Sorry for the delay everyone but I started my new job this week and it sorta kicked my butt being back to work and all. I got lazy I will admit. So hopefully once I get this whole thing sorted out I can get back with a semi regular basis. Thanks for hanging in there!

Chapter 44: Unstaked

David parked his car and moved around quickly to open the door for Candice. She had insisted she felt well enough to leave the loft and after hearing Ryan was still being detained she demanded they go deal with this. He'd called Josef to have Ryan brought to the mansion so they could do this where Candice should she need to rest could be comfortable and also possibly talk to Jean. She'd been through a great deal and she seemed to be handling it well, brushing it off and moving forward he knew having a friend nearby would help.

Jean met them at the door and quickly hugged Candice to her. Her burns were still slightly sensitive and she wore a breezy skirt and soft silky long sleeved blouse to hide them. Candice returned Jean's embrace before moving back to David. She couldn't explain it but she wanted nothing more than to be able to touch him.

Josef came out from his office and met them standing behind Jean he wrapped his arm around her needing her soothing effect. He'd instantly seen her hands and knew there was more damage than he could see. "My men brought him to the living room. Would you like a drink Candice?"

"Not right now," she smiled at Josef.

He returned the smile but she had known him too long and knew something was up. Deciding to focus on one obstacle at a time she let David lead them into the living room. Her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped seeing Ryan lying staked through the heart on the floor wearing only his boxers. She started to move towards him but David wrapped his arm around her waist to stop her.

"David I told you what happened," she pleaded. "He doesn't deserve to be staked like this."

"I'd still like to hear the full story." Josef broke in.

Kissing her forehead David walks over to stand above Ryan and looks down at him. His eyes are closed and he looks like the friend he had to help to his freezer after a night of partying on a day off at one of Josef's parties. Reaching down he wraps his hand around the stake and pulls it out with a slurp and pop.

Ryan sat up gasping heavily bringing his hands up to his chest before collapsing onto his back again. After a moment he opened his eyes and saw David, "Is Candice okay? Did you stop Coraline?" He asked not lifting his head.

"Candice is doing much better now. She tells me you helped save her."

"I did everything I could but she shouldn't have been there."

David reached down and held out his hand for Ryan. "I owe you a thanks for what you did."

Ryan took the offered hand and let David help him up. He saw Candice standing a few feet away and nodded at her. He looked back to David just in time to see David's fist coming at his face. The deafening sound, blurred vision and pain registered before he was on his back again.

"That is for betraying me and staking me before." He couldn't help his lips from curling up into a smile hearing Candice gasp then hearing his explanation breathe out 'men' and he was sure rolled her eyes.

Ryan rubbed his jaw and let David pull him up once more knowing he deserved that and much more. He'd had nothing but time while staked, even while captured to think about his part in all of this. "I deserve worse than that. This entire mess is my fault. I know I have no right to ask for anything but please just tell me that Mick and Beth's little girl is alright."

"Coraline is dead and Kayla never even knew anything happened."

"Mick made it in time," he breathed out.

"No actually Mick showed up just a few minutes late." Josef grinned despite everything he was still proud that Beth had beheaded the witch; he'd always known she was one to be reckoned with.

"Then…I guess it doesn't matter."

Candice stepped forward needing to feel David once more brushing her side against his. "From what they tell me she made the mistake of fighting a mother protecting her child."

"Beth?" Ryan looked around in shock but seen everyone was being serious. "I'm glad it's over."

Looking down at his hands he could see there was still a tiny bit of redness on the tops but his palms were healed then noticed Candice's feet looked much worse. "How bad are your…burns?"

Candice rests her head on David's shoulder and sighs, "They're still sensitive but David said they're getting better."

"I never got a chance to tell you with everything happening so fast but I swear to you I had no idea that would happen."

Squeezing Jeans hand Josef rose his hand and cleared his throat to get every ones attention, "That would be my doing." Once all eyes were on him he explained, "I had that designed as a precaution should you try to run. I never meant for you to be hurt Candice."

She shrugged, "I should have known something was up when she gave me a knife to cut it off."

"She made you?" He asked.

"No, not really. We had a lot of time…he said it was aggravating and put it over his pants but then she offered a knife to cut it off and I thought okay."

"We thought maybe she was playing another game. Maybe she expected us to make an escape attempt or something. We never thought the game was to actually cut this off and see what Josef had come up with." Ryan continued.

David looked down at Candice then at Jean, "Baby Josef and I need to speak to Ryan privately would you be okay to go talk with Jean?"

Smiling up at him she leans forward and kisses his lips. Pulling back she placed her forehead to his and whispers, "Please be merciful."

When she pulls away from David she looks at Ryan and gives him a smile. Knowing this might quite literally be the last time she sees him she knows she has to thank him. "Thank you again for keeping me sane in there."

"It was a two way street," he offered a small smile in return.

Seeing the resigned look in his eyes just like that of the first time he showed up at her door and went to face Josef she knew he was ready for whatever punishment awaited him. Now, now there was something else, maybe lightheartedness at knowing his mistake is over, Coraline was dead.

Turning towards Jean she followed her out to go wait for David and Josef to do what needed to be done.

To Be Continued…

Evilous