Tiny rays of sunlight slowly filtered around the pull blind in the small oval window of the cabin, filling the small business class seating area of the Bowen 747 bound for Phoenix Arizona with warmth and extending into the aisle. Julie woke with a jolt, sitting up straight in her seat, her heart pounding in her chest and her back rigid like a bow. Her eyes scanned her surroundings frantically for any sign of the man that was haunting her dreams, a fear like no other creating a near panic attack in her head, filtering down into her chest. Greg Williams was nowhere in sight and Julie was positive he wasn't on the plane, so why could she not get the feeling of someone watching her out of her mind? Her eyes scanned the other passengers frantically looking for anyone out of the ordinary but no one was looking at her. Everyone was occupied within their own minds. Some watching videos on their mobile devices, others sleeping much like the man next to her. Adam Banks curled up on himself, quietly slept next to her, his breath coming in even breaths unto his chest. Her heart slowed at the sight and she leaned back in her seat as to not draw any unwanted attention to herself. It had been years since she hadn't had to worry about him watching every move she made. This was one moment he wasn't watching, she silently reminded herself. She had nothing to worry about, they were 30,000 feet in the air and she knew he hadn't made it on the plane. She looked around the cabin again with wandering eyes just to make sure. Once she was sure he was not hiding anywhere near, she let her eyes close and her head rest back against the soft pillow of the over-sized seat. Placing a hand over her expanding and contracting chest; she softly prayed for a moment of peace from her years of inner battles. it had been too long since she could relax that she was afraid her body would no longer know how to do so. Once her breathing had returned to normal, she glanced over again at the young man fast asleep next to her. His sandy blonde hair was longer than she ever remembered it being, probably about an inch off his head and spiked at the top. It could have just been the way he was sleeping that cause his hair to go like that, Adam was never one know to spike his hair, except a brief period in freshmen year of high school when he wanted to impress her. His face contorted from a dream he was apparently having and he moved down in his seat with a small groan, tucking his chin to chest tighter. A hint of a smile played on her lips and she remembered all the times she watched him sleep. He always slept so heavy, she could never get him awake when she wanted to. She used to lay under the covers in the early morning, just as the sun was coming up and run her fingers through his soft hair, waiting for his eyes to open and look down at her. Those were the moments she missed the most. The calm sereneness of the new day without any worry but what to wear. Adam usually would sleep until the very last minute and wake upright before they'd have to leave. On the mornings they didn't have to be anywhere, they'd be making love through breakfast, like they usually did on nights they spent together. She wished her life was that simple still, that it could be that simple again. She only ever wanted a simple life, not the nightmare she had brought her way into. If only she could erase the past eight years of her life she could start again. Maybe this time with Adam. Her mind drifted off as she stared out the window again at the puffy white clouds as they floated by and into the clear sky behind. A particular memory drifted into her thoughts and she smiled. Maybe this could be the new start for her? Maybe she could finally be out of Greg's life forever. Looking back out the window, Julie watched the fading sun in the small break of clouds, a hint of a new beginning on the horizon. She almost smiled at the thought before she remembered the last time she tried to leave. Greg had followed her two states over, only to drag her home kicking and screaming and mercilessly beat her until she couldn't get out of bed for a week. She shook her head at the thought, promising that it would be different this time. It had to be, she thought, looking back to Adam next to her. She wouldn't let him get hurt. Before she could even think about getting her life back, she had to get Greg out of it. He would be following close behind them if not on the next flight. For all she knew, he could have found a faster flight and would be there when they got off the plane. Her pulse started to quicken with each new fear entering her mind and she found herself gripping the arm cushion of the seat into a ball. Adam stirred next to her and she wondered if she should wake him to calm her fears but she wasn't about to interrupt his sleep after all he'd done for her. The cause of his movement was evident when he rolled away from her to reveal a flashing cell phone strapped to his belt. He must have forgot to turn it off when they had taken off. Julie looked at it for a moment before lifting it from its carrier and looking to the caller ID. G C Germaine flashed in the neon lights from the small display window and Julie's hand shook. She had missed their wedding, she had missing everything in her best friend's life and yet here she was calling Adam, probably to check on her. guilt flooded her senses and she quickly turned off the device before one of the attendants saw her with it. She placed the phone back in its carrier on Adam's waist just as it stopped flashing and clicked off, turning away to let a few tears roll down her already red puffy cheeks. How had she let this happen? How did she turn into the woman she saw in the mirror every morning? A scared, pathetically weak individual with no backbone. She was never this way, never one to shut up when her mind was screaming at her to talk. She'd missed so much, she'd let herself miss so much and he'd taken so much from her. He'd stripped her of everything, even her dignity. She could never be the same person she was again no matter how hard she tried. She'd have to be different, stronger to get through this. Her thoughts creased as she felt Adam stir again behind her, wiping away any stray tears from her face so he wouldn't know she'd been crying again. He sat up, grabbing his phone to see who called but realized it had been turned off. He let out a heavy sigh, closing the phone and replacing it to his case. Julie glanced back at him, her eyes studying his movements with each new expression his face showed. He was leaning his head back against the head rest and looking at the ceiling in a bit of a daze at the current moment and Julie wondered what he could be thinking. She contemplated his stance for a long moment before his eyes moved to hers, first noticing that she had been staring at him. When his blue eyes met hers, he immediately saw the worry in them and his own jaw tensed, looking around the cabin.
"Everything okay? How long was I asleep?" He asked, sitting more straight in his seat to properly survey their neighboring passengers. His hand moved to his eyes in an effort to wake himself up more and he rubbed at them to clear the fogginess from his irises. Julie shrugged, looking back to the seat and the pattern that was sewn into it with interest.
"A while, we're going to be landing in a few minutes, I think." She said without much interest. Her voice gave away her nervousness though, a slight wavering in it that did not go unnoticed. Adam picked up on it immediately and tried to reach out to her pale pink cheek. He could see the tinted tear tracks still evident on her cheeks and he wished more than anything that he could make it all go away. His hand was nearly to her face when she turned her head away, almost as if she hadn't seen him moving towards her. She had but she wasn't going to go there just yet. Every touch, whether it be Adam's or someone else's felt the same on her skin, a cold dark nightmare. A promise that pain was ahead. Everyone that tried to get close was him to her until she could start to heal. Even if by some miracle she managed to escape and go on to live a normal life again, his forceful touch would always be in the back of her mind every time another man tried touched her. The sad part was, even Adam's touch would become a violation to her person if he tried to get close to her again too soon. A sigh escaped her lips and she tried to focus on something else to keep her mind from thinking these horrible thoughts. She casually brushed her hair from her face and behind her ear before looking back at him. She tried to nod only slightly and reassure him that she was in her right mind.
"I'm fine." She whispered, a hint of fear still laced with her voice as he moved his hand back away from her and to his lap. He had to be careful with her and he wouldn't push.
"So what's bothering you then?" He asked, glancing back at his phone out of habit. The light flashed on the side to let him know that the battery was still on even if the phone was powered down. He knew it had rung before, so whoever it was probably had left a message. He assumed it would be Connie, he was supposed to call her back the night before and hadn't done so, too worried about Julie to be bothered. She was probably wondering why he hadn't called her back yet and had got anxious like he knew she would. He had to smile at her probably pacing form, driving Guy up the wall. Adam turned back to Julie when she finally choose to response.
"Nothing….there's no way that Greg could have gotten to Phoenix before us, is there?" She asked, a look of confusion marking her beautiful face. He thought about the question for a few moments before shaking his head. He was almost possible there had not been a more direct flight than theirs.
"No, we took a direct flight so unless he chartered a plane the minute after we took off, I think we'll be okay." He reassured her, patting her hand where it lay on the shared arm rest. She quickly moved it, tucking it into her lap. Her mind seemed to ease at the thought of Greg far behind them and she returned her gaze to the window, watching the clouds pass by. The silence was resounding, Adam thought, looking back to his phone and wondered if he should call Connie with a response when they landed or let her wait until he was sure they were safe. His mind was set not to, placing the phone in his bag instead of back on his hip and looking back at Julie. He almost wondered if he should be using the phone at all considering the way Julie talked of Greg having all sorts of connections. He almost laughed, thinking the guy would be able to trace his calls. Adam refocused on the woman next to him and thought about how he was going to show her that he still cared for her. Every interaction they'd had so far save for the few minutes at the hotel, she had spend avoiding him touch. She needed to see she wasn't alone in this, she needed to know that he still loved her but at the same time, Adam was worried that she'd misunderstand such an admission or that it would be too soon for her to accept him again. She might even take what he was saying the wrong way and think he wanted to jump back into their relationship where they ended it. He knew that wasn't possible and he had already made up his mind that when she was ready, he would be there. He wasn't going to pressure her or make her uncomfortable with him at all. That would be the last thing she needed right now. The crackle of the intercom system coming on drew his attention away from her for a moment as he listened to the announcement.
"Attention Passengers. This is your Captain speaking. We are running on time, no turbulence ahead and should be reach our destination in the next few minutes. Please fasten your seat belts to begin our descent and thank you for flying American Airlines." Adam's thoughts were interrupted, the announcement sending them elsewhere as he fumbled with his seat belt. They didn't have a plan for when they landed, only that Greg would be close behind. It would be his responsibility to keep her safe. They'd have to move fast when they got off the plane, he knew that for sure. Hopefully they could jump right on another plane, not hanging around the airport for too long. Julie looked over at him again, a look of concern still occupying her bright blue orbs. He wanted to squeeze her hand gently from its place on the fabric covered divider between their two seats but thought better of it after her last reaction, focusing on the descent of the plane instead.
They were on the ground in a matter of minutes, the last bump of the airplane skiding to a halt signaling they were on the tarmac. The heat from the desert state could already be felt pulsing through the heavy metal exterior of the plane before they even had time to exit the plane. Julie had long ago abandoned her heavy coat for the soft dress shirt she had chosen to wear to the airport that morning. Adam tugged at the collar of his heavy sweatshirt when they entered the terminal and silently wished he'd dress more practical. He hadn't thought it would be this hot in Arizona. He guessed he'd been wrong. There he was telling Julie to plan for the weather and he forgot to do so himself. Truth be told when he had packed his bags to leave New York he had been packing from cold Minnesota weather so his options would have been limited to say the least. There wasn't time to ponder the thought further, picking up Julie's bag from the belt and then his own, they began to make their way to the entrance of the airport and the main ticket counters. The terminal was packed, once they made it to the opening of the airport, may people moving to and from the gates. He knew it was still the holidays so the traffic made sense. Julie's eyes scanned her surroundings like a deer walking out into an open field, just waiting for the lion to attack. She silently grabbed unto Adam's sleeve to not lose him to the crowd of people. From where Adam was, there was no sign of Greg.
"Come on." Adam softly nudged Julie to move through the crowd towards the ticket desk. They would need to survey the flights leaving shortly before they could determine what their plan would be. The way he saw it, they had two choices. A) get a rental car and drive to the next airport to lose Greg or B) get tickets on the next flight out of here, no matter where it was going. Looking up at the flight times, the first option seemed to be the more plausible idea. The only flight leaving within the next few minutes was one to New York. As much as the idea for dragging Julie back to his apartment was appealing to him, keeping her safe was more important and he knew the next place Greg would look would be his apartment once he figured out who he was. He sighed deeply, glancing behind them again to check for anyone suspicious, it wasn't a good idea to be out in plain sight like this if Greg had followed them. It was best to keep moving and not let even a few minutes of idling go by. By now Greg would know who Adam was, if he hadn't already pieced together the puzzle. They couldn't go to New York, Greg would have planned for that, so what was they're next option? Adam sighed, gripping the bags tighter and moving through the crowd once again.
"Okay, let's go." He whispered softly in her ear, nudging her forward. Julie nodded, following closely behind him as he parted the crowd to make their way through. They reached the car rental desk within a few minutes and Adam quickly provided them with the information they needed to rent him a car. He silently wondered if the credit card he gave them would allow for Greg to follow them but quickly brushed it off, thinking credit cards must be secure. The keys were handed over and they were on their way out the door before the girl behind the desk could look up from the paperwork he had filled out to tell them to have a nice vacation in Arizona. Little did she know they weren't planning on staying for very long.
The Arizona heat was almost unbearable once they were directly under the sun. Adam quickly shed his sweatshirt to the backseat of the black beetle convertible they had rented, leaving him in only his undershirt. It was one of the only cars they had left in the lot and the bug promised to give great gas miles so Adam didn't really have room to complain. He discarded the bags in the truck and quickly moved to open the driver's side door and get in. They couldn't waste any extra time. Julie climbed in the other side and he started the car, moving quickly away from the airport and into the desert heat.
"So where are we going?" Julie finally asked, looking out the window at the tall buildings in the distance, it must have been Phoenix, she thought. The city looked to be so exciting. a city surrounded by desert. She had never been to the southwest, only ever going to California once for the Goodwill Games but besides that never being anywhere but Maine and Minnesota.
"The next airport.." Adam conveyed, set on his mission to get away from the airport as fast as possible. He figured Tuscan or even Las Vegas would be the nearest airports to have flights out today. He just had to figure out which way he was going.
"And it's that way?" Julie asked, pointing ahead of them, wondering if he had planned this out at all. Adam seemed to shrug.
"Yeah, I guess." He quietly admitted, not knowing his way around Arizona anymore than she did. She looked over to his face, Julie studied his face. It was dripping with sweat in the desert heat and she worried that he could become dehydrated.
"Are you sure?" She asked one more time, not wanting to anger him but wanting to prevent them from having to return to the airport to start again. His eyes darted to the nearby signs, trying to make sense of anything in the bright sun but they wouldn't focus and let him read even what highway they were on.
"Um.." He hesitated, trying to read them again and pushing the sweat from his forehead with the palm of his hand. Julie wanted to smile at him, his rash actions always getting them into more trouble than they'd been in before. In this instance, it was impossible to have any problem bigger than Greg though, so hopefully this wouldn't be that big of an issue.
"Maybe we should stop at that general store up there and ask directions.." Julie motioned to the only store on this stretch of the road within a mile. Adam nodded absently, to sun stricken to argue. He pulled into the parking lot and parked in the first space they came to, which happened to be in the very back of the parking lot before he got out to lead her into the store.
The air conditioning of the small store felt cool to Adam's face as they entered, he was already exhausted from the heat and they hadn't even been on the road more than a few minutes. How was he going to survive the next few hours to get them where they needed to go? It was more than obvious that he lived in the north where this sort of weather was uncommon as the other people in the store stared openly at his sweat ridden appearance. He was used to blizzards and ice storms not droughts and sunburns. Julie immediately found the map section located next to the magazines and the hair care supplies. Her eyes grazed the options and finally decided on the local street map, picking it up to glance at it before she decided if it was the right one for them. It covered almost all of Arizona, right down the major roaqdways. She quickly folded it back up and handed it to Adam, who was downing a large bottle of water from the cooler. Her hand made contact with his for a brief moment that was too long to ignore. Their eyes met in an intense stare. Julie turning away first, feeling the pressure for an action she wasn't ready to commit. Throwing caution to the wind, Adam reached out and touched her shoulder, trying to relax his own thoughts. She tensed under his grip but didn't turn away or brush him off.
"Julie, it's okay for you to feel something. You're not dead." He reassured her. She nodded, knowing he was right but it still felt so wrong, like she was cheating on Greg to be thinking anything about Adam. She'd have to let that go one day, she thought with a sigh.
"It's feels like I'm betraying him. To even remember anything we had, makes me hate everything I had with him." She confessed, not turning to look at him. She turned away fast, transfixing her eyes elsewhere to control her thoughts before they got too out of hand. They fell on the hair coloring products in front of her. The picture of a pretty blonde girl stared back at her and she glanced at her mousy brown locks that were barely visible from her line of vision. She hated the color and missed her blonde hair. It was another thing he'd done to her that she would need to fix. Adam caught her line of sight, moving his hand towards her hair. She quickly straightened up and brush away the threatening tears dwelling on her eyelids.
"I'm fine, let's just get going." She said moving quickly to the counter to pay for the map. She just wanted to keep moving, it was foolish to stay in one place too long and give Greg a chance to catch up. Adam continued to stare at the boxes for a moment longer, wondering if she was thinking about dying her hair back to its original color before following Julie to the front. He paid for the map and the water. They left the store in silence, not speaking of the moment again.
The cold dark eyes of Greg Williams stared out the window of the last flight to Phoenix for the night. His face marked a determination like no other and he contemplated his next move. He had to find her. He needed to find her. She was his and no one else's, how dare she ever question that. The distant ringing of a cell phone brought him out of his thoughts and he picked it up, placing it to his ear without ever changing his expression. The annoyed stares of the other passengers in the cabin went ignored.
"Did you locate them?" He asked, his voice cold as ice.
"No, sir but we did run a trace on that guy she'd with." His faced sterner with anger.
"I want to know everything about him." He said tightening his lips against his teeth.
The Tuscan airport was almost as crowded as the Phoenix airport had been but Julie didn't mind, it allowed her to stay hidden from the rest of the people bustling around them. She'd just look like any normal traveler, going about her business to catch her flight and no one would be none the wiser of her true identity. His eyes were already scanning over the flight times and regretted stopping for directions, they had just missed the last flight out of this airport for the night, the next one didn't leave until 6 am the next morning. Adam turned to Julie, a look of sorrow on his face.
"I thought we'd have a better chance of getting out of here tonight through this airport but I guess we're staying in Arizona tonight." He said, his voice filed with regret. Her eyes filled with fear again and he mentally kicked himself for causing it.
"We'll be okay." He reassured her leaving the crowded airport to find a place to stay for the night.