The unknown officer spoke as Dave and three other officers approached. "We finished checking the bottom floor, but couldn't find anything. We were just about to start upstairs when we heard you pull in."
Nodding, Dave started up the stairs, taking them two at a time in his haste. His mind had been spinning in circles since Kale had gone missing. He�d been acting out of sheer instinct, not stopping to worry about the consequences. He felt he was so close to finding his lost love, but dreaded exactly what he would find. Fear and worry gripped his heart as his over-active imagination brought to mind several possibilities of what Ryan could have done to Kale, each more gruesome as the last.
The hallway at the top was a dark as the one below him. He jumped as he felt a cool object touch his forearm, smiling in thanks as he noticed it was just a flashlight from Mendez. His friend spoke quietly, aware of the gravity of the situation. �I brought some extras in with me from the car. We tried to turn the lights on, but someone cut the cables.�
Nodding, Dave flipped on the flashlight, illuminating all corners of the small room to make sure it was empty. Without another word, he started down the hall. Dave checked the first door on the left while the others spread out down the hall in their silent search. Shining the bright flashlight through the room, he noted that the floor was covered with a layer of dust. From it�s unmarred surface, he guessed no one had been in the room for a while. The only contents of the room were a few crates piled three rows thick along the wall to the left. Assured of the room�s vacancy, he shut the door and continued down the hall in his search.
Ryan paused in his work, hand frozen in the air as he interrupted his strike. The knife had been discarded long ago for the more solid feel of fists striking flesh. His toy lay unmoving below him, one arm bent at an impossible angle still tied behind its back. The floor beneath them was stained a wonderful crimson, streaked in parts where the other�s body had been thrown from its earlier position due to the force of Ryan�s blows. Turning slightly, Ryan gazed at his raised fist and noted with pleasure that they were dyed red from his righteous work. He had never noticed how attractive his possession looked with its own blood painting its features. Such a fitting tribute to a lying, traitorous whore, to lay there coated in its own filthy blood.
Straining his ears to try and catch the faint sound, Ryan held his breath in the silence of the room. There it was! He heard it again, the shrill screaming sound of a siren. Ryan smiled as the sound reminded him of how his lovely little doll had sounded earlier, pleading and begging for mercy, for the other to end his pain. The sound had been so sweet against his ears, like pure silk sliding past him. And the tortured screams as he plunged into the others, rising in pitch and intensity as the knife mirrored him. Just like a good little whore to scream for him. Ryan almost purred as he remembered blood mixing with sweat and tears on the other�s face, eyes loosing hold of reality from terror and pain.
Such a wonderful feel, to have the other powerless underneath him. To finally show the dirty little whore the price of its infidelity. Never would he be thrown over, never discarded. He never did like sharing, not even when the object he possessed tried to leave. It had thought it had escaped too, foolish thing. He always got his way, no matter what. He did not give up, no, never. In the end, it had been returned to him. He had the last word, the final say. He was victorious. No one could stop him now, the other was too far gone.
Gazing down at the unmoving body, Ryan repeated the words that had become his litany through the night. �You�re mine. I won�t let him have you. If I can�t have you, no one will.�
Ryan pulled away from his broken, bloodied rag doll as he heard voices approaching from down the hall. Here comes the hero to save his dearest love. The knight in shining armor riding in a chariot of steel to come to the rescue. Too bad there wasn�t much left to save. Ryan had seen to that. Picking up the discarded knife, Ryan went to stand behind the door. He stood there, silent and unmoving, waiting like a cat about to pounce his pray. He would have his revenge on the one that thought to take his possession. No one steals his possessions, no one.
Ryan didn�t have long to wait as the object of his thoughts opened the door. Ryan almost cackled as the other stared in horror and shock at the bloodied body laid out before them. Smiling gleefully, Ryan pounced.
Dave was prepared to be faced with yet another empty room as he turned the dusty handle on the room near the end of the hall. This was the fifth room he had searched, every room before revealing the same empty, dusty scene. He was not prepared to find the object of his search, slumped on the floor in a puddle of his own blood. Dave was barely able to contain hysterical screams that threatened to break through his clenched teeth as his lover was displayed before him, a bloody, naked mass. Shock froze him in place as horror gripped his stomach, threatening to spill the few contents in there.
Instinct alone saved him as he heard ragged breathing behind him. Spinning, he barely managed to avoid the knife aimed at his throat. The door slammed shut behind him, locking as Ryan turned the latch. His gun was knocked out of his hand before he had time to react, spinning across the room to land next to his broken lover. He could hear the panicked shouts of the others as they banged against the door. Diving to the left, Dave managed to avoid Ryan�s swing a second time.
�Stop this now, Ryan. You�re only digging yourself in deeper by attacking me. The judges already have enough to put you away for attempted manslaughter.� He would not say his lover was dead, would not think it. Dave tried to reason with the other, hoping to buy time for the others to break through, hoping that Kale was not too far gone to be saved. His realized his words would not do him any good as he recognized the glint of insanity in Ryan�s hard brown eyes.
�It�s mine. You can�t have it. I won�t let you.� Ryan�s words were spat like a curse as he swung again. Dave dodged again, hissing in pain as the knife graze his cheek and his blood mixed with Kale�s.
It took Dave a moment to realize Ryan was referring to Kale. Ryan�s words filled him with rage that such a beautiful creature would be treated as a worthless possession by a man who had hurt his lover so many times. Lunging, Dave tried to reach his gun but was cut off as Ryan kicked it out of the way. The two faced off over Kale�s body. Dave was relieved to see Kale�s chest moving up and down with his faint, hollow breathing. Dave just hoped the other could still be saved.
A crash filled the room as the door caved in, falling to the ground in an explosive thud. Dave dropped where he stood as Ryan lunged for him again. A shot rang out. Dave tried to shield his lover as Ryan continued his attack, unfazed. A second shot whistled over his head, a third following. The expected blow never came. Dave looked up as he heard a body hit the floor next to him. Ryan lay unmoving on the floor, a bullet wound piercing his heart. Turning to the others, Dave couldn�t keep the near-hysteria from his voice as he ordered them to call an ambulance.
�I already did, whenever the door slammed shut behind you.� Mendez spoke quietly, solemnly, as he approached to kneel next to Kale.
Dave was vaguely aware one of the officers retching in the hall outside. Another approached him to check on Ryan, shaking his head as he was unable to find a pulse. Removing his jacket, Dave laid it over top of his lover, trying to at least partially cover the other�s nudity. Gently wiping traces of tears from Kale�s still face, he almost cried in relief as he heard the sirens of an ambulance outside the warehouse.
Brian exited the emergency room, shaking uncontrollably. Turning into the washroom next door, he stared at his blood stained hands as if not seeing them. Visions of a mutilated body on a table below him flashed through his head before he forced them out. He had never wanted to see his friend like that, so weak and vulnerable. All of his friends had tried to protect him, had known Ryan was no good for him. Brian knew he would never forgot when his friend was wheeled into the emergency room in the dead of night, would never forget fighting to save his friend�s life on the emergency room table.
Turning on the water, Brian watched in distracted fascination as the red liquid swirled down the drain. So much blood. Staining everything as it leaked out while others tried desperately to hold it in. How one man could do such a thing to another he didn�t know, would never know. He wasn�t sure he wanted to know, only glad that the man was gone. Dead beyond retrieval, left to the final judgement. Gazing hollowly at his reflection in the mirror, he noticed the bloodstained clothing he wore. Ripping it off almost violently, he shoved the white coat into a nearby garbage can. Checking his appearance in the mirror to make sure there was no more blood, Brian accepted it as at least presentable and prepared to face the others.
Staggering out of the washroom, he made his way unsteadily towards the waiting room where his friends had gathered. Some of his co-workers stared at his as he passed, either in pity or understanding he didn�t know nor care. He was beyond caring except about one person who lay on a table in a room behind him. He was tired nearly to the point of exhaustion. He would have considered getting some sleep, but he knew if he tried he would be confronted with the image of his friend.
Pushing his hair away from his face with one hand, Brian entered the small waiting room. Looking around he met concerned eyes from all corners of the room. Cheryl and Laura were seated together to his right. He could tell Laura was silently fuming, blue eyes blazing. He was glad of Cheryl�s comforting presence to keep the other from disturbing the quiet of the emergency room. Seth was seated to his left, silent as always but with concern evident in his features. Rich was there standing in the corner, a silent pillar of patience. Dave paused in his pacing as soon as her heard the other enter, turning to face Brian with troubled green eyes. A small bandage covered the cut on his cheek, barely worth considering after what had been done to his friend.
Brian collapsed in a vacant chair as he gave his report, unable to support himself on his own any longer. �Kale�s alive, but barely. Very lucky in that Ryan didn�t pierce anything vital, but he lost a lot of blood. We managed to stop the internal bleeding and sew up the worst of the cuts. His left arm�s broken in two places, right leg is fractured below the knee. Three of his ribs are cracked. Multiple lacerations, several bruises. Looks like he was thrown around pretty badly, and they�re sure he was raped.� Gasps of shock and outrage met his words, but he continued without pause. Dave had paled considerably at his last words. �To top it off, he�s got a severe concussion. They�ve got him on life support and a respirator. As soon as they�ve finished moving him to another room you can go see him.� Brian didn�t add that they feared Kale wouldn�t make it through the night, would never wake up. His friends had enough worries without adding that to them.
Silence reigned as each lost themselves in their own thoughts. He was almost unnerved at Laura�s unusual quiet, expecting some type of violent outbreak. Cheryl�s arms around her lover answered his unspoken question, and he realized how much she must be hurting. Out of all of them, with the exclusion of David, she knew Kale best. They�d grown up together. She had been his unofficial protector, and failed. Brian knew Cheryl would keep the other from doing something stupid, from blaming herself for what had happened.
The quiet voice of a nurse shattered the silence. Nodding at her calm words, Brian lead the others to the room where Kale lay. Pulling Dave aside as the others entered, he spoke quietly. �I�ve arranged it with the staff so that, if you want, you can stay in here with Kale.�
Dave smiled briefly at the other�s thoughtfulness. �I need to go back to the police station later to help file a report, but I�ll be back afterwards.�
Nodding, Brian followed the other into the tiny room.
Kale woke in a foggy, haze of pain. He was unable to move, to weak to even turn his head. His entire body blazed with pain, but it was distant. It seemed like he was a step removed from reality as he floated in near oblivion. He felt it calling him back into mindless slumber, but he needed to know something first. Casting eyes that refused to focus around the small, dimly lit room, Kale focused on a figure seated next to him.
His voice cracked as he spoke, barely more than a whisper as he uttered the name of his lover, his savior. �Dave?�
A calm voice filled his ears instantly, bringing joy at recognition. A hand gently smoothed the hair away from his face. �I�m right here, love. I�ve been here all along.�
Kale felt warmed by the other�s presence. Smiling in relief now that the vague worry that had roused him was answered, assured that the other would be there to watch over him, Kale released himself to the painless oblivion sleep brought to him.
�It�s you favorite person again.�
Kale smiled brightly as Dave walked in the door, carrying another vase of flowers. He was feeling much better, nearly two weeks after Ryan had kidnapped him. His arm was still in a cast, and his leg. He couldn�t move much, but at least he was conscious and relatively pain free. Most of the bruises had faded, even some of the deeper cuts were almost healed by now. Dave had told him that he had been out for nearly a week, only waking once to make sure Dave was there with him. Dave had stayed with him for most of the first week, waiting until Kale was fully conscious until returning to work. Even now, he still spent most of his time at the hospital with Kale, which Kale was extremely grateful for.
Kale�s nights were haunted by visions of the night of terror weeks ago, of Ryan raping him. At first he had been unsure that Dave would still love him, still want him after all that had happened. His doubts had been cast aside by the other�s gentle reassurances, by the love conveyed in the other�s voice every time he spoke. Dave�s constant presence had kept him from losing himself in what had been done to him, when nightmares made him want to hide in a corner somewhere and start screaming. He had been shocked when they�d told him Ryan was dead. Even after everything that had happened, it was unexpected. He had never thought the other would be killed, never thought it would end like this.
Kale was drawn from his thoughts as Dave sat in the chair next to him, hand tracing a gentle pattern over his cheek. Glancing at the latest vase Dave had added to the large collection on his windowsill. �Who are those from?�
Dave smile at his lover as he spoke. His presence was a gentle reminder that Kale was not alone, no matter what happened. �Those are from the guys at the station. Some of them were thinking of stopping by later tonight to see how you were doing. That is if you don�t mind, of course.�
Kale smiled lightly in reassurance, previous thoughts forgotten as his attention settled on his beloved. �No, I�d be happy to see them.�
�Good, though it looks like you won�t have room for any more flowers pretty soon.�
Kale laughed cheerfully. Nearly everyone he knew had taken it upon themselves to send him flowers or a card. Even his parents had sent a card, much to his great surprise. He assumed they had heard what had happened from Laura�s parents, who had sent a large arrangement of daffodils and daisies. The room smelled wonderful as the various assortments of fragrances blended into one, refreshing aroma. His friends visited often, Brian always stopping by every time he had a free moment in his shift. Laura, Cheryl, and Seth normally stayed with him when Dave was working. Even Rich had showed up a couple times to see him.
Dave looked at Kale thoughtfully before speaking somewhat hesitantly. �Kale, have you ever thought about what you were going to do once you got out of the hospital?�
Frowning slightly in puzzlement at the other�s question, Kale nodded. �I assumed I�d just go back to work at the Void, if Rich�ll still have me considering all the work I missed. Why do you ask?�
Dave was silent a moment before speaking. �Would you consider moving in with me?�
Kale�s breath stopped as Dave�s words hit him. He looked down at the sheet pooled in his lap as he thought about Dave�s proposal. He knew what his answer would be, but he wanted to make certain he was doing the right thing first. �What brought this on?�
Dave spoke quietly, his words sounding as if he had been thinking about this for a long time. �Whenever you went missing, I was nearly hysterical with panic. I thought the bastard had killed you and I�d never see you again. When we found you, my heart nearly stopped to see what had been done to you. Also, afterwards when we weren�t sure you�d make it through the night. Seeing you suffer, seeing you hurt, made me think of how terrible and empty my life would be without you. I realized then that I never wanted to be apart from you, never wanted to let anyone harm you ever again. Then I came to a conclusion.�
Kale looked deeply into the other�s eyes as Dave tilted his chin up gently. �What conclusion did you make?�
Dave�s eyes reflected warmth, love, and care. They spoke of wanting to heal all the hurts Kale had ever been delivered, of sheltering him in their gentle warmth. �I want to spend the rest of my life with you, if you�ll let me.� Kale was breathless with the emotion he read in the depths of emerald pools, rendered beyond speechless by the other�s words.
Tears of joy streamed down his face as Kale felt himself filled with happiness. He nodded his agreement as the other drew him into a light embrace. After a few moments he pulled away to meet the other�s eyes. �I love you, Dave. You saved my life numerous times, and you�ve always been there when I needed you. More importantly, you loved me and for that I�d give you whatever you asked. I don�t ever want to be away from you. I want to be with you always and forever after.�
The kiss they shared sealed their fate, full of promise of a new beginning full of love and hope.
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