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waking up the next morning to the sound of Rafe's snores Belle had the idea of getting the diary to Singh. not really because all she wanted was to get out of this place. praying for the lying JJ had taught her would help she climbed off the bed fixing the silk pajamas she had on opening the curtain seeing the guard outside the window.
"hey!" she whispered knocking on the glass getting his attention, "i need to talk to Mr. Singh. go get him." she pointed to the other side of the house.
the guard just looked at Belle in silence, "Mr. Singh. get Mr. Singh." she whispered again tapping on the window.
"Bells?" Rafe groggily asked sitting up from the ground.
"go back to sleep. i got an idea." she waved Rafe away, Rafe quickly stood up making his way towards her pulling her away from the window.
"what's the idea genius? i thought we were working together on this." he whispered.
"i don't tell you everything i think of." she pushed him away jumping back on the bed going around knocking on the door.
"Belle." Rafe sighed rubbing his face as the door opened showing the guard.
"i need to talk to Mr. Singh." Belle tells the guard, the guard pulled her out of the room shutting and locking the door.
following the man out of the room and downstairs, Belle crossed her arms looking around the house noticing all the treasure. what was all this? and why would Singh want the diary? the guard lead Belle to the dining room pointing where to go.
"there."
Singh looked up from his seat seeing Belle, "i lied. i know about the diary. i don't have the original with me but i know where to get a copy."
"i'm relieved to hear you say that, you know." Singh says eating a grape, "may i offer you something to eat?" he asked pointing to his plate of fruit.
"i'm okay." Belle shook her head playing with her fingers.
"relax. nothing's gonna happen to you now. you're cooperating, and i don't want to make you feel uncomfortable, you know." Singh says.
"i just want to get you what you need and then i want to go home." she admits, "i know where it is but i have to go get it myself."
"but how would i know that you'd come back? you know, i need some collateral."
"Rafe's here." Belle shrugged, "keep him."
"Rafe." Singh laughed standing up from his seat, "how did someone so young get into so much trouble?"
"you'd be surprised." she watched him walk around his home.
"look, i know where the diary is, and if you let me go, i promise you i can get it to you." Belle added facing the man.
"you know, i built this fortune myself, you know, from nothing. from absolutely nothing. do you know how that happened, Ms. Lively? hmm? i can assure you it was not by being a fool. don't waste my time. the diary holds the key to the ultimate conquest, and that, my young friend, is my destiny. so you need to tell me where it is, or i'm gonna-" Singh stepped closer and closer making Belle take a step back when a text came through on his phone.
Singh walked to his phone grabbing it and laughed, "amazing. a text from our friend Jimmy Portis. from behind the grave, apparently. it seems Mr. Portis has captured your friends."
Belle froze seeing the photo, she knew things weren't gonna go well now. and she was panicking. a lot.
"Ryan!" Singh yelled.
another guard showed up along with a few others as Belle kept her eyes on them all. the idea she had wasn't going to work now with that text, "Mr. Singh, wait-"
"get Ms. Lively." Singh pointed as a guard grabbed Belle.
"no! no! let me go! Mr. Singh, please! don't hurt my friends i'm begging you!" Belle yelled trying to fight off the guard.
"that depends Ms. Lively. we'll continue our chat later. i look forward to it, you know." Singh faced her.
"hey! no! don't fucking touch them!" Belle screamed out pushing the guard away.
the guard grabbed Belle taking her back to the room opening the door and shutting it, Belle kicked the door multiple times yelling out to the guards and Singh. slowly catching her breath Belle rested her forehead against the door shutting her eyes feeling the tears form.
"what happened?" Rafe asked, Belle just shook her head sniffling, "you're gonna have to talk to me at some point. okay?" he added.
"do i have to remind you of everything you've done? you killed Peterkin. do you remember that?" Belle turned around facing Rafe wiping the tears off her cheeks,
"and everything you've put Sarah through."
"Peterkin, i was protecting my father. okay? i did what i had to do, so.. don't." Rafe says walking to the chair sitting down.
"i'm as much a victim as she is. no? think about it. okay? what did i get from shooting Peterkin, huh? nothing. okay? i had nothing against her. i mean, i.. i.. i liked her. you think i wanted to make that choice, huh? what i did was a gift from me to my father for.. for him, and i got screwed because of it, okay? so don't get that look when i say i'm a victim, all right? i am!" his voice cracked with tears in his eyes.
"i will admit, though, what i.. what i did to Sarah.. what i tried to do, um.. what i tried to do to Sarah, i admit that was wrong. i know that. all right? so you don't have to remind me." Rafe sobbed starting to slap his head repeatedly.
"okay. no, no, don't do that." Belle walked over to him moving his hands away.
"she was family. i should've never touched her, you know? i should've never touched her, but, you know, i just lose control in moments like that, and i don't know what happened. i'm trying.. i'm trying to get better." tears rolled down his cheeks as Belle nodded.
"yeah."
"okay? it doesn't matter. all i'm saying is just that i'm not the bad guy you think i am, okay? but even if i was, even if i was just, like, bad Rafe Cameron or something.. you got no choice. you may.. you may not want to trust me, okay, but i'm your best bet."
Belle stayed quiet sitting on the bed in front of him running her fingers through her hair.
"look." Rafe took her hand and kneeled down in front of her, she moved her hand away looking at him as he put his hands up, "i got a boat that can get us off the island, okay? but first, we gotta get out of here, and it is better if we work together."
the sounds of car doors opened and closing were heard and the guards talking, Belle stood up from the bed looking out the window watching the guards get into a truck.
"they're leaving?" Rafe asked.
"they're going to find John B and your sister." Belle says.
"sucks for them. that's good for us though. this may be our only shot at getting out of here." Rafe turned to Belle.
the dark haired girl kept her eyes out on the window taking a deep breath, her fingers ran through her hair yet again.
"Bells, look at me." he whispered as her eyes turned to him, "i need you to trust me. i know you never have but now i need you to."
Belle silently nodding as the two talked about a plan to escape, all she had hoped for was for JJ and her friends to be okay and for her to get out of this place safely once and for all.