City of IF

[Lilith]

Hmm... how intruging a situation Rai.

And a chappy with a hope-filled ending to boot? What are you plotting?

I am guessing the DP is What are they gonna do with a kid on the way?

Well, I have no clue at the moment,... but when I do, I'll be back. ;)

[Mephistopheles]

is there a part three coming, or is this the dp? simple plan would be to continue with a happy pregnancy, but, alas, something could happen that causes the loss of the babies life, like one of liams' enemies shoving her down in the street and she strikes a stair or hand rail, and oops, no more baby. or perhaps abortion, no, doesn't fit the characters well enough. people who wait for love and save whores don't abort pregnancies. so yeah, i say toil onwards with the promise of a new existence to come, and see what fate holds in store. Nicely put together too, rai, pretty good read thus far.

[Kalanna Rai]

Vote for your favorite option...but I bet I know which one will win...

[Kalanna Rai]

Right, new chappy for you two to enjoy. Enjoy!
-----------------------------

Chapter Six: A Monster Awakened

The moniters are so familiar...well most of them. The one that kept track of her heart rate and respirations, the ones that kept track of the baby's heart rate. The IV's with the medicins they drip into her and...everything else. She's got a feeding tube in and looks so small and fragile in that bed. God did I ever look like that once? No. I'm sure I didn't. I wasn't six and a half months pregnant for one thing, or female for another. And I was hungery for revenge. That hunger is back, I want this bastard so bad I can taste it. He's mine...

Liam sat next to the hospital bed, flinching every time a nurse walked past, anytime anyone set their eyes upon him. They all thought he did it, thought he'd beaten her and was now playing the 'tragic husband' card. His fists clenched automatically...how could they be so damn wrong? Did the whole world have to be so fucked and jaded all the time? Dammit! This was why he avoided hospitals like the plague. Give him some stitches and some pain meds if he really had something serious.

He looked down at Cassi, laying there with guaze on her face, her belly slightly flatter than it had been. "Oh my God! Liam?!" He looked up, instantly recognizing the voice. Yasmine, another of his saves, an older one...from about two years ago. She was dressed in a pair of pink teddy-bear scrubs, long blonde hair in a neat poneytail.

He stood up as she rushed to embrace him, her tight hug reassuring him more than she realized. "Oh my gawsh honey, you are so tense...and trembling." She took one look at his face and realized it wasn't fear. Looking at the figure in the bed, her face took on a look of shock and horror. "What the hell?"

"She was beaten and shoved down two flights of steps. Her water broke and she went into premature labor...luckily it stopped when she reached the hospital. Luckier still, the baby is still alive. I don't think she could handel loosing it." Yasmine was all professional all the sudden, checking vitals and the bags on the IV drips.

"You will get this guy right Liam?" He knew she was looking at him, he could see her worried face from the corner of his eye.

"What you don't know you can't tell the police Min." She grabbed his arm with surprising force and he was forced to look at her and watch as she pulled it back...something very close to fear in her eyes. But she lifted her chin, steeling herself. She knew his rage wasn't for her.

"I'm not asking as someone who has to report this. I'm asking as a woman concerned for her own saftey. I can't trust the police to do a damn thing...you, on the other hand, I can trust to smash this fucker's kneecaps."

Laim swollowed hard. "Oh...I'm gonna do so much more than that when I find him Min...so much more." With that he grabbed his coat and started to leave the ward, nodding to Wires as he passed. Wires had become protective of Cassi and the baby, a change that had obviously startled Cassi. Liam smiled. Cassi, like most people, had probably pegged Wires as a shadey person and, while he was that, under all that city grime was a very tender heart.

He hadn't gone more than five steps when he stopped to listen as Yasmine put another nurse in her place.

"Did you get a look at that guy? He sure did a number on this girl, poor thing."

"Is THAT what you think? Well listen sista' you got it ALL wrong. That man is Liam Green...that's right, you heard me talk 'bout him before. How many other girls you seen comin' through here talking 'bout him huh? Plenty sista'...plenty."

"HIM? That's THE Liam Green? Oh hell, I shoulda put two and two together but Green's a pretty common last name. Shit, maybe I should apologize...I mean a guy like that wouldn't beat his wife."

"Wife???" Liam booked it before Yasmine could come out here and start getting him for information. Now that he knew she worked here he wouldn't be coming back. Still, he could hear her voice calling him even after he'd left. Poor Wires.

As the elevator doors closed infront of him he relaxed his facade for a moment, allowed the mask to slip a little bit as the fury and hunger came boiling up. He remembered what his therapist had told him after the trial. The guy had poked and prodded everything Liam wanted left alone, Liam understood it was the guy's job and had gritted his teeth and borne it.

Then, after thinking he had Liam's 'issues' dealt with, he began in on the hallucinations. Liam had told him they had gone away before the sessions were over, just to get off the damn medication, and had learned to control them without. But the doc hadn't stopped there, the whole purpose of the sessions had been to see if Liam would kill again. He'd assured the doc he wouldn't.

He didn't know if he'd lied. There were some he was sure he'd dealt lethal injuries to...or near lethal. But they wouldn't have been lethal to Liam...he'd had too many wounds inflicted...knew how to protect himself. Was it his fault they didn't? The elevator opened to the lobby and he headed for the exit.

Lightning forked the sky as he crossed the parking lot. Soon after, rain soaked him, melding cloathing to muscle. A bum glanced at Liam's face and shuddered away. Liam smiled grimly. Woe to the man that had beaten his wife. The monster was loose on the end of his chain.
--------------------------

He lay back on his bed, dissatisfied. He wasn't sure he'd finished off the last one. She'd been a breader...maybe that's why she refused him. He didn't like refusals and he'd been getting them too much lately. Didn't matter how much cash he offered, they turned him down...

He rolled over an punched his pillow. First the rep on campus for being too tempermental and slightly violent...now the hookers were getting spooked. They couldn't know right? Course not. If they knew the cops would know...and if the cops knew..."Dad." Oh yes, DA dad migh be shocked but he'd still prosecute as ruthlessly as ever.

"And you won't last in jail Jeremy. Not a New York minute." That meant he had to find the bitch and make sure she was dead...but how?
------------------------

Meet Jeremy...the villian of the tale. Now how will this college murderer try to take out Cassi...note he has to find her first.
----------------------

Hope you liked.

[Mephistopheles]

Nicely written rai, and short! what up with that? anyways, hmm, he knows he didn't kill her, right,so he goes to the hospitals, to find her. but the many nurses who know liam,or of him, keep a pretty close watch on cass, so he can't do nothing til she gets released. Maybe liam could catch a glimpse of him, one time, and then have a face to go with the act? I will say thanks for writing this even though it only got two votes.

[Lilith]

If Jeremy's a real bastard, he'll lure Cassi out of the hospital by stealing the baby. Muahahahaha...

[Kalanna Rai]

I think I'll put both of your ideas together for the next chappy since they flow so well...

And Lily...you really do want to see Liam in full pissed off mode don't you? :lol:

[Kalanna Rai]

Well due to some comp issues, I extremely dislike this machine, I've lost the original work on this chappy...including a rather interesting dream sequence. *sighs* I've done my best to re-work the chappy thought. Enjoy!
WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR ALL AGES
--------------------

Chapter Seven: Devil's Game

He's in my dreams now, I can get no peace from this bastard. I see him and I just want to wipe him off the planet. He make his fatal mistake the day he beat Cassi...but he only made it worse after that. He touched my son. Nobody threatens my family...ever. You can run Jeremy DaCosa...but you cannot live. You beat my wife, you've messed with my son...now feel the wrath of the dragon.

Cassi opened the door quietly. Not hearing any noise from inside she guessed correctly that Alex was sleeping. She smiled greatfully to Wires and put a finger to her lips in a 'shush' gesture. He nodded and waved goodbye, tapping his watch to tell her he'd be back the same time tomorrow to escort her to work again. She smiled greatfully and slipped inside, shutting the door carefully.

She grinned at Liam as his head twisted around to catch her from the corner of his eye, a smile making it's way across his face. "Hey." He said softly.

"Hey yourself handsome. How're my men?" She walked around the couch to where Liam was sitting, arms along the back, one leg stretched just so. The foot on the end of that leg was gently rocking a baby carrier in which was wrapped their three month old son, Alex. He was soundly sleeping, pacifier in mouth, soft blue blanket wrapped around him. He looked so small still but the doctor assured them that, for a boy born a month too soon, he was fine.

She grinned, pleased with herself, as she sat down next to Liam and snuggled into the crook of his arm. Cassandra grinned up at her husband. "He looks like his daddy." He kissed her on the forehead.

"It's the hair." She giggled at his matter of fact statement. It was true, of course. He had his father's thick auburn locks and her slightly darker skin. So small and so perfect...if only he'd sleep through the night. She sighed against Liam and his arm came down around her shoulders, making her feel safer than she had in months. "What's wrong? He show up?" She felt his muscles tighten.

"No. You know he's not that bold." Cassandra shivered in fear. She still had nightmares about...him. Worse, her nightmares included Liam now. She remembered that night in the hospital parking lot. It had all started in her room when the hospital was getting ready to discharge her and her son. A nurse had mentioned in passing that she seemed to have so many well wishers, mentioning a nice young man who'd inquired about her health several times.

When the nurse had described the young man, Cassandra had flown into a panic, telling the nurse she'd just described her attacker. Before the bewildered young woman had been able to stop her, Cassandra had dashed past her heading for the nursery. Luckily, or unluckily, she saw Liam coming through the doors and yelled at him what had happened. Liam must have seen the young man because he'd turned on his heel and sprinted out those doors faster than Cassandra could have imagined.

Cassandra had been caught waiting for an elevator but had managed to catch up to Liam in the parking lot. What she'd seen there, in the driving rain, had made her blood run cold. Liam had litterally driven the young man into the concrete, was kneeling on the young man's back using one arm to hold the youth's head in a deep pothole full of water while cradling Alex in the crook of his free arm.

The sound of sirens and Cassandra's yell had brought him quickly to his feet and over too her, where he handed her a damp but unharmed Alex. Then he'd turned to go back to the youth but Cassandra had caught his arm. When he'd turned around...the look he'd given her...it was like seeing him for the first time in a whole new, hellish, light. It was then that she remembered Liam had once admitted to killing someone...and she'd realized that, had she not stopped him he'd have killed her attacker.

"What's wrong?" He nuzzled her hair gently and she smiled. She couldn't blame him...she'd wanted to kill the bastard too. And he obviously wanted her dead...and the police thought he was probably the one who'd killed all those poor girls. The death total was at ten now and she was the only real lead the police had. Problem was her description was shaky since she'd been understandably stressed both times.

It matched Liam's...but not those given by several members of the hospital staff. And, more's the pity, the hospital security camera images were too blurry to be used...that or the man's face was always obstructed.

Liam's voice broke into her thoughts. "Him again?"

"Yeah." She murmured. "I can't help it. I know he hasn't been back...but now that I'm getting more notice..." She didn't finish. Maybe modling wasn't such a great carrer choice after all.

"You can always stop, be a stay at home mom. At least for the first year." He always said that and it was sounding better and better. When she'd first married Liam, not two weeks after they'd discovered her pregnancy, she'd been very worried. She hadn't known much about him, next to nothing really, and had felt like she'd trapped him into this marriage.

He still hadn't really opened up to her but they were making progress. She'd learned he'd been abused as a child by his father, a carrer military man who'd resented his wife dying and leaving him with two young sons to take care of. She'd learned he held an engineering degree, of all things, that might as well have been toilet paper for how much it mattered to him. She'd learned that he lived in this shit-hole appartment in this slum by choice because he was rather well off financially. Apparently he had one hell of a stock-broker because he'd shown her a few reports and she'd been dazzeled. When she'd asked he'd shrugged and said he'd done the lady a favor once upon a time.

But she liked the independance that came with the job she had, even if the money wasn't good just yet it wasn't all that bad either. She felt like she was contributing and she knew he knew that because he never pressed her too hard about staying home. She looked up at him, wondering how he'd ended up both sensative and brutal. But he'd never been the least bit rough with her, excluding that once in a lifetime moment when she'd surprised him in the middle of a nightmare. Even then she'd been more surprised then hurt.

Smiling she kissed him...deeply. He responded well, much more tenderly than of late, again as if sensing this was what she needed. She was out of breath when they broke apart, already shifting positions so that she could sit astride him. "You realize we havn't made love since that morning in the shower?"

He laughed, she loved his laugh. He didn't laugh enough. "So that's what this was all about? The old 'fool me with those big soft eyes routine' eh?" His fingers moved to the buttons on her shirt, his leg still moving so that the rhythem of Alex's rocking was unbroken. Kissing him again she smiled as she pressed her palm against his zipper. He nipped her earlobe. "I think it worked..."
---------------------

He stood for a long moment staring at them as blue neon light streamed through the windows. He studied the way Cassandra's curls flowed across the pillow, the way her nighgown lay across her thighs. Alex was nestled in his mother's arms, sleeping for the moment. Liam smiled, Cassandra was always good when she started it...and the end result was something special.

Guilt assailed him again, both for what he'd done and what he was about to do. He'd left instructions with Wires to drive the both of them back up to 'The House'. It was a long drive, nearly nine hours, and Wires had instructions to tell Cassandra Liam would be meeting them there.

He wouldn't, of course. Instead there was a note for Wires to give Cassandra once they got there and a manila envalope full of documents Cassi would need to start her life again. A tear slid down Liam's face, his first tear since Alex, his brother, had died in his arms on that long ago summer night. He'd miss his son growing up, miss doing all the things a 'good' father should...all the things he'd always planned to do with his children.

But this was the way it had to be. With a last kiss to each of them, Liam buttoned his shirt, slipped on his jacket, and walked out of their lives forever. He knew his chances of surviving this weren't good...he didn't expect to come back alive. Even if he lived he was facing two choices. Life without parole...or capital punishment. The death penalty.

Murder for the second time in his life.

He walked to a pay phone and dialed the number on the slip...a number Wires had gotten for him at a cost Liam wasn't willing to name. After the third ring it was answered...

"Hello?"

Liam didn't recognize his own voice when he spoke into the phone...it was a tone he hadn't used in years. The voice of a killer.

"You've a date with a dragon Jeremy DaCosa."
-------------------------------

Jeremy's blood ran cold at the sound of the voice on the other end. He knew that voice...the bastard that had chipped his front tooth and broken his nose. He knew that only the presence of witnesses had stopped this man from killing him two months ago. Why? What was he doing protecting that bitch?

He's the father of that child dumbass...that's why. You should never have snatched that kid.

Jeremy swollowed hard then replied. "And you've got a date with a lawsuit psycho. My father will have your balls for Christmas orniments."

A small laugh echoed back to him followed by the man's cold voice. "Yeah...I'm sure Daddy will stand by you when all the facts come to light. A badly beaten woman, a kidnapped infant, oh...and ten dead women. Face it Jeremy...you don't have a snowball's chance in hell."

A shiver went down Jeremy's spine. The bastard had proof! Oh that was no good. He needed to shut this guy down for good. "Name a place asshole! Set a time and a grave because I will bury you."

Another laugh. "I think not kiddo. Women are one thing...a guy like me...whole 'nother ball game." Then the man rattled off a time and place finishing with "and bring your courage." before hanging up.

Jeremy felt sick but began making calls...taking this bastard down was more than a one man job.
----------------------------------

Right, that's the last chappy. Watch for the epilogue coming in the next couple days.

[Mephistopheles]

killing off another one huh? still a nicely done chapter rai. there were some minor things, but, still a good tale.

[Kalanna Rai]

And the eppy. Enjoy!
----------------------

Epilogue: Judgement

I'm cold...just like before. Only this time there's no chance at warming back up. It's fitting, this storm, this place. I came into the world in a storm. I might as well go out in one. I'm sorry Cassandra...I hope you find someone else....

He's tough...really tough. Maybe what I heard was right, maybe this guy can't feel pain. Holy shit, look at that scar. Somebody hurt this guy bad once, I wonder who? Look at him move...if I could just get an opening. Go down you bastard, fall on your knees so that I can plant my foot in your skull. Knee hurt? It should. Aw shit, what am I wasting my time for. I should just blow him away...

Lightning split the sky and metal flashed as the kid drew the .45 Glock pistol from the back of his waistband. Liam moved fast, his lunge that night remniscent of one he'd made years ago. Only that time he'd been lunging for a shotgun held by his insane father. He managed to grab the kid's wrist as his knee gave out and his leg twisted painfully.

With a grunt he shoved the pain down deep, planting his other leg against a cinderblock. Muscles locked, he made sure the kid's gun was pointed at the sky. "I told you women are one thing huh kid. Not so hot with those fists of yours now."

Jeremy grinned. "How's that knee old man? Here, lemme make it all better." Suddenly, pain exploded in Liam's injured knee as Jeremy brought his own ramming into it, sacrificing both their balances. Liam's grip on Jeremy's hands slipped as he started to catch himself. The pair of them toppled into the mud.

There was a snap as they landed and a gunshot echoed through the night, louder than the thunder around them. Jeremy's head lay at an unnatural angle, a broken bit of concrete under the mud had snapped his neck as he landed on it. His heart beat faster and faster as he realized he couldn't feel anything from his neck down. He knew he was breathing, was alive, but for how much longer. He tried to spot his foe, but couldn't tell where Liam was and wasn't willing to move and risk losing what slim hold on life he had.

Liam lay there, in the mud, having rolled off the kid. Sirens wailed in the night, rushing closer. Closer still was the sound of running feet and, suddenly, Gabe's face was illuminated by a lightning flash. He didn't need to say anything, Liam knew it was bad. Still, Gabe went into emergency mode, stripping off his black coat and pressing it against the left side of Liam's chest.

"Stay with me Liam...fight it you stubborn fool, fight it..." his words trailed off into some rapid spanish, a prayer if Liam was understanding him right. But right now Liam wasn't understanding much...he knew it was getting close.

All around him faces from the past watched. His father, covered in blood and grinning as he cracked his knuckles. Kelly, Rilley, and Shelly all looking at him with horror on their faces. And Alex, shaking his head. It was Alex who came forward and knelt next to him, on the other side from a frantically working Gabe.

"You fucked up this time bro...you really screwed yourself."

He cracked a smile, replying with labored breaths. "Yeah, I suppose so Alex. But to each his own suicide eh?"

Alex shook his head again. "But I was wrong Liam...you're making the same mistake I did. I didn't believe what you were telling me. I jumped and you were there, trying your hardest to catch me. Now you've jumped and Gabe's trying his hardest to catch you."

"I don't want to be caught Alex. I want to keep falling."

With a sigh his dead brother stood up, backpedling to stand next to the other specters of his past. "But you're still needed Liam. Who will raise your sons if not you?"

Liam reached out for Alex but his brother faded and Kelly led his daughters forward. She smiled at him, tears in her big blue eyes. "Liam honey...that girl needs you. You can make all the plans for her you want, leave her all the money in the world, and it's still not going to mean a damn thing in the end. She's got her little one to look after and she needs you there."

Kelly leaned down and her cold lips brushed his forehead. "Honey, you're the stubbornest man alive, heaven knows. You've always given everything you had, every bit of yourself, every time it was asked. And even sometimes when it wasn't. So now, when someone needs you the most, you're taking it all away and being selfish."

His lips were thick and his throat dry when he forced his words out. "I think I deserve to be selfish. I've done enough...let someone else do it."

Kelly shook her head as his daughters took his hand with their four tiny ones. "Daddy," they said in unison. "Who will teach our brothers if you don't?"

Before he could reply they stepped back with their mother and vanished, leaving only the image of Liam's father to grin down at him. Liam's eyes grew hard as his father knelt down, expecting some sort of cut down.

"Son...I like your style. You really went after that bastard, stuck to your guns." He glanced breifly at Liam's arms. "You always were fond of the 'hands on' approach."

"Well thanks. I figured it worked once...if it's not broke don't fix it."

His father sighed, grin falling away to be replaced by a look of regret. "I always ment to tell you that you did me proud. I was going to tell you before you died, before I killed you. But you kinda turned the tables on me. I suppose it wasn't a very good plan, looking back, but I was afraid you'd blow it all. And you would have, no doubt, because it was the right thing."

"So why are you telling me this now?"

"Because I fucked up raising my sons...I kinda wanted to see how you would do better. You need to live Liam. If you don't guide your sons...no one will."

And with that his father was gone too, replaced by the very real faces of the paramedics. Liam barely listened to their words, barely heard what they said as Gabe gabbed at them. Instead, he reached down and loosened the bandanna around his leg, feeling the blood begin to flow even more freely.

Screw them all...
-----------------------------------------

Cassandra let the letter slip from numb fingers, the big manila package following it to the ground. Were it not for the straps that held him in place, she might have dropped Alex as well. Suddenly she was crying, scrabbling in the dirt as she picked the note back up. Tears and dust streaked the paper as she read it again, hands trembling.

Dear Cassandra,

I have a confession to make...I'm not the man you think I am. I'm not this wonderful guy who kept himself celibate because he didn't want to take advantage of helpless women. I didn't save women because they needed it. I didn't marry you because I loved you. I stayed celibate because I couldn't be unfaithful to a wife eight years dead. I saved women because the sins of the father are passed to the son and if I ever wanted a shot at heaven I have a lot of sins to cover for. And I married you because you had my son.

You were my friend and the communication, trust, and friendship I offered you were very real...if you can understand that. But, unfortunately, I'm still in love with a dead woman and she'll always come first. I just wasn't a big enough man to tell you that while I was alive. That's right Cassi, I won't be coming back, this letter is to let you know that I will continue to provide for you and Alex even though I'm no longer around.

The house is yours, I built it years ago on land my Grandparents left my mother. It was a home for my new family, it hasn't been used. It should still be in good repair, Toby is the handyman who takes care of it. You'll see him around no doubt and he's a nice enough guy, he'll introduce you in town if you ask. Don't mention my name, folks round there don't take too kindly to me. I'm a bit of a town shame you might say.

In the manilia packet Wires has for you is the deed to the house, the account numbers for all the bank accounts, and the phone number for our stock broker. Her name's Marcia and I know you two will get along well...she's a very warm person. And I've started a college fund for Alex, by the time he's old enough there should be enough there for any school he cares to go too...barring some stockmarket crash of epic preportions.

One last thing Cassi. If you're reading this then your stalker is already taken care of. His name was Jeremy DaCosa, son of Wilbert DaCosa. I don't know what he had against women but there was a scandel in the paper some time back about his being caught with a prostitue...might have something to do with it. But all I'm trying to say is I've taken care of him...permenantly.

That's all Cassandra. Just keep your chin up, find someone new. Somebody who loves you. And tell Alex that his father wasn't the kind of guy he should grow up to be. I don't care what you tell him but know this...I did love him very much.

Liam

She looked up at the house, at the manila envalope, then at Wires who was watching her from by the car. She brandished the letter at him. "Did you know about this?"

"All I knew is what he told me. Lemme guess...he went after DaCosa."

"Damn right he did. And from the way he talks he's...he's..." Wires held her as she began to sob again. "He doesn't think he's coming back."

Wires patted her back. "Chances are he won't. DaCosa's dad is the DA back there. Even if he's not allowed to prosecute the case, he'll be a major player in it. Liam's done for either way he works it. If the kid doesn't kill him, and in a fight between them my money is definetly on Liam by the way, it land him in prision. And Liam's not going to stop until Jeremy is dead, that's the only way he can be sure he won't come after you. You know what a murder rap means in prison terms right?"

Cassi looked at him, mutely nodding, but Wires told her anyway. "If he's lucky, life...otherwise it's lethal injection. Either way, Liam's not coming back Cassi."

For a long time they stayed like that until Cassi finally pulled away. "Take me back Wires."

"Why?"

"Because I've either got to bury him, or stand by him. Take me back."

Slowly she put Alex in his carseat and the manila envalope on the seat next to him. Sliding into the passenger seat she looked at Wires as he looked at her. "Are you sure?"

Cassi smiled at him. "Kelly stood by him once before. Why should I do anything less." And the car turned and drove back down the lane the way it had come.
-------------------------

Yay! It's over! Hope you liked!