A/N: Hey guys!
Sorry for the late update, I hope this incredibly long chapter makes up for it! I'd love to give you guys an update schedule, but I'm so busy lately! I'm so pleased so many of you have stuck with this fic! I can't believe we're at chapter 32 and I hate to think how many total words! I'm aiming to post the last few chapters before PLL starts back, but like I said, I've been really busy which is fantastic for me because dream job, but not so much for my writing, but like I said...thank you all for your patience and understanding!
I won't be doing the next half of the season unless it's really, really bad for Haleb, but the last episode was pretty promising so we'll see! Also I'm kind of reluctant to make the commitment because this has been quite the under taking and I'm not sure I could do it again!
I have a tumblr now, the link is on my profile, if enough of you guys follow me, I'll post updates and stuff there!
"I know you killed Sarah" Hanna stated confidently. Looking him right in the eye. She refused to look away, refused to show him any weakness. She wanted to watch for his reaction, for anything that would give him away. And there it is. Not guilt. Not fear. Not remorse. There was a smile playing around his mouth….a laugh in his eyes. It was like he was mocking her. Oh it's him alright. It has to be. Only AD….A….whatever it is would react like this. Like this was a game. Like killing someone was no big deal. Like they knew more than I did. I've got you Noel. Spencer wanted proof…you're going to give me it.
"I knew you'd eventually slip up" she said quietly, and more than a little to herself.
"Oh you've got it all wrong" he said mock innocently and she narrowed her eyes. Here we go. "Didn't you hear? Sarah fell in the shower" he was so…so..condescending. Any fear she'd felt at facing him was being pushed to the side by the anger she felt hearing him mock Sarah's death like that…her murder. She cocked her head to the side.
"Then why'd you have her phone?" Hanna said, pasting a faux confused expression over her features. Two can play at that game. "Why drive aall the way down to the city to dump it, and then….come here…" she said casually. Glancing about her nonchalantly. It was enough to catch a glimpse of Caleb. Eyes trained on she and Noel. Hands clenched on the table the knuckles white, looking ready to spring up at any moment and come to her rescue. His jaw was clenched as hard as his fists. She looked back at Noel, letting Calebs presence bolster her. "To try to get it back" she said, letting him know with her eyes that she had him. That she knew what he'd done. That she knew he was lying. A pause. He contemplated her silently. She knew he saw the look in her eyes, recognised what she was trying to communicate to him. He was weighing her up...but was it as an equal? That's what she needed. For him to see her as an equal. A partner. It was the only way she'd get any information out of him without having to resort to plan B, a part of her was hoping he'd confess right now, her phone was in her bag handily set to record...or maybe he'd take a couple of sips of his beer and it'd loosen him up enough...make him chatty. She really didn't want to go to plan B. Or should it be plan D...for drugs? No. Focus Hanna!
"What do you want Hanna?" He didn't move an inch, just gazed at her, his eyes cold. Hanna had the urge to fidget under his cold gaze, if not outright flee, but she played it off by leaning in, as if to confide in him. Come on Noel. Trust me.
"The police are suspecting that there was foul play." She and Caleb had decided to play on Hanna's previous jail time. Make Noel think she wanted to protect her Mom and her Mom's hotel…and more importantly herself. Surely he'd be able to understand self preservation, for someone like him it was usually their top priority. She wouldn't mention the other girls at all, it would make him suspicious. He needed to think Hanna had broken away from the pack. Gone rogue. "They want to question me. Sarah died in my mom's hotel,' she sucked in a breath, managing to keep it steady, "they…know about our past. And that someone took Sarah's room key from the concierge desk" she said leadingly, frowning at the 'suspiciousness' of it all. The coincidence. I wonder who that could have been. Her tone said.
"Well that doesn't sound very good….for you" Noel said, seemingly uninterested in her plight. Completely unsympathetic. Big shocker there.
"Or you" Hanna shot back immediately. No more messing around. Time to step it up. They stared at each other for a moment. "The cellphone was….a big screw up" Hanna said, relishing in the fact that he had screwed up…and letting him know it. Letting him know she had him, that she was the one in charge. "But…we can both walk away from this clean" she said and hoped she sounded persuasive, reaching for her glass and bringing it to her lips. Hoping he'd do the same. Hoping he'd take the bait. She took a sip and he studied her the entire time. She tried not to shift uncomfortably, tried not to look suspicious...or guilty.
"After the police talk to me they'll….question" she put emphasis on the word as she brought her eyes up to meet his gaze, "other guests" I'll tell the police everything I know, and you'll be arrested. She meant.
"Oh I wasn't in the hotel when it happened" he said casually. Too casually. "I went to see a movie" that irritating near smile hovering around his features, she felt a sudden and vicious urge to slap it from his face. How long is he going to do this. He knows I know. Just cut a deal with me already. Tell me what I need.
"At my place" Hanna said. Giving him the opening, trying to push things along, push them in to the correct conversation. The one she needed. "We watched Birdman, right" it wasn't a question. She watched him take a breath. Come on, come on. I told you I know, I offered you an out, why aren't you drinking to our scheming? That's how Mona does this right? Scheme and then have a celebratory drink? What's it going to take to get you to take the damn bait!? Hanna could feel herself getting anxious, this wasn't going to plan. She hadn't anticipated Noel dragging this out. She'd thought it would be easier, thought he'd own up to it once she presented him with the facts...or thought he'd take a sip of his doctored drink and open up like a clam, but she'd offered him the alibi, she'd had to. Because he wasn't giving her anything and she was getting desperate. She picked up her drink and raised it to him. Yaaay evil plans! Cheers!
"You help me, I help you" she said, trying to smile conspiratorially. She wasn't sure she pulled it off. She tried to smash down the growing panic she was feeling. Noel should be putty in her hands at this stage, anyone else would be with this much evidence against them. He reached for the glass…yes…that's it…he tapped the rim with his finger. Drink it…come on.
"I wanna see the phone" He said. It took a lot of effort to keep the disappointment from her face, he was rattling her. She hadn't thought it would be this hard. I didn't give Mona nearly enough credit for all her scheming. She put her glass down on the table, and reached in to her bag for the phone, hand passing over her own. She subtly checked it was still recording with a glance. Luckily she didn't like to leave it lying around, she didn't want to chance losing it. She raised it up for him to see then tucked it back away. She couldn't zip her bag back up though, because she needed whatever he said to be recorded clearly. Which meant now Noel knew where the phone was...and it wouldn't be hard for him to reach it. To overpower her. He looked at her as if to say, oh? so?. She raised her glass once again, swallowing down her fear. The tattered shreds of her Mona mask barely holding together.
"Cheers" She said. He smiled at her and it chilled her down to her bones, she felt the blood drain from her face. But then he finally, finally, picked up his glass and raised it to hers. She forced herself not to sigh in relief. They clinked them together and then…he brought it to his lips. Finally. This is it. Okay...he drinks a little. I drag this out...start talking plans and then once he loosens up from the drugs, I start to ask him pointed questions. What I have right now isn't enough. It's all circumstantial. It won't be enough. He hadn't admitted to anything...yet. Noel paused with the drink millimetres away, his gaze shifting from it to her. She quickly gulped down some of her own drink, feeling her composure crack slightly.
"You should have some, it's good" she said in what she hoped was a nonchalant way, inwardly cursing herself for sounding so stupid.
"Not my thing" he said, shaking his head. The glass taking a trip back down on to the table. Dammit he was so close.
"You have it" he said, pushing his glass towards her. Does he know? He can't? How can he know? Damn, it's my fault. I must have overplayed it or...or...maybe he could just tell. Maybe he has some sort of evil plan radar? Ugh, don't be stupid Hanna.
"I already have one" She said with a slight shrug. They where both well aware of the stand off they where in, Hanna's back started to prickle with sweat.
"Take a sip" Noel enunciated clearly, it was an order...and….the look in his eyes, the tone of his voice. It sent a shiver down Hanna's spine. She had a flash of a dark, dank space. Phantom pain flared up. She swallowed, she couldn't help it. He knew. Somehow he knew or he'd guessed what she'd done. Or what she'd planned. She shouldn't be surprised. But she thought this one time she was in control. That she was the one pulling the strings. He must have seen the truth in her eyes, the panic, because he sat back, nodding to himself. She cursed herself. I should have asked Mona for help...I should have asked Mona to do this part. She wouldn't have screwed it up.
The jig was up, she looked away and she wanted to cry more than anything, but she refused to show weakness to Noel. She felt powerless all over again. She couldn't even do this one thing, she'd lost any advantage they might have had. Any chance they had to get Noel. Because she'd overplayed it, not hidden her emotions well enough or whatever it was she'd done, hell she wasn't even sure. Maybe the assholes psychic. I shouldn't have kept insisting that he drink, who does that? Frat boys trying to get you to drink a spike drink...I'm sure Noel's used the move himself before. I'm such an idiot. Hanna looked up to stop herself from crying. She couldn't stop him from leaving. She wasn't strong enough…and she didn't want to get that close to him…didn't want to touch him.
In her peripheral she saw Noel start to move towards her and she knew what was coming. She'd known the second she'd shown him exactly where it was. He's going to take the phone…and I won't be able to stop him. I'm too weak. I can't fight him, he's too strong. Like the barn…I couldn't stop any of it….I can't…
Her thoughts where cut off by Noel falling in to the table in front of her, glasses crashing and spraying beer everywhere as they where knocked flying thanks to the impact of Noels body. Hanna looked up, heart racing, to see Caleb standing there shaking out his hand. He turned to Hanna, and offered her a small smile before gently pulling her out of the booth and away from Noel.
"Are you okay?" he asked her, stroking her arms gently. She nodded at him numbly, eyes trained on Noel, not wanting to let him out of her sight. Noel wiped some blood from his mouth and shook his head, the movement causing him to look to the side. A motion that gave him the perfect view of Hanna's bag. Open. Phone in full view. He reached towards it, and Caleb caught the movement, lunging to stop him. They struggled, shoving each other...for now, and Hanna could only watch, her throat completely dry. This isn't happening, this isn't happening. Noel might….he might….Caleb….
"Caleb" she choked out. She didn't scream it like she wanted to, but it was enough to make him turn to her instantly, a questioning look in his eyes. Which was enough to give Noel a chance to take the phones...hers and Sarah's. Caleb tore his eyes away from Hanna and looked around at the motion of Noel stepping back. Phones in hand.
"Hey-" he said, once again lunging for Noel, but Hanna saw the look in Noels eye and she grabbed Caleb by the arm, clutching tightly, hugging it for dear life. She did not want Caleb getting in to a real fist fight with Noel. Noel had been too focused on getting the phone out of Hanna's bag to really go for Caleb, but now...he wouldn't hold back. He wouldn't settle for merely shoving Caleb. She knew the kind of damage Noel could do. Her nails where probably digging in to Caleb's arm, but she didn't care. She didn't know what Noel would do if they pushed him. Sure they where in a public place, but that hadn't stopped him from forcibly taking that phone. No-one had batted an eye when Caleb punched Noel. Noel held Hanna's phone up for her to see, before switching off the voice recording app and then deleting all that had been recorded. Hanna felt her nails dig in to Caleb's arm even more, before his hand came up to cover both of hers. Sure, what she'd recorded wouldn't do much...but it might have been suspicious enough for the cops to at least question him...which might get them...nowhere. It would get them nowhere. It doesn't matter.
Noel then slowly looked Sarah's phone over, before placing it in his pocket. His movements slow and deliberate. He knew Hanna couldn't take it back from him. And he knew she wouldn't let Caleb either because she didn't want him getting hurt. He straightened his jacket deliberately, taking his time. Then he looked up to meet Hanna's eyes, stepping closer, her phone held out towards she and Caleb. Caleb stepped in front of her as much as he could with her death grip on his arm and snatched her phone from Noels hand. Noel sneered. He leaned in towards her, past Caleb, completely ignoring him, like he wasn't even there.
"Be careful Hanna. Or you'll end up just like Sarah" he said in a low voice. Steadily. His words full of a quiet malice. Her knees went weak, her grip on Caleb's arm the only thing keeping her standing as she heard her own pain filled screams filling her head. Her vision momentarily going dark as she was back in that place. The barn.
Him. It was him. I killed the wrong person. It was Noel. He…he did those things…he…he…she felt tears rush to her eyes. I killed an innocent person. He might not have been a good person, but I punished him for Noel's crimes. For something he didn't even do. Noel turned and casually walked away, not a care in the world. Caleb tracking the movement with his eyes until Noel was out the door, before turning to Hanna and pulling her to his chest, arms coming around her, one hand cupping the back of her head.
"It's okay Han. We'll figure something else out, this was a long shot anyway, right?" Hanna didn't respond, but he could hear her sniffling, feel her hands clutching his shirt. He leaned down towards her ear. "Han...I'm fine. He didn't hurt me, I'm safe. I'm pain free. I don't have a scratch on me...even my hand's good! Noel's gone. You're safe. It'll be okay." He said comfortingly. She just clutched him tighter. Refusing to let go.
She and Caleb had returned to their motel room. She'd stuck to him like glue for a good ten minutes before they'd ventured out to the car. She hadn't let go of his hand the entire time, until he'd closed the car door after making sure she was buckled in. She'd grabbed his hand again, as soon as he'd thought about putting it near the gear stick. Caleb hated the look of terror that still lingered in her eyes over an hour after the event, it was like the night she'd been brought back to him by Alison's aunt. He should have punched Noel again, but Hanna had stopped him. He knew why. She'd been afraid he would get hurt, that Noel would hurt him or worse. He hadn't wanted to upset Hanna further, not when she was already closing to losing it in the middle of the bar so he'd backed down. At least I got in one good punch. Like hell was he going to touch her. Caleb snarled internally. He'd seen what was going to happen, he'd seen the moment Noel figured out what was going on and he'd moved instantly. Shooting across the bar. He'd promised Hanna Noel wouldn't lay a finger on her, and he wasn't going to let her down. Not this time. Not 'd relished the feel of his fist meeting Noels face. He just wished he'd broken something in the other guy.
Caleb walked back in to the main room after running his hand under some cold water for a few minutes. It may or may not be a little swollen. Hanna hadn't wanted him to leave her sight but he'd drawn the line at her following him in to the bathroom. He glanced around, eyes zeroing in on Hanna standing by the window, phone in hand.
"What is it?" he asked, noting the look on her face.
"I have a voicemail from Emily" she said, slowly. "They've been trying to call all day but if one of them finally left a message…."
"Then it must be important" Caleb finished for her. Coming to stand behind her, with his hands on her shoulders. Gently kneading. She looked back down at her phone, hesitated for a split second and then slid her finger across the screen. Her voicemail sprang open and she clicked speaker before clicking play.
"Hanna, we know you're planning something. Whatever it is, don't do it. We found out Noels been living at his parents cabin, and Spencer found something….a video. You where right all along. He is dangerous, okay but we're ready to go to the police and tell them everything. But we want to do this all together. We love you. Please come home" Hanna listened in silence. She wasn't comforted by the fact at all. She'd lost the phone, and they needed all the evidence they could get. She'd just witnessed first hand how well he could lie. He'd wriggle out of it, either with lies or with money, or he'd get off on a lesser charge that he could brush under the carpet. She knew he would. It didn't matter what kind of video Spencer had, hell she might not even have anything. They could just be saying all this to get her to come back before she did something they didn't want her to do. Well too bad. Someone has to do something instead of this endless waiting around and debating over and over. Enough is enough. Mona hadn't said their cover was blown, but the girls must have started to suspect something. Hanna stared down at her phone while Caleb rubbed her shoulders.
"I told you it'd be okay Han. All we have to do is go back to Rosewood and tell the police everything. They'll arrest Noel. Search him. Search his car…his house….they'll find the phone and whatever else he was lurking around and it'll be bye bye Noel" Caleb said reassuringly.
"Yeah….right" Hanna said, forcing a smile to her face as she turned to face Caleb, hugging him tightly. She'd need to borrow some of his strength for what she had to do next. She couldn't tell Caleb what she planned. He'd try to stop her. She knew he would because she knew what she was planning was completely crazy. Or worse...he'd insist on coming with her. She couldn't let him. If things went bad…she couldn't let Caleb be hurt. The one thing she wanted most...was to keep him safe. A million gruesome images had flashed before her eyes when he'd been fighting with Noel in the bar, none of them with a happy ending for Caleb. She just needed to keep him safe. She needed to do this alone. She would have to do it alone. Because no matter what Spencer had, it wouldn't be enough. Nothing would be enough except a confession from Noels own mouth...and she was going to get it.
"But we can't drive back tonight, it's too late. We'll go in the morning" Hanna said in to Caleb's chest.
"You sure Han? I don't mind driving?" Caleb tried to move backwards to look at her, but she buried her face further in to his chest.
"No…let's just…enjoy the night together. Before we have to deal with Noel and the police…." Hanna trailed off. Caleb kissed the top of her head.
"If you're sure. Hey, I'm gonna take a quick shower, will you be okay by yourself for a few minutes? I know you're still shaky from what happened earlier, but I'll triple lock the door? Not that I'd mind an audience" Caleb trailed off playfully, she kept her face buried in his chest because if he saw her face…looked in to her eyes. He would know she was lying and he would know what she was planning. She managed a giggle.
"I'm sure it'd be quite the show but I'm going to get ready for bed. I'm so tired….." she said squeezing him. He nodded and gave her another quick kiss to the forehead, before pulling back and cupping her face between his hands. Their lips met in a gentle, comforting kiss before Caleb pulled away and disappeared in to the bathroom. Hanna waited until she heard the water running before she moved.
She grabbed the hammer, the rope and her cap and she bolted out the door as quietly as she could. She didn't give herself time to think about the fact she was alone. By herself. In the dark. Outside. She slammed down any flashback that tried to surface. She had one job to do. A mission. She couldn't fail. She focused on it with everything she had. Something had come over her and the trip to the Khans' cabin went by in a blur. She parked away from the Cabin, she didn't want a strange car to be spotted...for anything to look suspicious.
It was dark…deserted. Noel wasn't there yet. Good. She'd be able to take him by surprise whenever he came back. She pulled the cap from her head and tossed it down right by the gate. He'd have to get out of the car to let down the barrier. He'd notice her cap and it'd distract him long enough for her to sneak up behind him. He'd either recognise it and wonder why it was there...wonder if Hanna was there, or if she'd been there...or wonder who else would have had reason to hang around the property. She didn't care as long as he focused on the mysterious hat rather than his surroundings.
She waited in the shadows, clutching the hammer so tight her fingers started to ache. Her heartbeat echoing in her ears, she was breathing unevenly. It felt like forever to her but it wasn't long before she heard the sound of approaching tyres, saw the glare of headlights as a car approached. I made it just in time. Lucks on my side. Hopefully it'll hold out. Because if this goes wrong...
She watched the car pull up in front of the barrier. Watched Noel hop out of the vehicle, not a care in the world. Watched him pull his keys out, looking down at them as he sorted through for the one for the gate. She watched, noting the exact moment he noticed the cap, right where she knew he'd see it in the glare from his headlights. Not immediately noticeable from in the car, but definitely if you where walking to open the gate. She watched him cock his head to the side, before slowly moving to circle round it, before bending down to pick it up. She crept up slowly and quietly while he was focused on the hat. She didn't give herself time to hesitate. She needed to act. She needed to move. She needed the element of surprise.
He was staring at the hat, puzzling it out, she could practically see the wheels turning in his brain. She was right on him when she saw him turn his head to the side, and she swung. She hit him with the handle of the hammer, and he went down like a tonne of bricks. She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel some measure of satisfaction….retribution. He'd hurt her over and over again. Tortured her. For fun, or whatever sick reason he had. This was nothing compared to that. But she wasn't like him. She wasn't a murderer. She just wanted the information they needed to end all of this. For good. And she'd do what she had to in order to make that happen. To make sure none of her friends where the next one locked in a barn at Noels not so tender mercy.
"It's over bitch" she ground out. She stared down at him lying there. Helpless. Weak. Unable to defend himself. Just like she'd been. But she'd beaten him this time. She'd got him. He was at her mercy. She was the one with the power now. He would be the scared one. A smile twitched across her face, involuntarily. She didn't think it was a pleasant one. She reached down, grabbing him by the ankles and slowly started to drag him towards her car, the sound of his body being dragged over the dirt permeating the night air.