Guys, I am so terribly sorry for not uploading in so long. The whole month had been so hectic for me with farewell, graduation, and prom (btw I won the Prom Queen, yaayy!). And then early this month I had been horribly sick. I intended to post this chapter out on Valentine's Day but I didn't finish it until late that night. I'm very very very sorry.

Of course, as an apology, I'm posting two chapters continuously and then another this week. It's just that I haven't written a new chapter in a while and I'm running out of chapters to post. But pleaasse remember my promise, I WILL complete this story. Not only this story but this whole trilogy. And you'll surely love the twists and turns I've planned out further in The Brooke Trilogy.

Happy Reading!

13.

Anastasia

An hour later, we were in Chicago.

With me driving the awesome Saab 9-3 and Christian sleeping in the passenger seat with his head against the window.

He snored. So cute.

I had never heard him snoring. He must be exhausted.

He had spent last twenty-four hours between driving from Louisiana to Georgia and from there to Illinois in addition to interrogating Troy.

Now he lay across his seat, his eye closed and even breathing, looking so peaceful and beautiful.

My fingers tingled to run them through his soft inviting hair but I resisting the urge. Not wanting to wake him, I kept my hands fisted around the staring wheel.

I parked in the motel's parking lot where the others were waiting for us.

Jose met me at the entry. I had called him from Christian's phone to let him know we had arrived. My phone was still with Em. I reminded myself to take it back from her when I'd see her.

"How's Emily?" I asked as he approached the car.

"She's awake. Brandon is with her. She was asking for you."

"And Mia?" I thought of her meltdown after she had attacked the implant.

"She is actually kickin' it. Bragging about how she defeated an evil bastard from the Brooke." He let out a small grin as he picked up my bag.

I should thank Mia mentally for having the insight to pack my bag. Even if it had been just to show C.

"It's fine. I can pick it myself." I insisted.

"You should probably wake him up." Jose pointed at the passenger's side.

"I don't want to. He barely slept for an hour. When was the last time he went to sleep?"

Jose seemed to think hard for a minute.

"He hasn't slept since you left New Orleans with Mia. Before that he rarely dozed off, being the attentive nurse while you were out cold in Brad's place."

I winced, feeling guilty. No doubt Christian said I was a pain in the ass.

Jose's gaze softened in understanding. "I'll be setting this in your room. You wanna bunk up with Mia or him?"

Ughhh. Meaning : was I currently having sex with him or not?

I think Christian would have a fit if I moved in Mia's room. The events of previous evening bounced in the front of my mind, making my mouth dry and my face heated.

Jose must have seen it too because he gave an awkward smile, seeming to be at loss of words. "Uh, I guess I'll be bunking up with Mia. Unless Em and Brandon are not staying together," he said with a light shrug.

Somehow I doubted that. But then who knew, sharing a room might be a step too fast. I nodded at him,"Well then, see you later."

He took my bag and gave me a spare key to my- to our room.

Christian and I get to be roomies again. Yippee.

As Jose went inside, I walked to the passenger side and opened the door quietly.

Christian's head was slumped down in my direction. His lips were turned into a pout and his nostrils flaring with his snores.

How could I find this so mesmerizing?

I bent down and kissed him awake.

Christian jerked, his eyes opening abruptly while he straightened up.

"What? Where? What's wrong?"

"Nothing I just kissed my Prince Charming awake." I winked at him.

He groaned, rubbing his eyes. "I'd have rolled my eyes at that if I wasn't feeling so groggy."

Well, I could help with that.

Stooping down once more, I climbed upon him before he could blink and smashed my mouth with his.

Our tongues collided and he took control of our hot, steaming and scorching kiss.

"Now you're awake properly." I said when he finally let me up to breathe.

"Wow. I could use that trick for every morning."

I liked the sound of that.

Christian stood up, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Though I'm not the only one awake."

Almost involuntarily, my eyes dropped low at his body, noticing the stiffness in his pants.
Oh. My.

"Well I'd love to bag you but you need your beauty sleep."

"Bag me? Hah!"

Our quarrels continued as we reached our room where Christian literally collapsed on the bed.

After removing his shoes and socks, and pulling covers over him I walked to the room parallel to ours.

Brandon, Jose and Mia were sitting there.

Mia looked a little pale. But her eyes lit up when she saw me approaching. "Finally, I was beginning to think you ditched us."

"Never babe." I came around her and hugged her from behind, pecking at her head. "I'm proud of you, you that right?"

She snorted. "For what exactly? Knocking a guy out?"

"For being brave to fight him and protect your friends."

Her gaze dropped low. "I didn't want to do it. I wasn't thinking, it just happened."

"You did what your instincts told you to do. You saved me and Christian. Thank you."

"Yeah, it's- it's fine. Don't worry about that." Lifting her face she gave me an attempted smile. "So how's the hotshot doing? Taking the bullet for you?"

"He didn't take the bullet for me. And he is fine. Just got a few stitches."

Emily emerged from the bathroom, making a beeline for me.

Her arms came fiercely around me as she squeezed the life out of me. Her trembling shoulders hinted her silent sobs.

"Hey, shhh. It's okay, Em. You're safe with us. No one's gonna hurt you." The room felt silent as Emily cried and I tried to soothe her.

Brandon looked at us achingly, like he wanted the one to be in my place. When he saw me watching him, he clenched his fists and looked away.

"So are you guys all settled? Any troubles coming here?" I asked once Emily calmed down.

We sat huddled up on the bed in a circle facing each other.

"Nope. No trouble at all. We were just deciding for the sleeping arrangements before you came."

"So what have you guys decided?"

"I think Emily and I would be sharing the bed and Jose will stay with Brandy." Mia answered.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Emily and Brandon gazing intensely at each other. They both looked like they wanted to protest against this arrangement. After a moment they both simultaneously looked away, chickening out.

Awkward.

"I think Brand and Em should bunk together." I suggested, looking at the subjects of my advice. "Anyway, you are hardly gonna sleep, considering you both have been through a lot today. So why not utilize that time to clear the air between you?"

One more staring contest and intense looks competition later, Emily replied timidly. "Yes, I guess that's a smart idea."

Brandon turned to me. He looked at me like he wanted to kiss me, but controlled his emotions.

Turning back to Em he nodded. "I- uh, I'll just go and call the housing for extra bedding." With that he left the room, most probably entering his own that was next to this one.

"Well, I'll go and... help him calling the room service." I barely contained my smile as she rushed out to catch up with Brandon.

Mia raised her brow. "Ahan. So Ana, you going to help hot-shot calling the room service too?"

I snickered. "He is sleeping."

"Pity. You are going to have to go and rest as well. I'm exhausted and thus, dozing off."

She looked at Jose. "You're sleeping on the couch, mister. Just to make it clear."

Jose stood up. "Look around you woman, there is no couch here. You ain't in a five-star hotel."

"Then sleep on the floor."

"You wish, Richie Rich."

"Don't call me that and I'm not sharing my bed with you."

"Firstly, this ain't your bed. This is the motel's property. And secondly, I'm not interested in bunking with you either." Jose teased.

Mia threw an exaggerated aghast look, pretending to be outrageous.

Good to know they were getting along well.

Jose grinned at her and picked the room's telephone, ordering an extra bedding as well.

"I'll see you guys in the evening. Got lots of stuff to discuss." I announced while walking out.

"Alright. Good night, babe."

"See you in the eve, Ana."

Jose and Mia called out behind me.

Entering my room, I carefully shut the door. Not wanting to wake C up.

Climbing in the bed, I lied on my side, facing him.

My gaze roamed around his perfect face, memorizing each feature, focusing a little longer at his pouted lips.

I counted his eyelashes until my own eyes felt heavy and I drifted to sleep.

Two days later we were standing outside of the airport at Fair Banks, waiting for our rental car to arrive.

I walked out with my traveler bag, accompanied by a nervous Jose, meek Emily, determined Brandon, excited Mia and an extremely pissed off Christian.

The evening we had arrived in Chicago, all of us gathered into Mia and Jose's room.

Discussions turned into arguments and heated debate following by screamings and cursings as we all sat in a circle around the bed and the extra mattress.

The boys wanted to go by themselves and send us, the girls, away.

Our reply was for them to shove up their chivalry right in their asses.

Jose hadn't protested much, just made us realize the dangers again and again.

Maybe he knew that I could- and had- survive out there better than him, that was why he kept his lips sealed.

Brandon had begged Emily to stay, but he was also in conflict about leaving her alone here.

Emily didn't want to leave me or Brand, she was very stubborn to go with us. She said she needed a closure and I understood that all too well.

When she didn't give in, Brandon had turned to beg me to stay here so that I can protect Emily as well as myself.

And that's where things started to go down spiral. The moment I had refused, the monstrous volcano had exploded. Grey swirls almost overcoming the blue in the frustration as Christian had said one simple word. No.

Somehow it was significant enough for others to fall silent. Though, I was just getting started on.

The discussion- or rather the fight had concluded with him banging the door as he walked away to our room. My reaction was to follow him and start packing my things immediately.

"What the fuck you think you're doing?" He had bellowed at me.

I only bothered to look up after zipping up my bag and hanging it over my shoulder. "If you think you can walk away from me every time we come to a disagreement, then I can walk forever out of your life."

Nobody said I wasn't as angry as him. Nobody said that I couldn't overreact either.

Because at that moment, I had been fucking livid and my overreaction knew no boundaries. As I was making my way out of the door, a tight grip held my bag to stop me.

"Quit it, Ana. You're not going back there."

"And who do you think you're to make that decision for me? We have already been here, C. I'm not rehashing this. You do whatever the fuck you want and I'll go there by myself."

"Ana... please. It's dangerous for you. You'll get hurt."

"No more hurt than every time you walk out on me."

He took a step back, looking at me as if I've slapped him, or worse. But I didn't regret my words. I had spoken the truth. He needed to hear how much his actions hurt me.

The night had ended up with him making me stay in the most enchanting way. With his fingers, tongue and cock inside me repeatedly.

Next morning, in the clear light he had reluctantly agreed.

Mia and Emily had shopped for their temporary wardrobe while the four of us have gathered as many handy weapons as possible.

Now as we all stood here in Alaska, in somewhat familiar scenery, I couldn't help but get that sense of Déjà Vu. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. But I wanted to overcome that fear.

I wanted to help others who have been captured like us. I wanted to destroy the Brooke, put this all away for once and for all.

Christian stood beside me, all stiff and angry while he looked around vigilantly. I understood his paranoia.

Marks could be here.

Or any other staff of BMHS to pick up another poor soul.

If they recognized us, it will be over.

But luckily, nothing happened as the seven-seater SUV arrived. The driver stepped out, asking for Ms. Adams.

While Mia signed on the paperwork for the rental car she had paid for, Brand loaded our luggage in the car and rest of us climbed inside.

I tried to give my share for the car and the flight ticket to Mia. We all did, but she refused.

"It's my treat. After all, I was the one who messed up things at first place by sending Ana in my place, disrupting all your lives at BMHS."

"If Ana hadn't been there, we would have been still missing here and kept as slaves in The Brooke." Jose said. "No offense to you."

"None taken. Maybe you're right. Still, it's my treat."

That seemed to be the end of the discussion.

"So are we going straight to the Brooke?" Emily asked, leaning forward.

"No point in staying here longer than necessary." Christian replied from behind the wheel.

"I agree. But is it safe to drive there at night?"

I cracked at that. "No difference. It's not like we're entering a spirit world where days would be safer."

Christian turned his head slightly in the direction of the passenger's side, looking at me. "The true monsters don't fear the daylight. They are just as evil in the day as in the night. Maybe worse."

Truer words than these were never spoken.

We all fell in a comfortable silence after that as Christian continued to drive in a cozy weather.

Even for May, Alaska was pretty cold. Good thing I had bought a few leather jackets and shawls to keep me warm just in case. Christian had been very persistent about his one-step-at-a-time plan.

He just wanted us to grab the gemstones and fly away from the Brooke, then plan out strategically how to rescue Christopher, other students and destroy the Brooke. Right in that order.

I saw no harm in agreeing to the plan. In fact, it was actually a smart one. It would be stupid to think that I was invincible and bring down our enemies in just one go. We did need a strategic plan.

"Do we know where we are headed?" Brandon asked from right behind me.

As I turned behind to answer him, I saw one his hands captured in both of Emily's. Watching them getting closer made my heart go all fluttery. I really hoped they work out soon.

Something good coming out of this mess would be a much-needed inspiration.

"Jose and I remember some of the ways." I replied.

"I do too." Christian added, making me turn to him.

"You do?" I asked, surprised.

"I wasn't sure at first but now, looking around, I am beginning to remember more clearly."

His triggered memories were still too raw. I could imagine how he must be suffering looking at the surroundings. Coming here, without Christopher would have had to make him nostalgic.

"C, you okay, right?"

He gave me strained smile and nodded while his expressions told me otherwise.

As if understanding my apprehension, one of his hands left the steering wheel to wrap around my fingers.

It stayed there for the rest of the way.

Until we reached the Brooke.

We were driving on and on into straight road with not a soul in sight when I noticed something off on the narrow lane we just left.

"Wait. I think we should go that side."

"There's nothing on that road, babe. It's a dead-end."

"So where are we going exactly?"

C shook his head. "I got no idea. Just following the road straight. Can't seem to remember from here on."

I turned to Jose who was sitting in the last row with Mia sleeping in his opposite direction.

"Do you know?"

He had this concentrated look on his face like he was trying to dig hard in his mind.

"Strange thing. I remembered the whole way pretty clearly, but this is a tricky area. I think I must have dozed off somewhere here."

"I had slept too." Emily jumped in. "We were in similar surroundings when my eyes felt heavy and when I woke up, the whole town of the Brooke was there."

"I swear, I was out during the same timeline as well." Brandon added.

Thinking back now, I could remember feeling sleepy in Marks's car as well. But I was sure I hadn't fallen asleep.

My eyes swiped to Christian. "What about you?"

He shrugged absentmindedly. Wheels spinning inside his head were almost audible. "I was asleep too. So was Christopher. This is strange."

Mia chose to jerk awake at that moment.

"What did I miss?" She rubbed her eyes, her voice sounded a little rough from sleep.

"I guess we are kind of lost." Brandon replied to her.

She covered her mouth with a hand as she yawned loudly.

"Seriously? This is turning out to be so anticlimactic. I was thinking we'd be entering a different zone. Like, poof! Crackers and lightening. But instead, we're lost."

Like, poof.

Like, poof!

Like, poof!

"Mia you're a genius." I screamed, wanting to get out of the car and hug her.

Instead, my neck diverted in Christian's direction. "Go there. The road you just missed." I said, pointing out in that direction.

"Why?"

"Just do it."

He sighed but began reversing the car. "Explain," he demanded.

"I wasn't sleeping. It was a little blurry but I wasn't asleep or out cold."

"Okay, so?"

"Christian you all were. I wasn't. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Did you guys drink something? Something that Marks provided you as a complimentary or welcoming drink?"

"Yes. Some sort of sherbet it was, I think." Emily spoke. Brandon, Christian and Jose all gave their confirmation as well.

"That's the thing. I didn't drink it. I bet it was some kind of drug to knock us out while he took us easily into another dimension."

"But why?" Jose questioned, looking suspiciously at me.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you drink it? Marks was very persuasive."

I shrugged. "I didn't want to. Not that I refused it. You're right he was persuasive. So I took it from him, drank it but never swallows. Instead, I spit it out on my napkin."

Suddenly, Cody's word from the final level echoed in my mind.

You didn't drink when Marks told you to. He found out that stained napkin later, by the way

"I was looking out the window. I saw us going into another dimension."

Christian narrowed his eyes into consideration before changing the gear and spinning the wheels in the direction I had pointed.

"Mia- uh Anastasia, do we need to prepare for any side effect or anything?" Emily asked.

Her name confusion regarding me was still making progress. But this was the first time she'd called me Mia in front of everyone.

I swayed my eyes in Mia's way to watch her reaction. To see if me borrowing her name would affect her in any way.

But the expression on her face remained neutral and sleepy.

"Nothing to prepare for. Literally, there was nothing at first just the wasteland and in the next blink a whole town erupted out of nowhere, stretching in every direction for acres."

Christian drove slowly and cautiously into nothingness in front of us.

It was just like I had said.

One moment there was nothing, next moment the civilization bloomed around us.

Dread and determination settled in my gut as I realized what this really meant.

We were back here. The Brooke.

Yeeehaawww! So they are finally back in the Brooke! Who's excited? Who's excited?

The next chapter is my Most Favorite chapter of the story I've written so faaar. I hope you guys enjoy its thrill just as much.

Don't forget to review ;)

Belated Happy Valentine's Day

Love ya all,

Kaishi Springs xoxo