Hello all! Thanks to Grumpy for her help with this chapter! It was a doozy.
Again, I don't own the TB's or its characters, just the ones I made up.
WARNING: This chapter contains adult situations and some violence. Younger readers take note.
It was nearly midnight when John got back to the brownstone. He walked unsteadily up the steps and went inside. He paused in the hallway, and waited for the room to stop spinning. Guess I had more than I thought I did. When the world had righted itself, he started forward towards the steps. The TV was on in the living room, and he automatically glanced in as he walked by.
What he saw shocked him sober.
Scott was lying on the couch, sleeping, Christa curled up in his arms, her head resting on his chest. Scott was shirtless and John couldn't see what Christa had on since they were both were covered by a blanket.
"What the hell is going on here?" John demanded loudly, startling them both awake.
"John?" Christa mumbled sleepily. "Are you just getting in?" The blanket slipped off her shoulder and he could see she was dressed in a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt of his.
"Obviously, I should have gotten in sooner." He replied coldly, folding his arms across his chest, and glaring pointedly at them both.
Scott sat up wincing and rubbing his shoulder. "Easy bro, this isn't what it looks like."
"He's lying John."
John frowned. "Oh no? Want to tell me what it is then?"
"We were watching a movie and fell asleep. That's it." Scott replied evenly.
"Without your shirt on?"
"My shoulder's bothering me. Christa rubbed the kinks out of it."
"They're both lying."
"Uh-huh. I'm sure she did."
Christa got to her feet and fearless let met John's icy glare. "Are you accusing us of something?" She asked, her tone as cold as his.
"I don't know. Should I be?" John retorted, his blue eyes bright with anger.
Christa shook her head. "You have got to be kidding me."
"I think I'll just let you two finish this. Later." Scott quickly fled the room.
John and Christa continued to glare at each other. "Well?" John asked finally.
"Well what?" She shot back.
"Why were you and my brother sleeping together?"
"Sleeping together! Don't be such an ass John! We were watching a movie and I fell asleep! Scott must have dozed off shortly after me. We were waiting for you to get home!" Christa retorted hotly.
"And I'm supposed to believe that?"
"I don't care what you believe, that's what happened!" She frowned. "Where were you anyway?"
"You are a grown man John. You do not need to answer to her."
"I was out." John stated flatly.
"With who? What's her name?" Christa shot at him, her own eyes blazing in fury.
John narrowed his eyes at her. "I wasn't with anyone."
Christa shrugged. "And I'm supposed to just believe you?"
John frowned. "I know what you're trying to do. OK, so nothing happened with you and Scott. Fine. End of discussion." He marched over to the liquor cabinet.
"I don't think so!" Christa hurried over and slammed the door of the cabinet shut before John could grab a bottle.
"Ouch! Hey! What do you think you're doing!" John shook his smarting fingers.
"You're not going to drink yourself out of this. How much have you had tonight?" She demanded.
"That's none of your damn business."
She folded her hands across her chest. "I guess I shouldn't worry about you then."
"She doesn't really care John."
"I guess not." John nudged her hand away, not gently, and grabbed a bottle of whiskey.
Christa shook her head as she watched him swallow the alcohol without bothering with a glass. "So, you had a fight with your brother, decided to get drunk because of it, and now you're taking it out on me?"
John looked over at her in surprise. "Who told you I had a fight with my brother?"
"I'm sure you have been quite the topic of conversation over the past few months John. Here and on the island."
"Scott did. He told me you and Gordon had an argument and you went out to cool your head." She glared pointedly at the bottle in his hand. "Plus your father mentioned that the two of you had had a falling out of some kind, and hadn't been on speaking terms for a while now."
John shook his head angrily. "Great, Hood was right. Everyone's been talking about me behind my back."
Christa frowned in puzzlement. "What?"
"Nothing." John took a long pull from his bottle. "You really want to know what happened between Gordon and me?"
"Yes, I would."
"Fine. Here it is then." He took another drink. "I took offense to something he said and tossed him off the second floor balcony of our house. There, satisfied?" Christa stared at him in stunned silence. "I thought that would shut you up." He settled himself down on the couch.
Christa finally found her voice. "You tossed your little brother off a balcony! My God John! He could have been killed!"
"No such luck." He took another drink and rolled his eyes at her expression. "There was a pool underneath."
"Still John! What if he had been hurt?"
John merely shrugged. "Like I said, no such luck."
She shook her head. "I don't believe you." She sighed in exasperation. "Are you going to tell me what the fight was about?"
"Nope."
Christa exploded. "Dammit John!" She paced the room, her hands on her hips. Finally she whirled and faced him. He stared blandly at her, and brought the bottle to his lips again. "Forget it! Just forget it!" She turned on her heel and marched out of the room.
John leaned back against the couch and closed his eyes. Peace and quiet, at last. His eyes snapped open when he heard the front door slam.
He bolted to her feet and rushed to the hallway. Christa was nowhere to be seen. "Dammit!" Movement outside the window caught his eye and he saw her hurrying down the steps. Muttering under his breath, he pulled the door open and ran out after her. "Christa! Wait!" He quickly caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
"Get your hands off of me!" She struggled to free herself, but John merely tightened his grip.
"Where do you think you're going? It's after one in the morning, and you're barely dressed!"
"I don't care! I'm not staying here with you!" She cried trying break out of his grip. John merely tightened his hold and held her by both shoulders.
"Christa stop! You're not going anywhere tonight! The T has stopped running by this time, what are you going to do, walk back through the Fens?" John sighed. "I'm sorry."
"I don't want your apologies! I'm sick and tired of your apologies!" She struggled out of his arms. "Just leave me alone!"
"She doesn't really want you John."
"Shut up!" John shouted.
"I won't shut up!" Christa yelled back.
John shook his head. "Not you! Dammit Christa, get in the house so we can finish this!"
"No! I told you I'm not going in there with you!" She broke free and started running down the sidewalk. John bolted after her and catching her in his arms, threw her over his shoulder. She thrashed around, trying to get free.
"Just calm down. We're going back to the house. If you want to leave that badly, you can call a cab." John told her.
"Put me down or I'll scream!"
"Go ahead." John marched up the steps and plopped her down in the hallway, shutting the door behind him.
She tried to push past him. "I'm not staying here!"
John stood firmly in front of the door. "And I told you how you could leave."
"Fine!" Christa turned on her heels and marched up the stairs.
"You'd be better off without her John."
"I'm starting to think that." John sighed. "Better go take care of this."
"Let me help you."
John paused. "Help me? How?"
"Relax, let me into your mind..." John closed his eyes. "That's it. Very good."
John's eyes snapped open and he hurried up the steps. He found Christa in the office, about to reach for the phone. "Wait!"
She shook her head. "What now John? I can't do this anymore tonight!"
"Well, I'm not letting you leave until we're done here." John said firmly.
"Done? I am done John!" Christa whirled to face him, tears running down her face. "You've done nothing but lie to me since this whole relationship started!"
"I told you before! I can't tell you!" John said angrily.
"You keep saying that John! You offer me bits of your life, but pull back right before you actually tell me anything! I've learned more about you from your brother! I didn't know you graduated from high school at 16! And from MIT only three years later!" She took his hand in hers. "Why John? Why can't you talk to me?"
"She has been talking to your brother? What else have then done besides talk I wonder..."
John pulled his hand free. "What else has my dear brother told you?"
"See? This is exactly what I'm talking about!"
John shook his head and brought his hand to the bridge of his nose. "I...I don't..." He slumped into a chair and rested his head in his hands.
Christa waited a few moments, and then knelt down in front of him, taking his face in her hands. "I love you John. But I can't do this anymore. If this is going to work, you need to trust me."
John's eyes were filled with anguish. "Christa..." Suddenly his eyes changed, a red hue coming into them. He pulled free of her and got to his feet. "Why don't you ask my brother what he thinks. I'm sure he has plenty of advice on how to handle me."
Christa's face went pale, the red. "You son of a bitch. Forget the cab, I'm leaving." She hurried out the door.
John rushed after her, grabbing her arm halfway down the stairs. "Don't you run from me!"
"Get your hands off me!" Christa tried to break free.
"No! You're mine!" John's eyes glowed an angry red.
Christa backed away in fear. "John stop! You're scaring me!" She managed to break free and hurried down the steps.
"You won't get away that easily." John followed at her heels, seizing her arm a few steps from the bottom.
"Let me go!" Christa struggled in his grip.
John laughed, a dark eerie sound. "Fine." He let go of her arm and gave her a shove, sending her sprawling down the stairs to land in a heap on the floor.
Christa moaned and opened her eyes. John stood above her on the stairs, looking down with a maniacal gleam to his eyes. She brought her hand up to her lip, and wincing, wiped the blood from it. "I'm leaving." She said, her voice shaking. "Don't come after me, don't call me. I never want to see you again." She got unsteadily to her feet and limped out the door, slamming it shut behind her.
John slumped against the wall, his hands flying to his temples.
"John?"
He looked up to see Scott leaning over the railing. "Scott..."
"I heard shouting, what's going on?" Scott peered down at his brother. "Are you alright? Where's Christa?"
"See John, it always comes back to her."
The mask slipped back over John's face and he snarled up at his brother. "Stay away from her." He marched up the stairs making Scott back away. "Do you hear me, she's mine."
Scott held his hands in front of him in defense. "Sure John, whatever you say." With one last snarl, John marched down the stairs. A moment later Scott heard the door slam. "What the hell just happened?" He muttered to no one in particular. With a last shake of his head, he went back to his room.