A/N: Please note that other triggering content (self-harm and suicide will be discussed) throughout the story. Please be forewarned and take precautions if these are troubling for you.
I just wanted to thank everyone for the reviews. My muse and I both appreciate it. This is still, as of now, planned to be a fairly long, multi-part story, but if you all aren't into it…I'll wrap it up before too long.
And remember…reviews and feedback keep me and my muse motivated…especially if they're positive!
***This chapter starts the second "part" of the story***More drama and more secrets revealed***
I hope you enjoy this latest chapter…Now on with the show!
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'" ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
"True love is selfless. It is prepared to sacrifice." ~ Sadhu Vaswani
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Chapter 23
I hate the way I ran off like that…leaving JJ with so many questions…and undoubtedly worried…but I really had no other choice. I couldn't risk her coming with me…putting her in danger. I know I'm probably walking right into a trap…but, I'd never forgive myself if something happened to JJ because of me.
It's already my fault that Summer is caught up in this mess…that she's in danger now. There was absolutely no way that I was going to take the chance of putting JJ in danger too!
I have no idea how Lucas found out about Summer…or how he got to her. I thought we were all being extra cautious…especially once we all found out he had been released on parole. I guess it doesn't really matter now though. Somehow he found her and all I know is that I have to save her…I won't let him hurt her.
I've risked too much already trying to protect her…protect her and everyone else from him and Ian. Ian's dead now…and I didn't think Lucas was a threat anymore. I should've known better. He was always the biggest threat I faced…much greater than Ian ever was…and now he has Summer.
The last time Lucas found me…in the same damn park I'm heading to right now…that night after the case with Matthew wrapped up…when I decided to go for my ill-fated walk in the snow….he caught me by surprise. This time I know where I'm going and what I'm walking into…even if I realize it's a trap.
The ironic thing is that there are positives and negatives about knowingly walking into a trap with your greatest enemy…a monster that can so easily blend into the rest of society…appearing charming, handsome, sophisticated, and downright normal to everyone they meet. I know him…better than probably anyone else…maybe even better than he knows himself. That'll help me in this kind of situation.
The flip side of that is that he knows me better than most people. I let him get too close…shared too much with him. That was before I learned to close myself off from everyone that I think might get too close…keep silent…compartmentalize all of my emotions. He'll know what buttons to push and he'll be able to read me better than most people can…even with all of my walls and compartments.
As I pull into the parking lot, I know exactly where I'm going. The same path I walked that night he found me walking alone and attacked me. As I turn the engine off and glance out the windshield, I'm struck by the normalcy of it all. The dichotomy of my surroundings and my emotions seem so odd.
On the inside, I'm struggling to control my swirling emotions…sadness…anger…hate…rage…and terror. Everything is all jumbled together…but my focus is still clear…finding and saving Summer. Then I glance around at my surroundings and everything seems so calm…peaceful. As if nothing was wrong in the world.
I see families with children playing and having picnics…couples walking around holding hands…kids on skateboards and bikes…others flying kites…going about their normal day enjoying what everyone else would see as a beautiful park and a wonderful day.
It's just another instance where looks can be deceiving. The park appears quiet…even tranquil…but deep within its midst lies a monster…lying in wait for its prey…for me.
I used to love to come to this park and take in the surroundings. I used to find this park so peaceful…serene. That's why I ended up walking through it that night after Matthew's case wrapped up…even if I ended up here subconsciously. I was looking for some of the peace I had so often found here previously…but Lucas stole that from me that night…one of the few places I could find peace. He had taken so much from me already…I suppose I shouldn't be surprised he'd take the place I went to when I needed solace as well.
I slowly exit my SUV and start walking down the path that I know will lead me to Lucas and Summer. I just hope for once in his miserable life he kept his word…that he hasn't hurt her. I know it's me he's really angry with…so my hope is that he's just using her as bait to get to me.
As long as she's okay and I can get her away from him…whatever happens after that…well…I'm okay with it. There aren't many people that I'd risk everything for…that I'd knowingly walk into a trap to help…but for the people I love…I'd walk through Hell and back without thinking twice. Summer is one of those people…JJ is another.
I see the building come into view and recognize it immediately. Lucas and I had been here before…years earlier…back before everything went to Hell. It looks different now…more run down. I suppose when something is left out in the wild…with no one looking after it…nature tends to take over.
I hear Lucas call out to me from the building…though I don't see him. "Hello Mia…good of you to show up on time."
"I told you I'd be here…now where's Summer." I respond…still searching for him…narrowing down his location from where his voice originated.
I see a shadow move from within the building…but it's not clear enough for me to take a shot with my weapon…which is still tucked in the waist of my jeans. "Come inside and see for yourself…oh…but leave your gun outside."
"What gun?" I show both of my hands…indicating I'm not carrying a weapon.
I see the shadow move within the building and a door open inside. I move a little closer to the building to get a better look inside. I stifle the gasp that threatens to escape my lips as I see Lucas standing behind Summer with a gun to her head.
He shouts back at me from behind Summer "Don't play games with me Mia…we both know you have a gun with you…now toss it outside before you come in. Wouldn't want you to try anything stupid before we've had a chance to talk."
"Fine…" I mutter and pull the gun from my waistband…showing it to him before tossing it near the entrance to the building. "Satisfied?"
"Now that wasn't so difficult, was it? I just want to talk to you both…and guns really are such a distraction." He says with an evil smirk…all while waving around his own gun.
I slowly make my way inside the building and into the room that both Lucas and Summer are in…watching for traps, any other people that might be helping Lucas, as well as a way for us to escape once inside. I glance over at Summer and other than being scared…thankfully…she seems to be okay physically.
"Lucas…I told you I'd be here…and since I'm the one you want…you can let Summer go now."
"I'll let her go soon…but first we need to talk. Have a seat Mia." Lucas states, waving towards a chair sitting opposite of Summer.
"We can talk about whatever you want…but let her go. She doesn't need to be here." I ask again.
I need to get her out of here…make sure she's safe before this goes too far.
I see him walk behind Summer again…waving the gun around. "Mia…don't make me ask again. Please…have a seat dear. Besides…Summer is part of this…she's one of the reasons we need to talk." He calmly replies.
I finally relent and sit down in the stiff wooden chair…only to have him say "there are some zip ties next to the chair…use one on each of your ankles and one on your right wrist…I'll get your other wrist in a sec…wouldn't want you to run off before we finish our little chat." He smiles at me…still waving the gun behind Summer's head.
I see Summer shaking her head…as if to tell me she doesn't want me to listen to Lucas. Thankfully she can't see Lucas waving the gun around directly behind her. I know she's scared…but I can't risk Lucas hurting her…so I reluctantly follow his directions…though I don't tighten the zip ties as tightly as I could. I leave a gap in them so I have some room to work with later…hopefully enough so that I can break free of them when I get the chance.
Lucas walks back towards me and uses another zip tie on my left wrist…I twist my wrist slightly so that he doesn't notice, but so that it's not able to be tightened completely either. With the zip ties in place, he finally puts the gun in the waistband of his jeans…eliminating the immediate threat to both me and Summer.
"Good…now that we have that out of the way…and I have your undivided attention…I can finally get to why I've brought you both here today." Lucas begins.
Good grief…it sounds like he's either getting ready to lead a business meeting or a sermon. Either way, I think he's lost his freaking mind!
"I want to have a conversation with both of you…but before we can do that, I have a few things I want to say…and I don't want you to interrupt me." He calmly states with a pointed look in my direction.
He looks at Summer and she just nods slightly in his direction after looking at me. I just simply reply "Fine." He smiles and nods before continuing.
"Good. First…I want to apologize for how I had to bring you both here…but really…there was no other way. Given some unfortunate circumstances beyond my control…I had to get…well…creative." He again looks at me.
Beyond your control my ass! You're on parole for what you did to me you bastard! Ok…keep it together Prentiss…don't let him know he's getting to you!
"Second…I'm sure by now Summer has figured out who I am…and given that I've had no contact or interactions with her up to this point…I want to make it perfectly clear that what has occurred today is completely outside of the norm. I was driven to extremes due to the circumstances I found myself in. I would've preferred to meet you under better conditions." He glances over to Summer with a look of sadness and pity in his eyes.
If I didn't know him better…I'd almost believe he was truly sorry for what he was doing right now. But I know he's nothing but a fucking liar. It's outside the norm for most people…but completely normal for him. What the Hell kind of a game is he trying to play here?
"As for you Mia…"he looks to me…"I want you to know that I've changed. Given the situation we now find ourselves in…you probably find that hard to believe…but it's true nonetheless. I've done some things in the past that I'm not proud of…but I've gotten help for those and I've turned my life around. I want a chance to make things up to you…to both of you." He finishes by waving his hand between Summer and me.
Sure you've changed. How many times have I heard that line of bullshit from you before? The only changes you ever made were when you got worse…not better. Do you really think I'm stupid enough to believe your all better now? Or somehow reformed? Give me a fucking break.
"I knew if I just came up and asked you directly…you'd shut me out. And given our current circumstances…I wasn't able to contact you anyway. I had to find a way to get your attention…plus I wanted to get to know Summer…and I'd already lost so much time with her already. I couldn't wait until all of this messy court stuff got resolved…or until I had enough time to prove to you both that I'd really changed. God knows what kind of stuff you've been telling her all these years." He finishes.
"The truth Lucas…that's what I've told her…the truth…" I reply. "She knows exactly what happened all those years ago…and she knows that you were the one that hurt me a few years ago too."
"I didn't mean for that to happen…I swear. It's just…well…I had just found out about Summer…and I went to talk to you about her. And then I saw you walking through the park and something inside of me snapped. My anger got the better of me. I really am sorry about that." Lucas replies…sadness tinting his voice slightly.
Your anger got the better of you? That's how you want to try and explain what you did to me in the park a few years ago? Or maybe that's what you're trying to use as your excuse for what happened all those years ago between us…but that won't work. Anger might explain all those times you yelled at me or all of those horrible arguments we used to have…maybe even those times we ended up throwing things at each other…but not all of the other things you did…anger getting the better of you doesn't even come close to explaining all of that. The only thing that explains that is you are a sadistic monster…you're just pure evil.