83AN. 2 Chapters in 2 days! I haven't done that in a while. Don't I deserve more reviews? No? okay.. Well, Thank you so much to Talis Ruadair for reviewing! This chapter is dedicated to you!
"I'll be fine Warren." Alex said as they neared Lash's home.
"I don't trust him Alex." He said.
"But I do. He wouldn't hurt me." She said adamantly. She believed he wouldn't and Warren should have faith in her judgment.
"How can you be so sure?" He asked. If she was, she wouldn't have let them come along. She wouldn't have let them take various hideouts around his house incase she needed help. She would've insisted that she was fine one her own but she wasn't sure and that scared her. His voice was different and the way her stomach twisted resembled that god forsaken day with Riley and it terrified her. But she wouldn't show it. This was Lash, not Riley. Lash wouldn't betray her like that. Would he? No. No he wouldn't. But he could..
"I'll be fine." She managed to say. It sounded weak even to her but the look of fake bravery she'd put on managed to convince her boyfriend.
"I'm outside. Remember that okay? We all are." He said, cupping her cheek. She nodded with a determined look in her eyes. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before letting her go off to ring the stretchy teen's bell.
HOWTHEFIREBURNS
"You don't have to do this to him Riley. I can get you Russo. Once I get the girl the brother's will come crawling. Don't you see that? He doesn't have to be involved!" Callia said to her self proclaimed "boss".
"I've been planning this for a long time Callia. Everything I've done to make this plan set into motion will not be pushed aside for your so-called morals. And why do you care about him any way? He's nothing but a villain. He always will be. Look how easily he gave in." Riley sneered.
"You have his brother. A brother he thought was dead. A brother you kidnapped 2 years ago! And maybe I care because he doesn't deserve it!" She said angrily.
"You know, you've spent an awful lot of time defending him instead of defending the people who will actually be affected by this. After all is said and done, Lash will have his brother back. But it's Jerry and Teresa Russo who will have lost 3 children. Why is that?" He asked with a smug look.
Callia left the room without granting him an answer.
HOWTHEFIREBURNS
"Alex, hey." Lash said, praying that the others had come despite his request for her to be alone.
"Hey. Are you okay?" She asked, stepping in and giving him a hug. He went rigid for a moment but wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin on her head, closing his eyes and damning himself to an eternity in hell for what he was about to do to her. He took a deep breath and all but pried himself away, resisting the urge to shove her out the door and tell her to run when she stepped into the foyer.
"I'm fine. The last few days have been a bit hazy." Lie. "I'm not exactly sure how I even got out." Lie. "I had to see you. I had to know you were safe." Stop fucking lying! He was disgusted with himself. He'd never felt so low. He turned and walked to his room and she followed without hesitation.
"So why else did you want me here?" She asked. He noticed her trembling. Good. She was afraid, more chance of her leaving.
"You're shaking." He said.
"It's cold."
"You're scared."
"I'm not."
"You should be."
"Why?" She asked defiantly though he could still see her shaking fingers. Unknowingly to her, he had circled them around so she was deeper into his room and he was by the door.
"I'm really sorry Alex." He said, shutting the door and locking it. Her breath faltered and he hated himself more for doing this to her.
"Lash, what-" the hand on her mouth cut her off and muffled the following shriek. She flung and kicked her arms and legs, calling out Lash's name. Why was he just watching? Why wasn't he doing anything? Do something! And then there were words being said to her. Calm, soothing words and her limbs were suddenly relaxed. She forgot why she was fighting in the first place. She couldn't comprehend the look of utter agony on her friend's face and she tried to ask him but she was so tired. Her eyelids drooped and her breathing slowed.
Then she was in complete darkness.
HOWTHEFIREBURNS
As Alex disappeared from Callia's arms, Lash struggled to breathe.
My brother. It's for my brother. Matt. I'm going to see him again. He thought to himself repeatedly, trying to justify what he just did to one of his best friends.
"I'm sorry." Was all Callia knew to say. She hated to see him like this. He didn't deserve it. She could see it, feel it in her bones. It tore her up like no other before but maybe it was because she cared too much. She knew it was insane for her to care this much about the kid who'd turned her into a baby just a year ago but she couldn't help it. He was strange and it drew her in. She cursed Riley for doing this to him.
"Why?" He asked. That simple word. Why. Why him? Why Alex? Why now? She knew the answer to none of them but he wasn't looking for answers.
"Lash.." she said with a sad look in her eyes.
"Just go." He said, turning and opening the door, walking out and leaving her alone. She watched him go sighed.
"I hate you so fucking much Riley." She mumbled before she transported herself back to where Riley, and now Alex, were.
HOWTHEFIREBURNS
"It's really quiet." Layla observed.
"Well, do you expect them to be yelling?" Magenta asked sarcastically before being shushed by Warren and Will.
"She hasn't been in there long. Maybe we were worried for nothing?" Will asked hopefully.
"Something doesn't feel right." Warren said. He could feel it in his gut. The front door opened and Lash walked out alone. They watched silently as he let out a shaky breath and pulled out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He lit one and took a few drags before Warren couldn't take it anymore.
"Were is she?" He bellowed. A startled Lash nearly dropped his cigarette but quickly regained his composure and put on his best arrogant smirk, complete with the mocking undertone in his voice and challenging eyes.
"The fuck are you talking about Peace?" He asked. He should feel sick of how quick he could detach himself from the situation, but he'd basically blocked his emotions. Something his parents taught him to do well.
"You know what I'm talking about Stretch. What did you do?" He demanded, steam coming from his arms and shoulders. The sight didn't intimidate Lash, as he was more afraid of Riley and what he could do to Matt at this point. The others had come too. Out of nowhere it seemed. Where were they a few minutes ago?
"I didn't do anything."
"Alex was here." Speed said, the sick feeling in his stomach growing stronger as he looked into his friend's guarded eyes.
"Yeah. So?" Such a good liar he was.
"Where is she now?"
"Beats me." He shrugged. Warren snapped and grabbed the teen by the collar of his shirt and brought him to meet eye-to-eye. Lash didn't even flinch. He was expecting as much from the pyro.
"Where. Is. She." He growled.
"I'm. Not. Telling." He growled back just as dangerously, shoving of the darker teen.
"Lash, she's our friend. She's your friend." Layla tried.
"Welp. She should've known better than to trust a villain." He sneered and walked back into the house, slamming and locking the door behind him. Will went to shove it open but was shocked to find that he couldn't even touch the door. There was some sort of force field around it.
"Protection spell." Justin muttered.
"Can't you reverse it?" Warren asked.
"Only the wizard who cast it can." Max explained with a shaky voice.
"Fuck. Where are you Alex?" Warren asked, closing his eyes and tilting his head upwards.
HOWTHEFIREBURNS
"So what are you doing?" The deep voice asked her. Her mind was hazy and something deep inside was screaming at her not to listen but for the life of her she couldn't do it.
"Putting a force field around Lash's house." She heard herself saying. Why can't she see? Who is she talking to? Where the fuck is she?
"Why?" It asked.
"He's in danger."
"So..?"
"So I'll put the strongest one I can." Alex Russo said with a blank look in her eyes. Riley smirked and left the room.
The plan was going better than expected.
Good? Review and let me now!