Kyle's head pounded worse than it ever had, and that was saying something given how many times he'd bumped it against various hard surfaces.

Apparently his physical prowess couldn't protect him against his own stupidity. He'd sworn he'd never drink again after the first time, and yet here he was. Wherever that was. He couldn't remember much about last night either.

He cracked his eyelids open with great difficulty. The weak light of morning drifted over the cream sheets he lay on. Sheets. He hadn't seen sheets in weeks.

The realization had him lifting himself on his elbows to make sure he wasn't hallucinating again. Nope, the sheets were still there as was the mattress under him. He was laying facedown on a bed.

Memories decided it was about time to burst in and remind him just why he was there and why he should actually be writhing on the floor in agony.

Kay. He needed to get to Kay.

He rolled off the bed and hit the floor with a soft thud. His vision swam and his stomach churned, but he pushed past it. How long had he been in there? When had he even passed out?

Not that it mattered. Unless Kay was awake and he hadn't been there for her. Then it mattered a lot.

He managed to get on his hands and knees and shuffle towards the door that lead to the infirmary. He pushed his shoulder against it, and it swung forward without a sound. Or so Kyle hoped, because his hearing was all fuzzy. But the moment he could see inside the room, his senses returned.

Kay was still on the bed and seemed to be sleeping. The heart monitor beeped in a steady, calming rhythm. She was alive. All he needed to do was stand and get to her. So he pressed his back against the jamb and forced his legs to push him upright.

Movement caught the corner of his eye and he froze. Snitch Gravel stopped at the foot of Kay's bed, a frown on his face. His movements were a little sluggish and he wore black jeans and a black AC/DC t-shirt.

"I have no time for this shit," he muttered.

Kyle tensed, but his muscles relaxed when he noticed the hands-free in Snitch Gravel's right ear.

"I don't have time," he said between his teeth, his eyes fixed on Kay. "I need this now, Firefox, and I don't care what you promised." He paused a little as the other person spoke. "Because I fucked up. Badly."

Kyle frowned and pushed himself up a little higher. Snitch Gravel seemed a little lost as he listened.

"I mean it. That stuff coming out of your mouth? I know all that. There's just one thing I need from you. So give me the damn location." The affirmation was almost immediately followed by a sudden widening of the eyes and the little color on Snitch Gravel's face faded. "What? With Harumi? Both? Fuck." He slid his hand down his face. "This is bad. Are you sure? No, I'll figure it out." There was another short pause. "Do something stupid? Have you met me?"

Kyle had a very bad feeling about all this, but he was too out of it to compute. Something however told him that their little adventure would be cut short. Whatever had happened, Snitch Gravel really did seem to have lost his patience.

For now, he just stood is silence, his absent gaze trained on Kay. Kyle decided it was about time that stopped, so he stumbled in loudly. Snitch Gravel turned to him, looking as hungover as Kyle felt. He'd put a plaster on the bridge of his nose, and a bandage around his head to hide the cut on his forehead.

"How is she?" Kyle asked, deciding not to mention that he'd overheard him freaking out over the phone.

"Better," Snitch Gravel said, his voice rough.

"Where's the midwife?" Kyle made his way towards the bed, cursing inside his head as he went. He was really never drinking again.

"She was here all night. I let her go home." Snitch Gravel straightened and swayed a little. "The bleeding has stopped, so she should be fine."

The uncomfortable knot of guilt in Kyle's stomach made a spectacular comeback and he felt like throwing up again. Instead, he sat on the chair next to the bed and took Kay's hand. It was warm and soft, as if she were just sleeping.

"Why isn't she waking up?"

"I gave her something to keep her under. I thought she might need the rest."

Kyle could read between the lines. Snitch Gravel was facilitating the lie he insisted Kyle told. But it was good to know she wasn't out because of the fall.

"I left you a sandwich." Snitch Gravel nodded towards a lone plane on one of the cabinets, then he turned to leave.

Kyle didn't stop him or say thank you because there was no way those words were  coming out of his mouth after everything that happened. Half of him still felt like hitting Snitch Gravel as hard as he could. He chose to focus on Kay instead. So he rolled closer and pressed his forehead against her hand again.

He didn't know what to say and his mouth was dry. He closed his eyes, focusing on the pain, on his need to see her awake, on the decision he had to make.

She doesn't need to know this. It would be nothing but pain. He could carry this burden alone, it would be his punishment for what he did. And if she asked, if she realized, he'd come clean.

His head pounded. Swirling images from the previous night danced around his head. The fall, her scream, the blood. All that blood. On his hands, on Kay's jeans, on Snitch Gravel's face. Then the rage, losing control, his fight to regain it. Kay bleeding. The alcohol.

Freider was an idiot. If I had a son, I wish it was you.

His nightmares had been so weird. He couldn't even tell where reality ended and they began. Even now they wouldn't leave him, parading in the forefront of his memory, making everything surreal. All he knew was that he'd never imagined he could chug so much alcohol without puking his guts out.

"Hey."

He jerked awake and stared. Kay smiled at him, her eyelids half raised. He'd fallen asleep holding her hand.

"Are you okay?" he blurted out.

She frowned and instantly became more alert. "Are you? You sound really weird."

"I'm fine. I'm..." He straightened in his seat and squeezed her hand, and fortunately his voice came out less slurred. "I was just so worried about you."

"Understandable since I tumbled down a flight of stone stairs." She shifted a little and winced, then closed her eyes as if focusing on something inside her.

Kyle's heart thumped against his chest as he waited. For her to feel the emptiness inside her, to ask what had happened to their baby. He couldn't say the words. They would kill him.

She finally opened her eyes and turned to the heart monitor. "Where are we?"

"Snitch Gravel's infirmary."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. He just felt generous. Or scared after I beat his face in."

"You did what?" She sounded both shocked and thrilled.

"After you fell, I rammed his face against the bars. That seemed to have driven home how stupid his actions were." He tried to smile, but he was pretty sure it came off as a grimace.

"I..." Kay bit her lip, her questioning eyes fixed on him. She wanted to ask, he could tell, and the fact that he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth killed him. "How long was I out?" she asked instead.

"About a day and a half, I think." Because without watches and with massive amounts of alcohol still in his system, it was hard to say.

She nodded, but a mild frown settled on her face. "I need to go to the bathroom."

"Sure."

Yep, there it was. The end of his lie. But he unhooked the heart monitor, untangled her IV wires and helped her to the adjoining bathroom.

He left her to it and waited outside, his heart tiny, his breathing uneven. She seemed to come back in seconds, the frown on her face deeper. He immediately put his arm under hers to help her walk, part of him rejoicing that she did seem well.

The moment they reached the bed, she sat down on it, worrying on her lower lip.

"Over a day ago," she whispered.

"Anything wrong?" he asked. "Well, except for the obvious. "

"I was just thinking..." She raised her eyes, and there was a glint of fear and disappointment in them. "I think I just got my period."

The breath hitched in his throat. "Really?"

"Yeah." She stayed silent for so long, it was painful. "I guess it was a false alarm and maybe some wishful thinking. I heard it could happen."

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart." It broke him, it really did. And what got to him more was how he couldn't go to her and hug her.

"I'm sorry. I'm the one who gave you false hope." Tears slid down her cheeks, but she wiped them away. "But you know what? I'm glad I'm not pregnant. Because you need me to kick ass with you right now."

This did it. He knelt next to the bed and took her in his arms, squeezing her against him. She winced, but wrapped her arms around him all the same.

"We'll get through this," he whispered.

"I know," she whispered back. "We'll get out of here and get married and then we'll really have kids because this experience proved I want them so badly."

"Me too," he said into her stomach, fighting back his own tears. "And you're right. We'll do it. We can do this."

"I love you so much, Kyle."

He didn't deserve it, but he'd take it. So he gave her a short kiss and helped her lay back down.

"Thanks," she whispered. "I still feel as if I was run over by a steamroller."

Before he could answer, the door opened and Snitch Gravel came in. Kyle clenched his fists, fighting the need to fling them at any part of his body.

"So you're up," he said. Without waiting for an answer, he hooked her heart monitor back and checked her vitals. "And seem fairly fine."

"What do you care?" she spat out. "Or are you actually feeling guilty for what you did?"

He threw her a fleeting glance. "You haven't seen anything yet." Then he turned to Kyle. "You can stay here until tomorrow. I have other stuff to take care of, so I'll lock you in. If you so much as move something, you're all dead."

"Gee, thanks. You're not confusing at all," Kyle mumbled.

"I told you this arrangement would last until she was up." Snitch Gravel turned back to Kay and seemed to be doing some deep thinking. "That promise you made four years ago. It no longer applies. I think you've earned it." And just like that, he was out again.

Kyle relaxed the moment they were left alone and turned to Kay. "What's he talking about? What promise?"

Kay looked as confused as he felt, but the way she fiddled with the blanket showed Snitch Gravel hadn't randomly spewed nonsense.

"This is so strange," she muttered. "In India... Well, remember I mentioned Snitch Gravel took back his research and I never went beyond that? The truth is, he caught me. And then, he just let me go, but made me promise not to tell anyone. Said he'd kill you if I did."

Kyle lay next to her on the bed, trying to make sense of what she was saying. She seemed to find it just as difficult as him.

"He just let you go?"

"He said some nonsense about love being destructive and that he would know a lot about that..."

"Where is she?"

"Everywhere and nowhere."

He shook his head. There were too many hints that Snitch Gravel had had someone. And he knew it mattered, even if he couldn't figure out exactly why at the moment.

"He made it sound like he was letting me go because he didn't want you to hurt if he killed me." She looked up at him, confusion filling her face. "I got why he asked me not to tell. He seemed too raw, too human. But why go back on it now?"

Kyle's grip on her shoulder tightened. Snitch Gravel had proven how human he was and apparently he wanted to drive the point home for some reason.

"I have a feeling we'll find out soon enough." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.

"You're not mad at me?" she whispered.

"Of course not. You did what you had to do to protect me." Just like he was now. Yep, if he kept telling himself that, it would become real. But he didn't want her to live with the fear.

She squeezed his forearm and leaned her head against his chest. "Thank you. And I'm sure you're right. For now, I just need to get used to the fact that we're still alive."

She had a point. They should enjoy it while it lasted.

🏯

"Remy, please, you have to calm down."

Even the plea in Sarah's voice couldn't make Jerry stop pacing, stop panicking over what had happened. Kyle and Kay had disappeared two days ago in a chorus of bumps and yells, leaving nothing but a trail of blood behind.

"Stop." She placed herself in his path and took his face in her hands.

"I'm sorry," he breathed, "but I can't. They've been taken away two days ago."

"I'm sure they're fine," Sarah said, her blue eyes boring into his.

He wished he could believe her, that he could smile and hug her, kiss her, get lost in her. Logic and sense didn't let him. He'd been in denial over the outcome of their imprisonment for too long and he could no longer pretend.

"I'm not. Not after what happened to Tom and Angie. Maybe they're dead. Maybe Tom and Angie are also dead, and Sam and Christine and--" We're next, Ria. But he couldn't say those words out loud. Not when he was the one who was supposed to comfort her, not the other way around. Not when he'd never tested the stupid nickname before.

"What would be the point of these silent executions?" Sarah asked. "They've never hurt me, Christine and Kay before."

"What about Angie?"

Sarah bit her lip, obviously not liking where his arguments were going. He didn't like it either, so he gave up and hugged her. Not like losing his composure would influence their fate in any way. Just make them miserable.

"I'm sorry," he said into her hair. "I just want this to be over already, and am yet terrified it will be."

"I understand," she said. "And you have every right to feel scared. They're your friends and family."

"Our friends and family."

"Yes, ours." There was a lingering sadness in Sarah's voice. "I really wish they will be ours."

Jerry wanted to point out that they already were, but he knew what she actually meant and he agreed. He wanted to live, to get out of there. But for now, he leaned in and kissed her just to prove to her and to himself that he could sill do normal stuff that made him happy. It managed to soothe him the tiniest bit, especially once Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back.

The sound of distant footsteps had them pulling apart and his heart started the mad dance once again. He was maybe finally getting his wish.

In what felt like seconds, Snitch Gravel himself appeared in front of heir cage. Jerry did a double take. He'd never seen him dressed in anything else but the impeccable suit, but now Snitch Gravel had jeans, boots and a band t-shirt on. He also had a plaster over the bridge of his nose and a bandage around his head and looked impatient already. Two other men joined him, but they lingered in the back as if trying to remain unnoticed.

"You," he said, and Jerry took that to mean him.

"What about me?" he asked, his tone even and controlled. He really didn't want to do this in front of Sarah, so half of him hoped he'd be taken away again.

"Where are Kyle and Kay?" Sarah asked, obviously not intending to remain unnoticed.

Snitch Gravel's indigo gaze moved from him to her, the impatience turning into interest. "Well this one's fiery."

"And you are hungover, but who's keeping count?" she replied.

Jerry took her hand and squeezed. He hadn't noticed until she pointed it out, but now it was fairly obvious. Either way, pissing off a hungover Snitch Gravel didn't seem like the safest idea.

Snitch Gravel narrowed his eyes at Sarah. "Be careful. You might not like what you find if you poke the sleeping dragon."

"You mean the drunk dragon."

"Sarah, please--"

"I'm not afraid of you," Sarah said. "You're just a frustrated little man and I've faced worse than you." Her words silenced both Jerry and Snitch Gravel. "You have a purpose for keeping us here, we know that, but how about you come out with it. What are you waiting for? You obviously don't want to kill us, or you would have done it already. And the same goes for killing everyone years ago. You're looking for redemption, for approval. This--" She raised her hands to indicate the cage "-- is not helping your case."

Jerry grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him. The look in Snitch Gravel's eyes could kill. Sarah wouldn't have it. She didn't escape his grip but entwined her fingers between his and stepped forward so she was in line with him. Standing tall by his side. Jerry's chest filled with pride and joy and he couldn't even dream of pushing her back again.

This was his Sarah. A force of nature, a secure, confident woman. His rock. And they would face this together.

"Well then..." Snitch Gravel's gaze fell from her, to him. "This is quite a change from your previous girlfriend."

"Yes she is. And if you do anything to hurt her, you'll be sorry."

Snitch Gravel tilted his head, a snide grin on his face at his pathetic threat. "Is this love I'm sensing?"

"It is," Jerry replied, "and nothing you can say can taint it."

"I beg to differ." Snitch Gravel's grin slipped off his face. "Come with me."

"No. You can talk to both of us," Sarah said, squeezing Jerry's hand tighter.

"Oh no, I cannot. Not for this." Snitch Gravel squinted at him. "Don't force me to make you."

Jerry swallowed heavily. He agreed that he would much rather stick with Sarah, but he recognized that expression and realized it could lead to bad things happening to both of them. He didn't see the use for pride or stubbornness at this point.

"It's okay, Sarah. I'll just see what he wants and be right back."

"Remy..." Her voice was soft, but once he let go of her hand, she didn't fight it.

Jerry's heart hammered in his chest as he walked out of the cage and followed Snitch Gravel into his office. The window was still broken and a pleasant breeze drifted inside the room. The day was for once sunny, and it seemed to be morning. Seeing light again gave him the unexpected feeling that things were about to go horribly wrong.

"I need you to do something for me," Snitch Gravel said, dropping on the chair behind his desk and rubbing the bridge of his nose. He winced and lowered his hand.

Jerry gawked at him. "Excuse me?"

"This has taken a nasty turn and I'll be honest. It won't be over until all of you are here."

"We are here."

Snitch Gravel rolled his eyes. That seemed to hurt too, because he winced again. "Can't you count? Jessie and Jimmy are missing."

Right. "They're--"

"Right here."

"Um, what?" Maybe it was rude, but Snitch Gravel made no sense.

"The thing is, I need to get them here subtly, and without anyone getting hurt," he continued, as if unaware Jerry was judging his sanity. "And I see only one way to do that. You'll go and get Jessie in here."

"How? And why not get them both while I'm at it?"

"Because you can't." Snitch Gravel leaned forward, his forehead resting on one hand. "He won't come willingly. There will be a plan, an attempt to bust you out, and I don't need that. I need Jessie."

Jerry wanted to wish him good luck in his endeavor, because there was no way Jessie was giving herself up and coming quietly. She was a fighter. And abandoning Jimmy was out of the question. With a guilty hard swallow, Jerry wondered how they'd left California, how they'd found them, how Jimmy was. If he was as bad as Jerry remembered, Jessie was basically alone.

"Jessie won't come." That much should be obvious for everyone.

"Of course she won't. That's why you have to take her."

Jerry opened his mouth and closed it again. His first impulse was to ask how, but he had something better to say. "No."

"The correct answer is yes."

"No."

Snitch Gravel groaned as if he had no patience for reason. "Let's put it another way. Unless you want me to hand your Sarah over to Cannon, you will do this."

The blood froze in Jerry's veins. Cannon. He was well too aware what than meant. Torture, possibly murder. Because that psychopath scarred people for fun. Just like he'd done with Tom. The thought of him coming anywhere near Sarah made Jerry physically ill.

"I'm not kidding. Unless you bring Jessie here, I'm handing her over. God knows Cannon needs a new toy. Your brother hasn't been cutting it lately."

"No, you can't do that."

"I can, and I will." Snitch Gravel reached out his hand to the button on his desk he used to call his men in.

Jerry's knees shook and his chest hurt from the fear and anxiety. Not Sarah. He couldn't do this to her, couldn't be the reason she was hurt, tortured.

Jessie's strong, said a traitorous voice inside his head. She can handle this better than you.

Jimmy would kill him.

But else, Cannon would kill Sarah. Snitch Gravel's finger came closer and closer to the button and Jerry was sure he would suffocate.

He shut his eyes, his breath shaky. "Stop, okay, fine. What do you want me to do?"

The sound of something clanking against the desk had him opening his eyes. Snitch Gravel had laid out a small bottle and a piece of cloth.

"Get creative. You have one hour. If you're not back by then, you know what happens."

Jerry just wanted to die.

🏯

Jessie stretched like a cat, enjoying the sunlight dancing across her skin. It warmed her up, leaving behind a pleasant glow. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt like this. Happy, relaxed, amazing. She still couldn't believe it. Jimmy was back and better than ever and they were engaged. He'd proposed to her.

She kept in a need to squeal with happiness. Hope flooded every inch of her and she was sure she could take on the world. They could. Sooner rather than later.

Jimmy was no longer in bed with her. He'd left a note which let her know he'd gone climbing again and would be back soon. It was probably for the best since Kato would have a minor stroke if he caught them. The clandestine thing was pretty fun, but she couldn't wait for this to be over so that they could go back home. Together.

Feeling like a Disney princess about to burst into song, she finally got out of bed, pulled on her gi and exited the room. The house seemed empty, so she headed outside, her eyes instantly zeroing in on the space between the shed and the garage where the path to the mountains was.

"Jessie!"

She jumped and looked to her right. Kato made his way towards her from the direction of the greenhouse, a crate in his hands, wearing his gi now.

"Good morning," she wished him with a smile and a small wave which she hoped would hide her guilt.

It didn't. As he approached her, his neutral expression fell into a frown. Suddenly, he dropped the crate and came to her, grabbing his bo staff which he'd left leaning against the house. She stepped back, ready to intercept a potential hit. Instead, he passed the weapon to her.

"Thanks. Are we training?" she asked.

Kato just took her wrist and seemed to be judging her pulse. Of course her heart started thundering, the traitorous thing.

"What did you do?" he murmured, running his palm on the inside of her wrist. "You silly girl, what did you do?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied.

"Where is he?" Kato asked instead, yanking the bo staff out of her hands. "Jimmy!" He turned towards the shed as if expecting him to be there, cracking logs. "You ruined him. The progress, the time. Jimmy!"

Jessie locked her jaw, deciding it was better to pretend that she didn't know where Jimmy was or what Kato was talking about. The truth was, she was scared. Because if what they did messed up Jimmy's progress and his training... Nope, it was still totally worth it. The guilt intensified as she thought about the others.

No, Kato is just being silly. We didn't ruin anything. They couldn't have, not when it had been so amazing.

"I'll help you look for him," she said, heading in the direction of the road.

Kato gave her a glare, but headed towards the greenhouse. Jessie followed his progress, wondering if he wanted to use the bo staff on Jimmy when he found him. Would he find it funny or get annoyed? And what if the old man was right and she's messed him up?

As she walked looking over her shoulder, she bumped into something soft but solid. She turned and almost jumped out of her skin.

Jimmy stood in front of her, a mild smile on his face.

"Jesus, Hotstuff, you scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly.

"When did you come down?" She took him in because something felt wrong. Then she realized he was not wearing the gi, but normal jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. "Why are you dressed like this?"

He frowned as if he found the question confusing. His eyes moved past her and towards the house, then back to her. "I don't know. Just felt like it."

His words chilled her. "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

He definitely sounded off, even if he was still smiling. It didn't reach his eyes, at all.

"Kato said we might've messed up. That I ruined your progress."

He shook his head and took her hand. The warmth of his skin calmed her down a little, but an alarm inside her blared as she tried to put two and two together. Something was definitely wrong, the answer right there on the edge of her subconscious.

"Don't worry," he whispered, pulling her towards him.

Being in his arms could never be wrong, so she let him, all the while her mind churning. Was Kato making her paranoid or...? No. It was her who had lost sleep and was just coming down from the massive afterglow. It was her messing it up.

Jimmy turned her in his arms so that she rested her back against his chest. He didn't do that unless she was already with her back to him. He didn't look at her like that either, wasn't so quiet. Jimmy still had red highlights in his hair.

It hadn't computed at once because she'd never expected it to be a possibility. She tried to turn, but he tightened his hold to keep her there. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't possible.  And yet, as soon as her mind caught up with her, the truth became obvious.

"Jerry?" she whispered.

"I'm so sorry, Jessie," he whispered back.

His hold around her tightened, then a cloth covered her mouth. She jerked away, trying to escape, but the substance now covering her nose and mouth made it hard to coordinate, to focus. Her vision blurred and she couldn't believe Kato's house was just fifty feet away. That Jimmy could be close. That Kato was just beyond her reach.

Darkness left her helpless in her future brother-in-law's arms.

End of Part II

🏯🏯🏯

And after the small break we're back to so much drama because yay drama! This is also the end of part II which means we're starting with the climax next week. In case you're wondering, there are nine chapters left to go.

So... Why was Snitch Gravel freaking out? Who was he talking to? What does he want? And poor, poor Jerry put in a situation like this.

Needless to say, Jimmy won't like this and shit might blow up. Brace yourself to see exactly how and what it will hit.

Don't forget to vote and comment for the goat.