So sorry it took me so long to update, the holidays kinda brought RL crashing down on me! I'll try to get chapter 8 up faster, I promise!
Please let me know what you think as I appreciate all feedback. OK, so I am a feedback whore, I admit it…
A special thanks as always to Stayce, if you like this story, it's because of her!
I borrowed the title from Bon Jovi, not from the story.
Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own anything, it's all JE's. Well, the plot is mine, but since I'm stealing the characters, I'm SOL
Rating: R for adult language and situations. They're all adults and they talk and act like it…read at your own risk.
Living on a Prayer
Chapter 7
I woke up a couple times during the night. Each time, it took me a little while to remember where I was, why I was staring at an unfamiliar ceiling in an unfamiliar room. I thought I heard strange noises and had terrible dreams that I didn't remember, but I woke up gasping for air and drenched in sweat.
The last time though, I did remember my dream and I woke up in tears. I'd been with Joe. He'd put his arms around me and had assured me all would be well, he'd take care of me. Just like the other morning, I was able to touch him. He made me feel so completely safe.
I couldn't hold the tears back, I was sobbing into the pillow as quietly as possible.
I must have cried myself back to sleep because the next thing I knew, the sun was up, bathing the room in warm light.
I remembered my resolutions of the night before and prayed I'd be able to pull it off as I heard Teddy coming down the hall.
"Good Morning, Cupcake!" He greeted me grinning as he walked through the door. I bit back any comment and even stifled a grimace. But he would pay for that later.
"Good morning." I said sleepily, as if he'd just woken me up. "Can you untie me, please? I have to…you know."
"Of course," he nodded, "It was just a precaution, Angel, you know, for your own safety. I don't think we'll be needing these any more." He said as he stepped over and pulled the key to the handcuffs out of his pocket.
"Thank you." I said, smiling up at him when he'd released me.
"Are you feeling better then, Angel?" He asked as he helped me up. I resisted the urge to slap his hand away and nodded.
"Yes, I just needed a good night's sleep." I was making myself sick with the false niceties and I didn't know how much longer I could keep it up. Lucky for me, he seemed to buy it.
"I told you. I know this stuff."
"From your job, right?" I was fishing, but he seemed eager to share. He was nodding as he adjusted the robe around my waist.
"People say I'm only an orderly, what do I know, you know? But I have a quick mind. I hear a lot. I see everything." He pointed a finger at his eye for emphasis and I felt like poking it all the way in.
So he was an orderly. And he knew me, and obviously Morelli and Ranger. My guess was he was working at St. Francis. I'd been there a lot over the years, way more often than I'd liked. But I couldn't ask him directly.
It now made sense that I didn't recognize him; I was usually in a state when I was at a hospital, either unconscious or in pain. I hardly remembered the doctors or nurses if I hadn't gone to school with them.
Teddy was leading me over to the door the same way he'd done the day before, he seemed to really get off on the helpless damsel thing. So I let him, even though his touch made my skin crawl.
He opened the bathroom door for me and closed it behind me. I let out the breath I'd been holding for way too long. It was either hold my breath or scream hysterically.
I started the shower and stood lathering and rinsing until I was sure I had all Teddy cooties washed off for the time being. Probably I'd take four showers today.
The bathroom was the only room so far he'd let me be alone in, and I needed that little breather. If I had to fake stomach flu to be alone as often as possible, that's what I would do.
Teddy'd laid out fresh towels and clothes for me. They weren't mine, but they were my size. A wide-flowing cotton skirt with a floral pattern and a cutesy pink blouse that Valerie would have loved. Probably the kind of clothes he liked to see on a woman. Not my style at all, but anything was better than just the robe at this point. White leather flats completed the outfit.
I gagged as I put on the underwear, imagining how he'd touched the bra and the panties at some point. If I got out of here in them, I'd burn the lot. For now, I just had to stop thinking about it. They were clean, and I was dressed, and that was a lot more important at the moment.
I took a couple deep breaths before I opened the door, my hair was still wet and it would dry to a white girl's afro since I couldn't style it, but why bother?
Teddy wasn't waiting right outside the door for a change, and I took that as a good sign. Maybe he was starting to trust me.
I smelled coffee and followed my nose into the kitchen. Most of the house looked a lot friendlier bathed in sunlight, although the unlived-in feeling remained. It was clean, but there were no personal stuff around, like clothes or pictures. The house seemed to lack people somehow.
Teddy was standing at the stove, his back to me. He was cooking something. I'd already decided to be all friendly to him, but even if I hadn't, I needed to eat.
"I smell coffee." I said and forced a smile onto my face.
He turned around and let his eyes wander from my eyes to my feet and back again.
"You look beautiful, Angel!" he almost whispered, a look of admiration in his eyes. "Thank you." I said and regretted that I couldn't blush on demand; it would have been a nice touch. My smile would have to do.
"So, is there coffee?" I asked as if all was well in the world. Like we'd been friends forever. This was how I hoped his fantasy went, so I could fool him.
"Yes, yes," he nodded excitedly, "Right here, Angel. Sit down, I'll get you some. Breakfast will be ready in a minute!"
My jaw muscle already hurt from fake smiling, so when he handed me the mug of coffee, I was happy to have something to hide my face behind.
I told myself it was going well so far, he seemed to believe me. If I kept it up, he'd trust me in no time and I'd have some time by myself. That's all I needed. If I couldn't find a phone, I could always just run away. I'd seen a house in the distance, there had to be people around.
While I was planning my next moves, I pretended to be busy blowing on my coffee and sipping it slowly.
Teddy put a plate of bacon and eggs in front of me, and this time, the food smells didn't make me sick. He added a couple slices of toast to it and then put his own plate on the table and sat down, his eyes never leaving me.
"This looks good." I said as I picked up my fork. He looked pleased and took a sip of his coffee. Instead of eating though, he continued watching me.
"Aren't you hungry?" I asked between bites because I thought it sounded more polite than what I really wanted to say, 'Stop watching me, Freak!'. Teddy nodded and must have realized he was staring because he finally averted his eyes and focused on eating. I mentally sighed in relief.
After breakfast, I showed my fake gratitude by doing the dishes. He seemed to approve, he sat back in his chair and watched me. I felt my skin crawl again.
"Thank you for breakfast." I said, biting back 'Now let me go, asshole!'. I'd never asked to leave, but I didn't think it was a good idea now. I was pretty sure the answer would be 'No', and in addition, he'd know I didn't want to stay with him and all my efforts to get him to trust me would have been in vain. No, I needed a different approach.
Teddy smiled at me and I tried again to remember his face from before. He may have seen me and watched me, but I was pretty sure I'd never talked to him. Then again, there was nothing memorable about his face. He was a little shorter than average, but not so short that you would look twice. Nothing about him would make anyone look twice. He blended in.
I forced myself to sit back down at the table and look at him while trying to come up with something to say.
"So Teddy, are you on vacation?" I finally asked. It was a valid question, I'd decided, since he was spending his days with me and it was the middle of the week.
He scoffed and waved his hands dismissively. "Let them wonder where I am. Spending time with you is more important, Angel." He reached out and put his hand on mine. I sucked in some air but managed to leave my hand in place.
"As a matter of fact, it's the most important thing in my life." He said and squeezed my hand. I knew that it would have been more convincing if I said something, but all I could manage was another smile as I was trying to swallow the bile that was rising up in my throat. He made me sick. For a moment, I wondered if this was how Lula had felt when she was still a hooker and I wished I knew how she'd distanced herself from the physical disgust.
I'd always relied on my instincts to get through life, and right now, my instincts were telling me to hit and run. Teddy was telling me about how great our life together would be and I secretly scanned the kitchen for anything I could use as a weapon. The skillet he'd made breakfast in was still on the stove, and it would still be hot and filled with grease. If I could somehow get up and make it over there, I was sure I could hit Teddy over the head with it.
I didn't even want a phone anymore and call for help; I just wanted to get the hell out of here.
Teddy's voice brought me back to reality.
"I'm so happy you have come around, Angel. I didn't know how long it would take you to realize the pig was simply in our way."
He was stroking the back of my hand with his thumb and it took a lot of willpower to not yank it away.
This was what I needed to know, if he really was the one who'd killed Joe. But my throat was so tight, I wasn't sure I could make myself to ask the right questions.
"So how…" I croaked and his face lit up. I wanted to slap the smile away.
"I've known for a while that he was all that stood between us, Angel. Time after time, I watched him hold you back. He never appreciated you. Just like that mercenary!" He almost spat the last word and it took me a moment to realize he was talking about Ranger now.
"You cannot be blamed, Angel. They were both poisoning your mind, tricked you into liking them. Well, no more!" he squeezed my hand harder as he raised his voice "You are with me now!"
I cleared my throat as tears were stinging my eyes.
"You killed Joe?" I asked, barely keeping my voice above a whisper.
Teddy nodded emphatically. "It took a lot longer than I'd planned, I'm sorry I kept you waiting for so long." He reached out to touch my hair and this time, I did flinch.
He pulled his hand back and frowned.
"I did it for you, Angel, for us!" He said and he looked hurt. I couldn't get the image of Joe out of my head. Although I hadn't been at the scene, I saw him lying in his blood, breathing his last breath.
"But how…" Again I couldn't finish the question, but I didn't have to.
"Ah see, that's what took so long!' Teddy said, excited again. "I had to get him to meet me alone! Once I had him at the warehouse, it was easy. He'd been waiting for a break in the case for so long, he jumped at the chance to meet me!"
Tears were running down my cheeks now, I was unable to hold my emotions back. Fortunately, Teddy was so far gone that he misunderstood. He jumped up and wrapped an arm around me.
"I know, Angel, I know. I was just as happy when I realized the final obstacle was cleared away. Of course it was a big risk, but I was willing to take it. For you!"
I went numb as the truth set in. He had killed Joe. And he had killed him for me. It was my fault Joe was dead! I couldn't pretend any longer and struggled to get Teddy's arm off of me.
"Angel?" He asked, and I thought his voice sounded hurt. I realized I was jeopardizing my own plan but I was unable to stop it.
"You killed Joe." I said, no longer able to hold back. He nodded. I looked up and met his eyes.
He was alive and Joe was dead. I could not shake that thought; it kept repeating itself over and over in my head.
I pushed my chair back and stood, jerking away from Teddy. I turned and ran, out of the kitchen and into the hallway.
"Angel? Stephanie, wait!" Teddy was shouting behind me. I didn't even know what I was doing, I just wanted to be away.
I ran blindly towards the front door and yanked it open; I could hear Teddy's steps behind me.
"Cupcake!" I hesitated at that name for the briefest moment, but managed to barrel through the door onto the porch. Bright sunlight blinded me but I couldn't give my eyes the time to get used to it, I never broke stride. That's when I felt a sting on my shoulder. I remembered the sensation from a while back, I'd been shot with a tranquilizer dart.
I turned around to look at Teddy. He was slowly lowering the gun as my vision got blurry and bright sunshine was replaced by darkness.
When I woke up, I was alone. It hurt to even open my eyes, I felt like I'd run a marathon. My head was pounding and my muscles were sore. I was back in the bedroom, lying on the bed.
Both of my wrists were cuffed to the bedposts, but I was still dressed and my legs weren't shackled.
Good going, I thought. I'd blown it. Teddy would probably never believe me again, unless I'd somehow manage to convince him I'd freaked for another reason.
But I didn't regret my reaction. Anything else would have been like I was betraying Joe; I just couldn't pretend I was okay with Teddy killing Joe.
I sighed and stared at the ceiling. If I stopped playing along, Teddy would probably just leave me tied up at all times. If I played along I'd have to endure his touch again.
Then I remembered how he'd shot me. Somewhere between the kitchen and the front door, he'd hidden a tranquilizer gun. And maybe he'd put it back there after he'd used it on me. I'd have to pay more attention on my way to the bathroom and the kitchen, check for closets and such. If I'd known about the gun, I could have grabbed it instead of trying to reach the front door; there would have been enough time.
I was trying hard to focus on forming a plan, but tears were welling up in my eyes again. I gave myself a mental pep talk, promising me all the time I'd need to cry and feel sorry for myself later. For now, I had to keep it together. If I gave up, Joe's killer would go free.
I could hear Teddy rummaging in another part of the house and immediately felt sick to my stomach. That's when I knew I couldn't bear to be nice to him any more. But what other option did I have?
Teddy's footsteps brought me out of my thoughts and I took a deep breath to ready myself. He even knocked on the door. I scoffed and imagined the ways I was going to hurt him before I said "Come in."
He opened the door a crack and stuck his head through, once again smiling.
"How're you feeling, Angel?" At least he was back to calling me Angel. If he called me cupcake one more time I was going to spit at him. I sighed.
"I have a terrible headache. I must have hit my head or something." I shook my head slightly, hoping he would believe I couldn't remember what happened. My voice was neutral, as close as it would come to nice.
He came all the way in and his forehead creased in a frown. "I'm sorry you're not feeling well. How about some Aspirin?"
Well, at least he didn't seem mad. I nodded slightly. "That would be nice."
Teddy ran his hand over my forearm before holding on to the wrist and unlocking the cuffs. He walked around the bed and repeated the procedure on my other arm, then he helped me up.
"Let's get you some tea, you'll feel better in no time." he said as he led me out of the bedroom.
Okay, I thought, he was going with denial as well, it seemed. I was an expert on denial.
I kept quiet as Teddy led me through the house, but with my head lowered, my eyes were darting back and forth trying to find the place he'd hidden the gun.
He stopped at the bathroom and even though I didn't have to go, I willingly stepped in and closed the door. Although I had examined it earlier, I gave the window another look. Even if I could somehow wiggle through it, it would take too long, so I discarded it once and for all as a possible escape route.
I sat down on the toilet with a sigh. I had no idea what time it was, but if I had to spend another night here, I feared I'd never get out. I needed a plan! The problem was, my track record with plans wasn't all that great lately. I needed a plan that would actually work.
'What would Ranger do?' I thought and then almost laughed out loud. Ranger would never be in this situation to begin with! I wondered if he was still out there looking for me.
A few minutes later, I joined Teddy in the kitchen. He was leaning against the counter facing me. He'd let me exit the bathroom by myself, maybe he hadn't lost all trust after all. It was worth a shot.
"Say Teddy? Can I ask you a favor?"
"Anything, Angel." He said at once and I had to swallow hard so I wouldn't gag.
"I should really check in with my mom, she's probably worried sick. Do you have a phone I could use?"
He thought about that for a moment. He clearly didn't want me to use the phone, but he couldn't argue with getting in touch with my parents, I thought. I was hoping he'd agree that it wouldn't be right for a nice girl not to let her parents know she was okay.
"I…I don't have a land line here…" He said slowly. This was good, even if he was lying, he didn't just say no. I smiled at him understandingly. "Maybe later then."
He nodded. "You bet. Let's get you some tea now!" He turned, reached up, opened a cabinet, took out a couple mugs and started the kettle. Then he opened a drawer and took out a pill bottle. I was watching him closely to see if there was anything in the cabinets or drawers I could use as a weapon.
When he placed the pills in front of me, I barely glanced at the bottle to check if they were really pain relievers before I grabbed them and the glass of water he'd put next to them. I couldn't think straight with this headache.
"Thank you." I said when I had swallowed the pills. I couldn't force myself to look at him just yet, but I realized I had to talk to him.
Teddy sat down at the table and I could feel his eyes on me.
"I'm gonna have to run some errands." He finally said. "I will call your parents from a cell phone to give them the good news."
Again I had to swallow hard. Losing my temper wouldn't do me any good right now. He was going to leave, that's what I had to hold on to. I nodded.
"Are you gonna go shopping? There are a few things I need…" I figured if I led him to believe I was ready to settle down, he'd let down his guard.
"Yes, there's shopping and laundry and the call…lots to do." I could sense the smile in his voice as I was focusing on my water glass. The kettle whistled and I jumped. Teddy got up and made the tea. He brought the steaming cups to the table. I didn't have to force a smile, he was going to leave me by myself! Finally! I hadn't thought I'd get another chance after what happened earlier.
After I'd finished my tea, the pain killers were kicking in and I was feeling better. Teddy gave me a pad and paper and I wrote down all the bathroom necessities I needed if I was going to stay here for the rest of my life. I was hoping that would send him the right message, he was crazy enough to believe I'd change my mind.
His eyes widened when he saw the list and he looked up at me. I shrugged. He sighed and shoved the list into his pockets.
"Your beauty comes at a price, huh?" He asked, leaning down to kiss my hair. I managed not to flinch but I shuddered mentally.
"That's right. It needs quite some work." I confirmed and hoped he wouldn't notice the way I had to press the words out.
I hadn't really thought Teddy would leave me to roam around in the house, so when he motioned for me to stand up, I wasn't surprised.
He led me back to the bedroom and cuffed my right hand to the bedpost. This time he didn't make up some phony reason though, he just kept smiling at me.
"I'll be back before you know it, Angel." He said as he left. I nodded and pretended to make myself comfortable for a nap, while my mind was racing.
As soon as I heard the front door close I sat up and tried to free myself. Okay, gnawing my hand off was definitely out, but there had to be a way I could squeeze it out, right? I rattled and pulled until I was drenched in sweat; my wrist was cut and bleeding but hadn't moved much. I got up and started yanking, trying to break the wood the cuffs were attached to. The headboard was split horizontally, creating a two-inch gap, and Teddy had snaked the cuffs in between the boards to fasten the cuffs around the post. At some point I stopped caring if Teddy came back unexpectedly, I was putting all my energy into my escape plan.
I finally heard the desired creak; my left hand had almost gone numb. With a final pull, I tore the post from the bed frame. It came loose so fast, it knocked me on my ass as it hit me on the forehead and almost rendered me unconscious again.
The headache was back with a vengeance, but I was free!
I waited a few seconds for the stars to fade, then I slowly got back to my feet. Blood was dripping from my wrist that still had the cuffs dangling around it and from my forehead. I was glad I couldn't see what I looked like.
There was no telling how much time I would have left and I didn't want to waste it by searching for a phone line. I grabbed the sheet off the bed and wiped my face, then I barreled through the bedroom door into the hallway, past the bathroom and the stairs, into the living room leading to the front door.
I realized I should have looked for weapons, but I couldn't slow down. I yanked the door open when a familiar sight caught my eye: a gray phone cord sticking out of the wall.
There was no one outside and a quick look around showed me no one approaching either, so I took the time to investigate. I followed the cord; it ran from the front wall next to the door over the floor and under an overstuffed chair. Sure enough, there was a phone attached to the other end. I grabbed the receiver and was surprised to hear a dial tone. Probably I would have been overjoyed, but I was running on such an adrenaline high that it was hard to top my current state.
I punched in the number without thinking about it and until he picked up, I hadn't realized who I'd called.
"It's me." That was all I could say, then I sobbed.
"Babe, calm down. Where are you? Are you okay?" it was so good to hear Ranger's voice. I pressed the receiver to my ear and wanted to just collapse onto the floor.
"Babe?"
I shook my head to clear it and the throbbing got worse. The pain brought me back to reality.
"I don't know where I am. I'm alone."
I didn't think I was making much sense, and I hoped Ranger would be able to understand me at all.
"Help me." I choked out. I had no idea how Ranger could help me since I couldn't tell him where to find me, but I was desperate and not thinking straight.
A noise from outside startled me and I yelped, dropped the receiver and turned to run. If Teddy was coming back, I didn't want him to find me, so I ran through the house to the back. Luckily, there was a back door. I left a trail of blood behind me and on the locks as I opened the door, but I couldn't possibly have cared less.
The back door opened to a small porch and wooden stoop. My left foot crashed through the decayed wood of the porch and I felt splinters pierce my skin. I angrily yanked my leg free and continued on down the stairs. The back yard was overgrown with high grass and weeds and a few bushes and trees. I just ran, trying to put as much distance as possible between me and the house, as fast as possible.
Since it was still day time, Teddy would be able to follow me easily, my only hope was speed.
After about a hundred yards I got to a fence and I climbed it without giving any thoughts to my clothes. A rusty nail tore through the skirt and my thigh as I was jumping off on the other side and I barely noticed. I couldn't feel anything but the need to run and I couldn't hear anything over the blood rushing in my ears.
I mostly stumbled over the grassy field beyond the backyard, crawling on all fours when I couldn't get up fast enough.
Finally, I saw a house up ahead. It couldn't have been more than a couple hundred yards away, but it seemed to me like I was running in slow motion and the distance didn't get any smaller.
The house was a white, two-story Victorian, and the closer I got to it, the emptier it looked. I was so excited to have reached safety, I tripped on the stoop and fell face down onto the porch.
It took some effort to get back up, my legs were wobbly and my balance was poor, but I managed to get to the front door and banged on it with all my strength.
No one answered.
I looked around for any other signs of life. The driveway was empty. Probably the inhabitants were off at work. The next house was down the dirt road, maybe half a mile away. I didn't think I could make it that far. It was no longer sunny, they sky was grey, and it was cold.
For the first time since I'd started running, I risked a look over my shoulder. No one was behind me. Teddy was nowhere in sight.
I banged on the door one more time and then gave up. If I broke in, Teddy could easily find me. I limped around the house to the backyard and discovered a small tool shed hidden behind the house. I hadn't noticed it from the front, and it would have to do, I was exhausted.
It had a padlock on the door, but the wood around it looked rotten. I pushed my shoulder against it and it gave, sending me flying into the shed. I banged against the tools hanging on the far wall and collapsed onto the floor. Since I had lost my shoes at some point, my feet were cut and bleeding, but I barely noticed the pain when I kicked the door shut again.
There was a dirty dust cover under a small work bench and I grabbed it to cover myself. There was no window in the shed; I was hoping there wasn't any light fixture either. Maybe I'd be able to fool Teddy if he looked inside.
When I finally managed to get my breathing under control, I listened for any sounds of approaching food steps. I couldn't hear anything but chirping birds and rustling leaves on the ground.
I was bleeding from countless cuts and scrapes, but I since there was no gushing blood, I ignored them. Every bone and muscle was aching; I didn't think I could take another step. Stars were dancing in front of my eyes and the room seemed to spin. The adrenaline high I'd been on since Teddy had left me alone was finally subsiding. Now I was just tired, cold and in pain.
I armed myself with a small hoe I grabbed from its hook on the wall and waited.
I don't know how long I just sat there, covered in the dirty blanket or if I nodded off intermittently, but I snapped back into attention when I heard tires screech nearby. I could hear several sets of footsteps approach, but no one spoke. I hardened my grip around the hoe and straightened my shoulders, shucked the blanket and got into a crouch, ready to pounce.
When the shed's door was pushed open, I let out a battle scream and launched myself at the intruder, my weapon raised high.
TBC