Author's note: Dragging it out too much? I think I may be; but hey-ho I hope it's okay; thirteenth chapter, I hope that's not un-lucky. The next chapter WILL be the last, haha. A lot of POV's in this one, but I think they help the reader to get into the thoughts of the characters and it feels a little more personal; maybe that's just me… haha.
Please review; I really like to hear the reader's thoughts on my work. I don't take criticism too lightly but it's all part and parcel of progressing and learning so I guess *cringe* I wouldn't mind.
But it's always an amazing and prestigious feeling to have a good review.
I'd like to thank all of the people who have reviewed so far; it really means a great deal, you people are great, thank-you so much! You raise my confidence and after having such low self esteem for so many years I can't actually put in words how much of a relief that it is! THANK-YOU!
I can't do hearts on FanFic so I'll put kisses instead ;) xxxxxxxxxxx
Daphne's POV
Opening my eyes I scanned the dingy room before me, I knew that I wasn't anywhere familiar,
"H-hello? Where am I." I asked, my voice slightly hoarse, my chest getting tighter. I had a sharp realisation that I was tied up on the cold floor of what looked like an abandoned factory. I screamed in pain as I was hit in the head with a blunt object;
"Shut up." Said a husky voice, I recognised that voice; it was the General, but why would he do this to me?
"G-G-General?" I stammered, trying not to show my fear, but failing miserably,
"Oh clever girl, you're not just a pretty face are you." He smirked; putting his hand under my chin he lifted my head, "I feel bad for a pretty thing like you, but ya'know; we need Fred, he's one of our finest and I couldn't have manipulative you making him leave the army."
"Let me go!" I squirmed weakly and tried to break the uncomfortable rope, he hit me again. I began to cry, frightened for what he would do next,
"Shut your pretty little mouth miss Daphne!" He screwed up his face and furrowed his brow, "Now what to do with you. I could kill you, but that would be a waste of such a pretty young thing." He grinned evilly, winding my hair around his fingers he pulled it hard; I cried out in pain.
"Wh-why are you doing this?" I sobbed, "Please just let me go." I pleaded,
"And let you run straight to the authorities, I don't think so Ginge." He laughed; I frowned at him,
"My names Daphne!" He threatened to hit me once more and laughed as I flinched in fear; he put a thick metal chain on my leg and padlocked it to one of the rusty steel pipes in the corner of the room.
"You can move around a bit more now." He smiled untying the ropes from my legs and hands,
"How nice." I spat sarcastically; lunging at him, the chain on pulled me back. I collapsed to the floor and curled up in the corner, sobbing quietly.
"Now I've got to get back to work, I'll be back with some food later." I threw my baby heeled shoe square at his knee; he grimaced at me and threw it back violently; slamming the door shut on his way out. Resting my head in my hand, I ran my fingers through my now greasy hair screwing my face up in disgust I felt a hard object,
"Hey, what's this?" I said to myself; it was a hair clip. Ripping it out, I stuck the sharper end into the keyhole of the padlock. Trying to pick a lock with trembling hands wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do, but I needed to break free.
Fred's POV
I turned over in the hospital bed; Velma was sleeping in one of the reclining chairs next to my bed, I laughed quietly as a smile played on her lips and she twitched a little. I wondered where Daphne had disappeared to, 'She must have gone to get a drink' I reassured myself; but a part of me was still curious and concerned. Trying to cease the worst case scenarios for Daphne that ran through my mind, I pushed myself from my bed and onto my feet. My leg hadn't been broken, just severely damaged, but I could still attempt at walking without crutches. I couldn't use crutches if I wanted to anyway, my left arm and four ribs had been broken I wouldn't be able to support myself. Slowly limping into the corridor I stared out of the large window on looking the mountains; oh how I wanted this war to end, so we all could go home. In the distance of the mountains, which were unscathed by the cruel claws of war and still in their natural glory, was a grubby old abandoned factory, I screwed my face in disgust; it ruined the look of the untouched mountainous that were so glorious. Looking closer I blinked a couple of times, checking my eyes were not making a deception; I saw a tiny little figure trotting away from the factory…
"Daphne!" I gasped in surprise; she looked a little hurt, she was holding her head and limping a little. Panicking I tried to make my way out of the hospital and to her aid as quickly as I could.
Daphne's POV
Thank God! I managed to pick the lock; I limped my way out of the begrimed factory and sighed in relief as I inhaled the fresh mountain air, it made a huge difference to the fowl air I had been breathing inside of the factory. I clutched my head in pain and felt a gross lump of dried blood on the spot where the General had hit me. I looked up to the hospital and longed to be in there now, next to Freddie. I stumbled across the large plain; I wasn't that far from the hospital, but I knew that it would take me at least half an hour if not more to reach it; especially since I hurt my ankle pulling on the metal chain that gripped it only a few minutes ago. I spotted the General making his way to the abandoned factory so I concealed myself behind a large boulder, desperately hoping he wouldn't spot me, I was sure that my fate would be death if he did.
General's POV
As I made my way across the plain that inhibited some large boulders and bushes, I contemplated a way to dispose of the pretty little red-head I was holding captive. Killing her was the only way I could think of that would stop her from squealing to the authorities. Yes, I would kill her; but how? Stab her, shoot her thrash her to death; so many ways, which would be more effective and leave less evidence? Reaching the factory in which I held her imprisoned I came to the conclusion that stabbing her would be quieter and cleaner, in the heart I thought would be more productive. I laughed to myself at the thought of Fred coming back into the war and beating the bastards on the opposition when I get rid of his manipulating red-headed lover.
Daphne's POV
As the General entered the factory I ignored the pain in my ankle and made a desperate dash for the hospital; I had to get as far away as I could before the bastard found out I wasn't there and caught up with me. I got tired of running pretty quickly, my latest diagnose of asthma must've been kicking in; god I hated that! As I took a short break to breathe I felt a tap on my shoulder, I cried out in fear;
"Please no!" I pleaded beginning to sob, I was certain the General had caught me again;
"It's okay." I heard a soft voice reassure me; I looked up to see a young soldier, the same young soldier that had escorted me from the battlefield two days before. I collapsed onto the soldier, sobbing uncontrollably; he put his arms around me and sympathetically tried to reassure me.
"Miss Daphne, what happened?" he asked as my crying died down. I sniffed and began to inform him about the General, his eyes widened in shock; I didn't think he was ever going to believe me.
"Ma'am that's terrible!" He exclaimed; I sighed in the relief that he had believed me, "C'mon Ma'am, let's get you back to the hospital."
Fred's POV
Still limping my way to Daphne's destination I took a short break, I was exhausted and an intense pain shot through my ribs and legs, I collapsed under the pressure of the pain and began to cry slightly. I felt so useless; I couldn't even save the love of my life when she was in danger, what's wrong with me? I looked into the direction I needed to travel to reach Daphne to see a large Land Rover making its way towards me. I forced myself to stand up and waved my arms wildly at the car, feeling a rush of gratification as I saw Daphne in the van. Her eyes located me and she began to grin happily. I jumped into the Land Rover with Daphne's assistance and smiled at her warmly, putting my arm around her as she rested her head on my shoulder; but as I turned to face her, my smile disappeared and my brow furrowed in concern;
"Daphne honey what happened to your head?" Daphne placed her hand on the spot covered in dry blood and flinched,
"It's where he hit me," a tear descended from her eyes,
"Who?" I asked, feeling anger well up inside me;
"The General." She looked down at her hands and twiddled them nervously; did she think I wasn't going to believe her? Whatever she says goes; I frowned, trying to control my anger, there was no use yelling now, he's not here.
"You're safe now baby, and that bastards a dead man." I comforted her and pulled her closer, "I'll keep you safe."
"He said that you were the best soldier they had and that he couldn't have me manipulating you to come out of the army, so he was going to 'dispose' of me." She sobbed into my chest, I held her affectionately and kissed her lovingly; he was going to pay for this.
Normal POV
When they arrived at the hospital Daphne and Fred thanked the young soldier; Daphne hugged him appreciatively and Fred shook his hand with a smile. A nurse came out immediately to take a look at the couple; she took them inside treated Daphne's wounds and situated Fred on his hospital bed. Velma walked outside, woken by all of the commotion and ran to Daphne's side,
"Daphne oh my gosh are you okay? What happened?" she asked frantically; Daphne explained to the bespectacled brunette what she last remembered at the hospital and the events that followed, when she woke up in the factory, what the General had done and how she escaped.
Velma's POV
I couldn't believe my ears; how could the General do that? If I was stronger I'd give that bastard a good 'ole ass kicking, but I'm pretty sure Fred will take care of that. And to think, she was right outside the door; if I hadn't of fallen asleep so quickly I could've stopped him. Daphne went to the hospital shower, Fred and I waited outside of the shower rooms, no-one was going to get her again if we had anything to do with it. The young soldier had called the cops and they were in hiding, ready for the General to come so they could pounce on him like a cat on a mouse. Speak of the devil, he walks in strutting his stuff, acting as if nothing had happened.
"Frederick, Ma'am." He greeted Fred and I; I could see Fred trembling, I knew he wanted to kill the General for what he had done, but he was trying to keep composed. We nodded in reply;
"Have you seen Miss Blake, I need to speak to her."
"No." We lied,
"Oh I see." He said, a grin playing on his lips, he thought he was safe, no fucking way.
"Freeze!" The cops shouted, surrounding the General. He looked entirely shocked; Fred and I couldn't help but laugh at his expression as they shoved him into the authorities' car. Just at that moment, Daphne exited the shower room; fluffing up her wet hair. She looked at the General in the car as the cops drove off; fear in her eyes. Fred grabbed her, pulled her onto his lap and enveloped her tenderly into a cuddle, she sunk into him, yawning she closed her eyes and clutched Fred's arm. I smiled at the perfect couple next to me
Daphne's POV
I looked up at Freddie and gazed into his azure blue eyes; he looked down at me and smiled affectionately.
"I love you." He mouthed; I mouthed it back in reply and laid my head on his chest; he stood up with me still in his arms and carried me to his hospital bed. Placing me on the left side and pulling the covers over me, he put his strong arm around me and pulled me closer; I felt his warm breath on my neck and I shivered with delight; he held me closer. My eyelids became heavier; Freddie and I simultaneously closed our eyes, I could finally sleep.
Velma's POV
Fighting to keep my eyes open I stared at the hospital doors; waiting for a certain someone to come back. Fred and Daphne had been so sweetly reunited and their romance was overwhelmingly adorable, but I wanted my own romance. Recapping the past weeks I stopped myself; that was the past, whatever problems we had faced as a gang were over. The present is what we need to focus on now; finishing this damned war and going home, to Coolsville. I leant my head on my hand, tapping my feet impatiently.
BANG
Shit. That was a loud bomb; I almost lost my skin I jumped so high. That was the biggest I had heard since being here, maybe it was because we were closer to the battlefield, whatever the reason, that was a huge explosion.
BANG
This one was louder than before, I began to feel frightened. I vacated to the back ward with Fred and Daphne. Fred was rocking Daphne in his arms; she was wide eyed, fear stricken and we both knew it. Since the start of the war, the whole situation had forced Daphne to become a lot more fearful. She grasped his arm; the signature 'Daphne move' that meant she was frightened and the one person she needed was Fred. As Fred cradled her, he whispered the reassuring words that I knew would calm her;
"It's okay kitten, I'm here with you; we're fine, I'm here, I'm not leaving." She sunk into his arms and buried her face in his chest; he cuddled her, kissing her and constantly alleviating her anxiety by whispering the words, 'I'm here with you' and 'I'm not leaving you.'
BANG
I jumped for the reclining chair in shock. Pulling a duvet I had been given from the nurse over my head I closed my eyes. Why can't this all just be over?