Teddy sat on his bed, staring down at the letter in his hands. Hr hadn't opened it since Clary had given it too him. He hadn't looked at it since he told Liam where Ara was. The plan was set into motion. They were leaving in a few hours. Planning on surprising him in the middle of the night. Teddy just hoped that Ara was still alive.
His name was scrawled messily on the front of the envelope. While Ara had legible writing, it wasn't always the neatest.
He turned it over in his hands, debating on whether or not he should open it. He wanted too, but he was too afraid. What if this was the last time he'd ever hear from her again? He didn't want to believe she was dead or that she was never coming home, but the thoughts slithered through his mind. "Having trouble?" Teddy lifted his head and smiled softly at Sam.
"A little."
"Are you just going to stare at it?" She took a seat next to him on the bed.
"I want to read it, but I'm afraid."
"Don't be. You can't always be afraid in life, Teddy. Just read it. Because if you don't you might regret it." He nodded.
"Stay?" He asked, as he held up the letter.
"Of course."
Teddy tore the top of the envelope of, and pulls out the slip of paper inside. He slowly unfolded it.
Teddy,
She wrote, very messily.
I miss you.
I love you, and tell Ashton I love him too if you get this. Maybe Clary came through and kept her promise.
See you soon?
Love,
Ara
"That's it." He mumbled, surprised. "That's all she wrote."
"Well, I'm guess she didn't have much time, Teddy. And she mentioned Clary. If Craig had read it, he would probably have hurt her too. And her son."
"Yeah, you're right." He grumbled. "Just wish there was more."
"Sam said you opened the letter." Ashton said, coming to stand next to Teddy. Together they looked out the window as Liam and Aaron climbed into one cruiser, and Cat into another with another woman.
"I did."
"What'd she say?"
"Not much." He grumbled.
"Oh."
"She said she loves you." He said, glancing at him.
"She did?" He nodded. "I love her too." He whispered, softly.
"I know you do." Teddy said. "But just think, when Liam returns, Ara will be with him. She'll be home."
"I know. I just . . . I don't want to sit around and wait for her."
"Me either."
"How long has it been since they left?"
"Two minutes."
"Fuck."
Ara could hear voices, talking quietly amongst themselves. They were arguing.
She pushed herself up, propping herself up on her elbows. Pain cursed through her body as she did this, and she held back the urge to scream. She just didn't have the energy anymore. She was exhausted.
She struggled to open her eyes, and when she did she was met with total darkness. All the lights were off. Her best guess was that she was in the basement of the building.
Ara swallowed, and suddenly coughed. Her throat was dry. Then again, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had a glass of water. She'd been with them nearly a month now. She was surprised she wasn't dead yet. They're only keeping you alive because they want Teddy. She reminded herself.
She closed her eyes and practiced breathing at a steady rate. She wanted to sleep, but she was afraid too. Afraid that she closed her eyes she might never open them again.
The coldness of the concrete floor she laid upon was oddly soothing to her. She felt like she was on fire.
Deep down, Ara wondered if Teddy had gotten her letter. She wondered if Clary had kept her promise, and went to the police and told them everything. Or had she taken the cash, bailed her boyfriend out of jail, and went on the run. She wondered how Teddy was doing. If he was freaking out everyday or if he was keeping himself collected. She wondered about Ashton and how he was. She tried to remember what he looked like, they way he used to hold her, the way he tasted. She missed him. She wanted nothing more than to be at home, wrapped up in his arms, while he whispered cheesy things in her ear.
She tired to remember his features; the way his curly hair would fall in his face if he hadn't tied his hair back with a bandana. She tried to remember those dimples, the ones that always made an appearance when he laughed or smiled. She tried to remember the reaction she would get out of him whenever she kissed the side of his neck, and played with his hair. Just the small things that drove her to fight for her life.
Something crashed loudly upstairs. She jumped, opening her eyes in a flash. Loud footsteps pounded above her, and a door slammed.
She sighed and went back to resting on the floor, trying to save her energy. Her leg was becoming increasingly numb with each passing hour. The wound was turning purple around the entry wound. She suddenly wondered, panic rising in her, if they would have to cut it off. If the nerves in her leg were dying. Or would she be confined to a wheelchair? She hated the thought of being completely helpless.
It seemed like she had only closed her eyes for a few seconds, but she opened them, Craig was vending over her, shaking her violently. "GET UP!" He shouted. Ara groaned as he pulled her to her feet.
"What-"
"Shut up. Don't speak." He dragged her through the basement and up a set of stairs that opened into the backyard.
"L-Let go!" She struggled against him.
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
"CRAIG BANNING! IT'S POLICE!" Ara felt her heart fall right out of her chest. She tried to shove herself away from Craig, even through she knew she couldn't make it very far with her leg. But hell, if there were police looking for her, she was going to try.
"CRAIG! I KNOW YOU HAVE HER!"
"Dad." She whispered. In a split second, and probably the most stupidest idea in her entire life, Ara knocked her head back, her skull connecting with Craig's nose. He cried out, dropping her and his gun. With all her energy, she pushed herself to her feet and hobbled away from him as fast as she could. "DAD!"
"ARA!"
she stumbled about the forest that Craig had dragged her into. "DAD!" Ara gripped onto a branch from one of the trees surrounding her to catch her breath.
"ARA! WHERE ARE YOU!"
"OVER HERE!" Her voice cracked as she shouted.
"FOLLOW MY VOICE!" Liam yelled. Ara let go of the branch, and hobbled forward.
There was a crack behind her, and then someone pushed her forward. She let out a cry of pain as she fell.
"Don't move." She heard Craig's raspy voice command. "Don't you do anything stupid now." He pointed the gun at her head. "You must think you're really smart, pulling that stunt."
"Just let me go." She cried. She received a kick to the stomach. She coughed.
"I'm not done with you." He growled.
"What do you want!" She shouted.
"Craig! Let her go!" Liam appeared put of the shadows, gun pointed at him.
"Let her go Craig! It's over." Cat came around from his backside with Aaron trailing behind.
"Ara, you good?" Aaron's voice called. She groaned.
"Drop the gun." Liam demanded. Craig laughed.
"Okay, Liam." He lowered the gun. But not before delivering a bullet to Ara's chest. She screamed.
Everything happened fairly quickly, and not in slow motion. Ara heard several gunshots ring out, and through tears and blurry vision, saw Craig's body drop to the ground. Then there was screaming; Cat was hovering over her, trying to keep her awake, but it was too much.
The last thing she remembered was total darkness.