Hey everyone, thank you all so so so much for all the support on this story! It's absolutely awesome! This was actually meant to be posted Sunday night but my Internet cut out on me before I got the chance....I almost hit my monitor really hard! LOL

Well, hope you all enjoy it. :D

~ ~ Chapter Twenty One ~ ~

Wrapping my arms tighter around my knees as I had them brought up tight to my chest while I curled up on the lounge, I couldn't stop rocking myself. I had seen him, he was going to get me again and Baden killed him.......with his own bare hands. The same bare hands that touch me so lovingly and softly.

"Lee! Are you listening to me?" Dougy cried out, throwing his hands up in the air with frustration but I couldn't help it, I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying when I had so much running through my head right now. My body was still visibly shaking from what had happened and I couldn't calm myself down.

I'm so stupid! Why did I run? Why didn't I fight back more? I trained for this, I purposely spent so much bloody money on paying for the best instructors and all for what? To still be helpless in front of that man.....no, he's not a man, in front of that thing when he came for me again!

"Leila!"

Snapping my head up to look over at Dougy who was standing in front of the TV staring at me, "Huh?" I asked stupidly.

He shook his head as tears filled my eyes again, "Lee." he spoke softly now, knowing he had my attention finally, "Talk to me, what's going on in that head of yours?" Dougy walked over towards me and knelt down on the carpet so we could be at face level.

I shook my head, tears flinging off my jaw, I haven't spoken much since we got back to my place just over an hour ago and Baden hasn't come around or even rang me, so I'm confused, I want to see him, I really do but I don't at the same time.

Can I act like nothing happened? Like it was no big deal that he took someones life, even a horrible filthy persons life? I don't know and I wont know until I see him.

"Dammit Lee, talk to me!" Dougy snapped, making me jump and his face softened instantly, "Sorry bub, I didn't mean to scare you." he apologised.

I smiled slightly at him but we both knew my heart wasn't in it, "I......I don't know, I'm confused Dougy and freaked out." I whispered softly, trying to voice the jumble of emotions running crazy inside of me.

He nodded slowly, looking like he understood but I would be willing to bet money that he didn't, "Lee, as my little sister I will always take care of you, you will always come first and if Baden was any other guy, I would take you and run right now but he's not." I turned my head away from him slightly as tears filled up my eyes again, "Baden loves you and would never hurt you, he will go to any length to keep you safe, you know that."

I nodded slightly, I did know that but it didn't change the look on his face or the way he went crazy tonight, I know it wasn't directed at me and it was my fault anyway, it's just, I've never seen so much of that side of him before and it scared me. I didn't even know him like I thought I did.

"He wants to come see you." Dougy spoke but he sounded more like he was asking me if that was okay.

Was it?

"What if I freak out or something Dougy? It will hurt him more than compared too if I don't see him right now." my voice just a whisper.

I will get over it, I just need to wrap my head around it. I love Baden with everything I have, I really do and I'm not about to give up on him because of what happened tonight but also, I'm not so cold like him when it comes to this stuff. I have compassion for human kind, even low life scum. No one deserves to die like that, he should have spent the rest of his life behind bars instead but I cant change that now.

No, all I can do now is move on the best I can.

"From what Jeff told me just before Baden is already freaking out that you don't want to ever see him again." Dougy muttered softly, my heart twisted but I knew he didn't say it to put a guilt trip on me but it still worked.

"Can you get my phone for me?" I asked softly. I knew I wasn't ready to face Baden in person, the images were all too fresh in my mind still but I had to calm him down somehow.

"Where is it?"

I shrugged gently, Dougy leaned forward and dug into his back pocket, handing me his phone with a small smile, "Here, use mine. I'll be in the kitchen to give you some privacy." he leaned forward and softly kissed my forehead, "I love you Leila." he whispered.

Smiling slightly, "Love you back Dougy." we didn't express our feelings for one another often and the only times we did was when it was needed, like right now and it always helped a little.

I waited for Dougy to be out of sight before I scrolled through his contacts and found Baden's name, clicking the call button and holding it to my ear. It rang a few times and I thought he was just going to ignore it until someone answered.

"Yeah?" came Caveman's gruff answer.

"Is Baden there?" I asked quietly.

"Oh, Leila, yeah sur-." he was cut off and I could hear scuffling noises and then Baden's worried voice, "Leila? Are you alright? I'm so sorry I did that in front of you, I just wasn't thinking! I snapped when I seen that bastard on top of you! You hate me, don't you?" his voice started rising and I flinched.

"Baden." I called out softly, trying to get him to shut up, I had to eventually shout his name for him to hear me and then he fell silent, "I don't hate you.....I'm a little freaked out but that's all. I mean, I just seen you kill someone Baden." the tears started rolling down my face again as the images sprung back to the front of my mind.

"I'm sorry beautiful, I'm so sorry." Baden whispered back sadly, "I'll leave you alone now."

My breath got caught in my throat, leave me alone? No! I don't want him leaving me, not now, not ever.

"I love you Baden, I always will, I still want to be with you, honestly I do......I just want to get some sleep now." I whispered the last part, ashamed that I didn't want to see him right now after everything he has done for me.

"Is Dougy staying the night with you?"

I nodded then remembered he wasn't in the room with me, "Yeah, he's not going anywhere." I mumbled. Even if I didn't want him hear, he wasn't about to let me kick him out anyway.

"Okay. Are you sure your okay beautiful?" Baden asked again, worry clear in his voice, "You know I would do anything for you, right?"

My heart broke, and the tears came pouring out as I sobbed on the phone while he made soothing noises. I could hear the pain in his voice at not being here with me and I was only making it all worst for him too.

"I'm sorry, I'm a mess right now." I muttered, making myself calm down so I could speak properly to him through my tears.

"It's okay Leila, I should have been thinking tonight and got Dougy to take you away first, I'm sorry. I know your not made for this and if you need space or time, I'll give it to you. All you need to do is say so, okay?" he asked tenderly, creating another sob in my chest.

"I'll speak to you tomorrow......goodnight Baden." I whispered before hanging up and resting my head back on my knees and crying quietly. I sat there for awhile before Dougy walked back in and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. He sat there silently and just let me cry it all out, I had no other way of dealing with it.

"C'mon." he spoke up after awhile, "Lets get you to bed, its been a long day."

Nodding, I stood to my feet and walked slowly to my room, shutting the door behind me. Dougy was sleeping out on the couch where we now had a permanent spare pillow and blanket waiting for whoever needed it, usually him or Phil.

Resting my head on my pillow and closing my eyes I tried to think of anything other than what happened tonight.

~~

Dressed in track pants and a plain white singlet, I knew I looked like a dag, my hair was piled messily on top of my head in a bun and I had my favourite pair of sunnies on, meanwhile Amberly the loser was all dressed up cute and we were only going food shopping. That girl is a shocker at times.

Dougy didn't want me to go but I needed to get out of the stuffy apartment for awhile, I've called in sick for the next few days and Marty said that it was fine though I could tell he was annoyed. Ever since the guys came into our lives, me and Amberly haven't been the same die hard workers we once use to be.

It's been two days since Phil's birthday and I haven't seen Baden yet, he rang me yesterday and said he was going out of town for some 'business'. I'm not sure if I believe him or if it's just his excuse to give me the space I apparently need because honestly, as much as it is still at the back of my mind, I'm not letting it get the better of me or my relationship with Baden.

"Choc chip or mint?" Amberly asked as she held up two different tubs of ice cream in her hands, looking back and forth between the two.

"Choc chip." I smiled and she put the mint one back and the other into the trolley I was lazily pushing it in front of her. She banned me from being behind her because just ten minutes ago, I wasn't paying attention and ran into the back of her. I thought it was pretty funny but she didn't.

We rounded the end of the aisle to go up the next one when I stopped, just up ahead near the frozen section was Caveman and Baden - so much for being out of town, I thought angrily. Yeah, I know I freaked out but c'mon, it's no need to lie to me and I did tell him I still wanted to be with him, he is the one putting space between us right now.

I only needed that first night to clear my head and Dougy had a long chat with me and made me see sense completely and that sense was that I needed Baden, I always have since I first met him, we had one of those rare instant connections that you just cant ignore.

So I did what any angry girl would do, I grabbed the handle of the trolley and sent it flying forward into him since he was still yet to notice me and I folded my arms angrily under my chest as I watched the trolley hit him side on. He reached out and grabbed it before it could tip or anything and his head snapped over, glaring furiously and then it softened immediately.

"Leila, where's Dougy?" he asked as he glanced around searching for my brother.

"You really going to ignore the fact you lied to me about being out of town, hey?" I asked rudely. Baden had the whole 'I'm so busted' look going on for him right now, scratching the back of his head as Caveman and Amberly took the trolley and walked off to leave us by ourselves, well, as much as by yourself you can get in a supermarket that is.

"Sorry." he muttered sheepishly. With the way he looks right now, it is easy to forget what he really is capable of, he doesn't look like a cold hard killer and I realised just now that no matter what he does or how much I don't approve of it, I will always love this man with everything I have and the image I have of him in my mind will never completely change.

Smiling slightly, I tried to hide it because despite my epiphany, I was still annoyed he lied.

"I just wanted to give you space." he muttered again, looking back up to me now and frowning when he noticed the smile I couldn't hide anymore as I walked over to him.

Wrapping my arms around his waist, I hugged him tight and it took a second for him to be hugging me back, "I didn't need anymore space Baden, I just needed to see you but you wouldn't listen." I mumbled softly but loud enough for him to hear.

He leaned down and kissed my forehead gently, smiling against my skin, "So we're all okay then?" he asked hopefully.

I nodded, "We're all okay, though I would prefer to not see that kind of thing again." I smiled softly but it didn't reach my eyes because I wasn't joking and he knew it.

"I know and I will make sure that you never do." he whispered as I pulled back to look up at him, he looked down lovingly into my eyes making me smile a genuine smile as I reached up, cupped his cheeks and brought his lips down to meet mine and kissed him passionately.

"Hey, little kids are around you guys." Amberly joked from somewhere behind us, we broke apart, still smiling and still with Baden's arms around me as my hands rested flat against his chest, "You two want to come back for lunch? I'm making warm chicken salad?" Amberly asked the guys in an enticing tone.

Both of them agreed, "We better invite Philly then, since Dougy is already at our place and Philly will sook if he is left out." I chuckled.

"I'll message him in a minute." Baden smiled as he rested his chin on top of my head, then pulled away to take my hand into his as we followed Amberly and Caveman to finish our food shopping. It felt so normal to just be walking around, holding hands and I loved it.

"Oh Amber, please marry me?" Phil cried out, rubbing his stomach as he laid flat on the lounge room floor, receiving a kick in the leg from Caveman who was sitting on the lounge with Amberly next to him, "I was joking Jeff, chill out man." Phil complained.

"Don't joke about marrying my girl." Caveman glared at Phil. That boy takes everything way too seriously all of the time, in fact the only time he seems to be relaxed and all anti serial killer is when he is around Amberly.....or drunk.

"Settle down the pair of you." Amberly chastised them like children which I chuckled about. I was sitting in between Baden's legs with my back resting against his chest while he leaned on the wall behind him, one arm wrapped around my waist lightly as we ate our lunch.

"It's okay, neither of you can marry her because she's going to be my built in chef." Dougy laughed from the other side of the room, he had brought a chair in from the kitchen and sat on that while we ate our lunch and all semi watched TV.

Caveman picked up a cushion and ditched it at Dougy but he was too quick and ducked, laughing and teasing Caveman about his crappy aim. I shook my head at them, it seems the only mature male in this room belongs to me.

"I'm not being your built in chef Dougy." Amberly muttered in a serious tone, making everyone laugh at her and her 'serious' facial expression.

"Okay, live in chef then?" Dougy teased back, Caveman ditched the last cushion left on the lounge at him and again, Dougy ducked and it missed him.

"What are we all  doing tonight? Drinking?" Phil asked, sitting up and looking around at us all. I shrugged while Baden chuckled from behind me, Amberly smiled, Caveman nodded and Dougy grinned, "Drinks it is then." Phil cheered.

"Someone make a list of what everyone wants and I'll go get it." Dougy offered. Amberly then went and got a pen and some paper and that is when all the noise began. Everyone was shouting out what they wanted at the same time, six people may not seem like a lot but put them all into one small apartment sized lounge room and have them all shouting, then you'll think differently.

Amberly and Phil wanted to make Jager bombs, I think the stuff is foul so I just wanted vodka and raspberry soft drink, Dougy wanted a bottle of tequila and a carton of bourbon. Caveman, Baden and Phil all wanted their own cartons too then chuck in a bottle of Jacks and Beam and we had our list.

"I'm beginning to think we are going to regret this in the morning." I muttered quietly to Baden who was still behind me.

"I think your right but it is going to be a fun night." he chuckled softly, wrapping both arms around me now and resting his chin on my shoulder, "I'm glad we're all good, I don't know what I was going to do if you didn't want to ever see me again." he whispered quietly.

I smiled slightly, "Pretty sure you would have just harassed me until I agreed like last time." I teased lightly.

Baden shook his head, "No, this time was different to then, I wasn't going to force you to spend time with me." he kissed the side of my forehead softly.

"I love you Baden." I smiled as I turned around and kissed him on the lips slowly, earning a few immature 'oooh's' and 'ahhh's' from the others, then a cushion in the back. I felt Baden hold his hand up behind me and guessed he was giving them all the finger because Amberly started to giggle like a school girl.

Everyone each had hold of a shot glass that was filled with a straight drink of their choice and Phil was making us all hold them up into the air with a stupid grin on his face, "To the six of us always having each others backs and always being there for each other, no matter what!" he cheered, "Here! Here!" came our chorused replies and we all downed our shots at once.

Scrunching my face up a little as the vodka burned the back of my throat, I quickly poured myself a mixed drink, gulped it all down and slammed the plastic cup back on the table. Dougy was the first to laugh at me and Baden hit him in the arm.

And the night just went from there.

Drinks, shots, laughter, pay outs, headlocks, arm wrestling, cranked music, daring Phil to run the apartment car park butt naked while we stood on the balcony laughing our asses off at him, the guys daring me and Amberly to kiss - which we did and with tongue just to tease them a little and ending up with both of us on the floor in a fit of giggles......that is all I can remember of the night as I woke up with a massively pounding head.

Looking at my phone it said it was well past lunch time, I don't even remember what time I went to bed, or actually going to bed. Sitting up quickly, my head spun violently and I noticed I was on the lounge room floor with a blanket over me and a pillow under where my head was and Baden spread out besides me.

Did I pass out here or something? I don't remember. Oh man, that was one hell of a night, I thought as I looked around the apartment and saw empty bottles, cans, cups and shot glasses everywhere. Clothing was spread out all over the place and a bright light was coming in from nearby.

Turning I squinted my eyes to look at the front door wide open with a naked Phil half inside and half out. I cracked up laughing immediately, then groaned loudly as my head complained once again. Baden groaned as he rolled over and looked up at me with a small smile.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily as he closed his eyes again and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Late afternoon." I mumbled back as I flicked through my phone settings until I found my camera, then turned around to take a photo of Phil.

Baden must have turned to look as well because he started laughing, Phil stirred but didn't wake up. I wonder what the neighbours think if any of them have noticed him yet? Getting up to my feet slowly as I gave my head time to stop spinning, I noticed I was only in my singlet and boy leg undies but was feeling too much like crap to care.

"Phil, wake up, your scaring the children." I called out, walking over to him only to burst into more laughter again, groan and hold my head, "Who drew all over him?" I asked with a smile as I turned back to face Baden.

He grinned, "Me and Amberly." chuckling at himself, I laughed and took another photo. One of them have drawn angel wings across his shoulder blades - Amberly no doubt and I think I'm right when I say Baden was the one who wrote 'Baden is my idol' across Phil's lower back and then a whole bunch of drunken random drawings I couldn't make out.

"Philly boy, get up." and I nudged his leg with my foot, and like a lion pouncing on prey, he spun around and sat up, wide eyed and staring at me, "Argh!" I screamed as I got a full front on view of him, "Cover up!" holding my hands over my eyes as I shouted at him.

"Why am I naked? Did you have your way with me last night Baden?" Phil asked with a serious tone of voice and I'm guessing he was glaring at Baden too.

"He better not have." I warned them both, making them both laugh at me.

Phil found his boxers and pulled them on as Baden got up and went to the kitchen in search of pain killers, I remember buying some but don't remember where they got put. I was slowly walking around and picking up rubbish when Amberly and Caveman both emerged from her room, looking absolutely bugged.

Nodding in Phil's direction I looked at them as I held one finger up to my lips and made the international 'shush' sign, they looked over at him and started chuckling, then groaned as they held their heads.

Phil had thick black texta all over his face with every ones named signed there, even mine and I don't remember doing that but Baden and Amberly had attacked the rest of his face, giving him panda eyes and a moustache like Yosemite Sam and furry caterpillar eyebrows. I had also managed to take his photo of his face before without him even realising it.

"Hang on, where's Dougy?" I asked suddenly as I noticed he was the only one to not surface yet and he always was first one up even after a night of heavy drinking. Everyone looked around and then Caveman finally remembered that he had gone for a drive for food shortly after I passed out.

"Yeah, thanks for just leaving me there too Baden." I muttered sarcastically.

He just smiled, "Beautiful, I was that drunk I would have dropped you if I picked you up. I gave you a blanket and pillow and slept next you though." he added like it made it all better somehow. I just shook my head playfully as my phone started to ring.

Finding it under an empty carton box, I didn't recognise the number but answered anyway, "Hello?" I asked, still half not with it just yet.

"Hey sis'." Dougy greeted me cheerily.

"Dougy? Where the hell are you?" I demanded instantly.

"Whoa, be thankful I waited until I knew you lazy lot would be up. You know, I could have called in the morning like I was allowed to." he teased, laughing at me.

Frowning, I was confused, "What are you on about; allowed to?"

"Okay, don't freak out Lee." he mumbled, I said I wouldn't, "I'm in the slammer, I hit some wankers car last night and the cops chased me and eventually caught me, and then they found out I have previous violations and stuff. No biggie, listen, is your boyfriend there?" he changed subject real quick.

"What violations? Whose car? Are you okay? Do you need bail-"

"Leila! Chill out girl." Dougy laughed. How the hell can he be laughing when he is in a cell? Is this boy on drugs? Wait, don't answer that because he probably is, "Can I speak to your other half please?" he asked again.

"Yeah, whatever." I mumbled as I found it strange he wasn't saying Baden's name but didn't question him on it, turning around to face Baden I held my phone out, "Dougy's at the police station, he wants to speak to you."

Baden nodded as he took the phone, "What's up bro'?" he greeted, my mind was spinning, how can they act like he is not at the police station in a cell? "Wait until the hearing, yeah, muffle banks on a flying pig." Baden chuckled.

Me and Amberly shared a WTF look with each other but the boys all shared a knowing look and I decided I just didn't want to know whatever the hell they were just talking about.

Baden handed the phone back but kept one hand over it, blocking us out from the speaker as he whispered, "He wants to speak to you again but the call is being recorded, so don't mention any names or anything, okay?" he asked.

Nodding, I took the phone and held it to my ear, "Dougy, what's going to happen to you?" I asked softly.

He sighed, "I don't know Lee, I have to face the judge tomorrow, so we wont know until then but you listen to that man of yours and do as he says. Don't worry about me and I love you."

"I love you back Dougy but I cant help but worry about you." I whispered.

"Lee, girl, c'mon, I'm a big tough man, I'll be fine - honestly." he grinned through the phone, "Look, my time is up, sorry and I'll see you when I'm looking at you next and I'll call you when I can. Bye sis'."

"Bye Dougy." and I hung up the phone with my heart full of worry for my brother.