The Hostage and the Runaways

Isabella’s eyes fluttered open at the sound of car doors opening. She didn’t know how long she had been out but she knew that it looked about midday. Upon her discovery, she had been placed up in the front seat of a foreign van, Isabella panicked and threw her door open, her feet landing hard on the ground.

She let out a pained cry and fell on the ground, holding her foot. She also forgot she hadn’t worn any shoes and the toe alignment braces had long since been ruined by water, making them useless.

Killian gasped, his eyes wide in shock as he was across the parking lot at the time about ready to go into the gas station to get food and drinks to last them for a few days but heard Isabella cry out.

He turned back and ran to her just as Niall came around the van having exited from the other side. He was there, picking her up from the ground and setting her back in the seat, his eyes worn and tired.

“Dove sweetheart, why?” He asked, Killian coming to her side and kneeling down.

“Are you ok little fawn?” Killian asked, his hand going to her cheek, worry in his eyes.

“You guys need to quit babying her like she can’t take care of herself. She’s become entirely too dependent on you all and I think that’s going to need to stop. She needs to train to be on her own two feet and to do that, you need to let go. She’s not two and you guys are not her parents. That stops now.” Kellie said, coming to the side of the door and kneeling down to Isabela’s eye level.

“You alright, rookette? Scrape anything?” Kellie asked, his eyes emotionless but not uncaring.

“I’m fine. I just saw I was in a van and freaked. I thought Ethan had me, I thought –“She couldn’t finish her sentence and just reached over and hugged Killian with a tight embrace before giving him a kiss on his cheek. Niall hugged her and smiled, her arms returning it.

“It’s good to have you back, dove.” Niall said, getting up to go inside the gas station and leave her in the rightful hands of the twins.

“What do you want to eat? We’re going into the station to grab food and drinks.” Kellie offered.

Isabella’s face fell and she looked at Killian. She felt like she had gained weight, she knew it was impossible but she felt herself feeling like she ate a cow despite hardly eating much.

“I’m not hungry.” Isabella shook her head, glancing down at her feet; her toes seeming back to their normal size. She tried wiggling them and found she could without any pain.

Kellie frowned deeply but stood up.

“I’ll grab everything I see. You’re not slipping into bad habits, sapling. If I have to coax or ask you to eat again, you will have nine demerits of rope practice and slash or mirror searching. I’m done asking and I am done coaxing. You’re an adult, not a stubborn child.” Kellie said, heading into the food mart.

She ignored Kellie’s underlying threat and reached down to rip the useless plaster from her feet, wiggling her toes.

“Killy, look.” Isabella smiled, making Killian crouch down and gently prod her feet. A smile spreading across his lips. He stood back up again and kissed with a passionate display.

“Your toes don’t appear to be broken anymore and - well, look.“ He grinned, touching her chest and gently trailing his finger over the smooth skin where the scars use to be.

Isabella noticed and gaped, her eyes lighting a bright and joyful green.

“Oh my god, Killian, I’m perfect again! I’m perfect!” She yelled, Killian chuckling at her late observation. He was so relieved to see her happy.

Harry came around the van, hearing her cries.

It was then she noticed dark bruises forming.

“Oh my, which super boxer on steroids did you piss off?” She asked, starting to stand very slow.

Killian gently assisted her, earning a panicked look from Harry who rushed to her other side and helped the green eyed beauty.

“Luv, what are you doing? You shouldn’t –“He paused and noticed her skin was clear and scar free. He hugged her in the midst of his excitement. “We don’t have to carry you anymore.” Harry chuckled, which made Isabella beamed.

“Nope, I can stand –I can walk, I think.” Isabella looked unsure, she didn’t know if she wanted to chance it, especially barefoot in a gas station parking lot.

Zayn came around, seeing Isabella on her feet.

“We really must send Ethan a thank you card, huh, love?”

Just like that her good mood was gone and her feet wobbled.

Killian caught her and sighed, putting her in the front seat and buckled her in, kissing the side of her face with gentle precision.

“Don’t fear little fawn, Ethan won’t touch you. Not him, not Glen, not Elliott. We’ll keep you safe and now that you can stand and walk some, you stand a better chance.” Killian tried to calm her fear.

“Ethan still cares to a certain point, he has to. He did you a favor – probably because he really did think he was going to take you with him.” Harry frowned.

Isabella frowned deeper, catching Killian’s eye.

“Elliott? Elliott who?” She genuinely wondered.

Zayn reached into the van, taking a few pills and water bottles from the doctor’s bag, handing them over to Isabella.

“Take these, they’ll make you fill better.” Zayn smiled.

Isabella simply took the pills without question and gulped down the water. Killian saw a square white pil, he knew that was for pain and a white oval – he recognized the one as an appetite enticer.

“So, Elliot who?” Isabella looked at Killian, seeing the intense look on her love’s face and reached over to stroke his cheek.

Killian noticed and snapped out of his trance before kissing her cheek and walking into the gas station, if Zayn gave her an appetite pill, he needed to make sure they bought enough food. He didn’t know the effect it would have on Isabella and he wished the doctor wouldn’t of given her them as he believed the pills would do more harm than good.

“Elliott Lancaster, name ring a bell?” Zayn asked, sitting down in the van and waited for everyone else to join. He had already gotten some stuff for the road.

“Nope but knowing Glen, he’s probably going to be evil, handsome and smart. Glen has a preference when it comes to men working for him. They need to be groomed, they need to be tops in their class and they need to have a detachment to human emotions.”

“He hired Killian, I doubt evil is his preference.” Harry rolled his eyes.

“Glen is beyond evil, he would need to feed off the negativity. Ethan isn’t evil but he is detached, Killian isn’t evil –but he can be detached on certain things but I love him for being him, he’s my beautiful, unselfish heartbeat. Detachment is easy to manipulate. So, if he’s anything like Glen, let’s stay out of his way.”

Harry hugged Isabella with a smile and went into the gas station to look for food.

“Be right back Dove.”

Zayn patted her arm and followed Harry.

As they went in, Emory walked out, his smile was beaming as he saw Isabella was awake and ran over to the van to hug her, a load of bags in his hand.

“Emory.” Isabella returned the hug, the air clear and fresh around them.

“You will never believe what I found in there, I haven’t seen these since the nineties. They say you can still find them at some gas stations but I never believed it.” He said, pulling a blue box from the package, showing it to his ex-friend. “Remember these?”

Isabella freaked excitedly and grabbed the box, ripping it open and opened the plastic package, digging her hand in and scooping out the chex mix, prezel and nut intermixed snack.

“Doo Dads, oh my God, we use to share them from my lunch in like, kindergarten.” Isabella smiled, watching Emory look at her with a pout.

Isabella offered the box, sticking her tongue out. She felt so happy and content. It was unexplainable but she could walk – sort of, she could also feel something strange. She looked at her hands and let out a screech, realizing her fingernails had also grown to their cuticles.

“Fingernails! They grew back –ish. Em, I’m perfect, I-I’m perfect again.” Isabella continued to beam.

“You were always perfect, bunny. You are perfect with scars and without. It doesn’t change us, it doesn’t make us any different of a person. See?” Emory said, pulling his long sleeves from his arms.

Isabella gasped and took his arm, her eyes going sorrowful for a brief moment before they flashed in anger.

“Why would you do this to yourself, Em? What –“She swallowed the thicket in her throat, tears beginning to slide down her face.

“Sometimes, Elly, physical pain is much more bearable to deal with then emotional and the razor was my healing of choice. It makes me no less human and no less different. I’m the same guy you loved in high school. See past them, El because they were my mistakes, my pain. All that’s there are the reminders and that gives me the strength to open my eyes in the morning. What I learned in the year and what I can do to be a better person. I certainly still need to work on it but I’m trying.” Emory smiled sadly, taking a handful of the mix and tossing it back in his mouth, chewing with delight.

Isabella put Emory’s wrist to her mouth and kissed one of the deep lines before bringing her other hand on top of the other one, encasing his hand.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there.” Isabella frowned.

Emory reached over and kissed her cheek.

“It wouldn’t have done any good bunny. Nothing you could have done.” Emory reassured her before smiling again and putting his bags in the back in his box and hoping inside.

Isabella turned to hand the box back to Emory but he chuckled and shook his head.

“I got that for you.”

Isabella let out a content sigh and continued to dig into the box. Her appetite seemed to have kicked into overdrive. She was famished.

Everyone came out shortly after and hopped in the back. Killian noticed Isabella came back to join them, sitting in the corner beside Emory who held a photo album. Killian took a seat on the opposite side of her.

He reached into the bag and wordlessly handed Isabella a meatball, green pepper and onion cheese sub. She took it and began to eat.

Emory noticed her stare at the photo album and he smiled, opening it to reminisce.

Killian leaned over, a smile gracing his beautiful face.

“Aw, how old were you?” He saw a picture of Emory and Isabella in a wagon, a brunette child pushing the two of them around, Isabella’s arms around Emory’s body, hugging him tight, looking scared.

“Two. I remember that day too. Kathy was grumpy, she was teething and Emory here climbed into the wagon, I hated that damn red machine but I followed him up and put my arms around him. He had no idea what to do, his face is looking at the camera, completely clueless.” Isabella laughed, taking another bite out of her sandwich as Louis came around to look, Zayn, Liam, and Harry joining. The corner of the van was compact and abuzz with curiosity.

Niall choose to move up front and ride with Kellie.

Kellie had a knowing smile and started the engine.

“It’s not about the girl, mate. Sometimes, it’s not even worth the fight.” Kellie told him as laughs filled the back.

Niall smiled but it was sad. He was happy Isabella was happy. If she was, Kellie had a point. It wasn’t about her, it was about accepting that he’d never have a chance but being thankful to have any type of relationship at all.

“You’re right, Kell, to hear her laugh is the most beautiful sound I think we’ve all heard in a while. She can walk, her scars – completely gone. If she’s happy, in truth that’s all I want. I think that’s all any of us do. Now we just have to find a place where Glen and all the other psychopaths that are after us can’t find. I’m going to focus on that. If she needs me, I’ll be there for her but I’m not going to hurt myself over something I know will never work out.” Niall said and faced out the window, finally glad to be back in civilization.

Isabella laughed and pointed when she turned the page; seeing Kathy, Emory and her covered from head to toe in birthday cake. Emory was crying and Kathy was attempting to eat herself.

The date was written in permanent marker December 3rd, 1987.

Killian frowned, realizing that was mere weeks away.

“Whose birthday?” Harry asked, smiling.

“Hers.” Emory replied, pointing to her and laughing.

“We got into so much trouble. My parents were still finding cake in my ears weeks after.” Isabella grinned, remembering her parents and their exasperated faces. “Strangely, I did know better at two – in a sense. I knew what ‘do not touch the cake’ meant and like most kids, I wasn’t good at following rules. I grabbed the cake and dumped it to the floor – only problem is Kathy and Emory were both under it at the time. He was crying because I took some, wanting to share and put it in his face.”

Louis smiled, his face lit up with amusement.

The whole aura of the van changed. It all seemed lighter, more relaxed. Despite their danger, it was a relief to see Isabella smile and laugh. She was open and her eyes sparkled, showing off her dimples.

Liam chuckled.

“You three certainly were the trouble trio, good lord, my parents would have pulled their hair out.”

“Oh, there were times, Liam…there were times.” Isabella snickered, dropping her head on Killian’s shoulder, hiding her face playfully before looking back at the album.

Emory flipped a few pages.

“This was my favorite, this one has always been mine.” Emory pointed.

Isabella’s heartstrings tugged and she found herself tearing up twice that hour.

Emory, Kathy and Isabella were volunteering at a nursing home. Isabella was spending time with an older gentlemen, Emory and Kathy were beside her too. She was hugging the older man and the picture was taken at the exact time her eyes closed, tears streaming her face. The man had been telling them stories of his time in the war, a painful time for him and Isabella remembered the story that truly got to her.

“Mr. Rhodes. I remember him. His family never came to see him, I visited him every single day for a year before he passed away from heart complications. I was there with him when he died. This picture was taken a week before his death if I remember correctly. It was so hard going in each day and watching him fade but I did because if I didn’t, who would have? His family didn’t even want his ashes. I ended up taking his ashes and burying them between his sister and brother. Both victims of the war. I owed it to him and I’m only glad I could help. I also made sure his family didn’t get anything from his will. It went to the veterans. All of it. His house, which his ‘family’ was living in at the time, his cars, his money – everything. Except for his dog Rascal. I sort of stole him from the backyard. The poor thing was underweight and matted. It was a yorkie. I cared for him and boy did he live by his name. Before Rhodes died, he told me he wished he could change his will so everything went to the vets but because of some logicality with his lawyer and family, he couldn’t because they deemed him unfit to make his own rational decisions, which was bullshit. He was more worried about his dog though. He wanted to be sure that his dog was cared for and that his urn was buried between his brother and sister. I was just honoring his wishes. I’m all the more thankful for it to.” Isabella smiled, her dimples showing, she remembered the man fondly.

“You were a selfless person even back then.” Emory said, wrapping his arm around her and hugging her to him.

“People change, Em. Sadly, I will never be able to redeem myself in any good graces for what I’ve done. I wasn’t there for Kathy or you and I failed, Ethan – he’s hurt and unstable. You guys for getting you mixed up into all of this and Killian –“Isabella’s voice was silenced with a hand, it belonged to the name she had uttered.

“Don’t even say it, Ella. I would lose my voice a million times over just to see you smile once. To see you unbound by chains. Laughing, smiling –free. You deserve that life and I promise you will get it. We will bring Saudimere down and he will pay but right now we need to seek shelter from Elliott. He’s dangerous and I will be damned to hell if he thinks he will take you from me, from us.” Killian vowed, feeling a hand at his shoulder. It was Zayn.

“We will but right now all we can do is run. Until we have a plan and until Isabella is strong enough to take on that challenge – we will continue to run as far and fast as well can. Right now, let her enjoy her memories, put the thoughts of Ethan and Elliott to bed until something comes of it, if it does.” Zayn smiled, patting his shoulder.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, gents, but something might just become of it. Black van behind us – coming right up on our bumper and I don’t think they’re in a hurry to get to a movie matinee.” Kellie announced, his eyes slightly reflecting the agitation in his eyes. He sped up down the road, turning an exit to try and lose them.

Isabella quickly took a bite of her sub before wrapping it up and sticking it in the bag. She was famished but car chases, Kellie’s riving and potential crashes don’t make for a safe eating environment.

Killian and Emory both wrapped their arms around Isabella securely. Louis and the rest hooked onto one another and settled in the opposite corner.

“Hold on mates, here we go again.” Louis muttered, bracing himself for the bumper car game that was sure to start.

“Not today.” Kellie glowered, speeding up as fast as the van allowed in order to lose the pursuer.

Notes