This chapter was hard to write. It's rough won't lie. The stories drawing to a close, so review it! The reviews encourage me to keep writing!

Chapt 26

Time seemed to fly by and before Claire knew it they were ringing in the New Year. She was once again with all of her closest friends and she couldn't have been happier. She'd be lying if she said that it sucked a little that at midnight she had no one to kiss but at least she wasn't alone. Sadie was alone as well, and then there was Stephen. There was no way in hell she'd be kissing him at any point in time! Matt ended up planting a kiss on her at a minute past midnight when he reappeared from where ever he'd been, although she could bet that's where she'd find PJ too. At least he had gotten his New Year kiss. Yet he still thought of her. She really didn't deserve a friend like him but she was glad that she'd been blessed with him.

The night wore on and she ended up falling asleep at Matt's apartment, where they'd had the party. When she woke up the next morning she discovered that Sadie had ended up sleeping there too. At least she wasn't the only one who'd crashed out in the living room. She got up off the couch and headed to the kitchen to start the coffee pot and search for breakfast. PJ walked in the kitchen behind her with a smile on his face.

"Morning Claire," he said sleepily.

"Oh my lord, I don't want to know. Good morning."

He laughed and poured two glass of orange juice. "I'm sure your imagination is better than the reality although it was a wonderful night."

He laughed at the look on her face as he took the glasses and headed back to the bedroom. Claire shook her head and smiled. An hour later they were all having breakfast and coffee and nursing hang overs.

At five o'clock that afternoon Claire headed home. The sun was setting and it was a beautiful night. She was planning in her head all that she was going to be doing that week on her awareness center when she climbed out of the car and headed into her house. She thought that something was off as she headed to her office but didn't lend it much thought since her mind was full of her project. In the hallway just outside of the kitchen she stopped and felt chills run down her arms and back. Her blood ran cold and she hesitated only a moment before turning to run for her front door. She didn't know what had her so terrified but there was something there.

Just as she reached the front door a large hand covered the door knob and turned the lock. The clicking of the lock was like a bomb in the silence. Her eye widened and every nightmare that she'd thought she had long since out run came to life.

"Did you really think I'd give up so easy? Surely you know me better than that Claire. After all we were married for years."

Claire fought off the scream bubbling in her throat and felt her purse drop to the floor. Terror seized her heart and she felt a horrible sense of finality come over her. It was a feeling she had never before experienced. It terrified her even more. "Logan," she whispered, "please, don't do this. Not again, please."

His hands, larger and rougher than she remembered, wrapped around her wrists and squeezed tightly. "Oh Claire, please don't beg. It's not attractive on you. Wait, does you're new little boyfriend like it when you beg? Is that it? Well I don't!"

"I'm sorry Logan. Just please don't do this."

The back of his hand connected with her cheek and she gasped in a stunned shock. "What part of do not beg me did you not understand? All this school and working and such you would think would be making you smarter but it looks like you're as dumb as ever! Wasting my hard earned money that way, it's a shame."

"What do you want Logan? Just tell me."

"I want my wife to come home and remember what it is to be a damn wife!"

"I'm not your wife anymore. The divorce was final months ago. You know that."

He jerked her over to the couch and threw down angrily. "Shut the hell up right now you stupid bitch! That damn divorce meant nothing. Do you not remember our wedding vows? Til DEATH do us part Claire, that's what you said! In case you haven't noticed you're still alive."

Her eyes widened in fear, her sense of finality growing more with each passing second. "You're insane Logan. You need help."

His hand came down hard on her mouth. "Oh no dear, you've got it all wrong. You are the one who needs the help." He grabbed her hair and jerked her to her feet. She bit her lip against the pain, determined to not give him the satisfaction of hearing her cry out in pain. His free hand found her throat and she gasped for air, scared that he was about to choke the life out of her. "Don't worry bitch, it won't be over so easily."

Tears silently poured down her face and she wished that Matt or someone would show up and save her, but she knew it wasn't going to happen. This would be it for her. His hand found the pendant she wore every day and he took it in his fingers. "How sweet is this? He loves you huh? Then where the hell is he? Shouldn't he be here to save you if he cares so much?" In one swift motion he ripped the necklace from her neck and threw it across the room.

"NO!" She yelled as she broke down into hard, gut wrenching sobs. She began to struggle to break free from his grasp and she looked up and saw him smirking down at her.

"Go on, struggle, and put up a fight. You won't win. You won't ever win again." He drug her into the kitchen by her hair and slammed her down into a chair at the table. "Do not move you fucking ungrateful whore."

She sat there, frozen by her fear. What was he going to do to her? She was afraid to find out but knew that she was about too. Her eyes wondered to her knife block and she thought that if she could just get there she'd have some hope of surviving. She lunged without thinking and grabbed for what she hoped would be a large butcher knife. When she pulled a small steak knife the tears came even harder. Damn it, she really couldn't win. She would use what she had though and go down with a fight.

At the sound of her banging in to the counter Logan spun from the stove and the boiling water that she had just noticed. Fury filled his eyes. "Now Claire, here I am about to fix you a nice cup of hot tea and you go and do this. I guess we can forget the tea huh? Now give me the knife."

She lunged at him and tried to sink the blade into the general area of his chest. His hand snapped out, grabbing her wrist, causing the knife to fall from her hands. It clattered to the kitchen floor noisily. She watched as he bent to pick it up. "Really now, what was this puny little thing going to do?" Roughly he turned her to the wooden block holding the knives and he pulled out a larger blade and held it up to her face. "See now this is the kind of knife you should have gotten if you wanted to hurt someone. This would bring the pain. Of course you never wanted to hurt me did you darling? No I didn't think so." He looked at her with a crazed look in his eyes and smiled the smile of the devil himself. "What's the matter? Cat steal your tongue from you?"

A whimper escaped her lips and she replayed her life over in her mind. She had yet to accomplish so many things. Things she would never be able to see happen. She felt her mind slip away, taking her to a place where she wouldn't feel the pain she was bound to endure and she knew it wasn't a good thing. It meant that she was giving up; giving into him and the hate he was so filled with. When his fist connected with her ribs she barely felt it, even though the force of the blow had her doubled over and coughing. Two more sharp blows to her rib cage and she was spitting up blood. Yes, she thought. This was it.

The tip of the knife made contact with her skin over and over and she felt the blood running down her face, her arms, chest, even her legs. The beating continued and the blade of the knife kept finding its way into her skin, some places deeper than others as he played with her, toyed with her life. As it went on she lost more blood and began to feel light headed and weak. Please God, let this be over soon. I'm ready, she thought.

Roughly she was dragged up the stairs to her room. Throwing her onto the bed she groaned rolling onto her side. She heard his words but they didn't register as he jerked her onto her back, ripping her clothes off of her. She knew what was going to happen, even though she didn't see him strip down. He was going to rape her, once again, this time at knife point. As he brutally tortured her he continued to poke her skin with the blade until she thought she couldn't take one more poke. In the end she didn't know if it was pain or the loss of blood that sent her into a dark oblivion, free of feelings and life.

"Stephen look I know you're probably busy but I'm not quite back into town yet and I'm worried about Claire. I've tried calling her but she isn't answering and that isn't like her. Can you please go over and check on her?"

"She hates me, why on earth would she let me in to check on her?"

"Just do it okay, something doesn't feel right."

"Alright, I'm on the way there now."

Ending the call Stephen tossed the cell phone into the passenger seat of his car and made a u-turn to head to Claire's house. He pulled up and noticed that her car was there and he went to the door and rang the bell. No answer so he rang again waiting. After five minutes he called Matt.

"Look I'm here. I rang the bell and waited twice, she isn't answering. She's home so she's probably asleep."

Fear gripped Matt's heart. "No, something's not right. I know it. Go around back and see if you can get in. I just got into the city limits. Call me when you see her."

Shaking his head Stephen walked around to the back of the house and knocked on the sliding glass doors of Claire's patio. When there was no answer he turned to go. Something on the kitchen floor caught his, making him turn back. It looked like blood but surely he was wrong. Then again, if he wasn't she might need help. What if she cut herself cooking or something?

Trying the back door he was surprised when it slid open easily. He was even more shocked at the site that greeted him when he stepped inside. The metallic scent of blood filled his nostrils and he almost gagged on it. The sight of the blood stained carpet and the puddles on the kitchen floor sent his heart into his throat. This wasn't good. The trail of bright red blood led out of the kitchen and up the stairs but he was almost afraid to follow the trail. This was the woman who had stolen his heart months before and she had obviously been attacked. This was no cooking accident.

Claire was in and out it seemed and she swore she heard her dad calling her name. it was time for her to go. She always knew when her time came it would be him who called her home. Her head was heavy and she let it fall to the side as she closed her eyes savoring the darkness she found.

"Matt, man you have to come fast. Break some damn speed limits!"

"What is going on Stephen? Is she okay?"

The big Irishman choked on tears as he said, "No, no she's not. I think she might be dead."