wasn't over her, that they would find their way back to one another, I just didn't want to admit it to myself," she admitted as she grabbed another one of the lined up shot glasses and drank it.

"Me either, Jessica and I haven't been happy for a long time. I think a part of me always knew that she never stopped loving Cristian. Jessica and I we found each other when we were both broken and then she healed, but afterwards, we no longer fit. I tried to change, pretended to be happy, to be better, be what she wanted me to be. She tried to change and be what I needed, but it was just too hard, too much pressure. I gave up, I stopped trying, I slept with Natalie, I left her alone and she turned to Cristian. He could make her happy, when I couldn't. He could give her a child when I couldn't. I want to be happy that she was able to find her happiness, but I can't pretend any more. I don't know where to find happiness. I don't know what I want, there's only misery. Maybe that's why we couldn't make it work, she faced her demons and healed herself, I didn't."

"That's not true. You're just a little lost and sad right now and so am I."

"I don't know who I am," Brody whispered as he took another drink. "Jessica said that she hoped I would find happiness even if it was with Natalie, but she didn't make me happy either. I slept with her as a distraction, a way to stop feeling like such a failure. I slept with Natalie, because a part of me wanted Jessica to be as broken as I was so that we would fit together again, how sick is that? I'm not a good person Layla and you should stay far away from me," Brody said as he laid money down on the table and stumbled out to the alley.

Layla thought about just letting him go, perhaps she was the last person that he needed to see, a reminder of what Jessica had done. It was possible that he needed space, but she had a nagging feeling that she would regret it if she didn't go after him.

She walked out to the alley and saw him staring at his gun. She knew that look in his eyes, he was depressed, contemplating suicide.

"What are you doing?"

"Go away Layla, you shouldn't have to watch this. You don't deserve to have that image haunting you."

"Then put the gun away and spare me, but I'm not walking away, so you can either take the coward's way out or fight to find out who you are, but either way I'm not leaving you."

"Have you ever seen anyone die? I have, lot's of my friends died in my arms. Their faces still haunt me. Please walk away Layla, I don't want to haunt you, the way that they haunt me."

"Then don't," she said as she placed her hand over his hand as they held the gun together.

"I'm so tired, I'm just so tired," Brody whispered.

"I know, I know that you think things are hopeless right now and that you've lost hope, but I believe in miracles. My sister woke up after ten long years, she's going to make a full recovery when all the odds were against her, and I know that you are strong enough to battle your demons and win."

"I'm not strong enough to do this on my own."

"You're not alone, I'm with you and I'm not leaving," she promised him.

He released his hold of the gun and let her take it away from him. She took out the bullets and threw them towards the dumpster.

"What now?" He asked as he looked at her.

"Now, I take you to the hospital where you can begin to heal, for real this time," she said as she took his hand in hers.

XOXOXO

Victor's phone beeped alerting him to a new text message. He gasped as he read her words: "Bring me the disc or Cole and Hope will suffer the deadly consequences. You have twenty four hours, don't keep me waiting, I want my sons. - Irene." She had posted pictures of Cole and Hope tied up and passed out. Alison was in the photos, looking like a deranged nurse, pointing a gun at the people that he had worked so hard to hide and protect.

As much as he hated the idea, Todd had been right, they needed to work together to take down their enemies before there was any other pain.

"Todd wait up," Victor called out as he ran after his brother.

"Changed your mind already?" Todd asked.

"No, but I don't have another choice and either do you," Victor explained as he handed the phone to Todd.

"Do you know what disk she is talking about? Is it the same information that she spent eight long years torturing me for? Did you have it this whole time?" Todd asked.

"There is no disk, no information and there never was. After you shot me, she kidnapped me with Alison's help. While I was there, I discovered that she's mentally ill and been that way for years. I discovered that the WSB had no other choice but to let her go after she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She was committed to a hospital when I was very young and she was getting help but then a man by the name of Faison broke her out and recruited her for the DVX. He spent years warping her mind, keeping her from the medication that she needed and convincing her that her delusions were reality. He helped her to get her hands on a mind mapping technique that some doctor named Andre Maddox was working on. We were the guinea pigs to test out the experimental procedure to make sure that it would work before Faison used it on the real targets. She is convinced that you and I are not her real sons, that we are aliens from outer space and that we have a disk of information about where to locate her missing babies. One of her many voices in her head told her that Hope was another child of hers that was stolen, so she set up an accident to kill Cole and Starr so that she could have Hope. When I learned what she was up to, I had to try to stop it, only I was too late. Starr, Cole and Hope had been in an accident. When I got there, the car was on fire. Starr was nowhere in sight. Cole and Hope has been thrown from the car when it exploded. I found them, but they weren't alone. I paid off the man that was supposed to kidnap Hope to lie to Irene and tell her that Cole and Hope had died. I faked their death to keep them safe, to keep our whole family safe until Irene and Faison could be neutralized. Now our demented mother has Cole and Hope and she's bargaining with her lives for a disk that doesn't exist," Victor explained.

"Well, we will just have to give our mother what she wants," Todd stated.

"How are we going to do that?" Victor asked.

"I have a plan," Todd stated.