Chapter 4: We Find Ourselves in a Crisis

Jared

My goddess lay bloodied by my own gun on the freezing bank. I checked her pulse and dialed 911, then ran as she told me to do. I had made a terrible mistake in my anger. I had become my father. The thought froze me for a moment. I would have to go home, seek refuge from that wretched man. Or maybe I could just keep walking until I froze to death. Braelyn's kiss burned, the gun in my sinful hand burned worse. I threw it into the river and walked home, knowing I had no other option.

When my father saw me, Adrian frowned. "Who'd you kill?" I looked at him in shock. "I'm not dense son. You use a gun to kill. So tell me, who was it?"

"The details don't matter. They will search for me. I need...your help." Adrian's smile was triumphant.

"Leo! Take him to the safe house." I stiffened when Adrian put an arm around me. "You my boy are going to be like me one day. Just you wait." I got into the car. "As payment, I'll take that little girl. What was her name? Braelyn?" I froze and a plan formed in his skull.

"I think I can help you with that."

Brandon POV

I wondered if Braelyn was dead until they brought her up on a stretcher. She had been shot in the knee, and had three broken bones. I was fine, but scared. There was no sign of Jared. I would have felt hate for myself if there wasn't Jared to blame. On the ride to the hospital I called Sam.

Sam POV

I felt this crushing fear when I saw Brandon was calling. He told me the story in a very scary monotone.

"She needs someone she trusts." He told me before hanging up. I got a ride from her neighbor and brought an overnight bag, telling mommy and feeling her normal sting of sorrow before I left. The hospital smelled like dread. I raced to Braelyn's room but was interrupted by...

"Kathy." I gasped, almost running into her. Kathy's eyes narrowed.

"Coming to her rescue I suppose, huh Sam? Always looking out for good old Braelyn." Her voice dripped sickly sweetness. I felt her danger and brought myself to full height.

"Did you need something?" Was all I could think to say. Kathy's reptilian smile was chilling.

"Nothing at all." She bumped me roughly as she walked past. I shook myself and found Braelyn's room. Braelyn had her knee bound, and her head. She was sleeping.

"Oh Brae." I whispered and sat on the floor beside my friends head. "I'm so sorry."

Kathy POV

"Fucking bitch." I spit as I walked down the hall. I had come here when Brandon had told me about Jared and hoped to hurt Braelyn some more. Instead I found Sam coming to the rescue again. Stupid bitch. I sat down in the waiting room and tried not to remember. Hospitals always made me remember, the thought never left my head. How could I ever forget the first time I had seen a rape kit?

Brandon POV

I waited for Sam, and eventually she found me. She was groggy, pissed off and sad.

"You're going to tell me everything." She said, sitting on the floor.

"About what?"

"Everything you did, and everything you know about Jared."

"Is Braelyn's mom here?" I questioned. Sam sighed.

"She's on her way. Now tell me." So I told her. When I was done, she closed her eyes. "I don't know how you could do that." She whispered.

"I don't know anymore about Jared than you. He's quiet, angry and he hates his father. And me."

"Everyone hates you now." She said and stood.

"Why?" I asked. Anger bloomed in me.

"Go home Brandon." She said and walked away.

Braelyn POV

I woke up to the sound of my own heart and the smell of dread. Pain was muddled by drugs, but it threatened. I gave an involuntary groan and opened my not swollen eye. Sam was looking at me with such concern an involuntary giggle almost escaped. She smiled her signature sad smile and patted my head.

"Hey." She said.

"Hey." I sounded drunk. The memory smacked me. "Jared. He-"

"I know. He got away." I had to repress my sigh of relief, and then my anger hit me. How could this happen? Did I cause this? I tried to hate Jared, but all I could muster was worry. Worry for JAred seemed like a betrayal, but I couldn't help it.

"God I messed up Sam." I groaned, and turned my head to look at her. "I kissed Jared." I said. She didn't really respond.

"Do you...like him?" She asked delicately. She didn't want to offend me and I was grateful for that.

"I...right now? I have no idea." She sighed a bit and leaned back in her chair, giving me a sad smile.

"That's okay I guess. I'm hoping Jared doesn't come back." I nodded.

"That would be best." And it would, for all of us. There was one thing that stung me, made me confused, fear. I feared Jared. And it sucked to fear the person you think you've fallen for. I sat up, looking at my bound leg and tried to think. "Is my mom here?" I asked.

"She's on her way. Brandon and Kathy are here though." Just hearing their names made me tired.

"Can I get up?" I questioned. Sam rose a brow.

"Let me call the nurse."

Brandon POV

I did not go home. I sat in the waiting room and waited for her. Instead Kathy came. I stood, trying to keep my distance.

"Ah, Prince Charming comes to her rescue. Too bad you're not her Charming anymore, right?" Her reptilian smile made me squirm and I tried to think of a way to get her to leave. I wasn't the thinking type.

"I made a mistake by getting with you. I hurt someone I cared- care about." Triumph shown in her face.

"Ah! You said cared. I knew it." She purred and came closer. Son of a bitch, she was relentless. I backed up to the wall and was trapped. "I knew you still loved me." God she was hot... And suddenly I was kissing her, ravenously. Achingly, giving it all away. This was Braelyn's fault. Anger burned in and I let it out on the girl grinding against me. If Braelyn didn't attract Jared, I wouldn't have been attacked. Braelyn did this. My god did this feel good.

"ENOUGH!" The word was shouted with such angry power that Kathy jumped. Before I could figure out what had happened I felt sudden pain in my cheek and a bony knee in my groin. As I lay on the ground in agony, I heard Kathy get punch and watched as crutches clicked away, the sound of sobs on the air.

Kathy POV

I found myself seeking refuge from my own inner ugliness. I found it in Brandon, sitting in a waiting room; the first thing I said was cruel and mocking, and I saw it hurt him.

"I made a mistake by getting with you. I hurt someone I cared- care about." There we go.

"Ah! You said cared. I knew it." Time to strike. If I didn't move now, he would go back to her. I forced him against the wall.

"I knew you still loved me." When he finally kissed me, I could taste his anger, his resentment on his tongue. He was mine again. It was the demand that frightened me. (She could hear a slight moan escape from his throat.)

"ENOUGH!" Sam's voice was loud, and my first instinct was to jump away. I watched Sam, tiny Sam, backhand Brandon across the face and knee him in the groin. And then her hazel eyes glared at me. Anger. So much of it that I instinctively put up my hands in surrender.

"Sam I-" The plea was cut off when Sam's cold fist collided with my nose and I landed on the floor with a crack.

Sam POV

My anger was all consuming as I watched Kathy and Brandon's display. Braelyn was shaky on crutches. But now was dead still, silent tears running down her cheeks. My rage built and I shouted.

"ENOUGH!" The demand was so loud that it shook me. And then I saw red. The next thing I knew, I was standing over Kathy, my fingers hurt and I was breathing heavily. Brandon groaned on the floor.

"Let's go." I said, leading a sobbing Braelyn away, to a secluded couch, where she promptly curled into a ball and screamed into a pillow. I had never been this angry before, the adrenaline alone was enough to make me quiver. I opened my fingers and closed them again, feeling it was just bruised. I sat on the arm of the couch and put my hand on Braelyn's hair.

"I'm so sorry Brae." I whispered. Braelyn just gripped the pillow tighter and screamed again. I closed her eyes against the noise.

Jared POV

If I wasn't careful, Braelyn would die, that much was certain. I had to think of a place where father didn't know... But father must believe me completely loyal. I had to act weak. That seemed to be difficult, but my father must trust me enough to let me do the mission. Father must not harm Braelyn.

"She's in the hospital. We will have to go at 3 a.m." Adrian said from inside the limo. I tried not to wring his hands.

"I can do it." Adrian rose a brow. "I can. I'm fast, and plus if I get caught nothing happens to you. They'll think it was a crime of passion." I chose my tone carefully.

"Is it?" Adrian questioned him. The real test.

"Not the passion they will think." I managed the perfect tone of rage. Arian thought for a moment and then nodded.

"You have six hours. Get to it." I bowed my head and got out of the car. The window rolled down. "I want her gone Jared. Clean up your mess and come back home to daddy." I managed a nod, Adrian held out a gun. "Have fun." I took the gun and walked away.

Sam POV

Sleep didn't usually come easy for me, but I soon found myself sprawled on the back of the couch, eyes drooping. Only when I was sure Braelyn was asleep did I let my eyes close. Well that was a bad idea considering I was perched on the back of the couch. A noise woke me up and I rolled onto nothing. I shrieked and fell into the floor with a thud.

"Well that was talented." With a gasp I jumped up. Jared stood in the doorway, smirking. I noticed three things before I moved. There was a gun in his belt, his hand wasn't near it, and I wasn't angry. I used every ounce of speed I had to charge him, screaming so someone would hear. I wasn't fast enough. He caught me by the arm with incredible strength, put his hand over my mouth and I saw stars. Suddenly, I felt myself fall and slipped into the hateful dark.

Braelyn POV

My heart wasn't broken, I assured myself that, it just hurt to know my life was so unfair. I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I was jolted awake by a noise.

Sam was screaming.

I watched her move, almost a blur, saw her attack someone, and I moved. Jared hit her over the head with the butt of the gun, and turned to me.

"Hello Braelyn." He said. My scream barely registered, before he pounced on me, hand over my mouth, the other securing my wrists, dragging me up. He pinned my hands behind my back. "Now this is just some sleeping medicine. Try not to panic." I thrashed when I saw the needle, screaming into his hand. I felt the prick, then the cold medicine in my veins. "Ssssh, you'll be safe soon, I promise." I fought the sleep for as long as I could, then slipped into the dark.

Brandon POV

It was a long night, with an ice pack to my nuts and refusing to leave until Braelyn was found, I felt drained. Braelyn had not returned to her room, but no one was worried so long as Sam was with her. Kathy was no where to be found, so I ate in the cafeteria and watched people cry. I felt remarkably free now that I blamed Braelyn for my own actions. She deserved her pain, and I didn't feel bad for thinking that. I just wished Kathy would come back. I laid my chin on my arms and sighed. A storm was coming.

Kathy POV

I felt betrayed and angry. Pissed actually. I was in the bathroom trying to get rid of the black eye and bloody nose from Sam's punch. My anger helped me think. I smiled suddenly, remembering something. Braelyn had looked pretty broken, she had cried. I had reached my goal of breaking that foul little bitch. I applied more makeup and thought myself deadly. When I walked out of the bathroom, turning the corner, I stopped. Standing in front of me was Jared, and in his arms was Braelyn.

"Where is Sam?" Worry bloomed in my chest.

"Alive." I sighed, smiled, and walked away. Braelyn could die for all I cared. She cared for Sam though, and despite Sam's betrayal, I wanted her to be okay. I watched Jared walk away and didn't feel a ping of guilt for it.