Chapter six:
"Enough!" Alison accidentally burst, raising her voice at Donnie's little tirade. He had been complaining nonstop since Alison had gotten home, and she was finally fed up with it. "Stop your bitching this instant."
"My what? Ali you know you're not allowed to speak that way."
"Your bitching. And yes I am, who are you to say otherwise? My mother? You're far enough up her butt, anyway."
"Ali!" Donnie's eyes widened, fists hitting the dinning room table as he stood up. "You know the house rules, there's no profanity in here. If you speak that way you'll be excused."
"What, now you're going to treat me like a child? My name is Alison, by the way, I expect you to call me that."
Donnie huffed, his cheeks reddening with anger. He looked as if he was about to blow a fuse.
"You're my girlfriend, Ali, I'll call you whatever I feel like."
"Oh?"
"Yes."
"Well not anymore." Alison stood as well, arms folded over her chest. Any nerves quickly faded behind adrenaline and endorphins. Was this what it felt like to live again? To be free? "I'm leaving."
"WHAT?"
"You heard me. I'm leaving. We're through, Donnie."
"Why?"
"Do you really have to ask why?"
Alison decided against explaining herself, she didn't need his sympathy, or anything from him. Alison was tired of being his perfect pet, his prized trophy. That wasn't Alison. Whether or not she knew who she was, she knew that wasn't her. Simply walking away from the table, Alison raced up the stairs to get her clothing. The awestruck Donnie hadn't bothered following her.
She could hardy control her fingers, the shaking was undeniably visible. Although Donnie hadn't followed her up she knew he would be there soon enough to try and "talk some sense into her". Hell, he had probably called her mother to have an intervention. She was right, entirely, when she said he was up her mothers butt, the man would bend over backwards to worship Mrs Hendrix.
Grabbing the last of every necessity she could, Alison made her way downstairs to see Donnie standing with his back to the door.
"Excuse me." Alison tried to get him to move so she could put her stuff in her car, but Donnie wasn't budging.
"Why are you doing this, Alison?"
"Because, Donnie, I'm not your property. You've treated me like that for months, and I've had a darn lot of patients until now. I'm a tolerant person, but I'm sick of this. You've made me feel like I'm nothing. You treat me like I'm nothing, Donnie. We're through."
"You're drunk, Alison. Yes I know all about your addiction. Go back upstairs, wait until you've sobered up because you're being hostile."
"I'm being hostile? Move and let me out, Donnie. I said we're through, so we're through with dating. There's no going back from this."
"You're being selfish. Think about all that we have."
"Had." Alison corrected. Finally he moved (out of defeat) and Alison packed her stuff. For the second time this week she was going to stay at her mothers townhouse, at least Donnie wouldn't have a clue that she was there.
Nights passed, and he had called her repeatedly, of which she ignored. Knowing his schedule had benefits, and she was able to pack up the rest of her belongings. For now she was safe, alone. But that's when she felt worst. Leaving Donnie was supposed to be uplifting. Sure, breakup's are a heartbreak, but Alison couldn't manage this. He was her first real relationship, not a college fling, or worse, a high school fling. They were serious, but her leaving was more serious. Alison had gotten more pills from Ramon, and allowed herself to become consumed. It wasn't until she passed out from an overdose, and nearly died that she realized how selfish she had been. Before the afternoon had come, and she had woken back up, Alison went to the hospital for help. It was time to get clean. No more lies, or sneaking around. After she was clean she would be free. Free to live, to breathe.
During the initial week, she called Beth once and let her know why she wouldn't be able to be contacted. Strangely enough, Alison only cared for Beth out of all of her friends. No one else understood what she was going through, that it wasn't a phase.
The first week turned to two, and then three. She knew it would take much longer to detox, so to say. At the end of her stay, Alison had chosen to cut all ties to her past life. Dwelling on what she had wouldn't change a thing, especially when she was more than that. She was ready to unlock herself, to reach all of her potential and happiness even with all of life's struggles.
Alison had found an apartment after her stay in the drug rehabilitation centre. Working from home always had it's perks, meaning she wouldn't have to go hunt for a job. She already owned a business that ran itself. And without having to support Donnie as well (not to discredit him) she would manage to save a bit.
What brought her back down to reality, from everything looking up in life, was one phone call. Not from her mother, not from Ainsley (the most obnoxious of neighbours), and not from Donnie. Beth had called her. Alison hadn't managed to get to the phone in time, and what she heard horrified her.
"Ali? I gotta know you're alive. Please. Something happened. Please call me back, anything. Oh Christ, hurry."
The few seconds ended, and Alison sat petrified. Pushing the redial button, Alison called Beth.
"Beth?"
"Where are you?"
"What happened?"
"Katja got shot. Shit, I think someone is hunting us. I've got to protect you, Ali. I need to know you're safe. I can only do that if I'm the one doing it."
"I'll text you an address."
"Okay." Beth hung up, loading her guns before she jumped back in the black and white. Lights flashed as Beth sped through the city towards Alison, constantly checking her surroundings to see if she was being tailed by anyone. No one yet, but Beth's paranoia levels skyrocketed. When she arrived, Beth unlatched her gun from the holster and made her way to the door. Knocking quickly, Beth kept an eye over her shoulder.
Alison opened the door and Beth quickly went inside, locking it behind her and moving to close any open windows.
"Beth what was that about? Katja was shot?"
"Yeah. Right in front of me. Art's working the case and is out on a lead."
"You need to slow down, Beth."
"I-I think you're in danger. Damn it, I can't lose you Alison." Beth had only ever used Alison's full name twice before, and it meant she was serious. Nodding, Alison went to get her gun while Beth kept peering through the small cracks within the window shades, gun drawn.
Twenty minutes passed before Beth relaxed enough to holster her gun and look away from the window.
"I'm sorry, Ali. I shouldn't just.. Fucking jump you like that. I was worried."
"No, it's okay. You have every right to do so." Beth sat down, facing the door incase anyone were to enter.
"Ali..?" Finally meeting her eyes, Alison saw she was crying. When, Alison didn't know, she was also staring out the window trying to aid the detective.
"What's wrong?" She set her gun down beside Beth's leg, holding her cheeks to calm her.
"I can't lose you. I keep having these nightmares, and then the shit with Katja, leaving Paul. Everything. I feel I'm being hit by a train of stress."
"I'm safe now, though. You're with me."
"Are you? I have doubt in myself, Ali."
"I don't. I've never doubted you Beth." Shrugging, Beth leaned forward. Why couldn't she just hide from the world, from whatever was wrong. "Look at me. I want you to call your partner and ask for an update. You said he had a lead?"
"It was a stretch.."
"So? Call." Doing as she was told, Beth reached into her pocket for her phone.
"Anything yet?"
"Jesus Beth, no."
"Don't give me shit about this, you're not the one who's gotten shot at twice this week." From across the room Alison shuttered in horror, her hand clamping over her mouth.
"Once."
"Yeah. Whatever. Call me when you catch this son of a bitch."
"Did you go off the grid?"
"Yeah."
"Keep the faith, Beth. I'll get him. No one shoots my partner except me."
"Don't be a sap." Beth ended the call, putting the phone back into her pocket. When she looked up at Alison, she muttered shit under her breath.
"Look, I-"
"-You were shot at? Twice?! Beth!"
"God damn it, Ali, I didn't want you worried."
"Like hell you didn't! Beth! Do you know what I would be going through if you were shot, or even killed?"
"Something like this? Jesus."
"Don't be smart with me."
"I'm sorry Ali, I know I should've told you, but hear me out."
"Fine." Alison folded her arms across her chest. Beth wanted to look and see if Alison was tapping a toe impatiently, but she couldn't tear her eyes away.
"I had picked Katja up to get the briefcase, and just after she got into my car someone shot her. I managed to drive away, but I had to phone it in. Art and I found a blind."
"Blind?"
"Where a sniper shoots from. I thought it was Paul because shit went sideways when I left him, so we put him in custody, but then we were out on a stolen bike hit, we both got shot at. The guy got away, but I'm pretty sure I'm next on his list."
"Were the two connected? Katja and this bike?"
"It's hard to say. Art doesn't think so, but shit, like he knows?" Art didn't begin to have the tip of the iceberg, how would he have an idea? He thought his partner was just unlucky, that both shootings were coincidence. Nodding slowly in acceptance, Alison visibly was calming down from whatever state she had escalated into.
"I'll keep watch."
"What?"
"I'll keep an eye out? You need a break, Beth, the last thing we need is both of us having a breakdown."
"Ali, just let me.."
"No." Pissed off still, because Beth was withholding information that seemed pretty damn critical, Alison wasn't willing to back down. "There's food in the fridge, I made it lastnight. Please eat something Beth, then maybe rest for a while. You can have the next shift."
Without arguing, Beth gritted her teeth together for a moment before caving in. Alison was right, if they were going to be surveilling their surroundings throughout the day, possibly night, that meant they would have to take shifts. And a tired, hungry relief wasn't going to do any good.
It took two days for Beth to acknowledge that whoever was shooting at her hadn't followed her, or managed to find her if they had been. She awoke to a pot of coffee, brewed just for her apparently, as Alison was sitting slightly behind the door, waiting for someone to come. She had taken her "responsibility" quiet well and serious. If their lives hadn't been in danger, Beth would've acknowledged just how adorable and cute she found it. Rather, she had compartmentalized the thoughts away for a later moment. That didn't mean the thoughts didn't linger, however.
"Hey Ali?"
"Yes dear?" Alison head turned to the girl which was sitting directly beside her.
"Where are we even at?" Beth took a sip of her coffee.
"My apartment."
"What do you mean? Like a spare one?"
"No.. I-I left Donnie." Alison spoke, trying to sound confident.
"Shit Ali, no way." Beth tried to withhold how proud she was sounding, but failed pretty miserably. He was deadweight to Alison, never giving her and respect, any room to breathe. She was like a slave to him (in Beth's eyes).
"Yeah."
"What made you do it?"
"So much.. I wouldn't know where to begin without wine," Beth chuckled, slipping an arm around her shoulders to hug her.
"You're better off without him."
"Oh believe me, do I know. Do you want to know what the final straw was?"
"What's that?"
"He tried to send me to our room for saying bitching." Beth choked on her coffee, stifling her laughter behind the mug.
"Jesus, what a prude." Alison was frowning at her. "Ali,." Beth shot her a sympathetic glance before kissing the side of her head.
"You're not a child, and you have a right to speak as freely as you wish. And him to send you to your room? He's a pussy. A pathetic man. Alright?"
"No, you're right.."
"Too early?"
"Just a little."
Beth closed her in a hug, kissing her forehead. Afterwards she smoothed her bangs back to perfection, muttering about how perfect they were. Somehow Alison always found Beth's humour enlightening. Of course Beth always knew when to use it to lighten the mood. Pulling away, Beth walked to the counter to get her phone. No updates from Art yet.
"There's something I need to do at work today." Beth announced as she set her phone down.
"What's that?" Alison crossed her arms over her chest, walking over to Beth.