"Matt, stop. Just stop." Brian said as Matt tried to leave the building.
"Why? I know where she is and I'm going to pick her up." Matt said, trying to go around her.
"You're not going there alone." Brian said, "First of all, we have no proof he has Bobby and secondly, if he does, it means he's dangerous."
"What's going on?" Nick said, walking into Matt's office, where Brian was trying to stop him from running out.
"That lunatic took Bobby." Matt said, making Nick frown.
"Michael?" Nick asked.
"Stop, we don't know that." Brian said.
"I'm not going to sit around here when he might be halfway out of town for all we know." Matt said.
"We'll call my friends downtown, have one of them go by and take a look." Brian said.
"I'm going there now. I'm not waiting." Matt said.
"Nick, help me talk some sense into him, please." Brian said.
"Matt, I'm coming with you." Nick said, making Brian turn to him in shock.
"What?" Brian asked. "We don't know that he has her."
"Dad, Matt's not going to listen to us. He's going to go, so call your friend, tell him to meet us there and we can handle this now. But letting more time pass, won't help." Nick said.
Brian stared at his two sons- why were they so calm?
"alright, I'll call from the car." Brian said, making them look at each other. "I'm coming with you."
"Fine, I'm driving." Matt said, leading the way.
"Listen, I know you guys have to have your big Macho moment." Nora said, trailing behind them. "But what exactly is your plan? You're going to show up to his apartment and what? knock on the door? Ask if he Bobby is there? This is absolutely crazy."
They continued walking, not stopping.
"I mean, you should wait for the police. What if something happens?" Nora continued.
Still, no reply.
"No, you're not doing this. I absolutely forbid it." Nora said, stomping her feet. Brian, Matt and Nick turned to face Nora, who was more than just visibly concerned.
"Baby, listen to me." Brian said, taking her aside for a second. "Matt is really upset. Someone from the police is going to meet us there- I promise everything will be fine."
Nora stared at him, her lips pouted as if she was about to cry.
"I hate you." She muttered and he smiled, lifting her chin to him.
"I'll call you." He said, kissing her quickly before turning back to his sons.
Nora stared after them for several minutes after they were gone, so long that eventually Emma came out to find her.
"They really went?" Emma said, putting a hand to her forehead.
"They really did." Nora said with a frown.
"Seriously, why does this keep happening to you guys?" Emma said and Nora shrugged.
"I have no idea."
----
"Shake him." Ruth said as she and Bobby stood over Michael. They'd managed to drag him into the living room but he hadn't moved at all and he was so heavy.
"The last thing I want is for him to wake up." Bobby said.
"Well, we need to make sure he's alive." Ruth said, "I'm not going down for murder."
"You were the one who beat him to a pulp with the pot." Bobby said.
"It was self defense." Ruth said nervously. Bobby nodded, turning to face Ruth.
"Yes, it was. So don't worry, you're going to be just fine. We need to find the keys. So let's just focus on that." Bobby said, making Ruth nod.
"Okay, I'll search the room." She said, running off into the hall. Bobby glanced at the door- Michael had installed a padlock on the inside, a reminder that they were his and couldn't get away without his help.
She turned back to Michael, who was now face up and was covered in blood. Ruth had really done a number on it. She hated thinking that Ruth had to defend herself so much. She would make sure that Ruth didn't have to deal with anything like this in the future.
"They're not in the room." Ruth said, appearing again before shuffling around in the kitchen.
"They're probably in his pockets." Bobby said. Ruth walked back out, looking at Bobby and then at Michael. They were both quiet for several seconds.
"Okay, I'll check." Ruth said and Bobby shook her head.
"No, I will. You grab the pot...just in case he wakes up." Bobby said, prompting Ruth to move quickly.
A few minutes later, Ruth was standing above Michael's head, holding the pot up in the air and staring down at him. Bobby was kneeling down about a foot away, taking deep breaths as she inched closer.
"Okay, go ahead. I promise if he so much as twitches I'll get him." Ruth said, almost disturbing Bobby with how excited she was.
"Okay." Bobby said, more to herself than to Ruth. "Okay... Okay."
Ruth watched as Bobby leaned over, hands trembling towards Michael.
"Okay. Okay." Bobby repeated, reaching towards his pocket. "Okay. Okay."
"For god's sake, Bobby. He's not Michael fucking Myers. If he wakes up, I have the pot. Now... LOOK." Ruth said.
"Fine." Bobby said, shaking her head and reaching into his pocket.
"Find them?" Ruth asked.
"No." Bobby said, quickly moving to the next pocket.
"Anything?" Ruth asked.
"Here..." Bobby said, standing with the keys in her hand. "Yes!"
"Yes." Ruth said, laughing as she jumped up and let go of the pot.
"Oh shit." Bobby said, startled as the pot hit Michael.
"Fuck." Ruth said, quickly picking up the pot.
"We should probably be more careful about that." Bobby said after a few more silent seconds.
"Yeah." Ruth nodded in agreement. "Come on, let's get out of here."
"Okay." Bobby replied, moving towards the door and removing the padlock with a click.
"OH thank god." Ruth said as Bobby removed the lock. She reached over excitedly to open the door, walking out into the hall. "Bobby, come on."
But Bobby turned back, looking at Michael.
"Bobby!" Ruth said, wondering what she was staring at.
"I have to get the bracelet." Bobby said suddenly, moving towards Michael.
"Ugh... Bobby, can't you just get another one." Ruth said, staring at Michael. "I really, really don't want to go back in there."
Bobby turned to Ruth who was standing just beyond the doorway.
"Okay, listen. He's out cold. Wait here, I'll grab it and we can go." Bobby said.
"I'd feel safer if you let me hold the pot again." Ruth said with a sigh.
"I'd feel safer if you just stayed there." Bobby said, moving forward and picking up the pot.
"Okay but hurry." Ruth said, "and if he moves..."
"Whack him. I know." Bobby said as she moved back towards him.
Ruth watched as Bobby leaned in close, reaching out for his arm. She set the pot down next to her, working the clasp slowly.
"Bobby, come one." Ruth whispered, fidgeting nervously by the door.
"Ruth?" The voice came from outside the apartment. "Ruth!"
Ruth turned and there he was, moving towards her quickly. Matt Carlton.
As he spotted her, he'd picked up his pace, Nick and Brian close behind him. She stared, too surprised, in too much shock and overwhelmed by the handsome man coming towards her.
Bobby took the bracelet and slipped it into her pocket, then reached back for the pot.
"Got it." She whispered to herself before she heard it.
"RUTH!" Matt called out, this time louder than before and Ruth finally snapped out of her stupor.
"Matt." Ruth said, making Bobby stand and stare in surprise as he came into view.
"Matt?" Bobby said. Matt turned and looked into the apartment, where Bobby was standing, hair messed up and clothes wrinkled, a small black pot in her hand.
"Bobby." He said, as their eyes met. Slowly a smile crept up on Bobby's face.
"Matt." She repeated, about to move towards him but a hand on her foot knocked her down.
"Damn it." Ruth said, running in and grabbing the pot from Bobby's hand. "What. the fuck. with this. old man?"
She hit Michael on the back of the head, and then raising her arm to do it again.
"Wait... Ruth, Stop." Bobby said, reaching out and grabbing her hand.
Ruth turned to Bobby who was kneeling next to her. Then, she tossed the pot aside and wrapped her arms around her.
"Matt!" Nick said, catching up to Matt. "What in the name of?"
"Shit." Brian said, noticing the scene inside the apartment. On the floor, was an unconscious Michael, lots of blood but still breathing. Propped up next to him was Bobby and Ruth, clinging to each other and laughing.
"What did we miss?" Nick asked, staring.
"That brat... is absolutely crazy." Matt muttered, still in disbelief.
Bobby and Ruth stood, not letting each other go- still hand in hand.
"Come on, let's go." Bobby said, giving her hand a squeeze and leading her back towards the door.
"Wait." Ruth said, letting her hand go and running back towards Michael. Then she kicked him, as hard as she possibly could. "Creep."
Ruth turned and walked back, finding the four staring at her.
"What?" Ruth asked. "He's a creep."
"We should go." Bobby said, walking out the door, Matt, Nick and Brian standing back and letting her pass, Ruth close behind.
"No police?" Bobby asked, putting a hand on either hip as she looked around.
"Someone is on their way." Matt said, staring at them in surprise.
"And you just came down here by yourselves? What were you thinking?" Bobby said, frowning. "Do you realize how impractical that this? That's so reckless."
"Well I was worried." Matt said. "What was I supposed to do?"
"Be smart, wait on the police." Bobby said annoyed. "It's dangerous."
"Which is why I came to save you. You were in danger." Matt said, raising his voice.
"Well, as you can see, we're fine. So..." Bobby began but Brian stepped in.
"Listen, I'm glad you're fine, but this is definitely not the time." Brian said, glancing at his phone. "My friend is here."
"Okay." Bobby said, turning to Ruth. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay." She said, putting a hand up to her forehead. "Wait... no, I'm not."
Bobby's eyes widened as Ruth suddenly turned and placed a hand on the wall, puking violently all over Matt's shoe. He jumped back, letting out a groan.
"Oh, god." Bobby said, putting a hand on her back. "I'm sorry, Matt. Are you okay?"
Ruth continued to puke, more than she ever had in one single go in all her life.
"Yeah, let it out." Bobby said, looking up at Matt. "Did I mention she's been sick?"
A short while later, Bobby found herself sitting with a paramedic as he was checking her pressure.
"Hey, how's she doing?" Matt asked, appearing out of nowhere.
"She's good. Blood pressure is a little low but other than that, I think you're good to go." The paramedic said with a smile.
"Are you sure? We can take her to the hospital to get checked?" Matt insisted.
"Matt, I'm fine. Besides, I just want to get Ruth home to rest." Bobby said, standing to get out of the back of the ambulance. Matt reached out, grabbing her by the waist and lifting her down slowly.
"Thank you." She said softly as he set her down.
"I'll take you home." He said, taking her hand. Bobby nodded.
"By the way..." She said as they walked towards the car. "I know this is a busy time but I'm taking next week off."
Matt looked at her for a second.
"Finally."