Vitally important Author's Note: The chapter after this will contain mature sexual content. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
If you wish, you may skip it, but ignoring the chapter after this one and skip to the one after that right away.
This chapter will also contain VERY mature content matter. Reader discretion is STONGLY advised.
Consider yourself warned
P.S. 109
Nashville, Tennessee
7:41 p.m.
An SUV pulls up to the deserted school lot. Theo gets out and looks around. A dilapidated school with no security features whatsoever. At first he didn't know what to do after he left the house, but knew that he had but he to do something. And luckily, the family left him an accessible account so that he could pick up the cash he needed.
He pulls a case out of the front passenger seat and lays it on the hood of the SUV. He pulls out a powerful camcorder, and while walking towards the school.
Flashback: Tom:
"Alright, Teddy, this guy really is the devil incarnate. Slipped on dozens of accusations of abuse, all of which were somehow never proven. How that was, well he probably made a deal with the devil. No matter now much the school and the board wanted to fire this man, he was always protected by the god awful teacher's union, both directly defended and indirectly through union rules and bureaucratic s-t. But one thing's for certain…he isn't doing it at home or anywhere public. Since our intel says that he spends too much time at his school, that's where we can bet he is. Yet I still can't see for the life of me what he has to do with our interests…"
End Flashback
Theo's POV:
After 20 minutes of searching around the premises, I don't see anything unusual until I reach the very end.
As I walk further, I begin to notice one of the classroom building's lights are turned on…
As I walk closer to the illumination, I notice that there's movement inside. But like the classroom, the window is elevated and I have to climb the drain pipes to peer inside.
What I see horrifies me:
All I see is a middle aged man pinning a child to his desk. Forced to lie on her back against the desk, he makes her spread full eagle and hungrily relishes her most intimate parts. Both north and south of the girl's equator.
I struggle to maintain composure as I quickly recognize it as Holland (Tom had sent me a picture), leading me to activate my camcorder and begin filming…
What my eyes saw, I made sure the camcorder filmed. What my eyes saw made me want to wretch in disgust.
I knew I couldn't take much more of this, but I had too. Miley and Tom were right, this guy was getting cocky because he had gotten away with Miley and continued on to rape children. This was Theo's way of stopping him. He would record this then contact the police about this, so that Holland would have his turn being raped. After all sex offenders were the bottom of the food chain 'on the inside'. So I'm gonna let fate decide what to do with him when the s-t hits the fan.
I was growing very sore, only being able to stay in that self supported position amazingly long because of my fitness, yet felt it to by my duty to put a stop to this.
When my time comes, I'm going to have to answer to God for a lot for sure, but at the least I can offer up something good I did with my life.
Yet as I struggled to keep myself from being reacquainted with my lunch, I couldn't help but notice something. As I was focusing in on the victim, she looked familiar.
I gasp at what she looked like. She looked like Miley. Curly chestnut brown hair with that face. Like a younger version of Miley.
It took my everything not to take action as this atrocity was being committed before my eyes.
For too long I had to watch atrocities and let it be. Not this time. This time I'm doing something.
Yet, the truth was that Theo had come a long way from what he was at the beginning of the kidnapping. You see, one could notice that Theo would have just ignored it at the beginning; earlier in the ordeal Theo would have just easily killed Holland to get it over with and satisfy his thirst. But Miley had changed Theo. Theo now wanted Holland to get justice the right way. Through the same justice system that he has always avoided.
But staying put gets harder and harder as the girls screams and squeals get worse. She breaks down…
Flashback: Miley's heartbreaking rosary whining breakdown juxtaposes with this one.
I'm now trembling, not in fatigue but in anger, and continue to fight the increasingly unbearable and continue to film…that is until…
Holland, long since putting the poor girl in another position, took out a revolver and started striking the girl's body in frustration. The years had only made him much more physically violent with each attacks, leaving painful bruises.
That's it. Now this girl's in life threatening danger.
There's no more holding back, I can't help it anymore. I have to do something.
Theo quickly and silently lets go of the ledge that was supporting him, being a miracle that the teacher never heard or saw him.
I race to the front of the school. I keep in my mind the relative location of the classroom they're in and remember that his classroom was the only light that was on.
As a man on a mission to save a soul and possibly a life from being violated even further, I briskly walk into the school. Surprisingly it's still open.
Theo opens the door marches in. The entrance reveals a metal detector and a security desk behind it, and an obese security guard behind that.
(All of the following is done without Theo missing a beat and without slowing down at any point at all)
Beep! (Theo tripped the metal detector)
Hey you can't… (The guard tries to yell while just picking up his coffee cup)
WHAM…
Theo's hard fisted right hook slammed in to the left side of the fat guard's head so powerfully and effectively, not only did it knock him out cold, but the coffee cup was jerked out of his hand and, without tipping over or spilling slid down the length of the desk right to the end…
(catch- I stopped it preventing it from going over, as I walk in that same direction)
I make it to the classroom door, discreetly peering into the glazed window, I know that he's in there, seeing the light and making out two figures. The desk is directly opposite of the door.
In a single second…
Cre(ek)…
Holland looks up and points his gun at Theo…
Bang! Splat.
But Theo had his 9mm Glock pointed all that time.
This wasn't a merciless killing…I genuinely meant to place the man under citizens arrest, tie him up, and leave after calling the police. This was self-defence.
The sobbing that I had heard before in the split second that I walked in stopped after the gunshot…
I don't see the poor girl, who must've been shocked scared after the shot.
But I don't see her.
I march closer and closer to the desk, pulling out a bandana and a bottle of chloroform.
The second I saw the girl jump up to look at me, I slammed my left hand to cover her eyes, so she wouldn't be able to see me and slammed the scented bandana over her nose and mouth.
"Sh…Sh…Sh…Shhhh…it's okay…you're safe now…"
After a half a minute of applied pressure and gentle bodily support, she stopped struggling and the girl, probably no older than 9, went down. And I laid her down comfortably.
I stop and look around. I still can't believe that this is where children go to learn, to be sheltered, to get a future, and here this man was using his authority to rob a child's innocence.
Well no longer…
Theo checks Holland's gun and is crushed by what he doesn't see…
No bullets…I just killed an unarmed man.
Amazingly Miley done such a great job of giving Theo back his humanity that he is crushed for killing a man who never posed a threat to him in the first place. The fact that Theo truly was defending himself (the gun would present an obvious threat since its load status was unknown) against an evil man wasn't something that Theo could remember. He really did have his humanity back.
But getting over it the real reason why I'm here…was to recover Miley's toy dog.
Theo searches the cabinets and cabinet drawers…
Flashback: Tom: Guys like him keep 'trophies' of each child they rape, and they usually keep it near the place they do it in.
Theo then uses Holland's key and opens a filing cabinet…
Revealing a disturbing sight indeed. This drawer is jammed packed with all sorts of toys, dolls, action figures, pendants, and mini stuffed animals. Normally this wouldn't really affect as this was an elementary school…But with this man…
As I search the pile…
I find it…a small beanie baby St. Bernard.
I see neatly stitched M.R.S. initials on the label.
I smile at the finding, but realize…
The sheer amount of toys…
All victim's toys. So many victims.
Theo pauses and yet again has to regain his composure.
Before I leave, I record my findings on the camcorder and leave it there, with a hand written memo attached to it (To police: Play me) and leave the filing cabinet open.
As I start to walk out a side entrance, I breathe deeply to compose myself and just before I walk out, I pull the Fire alarm and sprint back to my car.
I guess I really wanted to bring him to justice. I broke my own rule when it came to other people, I started to give a s-t. It's been too long since I did.
But I'm not going home, not yet…
Miley's Ranch House: The Basement.
Outside Nashville, Tennessee
10:00 p.m.
Miley's POV:
A part of me finally feels free. After telling Teddy, I could finally stop pretending. I can finally be Miley Ray Stewart.
And I realize, that was the true source of my unhappiness. The reason why I needed Hannah's identity, and after that Jake Ryan.
I don't believe it. I'm finally free.
Just as she finishes…the three knocks in coded sequence…
Teddy's back!
The door opens and Teddy yells…
"Miley, come up here, I have to tell you something"
The way he said it and how he quickly left the doorway without coming in tells me it's urgent…
When I reach the main floor, I don't see anyone.
"Teddy?"
"In the kichen" he replies.
I swing into the kitchen to be flabbergasted at what I saw.
The kitchen is dark for the exception of two lit dinner candles. On the table was a fully prepared meal. No more than that…Soup, salad, entrée and drinks. Oh heavens…Teddy did all this for me?
Miley's eyes widen and she chuckles in disbelief. She cared nothing about the fact that again this was take out, albeit much higher end. It was done right…
My smile had to be as bright as the candles, which along with the stars in this clear blue night, provided me with all the light I needed.
I looked straight at Teddy.
Miley gasps.
At first I thought that my eyes were playing tricks on me with the flickering candle light. Yet I make it out completely and realize this is no trick.
Teddy was Lance Corporal Theodore James Tan, dressed in not just any marine uniform, but the devastatingly handsome Dress Blues (along with his white Marine dress cap), the classiest and best looking uniform in the Marine Corps, arguably the best in all of the U.S. Armed Forces.
(A/N: Important Outside Source: U.S. Marine Corps Dress Blues)
The last time she saw this was in a picture of Jackson she had a while back.
Theo felt a need to do this. I mean after all he put Miley through, he wanted to minimize the chance that Miley would remember today as the worst day ever.
"For some reason the family sent this to me…Lord knows why, but I think it's awesome timing, don't you?"
I laugh agreement as I find my way to my seat. Teddy sits down, only after I do, and we begin our meal.
As the meal winds down…
I finish a great meal…no wait…the best meal, I had in ages, no wait, ever.
Of course what made it spectacular was the company.
Warm laughs and gentle soul touching was what this meal meant to me.
And Teddy looked the part of a…knight in shining armour…and I felt like a princess.
And he did it because of me…for me.
And I wouldn't trade it in for anything in the world.
For the first time, I felt loved, I felt wanted. I felt that a man could really love me.
Now this side of Teddy I will never forget. Everything bad about Teddy and the whole premise of him being here with me, the whole ordeal…Forgotten.
All I am destined to see now is Teddy, the man who I owe everything to…and to whom I will always love…
Theo gets up and moves to the back of the kitchen. Miley takes notice of it as she is winding down by finishing off her salad.
All she sees is the flicker of a lighter and Theo lighting up two more candles.
But all I see are the candles moving toward me as if they were…levitating? No Theo was carrying something underneath and stuck candles into it…
No…(smile)
No…it can't be…(bigger smile)
He couldn't…(biggest smile)
"Does he know?" I ask myself.
Miley's Flashback:
(While still in the basement.)
Miley realizes something and begins…
"Happy Birthday to me…happy birthday to me….happy birthday dear Miley…Happy birthday to me…"
The three knocks...
End Flashback:
And as if he read me mind, or more likely my face, Teddy motioned to the wall behind me.
The calendar in the room said 'November 23' (A/N: Miley Cyrus' actual birthday)
"Happy 19th birthday, Miley Ray Stewart"
I am so shocked and dumbfounded, I don't know what to say…
In fact Miley's mouth was wavering while open, simply unable to close completely while chuckling.
Theo lays what Miley sees as an oversized cupcake with two candles. A '1' and a '9'
I snap out of my amazement and breathe.
Just as I'm ready to lean in and make my wish…
Teddy stopped me…
I look at him confused
And…oh my God…he's clearing his throat?
No…he can't be…
(More of a nervous and shy attempt than a badly sung song)
"ahem…
...Happy Birthday to you…(Teddy softly cringes out of embarrassment)…happy birthday to you…(ahem…chuckles in greater embarrassment) Happy birthday dear Miley…(pause breath)…Happy birthday to you…"
Theo quickly looks to the side to try to subdue the overwhelming blush in his cheeks and the grit in his teeth. Now no one could deny that he's human again. Theo's an awkward guy when it came to stuff like this. Words couldn't describe how embarrassed he felt.
And words couldn't describe how I felt…
I was covering my mouth in amazement, trying to cover up the constant chuckle.
I blow out the candles and wish.
I use the short period of time in darkness to think…what am I going to say to Teddy now…
And as Teddy turns on the soft yellow kitchen lamp, I look to find him coming toward me with two forks. He crouches and after I take the first piece with my fork, he does the same.
I look at Teddy…deeper than I had ever done with anyone before. For the first time I notice the imprinted scar on his cheek.
As I ever so gently run my fingers over it I ask…
"How…"
"IED…took out my sarge (sergeant) and two of my buddies"
Theo is at his most vulnerable point. He starts to let the tears fall from his cheeks.
Much more than his war experience...even more than the kidnapping ordeal…
These tears were for his life.
Miley slowly says something that she felt had to be said, and annunciates it perfectly slowly and clearly to make Theo understand once and for all.
"I…love…you…Teddy"
Theo snapped back to face Miley.
He saw her…more beautiful than anyone and anything he had seen…more beautiful and feminine than she, or any woman, had ever been or ever will be to Theo…
And Miley saw Theo for the man he was…that selfless Chinese American Marine who saved her from herself. With clear yellow skin accented perfectly by his perfectly groomed facial hair, and completed by his distinctive slanted eyes and very well toned body.
Both Miley and Theo tilted there heads and…
Kissed.
That kiss grew ever more deeply with Miley wrapping her arms around Theo's neck and Theo wrapping his around Miley's supple waist.
And without breaking for air they both got up and continued while standing.
And they continued, Theo answered Miley's silent beckoning to go deeper by opening his mouth and receiving her whole mouth, while allowing Miley to do the same, only pausing briefly for air.
At that moment…Theo's attempt to lift Miley's body was the signal that things were going to go so much deeper…