72: A Gift?

(originally posted 03/18/2012)

Elena


Laurie just smiles down at me.

Me: Laurie, WHY?
Laurie shrugs: I have my reasons.
I look up at him: You have your REASONS?! To lock me up in this cell?!

Laurie smiles down at me, showing his white teeth. They remind me of a shark. I shudder slightly and look down at my hands once more.

Don't go to work. Don't go to work. I hear John and Greg telling me in my head.

A sudden idea hits me.

John knew there was something about Laurie that was off. He told me never to be alone with him. He all but told me Laurie was under investigation, but I wrote it off.. thinking that John was just being paranoid. Looks like he was right. I wonder what he was under investigation for? Oh no... what if he also...


I stand up to face him: You killed Greg, didn't you?
Laurie still smiles: Dearest Elena, do you think I would endanger you like that by telling you? Certainly not. I wouldn't dream of it.

Dread forms in the pit of my stomach like a cold ball of lead.

I shake with anger: You monster!


Laurie sighs as the smile finally gets wiped off his face: No, not a monster. Just plain old me.
Me: Murderer!
Laurie: I haven't said anything of the sort, now stop the name calling, please.

Oh, 'PLEASE' says the kidnapper!

Me: Why Xavier? Huh? Why?
Laurie looks almost sad: I am sorry about that, my dear. I'm afraid I had to use the resources available to me. (He sighs.) You weren't leaving that house and I was unable to get to you. So, I had to force you to come to me. I do hope Xavier isn't too hurt.
I'm shaking with rage and fear: That's why you were so eager to come see me.
Laurie smiles once more: Of course I want to see you! I'm in love with you! Also, I needed to get you away from John.

He walks over to one of the panels and punches in a code. The panel swings like a door, and he walks in. He closes the panel behind him.


I hear the pounding noise above me some more, but this time it's to a different beat. It's almost like the bass line for dance music.

Oh... work... Don't go to work. Holy s---! I'm somewhere under the bar!

I walk away from him: So, when did you have time to build all this?

Looking in the mirror out the corner of my eye, I see he's stopped.

Laurie: Very good, Elena. Yes. It was difficult getting it done so quickly. I never know when I might need a place like this so I had it done. Cozy, huh?
Me: Go to hell.


Laurie scares me as I watch his reflection: Ah, I'm already there. My life has been hell. I've risen above it and learned from it. I've made a life for myself taking over my parents' business. Hostile takeover of course. No, hell does not frighten me.
YOU frighten ME.


In one quick motion, he's placed his hands on my shoulders. I try to slink out of his grasp, but his hold on me gets more painful the more I try to pull away.

While this is going on, he continues to talk: Then YOU come along in my little quest for vengeance.

I whimper as his hands dig into my shoulders painfully.

Laurie: YOU with your... many redeeming qualities. I realized I wanted more than just to take out your share of my revenge on you. More than the partner for the bar that was just a lame cover.

Revenge?

Laurie: Besides, the one I REALLY want to harm is John.
No!
I find my voice: Then why kill Greg?
Laurie: Don't ask me that, my dear. Now, John. (He laughs.) JOHN is panicking. (He laughs again.) He'll get what's coming to him... but first I want to watch him suffer.
I start breathing faster as more fear piles up on what was already there: Why? Why do this to us?


I stop trying to pull away and his touch becomes gentle now. There's nowhere I could go anyway, but him touching me makes my skin crawl.

His voice has lost its hard edge and sounds more like the Laurie as I first met him: I don't want to harm YOU, Elena. I've realized YOU weren't at fault. He couldn't help it. He probably loved you for all the same reasons I do.
Me: Who?
Laurie: My brother.
What?
Laurie continues before I can ask: John, however, is to blame for all this. What better way to hurt him than to take his love from him? Especially since I want you for myself.


Swiftly and without warning, I duck down out of his grasp and turn to face him. I try to find the courage I need so desperately.

Me: Laurie, you have to stop this. I told you I'm not in love with you.
Laurie looks down: I know.
Me: Just... just let me go. I'll wait and give you time to get a head start. Head start to leave town.
Laurie: I'm not ready to leave town yet.

His stormy eyes cut up at me.


Laurie: Besides, I'm not going anywhere without you.

Ha.. Ha... Help.

Laurie misreads my expression of fear: But don't worry, my dear, we won't be here much longer. I have a man on the inside that will get the job done if I'm unable to.
I swallow: The job?
Laurie: Getting justice against the man that threw my brother in prison.
Justice?
Me: Brother?
He grins widely now: Why, Tate Williams. Can you see the resemblance?

He throws his arms wide as I try to keep from fainting. No. Don't think about it. It didn't happen. I start to hyperventilate.

My voice sounds like it's gasping: No, I don't.
He chuckles and lowers his arms: Of course not. He was my step-brother, but we were very close until his grandmother took him from me. (He looks at my reaction.) Ah, yes. Brook mentioned something about you not liking to talk about him. Fine. I'll save all that for John, then.
Me: Don't hurt him.


He raises his eyebrows and studies me for a moment. I shudder to think what is going on in that head of his.

Laurie's smile is creepy: That... I don't know if I can promise you that. Perhaps I could be persuaded? It would take alot... I'm furious with him. But, you have such an calming effect on me, my dear, that I might leave him alone as a gift to you. We'll see.

Calming effect? S---. Yeah, unless I make you mad for some reason. This man is insane.


Laurie: I never thought I'd willingly give up my revenge on a mere whim for a woman. After my brother left, I've lived my whole life up 'til now wanting vengeance for him being gone, then vengeance for his death.
Me: We didn't kill him. John didn't kill him!
He lifts one eyebrow as he watches my desperate plea: John sent him to prison. Prison killed him.

We're both quiet as I try in vain to come up with something to say to save John.

Laurie: I can't believe I'm saying this, but I might actually leave him alone for your sake. Of course, he won't rest until he finds you. That does complicate matters.
Oh, John.
Laurie's face is calculating: I'll think about it and get back to you later.


He reaches up to stroke my cheek: You get some rest now. It's almost peak time for the bar, and I have to keep up appearances.

I reach my hand up and roughly shove his off of me.

He chuckles as he walks to the panel to leave: Until tomorrow then, my dear.

(Well, I really wasn't going to end it here, but my husband wants to go out to eat for dinner. I guess it's not a horrible place to end a chapter.

And I'd like to thank tommiegirl_ca for "Justin" (aka, Brad) and "Hugh" (aka Luke). I thought it would be strange to call them by the names you gave them, but I'm finding it even stranger to call them by the not-as-good names I gave them.)

Edit on a few lines up as I realized there was a discrepancy. (whoa I spelled that right the first time!)