The night had quickly fallen over the city, turning the sky into a deep pitch black canvass decorated with the faint rhinestones that were the stars, and the half-pearl that hovered brightly in the sky. It was beautiful how the sky was clear, no clouds, and yet the time seemed to fly by too quickly for the three of them as they remained in the park for hours. Before she even realized it, the woman and the man were lying on the blanket—side by side—while the man pointed out constellations of the stars in the sky for the woman, pointing out Orian's Belt, Taurus the Bull beside Orian, showing where the planets of Venus, Mars, and Jupiter were, and as she listened peacefully to his voice, she had suddenly forgotten how long she was originally planning on being there. Her mind was off in a pleasant cloud, floating above them, and having lost herself completely. She couldn't believe that, even though it had been soft and brief, she had actually kissed him. She had actually kissed the man of her dreams, the man that seemed to control, that seemed to own every bit of her, yet she felt so alive and free in his arms, as if flying on the wings of an actual angel. It was strange to explain how she exactly felt, but she felt in a way she had never before felt in her entire life. No man ever made her feel this happy, this free, this…this….
"Hey, what time is it?"
It seemed as if a rope had been tied to her ankle all along, and the moment the man spoke to her, she came crashing down by the pull of the rope, and landing violently back in her own body. She blinked, suddenly feeling nervous and anxious, ashamed and embarrassed that she had lost track of time. She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and stared at the time that it read. 6:18 p.m. They had been there for over three hours! She had told Sam they would be back around four or five! They were an hour late!
"It's late! We have to get back!" she blurted to the man beside her as she got to her feet and darted across the grass to the playground to retrieve the little girl she so lovingly cared for. It had been about thirty minutes since she last saw her, and as she approached the playground she didn't see her.
"Sophia?!"
The woman called for the girl but there was no response. Where did she run off to? Fear was pounding in the woman's heart, having read news reports and stories of children being snatched away by the park! She couldn't let that happen! But where could the little girl be? She wasn't near the swings, the slide, and the monkey bars! The woman hadn't realized it, but she was screaming her head off, yelling out the child's name, while tears filtered through her eyes.
"Sophia!"
She was screaming louder, running past the playground to the trees, calling out the child's name. Please, God, please! She couldn't believe she had lost track of the little girl! All those words that people have told her when she brought the girl into her care kept ringing in her ears, echoing like painful sirens—oh God, can't think of that right now!
"You can't take care of a child, you're still one yourself!"
"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, this is a huge responsibility!"
"If anything happens to that child, you are solely responsible for it!"
"How can you take care of her? You can barely take of yourself!"
"That child gets hurt, it's your fault!"
"…your fault…."
"…gets hurt…."
"YOUR FAULT!!!"
"We have reason to believe that the body we had found is the little girl…."
"SOPHIA!"
"Alli!"
She hadn't realized it, but she had ran directly into a set of arms wide open to her and she was wrapped within them, tears streaming down her face, blurring her vision completely and she was shaking uncontrollably, as if she had been hurt once again. This was even worse, though, it hurt so much worse, it caused every nerve in her body to pierce and sting, her heart pounding in her chest and in her head, and raging thoughts filling her mind, driving her insane, making her worry and scared even more as the possibility of her little cousin, that little girl…her little girl being ripped away from her!
"Sophia!"
"Alli! Alli, what's wrong?!" the man was repeatedly asking her, though her voice was choked by her sobs and tears.
"Sophia! I can't…I can't—find—SOPHIA!"
"Alli! We'll find her, alright?!"
"SOPHIA!"
"Allison?"
Time stood completely still. It was as if the two figures were frozen, paralyzed, when the voice spoke. Tears blurring her rain gray eyes, she looked and saw, standing by a tree, the little girl with the long ebony colored hair and those sparkling emerald green eyes. She was smiling, though the look on her face was a confused and surprised one.
"Sophia?"
"Why are you crying, Allison?" she asked of the woman, whose face broke into a pleased and happy smile. She flung herself towards the child and embraced her, picking her up into her arms and swinging the laughing girl around as she held her, tears streaming down her face.
"Sophia! Sophia! I'm so glad you're alright! Where were you?!" Alli asked the girl, going from pleased, excited, and happy to suspicious and interrogative.
"I had to go potty, Allison! I was about to wet my dress!" Sophia gave a very uncomfortable look having been forced to say that in front of the man, but he only chuckled a little after seeing Alli's reaction to something so small.
After a moment of the woman—who had shown the true mother within her after this incident—calming down and crying a little more, the three of them packed up the picnic and left the park, calling a cab to pick them up. Alli and Christopher got into an argument in the cab, he insisting to walk them to the apartment door just to make sure they would get home safely. Although Alli—being the considerate and sympathetic person that she was—didn't agree, she had no choice. The cab rode up to the front of the apartment complex, and Alli and Sophia got out first, then the man, who accompanied them up the steps to the front door. For a moment, Alli was lost in thought, but then after looking from the man to the little girl, she finally came to a conclusion about something.
"Sophia, why don't you go on inside? I need to talk to Criss about something," she told the little girl, who merely nodded and walked into the apartment, closing the door behind her. This left the two adults alone, and Alli turned from him and faced outward from the concrete banister, staring out into the night sky. She felt at peace all of a sudden, having been given a scare that most women would not be able to handle for an amount of time. She was still edgy, but all that was going through her mind was "she's alright. She's safe."
"What's wrong? What are you thinking?" the man's voice came to her softly and sweetly, and he stood beside her, leaning against the banister. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the cool wind caress her body, up her arms, and through her completely. She felt so perfect, so alive, yet at the same time, calm and at peace. He brought her there, he had brought her back to that Eden, that peaceful piece of paradise just for her. She opened her eyes, and looked at him.
"I'm thinking about what happened in the park," she answered him.
"You mean with Sophia? That was taken care of, she's fine," he told her.
"No, no, not that. About…I'm thinking about…what you did," she gently touched her lips, remembering the feel of his against them, the sweetest kiss she ever had. He gave it to her, though was it really a kiss? Did he really mean it? He apparently understood what she meant, as he took her hand from her mouth in his own, and forcefully turned her around to face him, giving her a cocky grin.
"What about what I did?" he asked of her. He looked into her eyes, and she felt everything fall into her, the emotions fear, anxiety, uncertainty, yet there was another emotion there, something strong, something powerful. It was as if a bond had been formed between them through his touch, a strong bond that seemed to mend her heart with his, making her feel everything that he felt, yet…she didn't know what he was feeling.
"Did you…did you really…mean what you did? What you said?" she asked of him. He smiled at her and with his free hand, he stroked the side of her face gently, and it was as if his touch healed all the bruises, all the wounds inside of her. He healed her, giving her a new life. She tilted her eyes away from him, but he wasn't going to let her pull away so easily.
"What makes you think I didn't mean anything?" he asked of her. She couldn't answer that question, as she didn't know herself. For years, she had always been with men that either neglected or abused her, and after so many years of being fooled and used like some sort of tool, it would only come natural that after only a moment of letting down her guard, she would fly it back up, and strengthening it tenfold. He apparently knew what her answer would be either way, so he spoke before her. "Alli, I understand the kind of life you've been through. I can't help you heal the pain or fix anything, I can only be a shoulder for you to cry on. You do have an angel, though, and she's inside that apartment."
So, he wasn't meaning himself. He was referring to the little girl that she clung to so frequently all these years. It was ironic that she would actually believe that he meant himself in the scheme of all things. Even though she wasn't willing to agree with him openly, he was right. Sophia was her little angel. She was the one person in this entire world that kept her alive, that kept her striving for survival. All these years, she knew she couldn't let anything happen to Sophia, that was why she brought her with her when she moved in with Sam, that's why she planned on adopting her later on. Sophia kept her feet on the ground, kept her steady, and kept her alive and sane.
"Criss, did you mean to…" she lowered her eyes, feeling herself grow nervous and unsure if she had misinterpreted the kiss as well. He pulled her close to him, embracing one arm around her waist, while keeping his dark eyes boring into her gray ones.
"I want you to leave that asshole you're with now. I want you to leave him, forget him, and never look back to him. I want you to rid your life of these painful memories of being hurt, of being betrayed. I want you to forget all of them, and try to make a new life for yourself. For you and your angel," he told her sternly, yet his voice was soft and kind. Her eyes looked from his to his lips, and then back. Was he really meaning what he said? Something was bothering her mind.
"And then what? What do you want me to do if I do leave him?" she responded to him. He grinned at her playfully, the same grin he gave her on the stage, the same grin he gave her in the alley, the same grin he gave her at the café…the same one he gave her on the bus.
Everything happened so fast in that one moment. It was too fast for her to even respond. She was shoved up against the banister, her body frozen in his grasp, his hands moving over her quickly, owning her, possessing her, controlling her. She sighed when his hand came up and stroked the side of her face, his other hand on her waist, positioning her just in the center of himself, holding her dominantly. She couldn't react soon enough, she couldn't control herself, as the moment he touched her, the moment he claimed her with his hands, his lips came up and took hers, and in that brief, controversial second, everything in the world spun out of control, spinning into wild and fogged blurs. She couldn't react, she couldn't breathe, but it was as if her body had molded into his, he was breathing for her, living for her, his heart beating for her. She at first felt resistant, words floating through her mind—boyfriend, love, Julian, hate, pain—yet she didn't care at once. She was submissive, she was willing to cooperate. She closed her eyes, feeling herself present to him, surrender to his hold, his kiss, his love….
He kissed harder, and she wanted him to. He kissed more passionately, and she wanted him to. He wrapped his arms around her, and she wanted him to. Everything he did she wanted. She wanted him to hold her, she wanted him to kiss her, she wanted him…to love her. Was this even love? She didn't know, all she knew was that she was safe in his arms, she was protected, cared for, and wanted in his arms. He wanted her, but she needed him. She needed the Eden he gave her. In her mind, she was screaming, but she didn't know what she was saying, what the words were. A garbled collage of incoherent sounds that merely drifted away as she slowly returned the kiss, feeling herself fold into him just perfectly, her hands reaching up to feel the dark, warm locks between her fingers, knotting within them in passionate response. In her mind, she was seeing the fairy tales come true, she was seeing the princess fall into her prince's arms, she was seeing a happy ending coming to life, and it was what she wanted. He kissed harder into her, and she returned it, returning the passion, the adoration, the adulation, and it all formed into one. She didn't have to say anything, he knew what was in her mind, and he shared the exact same feelings, the exact same thoughts. They were nothing more than two beings brought together for one purpose—Adam and Eve, brought forth for a new destiny, for the ultimate plan of salvation and existence. Yet, like Adam and Eve, these two were not obedient to their "master's" plan, they were not obedient to the original outline of life. At the moment, as he kissed her, as she kissed him, that purpose faded away into oblivion, and it was only the two of them…forever….
When finally the kiss was shattered, she breathed deep of the air she had been deprived of, and she felt the world slowly clear for her, and she was seeing it all differently, it was all perfect, all wonderful. She was seeing the world…through his eyes. He gave her the world, but she didn't want it. She just wanted him.
"Allison, when you leave him…I want you to run to me," he leaned forward, Criss Angel, leaning into her, and his breath comforted her body, bringing her into that peaceful Eden once again. "I want to make sure you are never hurt again, I don't want to see you cry anymore. I want to make sure of that."
"Christopher…" Alli sighed, and she leaned up to brush her lips against his, pleading for another kiss. She had lost herself in him, she had submitted her entire being to him, and all she wanted…all she needed….
"Goodbye."
His hands slipped from hers, his body slipping from her fingers, and she felt as if a piece of her had been ripped from her body. She watched—like the beautiful maiden seeing off her true love as he went off to the seas, never to be seen again—him walk away, and as soon as he was out of her sight, she turned around to face beyond the banister, and from there she saw him approach the waiting cab. Just before he got into it, he looked back at her, and he saw her, the same way she saw him, two eyes locked in a powerful bond, and in that bond she felt everything, she knew everything, and only one thing stuck out in that fogged, unclear haze of her mind. Only one thing, one certain, exact thing….
She turned from the banister, and walked towards the apartment door, opening it, and to step into the warmth of the inside rooms that filled it. She felt so comfortable all of a sudden, she felt as if nothing could harm her. A faint, hot red scored across her cheeks, but she hadn't realized it when she looked up to find her best friend standing next to the phone on the lamp stand. She blinked, and she saw the serious look on her friend's face, a look that only brought about a warning of some kind.
"What's wrong, Sam?" Alli asked of the woman, who was shaking her head sorrowfully.
"Your boyfriend called while you were out. He left a message on the answering machine," Sam informed the other woman, and without even thinking, she pressed the button on the machine, and immediately a voice started playing from the tape, a voice that the both of them knew almost inexplicably.
"Alli! Alli, it's me. It's Julian! I need…I need to talk to you. It's about last night. I know what I did was horrible, and I would understand if you never talk to me ever again. I just…I need to talk to you! I need to hear from you! Please, I can't stand not knowing what happened to you! I don't know who that guy was! He scared the living shit out of me! But he had every right to! If you never want to talk to me, it's fine! I understand! Just…just please…please, just give me a sign you're still alive! Please! I love you, Alli! I love you! I've never felt this way for anyone before! Please! Please, Alli…."
That was where the recording ended. After hearing the tone of the tape stopping, the entire apartment was frozen. Everything had turned cold, everything had come to a stand still, and the woman…her head was bowed, her eyes closed, her mind elsewhere, but she felt her friend's eyes on her, her friend watching her, waiting for her to say something. In the woman's mind, there were voices raging, words being spoken, faint, hardly audible words, but she could still hear them, as if being spoken at that very moment.
"I'm sorry, Alli. That wasn't me."
"I love you, I wouldn't do that to you. You know I wouldn't."
Lies….
"Alli, you're being silly. I'm a nice guy."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I was drunk. I wasn't being myself."
All lies….
"Alli, come on. You know I wasn't being real. I was just playing."
"Can I show you something?"
But….
"I hope you're thinking about me and only me."
"Come on, baby, I know you want it. I've been dying to have you for so long. Why don't we get it over with and done right here and now?"
"Bitch, don't you dare pull away from me! I'll smack you so hard that pretty little brain of yours will go splatter against the walls!"
Why….
"Just relax, it's okay….I need you to trust me, okay?"
"I wanted to make up for what I did the other day. It was wrong, and I'm sorry."
Two of them….
"You're a filthy, disgusting liar! Tell me! Tell me now! Who were you with, you stupid whore?!"
"Okay, Alli, seeing as how you don't know how to dance, I'm going to teach you."
"Oh, well, whatever you do, I hope it makes you happy."
"Well, I know you won't forgive me for what I did to you, and I'm not asking you to, Alli. What I did was so horrible, I don't even forgive myself for it."
I can't…
"Don't lie to me. Don't you dare fucking lie to me! Who was he? Who was the bastard that you're cheating on me with?!"
"Don't fall asleep! Alli, please, look at me! Don't fall asleep!"
There's only one I need….
"You are never a burden. Never to me. I care about you."
"I don't want you to feel alone, so I'm going to stay here with you until you fall asleep, and I'll be here when you wake up in the morning."
"…I didn't have to, but I wanted to. I told you I was going to be here until you woke up/"
"Alli, you keep saying you're 'sorry' when you don't need to….You need an angel, but right now, you already have one."
"Alli?"
The woman opened her eyes and turned to face her friend, the answer, the solution to everything ringing in her head, shining in her gray eyes. She finally knew what she had to do, and it was at last clear to her. She could at last do the very thing she had been wanting to do for so long, but never able to.
"What are you thinking, Alli?" Sam asked of her. Alli met her friend's eyes, and she smiled, a smile that was never there before, a smile that was both nerve-racking, and warmth-filling.
"I'm thinking…I know what I need to do."
With that, the woman approached the phone to dial a certain number, and it was in that one decision alone, in this one action, it was going to either throw her life into the peace and happiness it finally deserved, or into the chaos and anguish it had been yet experienced….
-Liz Comic-
Liz: Alright, well, I think that was a good chapter. I worked hard on it, despite being gone for two days.
Crys: I've seen you get done more in less time. Admit it, you were just lazy.
Liz: Can you blame me? My birthday was Friday.
Crys: So? I've seen you get done three chapters in one day--and it was on your birthday!
Liz: When was that?
Crys: A while ago. It was for that one story you did...that one that no one read.
Liz: Oh that's why. I didn't care about if the story was good or not. I just wanted to get it done.
Crys: So you don't really care about some of your stories?
Liz: Don't say it like that. If no one reads my story, then I really won't care about it.
Crys: What about my story?! You were working on that one for months, yet you stopped working on it because NO ONE WAS READING IT!!!!!
Liz: Well that's different...
Crys: How???::::gives a dark glare:::::
Liz: Well...
Crys: Admit it! You only care about this one cuz u've got Criss Angel in it!
Liz: No, I won't!
Crys: Ha! You just said you won't admit it. That means that it is true, because you won't admit it, proving that you have that very thing to admit.
Liz: What?! Don't go all psychiatrist on me!!!!
Crys: I can't help it::::points to a certificate in psychiatry:::::
Liz: That means nothing::::knocks it down when Crys isn't looking:::::
Crys: Did you just knock that down?
Liz: No.
Crys: You just wrote that you did.
Liz: No I didn't.
Crys:::::points to the computer screen:::::
Liz: Oh, that doesn't mean anything.
Crys: I'm going to kill you.
Liz: Let's see if you can catch me, first!:::::runs off as Crys chases her:::::
Rika (O.O): Liz would like to thank MissAnonymous, mrazfreak, PyroXxXManiac, and Tempting.Seductress for wishing her a happy birthday. She would also like to request that you would review this chapter and tell her what you think. She also would like some ideas for a title for the next chapter. Thank you so much!