A/N: Kinda depressing but needed to be written. I still enjoyed it and hope you do too. Thanks!

Chapter Forty-four

Frightened

Darcey woke up to her head pounding and her stomach rolling. She let out a small groan as she shifted slightly. She could hear two voices speaking from a distance but couldn't seem to wrap her mind around what was being said. She managed to pick out something about not telling her something. She groaned again as she became more aware. She was on the ground, partially slumped against the wall. The people she heard quieted before one with a gruff voice said something about someone needing to leave.

She tried to open her eyes but wished she hadn't. She focused on her breathing as she tried to figure out what was going on. The memory was foggy but she recalled returning from a short conversation with Lionell and going outside to clear her head by going on a walk before Erik arrived. After that, it wasn't clear. She remembered pain and an odd smell before blackness.

It was obvious to her that she had been abducted, why however wasn't. Why in the world would someone want to do that? She wished her head didn't hurt so much so that she could think clearly. She heard a door close and tried to open her eyes. This time she managd it though her vision wasn't clear. She tried to sit herself up but stopped when the motion made her stomach protest. She had to close her eyes to keep its contents down.

She groaned and heard a rough laugh that sent a chill through her. "Having trouble are we? Had to drug you several times so you wouldn't wake up at the wrong time."

"Where am I?" she managed to rasp out her dry throat. Again there was that laugh.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head. You'll leave here alive."

"You are going to let me go?" That made less sense than before. She opened her eyes and allowed her eyes to focus on the rough looking man before her.

"That's my orders. We are going to get to know each other very well before that, my pretty little thing."

She jerked up, causing her stomach to protest and lose its contents onto the floor next to her. He made a sound of disgust before he picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder. She tried to protest but couldn't as he walked to the other side of the room and tossed her onto the bed. He then turned and left the room, the door locking with a sharp click.

A mixture of confusion, disgust, and terror filled her. She curled herself into a ball and began to cry. Oh how she wished this was only a nightmare and she would wake up to find Erik comforting her. Her eyes opened wide. Erik! He would be so worried when she wasn't there for their outing. He would probably blame himself. What would he do? Would he come looking for her? Her heart answered with a firm yes that her mind agreed with.

She prayed silently that he would somehow know where to go and would find her before it was too late. She wouldn't kid herself on this man's intent. She may not know why she was here but she knew what he planned on doing to her.

She found herself thinking back on the past to a situation not too far from this one. However she was determined to make sure that it did not end up the same way this time. Somehow she would avoid that fate. Erik would come for her. All she had to do was stay safe until then. She would rather die than have it happen again. If it wasn't for her loved ones, she would be tempted to do so. There was also the hope that he really would let her go.

She tried to think of someway, any way at all, to prevent the man from taking advantage of her. She stared blankly at the opposite wall as she thought. She had no idea how long she would be here or how long it would take for Erik to come and save her. She glanced around the room as her vision cleared along with her mind.

She guessed herself to be in some kind of rough house in the country. There were few, rough looking pieces of furniture including the bed, a chest, a chair, and a desk. Her eyes caught on the desk as she spotted paper. She slowly pushed herself up from the bed and came to her feet. She managed to shakily walk to the desk where she slumped into the chair. Her whole body protested against her. She could feel several bumps and bruises forming.

Ignoring her pain, she pulled a piece of paper towards her. She would write Erik for his benefit as well as her own. It might calm her nerves and if something happened to her, at least he would have her final farewell.

Dearest Erik,

I love you so much. I do not know why I have been abducted but I'm frightened. Though this man says I will leave alive, I have no doubt in my mind that he plans to take advantage of me. Oh, Erik. How I wish this was only a terrible nightmare. I am going to try to fend him off but have no idea what his reaction will be. Someone ordered him to take me. It was not his idea. I do not believe he would hesitate to kill me. I only hope that none of this will happen.

I wish I could say i felt brave but I am frightened. I pray to God that I will see your face shortly and feel your arms around me.

I write for your benefit as well as my own. I miss you and hope that this will not be my final farewell but in case I never see you again, I must write my thoughts.

I love you so much. I cannot imagine living without you. You have helped me so much. I hope dearly that I will make it out of here and will be able to spend the rest of my life with you.

I know you will understand that I must fight against him. Even if it ends up costing me my life. I will try everything I can to avoid that fate.

AsIi sit here, I find myself dreaming of a perfect future that I hope will come true. Thinking of having your child brings joy to my heart. When I close my eyes, I see us together with a little girl with your beautiful eyes playing in the yard. I see us going to the park and to the sea. I always loved the sea and the sand between my toes as the waves crash onto the beach.

I love you so much. I dearly hope to see you soon and if I do not, I am so sorry. I never want to leave you and know that it is terribly difficult to lose those you love. If I do not make it out of this alive, I want you to keep going. Do not let my death stop you from living your life. There is so much good in this world and so much you can do.

If I can make another request, please find Helene Marion and make sure she is cared for. I see so much of myself in her. I would hate to see her hurt as I was. She has so much potential.

Erik, I love you so much. Never forget that you are loved. I fight for you.

All my love,

Darcey

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve as she took the page and folded it neatly. She then tucked it into her pocket. She would fight. She would make it out of here whole. She would not let that man crush her newly repaired spirit.

She felt despair taking hold of her heart and had to force herself to not give in. She needed to be able to think is she was going to make it. She thought about her hopes for her life with Erik in order to calm her frightened mind. She walked over to the bed and curled up into a ball and quickly fell asleep. For the third night in a row, she dreamed of a little girl with Erik's blue eyes.