Broken, Bruised, and Numb

Her arm ached where he held it and she couldn't help but wiggle to try and get out of his grasp. It only made him seem to dig his fingers in deeper. She could feel the contempt rising within her, she had trusted him. She looked at the man pleadingly with her eyes and she noticed he seemed to look away.

"Why are you doing this to me," she asked.

He looked at her momentarily before turning away again "I'm sorry," he replied.

She looked at Jace as he led her up the porch steps, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. "Please," she begged and she could feel his hand loosen its grip on her arm and she swore she could hear him whisper "trust me."

--

"Dani, I saw him too."

The words seemed to reverberate around the porch as Matt continued to look out into the night.

"It's not possible Matt, its just not." She replied and he could feel her body shaking next to his.

"Dani, they never found his body, anything is possible."

He could hear her sharp intake of breath, before replying "how did you know about that?"

He looked from Jean to Pablo before returning his gaze back to Dani and replying "your dad told us."

She looked confused for a moment before asking "does Kris know?"

"No, Dani, Kris doesn't know."

--

Jace let go of her arm and she instantly began to rub it with her other hand. She knew for a fact that she was going to have a bruise from his fingers digging into her. She watched him talk to the man on the porch before turning to look at her.

He silently nodded his head, and she couldn't help but notice how extremely sad he looked. She watched him walk back to his car, and he hesitated as he opened his door. He looked back at her and she could tell that something was wrong, that he didn't want to leave. She saw him mouth the words 'I'm sorry' and she silently nodded her head. As she watched him drive away, she couldn't help but wonder, what now?

--

"So," Dani asked "What does this mean?"

Matt seemed to contemplate what to say, then he replied.

"I have no idea, but Dani I've never been more certain of anything in my life. It was him."

He watched her carefully as she slowly digested his words and he could see the pain and hurt cross her face. He knew what she was thinking, because he was thinking and feeling the same thing.

As tears fell down her face, she slowly got up and walked away into the house. He watched his mom get up and follow her into the house.

Looking at Pablo for a moment he replied "I don't know what this has to do with Kris missing though."

--

The man in the shadows turned to look at her and she couldn't help but gasp at the familiar face.

"Well, hello again Kris." He replied

She could feel the revulsion pulsing through her veins, what was her brother doing associating himself with him?

"What do you want?" she asked disgusted that she had to be near him.

He seemed to look at her with a confused look before responding.

"Oh, now come on Kris. You're smarter than that. Haven't you figured it out yet?"

She gave him a questioning look and he seemed to chuckle.

"I'm the one who was blackmailing your precious little hubby. I knew he would do anything to protect you; you always were his weak spot. It was just too easy."

He leaned over and ran his hand across the side of her face. She could feel her body revolting and pulling away from him as she felt her hand rise and connect with his face. She watched him bring his hand up to his face and rub the place where she had hit him.

"You always were a feisty one," he replied "but that was very, very stupid."

--

Matt was deep in thought when he was broken from the silence by a car pulling into the driveway. As he rose he noticed Pablo and the cops rise as well. He could feel the nerves in his stomach as he saw Jace get out of the car and he instantly knew something was wrong.

"Where have you been?" he heard Pablo ask questioningly.

Jace seemed to stare at the three cops as he replied "I was out driving around, looking for Kris, no luck."

Pablo seemed to nod his head in understanding before asking him "why didn't you pick up your phone, we tried to call you to let you know that Wildfire came back."

"I must have been out of service." He replied. Matt couldn't help but notice that he seemed distracted, almost nervous.

Jace nodded his head in understanding before looking around. "Where is Wildfire now?" he asked

"In the barn," Matt replied.

Jace seemed to look towards the barn as they all heard Wildfire going crazy in his stall. Matt seemed to look at Jace for a moment, before jumping off the porch and grabbing him.

He saw Jace give him a confused look as he tried to shove him off.

Matt could feel the anger rising in him and he could feel his blood pumping through his body. Grabbing him harder he shoved him against the porch.

Jace looked him straight in the eye and spoke.

"I'm sorry, I had to."

Looking at him in disgust he could see Pablo heading towards them.

"Where did you take her" Pablo asked "and more importantly who has her?"

--

She could feel the duck tape around her wrists, chaffing at her skin. Blood trickled from the side of her mouth, and she couldn't help but wince at the taste. She couldn't feel the pain anymore; she had become numb awhile ago. She could feel the tears she had let out drying on her face.

How could Jace do this to her, she wondered. He was her brother, her protector, and her only hope. She closed her eyes as she felt his hands slowly running through her hair. She closed her eyes and thought about Jason and Junior. She thought about anything but where she was and who she was with. Silently she prayed that Jace had gone for help.

She could hear him move in front of her and then he spoke.

"Look at me."

She opened her eyes and looked up at the man standing in front of her and the only thing she could think slowly tumbled out of her mouth.

"Why, Kerry?"