Chapter Four: One Month Mark
WARNING: QAF sadly isn't mine:'(
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like to thank all of you for your understanding about the review stuff and for sticking by me:) especially Predec2 and RoguesMum:) for jaspersgirl21 you're review wasn't mean. I know the difference between being mean and trying to be helpful and I know you were trying to be helpful:) I've also decided to not be GRAPHIC in this story when it comes to Justin. Obviously to describe his wounds and how he got them have to be graphic, but I don't think I'll have a torture scene that's graphic. I love Justin to much to be able to do that in detail lol. If you guys want a graphic scene let me know and I might put one in. Other than that I don't think there's anything else to say. ON TO THE CHAPTER!
"Talk"
'Thoughts'
Letters
Dreams
Chapter Four: One Month Mark
Emmett's POV:
One Month. That's how long it's been since Justin was taken. During that time we've gotten no where near finding him and we've gotten three more clues since the first one. Brian's not been doing so good since he pulled Justin's shirt out from under the dumpster. He carries it with him everywhere. It's starting to worry the family and we've tried to get him to throw it away or to at least put it down, but all he does is lash out and hold it closer to him.
'I don't think Brian's gonna make it two months. He's starting to wake up screaming from nightmares.' I thought to myself as I looked over at Brian who was leaning over the dinning room table trying to figure out what the clues mean. So far none of us have been able to figure them out. Even the police who have their own copies that Brian gave them.
I sighed and got up and walked over to Brian. "Figured anything out yet?" I asked gently to not startle him. He turned to me and looked at me with dull eyes and shook his head slowly. "No nothing yet." he said and looked back at the clues. I nodded sadly and walked to where I could see the clues myself. The clues were scattered around the table so it was easier for us to see them at once as well as separately.
Clue One: If you want to find your Sunshine, then you must come to the place where the sun is the brightest.
Clue Two: Stand on the bridge and think tall.
Clue Three: Run down until you can't anymore and make a left, then a right, then another right, and finally another left. Then go through the black door with a red door nob.
Clue Four: run as straight as you can and beware of the monster in the shadows.
Looking at the clues again always made my head hurt. None of them made since! I sighed and looked back at Brian who was looking at each clue and studied them, as if he were begging them to start making since. "Bri, when's the last time you ate?" I asked noticing how baggy his clothes looked. He shook his head but didn't answer. I sighed and pulled my phone out.
"Hey Em." Michael's voice came and I sighed again.
"Hey Mikey. Could you bring us some dinner home?" I asked and I heard him sigh too.
"He's still not eating." It wasn't a question. I looked back at Brian then got an idea.
"Mikey, when do Ben and Hunter usually show up?" I asked him and I could sense his confused gaze through the phone.
"Em, you know Ben gets to the loft at around 5:30 and Hunter should be getting to the comic store any minute now and he comes home with me at 7. Why do you ask?" I asked and I looked back at Brian.
"I think it's time for us to try and have a family meal." I said getting Brian's attention. He snapped his head to me and looked at me with a mixture of shock and anger. I brushed off his look and waited for Mikey to get over his own shock.
"Em, as much as that sounds fun, I don't think the family could get through the meal without..." he cut off not being about to say it. During the month the family has slowly fallen into a depression. Brian's being the worst of all of us. We've tried a family meal once, and it ended with us all in tears and Brian running out the door.
"I know Mikey, but I think it's something Justin," Brian flinched at his name and I looked sadly at him, "Would want us to still do. If only to prove to Stockwell he's not broken us and we're still fighting." I finished and Michael was quite for a minute. I heard him sigh and he finally spoke, "I'll call Ma and see if she'd be willing to bring food over to the loft for the family and I'll call the others. Em, I really do hope you're not expecting this to end well." he said and it was my turn to be quite.
"We can make it work for HIM." I said as to not hurt Brian anymore. I could hear Michael fighting back tears as he spoke, "You're right. I'll call Ma and the others, help Brian get ready for tonight." Michael said and hung up.
I placed my phone on the counter and went back to Brian. "Bri, you heard the plan. Let's get you ready for tonight." I said and placed a gentle hand on Brian's shoulder and tried to lead him to the bedroom. However he refused to move, "I can't Em. I have to figure out these clues before Friday. Maybe we can get HIM back before then." he said in a whisper, he only ever talked in a whisper now.
I sighed and pulled him again, this time getting him to move and we headed for the bedroom. "Bri, Friday is in two days. As much as I would love to be able to say we'll find HIM by then, I don't think we will. But maybe this clue will be the clue that helps us." I said trying to get some form of a smile or emotion other than lost and anguish. It didn't work though, he just looked at me with those dull eyes before he looked back at the floor.
"Come on, it's only 2 in the afternoon. Why don't you lay down and take a nap, you've not slept in three days." I said and that made him look at me in fear. He had started to get nightmares about a week and a half after we got the first clue. He barely sleeps because of them.
"I know you're worried that you'll have a nightmare, but you need to try and get some sleep. It's not healthy to get no sleep." I told him and he nodded slowly and looked back at the ground. I gently pushed him onto the bed and covered him up with the blanket. When I looked back at him he was already sound asleep. I smiled sadly at him and quietly made my way back to the table and looked at the clues.
I stared at the for about half an hour before it hit me. I literally slapped myself on my head and walked over to my phone and called Carl.
"Hello this is Carl." he said and I got right to the point.
"Carl, it's Em. I've called about the clues." I said and heard him sigh. See, the whole family had copies of the clues so we could all help try and figure them out. Carl got at least three calls a day about them from us.
"Em, I want to find Justin as much as you guys do, but you guys calling me about the clues everyday isn't going to bring him home any faster." he said gently but I just kept on talking, "Actually I called to say that I may have figured out the clues." I said and I knew I grabbed his attention.
"What do you mean?" he asked. "Well, and it made me feel like a total idiot afterwards and I hit myself in the head for it, but has anyone tried to place the clues together? you know, like see if his giving us pieces of one big clue?" I asked and the line was silent for a minute before I heard Carl hit himself in the head too.
Justin's POV:
I woke up feeling warm and safe for the first time in what felt like forever. I looked up and smiled brightly when I saw Brian staring at me and smiling.
"Morning Sunshine, sleep well?" he asked and I nodded still smiling at him. I laid my head back down and cuddled closer and sighed contently when I felt Brian's arms tighten protectively around me.
'I hope I'm not dreaming again.' I thought to myself even though a part of me that knew I was, there was a part of me that didn't want to accept I was.
"I love you Bri." I whispered and looked back up at him. He smiled brightly and pulled me in for a passionate kiss.
"I love you too Sunshine."
I woke up with a start and looked around hoping that I hadn't been dreaming, that I really was safe and in Brian's arms. I sob broke from my throat when I realized I had been dreaming. My sobs turned to groans when the pain caught back up with me.
I had been here a month, at least that what Stockwell told me. There's barely any of my skin that doesn't have a bruise and/or scar on it. I looked at my left side at the 'S' Stockwell had carved and burned into my body that first week I was here. That first Friday was probably the worst I've had while here. And the sad part is is that I don't even know WHY that was the worst one as of yet. That night after he had finished and left I had thought he was done and had rolled onto my right side. That was a big mistake on my part because the neck thing I knew I felt burning pain on my side. I had screamed for what felt like forever when he family took the hot 'S' branding rod (that's the name of those things right? I'm having a blonde moment lol:p). That way even if his carved 'S' healed and didn't scar, I'd always have his mark no matter what.
I shivered at both the cold and the memory of that night. I knew some of my cuts were infected and that I had lost a lot of weight. Stockwell only fed and gave me enough water to survive but no more than that. What's worse is that since he took my shirt and didn't leave me a blanket or anything, I think I'm getting sick.
'I honestly doubt I'll survive another month.' I thought sadly and looked up at the window. It was the only means of light so it got pretty dark and cold at night. 'Where are you Brian? I'm starting to lose hope.' I thought and brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them as best as I could and drifted off into what would be a sleep filled with nightmares this time.
Brian's POV:
AROUND 5 IN THE AFTERNOON
I woke up surprised that I didn't have a nightmare and felt more refreshed than I had in a month. 'Guess being forced to sleep helps keep nightmares away so let you get rest. I must thank Em when I see him.' I thought to myself and got up and slowly made my way to the bathroom to go and get a shower.
Thirty minutes later I came out feeling even more refreshed and enjoying the feeling of being well rested. I walked out into the rest of the loft and saw Emmett sleeping on his cot. Feeling guilty for making him, Mikey, Ben and Hunter all take care of me I decided to let him sleep until the family was close to arriving and went back to the clues.
Only to see that Em had rearranged them. Curious, I looked and noticed that it looked like he was trying to fit them together. I hit myself on the head for not thinking about that sooner. 'Of course he's make it something that obvious. He probably knew we'd be working hard to try and get Justin home to even think of the most obvious thing about the clues.' I thought to myself and flinching a little at thinking HIS name. Just thinking it makes my heart shatter even more, if that's even possible.
I sat in the chair Em had pulled up and picked up where he left off.
About an hour later I heard Em start to wake up though I didn't look at him, I just kept trying to get the clues to fit together somehow. 'But maybe this clue will be the clue that helps us.' I heard Em's voice in my head and that's when it clicked. I looked at Em and gave him a small smile, the first one in a month. "These clues probably won't fit until we get the next one." I said and laughed a little at Em's shocked look.
"OK, I must be dreaming. The Brian Kinney I helped into his bed was emotionless and hasn't smiled in a month much less laugh!" Em said and I laughed a little harder and smiled at him. "Well, that Brian Kinney has finally found the hope he needs to see his Sunshine again." I said and he smiled at me and looked at the clock and jumped out of bed.
"Why didn't you wake me sooner! The family will be home in an hour and I look like this! I hope I have enough time to get somewhat decent at least!" he yelled and rushed to the bathroom. I couldn't stop the laugh that came and I laughed for about five minutes before I was able to breath again. 'Kinda feels good to be able to laugh and smile again.' I thought and got up when Ben came in.
"Sorry I'm so late, traffic sucked." he said and I smiled at him making him stop dead in his tracks. I laughed and his mouth hit the floor making me laugh harder. He came over and put a hand to my forehead, "Nope not running a fever. So then who are you and what have you done the Brian Kinney I left this morning who looked like he wouldn't be able to find the kitchen in his own home?" he asked and I smirked at him.
"He found hope." I said and Ben smiled as I filled him in. We talked for awhile and right when Em finally came out the rest of the family was filling in. Just like Em and Ben, they were shocked to see me smiling and laughing. Deb even tried to get me to lay down for a few minutes. I just smiled and answered them the same way I did with Em and Ben making them all smile.
We all sat at the table and for the first time in a month we all smiled and laughed as if everything was normal. 'See Sunshine, the bastard hasn't beaten us. We're still smiling and we will find you. Just make sure you don't give up on me.' I thought to myself and smiled when Hunter kept trying to push Mikey's hand away as he tried to wipe his face off for me making us all laugh.
FRIDAY 10:30 AT NIGHT
Brian's POV:
I had just come back into the diner after getting the note and walked back over to our normal booths with the family crowding around me to see what it said. I opened it and prayed that this would be a piece we needed for the clues we have now.
I see you've finally figured out that the clues are actually one big clue put into pieces. Very good, I'm impressed, I thought it would take longer than this. Oh well, it was fun watching all of you make your brains hurt trying to make since of them by themselves.
Since we're now at the end of the first month and going into your last month to find him, I decided to be nice and give you a BIG clue.
Splish, splash, the people have fun as they play where the sun shines the brightest.
There you go. Now let's see how far you get with this.
Love,
Stockwell
P.S. Justin's not doing so good, you might want to hurry it up a bit.
We all stared at the note in both shock and anger. I felt myself start to shake and I nearly screamed, only Deb put her hand over my mouth and shook her head. I sighed and took deep, calming breaths and she finally let go of my face. I looked up at the family with determination.
This clue helps us with the ones we have now. I'll a copy of it for each of us and we can all work on it and see where we get." I said and they all nodded.
I looked back at the note and held it close. 'Hold on Sunshine. I know you're probably in a lot of pain and are probably wanting to give up. But hold on just a little longer. He gave us a big clue and it's one big step closer to finding you. Please, just hold on baby.' I thought to myself as I left the diner to make the copies for everyone.
And there's the fourth chapter! Hope you guys like it!:) I probably will update again tomorrow but I don't know. It honestly depends on if I want to lol:p