FLASHBACK:
"And why should I tell you anything Jay? You've known for over a month that I'm pregnant and you haven't showed any interest before now. Is it because your Unit, the people who are your family, have realized what an asshole you've become? Today has been a good day up until now. I'm not going to let you ruin it for me. So, in keeping with tradition Hank and I are heading to get a late lunch. It's something we do together on Friday's. But you would have known that if you had been to one single doctor's appointment with me. Think what you want about me but I'm still the same woman you said you fell in love with. You're the one who has changed Jay Halstead. You're the one who is letting his demons take control of him and his life. Maybe, once you figure your shit out and are ready to accept why I did what I did then and only then we can talk. Until then I don't want to see you." I said. Hank and Jay looked at me in shock, well more so Jay did. I think Hank was a little proud of me for finally standing up to Jay and putting him in his place. I walked out of the exam room, into the waiting room, where O'Malley was playing Words With Friends on his phone. "How does a lieutenant for the Irish Mob actually have friends to play that game with? Or are you playing with strangers who don't know you?" I asked quietly as I took the seat next to him. "Why are you sitting down? Is everything okay with the babies? Where's Voight?" the Irish giant asked, concern written across his face. "Some bodyguard you are. Did you not notice Halstead walk right past you and into the exam room? He and Hank needed a few minutes alone to recover from the tongue lashing I gave Jay." I replied. "We're going to Piccolo Sogno for lunch today. I'll get you a pizza on the way out. You can eat it back at the house later."
Thirty minutes later, Hank and I were enjoying lunch at one of my favorite Italian restaurants. After I ordered the lasagna and Hank the Saltimbocca I said, "Pretty soon it will be warm enough to eat on the patio. Good thing Italian food seems to agree with me. It seems to be either that or soup is all I want to eat lately. I'm heading to Myrtle Beach a week from today so sadly we won't be having lunch next Friday. My Dad is flying down straight from Boston and I'm flying out of O'Hare at 9:00am. I'll be back on Monday morning. I'll head straight to the hotel from the airport. We can either do dinner that night or we can wait till the next Friday, after my doctor's appointment to have lunch. Whatever you want to do I'll make time in my schedule." "You know you're avoiding the subject. Halstead was pretty blown away by what you said. I think you got your point across. It was a little mean that you didn't tell him that you have a boy and a girl cooking right now. I would have given him that much at least." Hank replied. "Hank, I love you dearly and am so thankful for everything you've done, but I don't want to talk about Jay. Not yet...maybe not ever. I've accepted the fact that I'm going to be a single mother with a full time career. I'll figure a way to do it on my own. I don't need Jay Halstead or any of the shit that comes along with him." I said. "I love you too but I know you're lying. You need Jay and all the shit that comes with him because you're still in love with him. You wouldn't be hurting this bad otherwise. I'm not going to push it kid. Now, let's talk a little business..." Hank replied.
A little business. Jesus, that's what got me into this mess in the first place. I was going to seriously hurt someone. After lunch with Hank, I ordered a pizza to-go for O'Malley and then walked up to his car to hand it to him. That's when I noticed he was unconscious in the driver's seat. What the fuck, I had thought to myself as I looked around. The parking lot was relatively empty. It was our typical Friday routine. O'Malley parked next to me and then I always gave him his food before he followed me home. It wasn't a very exciting life, this life of a Mob Boss, but I was doing what I needed to in order to have some sort of normalcy returned to my life before the babies were born. Before I could call 9-1-1 I heard footsteps behind me and I turned to see Joseph DiStefano and Hailey Upton standing in front of me. "Let's go." Joseph said, grabbing my arm. "What the fuck? What are you doing? You're hurting me Joseph. Let go of me." I said. "Jesus, just knock her out already. I can't stand listening to her." Hailey said. "Bitch, how did you get out of jail? Did this prick help you escape? You are so dead. It's only a matter of time before someone comes looking for me. What do you think is going to happen when O'Malley doesn't check in with the O'Doyles? You think they're going to let that slide? You tried to fuck with me once before Hailey and I outsmarted you. Don't be mistaken, I'll kill you this time if you lay a finger on me. And you, Joseph. What do you think is going to happen in Boston, when Paddy finds out what you've done? He's not going to accept this. He's going to go to war, and it's a war your family won't win." I said as I was bound at the ankles and wrists before being tossed into the trunk of a black sedan.
As I laid there, in the dark I tried to regulate my breathing. My blood pressure had been high throughout the course of my pregnancy and this sure as hell wasn't going to help things. I talked to my babies, letting them know it was going to be okay. If I couldn't get us out of this mess then I knew their daddy would come rescue us. The one thing Joseph and Hailey didn't know is I am required to text Rixton when I pull into my garage each night. My house was set far enough back on the property so it wasn't visible from the street. That meant no surveillance equipment, which I'm sure is one of the reasons Uncle Paddy had it on his list. I was guessing I had about thirty minutes or so before Rixton notified Hank that I hadn't checked in and they started looking for me. I just need to find a way to stay calm and stay alive up till that point. It was close to twenty-five minutes later when the car stopped moving and I heard the doors open and close. I had searched the trunk for something I could use as a weapon but had come up empty. I heard footsteps and voices approaching the car. And then the trunk opened and I looked into the face of the man I knew wanted me dead...El Gato. "Well, look what we have here. I do suppose congratulations are in order. I understand you and Detective Halstead are having twins. It's too bad he will never meet his babies." El Gato told me. "Lay one finger on me and I will kill both you and your daughter. Hurt me or my unborn children and you will have no chance of surviving. Why did you even bother to come looking for me? Why didn't you just leave the country when you escaped? Is payback that important to you?" I replied. "Ah, the young queen doesn't yet understand the power she has. And what it's going to do to her Uncle...to Sargent Voight...to Detective Halstead when they find her dead body and the body of her newborns down by the river. I think we'll leave her body in the same spot she was found after shooting my son Ramon." he told Hailey and Joseph. "For now get her out of the trunk and get her set up in one of the bedrooms. I'll speak with her again in the morning." he instructed. "The morning!? You're crazy if you think for one minute I'll still be here in the morning." I replied. "Oh, but you will. You see, you are now in the house next door to yours. I have recently purchased this house, under a different name of course, because I want to keep my eye on the comings and goings that occur as the search gets underway for you. It's going to be fun to watch over the next few months." El Gato told me.
PRESENT DAY:
Now eighty-seven days later I am still his prisoner. I tried to escape, every day, over that first month and a half, but failed. And each time I failed I took a beating. Not to my stomach, but to my face, my arms, my legs. All of my beatings were delivered by Hailey, and I knew she took great pleasure in it. I had tried again three days ago and received a beating that had knocked me unconscious for hours. And she ignored her father and hit me in the stomach. I was going to kill her. That's all there was to it. El Gato wanted me to deliver my babies and he would kill them when he killed me, leaving our three bodies for Jay to find. I decided that fighting them was not the way to get out of here. I watched their routines every day. Just as I did on all those Fridays with Hank, they became sloppy, not altering their patterns. I knew it would just be a matter of time before I would have the opportunity to escape. I patiently waited and bided my time. I talked to my babies, decided on names for them and prayed each night that God would keep them safe and send Jay and Hank to rescue us. As I got out of bed that morning I heard lots of shouting. Hailey, El Gato and Joseph seemed to be having an argument of sorts. Maybe I could use this to my advantage. I took a shower and put on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before making my way out of the room. I had been given the okay to roam the house with the exception of El Gato's office. And that's where the noise was coming from. "Good Morning, Luis. What's with all the drama?" I asked the man who tended to watch me like a hawk. I'm not sure if he was really there to protect me from Hailey or to protect Hailey from me, but after the first month of my captivity, Luis showed up and hadn't left the house since. I actually kind of liked him. He was nice and always made sure I was getting plenty of rest, exercise and eating the right type of food. I don't know if he knew that El Gato was planning on killing the babies after they were born. "Good Morning Christine. I don't know. Something about a trip they need to take. Something to do with passports. It's been going on for almost thirty minutes. I'm just trying to block it out." he replied.
Suddenly the door to the study opened and Hailey said "Luis, you're with me and Joseph today. Let's go." "Going out in the daylight Hailey? And here I was starting to think you were a vampire. Never going out during the day. Maybe my wish will come true and you'll burst into flames the second you step outside." I said taunting her. As she took a step towards me, I smirked at her and said "Go ahead. I dare you. Lay one hand on me and it will be the last mistake you ever make." As she stepped forward a voice from the study said "Enough. Hailey, go. You know what you need to do today. Be safe and I'll see you and Joseph when you return." I looked at El Gato, thinking that there was a chance I was going to be left alone in the house with him and if that was the case then I would be making my move. I was going to take control of the situation. El Gato returned to his study when Hailey and Joseph went out to the garage. "Bye Luis. I'll see you later." I said as I walked towards the fridge to get the orange juice. "It's time for you to go. You'll need this." he said quietly, handing me a gun. I looked at him in surprise and he responded "I don't believe in killing children. You need to go. Get out of here today. We'll be back in three hours. Be gone before then." he instructed.
I wanted to listen to Luis. To take the gun and run, but I had business I needed to take care of first. I needed to get rid of El Gato, Hailey and Joseph once and for all. I wasn't running, I was going to wait for Hailey to come home. I was ending this once and for all today. These people threatened my children and have held me captive. Jesus, I'm sure everyone thinks I'm dead at this point. Three hours later, I sat in El Gato's study with the gun pointed at him. "Papa. We're back." I heard Hailey yell as she entered the kitchen from the garage. "Tell her, now." I said standing. "Hailey, come in here please. I need to talk to you." he replied. I stood on the side of the door with the gun raised. As the door opened and Hailey walked in I noticed the look of surprised when she saw her father tied to his desk chair. "What the..." was all she got out before it was my turn to knock her unconscious with the gun. I stuffed the gag back in El Gato's mouth and quickly bound Hailey's hands and ankles. I dragged her over to the side of the couch. As I stood up straight I gasped as a sharp pain shot through my lower back and abdomen. "Come on babies. Just be good for a little while longer. We are almost free." I thought to myself.
I walked out into the kitchen and saw Joseph sitting at the counter. "Hailey and El Gato want you in the study. I was walking past the door and they told me to get you." I said as I took a seat. Joseph stood to get up, and as he was exiting the kitchen, I said "Hey Joseph" to get his attention. He turned and I shot him in both legs. I walked over to him, removed his gun from the waistband of his pants and hit him knocking him unconscious. "Christine, what are you doing?" Luis asked me. "Luis, you need to leave. I don't want you caught up in what is about to happen. Seriously, you need to go now." I told him before walking into the study. "Oh good. I'm glad to see that you're waking up Hailey. Guess I didn't hit you hard enough. I'll have to work on that, but as your father pointed out almost three months ago, I am a young queen. Which means I still have plenty to learn, but I think I'm doing...AAAAAAHHHHHH." I finished by screaming as the cramping worsened. "You don't look so good. Maybe one of the punches I threw caused some pregnancy complications. Doesn't matter tho. You're dead. You and your babies." she said taunting me. "Shut up bitch!" I yelled as I bent over barely able to stand. I held up the gun and pulled the trigger. I saw El Gato's eyes widen as Hailey slumped down. I don't know if I killed her and I honestly don't care either way. I just need to get out of there. However, El Gato posed a bigger threat to me and my children. I had the bruises from the beatings, so I was going to claim self defense. I walked over and untied him from his chair and removed the gag. He pushed past me and ran over towards Hailey. I knew she had a gun on her. I saw it and knew El Gato had seen it as well. As he reached towards Hailey's gun, I shot him. I shot him four times. I prayed that I killed him.
Barely able to breathe because of the pain, I ran to the only phone in the house. It was the phone on El Gato's desk and I called Hank. "Hank, help me." I said when he answered. I felt another sharp pain so severe that I thought something was tearing apart inside of me. I screamed in pain. I remember hearing Hank call my name over the phone as I looked down and saw blood dripping down my legs. I dropped the phone and screamed "NO!" In fear that I was miscarrying my babies. Then once again, my world went dark.