Much later into the night
Hours after the bombing
Day 3 of 7 of the Ransom Time Limit
2:23 a.m.
Miley's POV…
Black
Black
Dark Blue
Eyelids…slowly opening…
Blink
Blink, blink
I keep on blinking to get rid of the fog
And focus…
But all I see is night sky around me…
The stars shining like little lanterns…
I'm just so tired, but all could see are the stars being closer than I've ever seen before…
So close that I can almost touch them…
All I can feel is the floor under me carrying me to
And I'm just floating and flying through murky sky
High enough to dodge stars
And I'm not slowing down, coming down, and I'm already awake.
Am I dead?
Oh dear God, I'm dead. I'M DEAD…
We didn't get out in time
Oh NO!
Wait! What about Teddy?
Teddy!
Miley starts trying to stop moving through the stars. She begins with a soft moan and agonizingly slow crawling movements.
Tedddddy…
Oh God no! What going to happen to him…us…
"Teddy!" I yelped.
Suddenly a strong hand grips my shoulder blade. I jump out of my seat almost losing my balance at this unexpected motion.
My body and consciousness are warped back to reality. I jerk my head to my right in fear…
And I relax as I have nothing to fear…
Theo's sitting right beside me, giving me a reassuring hold assuring me that everything's okay.
And it is…but only because he's here.
And it's only now that I realize neither of us had died.
The constant hum that I hear around me and the ever changing pressure balance in my ears means…
I'm on-board an airplane.
A small aircraft…light yet larger and more comfortable than a Cessna.
That explains the stars being more around me than above me.
I never take my eyes off of Teddy, while he also continues to stare at me.
I look deep into his brown eyes and I notice they're much more pale than usual. The light veins and quiver of his eyes makes my heart go out to him.
He was 'shell shocked'. Scratch that he is still shell shocked because of all of this.
I was too, but I realize, he was the first to see the bomb. He had to run for dear life. He had the fear of God put into him.
The mental anguish alone had to be enough to drive anyone off the deep end. But not Teddy…
All this time…its all been about safeguarding me.
He's so selfless.
I think he really does care…
Yet something new comes to my mind. All this torture has to be worse for Teddy.
I mean its one thing to rescue someone and protect them…but I couldn't fathom what it was like for Teddy to know that this was all his fault. And that has to be what he's thinking.
Oh Teddy.
I just want to scream out to you and the rest of the world that it isn't.
Ever since we were together, you've done so much for me.
Not only did you made me see the truth about Jake, but you made sure he would never hurt me again.
You saved me from those women in the alleyway, and after what I had done to your eyes.
You were so brave. Even when bleeding, you took the time to set me straight and made me see what I had and what I had in me.
You went insane for me, stopping a monster from breaking me.
You belittled my problems and forced me past them. You have placed me in mortal danger. You've taken me away from my life, my school, my world that was Jake Ryan.
Thank You.
And now this…caring so much about me that you would get us a plane to avoid the dangers on the ground.
How you got a plane I'll never know and will never be more grateful for.
I can't thank you enough…
For all the places you took me, you never failed to make sure I had a good night's sleep in a warm and comfortable place.
You never let me go or gave up on me. Never judged. And you always stepped in where I couldn't. All for me.
At that point, Miley sends Theo a small yet reassuring smile. But it's at this that Theo's eyes begin to quiver and he starts to shake, yet trying his utmost hardest to not show any of it.
Miley's face falls in worry.
But Theo gives a firm yet comforting squeeze on Miley's shoulder and does his best to smirk and nod.
I was meaning to tell Teddy that it's okay. I know he's tired, guilty, scared of failing me. But you never failed me. Not once.
But I get the message loud and clear. You want me to relax and try to forget.
Since I just know that's the only way you can do the same.
And I can, but only with you by my side Teddy.
Because no matter what happens and what wrong you may have done or will still do, I'm alive because of you and you will always be…Teddy.
Theo's POV:
What is there left to say.
As I watch Miley go back to sleep, I am frustrated that the only act of comfort I can give is a squeeze.
It seems to work for her, but not for me.
Because for now, anything I say, anything I do will be weak and fruitless to myself.
I wouldn't for a second question her self restraint if she would kill me as I sleep. The only thing preventing the acceptance of this consequence is fear. No one can kill me now since most of me died the moment I took Miley, but the fear wasn't for myself, it was the fear that the family will probably put a bounty on her head in revenge.
I could never allow Miley that fate. Yet, by now, the guilt I feel…
means nothing anymore to me…however heartless this may sound, I am out of things to say to Miley to comfort her. By now, I couldn't imagine how weak and fruitless my words of consolation must be to Miley anyways, and me speaking anymore would not just be a waste of breath, but would be torture to Miley.
No more.
So I resolve myself to, from now on, go through all of this showing my compassion, rather than speaking it…and resolving myself to find the quickest end to all of this.
Theo's flashback…The Safehouse.
Theo bolted for his life out of the kitchen. He literally jumped into his car shoved the key into the ignition. He pulled on the emergency brakes, put the car into reverse, and floored the gas pedal like his life depended on it (because it did). In a matter of seconds, all four tires were spinning so hard that the car was shifting itself to the right. Just as the exhaust fumes had built up enough to be seen at the same level as the windows of the tall SUV, Theo released the emergency brakes. The car surged backward with the force of a roller coaster. The massive SUV had broken through the closed door with one clear swift movement, and plowed through it without the significant loss of momentum. Like a battering ran breaking clear through a wall, the SUV reached the outside. This was exactly the battering ram effect Theo had wanted and he used the emergency break technique to get it. And not a second too soon, as the second that the front bumper cleared the door…
CRRRACH…..BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
The explosion was so vast it was almost inconceivable, had consumed the entire garage, basement, as well as the upper offices. The kitchen reverberated in destructive shockwaves. The epic blast was so powerful, before the boom came a pre shockwave, an announcement of the sheer power of the explosion that occurred a second after the initial blast. The sky was lit up in an artificially by the artificial sun that the blast caused. The roar was deafening, yet the shell shock that both himself and Miley had made that roar irrelevant.
When I glanced over at Miley, she just looked at it with more amazement than anything else.
It isn't until I had sped many blocks away that I took a good look at Miley.
Miley had fainted. Which was for the best.
It took a few more blocks for me to realize the consequences of not having time to put on your seatbelt when pulling the stunt I did.
Miley had, and the crushing acceleration on her body had made any possible damage to her body negligible. The most she got was a slight headache that went away pretty fast.
The same couldn't be said with me.
The backward acceleration had left its mark on my sides and back, not to mention my abs. If I wasn't still fit, I would've puked. Thank God for Corps fitness.
Later on (Afternoon)
Day 3 of 7 of the Ransom Time Limit
1:02 p.m.
It was now the afternoon as Miley and Theo still stay seated without a word. The passenger seats that Miley and Theo were sitting in were separated from the cockpit, so Miley never saw the pilot.
Theo's phone rings…
Theo's POV
I look at my phone. It's Tom.
And he thought I was yelling at him before. He's really gonna get it now.
But before I can answer it, Miley places her hand on top of my left hand…
I hadn't made much of a reaction before I picked up the phone, so imagine my amazement on how she knew what I was going to do, or more importantly what my reaction was going to be.
"Teddy, please don't yell. I really can't take it anymore…" Miley pleaded ever so sweetly.
I look straight at her and can't help but relent. You try looking at that face after what both of us had just been through and try to say no.
Yet I look back down at the phone and suddenly remember what Tom said…
"Just don't get caught up in too much if you know what I mean"
I breathe twice and look back at Miley.
She gives me a reassuring smile and nods.
I answer the phone.
"Hello," I say first.
"Theo! Theo. That's you. Oh good God am I happy to hear from you…"
"I wish I could say the same. Do you realize what happened last night."
"You're telling me. The family's up in arms. Dad's up in arms"
"He should be…now what's going on now," I push on trying to keep my patience.
"We got our people together and trying to find this thing…by the way, how'd you escape…I mean we thought we lost the both of you…"
"How'd I escape? Barely…"
"But where are hell you? We know you're not using any of our contacts."
"Tom, I can't trust your contacts anymore,"
"But Theo…"
I started to get angry again but I couldn't help it.
"NO BUTS! Every time we did it your way we were too close to getting f-ked"
"But you're part of the family…"
"THIS IS MY JOB, MY GIRL, and it's pretty obvious that I have to do this myself. I know I can do this for the family, for my life. You have to trust me."
There is dead silence on the line.
"Okay, Theo. You got me. You made sure the package is okay?"
"Of course," Theo replied.
"Okay, where are you now?"
"Don't wanna say."
"Theo, why?"
"Because there's more to it. There has to be. You tell me how on two separate occasions we were compromised. Twice, Tom, twice. I believed you when you said you had it secure and all together cause you probably did, yet with all that, someone still was able to sneak in undetected and plant a bomb big enough to level the building. I'm telling you Tom, this isn't right. I think…"
"Someone's coming after you and Miley, for whatever reason," finished Tom.
"That's it. Now we're on the same page."
I was so relieved I didn't have to say it, because it would have just frightened and upset Miley even more. And I wasn't ready to tell her until I had all the facts.
Tom relented.
"Okay Theo. You got me again. You taking Miley to a safehouse?"
"Yeah, but this time we play it my way. I already called in favours. I'm on my way right now. No one will know. What city, what building. Only I'll know, not you, not Dad, not the family no one."
"Alright, and for our part, I know we'll get to who's behind this…this afternoon, at the latest"
I was still concerned for Miley, but I knew that things such as these took a while. Yet for Miley's safety, I couldn't help but become agitated at this latest delay.
I hang up the phone and put my head back in frustration, trying to rest on the seat's headrest.
I almost fall sleep
(Laugh)
I open my eyes and look to my left to see Miley…
Chuckling and smiling.
I can't help my eyes from widening in confusion and amazement.
What I had feared in the back of my mind since Gangland was coming to life.
Miley was chuckling actually. Softly and politely, yet smiling enough to tell me its real. And that's what scared me.
All the experiences, all the pain, all the panic. All these chickens were coming home to roost.
All this time I prayed that this wouldn't happen.
Something must've snapped.
Oh I pray it didn't.
Miley's POV:
I don't know why…
But I've been thinking how…how exciting this' been. I mean Teddy's shown me more excitement and thrills than I've had since I was Hannah.
And not even Hannah could do the things I did.
It's like I'm in an action movie.
I always hated when Dad and Jackson would rent Steven Segal movies to watch.
I hated that the girl was always the damsel in distress or the sidekick or the eye candy for the guys.
But I do admit it feels so flattering to be the object of so much positive attention.
Miley looks at Theo and is stunned for a moment.
Oh dear. (Starting to really laugh out loud at Teddy). Teddy thinks I'm loco.
He's worried about me…and he doesn't know what to do.
(laugh out loud)
Oh Teddy.
Oh, wait a minute, me cracking up and laughing more isn't helping my case.
Miley laughs only harder.
I would have stopped laughing a while ago, but now Teddy's stunned face's cracking me up more and more.
I don't know how to…I really should stop.
"Miley? Please tell me you haven't lost your marbles"
Oh hun, I lost plenty since you took me.
Theo's perplexed.
"Oh don't worry, its not you or me, its just…its hard to explain"
Theo's not convinced.
"Teddy, girls are complex, I just can't help it,"
"But Miley I do care"
"Awww…don't worry Teddy" I say teasingly.
"NO Miley, I really do care about you. And I'm not gonna let this go until you convince me otherwise. Are you okay?" Theo yelled with genuine concern.
I stop immediately. I'm dumbfounded at what he said. He does care. He really does care about me…
Awkward silence for about 5 minutes. Theo realizes what he blurted out too. But this time, unlike before, he sees little reason to cover it.
Lord have mercy…
"It's not that I lost my marbles. Please understand its just…"
And I explain about the Steven Segal movies with Dad and Jackson. I tell him how its little things like these that make it a little harder to live in a family of guys.
I see Teddy's now convinced. And I'm satisfied too.
But no sooner than after we just resolve this I look out my window just in time to see the left engine puttering out.
Theo's POV:
Just as relief finally finishes its spread to my entire consciousness, I glance out the window to see fields. I glance up to see the right engine puttering out.
"Just in time," I thought.
Then it hit me…
"Hey Miley…"
But it was too late.
Miley was already in a state of panic…
Miley's POV
OhmyGod OhmyGod OhmyGod. The plane, the plane.
"Teddy!" I yelped in horror.
But all I see Teddy doing is buckling up his seat belt. And securing the things around him.
His face is expressionless.
"Teddy! The plane it's stopped. What are we gonna DO?"
"Relax, relax."
"Relax? How the hell do you expect me to relax?"
And Teddy thought I was crazy.
Thinking something must be going on…
"Teddy, what's going on?"
Teddy just turns and smirks…
"Doll, now that I'm ready. Let me help you get strapped in"
Still no straight answer.
Teddy just help me strap the things around me more securely.
The last thing he does.
Suddenly turbulence starts to rumble the plane. This is like torture to a girl worried sick, like me.
Now I'm frustrated…
"Okay Teddy, you gonna tell me why I shouldn't believe we're thousands of feet in the air without engines?"
"I won't"
"What?"
"I won't because we are thousands of feet in the air without engines."
More turbulence cause me to cringe.
I give Teddy a terrified look silently begging that he'll say or do something.
Luckily he did.
"Look, Miley I know what you're thinking. No, I did not come all this way to die here and now. And yes, I knew all along this was coming. You see, this is a smuggling plane. To avoid being detected while landing, air smugglers frequently land their planes and cargo without engines. Makes much less noise. Harder to detect. We're technically on a maintenance flight and it's gonna be so much safer for all of us."
(A/N: This is a true fact)
Miley was only somewhat consoled.
"But what about the pilot, what if something happens" asked Miley.
"The pilot's done this many times." Theo replied.
"Okay, so what's the catch"
Theo looks at Miley.
"I shouldn't have to tell you what's the catch. I'm sure it's obvious," Teddy says almost playfully.
He's insane.
"Miley, just do what I do"
"But Teddy, I'm scared."
"So am I, but think of it this way, after this, I promise you'll be able to laugh like you just did a second ago. Only better and more" Teddy replied.
But Teddy stopped when he looked at me…
I really am scared. Thousands of feet in the air and the plane was intentionally going to land with no engines.
Teddy realizes how scared I am.
"Miley, I promise all will be fine, I'm right here…"
"But Teddy, what if something goes wrong…"
"That's always a possibility, but not on this flight"
"Why,"
"Cause I'm here"
"Oh that's a relief," I commented sarcastically to myself.
Yet something inside me kinda actually agrees with him.
"Teddy, if does something happen, I just want you to know…"
"It won't"
"But what if it does?"
"It won't"
I got frustrated enough to demand.
"Then help me. I'm scared and I won't stop being scared until we are stopped on the ground safely," I said.
Being a b-ch could get me in real trouble now. But I don't care. Right now it's more important to me that I say my peace.
Or at least I hope so.
But what Teddy says next throws my sense of self awareness and my understanding of this whole ordeal into question.
"Miley, do you want me to hold you?"
Saying I was shocked at that was the understatement of the year.
"Miley, we'll be safer if we sit closer and we help secure each other as one. The turbulence won't have as much of an effect. Plus, we're much less likely to be injured from the others body parts if we do."
I'm still so shocked that I stutter. Yet my whole being rises up and pushes the most definitive YES that I ever felt inside myself.
Call it sheer fear from the turbulence. But something tells me, it's just something about the whole ordeal. About Teddy.
Not even after the monster invaded the apartment did I feel this way.
"Remember what I told you before about the existence of fear."
"Oh just hush up and hold me, Teddy," Miley demanded in a way that brought out her Tennessee accent just right.
Miley and Theo both freeze solid at the brazen way Miley's demand came out, again, risking violence for Miley. Yet Miley didn't care and neither did Theo. Theo had to secure Miley and minimize damage. They held on to each other. They were also staring into each other's eyes again that whole time.
Yet Theo couldn't deny that the reason he didn't care was that something inside him wanted to hold her. Theo insisted to himself that it was just for safety. After all he reminded himself, he was the one who offered the hold.
Miley and Theo had pressed against each other so Miley was partially sitting on Theo. But Miley's right had was shaking in fear and Theo was scared too, so to give himself emotional and spiritual support, he used his free right hand and took off his dog tags. Placing his dog tags on the back of his left hand, he used both his hand and the tags to hold Miley's right hand. Theo had his left arm under Miley's and was holding the ceiling support handlebars with his right hand, just as Miley was using her left hand to hold on to the bars on her side.
Theo's POV
As we get into position, I look into Miley one more time. She gives me this look of trust. I can't betray that. I won't betray that.
I secure us as the plane is ever descending.
Miley rests her head on my shoulder and just closes her eyes.
I can tell that she needed the support. After all, she had a good reason not to be secure.
This gives me time to think…and oh boy do I think.
I've had helicopter near mishaps and I have no problem with kind of risk when it comes to flights.
Planes, Blackhawk's, Osprey's.
Under heavy fire, watching fellow Jarheads go down in horrifying balls of fires in accompanying choppers.
Yet what went on with Miley could easily hit me just as hard as any of those.
The gravity of what I'm doing with Miley only now hits me.
The gravity of what when on and how our relationship progresses because of this only hits me even harder.
I can tell Miley's getting sick because of the turbulence. Motion sickness or fear or both or neither, it doesn't matter.
I just want the plane to land.
20 agonizing minutes later…
The plane is on the ground and so are Miley and Theo. Three men are unloading the cargo while Miley kneels on the ground silently thanking God over and over again that she's kneeling on it in one piece. Theo's is dealing with the man.
Theo's POV.
"Gracias, Amigo," I say as I pay the good pilot with a wad of cash.
The pilot nods and pulls out of his pocket a brown envelope. Theo opens it and slides out the key hidden in it.
The pilot then points to the awaiting car.
A Mustang GT. Black with white stripes.
Theo and Miley get in and drive off onto the road and out of the Texan desert.
Authors Note: The next chapter will feature appearances from some of the guys and girls from High School Musical. Obviously out of character of course. Hint: they're probably not the 'good guys'. Now what exactly do I mean by good guys, since that line is so blurred in this story, well you'll just have to read on. I apologize in advance for anyone hurt by my OOC portrayal. Just please don't stop reading and reviewing because of it.
I could be wrong, but I sense a need from readers and especially HM fans for Miley to be much more than just the hostage and the damsel in distress. I assure you that in the next one or two chapters, Miley Stewart will come into her own and break some balls.
I don't mean to sound desperate but please review.
If you can...Please review on what you think of Theo and Miley's relationship so far...pretty good, no? Feel free to be honest.
GFMarshall