Disclaimer- I don't pretend to own anything related to Red Eye or Beauty and the Beast, etc. Duh. If I did, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be sitting here writing fanfiction to live out some lost fantasy :P

Sorry this is taking a while… I've started working again and I'm just losing energy. :P But I'm trying!

If you guys are bored or want more Red Eye FF- You can check out my "Promises Kept" Series. So far it's three parts (the third part is in the works…) starting with "Promises Kept", then "Lies Told", and then the work-in-progress "Differences Aside". :P Just sayin'… it's pretty awesome.

Oh and thanks a ton to my latest reviewer, Tamara Evans. Even though I already replied to you, I just wanted to make my gratitude public. Reviews like yours make me immensely happy and proud of what I do. It is refreshing to read a review like yours and I really appreciate it.

-Jesscah

Chapter Five

"I'm On My Way" – Brother Bear

"Not the snow nor the rain can change my mind. The sun will come out, wait and see. And the feeling of the wind in your face can lift your heart."

Meanwhile, back in Miami, FL…

"Don't you hurt her," Joe Reisert mumbled into his pillow. "I'll kill you."

He opened his eyes slowly. They ached from a drug-induced sleep. He was laying face-down on his couch. His head pounded, no doubt a side effect from whatever those goons had drugged him with. The goons who had Lisa. The man they worked for… Jackson Rippner. He now had her and Joe prayed she was still alive.

He rolled over and steadied himself on the couch for a moment while his head swam. Then he picked up the phone and dialed the number for Detective Quinn. He picked up after just two rings and Joe sighed into the phone. If anybody would help him get Lisa back, it would be Detective Quinn.

"Detective Quinn here," his deep voice stated into the phone.

"Detective Quinn, it's Joe Reisert."

There was a short pause and then Detective Quinn spoke into the phone.

"Mr. Reisert. It's a pleasure to hear from you. What can I do for you today?"

"It's Lisa."

"Lisa? How come you're calling me and not her…?"

"She's missing. I was kidnapped and now he's got Lisa. I'm scared he might try to kill her."

"Whoa, Joe, Joe… Calm down… Who has Lisa?"

"That psycho who terrorized her on the flight. Jackson Rippner."

Joe could hear Detective Quinn feebly suppress a laugh.

"Well," Detective Quinn began, his voice rough from trying not to laugh, "I find that hard to believe. Rippner is dead, Mr. Reisert."

"He's not. He kidnapped me and made Lisa trade herself for my freedom. I saw him. He had me held in his basement in Maryland."

"Joe… can I call you Joe? Look. I was at the hospital when he was pronounced dead. It's all official."

"Believe me, Quinn, I know it all sounds insane, but it's true. He's alive and he's going to kill her unless we stop him!"

"Joe. I think you just need to calm down and take a few breaths. You're imagining things."

"How can you say that? She's gone."

"Joe. She's probably just gone home or out with some friends while you were asleep. I'm going to have to let you go for now because I have a very important meeting to go to."

Joe was about to speak when Detective Quinn hung up. Joe stared down at the phone in disbelief before he slammed it violently down onto the charger. He screamed as he lifted himself from the couch. He called for Lisa, willing everything to have been just some sort of silly dream.

"Lisa!"

No response. He checked Lisa's usual spots for notes she would have left for him if she went out, but there were none. He wasn't crazy. He knew where he had been. He knew it was Jackson Rippner that now had his daughter held captive. He knew that if he didn't do something, Lisa would die.

"I thought Rippner was dead, Paul."

"He is, Gary. I injected him with the solution myself while he was in surgery."

"Then why did Joe Reisert call me claiming that he had been kidnapped by Rippner and now he has Lisa in his control?"

Paul Anderson leaned forward across the Maplewood desk and brushed back a shock of white hair.

"Have you ever stopped to consider Reisert's age? And considering Miss Reisert's incident two years ago, he's probably worried that her latest beau has run off with her."

"I want to be her beau, Paul."

The slender form of a man slid back into his seat, grinning maliciously.

"Well, wherever Miss Reisert is, I hear she has a very close relationship with her father. Am I right?"

"Very."

"Then that's all it should take. Threaten her father's life. Threaten his sanity."

Gary Quinn watched as Paul Anderson pulled out a small vial of liquid from a desk drawer and rolled it toward him.

"And this is?"

"Just a little something a friend has been working on. One dose of this and Joe Reisert will lose his mind. Too much time passes and… well… he'll be lost forever."

"I'm not sure that-"

"Do you want Lisa or not?"

"I do."

"Then this is the way. She'll come running back. You act the part of the savior just in time to bring daddy back to reality and she'll forever be in your debt. Then it'll be just a simple matter of not letting her leave your sight again."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, you're welcome, Quinn. You're lucky I owe you a favor."

Quinn nodded and stood up slowly from his chair, still staring into the clear liquid inside the glass vial.

"You'd take care of it?"

"We'll start making plans tomorrow. How does that sound?"

"Perfect."

"Good," Anderson cooed in a sing-song voice. "Then I will see you in my office tomorrow at twelve for lunch."

"Which office?"

"Which office? My office you twit. Back in the building where we first met. Don't bring yourself back here unless you want to cause suspicion."

Quinn nodded and left quickly. He didn't want to be somehow seen by prying eyes going into and leaving some major corporation's headquarters. He stuck out like a sore-thumb among those people. He was just a simple man and there was no hiding it.

Lisa woke early and took a quick look out of the doors on the balcony. The pool below looked entirely too enticing for her liking. She frowned and wandered over to the small panel next to her door, pressing the proper button and calling down to Melissa. Her voice, tired and strained, answered from downstairs.

"Why are you up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep and it's a beautiful day outside, in case you haven't noticed…"

"Let me guess. You want to walk around outside?"

"Not exactly, no."

"Then what? I'm trying to fix myself something to eat, Lisa. Spit it out."

"There's a pool beneath my window. Could I go for a swim?"

Melissa paused and looked over her shoulder at Jackson, who was already stuffing himself full of apple cinnamon oatmeal. He shrugged and looked at his watch.

"Care for some company?" Melissa asked, trying to sound perky.

Lisa misunderstood. She had assumed by "company" that Melissa had meant herself. Instead, she had meant Jackson. Likewise, Jackson paused while eating his oatmeal and looked up at Melissa in suspicion.

"Sure," Lisa said. "What about a bathing suit?"

"I'll bring one up to you."

"Thank you, Melissa."

Melissa stepped back from the speaker and poured milk into her cereal. Jackson rose and rinsed out his bowl in the sink before placing it into the dishwasher.

"You'd better hurry up. I know it takes you forever to 'get pretty'," Melissa commented with a smirk.

"Oh, I'm not going swimming with you guys."

"Well who do you think I meant?"

"The same person she thought you meant. You. Not me."

"Jackson… You're coming if I have to drag you out of here myself."

"Melissa. Even with my wounds, I am perfectly capable of defending myself against the likes of you."

The glare that she gave him made him groan. Sure, he could hold his own against Melissa if necessary, but he was in no mood to do so, nor did he have the energy.

"Oh fine. But I'm not swimming with her."

"You'll be in the same pool. That's a start."

He grimaced and the headed off towards the stairs. Melissa smiled in triumph as she shoveled another large spoonful of cereal into her mouth. She'd have the two of them inseparable in no time… she hoped.

"I used to swim in high school to keep in shape for field hockey," Lisa called from the cracked bathroom door where she was putting on the bathing suit Melissa had provided for her.

"I used to swim for my college."

"You went to college?"

Melissa snorted.

"What? You think because of what I do for a living means I didn't go to college?"

"I didn't say that."

"You were thinking it."

"Fine. I was. So?"

"I just so happen to have double majored in psychology and business management."

Lisa poked her head around the door, using the rest of the wood to shield her body.

"I stand corrected," she said casually. "But I also stand nearly naked and I… I can't."

"Nobody will see you but me," Melissa lied bluntly.

"I don't care. I don't wear things like this."

"Show me."

"No."

"What are you afraid of?"

Lisa felt her skin crawl. All of a sudden her scar felt dirty. It felt heavy on her chest. What was she afraid of? She was afraid of the past coming back to haunt her. Showing the scar to someone meant letting them in. Questions. Pity. They never seemed to look at her the same again, except for Jackson. He managed to turn right back to stone-cold right after he had seen it in the bathroom on the plane.

"Nothing."

"You're a terrible liar. Just come out." Lisa shook her head. "Either you come out and let me judge or I'm coming in. There's nothing to be ashamed of, here."

Lisa groaned and tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes. She took a daring step out into the room and spread her arms. Here I am, she thought. Go ahead. Ask me. Everyone asks me.

"What's so wrong with the outfit?"

"It's not the outfit," Lisa croaked out from behind her tears, "It's my skin."

Melissa nodded and stood. The deep blue bikini was plain. No design except for a pale blue rose on the left side of the bikini bottom in the front. Melissa knew that putting Lisa in a string-bikini was not classy for someone like Lisa. She needed simple and elegant. She also clearly needed some female support.

"I know what it's like," Melissa murmured two feet from Lisa.

"No. You have no idea what he did to me…"

Melissa chuckled once and began unbuttoning her shirt. She pulled it open to reveal a scattering of small, one-inch, scars. They were everywhere from Melissa's chest down to where her pants met her hips. Some disappeared behind the fabric and Lisa knew the scars continued.

"Maybe not. But I know what it's like to hate your memories. Each one of these," Melissa said, tracing her finger across a fresh, red, line, "Weighs down on me. I can never forget. Each one holds a different story. A fallen friend. A lost family member. A time someone did horrible things to me, just because it was part of their job requirement."

Lisa swallowed.

"I'm sorry…"

"It's fine," Melissa said, shrugging.

She buttoned up her shirt quickly and then tossed Lisa the towel she had brought up.

"You look beautiful."

"I look plain."

"No. It suits you."

"I'm plain?"

"No, Lisa. The bikini lets you stand out. That's the kind you need. Those girls that go to the beach barely covered? Not only are they leaving nothing to the imagination, leaving nothing to chase, but they're drawing the attention away from them."

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're going to have that pool surrounded by men."

Melissa laughed. Just one, she thought. Just one who wouldn't care if you were covered head-to-toe in black. He'd still think you're beautiful, whether he admits it or not.

"Head out. We might go shopping a little later for some things…"

Lisa's mind sprung. Freedom. A chance for her to escape.

"And by we, I mean you, Jackson, and I."

Lisa's heart fell. There would be hardly a chance for Lisa to make a break if Jackson was with them. The two of them against her? She'd never stand a chance, even with Jackson injured.

"How about I give you a list and you send him out to get everything for me…" Lisa joked.

"How about you own up to the deal?" Melissa snapped.

"I've owned up to it. The deal was to stay here. The deal never included spending quality time with a monster."

Melissa laughed.

"Girl, if you think Jackson Rippner is the biggest, baddest, monster-man out there, you've got another thing coming. Jackson is like a little kitten compared to the big guys and the bosses. Now go," Melissa instructed, opening the bedroom door and waiting for Lisa to leave. "I'll be right behind you. Don't try anything funny…"

When the free air from outside of the house hit Lisa's skin, she felt the intense urge to run again. Yet, part of her knew that she needed to stay. Jackson knew where her father was. He knew from the flight where her mother was. If Lisa went against their deal she didn't doubt that he would do the same.

Lisa took a moment on her way to a spare chair to take in the luxurious yard. The grass was perfectly green. Small shrubs and a few trees were scattered. From the stone walkway around the pool, Lisa could see the small guesthouse and water from what she assumed was the Chesapeake Bay. Even if she wanted to escape, she'd have to run for quite a while to do so. She tossed her towel casually over the back of a chair, still taking in the yard. Another building was hidden slightly behind the guesthouse. She wondered what it was. An adventure for another day, she thought to herself.

She walked carefully over to the pool and Jackson watched her from one of the bedroom windows. She reminded him of a gazelle at the watering hole. He was the lion that she was looking for. As her eyes swept the windows, he took a careful step back to avoid her gaze. Lisa seemed content in the fact that no one was watching her, so she carefully dipped a toe into the water. She was amazed. The early morning heat must have gotten to the water because it was perfectly warm. She took a few careful steps back from the edge, still looking around, before she sprinted forward and flung herself from the edge.

The water swallowed her and she simply lingered beneath the surface for a few seconds. The silence was welcomed. It stilled her chaotic mind. She kept herself under the water until her lungs began to burn, and even then, she continued to relish the loneliness of the pool. That is, until there was a harsh splash and she opened her eyes, chlorine stinging them slightly. A blurry form swam frantically toward her and Lisa realized at the last possible moment it was Jackson.

Lisa kicked in panic and began swimming away from him underneath the water toward the edge. This was it. He was finally coming to kill her. Drown her, even. She wouldn't let him. If anything, she deserved something quick and decent so her father would know she hadn't suffered. Drowning someone was just cruel.

She pushed herself up from the floor of the pool and sucked in a large breath of air, nearly choking as she gasped. Jackson followed her up, finally reaching her and gripping her hard on the arm as they swam to the shallow end of the pool.

"At least do me the decency of shooting me. I know you're a terrible shot, but you can't miss if you just aim right here," Lisa spat, pointing at her temple.

They were both panting, Jackson more than Lisa. His arm looked like it was about to come open.

"Shoot you? Why the hell would I shoot you?"

"As opposed to drowning me. It'd probably be easier, too," she said, yanking her arm from his hand and stepping back in the water.

"I'm not… you think I was here to drown you?"

Now he was smirking. He took an intimidating step forward, his hands outstretched and opened like he was going to pounce on her again.

"Yes. I do. And I know you're some power-hungry man who enjoys the fight, but do me the decency of making it quick, for crying out loud."

He lunged forward and Lisa dove backward, nearly slipping beneath the surface when Jackson grabbed her arm again and walked her to the side of the pool.

"You still make it so easy, Leese. I'm not here to drown you. I saw you jump in and then when you hadn't come up, I thought maybe you had hit your head."

Again she pulled her arm free from his grip.

"You were watching me?"

"Yes."

He smirked again and Lisa felt herself turn hot. He had seen her in her bikini. Before she knew what was happening, she had reached forward and had a fistful of Jackson's hair, plunging him beneath the water. Even with his depleted strength he managed to push himself back up to her level out of the water. He looked enraged. He mimicked Lisa's move and dunked her beneath the water, though her own hands were still tangled in his hair.

Lisa opened her eyes beneath the water and then closed them again. Relax. It's time for payback, she thought. After a few seconds of struggling, she let her hands slowly slide from his hair. She let her body fall limp. Sure enough, Jackson hauled her up out of the water and flung her up onto the side of the pool with ease.

"Leese!" he shouted.

Lisa had to use all of her strength to keep from laughing. She was glad that she had held the record for breath-holding at her school. Now he was thinking he had drowned her.

"Shit," he swore.

She heard him haul himself from the water and she could feel him crouching next to her on the cement. He slapped her face gently. Wait for it, Lisa told herself.

"Leese. Get up."

Nope. She heard him swear once more before she felt his cold, wet, hair brush against her skin. He was checking to see if she was breathing. She wasn't, of course, because she was still holding her breath. He pressed his fingers beneath her chin and lifted it up. Oh god. Now, her brain screamed. Before she could, Jackson had already pressed his lips to hers. She screamed out in protest against him, suddenly turning to life.

He lurched back in surprise and toppled over into the pool again. Lisa wiped feverishly at her mouth, revolted. She had assumed that she had a second or two before he tried to start CPR… but, no. She picked herself up and folded her arms across her chest. Jackson appeared and flung his dark hair back from his face.

"What the hell was that?" he asked.

"Payback," she spat.

"For what?"

"I was showing you that I'm not the only 'easy' one around here."

She trudged over to her towel and pulled it from her chair and wrapped it around her, glad for the security and the dryness. She sat down on her chair, the sun shining down over the house and into her eyes. Jackson lifted himself out of the pool from the edge and walked over to her, dripping. He was breathing deeply, trying to contain his anger.

Lisa, to annoy Jackson further, simply shielded her eyes from the sun and smiled up at him. She heard him growl before he reached down and hefted her up over his shoulder, towel and all, and began walked her away from her seat.

"What are you doing? Put me down! No!"

She was twisting and turning on his good shoulder, trying to free herself. Maybe this was it. Maybe now she had finally pushed him over the edge. Then she was in free fall. Time slowed. She looked up at him from her fall. He was smiling. A genuine, handsome, smile. There you are, Lisa thought. There's the man from the Tex Mex… Then the water swallowed her once again and she screamed out.

Lisa was tangled in the towel for a moment before she sprung back out of the water and tossed it at his feet. He jumped back an inch as it sloshed into a heap on the edge of the pool and Lisa trudged toward him.

She got to the edge of the pool and reached her hand up, asking for help. Jackson raised an eyebrow and then shook his head.

"There's no way I'm falling for that one, Leese. I'm insulted that you'd even try."

"I'm not asking for help, Jack," she covered. "I'm asking for a towel. You tossed me in with mine still on, remember? You owe me one."

"You're just going to have to get out and grab one yourself."

Lisa frowned.

"Why couldn't you just leave me alone to swim by myself?"

She pushed away from the edge and swam to the other side of the pool.

"Have you ever considered that I'm the only one allowed to kill you?"

Lisa lifted herself from the pool, still feeling burned by his gaze though she was on the other side.

"I wasn't dying, Jackson. I can hold my breath for quite a while. I thought you'd know that?"

She turned to walk back into the house, leaving him there by the side of the pool with the wet towel in a heap beneath his feet.

"Do you ride horses?"

She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. He had picked up the soaking wet towel and was walking towards her, his own dry towel in his left hand.

"Do I what?"

"Ride horses."

He handed her the dry towel and she took it slowly, waiting for some trick.

"Yes. Why?"

"I saw you eyeing the stables."

She quickly wrapped herself in the towel, not trusting him. Even though he hadn't once looked at her body and he kept his icy eyes trained on hers, she didn't trust him not to watch her as she walked away. She knew he liked to watch her. For eight weeks he did. The thought of everything he saw and everything he knew sent a shiver down her spine.

"Go inside and get changed," he said, noticing the shiver and assuming it was from a chill and not from fear.

She did as she was told and quickly left him outside. Once she reached the stairs she sprinted up to her room and shut the door behind her. She walked over to the balcony and looked out over the edge. The landscape was beautiful. She leaned forward and looked over the railing to where she and Jackson had been standing. He was now gone. No-doubt he was down the hall showering and changing as well. It was then that Lisa noticed she was leaning on the railing. She jumped back and squealed softly, waiting for the pain of the shock, but there was none. She leaned forward again and touched the railing with one finger. No shock. She placed both hands around the railing and smiled. He had taken off the electric current that had been running through the railing. Privileges were good. It made Lisa feel less of a prisoner locked in a house with killers. For the first time in days, Lisa felt a twinge of happiness.

A/N: Thanks again for reading! I hope it wasn't too terrible. I apologize if it was, but I'm lacking sleep and about to head off to work again.

I also chose "I'm On My Way" for the song because of Lisa's newfound optimism here at the end. She's gotten a taste of freedom so now she's looking up. "…The feeling of the wind in your face can lift your heart." :D

Also, if anything's confusing, feel free to send me a message on here. I respond pretty quickly, usually. I'm trying my best to incorporate OCs based off of characters from Beauty and the Beast in with the storyline, here. It's kind of messy, but... roll with me. :P