A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed! This story has been a little slow with reviews for the last chapter, but I hope you're all still reading!

TODAY'S HEADLINE: DE SILVA MISSING!

Teen star's sudden disappearance sparks rumours of hiding

Chapter Eleven

The Rescue

"I love you," he says breathlessly, as I clutch his face with my cold hands so that I could kiss him deeply. "Not knowing where you were drove me crazy."

I can't reply with words, so I just keep kissing him. He doesn't seem to mind – it's only Hector who grows tired quickly of our PDA. He clears his throat noisily, and we quickly – and regretfully – break apart, looking guilty. Hector's affection for my sister is blatantly obvious by his urgency. He grabs my hands worriedly.

"Where's Anna?" he asks, and I turn to look at the boat. My lips seem to have thawed a little from the heat of Jesse's. I'm able to answer verbally.

"On the boat," I reply, pointing. "Th-th-they've got her tied to a chair." I point to my chest dramatically, before declaring "They had me too!" Jesse squeezes my hand gently, and I mumble something incoherent back. I think I'm a little in shock.

"Holy cow," Hector mutters, after listening to me. Only he doesn't say holy, if you catch my drift.

Or cow, for that matter.

"We have to get back on that boat," he says, desperately pushing with a make-shift oar so that the little dinghy can get closer to the yacht. I help with my hands, along with Jesse, who speaks encouragingly to his cousin at the same time.

"It's O.K, Hector," he says, warmly. "We'll get her, we'll save her. She'll be fine, Anna will be fine." It's like a mantra, over and over again. "We've called the police, the police will come. Anna will be fine, Hector." Hector almost seems to tune it out, putting all his energy into moving the boat. His stare is on the distant yacht, which is slowly but surely getting closer.

"Come on," he urges, though I'm unsure of who exactly he is urging. His glazed-over expression suggests that he's talking to himself, but I take heed anyway and paddle faster. My sister is on that boat – the sister with whom I have newly reconciled. My twin. We're so close now that I can almost hear her yelling –

"What's that noise?" Hector asks, whirling around, panicked. "She's in pain! She's shouting. Oh God, oh God…" My heart leaps too – and not in the good way – and once we collide with the side of the boat I grasp it with my numb fingers and look for something to tie the dinghy too.

"We've called the police, querida," Jesse informs me in his calm voice. "So you stay in the boat and wait for them-" I hold up my hand to interrupt him.

"No no no no no," I reply, indignantly. "I am not letting you guys go on that boat without me. What if something happened to you?" Jesse shook his head.

"Querida, you will be safe on this boat. We don't know how dangerous Paul Slater is-" I interrupt again.

"I do – I've been on that boat already. And he's deadly. So if you think I'm just going to let you risk your life without me, then you got another thing coming-" An agitated Hector jumps between us.

"She is coming," he says, jerking a thumb in my direction, before giving me a boost onto the boat. "And you," he shouts up to me, once I'm on the deck. "Can shut the hell up. We need to save Anna." Jesse nods and climbs onto the deck, before standing beside me. I am ashamed to admit that his journey up was a lot more graceful than mine, and did not involve him sticking his ass in Hector's face.

Hector swings himself up easily – all that working out for action films so pays off – and joins us on the deck, looking a little nervous. And who can blame him? None of us – except for me, who was a little too traumatized to remember – know what's going to be like once we open the doors to the little sitting room. My palms are sweating, and Jesse's face is expressionless – usually a sign that he's nervous or angry about something.

"Are you ready?" Hector asks us, and we not – admittedly, a little tentatively. "O.K." He takes a deep breath. "Let's go." He takes the lead, the first one to open the doors. To say that Paul is surprised to see me standing there behind Jesse – protective as always – is an understatement. He looks absolutely astonished.

"I decided I wasn't in the mood for drowning today," I say, with what I hope is sophistication. "I hope that's O.K with you." Paul stands, his fists curled, and he exchanges glances with his two cronies. Jesse steps in front of me, shielding me. Hector does the same on the other side, but all the while his gaze is on Anna, who sits before us, gagged.

On her cheek is a deep gash. On the floor before her is a rusty knife. I feel sick to my stomach, knowing now why she yelled.

"I think you should let her go," Hector says coolly, as Jesse kicks the knife towards me. I grasp it and hold it like a weapon, watching Paul and his two sidekicks for any sudden ambush. "I've called the police. They're on their way."

Paul smirks. "Very smart of you, little boy," he replies. "It's a shame that I'm going to kill you before they get here, though. And that I'm going to tell the police that you were the criminals. Especially now that she's got her prints all over that knife." I glance down at the knife in my hands. "And ask anyone at school. The two sisters hate each other." He gestures to the cut on Anna's face. "Enough to attack each other." I throw the knife to the floor in disgust.

"Too late." Jesse stands calmly, ever the diplomat. "The police are already here." As he says this, I hear a deep voice amplified by a megaphone, and a siren. I look outside to see three boats surrounding the yacht, as well as several cars on dry land in the distance. I turn to Paul with a smug smile.

"Looks like your time is up," I declare. His expression is unreadable, though I spot a muttered 'Shit'. I grin.

"Mr. Slater, you are under arrest. Please surrender your vehicle." I have to laugh at this. It all seems so surreal. Like I'm in some kind of action movie!

"Yes, Mr Slater," Jesse adds. "You're under arrest. I believe they're waiting for you." Paul roars in anguish, just as two policemen burst in and push me, Hector and Jesse out of the way. They cuff Paul, and request back-up for the two cronies, who are helpless now that their leader is incarcerated. They walk obediently behind the two cops with their hands held high in the air.

"Don't move," one of the cops orders us, and we nod. As soon as the cops have left though, Hector runs to untie Anna, and kisses her passionately. It's nice to feel that there's no twinge in my stomach as I see this. Not even a tiny one.

There is, however, when I look at Jesse, who's watching me intently. "What?" I ask, turning to face him. His face is kind of sad.

"It's O.K that you don't love me," he says. "I guess it was always kind of ridiculous to think that I could compete with a movie star." I frown confusedly.

"What are you talking about?" I ask. "I kissed you, didn't I? On the boat? After you saved me?" Jesse shrugs.

"I suppose I just thought you were all caught up in the moment," he replies. "Especially as you never replied to me." I can't help laughing at his misunderstanding, and I squeeze his hand hard.

"Oh, Jesse," I say, shaking my head. "I can't believe you haven't realised." Jesse's face lights up a little.

"Realised what?"

I grin. "Tell me again," I demand. "Tell me that you love me."

He takes me in his arms. "I love you," he whispers, and he brings his face closer to mine – so close, in fact, that I can feel his warm breath on my chin. I go to reply the usual way – you know, "I love you too" – but I stop myself. Somehow, it's all too clichéd. Instead, I put a twist on the old-fashioned reply.

I breathe deeply. "Ditto," I answer. He leans down to kiss me – just the once, a contrast to Hector and Anna's over-zealous display. I bury my head into his jacket, admiring the warmth.

My heart's beating twice as fast as it was when I was the one tied to a chair.

But I like it.